HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post

Andrea Barnett Budin · 07-07-2012, 11:08 AM

I too recently came across an old picture of myself, guess when I was on Dexamethazone ('98) -- taken the day before and the day of treatment. I could not believe how round my face was. And that was just a little bit of steroid, ev 3 wks.

On Taxotere I lost 33 lbs which just made me look all the better. Wig in place, I never had a bad hair day. People were complimenting my hair all the time. (I'd have mischievous images of me reaching up and plucking my wig off with two fingers and handing it to the one admiring my hair. Here, take it...) I lost the weight because I ate nothing. I should have lost more not eating for 8 mnths. Even after the mastectomy, I still weighed the same?! What gives?!

For 8 mnths I had constant queasiness and that metallic taste along with unstoppable bathroom drama from the other end. I forced myself to eat a handful of nuts and drink water, drink, drink, drink. Keep hydrated. This is seriously important. Your body needs to be hydrated. Have you ever seen a person who is dehydrated? Life threateningly ill...

But the puffy moon face and weight issues all come with the territory. Those who are stick thin in the chemo room can barely walk. That's not a good thing. In case of a famine, I am in good stead. Plenty of fat to live off. (Though I have recently lost 15 lbs w/my new holistic doc here.) Still, the days of skinny for me are a memory. A thing I took for granted, eating most anything I wanted. But I feel fabulous and look damn good for an old lady/4th stage cancer survivor.

So -- hang tough. I tell myself all the time -- STAY STRONG, BRAVE AND DETERMINED. At first, I didn't believe the first two so much, but I was certain of my tenacity. I come from a long line of stubbornness. Turns out that's a good thing. (And I found out that I am a lot stronger and braver than I ever imagined I was.) SO ARE WE ALL! I promise you. Dig for it. It's there... When you keep indoctrinating that mantra into your psyche, at the very least think of it as a goal!

Let your Spirit guide you. And stop listening to the voice in your head.

Andi

07-07-2012, 11:08 AM	#19
Andrea Barnett Budin Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: LAND OF YES! w/home in Boca Raton, Florida Orig from L.I., N.Y. Ever hovering IN THE NOW... Posts: 1,904	Stay strong, brave and determined I too recently came across an old picture of myself, guess when I was on Dexamethazone ('98) -- taken the day before and the day of treatment. I could not believe how round my face was. And that was just a little bit of steroid, ev 3 wks. On Taxotere I lost 33 lbs which just made me look all the better. Wig in place, I never had a bad hair day. People were complimenting my hair all the time. (I'd have mischievous images of me reaching up and plucking my wig off with two fingers and handing it to the one admiring my hair. Here, take it...) I lost the weight because I ate nothing. I should have lost more not eating for 8 mnths. Even after the mastectomy, I still weighed the same?! What gives?! For 8 mnths I had constant queasiness and that metallic taste along with unstoppable bathroom drama from the other end. I forced myself to eat a handful of nuts and drink water, drink, drink, drink. Keep hydrated. This is seriously important. Your body needs to be hydrated. Have you ever seen a person who is dehydrated? Life threateningly ill... But the puffy moon face and weight issues all come with the territory. Those who are stick thin in the chemo room can barely walk. That's not a good thing. In case of a famine, I am in good stead. Plenty of fat to live off. (Though I have recently lost 15 lbs w/my new holistic doc here.) Still, the days of skinny for me are a memory. A thing I took for granted, eating most anything I wanted. But I feel fabulous and look damn good for an old lady/4th stage cancer survivor. So -- hang tough. I tell myself all the time -- STAY STRONG, BRAVE AND DETERMINED. At first, I didn't believe the first two so much, but I was certain of my tenacity. I come from a long line of stubbornness. Turns out that's a good thing. (And I found out that I am a lot stronger and braver than I ever imagined I was.) SO ARE WE ALL! I promise you. Dig for it. It's there... When you keep indoctrinating that mantra into your psyche, at the very least think of it as a goal! Let your Spirit guide you. And stop listening to the voice in your head. Andi __________________ Andi BB '95 post-meno dx Invasive LOBULAR w/9cm tumor! YIKES + 2/21 nodes. Clear mammo 10 mnths earlier. Mastec/tram flap reconst/PORT/8 mnths chemo (4Adria/8CMF). Borderline ER/PR. Tamoxifen 2 yrs. Felt BLESSED. I could walk and talk, feed and bathe myself! I KNEW I would survive... '98 -- multiple mets to liver. HER2+ 80%. ER/PR- Raging, highly aggressive tumors spreading fast. New PORT. 9 mnths Taxotere Fought fire w/fire! Pronounced in cautious remission 5/99. Taxotere weekly for 6 wks, 2 wks off -- for 9 mnths. TALK ABOUT GRUELING! (I believe they've altered that protocol since those days -- sure hope so!!) + good old Vit H wkly for 1st 3 yrs, then triple dosage ev 3 wks for 7 yrs more... The "easy" chemo, right?! Not a walk in the park, but not a freight train coming at 'ya either... Added Herceptin Nov '98 (6 wks after FDA fast-tracked it for met bc). Stayed w/Vit H till July '08! Now I AM FREE! Humbly and eternally grateful for this life-saving drug! NED since '99 and planning on keeping it that way. To hell w/poor prognosis and nasty stats! STOPPED VIT H JULY '08...! REMAIN STABLE... Eternally grateful...Yes is a world & in this world of yes live (skillfully curled) all worlds ... (e e cummings) EVERY DAY I BEAT MY PREVIOUS RECORD FOR # OF CONSECUTIVE DAYS I'VE STAYED ALIVE. Smile KNOWING you too can be a miracle. Up to me and God now...