Re: brain mets
 

I am so happy to hear from you Pam. I wish I were closer, so I could make you some homemade thin creamed vegetable and bean soup or fruit juice. I do that for myself and I did that for a friend who had to have her jaw wired shut last years as a result of an accident.
If you don't feel like cooking or don't have anyone to help you cook I have a suggestion or two. Instant white miso soup with instant rice plus a little canned salmon and a few frozen veggies thrown in the soup might help. Also if you have a blender you might want to pour in some milk, almond milk, soymilk, rice milk or yoghurt. Add protein powder from a health food store and a little frozen fruit in small pieces like blueberries. Add water if desired. You can add a little honey, cinnamon or brown sugar if you want, but I never add extra sweeteners when I make it for myself. Cold cereal with milk or yoghurt is pretty good with a cup of tea. You can also get instant oatmeal. Just add hot water and some dried fruit like raisins.
Whatever you decide to do I hope the WBR kills all the mets, so you can get back to chemo as soon as possible.
Take good care of yourself. I have my fingers crossed for you friend.

Re: brain mets
 

Sending up prayers for you. Looking forward to hearing that those nasty spots are gone, you're eating and sleeping again and doing something fun to reward yourself for this rough time. Keep up the courage.

Re: brain mets
 

Dear, dear Pam.
So sorry to hear this state you are in. It goes with the territory though.

Besides the rads themselves, the Decadron is a killer. It is muscle wasting and everyone here who had to take it said their legs weakened while on it.

When It was my turn to take that drug, I tried to concentrate on proteins to keep up my strength. Scrambled eggs in chicken broth. Eggs were always an easy choice. Noodles in chicken broth. Egg salad sandwich. Apple sauce or grated apple when my mouth was bad was tolerable. Bananas.

Do you have a friend or church member who can help with some cooking/shopping? Hope by the end of next week this will become a memory and the weight loss will have halted. Cyberhug coming your way!

Re: brain mets
 

Thanks Steph. I forgot the eggs. I boil 3-4 eggs and keep them in the refrigerator for a quick snack with a cup of tea or eat one with a bowl of cereal and almond milk.
I am vegetarian, so sometimes I get some of those packaged instant noodles. I throw away the soup base and add water and instant miso soup plus a few frozen veggies and some edamane or other beans. Great comfort food !!!!!! I use Bragg's amino sauce in water if I am cutting back on salt. Miso tends to be a little salty.
I hope you are feeling better today Pam.

Re: brain mets
 

Sorry it is such a tough go, Pam. Really glad to hear you are on the home stretch. Hang in there, Kiddo. What chemo will you go on post WBR?

Re: brain mets
 

Pam-

You never leave my thoughts and prayers. I, too, wish I was there because I would cook for you and read you mindless, trashy thriller novels to take your mind off this wretched disease, even for an hour.

Your strength is awe inspiring, Pam.

Love,
Maureen

Re: brain mets
 

I might be the only one here who asked my docs to let me try Tykerb/Xeloda PRIOR to brain rads... It knocked them back for 18 months and then we did targeted IMRT and switched me to Tykerb/Herceptin, both protocols with Tykerb seem to have worked nicely to protect me, hopefully for a very long time. I did have a yucky brain MRI in January that showed what was not definitively DXed as increase or progression of 4 previously treated spots, but we treated them with IMRT anyway. My Rads onc thinks at least 3 of the 4 we had to re-treat were necrotic spread, but could not determine w/out surgery, which we didn't want to do, so we re-radiated. My brain MRIs since my initial treatment of Tykerb/Xeloda have never shown any brand new spots, only waking up of spots from my initial brain mets MRI.

And now, on to T-DM1 which one of my oncs believes will also give me some brain protection. He abides by the theory that more treatments cross the BBB than the standard bearers believe.

Re: brain mets
 

Brenda, I am praying for you that this is the one that will do it for you. Best Wishes, Mary L

Re: brain mets
 

Pam~
Thinking of you, Inspired & Motivated by YOU...
You make me want to fight again, fight harder and harder,
as hard as I have to, for me, for you, for all of us.
Hope your resting easy, my friend.
Heal quickly!

Sending love and hugs~
Jessica

Re: brain mets
 

Dear Pam and Krisvell,

I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am to hear of the news for both of you. Sending lots of prayers to you and your family. May the women on this board who are walking in the same shoes be an inspiration to you both.

Hayley

Re: brain mets
 

Pam and Kris Thinking of you both and wish you strength while you are undergoing these recent treatments. Take care Lois

Re: brain mets
 

Pam checking in: last of 20 tx was on Wed. Now have pneumonia - on antbiotics - also very dehdrated = gave me lots of fluild by infusion, too weak to get our of chair myself = so I need 'babysitter'. fatigue,& thrush too --- how long until some of this will improve>

Kris --- hope things are better for you!

Re: brain mets
 

Pam,
I am sorry that you had to go thru this. Sounds similar to Karla. You both are home recovering. I'm so glad for that. I truly hope that your recovery is quick. I wish I lived in MN; I would keep you company and help out. I now have a lot of free time on my hands recovering.

I don't want to highjack your thread but I am doing OK. Get tired in the afternoon but feel ok. Walking and doing Yoga to stay calm. Double vision and numb left leg are a little bit better. On Monday, I go to Memorial Sloan for a 2nd opinion. After, I think I will put up a post to see what all my wonderful HER2 friends think of the options.
Sending my love and healing prayers your way.

Kris...

Is the snow finally gone? There's still a few piles lurking in some parking lots in Ct.

Re: brain mets
 

Pam, Kris and Karla, I just want you all to know I am praying for all of you and hoping that you will be feeling better soon. Spring is here and my hopes and prayers are with you for a wonderful spring. Best Wishes, Mary L

Re: brain mets
 

PAM,
So glad you were up to posting an update. I know you are feeling awful, rundown and depressed wondering when this will end. You are already on the road to recovery by finishing the treatments! I am certain every day will bring you recovered strength and health. You are such a strong person and have been through so much. Take care and know we are still praying and waiting for you to feel better!
Elizabeth

Re: brain mets
 

Hi Pam,
So nice to hear from you I have been wondering how your doing? I'm glad your finished with WBR...but sad to hear your now dealing with pneumonia. Your poor immune system has really taken a hit with all you've been through. At least they got you hydrated...that's very important! I did a little research for you Pam and it looks like it takes about 2 wks after wbr to start feeling better.

Now that your done with rads you can get some rest. The antibiotic's will clear up the pneumonia and thrush so hang in there. I sure wished you were closer because I would gladly babysit you any day. Focus on lots of rest and let that medication clear up your lungs and hopefully real soon you will start feeling better. Sending warm healing thoughts and prayers your way.

Chelee

Re: brain mets
 

Hi Pam you will feel better soon. I'm finished my treatment 10 days ago and it has only been in the past few days where I have had more energy and feel alot better. You just need to give your body a bit of time. And take the help that you need. It's all about you. Take care.

Regards Jacqui xx

Re: brain mets
 

Thanks for letting us know -I certainly hope things improve for you soon.
Trish