Starting Chemo in February 2013: February Valentines

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2361

FEC 4, Day 2 (cold cap abandoned after round 2 and tax cancelled!)

Got round 4 yesterday, first attempt had trouble with vein, young nurse said i had a nice juicy one near thumb, i couldnt see a vein but she said she could feel it so off she went, then when the saline was put in hand swelled up and i actually yelped in pain (i try to be the stoic one who pretends nothing hurts!), so juicy vein was obviously no vein!!! 2nd attempt, different nurse, different vein worked fine thankfully.

Felt crap afterwards and last night though, really sore woozy head and bloated painful tummy, well from right below boobs to tummy actually - took 2 paracetomal, 1 dulcolax and 1 sleeping tablet before bed and managed decent sleep and woke up feeling ok today, even managed to meet friend for dinner tonight :slight_smile:

I clippered my hair after round 2 coz despite cold cap i had too many bald patches not to wear a wig - i have not lost much hair since, i even had to shave my legs the other day as too many pesky stray ones were growing. I still have most of my eyebrows and lashes but like most of you they are a bit of a mess as i lose a few from each every day. Like most of you nose and bowels are also a pain and also waterworks, if i need, i need to get there fast as like previously posted once it starts there is no stopping it.

I keep considering putting pic up as it is really nice to put faces to all the posts, i am just a bit nervous coz anyone can read the posts without having to log in and although everyone knows about my BC, not everyone knows how i really feel about it or how i am really coping with treatment both emotionally and physically.

Off now to take another 2 paracetomal, dulcolax and sleeing tablet -so i shouldnt need a sleep fairy to visit coz the drugs should do their stuff , so hopefully that means there is one spare to visit whoever needs it.

Luv checking in here every morning and evening to see how everyone is doing, poems, tips, support, good days and bad days it really helps to feel you are not alone in this crazy adventure none of us signed up for!

Aml xx

2362

FEC 3 day 2
Morming all Vals
Well I have only just woke after 8 hours sleep! I only had low dose sleeping tablet but it did the trick,
Im hoping this means it will give me a better chance of tolerating the nauseou.
Good luck today Mandy with Number 3.
Sorry yours is delayed Nip - hope its only short delay.
Sandra I also now have hankie permanently up my sleave! I remember when I was very young ( at infant school) we all use to tuck a hankie up the leg of our drawers!
The hot bucket of water is common sight on chemo ward at Broomfield! It is magic at getting those shy veins to come up to escape being boiled alve!!
Love and hugs to all, especially those having less than ideal day.
Tup x

2363

Gosh feel like a kid who doesnt want to go to school this morning,round 3 grrr,stomach is in termoil,Mums coming to stay for the night she will be here in a while with numerous bags (hopfully full of goodies) Dads coming sitting in with me told him he doesnt have to but Mum says he needs to,hes finding it quite hard (his Mum and my Mums step Dad both died through cancer) and my Mums mum has breast cancer but Grans still going strong,fitter than the rest of us 87 and was dignosed about 3 years ago,tumours shrunk through medication, having Dementia shes oblivious and doesnt know nothing about mine.Hope everyones well as can be,Glad things went well Linda.Nipinuk hows your eyes…??? good luck today Mandy and everyone else having treatment,hope everyone has a good day looks like rains on its way hope it hurrys up ready for our HEATWAVE at weekend…XX Paula…xx

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Good luck with number 3 Paula x
Each of my daughters have taken turns to sit with me getting chemo. They need to feel they are involved and for my part it really helps me feel Im still ‘me’. I don’t think my son will do a turn - he is a doctor and I think his contribution is to monitor that my treatment is best on offer !
Tup

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Your right Tup,and my son came to the last one with me think the nurse will be hoping hes not this time ,he questions everything she never spoke to me the whole time we were there,all this while he was eating a cheese toastie,while she was explaining about how the Chemo travels round our veins he looked like he was going to pass out…lol,He then went home to run through everything with his OH then his close friend arrived to be told all the details he will be discussing it for months,where Dad just needs to feel invlolved…

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Good luck today Mandy and Paula and anyone else going through anything today, hope all goes ok. Have a lovely day all my lovely valentines, just wanted to say feel so upbeat this morning needed to share with my breast buddies,big hugs to all xxxxx

2367

Interesting post about sons and daughters…my daughter came to my 3rd chemo session and she enjoyed herself in a funny kind of way… the nurses had her running around the ward fetching and carrying things :slight_smile: since my DX she has come forward … in that way she is mothering me now and Im quite liking it… also brought us lots closer… my son is a matter of fact kind of lad… he has taken the stance beside his Dad which is brilliant… every letter I get he wants to read to soak up the information… after every chemo session he will ring and ask how it went etc… he asked me a question the other day because like most of us going through this I bet we have all had the same thing said to us by friends and family… “oh you will be back to normal when its over etc”… my son asked me when will I get the all clear? and when I said 5 years I think it kind of threw him…he is getting married next year and think he just wants his Mom back to “normal”… bless them…so even when you think you have prepared them… it still hits them hard xx

2368

Hi Valentines
Good luck to Mandy, Kath, Karen (Chaddi) and Paula today! Plus anyon else off for treatments xx
Hope your Hickman has settled Mandy , and is not painful anymore xx
Kath, I have joined you in the 5lb club :-/ , I am going to have some serious dieting and exercising to fit in around my “Autumn clean”!! xx
Had blood test this morning, fingers crossed it’s all ok and can go ahead with first Tax tomorrow! Steroids taken and black nail varnish ready to splodge! Hoping to hold virtual hands Louise! xx
Hope you get to Suffolk Chris! Looks like the weather might be improving over the next week. Have a fab time if you do! You are so right about Men (and Teenaagers!) not noticing when something needs cleaning, I call it selective sight! :wink: xx
Sleep was not a problem for me on FEC Linda, but no matter how much sleep I had, I was extremely fatigued until day 8, But do think that sleeping away the worst days was a much better way to pass the time! So I hope you can get as many hours as you want xx
Jen , I am imagining you with your tissues! Thanks for giving me a chuckle :smiley: Good to hear you and Featherbird still have brows and lashes, like Kath’s, my brows have thinned and actually look better than ever! xx
Sorry to hear you may be delayed Nipinuk, fingers crossed for you to go ahead soon! xx
Aml , I was amazed that you were able to go out for dinner on day 2, especially after that horrendous experience in chemo. I haven’t been able to socialise before day 8 so far! Hope you are still feeling better today! xx
Tup, I am rooting for you to not suffer with the nausea today! Really hope your sleep fairy did the trick! xx
Vey upbeat post Featherbird, thank you for making me smile :slight_smile: xx
Hope all SE’s are not too unbearable today and all treatments go smoothly xx
Hugs to all
Elaine xx

2369

Just got back was meant to be having 3 Fec 3 Fec T never questioned it till today when i asked Chemo nurse why i had to have my last 3 at a different hospital she said because it was a different chemo which can only be done at Christies,checked my notes and asked me if I had clear Lymphs which i did so dont need Fec T and can continue at my local hospital,good job i mentioned it or id be waiting for next appointment coming through post,grrr

2370

1945(FEC3/TAX3)Cycle3Day 21CCUniHospSouthampton

Afternoon dear Valentines – well, I guess I’m as ready as I will ever be for my first confrontation with TAX tomorrow morning. Nearly as worked up as I was for FEC1, and wondering where on earth they are going to put the cannula in, as my chemo arm is still very sore (but the Nurse Consultant assured me that the Docetaxel will not irritate my veins so should be ok). I’m all loaded up with my steroid dosage and will paint my nails black this evening to release my inner Goth!

Hope that all of you having had treatment today are doing all right, and that your line is more comfortable now Mandy! Good going tomorrow Elaine!

Love to you all XXXXX Louise

2371

TCH cycle 1 day 3

Just got back from a long lunch out with a friend and really enjoyed it. I was wigless - just my close cropped grey hair and felt so empowered. Also didn’t notice anyone staring at me. No proper side effects as yet but waiting for it to hit me. First day without steroids, so maybe a downer later on, and the joint pains tomorrow. Maybe I’ll get lucky. Who knows. At least I’ve had NO sickness and NO nausea, and not needed any sickness meds. I am certain it could be the sickness meds that cause most of the tummy problems people have. For now, feeling very upbeat.

Aml - so sorry you had a rough time at chemo. Why oh why can’t all hospitals fit lines automaticallly. They are soooooo much better and painless. Hope you are having a better day today.

Paula and M andy - good luck with number 3.

Paula - you really do need to keep an eye on these oncologists! My original treatment was FEC x 6 prescribed by Registrar. Changed at last minute by chief top man to TCH. No FEC at all!

Featherbird - great to see you upbeat. Keep it up!

Louise - good luck tomorrow with Tax. It is an easy infusion, or was for me anyway.

I could not agree more about men and selective sight. Mine sees what is at eye level. He never sees below or above, or even sideways! Then he starts a room and doesn’t finish. Can take him 3 days, by which time he has forgotten where he left off. Still, bless him, he is trying.

My daughter sat with me at both my sessions this week and we had a little party. We took a picnic, ate and drank mostly, chatted, people watched, had a few little bitches about people (like mum like daughter, a hobby of ours!) The chemo room is small, only 9 chairs, each with a little table. I hate to say it but I quite enjoyed it! My hubby has been to every appointment with me and would have been like a fish out of water sat in that chemo room for 3 hours, bored to death and fidgety, so he was excused. Hopefully, daughter can change her day off for my next session and come with me again.

Hope everyone is having a reasonable day, lots of hugs, Linda xxx

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After such a long wait for your chemo, Linda, I’m really pleased your side effects are minimal - long may it continue!

2373

Thanks Diane, but I know it’s early days and Tax is a slow starter! I’m just enjoying it while i can. xxxxxxxxxxxx

2374

You know what Aml, I know just how you feel about posting cos anyone can read it. It’s not that I don’t want people to know about my BC, it’s just that we tell each other such personal things and get so close I feel anyone else,reading it as a casual passer by, might be a bit of a Peeping Tom. I don’t mean other BC people, I’m only too glad when they drop by and add their twopence worth.

Prhaps I’m being over emotional as I’ve had a very bad experience today with a supposed professional at my chemo clinic.

I was having a chat in passing with a couple of other ladies I’d met in surgery when she made it very obvious she didn’t like us communicating. I tackled her about her attitude and she got very blustery saying they were very busy and that chat forums were all very well but… (She didnt finish cos i burs into tears) I don’t know what her agenda is but I ended up very upset. Just what you want when your waiting for chemo.

I’m done now and my lovely chemo nurse redressed my Hicky so the clip isn’t now pressing on the internal line and it feels 1,000,000 times better. There is no doubt that some people, however well intentioned, either get things wrong or have far too little training in the thing they’re supposed to be experts at.

Off to Benchland for a real long moan.

Will re read everyone’s posts and get back later when I hopefully feel a bit les fragile.

MMM xxx

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Mandy - Sorry you had a bad experience with that so-called professional. How dare she say those things. That is disgraceful, and none of her business. Thank goodness your line is now comfortable. Did it work well for you today? Enjoy Benchland. xxxx

2376

Worked well thanks Linda. The clip was pushing on the line under the dressing which was hurting so much.
Xx

2377

Evening Vals,

Where are you all tonight? Well, I hope. xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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I’m here Linda, having a chilled out evening just pottering. (Mental note to self, when ‘just pottering’ and the mood takes you to refill the bean bag with the polystyrene balls bought on the Internet 6 months ago and never used…think again).
Balls, balls, balls. Anyone who’s ever tried it will realise I’m not being rude!
Chasing them around the sitting room with a magazine ( to try to get them into a pile as the vacuum cleaner just created static which made them fly everywhere) brought on a hot flush and I had to retire to bed for a while!!!. OH reluctantly rescued me while muttering under his breath!
I know lots of us have had treatment over the past few days or are having soon so gently hugs and wishes for easy SE’s
Mandy xx

2379

Elaine, think i am getting off a bit lightly now coz my fec was slightly reduced after round 1 when i got secondary diagnosis. I also try and do a little bit before i hit really low/awful bit days 6-9 where i do nothing but cry and sleep! then its low immunity and although i do go out, its all anti bac wipes, gels, permanent scarf rounf neck coz i use the end of it to open doors, press buttons on cash machines, cover mouth if anyone looks as if they might be going to sneeze or cough etc etc. lol

Linda, got everything crossed you have done enough to keep se’s at bay or at least to a minimum x

MMM, i lurk on benchland coz i luv it, i am just not witty enough to join in, although wearing my knee highs now makes me chuckle every time i put them on. That was an awful experience you had, bet nurse wont be so quick to comment again, well hope she wont be!

Nipinuk, hope your bloods are better tomorrow x

Had a nap this afternoon and dreamt about black nail varnish, and i was painting everything apart frrm my nails with it - must be coz i was thinking about all you ladies starting tax this week and hoping you all have minimum pain/nail problems. I have a few spare bottles of black nail varnish that i now no longer need, so if anyone runs out just yell and i will send you some :slight_smile:

Kath, your wedding poem made me smile and cry, only coz 1) its so good i might pinch it for my daughters wedding, and 2) daughter is now only busy planning wedding i think coz of my dx :frowning: , she has been engaged for ages, they have bought a house and have 2 children together, so i am delighted, but just a little sad at the probable push to do it.

Last thing, hubby and i are trying to book a few days away together at end of fec, before next part of treatment begins - whatever that will be as it has still to be decided! - fist week june suits and probably mon-fri, normally we would fly to somewhere sunny but think we should book a short break in uk somewhere - anyone been on any good one? I have looked at warner leisure and looks good (quite pricey though) but not sure if we are too young at 46 & 51? we just want somewhere comfortable, relaxing but with entertainment at night. Although we live in west of scotland, happy to drive to most parts of UK.

luv to all xx

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Mandy sorry to chuckle at you but I did laugh at your bean bag episode I have done many things like that where oh had to take over recently. Reminded me years ago when my dog was a puppy and decided to try him out his crate - disaster! did you know the tiny beads in cuddly toys paws and feet are transparent?! From that day on only stuffin free toys for pooch xx