Chemo and port questions

[LAURIE]

Diagonsed in August. I am here to tell you the time goes fast. I too got my port, bone scan, CT scan, mugaScan and then started 4 rounds of A/C. Are you going to have 3 weeks (or 2 weeks) between A/C treatments? I had surgery on 11/30 (lumpectomy and node removal) and just started 12 weeks of Taxol and herceptin yesterday. I am early in this game too but rememebr it all very well.

"sometimes you can't make it on your own" U2

My best advice it to watch funny shows on T.V., take the help others want to give you (even if just makes them feel better) and if your not working during the treatment think about the days you feel great as extra vacation days. Even through all of this I have had some great vacation days.

Laurie
Diagonsed 8/06 (found oun lump)at 35 years old
Her 2 +++, er-/pr-
4 A/C 9/06
Lumpectomy, node dissection- 11/30/06
Pathology report stage IIIC
1 tumor 3 cm
10 of 15 nodes +
Start 12 weeks Taxol and Heceptin 12/18/06

[LAURIE]

One thing that has made hair loss easier for me. I have about 5 wigs, I wear them very little, I love to wear hats with bangs. My own bangs. When my hair started to fall out I cut it into 8 litttle ponytails and kept them. I put one of those ponytails on a strip of tape about 6 inches long. I then spread the hair over the tape thinnly(but not thin) kind of like bang a side swept bangs are. Then cut them, rememer to keep the sides longer so you can tuck them in your hat or behind your ears. (For some reason covering my ears was important and having a hat fit down on the base of my neck was important for me.) I then put another piece of tape over top and took it to the sewing machine with a close stitch. I love my real but fake bangs. Everyone tells me I should start my my own pre chemo bang business. I usually wear a ear band and place the bangs under that then put a hat over top the ear band. The ear band makes you hat fit better and hold the bangs in place. I bought a manafactured bang think, but it looked to unreal to me. I will try to post a picture with my name soon. You and I are lucky we are going through chemo when wearing a warm hat is socially accecptable and necessary. Well I gues I'm thinking about Ohio weather, not sure wear you are.

Laurie
Diagonsed 8/06 (found oun lump)at 35 years old
Her 2 +++, er-/pr-
4 A/C 9/06
Lumpectomy, node dissection- 11/30/06
Pathology report stage IIIC
1 tumor 3 cm
10 of 15 nodes +
Start 12 weeks Taxol/...

[Margerie]

I didn't get a port and managed my DD A/C and 12 taxol/herceptin. Even made it up until the second to last herceptin-only treatment without one fine. My onc and I decided on one more year of Herceptin- so I just got a P.A.S. port like Kelly did. I did not want another scar on my chest- but I am really vain. I like this little port already.

Anyway, the chemo days were not as bad as I expected. I really did well taking Emend for nausea during A/C. Finding something that tasted good enough to drink was a challenge for me. I ended up with lots of tangerines and ice cold mineral water. Have a few things to try! The taxol was very dehydrating and you usually take decadron (steroid) with it. So I needed nose saline and vaseline to coat my nostrils. Stool softeners (bought the Costco size-LOL) were my friend. I also needed a sleep aid- as that decadron really wires you up.

I was quite surprised to be a fully functioning human- albeit a tired and hairless one!

Good luck!