Ok, I'm definitley in this sorority now

CheeseQueen57 said:

Thanks for all the well wishes

i plan to imprint everything so I can relive it every day in that chair. I started a journal so I won't forget anything. 

and tell us all about it when you get back

CheeseQueen57 said:

Cheese Update Here

Hi Sisters,

Just a short update. I'm recovering well from my surgery. Just a few pangs here and there and I'm not on any pain meds. 

My son and his girlfriend arrived home from Orlando for the weekend and we've been enjoying family time. Tonight we leave for an 8 day trip to Tuscany. I've reserved a wheelchair at the airport, have a pair of compression panty hose, and have been taking baby aspirin for a few days. I think I'm ready for some great food, great scenery and the making of wonderful family memories to carry me through my next unplanned journey of 18 weeks of chemo followed by radiation. 

One of my dear friends sent me the book "Praying Through Cancer" which is a 90 day devotional for women. She and 2 other friends and I will read this together through my chemo. What a gift!

In May, my BFF will come up from Dallas for a week to care for me. We've been friends since college. Tragically, she's lost her father, mother, and brother to cancer at very young ages, which has made her an excellent caregiver. 

I am investigating acupuncturists despite being discouraged from doing so by my oncologist. From what I've read and heard from friends, it may help with the neuropathy with the taxol. I intend to pursue it in a medical center setting. 

I'be purchased my wig and a baseball hat with hair for the beach. Wow!  What a market we cancer patients are!  I was talked in to a cream that's supposed to save my eyebrows. We'll see. When I come back from Italy, I'm going to have my hairdresser give me a pixie    

I guess I'm as ready as I'm going to be for my port insertion on April 25 and first chemo on April 27. But only because of the love, support, and advice of not only my wonderful friends and family, but you my sisters who I know are always there with a kind of support that no one else can provide. Thank you so much for your love and support. It means so much. 

Susan

You are inspiring me to make plans for a trip to France. Can't wait to hear how your adventure went. Please write to us soon!

GO FOR IT!

Billie

CheeseQueen57 said:

Cheesy is Back

What a wonderful vacation.  Thank God I went.  What beautiful memories I will carry in my heart forever!   I really built my endurance up.  My son's girlfriend wears a FitBit and most days we had walked over 10,000 steps and with many rest periods, I for the most part, kept up.  A couple days were very exhausting, but I survived and it was SO WORTH IT!.  I did get a wheelchair for the airport stints and that really helped, especially it helped us avoid long lines at security and at customs.  And you'd be surprised how far some of those gates are.  I sort of felt guilty riding in the chair after walking so much on vacation, but then I got over that real quick.  I pretty much ate whatever I want and had gelato every day, but that stops now. 

We had a few emotional moments and tears when it hit us how important this trip was to all of us and if things didn't go exactly perfect,  but we pretty much tried to keep them under wrap and enjoy the moment.  I kept a detailed travel journal, we took hundreds of pictures,  and I'm working on putting together a travel photo book before I get too wiped out. 

Now on to the hard work.  I was moved by Nancy's post about returning to work and realized that I hadn't asked the important questions about the cost/benefits of my treatment.  In some ways, it's almost like I don't want to know the statistics are not good or that the side effects may not be worth the time gained. As always, Moli's words of wisdom, "We can't change yesterday into tomorrow so we must step out of it courageously and embrace the newness of tomorrow with an awsome new point of veiw and an unshakable resolve to absolutely not lose the rest of our lives to cancer" hit the nail right on the head!

I'm getting resistance from my oncologist regarding acupuncture and the use of metformin, so I plan to talk to my PCP (who is also my dear friend) regarding both.  She has already referred me for acupunture and is on board with that.  I do have insulin resistance although still at the pre-diabetes stage and have been trying to get her and my endo to put me on metformin for years to no avail.  I'm going to try again with my PCP even though my oncologist's resistance was merely to the the possible GI side effects, which to me is not valid enough to rule it out.  I would prefer to hit this with everything the first time, not wait for a reoocurence. The oncologist's resistance to acupuncture was because of the risk of infection, which when I researched according the the NIH:  "Serious adverse effects of acupuncture are rare.....  Very few hepatitis or other infections associated with acupuncture have been reported since 1988, when widespread use of disposable needles was introduced and national certification requirements for clean-needle techniques were developed and enforced as an acupuncture licensure requirement.[3,4] Because cancer patients who are undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy are immunocompromised, precautions must be taken and strict clean-needle techniques must be applied when acupuncture treatment is given.[5]"

I'm going to go pick up my wig to day and try to start getting used to it. I need to order some little hats to wear at night, I guess. Tomorrow appointment with pain managment regarding acupuncture, Friday pre-admission testing for my port placement on Monday.  Chemo starts on Wednesday, April 27.  I got myself a Pandora bracelet and for every week of chemo I get through I'm rewarding myself with a charm.  I have 4 charms ready.  I should have a pretty good bracelet after 18 weeks.  We'll see if I continue this with radiation

We got an invitation to a wedding up in Vermont for June 5.  I'm not thinking we are going to be able to make that one. 

I guess I'm as ready as I'm ever going to be. My friends and family are rallying.  My BFF is coming up for a week in a couple weeks to help care for me and my son and his girlfriend will be up to visit over Memorial Day. 

Thank you all, my sisters, for always being there.  I wish you all good health and joy.  Thanks for riding with me on this journey.

Susan

Susan, it is so wonderful to hear that you went on your trip and had a marvelous time! You may be surprised that the side effects of your upcoming chemo treatments will not as bad as you may be thinking. I finished my fourth round of chemo last Thursday and was back to work on Friday. Hopefully your treatments will be as uneventful as mine have been. Wishing you drama-free treatments and many more wonderful adventures with your family and friends! Kim  

CheeseQueen57 said:

Cheesy is Back

What a wonderful vacation.  Thank God I went.  What beautiful memories I will carry in my heart forever!   I really built my endurance up.  My son's girlfriend wears a FitBit and most days we had walked over 10,000 steps and with many rest periods, I for the most part, kept up.  A couple days were very exhausting, but I survived and it was SO WORTH IT!.  I did get a wheelchair for the airport stints and that really helped, especially it helped us avoid long lines at security and at customs.  And you'd be surprised how far some of those gates are.  I sort of felt guilty riding in the chair after walking so much on vacation, but then I got over that real quick.  I pretty much ate whatever I want and had gelato every day, but that stops now. 

We had a few emotional moments and tears when it hit us how important this trip was to all of us and if things didn't go exactly perfect,  but we pretty much tried to keep them under wrap and enjoy the moment.  I kept a detailed travel journal, we took hundreds of pictures,  and I'm working on putting together a travel photo book before I get too wiped out. 

Now on to the hard work.  I was moved by Nancy's post about returning to work and realized that I hadn't asked the important questions about the cost/benefits of my treatment.  In some ways, it's almost like I don't want to know the statistics are not good or that the side effects may not be worth the time gained. As always, Moli's words of wisdom, "We can't change yesterday into tomorrow so we must step out of it courageously and embrace the newness of tomorrow with an awsome new point of veiw and an unshakable resolve to absolutely not lose the rest of our lives to cancer" hit the nail right on the head!

I'm getting resistance from my oncologist regarding acupuncture and the use of metformin, so I plan to talk to my PCP (who is also my dear friend) regarding both.  She has already referred me for acupunture and is on board with that.  I do have insulin resistance although still at the pre-diabetes stage and have been trying to get her and my endo to put me on metformin for years to no avail.  I'm going to try again with my PCP even though my oncologist's resistance was merely to the the possible GI side effects, which to me is not valid enough to rule it out.  I would prefer to hit this with everything the first time, not wait for a reoocurence. The oncologist's resistance to acupuncture was because of the risk of infection, which when I researched according the the NIH:  "Serious adverse effects of acupuncture are rare.....  Very few hepatitis or other infections associated with acupuncture have been reported since 1988, when widespread use of disposable needles was introduced and national certification requirements for clean-needle techniques were developed and enforced as an acupuncture licensure requirement.[3,4] Because cancer patients who are undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy are immunocompromised, precautions must be taken and strict clean-needle techniques must be applied when acupuncture treatment is given.[5]"

I'm going to go pick up my wig to day and try to start getting used to it. I need to order some little hats to wear at night, I guess. Tomorrow appointment with pain managment regarding acupuncture, Friday pre-admission testing for my port placement on Monday.  Chemo starts on Wednesday, April 27.  I got myself a Pandora bracelet and for every week of chemo I get through I'm rewarding myself with a charm.  I have 4 charms ready.  I should have a pretty good bracelet after 18 weeks.  We'll see if I continue this with radiation

We got an invitation to a wedding up in Vermont for June 5.  I'm not thinking we are going to be able to make that one. 

I guess I'm as ready as I'm ever going to be. My friends and family are rallying.  My BFF is coming up for a week in a couple weeks to help care for me and my son and his girlfriend will be up to visit over Memorial Day. 

Thank you all, my sisters, for always being there.  I wish you all good health and joy.  Thanks for riding with me on this journey.

Susan

It sounds like you had a marvelous time, and as you said, with memories to last a lifetime.

I had a conversation yesterday with my naturopath and among other things she brought up was metformin.  She did mention the GI issues, but said that they generally can be handled by starting with a low dosage and gradually increasing.  It will definitely be a tool in my arsenal.  I hope your PCP sees fit to prescribe it for you.

CheeseQueen57 said:

Cheesy is Back

What a wonderful vacation.  Thank God I went.  What beautiful memories I will carry in my heart forever!   I really built my endurance up.  My son's girlfriend wears a FitBit and most days we had walked over 10,000 steps and with many rest periods, I for the most part, kept up.  A couple days were very exhausting, but I survived and it was SO WORTH IT!.  I did get a wheelchair for the airport stints and that really helped, especially it helped us avoid long lines at security and at customs.  And you'd be surprised how far some of those gates are.  I sort of felt guilty riding in the chair after walking so much on vacation, but then I got over that real quick.  I pretty much ate whatever I want and had gelato every day, but that stops now. 

We had a few emotional moments and tears when it hit us how important this trip was to all of us and if things didn't go exactly perfect,  but we pretty much tried to keep them under wrap and enjoy the moment.  I kept a detailed travel journal, we took hundreds of pictures,  and I'm working on putting together a travel photo book before I get too wiped out. 

Now on to the hard work.  I was moved by Nancy's post about returning to work and realized that I hadn't asked the important questions about the cost/benefits of my treatment.  In some ways, it's almost like I don't want to know the statistics are not good or that the side effects may not be worth the time gained. As always, Moli's words of wisdom, "We can't change yesterday into tomorrow so we must step out of it courageously and embrace the newness of tomorrow with an awsome new point of veiw and an unshakable resolve to absolutely not lose the rest of our lives to cancer" hit the nail right on the head!

I'm getting resistance from my oncologist regarding acupuncture and the use of metformin, so I plan to talk to my PCP (who is also my dear friend) regarding both.  She has already referred me for acupunture and is on board with that.  I do have insulin resistance although still at the pre-diabetes stage and have been trying to get her and my endo to put me on metformin for years to no avail.  I'm going to try again with my PCP even though my oncologist's resistance was merely to the the possible GI side effects, which to me is not valid enough to rule it out.  I would prefer to hit this with everything the first time, not wait for a reoocurence. The oncologist's resistance to acupuncture was because of the risk of infection, which when I researched according the the NIH:  "Serious adverse effects of acupuncture are rare.....  Very few hepatitis or other infections associated with acupuncture have been reported since 1988, when widespread use of disposable needles was introduced and national certification requirements for clean-needle techniques were developed and enforced as an acupuncture licensure requirement.[3,4] Because cancer patients who are undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy are immunocompromised, precautions must be taken and strict clean-needle techniques must be applied when acupuncture treatment is given.[5]"

I'm going to go pick up my wig to day and try to start getting used to it. I need to order some little hats to wear at night, I guess. Tomorrow appointment with pain managment regarding acupuncture, Friday pre-admission testing for my port placement on Monday.  Chemo starts on Wednesday, April 27.  I got myself a Pandora bracelet and for every week of chemo I get through I'm rewarding myself with a charm.  I have 4 charms ready.  I should have a pretty good bracelet after 18 weeks.  We'll see if I continue this with radiation

We got an invitation to a wedding up in Vermont for June 5.  I'm not thinking we are going to be able to make that one. 

I guess I'm as ready as I'm ever going to be. My friends and family are rallying.  My BFF is coming up for a week in a couple weeks to help care for me and my son and his girlfriend will be up to visit over Memorial Day. 

Thank you all, my sisters, for always being there.  I wish you all good health and joy.  Thanks for riding with me on this journey.

Susan

Happy to hear you had a wonderful trip.  Sounds like you are mentally prepared and have everything in order for treatment, so you will do well with it and breeze right through it all.

Nancy

BabyCoach said:

THE TRIP IS ON!

so glad to hear it!  Tuscany is a wonderful place to indulge so GO FOR IT! What a great opportunity to prepare. Accumulate some visions you can return to in the days ahead of you. Actually PLAN some cool events and family activities to which you can return as you sit in the chemo chair. Options are everywhere!

Your message gives me hope. Out of surgery 1 week and still hoping that we can take a planned trip to Russia and Scandinavia mid May. I have the same concerns as you did - especially the long flight and the problems that may accompany finding medical help in Russia if need be. It's just the two of us and a rental car but so far - not canceling anything. 

Enjoy every minute of Tuscany. YOU deserve it!

Mary Ann

So great your trip is on! I wish that I had had my surgery before my Florida trip as I felt so much better then! I hope this will be the case for you! Enjoy!

so good to hear back from you about that "trip of a lifetime". I have been thinking of you in Italy and holding you in my heart. You,Sister, are ready for what's ahead.  Keep us informed as we walk this road with you. 

Mary Ann

CheeseQueen57 said:

My Last Day of Normal

OK. Port day today. I feel like once I get that I'm really a cancer patient. 

Ive been doing my guided imagery and relaxation exercises. I'm finding that my husband is really kinda stressing me out with his denial of all of this. I have to keep bringing him back to the reality of the situation  Which is not helping me. Somethings going to have to change. Of course, this situation is not new. Just exacerbated by something like this. Let's hope he steps up or I'll have to pull in some of my other resources. 

How have others handled this?  

My husband has been wonderful through all of this but I remember having to beg him and our adult son who lives with us to change the bed sheets.  Neither of them even sees a need for sheets!!!  Then they put the bottom fitted sheet on inside out, one of the pillow cases was also inside out and the top sheet had the deep hem on the bottom - tucked in instead of being on the top.  Things like that previously drove me nuts but I remember just lying down, thankful there were fresh sheets - LOL!  

I know my husband felt helpless when I was so sick - that was the worst.  He didn't know what to do to make me feel better.  I felt so bad when I had to tell him we had to cancel our Florida trip - there was no way I would be able to make it.  But he was so sweet and told me we'd make it next year.  We relied on the deli at our local grocery store for our evening meal most nights - he does the family grocery shopping so that worked out fine.  

We've been together 47 years and we each had our "parts" in this marriage.  All of a sudden, I couldn't hold up my end of the deal and that is tough in any partnership - especially ours because we also worked together every day.  

I wish you the best of luck with your new "normal."

Love,

Eldri