jolene
Junior Member
Posts: 40
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Post by jolene on Jan 29, 2009 6:34:35 GMT -5
Hi ladies - Just wanted to let those of you who are keeping up with my progress know that I start chemo today. I'm a bit anxious with all the uncertainty of what to expect. Praying that all goes well and I have little to no side effects from it! ~Jolene Blog: www.mommyeyes.blogspot.com
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Post by nanakaren64 on Jan 29, 2009 9:15:10 GMT -5
Jolene, I hope your first chemo today goes super well and that you have little or no bad effects from it. Hang in there and know that you're being thought of and prayed for.
Hugs, Karen
P.S. I visited your blog......very nice!
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Post by Mary on Jan 29, 2009 9:47:00 GMT -5
Hi Jolene, My best wishes are with you today as you get your first chemo treatment. Remember to speak up right away if you start feeling bad - they have all kinds of combinations of drugs to get you through it with fewer side effects. Call them from home if you start feeling bad later. I admire your attitude with the hair thing and I'm glad you're doing it that way. Mine started falling out in my hands in the shower exactly 3 weeks after my first chemo (I had Adriamycin, Cytoxan, 5-Florouracil), and I cried and cried in the shower. When I got out, I dried off and promptly shaved the remaining hair off my head. Continue to shampoo with baby shower on your scalp after you lose your hair - it needs the stimulation. I also had it cut short from just below shoulder length right before I lost it all. Even bought a short haired wig - so much easier and cooler (but I live in FL). Anyway, my thoughts and prayers are with you today. The kids will adjust. Maybe get Gryphyn a special stuffed animal or something for him to hold while your hair is gone.... Love and hugs, Mary
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Post by sherrie on Jan 29, 2009 12:48:25 GMT -5
My thoughts and prayers are with you today that all will go well. Hugs, Sherrie
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belle
Junior Member
Posts: 37
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Post by belle on Jan 29, 2009 13:57:03 GMT -5
Jolene, Hope today goes well for you. It is all scary. Just remember that we are all here for ya. Keep smilin. Lori
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jolene
Junior Member
Posts: 40
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Post by jolene on Jan 30, 2009 19:54:01 GMT -5
Thanks guys for all the well wishes - things went well for the most part - it was a very long day over 6hrs for the whole thing. Here is what I wrote my family and friends earlier - you all probably don't need it that broken down for you LOL - but I'm too tired to edit it again I did have a little prob yesterday with the port access. I could feel a slight pain and burning around the outside edge of it - they ended up stopping and did an x-ray to make sure it wasn't leaking - it looked like it could be twisted so they just started an iv in my arm for the chemo and this morning I went and had a dye test done to make sure it wasn't leaking. The x-ray looked good and they think that the reason I could feel it was that it is a new site and isn't completely healed yet. When they put it in, they had to stitch it to the surrounding muscles to hold it in place - so it is possible that the slight movement of the fluid going thru it can be felt in the surrounding muscles. It should be more healed by my next chemo - I'm glad its okay - I really didn't want to have another surgery to fix it. The whole Chemo process ended up taking over 6hr - man was that a long day - they gave me some tylenol and benidryl plus anti nausea stuff before they started to prevent side effects and then since it was my first time, they had to give me the meds slower to make sure I didn't have any reactions to them. Today I am a bit sleepy, and woke up with the runs - Amodium AD has fixed that, other than that, my mouth has been really dry - they said to drink lots of fluids, suck on hard candy and rinse 4 or 5 times a day with a salt, baking soda water mix -that actually helps quite a bit. Tomorrow I have to go in again to get a shot - I forgot what it was for - I think more side effect prevention stuff - (let you know tomorrow) Then at 10 day out, I go back for blood work - this should be the lowest day in my counts then they should build back up from there - then in 3 weeks, I start all over again - that appt should be about 5 hours. Good times! ~Jolene
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Post by Ruth on Jan 30, 2009 20:11:09 GMT -5
We're all rooting for you Jolene............I know it is rough, but hopefully it is going to do the job...............
Keeping you in my prayers and please keep us posted.
Hugs, Ruth
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Post by Mary on Jan 31, 2009 9:01:55 GMT -5
Jolene, Love and hugs, Mary
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Post by Grits on Jan 31, 2009 21:13:29 GMT -5
Jolene. Sweetie...have been away from the boards this past week or so...have just read your post and wanted you to know you are most assuredly in my prayers that your port problems get resolved and that the chemo treatments are not too hard on you! I can't even begin to imagine going through chemo and having the responsiblity of a family too! Much love, Jane
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babe
New Member
Posts: 10
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Post by babe on Feb 1, 2009 17:01:56 GMT -5
Hi Jolene,
What treatment are you having?
I am on Abraxane, a clinical trial here in Canada. It is similiar to Taxol but with milder side effects. My mouth feels burnt all the time and I have tried, salt, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and Club Soda. All of those helped somewhat but the thing I have found the best is called Biotene. It is a mouthwash with no alcohol. It's thicker and very gentle. I have found it really helps. It is expensive, 12.49 for a bottle here.
Besides being tired all the time the mouth has been the most frustrating for me, even a drink of water feels awful and food all tastes awful. I have to eat everything lukewarm or my mouth just burns and burns. I am getting used to eat now and am eating more than I was but it's tough. Hope things go well for you.
Love n hugs, Colleen
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jolene
Junior Member
Posts: 40
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Post by jolene on Feb 1, 2009 22:07:47 GMT -5
UGH - so over all I'm not to bad symptom wise from my chemo treatment the other day - however, everything hurts and I'm sleepy. Saturday morning, I went in and got a newlasta shot (to stimulate white blood cell growth) Thanks to that, all my big bones and joints hurt. My husband keeps odd late hours and somehow thought it was a good idea to go to bed at 4am last night -even though we were planning on going to church at 10am today - that changed when Gryphyn (our 3yr old) woke up at 7 am and threw up - at least he made it to the bathroom! He also has the runs so we have a diaper on him and have to keep changing him - he doesn't quite get why it keeps happening - he seems to be feeling better - especially after puking on the desk, keyboard and floor - Thankfully Zac delt with that as well. I have been sleeping - Vahn (our 1yr old) laid down with me to get him out of the way for for G's last episode and fell asleep as well - fast forward a few hours and we are all up again because Vahn felt left out apparently and had to throw up as well - all over the bed! AHHHHH! - Zac go him wiped off bathed and redressed and I sort of delt with the bed - I so don't want to catch what ever they may have so I'm trying to keep my distance.
MAN - I hate being sick! I'm so ready for this to be over!
Colleen - As for my treatment , I am taking Taxotere, Carboplatin, Herceptin & Avastin. I am scheduled for 6 treatments 3 weeks apart for the first 2 drugs then continue the other 2 on the same 3 week schedule for 1 year.
Thanks for all the thoughts & prayers
~Jolene
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Post by cara3 on Feb 2, 2009 20:50:51 GMT -5
Jolene,
I pray that your chemo will go smoothly and that you will be able to juggle the treatment with being a mom. God be with you, friend.
Kitty
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Post by mountaingirl on Feb 10, 2009 11:15:44 GMT -5
Hey lady
I have been keeping up - and sending prayers and extra prayers up on you behalf. You can do this - keep on keeping on.
My husband lost his job - earlier in the month, so our life is topsy-turvy. In this recent challenge - I came across a cliche' quote - that we often use from time to time .... 'nothing lasts forever', and for whatever reason I am clinging to that tightly about now.
I wanted to share it with you as well .... keep in mind that indeed 'nothing lasts forever' .... you will overcome this and cancer will indeed be behind you sooner than later.
Huggs
Heidi aka MountainGirl
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jolene
Junior Member
Posts: 40
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Post by jolene on Feb 19, 2009 4:11:19 GMT -5
Hey Heidi
You and your family have been in my prayers. I hope all is going well for you.
I like your cliche' quote - I may have to steal that - How true that "nothing last forever"
~Jolene
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Post by sherrie on Feb 21, 2009 8:35:50 GMT -5
So sorry to hear your husband lost his job Heidi! Things are bad everywhere jobs wise.....we're holding our breath and keeping our fingers crossed that everyone here in our little family can hold on to their jobs. WE only have one working through a temp agency at a plant and so far his supervisor has moved him several times to keep him working. I'll be praying for your family.
Another quote I love is: It didn't come to stay, it came to pass! From what I've learned thus far in this life...we're either in a crisis, just coming out of a crisis, or about to go into one! Keep looking up! Love, Sherrie
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