About my sis....

ammebarb · 10-29-2009, 03:43 PM

It's been a while since I have given an update. My sister has finished her AC part of treatment and is halfway through her 12 weekly treatments of Taxol. She began to receive Herceptin along with the Taxol each three weeks of the month and then a Herceptin alone on the fourth week of the month. If all continues to go well, we think she will be finished with the chemo part of treatment before Christmas. She will continue with the Herceptin for the remainder of a year, will have a month off and then begin six weeks of radiation.

She is tolerating the Taxol a lot better than the AC, thank goodness. She told me today she is having some peripheral neuropathy, and the steroids she takes are giving her nasty heartburn. There is a good chance she will be able to take less of those, since she has had no hint of allergic reaction to the medium that carries the taxol at infusion.

She is beginning to get her hair back and said that she wasn't aware until now just how many directions it goes on her head! She is quite gray, but like me, is so grateful to have it be returning that color simply isn't mattering!

She is having the BRCA genetic testing done, probably tomorrow. We both have daughters, so findings could be important.

Watching her have to make this journey has been very painful for me, but I am also so very proud of her. She has a strength and determination and resiliency that amaze me....this is my "baby" sister, and she is one remarkable woman!

Wishing all of you the very best. I keep you all in my prayers.

Barb A.

tricia keegan · 10-29-2009, 04:17 PM

Barb, i had the same treatment as your sister and am glad she is getting thought it okay. I too found the taxol to be easier than a/c.
Good luck to her and you in getting through the rest of this. xx

Sheila · 10-29-2009, 04:23 PM

Barb
Glad to hear she is doing well...Nexium was a godsend when I was on Taxol for the heartburn. I know about the hair...mine is really salt and pepper, but I am so happy to have it, the color doesnt matter. Give your sis a big hug!!!!

sassy · 10-29-2009, 07:29 PM

Barb,

Hope your sis continues to do well. There were several of us on a previous post who noted that we had a lot of different crowns and cowlicks when our hair grew back. Maybe your sis is the same. No matter--it is great to have hair of any kind!

ammebarb · 10-30-2009, 06:16 AM

Thanks for responding ladies. My sis made me laugh when she told me she is shampooing and using cream rinse...just because she can! I will see her today for the first time in about a month and I'm anxious to see her new hair!

Do any of you who had six weeks of radiation have an tips for her about managing that? It's still a ways in the future, but I'll be starting to delve about it to prep mentally. There was some chance that she could do a week of radiation, twice a day, instead of the more conventional six weeks. Her surgeon was advocating that, but her oncologist likes the traditional better because there is more data on it's efficacy.

Thanks again for reading and being so willing to share with us. You are all Godsends!

Barb A.