Starting chemo February 2020
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Beat of Luck Fab4Mom!
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Fab4mom- sending you all the best as you head in again. Hoping your pathology comes out clear on the rest of the nodes and your recovery is smooth!
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Fab4mom, go luck.
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I hope everything went well for you Fab4mom!
Scattered, I'm glad you are feeling relatively ok even though you tested positive. I'm going tomorrow for my test. i wouldn't be shocked it I had it either just because I'm in TX and it's a hot spot. I really don't go out but I still have to go to all these Dr. appointments!
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thanks for all the well wishes I made it home around 8:30 last night. This surgery was much easier. A little soreness in my arm and armpit, but that’s all. I did get a new drain, but she took the one in my good arm out. Now I wait for the pathology. The lympha procedure went well
Dysonphere - I hope your Covid testgoes well. I’m pretty bummed that we are facing a long season of Covid, I imagine I’ll be staying home most of it. I’m more scared of missing treatment than I am of Covid. Although my husband’s uncle is hospitalized in rough shape with it this week. Not on a ventilator, but oxygen. Too weak to hold his phone up to talk.
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Fab4mom- glad to hear the surgery was easier. I hope your recovery goes well and the pathology comes back clear. I hate the waiting!
Dysonsphere- good luck with the covid test. I hope it comes back clear so you can move forward with surgery.
Scattered- how are you feeling? Hopefully still okay. I hope you can get your next test and be clear so you can move forward with surgery. It’s such a bummer when things have to be stalled.
How’s everyone else doing? Seems like we’ve almost all made it through chemo and are onto next steps, which is exciting but comes with a whole new set of worries, side effects, and “fun”. Can’t wait to be (hopefully) mostly on the other side of this cancer stuffsoonish...
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Best Wishes to all as we get closer to seeing all of this cancer treatment in the rear view mirror. Maybe someday in the not too distant future even covid-19 will be behind us, too. Thank you all for being such an essential part of my support system. Love, light and prayers.
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ScatteredEnergy, that sucks. I really hope you don't see anything more than the milder side effects. It's probably frustrating to have to delay when you don't feel like you're sick from the COVID - but it's protecting someone like my husband who would be the person to intubate you and potentially get it and bring it home to someone like me. Still, delays suck.
My surgery will happen after school goes back (and we will most likely be sending our 3 kids for in-person) so I'm worried about failing that COVID test too, if kids bring it home to me from school. Plus my sister-in-law (bc survivor) really wants to come help me during recovery - but she would have to fly here so we have to decide if having her get on a plane is worth the risk. So many hard decisions to be made on many fronts.
I had my first H&P only. My platelets were really low again, but thankfully that doesn't matter for the H&P. I don't want to jinx myself and say anything about no side effects... probably too soon to say for sure. Really hoping I can go off the Immodium and not worry about having to run to the porta-pottys at my daughter's softball tournament this weekend.
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Thank you ladies. I'm okay with the delay. It is what it is. I am annoyed with everything life keeps throwing at me though lol. I haven't seen my 7 yr. old daughter in person since July 1st. She is at her dad's safe but I miss her.
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micdpowers- so far I have had very few SEs from my HP infusions. My bathroom issues (which were horrible on TCHP) are almost non-existant! I hope you’re the same. It’s no fun going to events and having to know where the closest bathroom is! I’m still waiting to hear on school here...
scattered- I can certainly understand why you’re annoyed with everything life is throwing at you. It sucks to have to be away from your daughter. Glad she is safe, but it’s hard not to be able to see your kids
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Just got home from getting the SAVI (magnetic seeds) placed for tomorrow's surgery. I'm starting to feel depressed. I have generally made it through the chemo without getting down but whenever I have to do procedures that are painful (although it wasn't too bad today) I feel like I'm a "sick" person and then I get down. It's as if I am going about my life and I forget for a moment how serious this all is and then I get thrown back into reality. I am having a lumpectomy with ALND and bilateral reduction. I'm trying to focus on the fact I will have smaller boobs, which I"ve always wanted, but having to be alone through the whole process sucks!
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dysonsphere, hugs. I'm so sorry. This whole thing sucks.
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ScatteredEnergy - I'm so sorry you have to stay seperated from your daughter, that must be tough! I'm glad you are feeling generally ok.
dysonsphere - I completely understand where you are coming from. I was feeling strong after chemo, and then bam, time forsurgery and you feel like a "sick" person again. Everyone I see is actually shocked that I'm not just home in bed or something, but the good thing is, I bet you won't be down and out for too long. I have to remind myself to take it easy after the DMX and Node dissection. Hopefully the lumpectomy should be even easier. There is definite soreness, but at least my energy is ok. I hate that sick feeling, I've always been a healthy active person. One of my biggest complaints is that with the drains, I have to wear big baggy clothes and I have bulky drains at my waist. It's hot here, so I want to go for walks, but these drain clothes are making me look weird and sicker.
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Had my RO consult today. We're going to do 25 Radiation sessions once my TEs are filled. He showed me studies that indicate radiation after BMX with 1-3 nodes involved reduces risk recurrence by 32% and improved survival rates by 20%.
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mmorigan - sounds like a good radiation plan. How long will it take to fill your expanders? I have mine in but haven’t done for surgery follow up yet.
I got my results from the node dissection. She removed 24 nodes and 1 was cancerous and 2 more had trace cells, but not actually cancerous. There was evidence of treatment, meaning more may have been cancerous but chemo had taken care of it. My surgeon was happy with the results and told me she isn’t worried about me. So I guess that’s good news, she has faith that treatment will work on me.
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@Fab4Mom - good to hear they feel the treatment plan will work and they aren't worried.
Filling depends on how much they have to put in and how much/often they do it. My TEs are 475cc and, I currently have 120cc that I know of (not sure how much was put in at surgery). I will find out Thursday when I go for my 2nd fill. The RO wants to do my CT Scan on 7/31 so that we can start Radiation on 8/10. That means I need to be completely filled in 2 weeks.
Obviously that depends on how much my skin can support. Hopefully we can make the 7/31 date but that's up to my skin and the PS.
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Fab4mom, that's great news.
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Morrigan- I’ve found radiation to be generally tolerable (and a piece of cake compared to chemo and surgery!). I’ve got 10 sessions left (I’ll have 33 total), and my skin is irritated and red and sometimes I have some fatigue, but it’s very doable and I find it worth it for the added benefit.
Fab4mom- that’s great news! I’m happy you had a great response to treatment so far and that your surgery went well
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"radiation after BMX with 1-3 nodes involved reduces risk recurrence by 32% and improved survival rates by 20%"
Hard to say no to that.
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mmorigan - thanks for the fill info. Has it hurt at all? August 10 will be here soon enough
ScatteredEnergy - how are you feeling?
Ajminn3 - wow, you are cruising through radiation. I’m glad to hear that it hasn’t been so bad for you.
Micdpowers - I agree, the benefits of radiation seem clear. I had 2 positive nodes even after chemo, so I’m all in.
My family has been gone for 3 plus days, it’s been so quiet! I have never in my 14 years as a mom had the house to myself like this. I’ve been super boring since I have drains, and there a pandemic, but it has been nice to not have to worry about anyone else. Even though my husband is great, I still am always involved in planning dinners, making sure the laundry is going, clearing dishes, etc. it’s been so nice to skip dinner, sleep in, etc if I want and not have clutter everywhere for a few days. But I did miss them like crazy and I’m jealous they were at my “happy place” lake houseand I couldn’t be there. But reports are they had a wonderful time and a little of my guilt is alleviated about how bad this summer has sucked for our family so far.
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Fab4mom, im doing great. I feel like I'm not even sick. So weird.
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@ScatteredEnergy - Glad to hear you're feeling well.
Micdpowers and Fab4Mom - yeah, when I saw the study I agreed right away. When I was first diagnosed the only info I could find said RADS only helped after Mastectomy if you had 4 or more nodes.
Fab4Mom - The fill doesn't hurt it. I felt a little odd for a couple of days after. My skin felt tight and itchy, like a sunburn.
Ajminn - Yeah I'm not at all worried about the RADS, it's nothing compared to Chemo. I'll have 2 Kadcyla while doing the RADS which means 2 different buildings but, I'll manage 😁
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ScatteredEnergy- I’m so glad you aren’t feeling too bad. I am so confused on Covid. My doctors don’t seen that concerned for me now that I’m done with the heavy chemo. But everyone else expects me to be cowering in fear. I know I have cancer, but otherwise I’m super healthy. And I want my kids to have a life, so I’ll need to decide about school soon. I’m more worried for my parents, they are at much higher risk if they catch it, and I am there helper these days. A
How’s everyone else feeling about the Covid risk as we look ahead to fall, back to school, being indoors more and treatments?
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Fab4mom- I share similar thoughts as you...my doctors also aren’t as concerned as I get farther out from heavy chemo. I just follow regular precautions (mask indoors at stores, etc, social distance, avoid larger groups) but I can’t just stay in my house fearful. I have some coworkers, friends, family that think I’m nuts, but I just think if I am cautious and reasonable then I should be able to enjoy life. My kids are young and we are a pretty active family. I want them to still be able to do some of the fun things in summer.
I am still waiting to hear on Fall plans for school in my state...I teach elementary, and if we go back to school vs distance learning I do plan to work (this is where my coworkers think I’m crazy). I really hated distance learning (teaching my kinder at home and trying to teach my students), so I’d prefer face to face in some capacity but also know there’s a lot to be worked out for safety no matter what option is chosen and I can certainly understand concerns for safety for a lot of staff who are older or immunocompromised. It’s all so complicated
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Yeah I don't think we're in any more danger (thank the average person) now that Chemo is over as long as our blood counts are good.
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Covid-19 has changed our lives. I would say "for now" but I don't believe that life will go back to the way it was before coronavirus hit. I've had members of my family die and others deathly ill on a ventilator in the ICU for weeks. My husband and I are locked down at home, not because of my heavy chemo (my blood counts are excellent now) but because we don't want to pass the virus to anyone, especially my elderly mother-in-law.
My granddaughters are so anxious to go back to 2nd grade and high school, respectively, that they dream about it. Sadly, the first day of school has been postponed, and neither of them liked virtual teaching online at all. Kansas City has not been a hotbed of the virus compared to some other places, but thousands of people have been infected and so many did not survive.
I pray for all of you that you and yours will be safe and healthy and that the vaccine will effective and available soon. Best Wishes.
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The day before I was to go in for my 6th/final chemo I found out that I was potentially exposed to COVID (had a family with kids come over to swim and with us and our kids and several days later their daughter got a positive test before minor surgery). I was incredibly stressed for about 24 hours - about potentially having caught it and worried that they would delay my chemo again. But my MO was not so worried, given we were outside, and it seemed like she would have gone ahead with chemo regardless of how much I was exposed. On my way home from chemo I got a text that everyone else in that family of 5 tested negative. After that I relaxed (if they share a car and house with her and don't get it... my and my kids odds were good), but it definitely gave me a scare and made me feel incredibly stupid for risking it by having friends over.
Now... memory is short, right? We generally play it safe but are in close proximity to other parents and kids at outdoor softball tournaments. I just enjoy feeling normal and having something else to think about besides my cancer. We will likely send all three kids back to school in-person. But I do question that decision. I don't want to find myself stressed and regretful after finding out we were potentially exposed again - and that seems inevitable.
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Sweettalker- I’m sorry to hear you’ve had family die and seriously ill. It’s a stark reminder that Covid is incredibly harsh and we still don’t know much about it. I agree that life won’t ever be the same as before covid.
Micdpowers- how stressful and scary! Although I can relate to wanting to feel normal. We’ve had some friends over or gone to friends houses while staying outside, but I do always get a little nervous. It’s a tough balance, that’s fornsure
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How’s everyone doing? Have we all made it through chemo? Is anyone still in it? (Other than us HP ladies...). Hope everyone is well!!
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Doing well no real lasting side effects and not having any real SEs with Kadcyla. Just chugging away, taking it one day at a time. Surgical recovery is going well, can't wait till I can sleep on my side 🤣
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