Chemo starting November 2018
Comments
-
Lou Reed's "A Perfect Day"
Nina Simone's "Feeling Good"
The Naked and the Famous "The Sun"
Beastie Boys "Can't, won't, don't stop"
Just a few of the weird but uplifting songs on my playlist.....
(Edited to read "uplifting" instead of uplighting - darn autocorrect).
0 -
MaddieBrie1 - nice choices! I'm always looking for a few good tunes. Here are some of mine (80s inspired):
Living on a Prayer - Bon Jovi
Walking on Sunshine - Katrina and the Waves
Eye of the Tiger - Survivor
Don't Stop Beliving - Journey
What I Like About You - The Romantics
Hazy Shade of Winter - The Bangles
0 -
I hope I get to start Chemo soon. Now it is to start Nov 28 since the port won't be placed until Nov 26. Tomorrow I go for a visit to the radiologist. The NM bone scan picked up a place on my vertebrae and we're going to discuss the next course of action in the morning. I hope I get some sleep. After being diagnosed 10-25, all I've had are scans, meetings, and tests. I'm so ready to get this show on the road....like yesterday. For a big-time planner, this process has been frustrating.
0 -
Maddie and MDoc - loving the songs! If you can take Christian-style music, Matthew West has one, Survivors. I bought that album several years ago after hearing My Own Little World one morning on CMT; he wrote the songs people suggested he write about problems in life.
MDoc - my husband plays the guitar and has played all those songs other than the Bangles one over the years with his various musical friends.
Maddie, when I was a child, I was diagnosed with Crohn's. I'm never sure that was right, because you don't "outgrow that", those links are very helpful to me. I remember taking sulfasalazine. I am starting on the BRAT diet today, let's see if that helps. I am so grateful to be fat, for once in my life, although that may have contributed to my arriving here, but I have the weight to lose, while other, fit and trim women don't.
Duncmelsmom, I'm sorry about your bone scan and your vertebrae. I had a spot on my CT scan on my vertebrae that did not show up on my bone scan, but the doc said there was nothing to compare it to, so they're going to watch it. You are on your way to the train leaving the station, hugs to you, I felt the same way exactly!
It's a new week, prayers for all of us it is a good week. Prayers for those starting treatment this week. I wonder if I should go back to church one of these days. That's my own problem. Love and hugs, Lisa
0 -
Excellent song choices!
Duncmelsmom - hopefully your scans give you good news. The scan anxiety is so awful and the waiting around is the worst.
I feel like maybe I'm arriving on the other side of this round and I'm feeling semi human again. I can't believe the chemo hit me so fast and the effects have held on for so long. I put myself on the treadmill yesterday hoping that a little exercise would help me out. It nearly ended me but I did a mile and a half at an embarrassingly slow pace. I ordered a couple chemo scarves off of Amazon to get myself prepared. I cannot believe how tender my scalp is right now. I told my husband he could shave my head when it comes time and he's way more excited about this than the situation warrants. I guess from his perspective how often will you get the opportunity to shave your wife's head?
0 -
I just wanted to wish all you beautiful ladies well! I am 6+ years past chemo and doing well. Every treatment completed was a win. It seemed unimaginable that chemo would ever end but it did. You can and will do this!!!
0 -
Christina, thank you for the encouragement, much needed!!!!!
Hazel-Nut, my husband would like to help me select a wig (and he will be buzzing my head in the next week or so too).
Trouble with foods - I found this list. Just sharing... https://www.ucsfhealth.org/education/diet_for_cancer_treatment_side_effects/
0 -
Y'all crack me up! I love the way everything is described.
Wish me luck as the radiologist is doing a biopsy into my vertebrae tomorrow. It's so nice of him to squeeze me in. Wednesday, we head to camp for 5 days! Luckily I haven't started anything and still feel fine about going!
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I'll be stalking your posts while camping. You guys are so addicting!
0 -
MissouriCatLady - too cool. Your very own live show. Got to love classic tunes when people played instruments and sang. I will absolutely check out Matthew West.
Duncmelsmom - nothing like hurry up and wait. That’s probably the worst part of this whole process. Our timeline - or what we would like the timeline to be - is at the mercy of a cast of characters. I hope you get some answers and are back on your track soon.
Hair - a few days after infusion I was ready to cut it off. It hurt. Now that it doesn’t hurt I lost the gusto to cut it. It’s not long, it’s just a lot of hair...which would be a mess to pick up all over the place. Decisions decisions
0 -
Hello Ladies! I start with my chemo on 11/27. Been going through scanxiety for PET/CT since this past Wednesday, results came back today and it’s all clear. Hoping I can lay off the Xanax now.
I went off to Target today and saw a beautiful young woman who looked like her hair was just coming back. Not sure if it was due to chemo or by choice, but she wore it with confidence and a smile on her face. I may see if I can pull it off. My head is getting shaved as soon as it starts coming out.
Question about appetite and weight. I’ve had no appetite and have lost about 12 pounds since this started in early October and my BMI is borderlineunhealthy. Did the steroids help increase your appetite?
0 -
Today was my first infusion. Sadly it was a disaster. Started great, good labs, pre meds went great, and then the bottom fell out. They hooked up the Taxotere and within less than 3 minutes I couldn’t breath, talk, see clearly, my face and throat swelled, then the hives around my face came and pain so severe in my back. Truly the most terrifying thing I have ever experienced. A code was called and tons of people came in to try and reverse it. It took several medication and about 30 minutes to feel better. Has anyone had a reaction? If so did they change you to taxol or to something in a different class? They wouldn’t finish the infusion of it today, rightfully so. I just got the Cytoxan. I guess a little chemo is better than none.
0 -
runningcats,
wish you minimal SEs. Remember, sleep is the best medicine. eat what and whenever you can.
hairwise, I shaved it off 10 days after #1. chemo should kill everything including hair follicles. I had so much fun being bald. I even used to walk to local supermarket wearing flower pot knitted hat. i got all the hair back no problem.
steroid increases appetite like there is no tomorrow. it also brings crash when it wears off.
0 -
fightingmama - that’s awful! I had a reaction to the adriamycin and they still finished the infusion but it was still super scary. I’m sure your onc will discuss your reaction with the pharmacist to see what the other options are. Allergic reactions are scary and it’s disheartening to have to stop progressing right as you started.
0 -
fighting-mamma,
That sounds terrible. maybe they will be able to change the dosage or the meds before you're next treatment. I truly hope the next infusion goes better
0 -
RunningCats,
I start my first infusion on the 27th as well! I had heard that steroids will make you jumpy and hungry. I did mention that to my doctor and I will only get 10ml the day of infusion since I tend to blow up with steroids, but that is just me! My sister can take then and lose weight. Really weird. What meds do they have you scheduled to take?
0 -
Fighting-Mamma - holy moly! I hope they also gave or had you take some antihistamines for home?! The only bad bad allergic rxns I have had were to bee stings, but still haven't had it affect my respiration. Just the big old swelling and hives/welts and anxiety from getting unexpectedly stung. With the exception on some stings on my face very early childhood, all others since I've been older have been arms, legs or back. Thankfully your oncs office was well prepared! Deep breath... I hope/pray that never happens to you again.
MDoc - my whole head tingled for about 5 days after infusion. It was like my scalp and roots of my hair were the back end of a skunk ready to spray.... It was unpleasant. I haven't had much fall out, yet. I've already chopped it off twice since Aug, next step is the all over buzz. My 3 sisters and dad said they would shave theirs off in solidarity and want to make something of a party of it. I'm not sure how I will feel about that. I know I will miss it once it's gone, but I think seeing it fall out while showering or on my pillow in the mornings will (in addition to being a total pain to clean up) be more traumatic for me personally.
RunningCats - I haven't had much of a real appetite either, but I also haven't felt nauseated or had much other than the dreaded constipation for a few days. I've tried to keep my eating habits pretty normal, just smaller portions, more frequently. I feel like a grazer from morning to mid afternoon and then a larger dinner. I should've waited a little longer to add meat back into my diet post chemo, I think that contributed to the constipation. Not much gets me off my feed and I've been blessed for better or for worse w something of a cast iron stomach. Like Castigame said the steroids should help w appetite. Or have you thought of one of those meal shakes or supplement drinks? My mom has diabetes and liked the flavoring/taste of the glucerna drinks (I did not). I preferred ensure or boost, myself, after a bout of kidney stone surgery a few years ago started drinking them during the month long recovery. The weight loss, do you think it's tied to the stress and anxiety and or build up to treatment?? How are you sleeping?
PT for me tomorrow. Then another AC round on Wednesday.
Has anyone heard from EdithMary lately? Good luck to those who are (to steal/borrow a phrase from the Sept/Oct chemo start groups) "in the chair" tomorrow! Drink lots of water, get plenty of rest....
0 -
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&u...
/www.newscientist.com/article/dn23628-zoologger-the...&ved=2ahUKEwi1-MjBmeLeAhVtk-AKHS8GCb0QFjAJegQIBhAB&usg=AOvVaw32OZlKX3GiXhfE1YwB8aFH&cf=1&cshid=1542690446199This is pretty much what my mind pictures as I'm grazing from breakfast to mid-afternoon. I hope the weblink comes thru w/o trouble (my husband is the computer whiz in the fam, I do science). My phone's been weird pasting things lately.
0 -
0 -
oh that manatee brought a big smile to my face. Thank you!
EdithMary, please check in sometime if you can.
0 -
Hello, everybody. Sorry to have left you all for so long. So, my first chemo treatment gave me a slight reaction, both during and the next day--they gave me Benadryl, and it subsided. I had no nausea at all, but lots of diarrhea and aches and pains after the steroid wore off on the second day after chemo. By the sixth day, I was feeling some better, but then developed in the eighth day a fever and infection, and ended up in the hospital with a neutrophil count of ZERO! They pumped me full of antibiotics, discovered that it was my sinuses that were infected, and sent me home to rest. Latest news is that Aetna rejected the hospital claim "because I didn't meet the requirements" for hospitalization--even though the second requirement is a low blood count. OUr company's insurance rep is on it. I imagine somebody didn't code properly at the hospital.
Anyway, I am feeling great today, and hoping that when I get my bloods tomorrow the neutrophil will have gone up, and there will be no more surprises. I am supposed to have the second cycle of chemo on Friday. We shall see.Best to everybody!
Edith
0 -
MaddieBrie, thanks for your private note. I was in pretty bad shape last week-hospitalized with a neutrophil count of zero, but am feeling a whole lot better today. Hoping that my blood test is good enough tomorrow to go on with the second cycle of chemo on Friday. I want this over by January!
Best to all,
EdithMary
0 -
I dunno--"outlighting" sounds good to me!
0 -
Steroids! I know what folks with mania feel like! I couldn't sleep, and could do EVERYTHING. Was glad when I finally came back to normal, even with the aches and pains that plagued me. I am wondering about asking the doctor if I should take a smaller dose (1 1/2 tablets twice daily instead of 2). But I am also afraid that it won't deal with the side effects as well. I was blessed to have no nausea whatsoever.
0 -
Oh, yes. MaddieBree reminded me of hair. My hair started falling out, on the thirteenth day, and it was very uncomfortable--hair in my mouth all night, a very sore head, like when you were a kid and someone put a part in the wrong place. The hair was so patchy and thin by the fifteenth day that I had my husband shave it. it actually feels very good now. I can shower, and put intensive cream on it, and it doesn't bother me at all. Not sure if I am going to go with wigs, as I have about 10 tams, turbans and caps that I can wear, many of them in breathable material. I thought I would be completely traumatized, but since I got it chopped before chemo it didn't feel too badly. My husband cried when he shaved me, though!
0 -
And here is another one of me in turban. Not sure what I think about this one, but it is light-weight and comfortable. I wear it at night and to hang out when I am not doing anything. I think probably you are supposed to wear the flounce at the back, but I would rather look like a cleaning lady than a chemo patient! (-:
0 -
That manatee is adorable!
Food and I aren't on friendly terms right now. I always feels better once I eat something but actually convincing myself to eat something is a whole different story. The thought of having to chew or swallow anything is so unpleasant. I'm basically turned off by anything that has any sort of smell, taste, or texture. I'm most sad about coffee. A week ago it was my most favorite thing on the planet, now the smell of it turns my stomach. For the most part I'm able to get enough down to feel good and once I get five or six bites in it's easier to keep eating but getting started feels like climbing a mountain.
0 -
You look beautiful Edith Mary - what a beautiful family!!!
0 -
THank you! I am very partial to my girls, and their 17 grandkids! I am really missing visiting with them. Today my youngest dropped by the house in the car with her three, and I wore a mask and went out and talked with them. (She didn't want to contaminate my house with toddler germs: the two year old has a cold). It was great! The two year old was very intrigued with my yellow mask, and said it was like a superman. I was not going to be so careful about infection, until I ended up in hospital last week--now I must really be careful, since I know my neutrophil count can go down so low (it was zero!). I will be very glad when the last treatment is over in January.
0 -
Hazel-Nut, I think everything is very personal about tastes and food. But even water tasted dreadful to me the first 12 days. Since then, I have enjoyed food a good deal more. And this week I have been ravenous, really. I thought I would lose a lot of weight, going by the first week, but it has stabilized now. Hang on, and take each day as it comes. Not every day will be the same.
0 -
I am new to these boards...and I am so happy that I found all of you!! I was diagnosed the end of September, had a lumpectomy on Oct 15, 2018 and am scheduled to start chemo on November 30th. My head is spinning, I am terrified, but it is so comforting to be amongst all of you! Good luck to everyone starting their treatment this month!!!
0
