Pinay88 - Donna Are you out there

MJo · 09-15-2011, 11:50 AM

How are you doing with the AC chemo? The nurses called it Kool Aid. I called it the red devil!

Pinay88 · 11-08-2011, 06:19 PM

Hi MJO,
I just logged into the site after a long while...I am here! Finished with my AC cycles however my white cells have taken quite a beating after the 4th. I've avoided taking G-CSF all this time and now, I have to give myself the shot prior to taxotere and herceptin. With my cell count down, I feel queazy..like I am going to be downed by flu or get sick but I have not been febrile nor have any other signs of infection. Anyways, I am hoping G-CSF works and my anticipated bone pain will be well worth it. Did you take this shot too? I know what you mean about the red devil...felt uncanny to have something so glaringly red infuse to your insides. My periods of lethargy went for longer with each cycle. But, it is over! yipee! Now, if my cell counts could only manage to be as happy... I think my hair follicles are though... (I had my hair shaved off almost the moment I saw the tufts shedding off on their own...it was truly liberating) ... my hair is slowly growing back. My 6 year old says I have baby hair..it does look like "freshly sprouted" hair on a babe's scalp =)
that's about the update now...bracing myself for G-CSf and TH...praying and hoping that I could wing this combo...
thanks MJO for looking out for me....

MJo · 11-09-2011, 04:15 PM

I don't remember the name of the shot I had to take 24 hours after my AC treatment, but it was a white blood cell enhancer. Didn't work. I got so anemic I couldn't sit up. Then I got a respiratory infection. Never took the 4th AC because I thought it would kill me. So I congratulate you for getting all four of them. One thing I learned from cancer is that every single human being is different and reacts differently to medication.

The AC has likely slaughtered any stray cancer cells in your body, and the Taxotere and Herceptin will continue to search and destroy. LOL. You need to watch the joint pain and the neuropathy with Taxoteres. I was very lucky and had few problems. I even went back to work.

Remember-- when chemo and radiation is all over, don't be too impatient about feeling 100%. It takes about a year!! And chemo brain can linger. Plus Herceptin can tire some people out. We are veterans of a type of "war." You could even say some of us suffer from PTSD. So be very patient and gentle with yourself. Hard to do when you have little kids tugging at you, but please try.

Your hair might come back thick and curly. Mine was beautiful. I hoped the gray wouldn't come back but no such luck. LOL. The curl left in about 2 months, but I enjoyed it while I had it.

Pinay88 · 11-20-2011, 11:15 PM

Hi MJo,
I checked in here just now. I am moments from starting the TH half of my chemo. I got delayed by a week because I waited out for my white cells to go up and it did! Felt like I had the worse flu after the shots but I can't complain now... the battle goes on and then onwards to winning this war. I love how you so vividly illustrate this =)
We'll see how I do my turn with TH and I'll post updates.
Actually, I am getting used to this kind of 'do'...very breezy.
Thank you MJo for your support as well as from our sisters in this site...we are all fortunate to have each other.
God bless.

MJo · 11-24-2011, 05:16 PM

So glad that you are done with the AC. I hope the TH is easier. It was for me. As for the breezy do, I didn't mind the baldness that much. I loved jumping out of the shower and just toweling my head. My hair grew back curly, which I loved. Curls only lasted for two months. I also lost my lashes and brows, which bothered me more than the baldness. But they also grew back. I discovered that my skull is kind of pointy, which makes me a REAL pointy-headed liberal.

Keep being good to yourself and stay out of drugstores if you can--that's where the sick people are. Some sisters have to cope with neuropathy and bone pain with the taxanes. Both were mild for me, thank goodness. Hope you don't have too much trouble.

Radiation for me was a breeze, but my chemo buddy had a hard time. She didn't like the "big machine." I basically hopped on and off the table. Hope you also have an easy time of it. Another friend of mine took her dog with her!!! One of the nurses was dog crazy and watched the pup while my friend was in the radiation room. There are a million and one cancer stories!!