Thanks Cressida. Me and Cher had our first outing today complete with beret and umberella. People were very complimentary though they’re hardly going to laugh and point…well, this is Glasgow, they may well laugh and point and shout “Haw wiggy!” but I welcome their laughter. There is a funny side! One woman did stop and stare smiling, but I think she thought she knew me.
My husband suggested a stripey t shirt, bike and string of onions to complete the French beret look. Personally I think a little Irish dancing outfit and a bit of the old Riverdance may complete my ensemble (I can only do fake Riverdance moves usually after a few wines, but I do enjoy the old leg flicks).
Glad to hear nauseau and bowels are behaving for C and C-careful of those marmite sprouts with the Movicol!
Maire - a decent hair salon will trim wigs - they usually have someone trained and they usually have somewhere private to do it. It doesn’t grow back tho…
Working on the marmite/movicol sprout recipe. Put your sprouts on now girls so they are nice and soft, the rest of the recipe will follow by Xmas day.
Put them on now? Are you planning sprout smoothies? Yum!
Wig has been chopped as much as possible. Don’t think they can cut anymore into the crown-but it’s fine. Popped back in today to get Cher tightened up a bit. Lovely girl in shop trimmed my own wisps for me. After wig wearing about Glasgow I was dying to get scratchy old Cher off. Underneath my own wisps were clamped to my head…and I reminded myself of someone…took me a while but finally got it-Jo Brand! Now I love her but it’s not a look I’m going for at the moment.
Cressida and Maire, just been howling with laughter reading your latest dialogue…
I’m in a weird - but good - state, have been up since 5.30 a.m. writing and editing, still full of this mad mental energy which CAN’T be anything to do with the steroids, because I stopped taking those a week ago. My sister reckons it’s some kind of coping mechanism - whatever, I’m not complaining, it’s taking my mind off the f***** nausea.
Gotta go, have to finish ‘The North Yorkshire Rat Apocalypse’, which is quite a saga - btw, the blog has now had 3,000 hits, which isn’t bad , considering it’s only been going for 10 days. Haven’t mentioned it to my oncologist yet, though - thought best not. :))
Keep going, all my Christmas Cracker friends - we shall overcome!
Hi Ladies, well i had my first Chemo yesterday. All went well as it possible could. I really asked for the sickness drug to be good, i think it must be as i haven’t been sick. I just feel a little sicky at times and when im feeling hungry. I did the cold cap so i feel quite proud of my self. My head is a bit achey today.
I have never weed so much in my life as i have done today and yesterday!
Have you ladies been told to drink cooled boiled water or are you just drinking tap water?
Have any of you got cats or dogs i have cats and i am frighted to stroke them too much, are any of you?
I hope everyone is ok
Sharon Xx
HI Sharon
I have a dog and a cat and am stroking the dog but keeping away from the cat (she scratches anyway!!) although I am super paranoid about washing my hands! and i’m leaving the poo collecting to my husband! (ha!)
I’ve not been told not to drink tap water…just to drink loads… i’m two weeks since my first cycle and am still peeing a lot! Worst thing for me is not being able to sleep…
…any recommendations for sleeping tablets anyone?
Cybele - not surprised on the number of hits…your blog is brilliant!
x
Oh and quick question. What quantities of drugs are you all getting? I got 175mg of epirubicin, 850mg cyclophosphamide and 850mg 5Fu. Does that tie in with others on here?
Shaz, so glad chemo number 1 is under the belt and you’re coping. I didn’t worry much about infection initially because I think it takes a while for immune system to dip. I was very worried days 10-14, then caught up with folk after that-attended nursery nativity, immersed myself in germ rich environments etc. It turns out my white blood count is too low to get today’s chemo. For me the moral to this tale is take common sense precautions but live your life because you can’t second guess what’s happening inside. I’ve been drinking tap water as normal even though we sometimes get cryptospiridium (I’m guessing the spelling) up here-hey ho. I don’t have pets but like to have a wee chat with a dog round the corner. I just make sure I wash my hands before I touch anything. I was told by someone that you’re most likely to become suseptible to something that’s lurking about in your own system.
I have been changing my toothbrush weekly and do a bit of swishing about with salt water (mouth/ throat)-no problem with mouth at all as yet and keeping sore throat at bay. Just.
Now I did wonder if salt water was good for thrush in other regions-if you get my drift-but haven’t yet sat in a salt puddle-but it’s early days!
Can somebody please explain about the cat/dog bit as due to have chemo on 31st
Wendy x x
Hi MAIRE my drugs are : 140mg Epirubicin, 1100mg Cyclophosphamide and 1100mg Fluorouracil. Its a shame you couldn’t have your Chemo today when do you think it will be now?
WENDY i am esepically worried about the litter tray i have been using gloves and still washing hands. I think its because use their mouths to wash all over their bodies. But i am finding it very hard not to cuddle them because i love them so much. Perhaps i am just getting a little parnoid!!!
Also is anyone have the Lenograstim injection that boosts your white cells from day 6 for five days?
Sharon Xx
Hello all you lovely ladies had a full on day so really tired so forgive this being to all of you. Thankyou for your thoughts . I did it, echiocarduiowhatever it’s is called (chemo mush brain already set in), PICC line in first time, x ray fine and first FEC. Sent home with truck load of drugs yay have them all! So far okay but know that will very likely change. Hope you all got on okay today. You were right anticipation and fear is far worse.
I have a Labrador and asked if I could cuddle and pet her and they said fine just keep ourselves squeaky clean and don’t let the. Scratch you,
welcome all your new ladies everyone here is with you. The have really helped me through sobbing, paranoia and being so honest and even make me laugh .
Love to you all and I am drinking plenty altough red wee not as scary as I thought it would be.Thankyou so much for all the tips.
will of course keep you updated as I hope you will on how you all are doing.
need another nap now .
Cathie xx
hi cathy,
well done for a very busy day, all i one go bet your head was spinning but the time you where done, hope you get through this with little side effects as possible, sending big hugs have a nice nap you deserve it
lolly
x
sorry cathie, (spelt your name wrong)
Cathie, So glad day 1 is over. I hope you will feel much less anxious now. That’s a major step taken.
Wonder how they work out dosages. 175mg of epirubicin seems quite high to me, but what do i know.
Evening all…
I’ve just had a look at my little red book and i had 178-9 Epirubicin; 890-9 Cyclophosphamide and 890-9 5FU.
I had emend (sickness), dexamethasone for 3 days; Lansoprazole (5 days for indigestion I think) and an injection of neulasta the day after…
I think the quantities are based on height and weight???
And I’m taking sleeping tablets… but might try without tonight as feel shattered…
xxx
Well Ladies, went to chemo and had complete breakdown and blubbed all the way through. Nurses trying to find out what is wrong were pretty helpless cos what is wrong is having cancer treatment for a f*cking year and now the train has just gone into another 3 month tunnel. Have taken to the diazepam myself now. We will all be a bunch of junkies. Now I have to go my Onc apptmnt by myself cos hubby really does have to work the last day before Xmas and everyone else is busy f*cking shopping or wrapping pressies. Aaagghhhhhh. (reaches for pills).
- Cressida this is so bloody hard I know and especially at this time of year but we will get through it and we are all with you although at times we all feel so alone.
- Cybele thanks for your posts you are so funny. Is the cold cap working so far ?
- Off for my results of scans and snb shortly filled with absolute dread just feel so sick this BC does not hit you with one thing at a time just seems to keep coming and just a glimmer of good news would be nice
Wendy x x
Morning , all
I need to scroll back and see what’s been happening to everyone else, but in the interim MASSIVE HUGS to Cressida and Wendy XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
hope your appointments go OK today, am thinking of you both and sending positive vibes xxxxxxxxx
Wendy Yes - the Cold Cap working fine so far, but I’m only on day 11 - the crucial time will be about day 15, which I think is when Maire’s hair started to fall. My hair so far completely normal, but have been terrified of touching it, so it’s getting comed/brushed very little
Maire, so sorry about all your hair going, and so right for you t =o grieve over it - frankly, we all have a lot to grieve about, right now - I certainly felt better after my nausea-related complete meltdown earlier in the week - had been holding it all in maybe rather too much, and it was a relief just to let it all out and HOWL.
Cathie - so glad you’ve got through the first one OK - it’s the fear and the waiting that is so hard xx
Thank you very much for the various kind comments on the blog - to be honest, wriitng it is the only thing that is keeping me sane right now, because I’m not working at the moment and having an ‘essay crisis’ every day is keeping me focused and motivated and off the sofa and distracting me from the nausea (although that’s more controlled now) and the fear of what is to come over the next few months.
Have been reading ahead a bit on some of the earlier threads, and it doesn’t make very cheering reading!
But we’ll get through it - we will ALL get through it.
Love to you all all, and let’s hope this Chemo Day will be as good a one for everyone as it can be xxx
Just a note for eveyone thinking about the cold cap - I had it and am now on day 11 of first cycle, and no signs of any change yet in my hair (having written that, it will probably all fall out this afternoon!)
Looking at other threads on hair loss, there seems to be a range of times when people’s hair falls out WITHOUT the cold cap - usually days 9-14 for first hair loss, and with some people it’s gradual, some it all comes very quickly. And some people don’t lose it until after the second dose…
I guess like with all the side effects, it’s very variable according to your individual metabolism.
I gather that without the coldcap. FEC makes everyone lose all thier hair - but i know two people who have kept all thier hair using the coldcap, and one who lost some, but only on the top.
I will put updates here re developments - I think I was the first person on this thread to use the cold cap.
In case you’re still wondering about the cold cap, and haven’t seen it, there’s a post on my blog which describes exactly what happens, how it feels, and has pictures of the ice inside the cold cap at the end
chemonights.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/50-shades-of-pink_12.html
I found it perfectly bearable, and will be doing it again next time (Jan 2nd)