Uterine Papillary Serous Carcinoma (UPSC): any others here???
Comments
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so gladshortmarge said:Fridays Chemo
It wasn't bad at all. Went in a little teary eyed and nervous, more so than the surgery. They started me out with a steriod and benedryl and hour before chemo treatment. The one chemo takes three hours and the second takes twenty minutes. I had a nice little nap because of the benedryl. Be then end of the day I had the nurses laughing. I have different ring tones on my cell phone and my daughter had called me. Well, I have a big sense of humor and my daughters ring tone is of a drunken squirrel. It makes you laugh just hearing it.
The only side effects so far is that my head felt groggy. I had a hard time with getting some sentences out. I have a slight headache this morning but don't feel sick at all. They told me that because of the steriod medicine I might not be able to sleep but my head hit the pillow at 10:00 p.m. and I was out cold. Woke up at 3:00 a.m. with a night sweat and am having a hard time getting back to sleep. I ate an amazing dinner last night and had a snack before bed. Some people say the fourth day is the hardest, we'll see.
The doctor gave me steriod medicine to take for the next three days, it helps with appetite, and she also gave me nausea medicine if needed. Can't take that for three days said it won't work with the steriod medicine. They also gave me a prescription for a stronger nausea medicine, said it was expensive so don't fill it if I don't need it.
I will be thinking of you on Monday Linda and will be praying for all. Cyber Hugs!
I think I'm going to try and get more sleep now....
So glad you got through that one.... and it should get even easier. My chemo lasted 9 hours. Yours sounds much shorter and that is so much better!!! Don't you just love those night sweats!! My husband often checks my water bottle for ice from freezing solid in my arctic room. He moved across the hall to our spare bedroom for survival!!0 -
Hope you're feeling okay Day 2 after your chemoshortmarge said:Fridays Chemo
It wasn't bad at all. Went in a little teary eyed and nervous, more so than the surgery. They started me out with a steriod and benedryl and hour before chemo treatment. The one chemo takes three hours and the second takes twenty minutes. I had a nice little nap because of the benedryl. Be then end of the day I had the nurses laughing. I have different ring tones on my cell phone and my daughter had called me. Well, I have a big sense of humor and my daughters ring tone is of a drunken squirrel. It makes you laugh just hearing it.
The only side effects so far is that my head felt groggy. I had a hard time with getting some sentences out. I have a slight headache this morning but don't feel sick at all. They told me that because of the steriod medicine I might not be able to sleep but my head hit the pillow at 10:00 p.m. and I was out cold. Woke up at 3:00 a.m. with a night sweat and am having a hard time getting back to sleep. I ate an amazing dinner last night and had a snack before bed. Some people say the fourth day is the hardest, we'll see.
The doctor gave me steriod medicine to take for the next three days, it helps with appetite, and she also gave me nausea medicine if needed. Can't take that for three days said it won't work with the steriod medicine. They also gave me a prescription for a stronger nausea medicine, said it was expensive so don't fill it if I don't need it.
I will be thinking of you on Monday Linda and will be praying for all. Cyber Hugs!
I think I'm going to try and get more sleep now....
You've been on my mind so much since your chemo. I so appreciate you posting how the 1st round went, knowing that I will be the one with that same IV in 2 days! Please check in when you feel up to it and keep us posted, and I will try to do the same. Chemo buddies. I admit to being nervous about it. I'll be glad to have my first round behind me. Just 5 more to go; we can do this Marge! ((((Marge)))))0 -
Day 2lindaprocopio said:Hope you're feeling okay Day 2 after your chemo
You've been on my mind so much since your chemo. I so appreciate you posting how the 1st round went, knowing that I will be the one with that same IV in 2 days! Please check in when you feel up to it and keep us posted, and I will try to do the same. Chemo buddies. I admit to being nervous about it. I'll be glad to have my first round behind me. Just 5 more to go; we can do this Marge! ((((Marge)))))
Feeling a little nauseas today and tired. Hope this is my bad day. My chest is turning red too. Still not as bad as I expected!
Would it be wrong to find out where everyone is from. Like to know how far apart we live...
Hang in there and God Bless.
Marge0 -
symptom?shortmarge said:Day 2
Feeling a little nauseas today and tired. Hope this is my bad day. My chest is turning red too. Still not as bad as I expected!
Would it be wrong to find out where everyone is from. Like to know how far apart we live...
Hang in there and God Bless.
Marge
Sorry to hear your are not feeling well. What is going on with the red chest?? I have not heard of this. Chemo is only as good as your doctor writes your prescription. I would hope that once you tell them of how you feel they will customize it more. With all of the technology now chemo should be nausea free. I am from right in the middle of Mn. How far apart are we?0 -
Thank you for sharing!shortmarge said:Fridays Chemo
It wasn't bad at all. Went in a little teary eyed and nervous, more so than the surgery. They started me out with a steriod and benedryl and hour before chemo treatment. The one chemo takes three hours and the second takes twenty minutes. I had a nice little nap because of the benedryl. Be then end of the day I had the nurses laughing. I have different ring tones on my cell phone and my daughter had called me. Well, I have a big sense of humor and my daughters ring tone is of a drunken squirrel. It makes you laugh just hearing it.
The only side effects so far is that my head felt groggy. I had a hard time with getting some sentences out. I have a slight headache this morning but don't feel sick at all. They told me that because of the steriod medicine I might not be able to sleep but my head hit the pillow at 10:00 p.m. and I was out cold. Woke up at 3:00 a.m. with a night sweat and am having a hard time getting back to sleep. I ate an amazing dinner last night and had a snack before bed. Some people say the fourth day is the hardest, we'll see.
The doctor gave me steriod medicine to take for the next three days, it helps with appetite, and she also gave me nausea medicine if needed. Can't take that for three days said it won't work with the steriod medicine. They also gave me a prescription for a stronger nausea medicine, said it was expensive so don't fill it if I don't need it.
I will be thinking of you on Monday Linda and will be praying for all. Cyber Hugs!
I think I'm going to try and get more sleep now....
Thank you for sharing your chemo experience, it makes me feel better just hearing you talk about it. I'm really nervous about it, don't even know for sure what the regime is going to be. I am sooo glad that you are doing well. Keep us posted. I will be praying for all of us!
I finished external rad tx #13 on Friday... halfway through. Yoo Hoo. So far tired with mild stomach/intestinal upset. Nothing I can't deal with.
Hang in there, stay strong. We are in this together.
Deanna0 -
Hi girls!lindaprocopio said:Well, I don't have $1.5 million!
I don't have $1.5 million, so they won't be getting that much from ME! They have to fix the insurance problems in this country. No matter HOW MUCH they raise my insurance rates, now that I have cancer, I will just have to pay it because no one else is going to cover my 'pre-existing condition'. I'm trapped into staying with my same insurance company no matter what, and I know that they will raise my rates crazy-high, hoping that I do cancel or can't pay and they can get away from my cancer bills. Because I am in business for myself, I have private insurance and am not a part of any kind of a group. I hope Obama can come through on his promises.
Sorry to hear of your added stress Linda. I had a similar experience that day I had the hysterectomy. At the last minute, when I was in the holding room, they figured out that the insurance had denied coverage of the robotic hyst. I had already mentally prepared, physically prepared (nasty bowel prep that made me vomit!) and insurance wouldn't cover it! My surgery was over a week after the gyn/onc appointment where we scheduled the surgery. I cried like a baby, they wanted me to wait a week to see if insurance would chance their mind. I said, no way. I was NOT spending another week worrying and preparing. So, we did an open hyst. Longer recovery, but it all worked out. I know yours will also.
Anyway... Good luck tomorrow Linda. Marge, I hope you are doing okay. I am thinking and praying for all of you.
Deanna0 -
I'm in central Pennsylvaniashortmarge said:Day 2
Feeling a little nauseas today and tired. Hope this is my bad day. My chest is turning red too. Still not as bad as I expected!
Would it be wrong to find out where everyone is from. Like to know how far apart we live...
Hang in there and God Bless.
Marge
I'm in Central Pennsylvania. I'm posting my email address again, too, since I think we are the only 4 on this thread : lindapro@ptd.net
I have a website for my business where you can see a bunch of cute photos of my grandkids if you are curious: www.procopiofundraising.com
My grandkids (ages 6 & 7) slept over Friday night and tried on my new wig and asked me all about my cancer and chemo. They just stopped in at 6PM to give me a 'good luck' kiss before my chemo tomorrow morning. I'll be so glad when I get this first round behind me!
What could that red chest be about? Reaction to the steroids? I hope that eveyone is babying you, Marge, and that you are taking it easy. I'll try and check in tomorrow night and let you know how my 1st chemo went. Love and hugs to each of you, my UPSC sisters!0 -
Interesting Infopjba11 said:Private ins too
I am the same. We farm and have a business. We pay private insurance. I too face the fact that they 'say' they can not discriminate by pushing my prem. up, but now they increase it each time by large amounts. I had to pay $15 per visit, plus approx 20% of our 1.5 so we got hit hard. I was in 17 medical facilities in 2007.
About 10 percent of endometrial cancers are papillary serous adenocarcinomas, and 5 percent are clear cell adenocarcinomas. Clear cell adenocarcinoma is a very rare form of uterine cancer that appears in women who were exposed in utero to an estrogen drug known as diethylstilbestrol (DES). From 1938 to 1971, DES was prescribed to some pregnant women to prevent miscarriage. The female children of these women have an increased risk of a rare type of cervical, uterine, or vaginal cancer.0 -
DESshortmarge said:Interesting Info
About 10 percent of endometrial cancers are papillary serous adenocarcinomas, and 5 percent are clear cell adenocarcinomas. Clear cell adenocarcinoma is a very rare form of uterine cancer that appears in women who were exposed in utero to an estrogen drug known as diethylstilbestrol (DES). From 1938 to 1971, DES was prescribed to some pregnant women to prevent miscarriage. The female children of these women have an increased risk of a rare type of cervical, uterine, or vaginal cancer.
I had heard of this before. I knew my mother has a miscarriage 2 children before me and that I lost an older sister, so I asked my mother if she had ever taken this drug. She had not. I lost my mom to cancer in 1994. They just recently raised that number of UPSC from 5 to 10% because it is becoming more common. It would really be good to know why. I do not fit in any of the commmon reasons to have gotten this UPSC. Did any of you? My prayers are with You both Marge and Linda in these first chemo stages. This cancer is aggressive so do what you can to let the chemo work. Eat right and drink a lot. Rest if you need to. Listen to your body. This is a time when you have to be your own best friend. I hope that soon when any of us see UPS it on the side of a big brown delivery truck and it doesn't affect us!!0 -
open hystdeanna14 said:Hi girls!
Sorry to hear of your added stress Linda. I had a similar experience that day I had the hysterectomy. At the last minute, when I was in the holding room, they figured out that the insurance had denied coverage of the robotic hyst. I had already mentally prepared, physically prepared (nasty bowel prep that made me vomit!) and insurance wouldn't cover it! My surgery was over a week after the gyn/onc appointment where we scheduled the surgery. I cried like a baby, they wanted me to wait a week to see if insurance would chance their mind. I said, no way. I was NOT spending another week worrying and preparing. So, we did an open hyst. Longer recovery, but it all worked out. I know yours will also.
Anyway... Good luck tomorrow Linda. Marge, I hope you are doing okay. I am thinking and praying for all of you.
Deanna
I supposedly had one of the best gyn/oncol in our state, he made it very clear that there was no way that a properly staged surgery could be done unless it was open. A few days ago I saw the statistics on UPSC chances of survival doubled if we had the proper proceedures done during surgury. Insurance 'policy' sucks in many ways... but could be it blessed you there??!0 -
(Don't look at the time I'm posting! Pre-chemo jitters)pjba11 said:DES
I had heard of this before. I knew my mother has a miscarriage 2 children before me and that I lost an older sister, so I asked my mother if she had ever taken this drug. She had not. I lost my mom to cancer in 1994. They just recently raised that number of UPSC from 5 to 10% because it is becoming more common. It would really be good to know why. I do not fit in any of the commmon reasons to have gotten this UPSC. Did any of you? My prayers are with You both Marge and Linda in these first chemo stages. This cancer is aggressive so do what you can to let the chemo work. Eat right and drink a lot. Rest if you need to. Listen to your body. This is a time when you have to be your own best friend. I hope that soon when any of us see UPS it on the side of a big brown delivery truck and it doesn't affect us!!
I don't fit into any of the UPSC-characterics. Women that get UPSC are often black women, in their 60's, with concurrent problems like diabetes. My oncologist also noted that UPSC is on the rise. I think it may just be better diagnosed now. It's so sneaky, without the heavy bleeding symtoms of the more common uterine cancers. Everyone seems to find out by surprise during testing for something else; maybe women are doing better at getting routine testing and 'just-to-be-sure' testing done. Or maybe it's environmental. My oncologist mentioned that he worries that the high cancer incidents in our region may be related to the 2 nuclear power plants nearby and the open coal mines.
Deanna, I looked into Da Vinci robotic surgery for my hysterectomy (Did you watch the video of them doing it on YouTube?) and was fascinated and thought that was what I wanted also. But the Gyn-onc I saw doesn't do robotic hysterectomies, and when I went to another facility to discuss that option, they needed to run a bunch more tests on me (uterus size, etc.) to see if I would be a candidate, and I didn't want to delay my surgery again. My Gyn-Onc has 27 years experience and is a firm believer in open staging surgery for aggressive cancers. He took out 25 lymph nodes to find the ONE lymph with microscopic cancer in it. If you read the posts on the Ovarian Cancer Discussion Boards here (worthwhile because that cancer is so similar to ours in its aggressiveness), it seems like the women with their cancer reoccuring in 15 or 20 months after their treatments are those that just had 7 or 8 lymph nodes removed and biopsied, with lymph node penetration not found during their hysterectomy. I think their surgeon probably didn't look at ENOUGH lymph nodes and missed the one that may have shown their cancer was on the move. Then, with their Stage 1 diagnosis, they just had radiation and no chemo, and BAM! It comes back. Reading those posts, I'd decided to argue for aggressive chemo and radiation even if I was Stage 1. My hysterectomy pathology diagnosed me as Stage 3C, so there was never a doubt that we'd go at this with everything my body could stand.
My chemo is at 9:15am. Think I should try again to sleep? My adreniline is already pumping with nervous anticipation. I slept 4 hours. That may have to do. I'm WIDE AWAKE!0 -
Sending You Hugslindaprocopio said:(Don't look at the time I'm posting! Pre-chemo jitters)
I don't fit into any of the UPSC-characterics. Women that get UPSC are often black women, in their 60's, with concurrent problems like diabetes. My oncologist also noted that UPSC is on the rise. I think it may just be better diagnosed now. It's so sneaky, without the heavy bleeding symtoms of the more common uterine cancers. Everyone seems to find out by surprise during testing for something else; maybe women are doing better at getting routine testing and 'just-to-be-sure' testing done. Or maybe it's environmental. My oncologist mentioned that he worries that the high cancer incidents in our region may be related to the 2 nuclear power plants nearby and the open coal mines.
Deanna, I looked into Da Vinci robotic surgery for my hysterectomy (Did you watch the video of them doing it on YouTube?) and was fascinated and thought that was what I wanted also. But the Gyn-onc I saw doesn't do robotic hysterectomies, and when I went to another facility to discuss that option, they needed to run a bunch more tests on me (uterus size, etc.) to see if I would be a candidate, and I didn't want to delay my surgery again. My Gyn-Onc has 27 years experience and is a firm believer in open staging surgery for aggressive cancers. He took out 25 lymph nodes to find the ONE lymph with microscopic cancer in it. If you read the posts on the Ovarian Cancer Discussion Boards here (worthwhile because that cancer is so similar to ours in its aggressiveness), it seems like the women with their cancer reoccuring in 15 or 20 months after their treatments are those that just had 7 or 8 lymph nodes removed and biopsied, with lymph node penetration not found during their hysterectomy. I think their surgeon probably didn't look at ENOUGH lymph nodes and missed the one that may have shown their cancer was on the move. Then, with their Stage 1 diagnosis, they just had radiation and no chemo, and BAM! It comes back. Reading those posts, I'd decided to argue for aggressive chemo and radiation even if I was Stage 1. My hysterectomy pathology diagnosed me as Stage 3C, so there was never a doubt that we'd go at this with everything my body could stand.
My chemo is at 9:15am. Think I should try again to sleep? My adreniline is already pumping with nervous anticipation. I slept 4 hours. That may have to do. I'm WIDE AWAKE!
I was born and raised in NJ (cancer alley). I moved in 1985 to NC because of this. I was afraid that my kids would get cancer. My in-laws live in the pine barrens and we watched for two years the government cleaning up a toxic waste dump. That was during the Jimmy Carter era. When Regean got into office he stop all funding to clean up the dumps in NJ.
Let me know how everything goes. Yesterday was rough but I feel better today. I got up and went to work for the first time in four weeks. Can't stand being in the house anymore.
I found some very peaceful music to listen to while in bed if I wake up in the night. It's american indian, flute and guitar. It is so soothing it helped me fall back to sleep and I got a really good night sleep last night.
God Bless and you are all in my prayers.0 -
Blessing in disquisepjba11 said:open hyst
I supposedly had one of the best gyn/oncol in our state, he made it very clear that there was no way that a properly staged surgery could be done unless it was open. A few days ago I saw the statistics on UPSC chances of survival doubled if we had the proper proceedures done during surgury. Insurance 'policy' sucks in many ways... but could be it blessed you there??!
I truly believe it was a blessing that I didn't have the robotic surgery. I was diagnosed Stage I after the D&C. It was during the hyst that they found the serious papillary and mets to the lymph node making it Stage III. The original plan was total hyst with no follow up treatment. I do believe I was being watched over that day.0 -
Thinking of you allshortmarge said:Sending You Hugs
I was born and raised in NJ (cancer alley). I moved in 1985 to NC because of this. I was afraid that my kids would get cancer. My in-laws live in the pine barrens and we watched for two years the government cleaning up a toxic waste dump. That was during the Jimmy Carter era. When Regean got into office he stop all funding to clean up the dumps in NJ.
Let me know how everything goes. Yesterday was rough but I feel better today. I got up and went to work for the first time in four weeks. Can't stand being in the house anymore.
I found some very peaceful music to listen to while in bed if I wake up in the night. It's american indian, flute and guitar. It is so soothing it helped me fall back to sleep and I got a really good night sleep last night.
God Bless and you are all in my prayers.
I am glad to know you are feeling better today, Marge. I was just sitting here wondering how Linda is doing.
I'm off to take a nap, I'm feeling a little washed out today. I think I may have an upper respiratory bug.
Just wanted to let you all know you are in my thoughts.0 -
1st day chemo: maybe it's the 15 steroid pills, but I feel GOOD!deanna14 said:Thinking of you all
I am glad to know you are feeling better today, Marge. I was just sitting here wondering how Linda is doing.
I'm off to take a nap, I'm feeling a little washed out today. I think I may have an upper respiratory bug.
Just wanted to let you all know you are in my thoughts.
I realize it may be the steroids and the other 'extras' in today's chemo cocktail, but right now, I feel good! Tired from my sleepless night of jitters last night, but otherwise fine. First they did blood work. Today's CA-125 was 95.5 which they will use as my baseline and disregard the 2 numbers from the other hospital. Then they called me in and did vitals. Them the chemo itself. I was there 6 hours, 3 hours for Taxil; 1/2 hour for the CarboPlatinum; and then a 5 minute saline line flush. I had saline the entire time also. I did my chemo on a big Barco-Lounger, with heat and massage you could turn on (fun!) and they had all kinds of snacks and Boost and coffee, tea, sodas. I spent over half of the time talking with a woman having chemo for breast cancer, and have made a new friend. When I am not so tired I'd like to share her story with you, but not tonight.
I made one big faux pas as a chemo newbie. When you are new to the chemo drugs, they monitor you right at your side the first 15 minutes in case you have a violent allergic reaction. When my 15 minutes were up, they took my blood pressure (which was fine) and then clipped a Call Button to my lounger and said to call if I needed them. About 15 minutes later, my IV-thingy (???) started beeping. I didn't know what that meant, so I hit the Call Button. It was DEAFENING! A SUPER LOUD repetitive blast that could be heard across the entire facility!! It was like CODE BLUE on TV. 6 medical professionals came flying to my side!! I thought any second someone would be coming at me with the defibulators paddles and shouting "CLEAR"! Apparently the Call Button was to alert them that I was having heart palpitations, trouble breathing, allergic reactions, something bad. If she told me that, I sure didn't take it in! (blush)
I hope that Marge and Deanna are feeling better tomorrow. And I hope that I don't wake up nasueated and achy. But ONE ROUND DOWN, 5 to go! Thanks for being here for me!0 -
Soooooooooo glad you are feeling goodlindaprocopio said:1st day chemo: maybe it's the 15 steroid pills, but I feel GOOD!
I realize it may be the steroids and the other 'extras' in today's chemo cocktail, but right now, I feel good! Tired from my sleepless night of jitters last night, but otherwise fine. First they did blood work. Today's CA-125 was 95.5 which they will use as my baseline and disregard the 2 numbers from the other hospital. Then they called me in and did vitals. Them the chemo itself. I was there 6 hours, 3 hours for Taxil; 1/2 hour for the CarboPlatinum; and then a 5 minute saline line flush. I had saline the entire time also. I did my chemo on a big Barco-Lounger, with heat and massage you could turn on (fun!) and they had all kinds of snacks and Boost and coffee, tea, sodas. I spent over half of the time talking with a woman having chemo for breast cancer, and have made a new friend. When I am not so tired I'd like to share her story with you, but not tonight.
I made one big faux pas as a chemo newbie. When you are new to the chemo drugs, they monitor you right at your side the first 15 minutes in case you have a violent allergic reaction. When my 15 minutes were up, they took my blood pressure (which was fine) and then clipped a Call Button to my lounger and said to call if I needed them. About 15 minutes later, my IV-thingy (???) started beeping. I didn't know what that meant, so I hit the Call Button. It was DEAFENING! A SUPER LOUD repetitive blast that could be heard across the entire facility!! It was like CODE BLUE on TV. 6 medical professionals came flying to my side!! I thought any second someone would be coming at me with the defibulators paddles and shouting "CLEAR"! Apparently the Call Button was to alert them that I was having heart palpitations, trouble breathing, allergic reactions, something bad. If she told me that, I sure didn't take it in! (blush)
I hope that Marge and Deanna are feeling better tomorrow. And I hope that I don't wake up nasueated and achy. But ONE ROUND DOWN, 5 to go! Thanks for being here for me!
I can't quit laughing about your code blue. They did not tell me any of that. If I would have done that my husband would have needed the team for real!! Glad you met someone to talk to. We always had to do a private room so I only got to meet the nurses. Do you do neulasta tomorrow? I always enjoyed the meals they brought us when we were in chemo. I could get hot blankets, and recliners, but not the masssage etc!! Sounds like you had excellent care. I will be looking forward to hearing about your new friends' journey too. Keep the faith and stay well!!0 -
I'm happy for you.lindaprocopio said:1st day chemo: maybe it's the 15 steroid pills, but I feel GOOD!
I realize it may be the steroids and the other 'extras' in today's chemo cocktail, but right now, I feel good! Tired from my sleepless night of jitters last night, but otherwise fine. First they did blood work. Today's CA-125 was 95.5 which they will use as my baseline and disregard the 2 numbers from the other hospital. Then they called me in and did vitals. Them the chemo itself. I was there 6 hours, 3 hours for Taxil; 1/2 hour for the CarboPlatinum; and then a 5 minute saline line flush. I had saline the entire time also. I did my chemo on a big Barco-Lounger, with heat and massage you could turn on (fun!) and they had all kinds of snacks and Boost and coffee, tea, sodas. I spent over half of the time talking with a woman having chemo for breast cancer, and have made a new friend. When I am not so tired I'd like to share her story with you, but not tonight.
I made one big faux pas as a chemo newbie. When you are new to the chemo drugs, they monitor you right at your side the first 15 minutes in case you have a violent allergic reaction. When my 15 minutes were up, they took my blood pressure (which was fine) and then clipped a Call Button to my lounger and said to call if I needed them. About 15 minutes later, my IV-thingy (???) started beeping. I didn't know what that meant, so I hit the Call Button. It was DEAFENING! A SUPER LOUD repetitive blast that could be heard across the entire facility!! It was like CODE BLUE on TV. 6 medical professionals came flying to my side!! I thought any second someone would be coming at me with the defibulators paddles and shouting "CLEAR"! Apparently the Call Button was to alert them that I was having heart palpitations, trouble breathing, allergic reactions, something bad. If she told me that, I sure didn't take it in! (blush)
I hope that Marge and Deanna are feeling better tomorrow. And I hope that I don't wake up nasueated and achy. But ONE ROUND DOWN, 5 to go! Thanks for being here for me!
I'm so glad to hear your first treatment went well. It also sounds like you had a good laugh. I hope you are feeling alright today. As always, I'll be thinking of you all.0 -
Day following chemo: 1 mile on the elliptical machine!
Someone on the Breast Cancer message board calls all this steroids-induced artificial energy after chemo "hampster days" and that seems to fit me. I woke up on my 'day after chemo' after just 5 hours of sleep still totally jazzed up.... no nausea, constipation or body aches yet, rammy to go-go-go. I put in 2 hours of work before going out to breakfast with my daughter-in-law (my 2nd breakfast of the day: classic voracious steroid appetite), went grocery shopping for yogurt and cancer-fighting food, did a mile on the ellipticle machine (my 1st workput of any kind since my surgery October 10th), ALL before LUNCH! My face is all rosy red and puffy today, but with make-up I just look sunburned and apple-cheeked. I keep expecting to crash when these steroids work their way through my system, but I'm still revved up. Feels so good! (drug-induced or not!)
The good news I neglected to post yesterday was that my CT-Scans came back clear and 'No Evidence of Disease' which may just mean this sneaky cancer is travelling microscopically, but good news is good news!
Another blessing to share: my insurance TODAY pre-certifed my chemo for 12 months and grandfathered in yesterday's treatment. Maybe they're not out to screw me as I feared.
I mentioned the new Breast Cancer survivor I chatted my way through chemo with. All the horror stories about chemo must come from the awful chemo that breast cancer requires: Abraxane. She told me that she couldn't even lift her head off the pillow, couldn't even make WORDS come out of her mouth when she took that poison. She was so traumatized by her chemo taking that drug that she had to have a sedative worked into her PacquiTaxil (sp?) she was getting yesterday and cried when they were plugging it into her port. We can be grateful that our cancer doesn't call for that horrible stuff. Somehow I thought chemo would be like that for me. Maybe it will be much worse later. But today I feel like I will be handling all this so much better than I thought I could.
MARGE: how was it to be back to work? I work from home, so can take a break whenever I want. How was it to go out to work? I thought of you all day.
DEANNA: How's the radiation now that you are deep into it? I worry more about the radiation than I do the chemo.
PEGGY: You are my rock! Keep those funny and inspirational emails coming!
My UPSC sisters: I love you guys! (Babbling is another of my steroid side effects; perhaps you noticed?? HA!!0 -
Glad Your Feeling Goodlindaprocopio said:Day following chemo: 1 mile on the elliptical machine!
Someone on the Breast Cancer message board calls all this steroids-induced artificial energy after chemo "hampster days" and that seems to fit me. I woke up on my 'day after chemo' after just 5 hours of sleep still totally jazzed up.... no nausea, constipation or body aches yet, rammy to go-go-go. I put in 2 hours of work before going out to breakfast with my daughter-in-law (my 2nd breakfast of the day: classic voracious steroid appetite), went grocery shopping for yogurt and cancer-fighting food, did a mile on the ellipticle machine (my 1st workput of any kind since my surgery October 10th), ALL before LUNCH! My face is all rosy red and puffy today, but with make-up I just look sunburned and apple-cheeked. I keep expecting to crash when these steroids work their way through my system, but I'm still revved up. Feels so good! (drug-induced or not!)
The good news I neglected to post yesterday was that my CT-Scans came back clear and 'No Evidence of Disease' which may just mean this sneaky cancer is travelling microscopically, but good news is good news!
Another blessing to share: my insurance TODAY pre-certifed my chemo for 12 months and grandfathered in yesterday's treatment. Maybe they're not out to screw me as I feared.
I mentioned the new Breast Cancer survivor I chatted my way through chemo with. All the horror stories about chemo must come from the awful chemo that breast cancer requires: Abraxane. She told me that she couldn't even lift her head off the pillow, couldn't even make WORDS come out of her mouth when she took that poison. She was so traumatized by her chemo taking that drug that she had to have a sedative worked into her PacquiTaxil (sp?) she was getting yesterday and cried when they were plugging it into her port. We can be grateful that our cancer doesn't call for that horrible stuff. Somehow I thought chemo would be like that for me. Maybe it will be much worse later. But today I feel like I will be handling all this so much better than I thought I could.
MARGE: how was it to be back to work? I work from home, so can take a break whenever I want. How was it to go out to work? I thought of you all day.
DEANNA: How's the radiation now that you are deep into it? I worry more about the radiation than I do the chemo.
PEGGY: You are my rock! Keep those funny and inspirational emails coming!
My UPSC sisters: I love you guys! (Babbling is another of my steroid side effects; perhaps you noticed?? HA!!
I made it a half a day at work and came home. My head was starting to feel fuzzy and I started to feel weak. Today I woke up feeling fuzzy headed and weak. I'm thinking I'm still recovering from surgery too, it hasn't even been four weeks.
Tonight I sat on the floor and stretched and it felt good. I have low blood sugar problems so I'm fighting that a little too. Hope I have more energy tomorrow, going for my mamogram.
Stay charged up Linda!
Hugs to all...0 -
So far So good.lindaprocopio said:Day following chemo: 1 mile on the elliptical machine!
Someone on the Breast Cancer message board calls all this steroids-induced artificial energy after chemo "hampster days" and that seems to fit me. I woke up on my 'day after chemo' after just 5 hours of sleep still totally jazzed up.... no nausea, constipation or body aches yet, rammy to go-go-go. I put in 2 hours of work before going out to breakfast with my daughter-in-law (my 2nd breakfast of the day: classic voracious steroid appetite), went grocery shopping for yogurt and cancer-fighting food, did a mile on the ellipticle machine (my 1st workput of any kind since my surgery October 10th), ALL before LUNCH! My face is all rosy red and puffy today, but with make-up I just look sunburned and apple-cheeked. I keep expecting to crash when these steroids work their way through my system, but I'm still revved up. Feels so good! (drug-induced or not!)
The good news I neglected to post yesterday was that my CT-Scans came back clear and 'No Evidence of Disease' which may just mean this sneaky cancer is travelling microscopically, but good news is good news!
Another blessing to share: my insurance TODAY pre-certifed my chemo for 12 months and grandfathered in yesterday's treatment. Maybe they're not out to screw me as I feared.
I mentioned the new Breast Cancer survivor I chatted my way through chemo with. All the horror stories about chemo must come from the awful chemo that breast cancer requires: Abraxane. She told me that she couldn't even lift her head off the pillow, couldn't even make WORDS come out of her mouth when she took that poison. She was so traumatized by her chemo taking that drug that she had to have a sedative worked into her PacquiTaxil (sp?) she was getting yesterday and cried when they were plugging it into her port. We can be grateful that our cancer doesn't call for that horrible stuff. Somehow I thought chemo would be like that for me. Maybe it will be much worse later. But today I feel like I will be handling all this so much better than I thought I could.
MARGE: how was it to be back to work? I work from home, so can take a break whenever I want. How was it to go out to work? I thought of you all day.
DEANNA: How's the radiation now that you are deep into it? I worry more about the radiation than I do the chemo.
PEGGY: You are my rock! Keep those funny and inspirational emails coming!
My UPSC sisters: I love you guys! (Babbling is another of my steroid side effects; perhaps you noticed?? HA!!
Don't worry about the radiation. The first week I had some mild nausea even though they told me no side effects for 2-3 weeks. I think it was mostly anxiety because since then I have had very few side effects. There have been a couple of days after my treatment that I have felt tired and I just took a nap in the afternoon. Today was day 15 of external treatments and did have some loose stools. Sorry that's normally kinda personally, but it's the nature of the radiation we are having. I took 2 imodium and haven't had any more trouble. I am trying to follow the recommendations they gave me for the low residue or low fiber diet. I think it really does make a difference. It's funny that you say you are more worried about rad. tx, I am more worried about chemo. Maybe it is just anxiety over the unknown and once you get there, it isn't as bad a you make it out to be in your mind. I sure do pray that you continue to feel as good as you have today. Congrats on the CT's coming back clean and the insurance getting it together.
Marge, I hope you get to feeling better. Hang in there girl!
Thanks to all 3 of you for being there to chat with, it means a lot to me.
Keep the faith...0
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