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Karen Wheel · 07-13-2010, 07:34 AM

Wow - just caught up with this thread and I know that it is true that even with the low dose chemo I took - I have all the symptoms! UGH! And .... I'm American but I live in Sardegna Italy --- so try dealing with cancer and doctors and PET scans (like my first one today!) in ITALIAN! And I only lived here 3 years when I was dx and .... well, my medical Italian is improving --- lots of times I am sooooooooo lost! I do find comfort in having at least the option to say -- hey! Its just chemo brain! I'm not crazy! (ok --- maybe I am!?)

:-) Thank you for the advise and I'll put your book on my wish list for the next one of my friends to bring me from the US in ENGLISH!!!!!!!!!

I do exercise and am recovering more and more strength the further I get away from Herceptin (last treatment in April 2010) so that is cool - but now I am swimming in the sea as my fiancé and I have a place at his work which is on the west coast of Sardegna and it is LOVELY! I do at least a 1/2 mile in the mornings and sometimes do the same again in the evenings with Carlo but I put on my fins on as he leaves me behind so quickly, as I am still not swimming strong enough yet to keep up with him! I think it is helping! Will try to find someone to play cards with!? :-) Hard to do here in Italy - but maybe playing Hearts on my computer!?
;-)

Thanks again - Karen

07-13-2010, 07:34 AM	#19
Karen Wheel Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Sardegna, Italy Posts: 362	Re: Chemo brain Wow - just caught up with this thread and I know that it is true that even with the low dose chemo I took - I have all the symptoms! UGH! And .... I'm American but I live in Sardegna Italy --- so try dealing with cancer and doctors and PET scans (like my first one today!) in ITALIAN! And I only lived here 3 years when I was dx and .... well, my medical Italian is improving --- lots of times I am sooooooooo lost! I do find comfort in having at least the option to say -- hey! Its just chemo brain! I'm not crazy! (ok --- maybe I am!?) :-) Thank you for the advise and I'll put your book on my wish list for the next one of my friends to bring me from the US in ENGLISH!!!!!!!!! I do exercise and am recovering more and more strength the further I get away from Herceptin (last treatment in April 2010) so that is cool - but now I am swimming in the sea as my fiancé and I have a place at his work which is on the west coast of Sardegna and it is LOVELY! I do at least a 1/2 mile in the mornings and sometimes do the same again in the evenings with Carlo but I put on my fins on as he leaves me behind so quickly, as I am still not swimming strong enough yet to keep up with him! I think it is helping! Will try to find someone to play cards with!? :-) Hard to do here in Italy - but maybe playing Hearts on my computer!? ;-) Thanks again - Karen __________________ Karen Wheelhouse Age: 46 Facebook id: Karen Wheel 2-09 – Age 44 -Biopsy-Cancer 3-09 – Right Quadrantectomy. Clear margins. 3 lymph nodes taken - all clear Tumor results: Stage 1, 1.5 cm, Her2 +++ Est positive 80% - Prog 10% - Ki67 postive 30% 4-09 – Became a vegan! pH balance of body - cancer can't grow in neutral pH! 4-09 Started Herceptin & Chemo (9 weeks of Navelbine ) FYI - when coupled with Herceptin has the same results as more toxic chemo. No brainer! 8-09 - 30 RADS 9-09 - Said NO to hormone therapy 4-10 Finished Herceptin!!!! 7-10 PET Scan & other exams .... All clear! YIPPEE!!!! 11-10 Breast, organ Ultrasounds and lung x-rays all clear no changes ... NED! 2-25-2011 --- 2 years from surgery and NED!!!!!! 7-2011 Clear bone scan and full body and head MRI! NED! NED! NED! ;-)[/SIZE]