I am glad I found this sight

[LAURIE]

Thanks Ruth and Tousled1. You all have really given me hope. Wow Ruth you are right our diagnosis look very similar. By the way I have renamed my cancer to "my challenge" and am currently contemplating on a henna stencil design for my beautiful bald head. Maybe something festive with holly leaves and berries. That would really shock the nurses in the chemo room next week. Have any of you heard of someone having irregular periods throughout your life and when chemo started, your periods were like clockwork. I had been trying to get pregnant for years and would only ovulate once or twice a year and then with my first A/C I started ovulating regularly ever since. Sick joke, I think. Trying to get pregnant forever and now I can't. All of the doctors I have talked too have been suprised; they say that usually it is just the opposite. I don't know if my eggs are saying "let's get out of here and fast" or if the chemo has finally regulated my hormones. One thing is for sure having surgery last week coupled with swollen breasts is not making for a comfortable recovery.

Laurie

[KellyA]

Hi Laurie,

I'm sorry, but I had to laugh when you talked about A/C and having regular menstrual cycles. Before I started chemo, I tried very hard to pull out the positives of going through treatment, and I could only come up with two (besides the obvious of curing the cancer): 1. my horrible monthly cycles would disappear for several months 2. I wouldn't have to shave my legs everyday

WRONGGGGGGGGGGGG!

I never missed a beat with my periods, they were just as awful, and came just like clockwork, and even though I didn't have a hair on my head, the hair on my legs seemed to grow twice as fast as before. I thought the same thing, "What kind of sick joke is this?!"

On the positive, when I started Taxol, the periods finally stopped. But be careful what you wish for- the hot flashes are hellacious! I would rather have 3 periods a month. Yes, it's Dec. 9 and we would be the only house on the block still running thier air conditioning.

Anyways, I can certainly identify with you and my heart goes out to you!!

Love, Kelly

[tousled1]

Laurie,

I love the idea of you getting a Henna stencil on your beautiful bald head. When I was going through my chemo I had a ball cap that I wore that said "Cancer Sucks." When the nurses would ask how I was feeling, all I would do is point at my hat -- it says it all. I believe that you must maintain your sense of humor through the horrific process of surgery, chemo, radiation, herceptin, etc. Without a sense of humor I would be in the nut house.

[Heart Sutra]

Kate,

We loved your baseball cap. A good laugh this morning.

---Kevin and Sue---

[StephN]

Hey,
Kevin and Sue, I am sure you are ready for some humor after the last few days you have had!
There IS a web site called Cancer Sucks Clothing that was conceived by two young women cancer survivors.
I have one of their shirts and so do a couple of the other members here.

Check it out. You should find the link posted some time back - or do a web search and it will turn up.

Some people say "cancer is the pits," but us HER2 gals think it "sucks!"

[tousled1]

Kevin & Sue,

If you are interested in getting any "cancer sucks" hats or apparel here's a good place to get it.
http://www.choosehope.com

[Bev]

It does. BB

[Heart Sutra]

One official "Cancer Sucks" hooded sweatshirt duly ordered.

Thanks, we can use the ha ha's right now.

This week is another full schedule. All of you who've been on this path for a while are an inspiration for us not to get freaked out at every turn of the worm. Despite our excellent (HA!) meditation practices, we still twist up every time there's another bump.

[cherylynnie]

Laurie,
When I was on the AC I had a period starting four days after every treatment. So in two months I had a period 4 times. Then I had my first Taxotere treatment and again I started a period. But soon found out it was just spotting and then that was it, no more periods. I was 39 and it was Jan of 2005. The hot flashes started and some days I have 15. But I am exercising now and it helps tremendously, I still get two in the middle of the night, but during the day only about 5 or so.

Now that I am in medical menopause the hair on my legs is very sparse. During chemo it was gone. I was lucky that way. Then the rash of steriods during the taxotere brought the hair back. But after eight months and the addition after chemo of the tamoxifen the hair on my legs is sparse, probably 1/4 of what I had before. I shave my legs once every week and a half, about.

Good Luck with everything. You will survive through it.

[MJo]

I think a henna treatment on your bald head would be very beautiful. I wish I had thought of that. I joked with my oncologist that if he gave me a discount I would have the name of his practice tatooed on my head. MJO

[VirginiaGirl]

Thanks for the link for the cancer sucks items, lots to chuckle over there! My daughter has a little airbrush tattoo thing and we were gonna make a stencil for a tattoo saying just that! A sense of humor is definitely a survival mechanism!
Peace and laughter,
Liz

[Ruth]

Laurie ~ send pic of henna! Would LOVE to see that!

I too had very irregular periods...35 day cycle sometimes but now 3 years after ending chemo, every 28 days almost to the dot I get it & it is book perfect. My Onc was almost positive I would never get it back...was nursing when diagnosed so I didn't have one for over 2 years...anyway who knows with it all. Everyone is different and responds in their own way. The worst part was the leg hair on my lower calf was the last to go and the first to come back. I truly hoped I would get a break from shaving!

Just to keep the hair theme going....not only hair problems during chemo...but my recently reconstructed nipple has HAIR growing out of it....long, nasty black hair that I now have to fight off! My truly worst nightmare coming true. :->

LOL ~ Ruth