Chemo #4 (AC)

Well, Doc says my counts are staying good but blood is low but not bad enough for blood transfusion. Said new 4 chemo should go better. I heard different. He said it could cause more dry skin and rashes. Still have tiredness but not so much nausea ( heard it could be worse but everyone is diff.).
Jeff and I had a few laughs and sit quietly today. I really didn't want to go today. I'm really sick of it already. I gag at the thought of it but I did it once again. Nothing really special happened.
I ate a great supper the night before. Meatloaf and mashed potatoes. I had toast and jelly that morning and we bought more milk after dropping of our son. When we got home I ate a small bowl of coco puffs which makes the milk taste better. Then we left to get our day going. Stop a yard sale but nothing worth buying. Got to office early and they were behind. O well we got it done.
Got home finally ate lunch about 3 or 3:30. Kids came home on the bus. Helped our son with leaf project just had to look a few up on internet. The local big park has trees mark with common and scientific names which is great but the ones we get at home we have to look up.
I was slow a sluggish and ready for bed tonight. I got up this morning @ 4 and could't go back to sleep. So when Jeff gots up @ 5:20 so did I. I'm drinking hot chocolate since it taste better than water and fixin to make toast.
More later. PS: I  greatly appreciate everyone replying, texting, calling and praying for me. It means alot to know you guys really care about how I am doing. Thanks! All my love to all of you.

Chemo #3

Well, 3rd chemo today. It went like always but I got a refresher on what I have to do next. I have to do one more chemo called Taxotere. It can cause different side effects. It can cause alot of serious things I want list because any chemo can have serious problems. The ones the nurse told me were more common where skin drying out and cracking, hair loss, and rashes. I have to be careful with it just like the AC chemo I'm taking now. I have to go every two wks for 4 treatments. If I can handle it if I can't then I will have to do it every 3 wks. Then when done with it I can start Herceptin. The ladies loved my hair(wig).
I am tired today. I took a nap. I ate toasted cheese sandwich with mayo. Husband stopped at store on way back and got me some peanut butter crackers to help calm my stomach and I was hungry. Now what to eat for supper? Soup maybe? My stomach isn't ready for anything but I make myself eat anyways. I am staying at 174 weight wise.
Until next time...Here's to 3 down and 4 to go. I'm still half way.

Hair issues...

I cut it off on Friday the 3rd. I couldn't deal with the clumps of hair coming out every time I brushed it. My son couldn't look at his bald momma for a few days. That Saturday my wonderful husband too me to Knoxville to Across the Creek on Carr Street to get a wig. They were nice ladies there and they really helped me out. I fell in love with three wigs but had to choose. My husband really like one more than the rest so that's the one I got. My kids help tell me what they liked too.
Everyone at work said it suited me. The color and the short hair cut. It's red of course but has black too. It's shorter in the back the long pieces in the front side. It's really pretty.
I been doing good. I had double fill up Friday big mistakes. It hurts and is very sore. I now have a soft ball for a boop. Really it's that size and that hard. I wish I could get the permanent implant but not until spring due to Rad.
I also have to eat well or get very weak and faint. I got that way Saturday. Scared all of us to death.
Well, today is chemo day so more later. I dread today but this is number 3. one more after this YEAH!!!

UPS & DOWNS of BC

Well, 2 down and 2 to go. I felt rough Thursday. My muscles ached and felt sore. My hair well .... It is coming out really fast now. I hate to brush my hair. Every time I brush it comes out full of hair. My hair is half gone as of Friday today. I am depressed but not real bad about it. I keep trying not to cry over my stupid hair. It will come back but the tears are getting harder to fight back. I want to be strong and live life as though nothing is wrong.
I am working and trying to take care of family. They have ate soups and sandwiches a couple of days and egos. I tried to make up for it on the days I feel better. I had to take nausea pill today.
People at work are trying to be supportive and are being really kind to me in so many ways. Even Husband's work people are being nice and praying for me too.
Everyone shouldn't worry about me. There are children and others out there worse off than me. My hope is that cures for cancer will help children and then the rest of us.
Thanks for all the prayers and wonderful things each of you have done for me.

Chemo#2the half way point

Well, second dose today. I feel pretty good I guess. We laughed again and the time past by pretty good. I got a felt hat from chemo basket they have theie. It's a red color like Alabama's football color (Jeff said it was).
Arrived @8:15am saw doctor @ 8:30am
I lost 1pound so that's good. He said I need flu shot mid Sept. then another one Jan. I also need phenomena shot too. Blood count looks good.
We went back to chemo room. Is was very slow today but when we left the chairs were almost full. So going early is less crowded. One lady has to stay 6 hours. WOW! poor lady. I am glad I don't stay that long. We left around 11:30-12 noon.
We went shopping for me a hat but no luck. The nurse told us about Across the Creek on Clinton hwy. So  maybe we can go there to look at wigs, hats, & scarves.
We went Krystal and got it to go because it was so busy with it being noon time. It tasted great! WOW! no metal taste today.
We got home and I was so sleepy I took a 2 hour nap and woke up 5min before kids got home. I can't believe I slept.
My stomach is feeling a little yucky right now I hope it stops but if not I guess I'll take a pill for it.
Last week I ate a lot of sweets to make up for the days I couldn't.
I am starting to shed a little more hair. So it begins.

After Chemo and shot

Well, the Neulasta shot wasn't too bad. It didn't make my bones hurt. I was tired the next day which was Thursday. But today I feel great. I had a head ache yesterday too. I still can't taste things like normal. Some things taste ok. I ate an ego with syrup tonight and it taste pretty good. Coke taste funny. So I drink water and ginger ale. I have been drinking 64 oz of water a day. I usually on drink 32 oz if that much.
I got double dose on my expander today. Since I haven't had one in 2 wks he doubled it. It feels tight but doesn't hurt yet. It's only been two hours. I hope it doesn't start to hurt.
I go Thursday to get blood work done to see how my white blood count is doing so far.
We are going to Knoxville tomorrow to look at wigs and get me one (Maybe).

1st-Chemo

Well, Jeff & I went to my first chemo treatment yesterday Aug. 17th. We got there about 9:50am and saw Foust first well after I had to have weight, temp, and b/p checked. And needle with tube hanging out put in too. Well, it did hurt. The nurse said "she would tell me before she stuck me and when she did I would need to take a deep breath and not move." She told and I did as she asked. She said sorry three times while sticking me with the needle. The second time she said it is when it really hurt bad not enough  to bring tears but very close. 
Doctor went over everything again. Then off to get first treatment.
We got to choose where to set and Jeff told me to pick. So, I picked over in the farthest corner. We watched a 10 min video, listen to nurse practitioner and to nurse about my treatments. I got hooked up to a clear fluid which contained steroid, anti-nausea and something else. Then they put the Cytoxan 1170 mg and it took 30 mins. Once that was done she came over with Adriamycin 117mg (red devil).  She had a shield over her face and gloves on to help protect her. This stuff can eat your skin if it sits still. As long as it is moving in blood stream it if OK. So she had 2 large syringes full of it and had to manually push it in my IV so if it leaked or I had reaction to it she could stop. While all this was going on and before. Jeff was making me laugh and keeping happy. He made me laugh until I cried. It was really cool. I told him tragedy happens and what do we do? Laugh! It was grand. We joked about me being nuclear and reddish kool-aid pee due to the red devil. The Nurse Prac. said that if Katrina happens or something like that to grab the book she gave me with all my info in it. Later on, Jeff said yeah leave the kids but grab that book.HA!HA!

At the end, the nurse asked some questions and before we left I got them to get Dr to get me a wig prescription. We left and went to grab a bit to eat. It had took about 2 hrs. to do actual treatment. We ate around 2pm or little before. We went to Burger King. Well, no one said things would taste funny. The Dr. Pepper taste like metal or tarter sauce. It was nasty. I tried 3 times but couldn't drink it. Jeff told me to go pour it out and get something else but try it before I complete fill it up. So went over and looked over all the chooses. I chose Sprite and it taste almost normal. The fries with ketchup taste funny and so did the chicken sandwich with no lettuce. But I ate one tomato oops.

We were able to get home by 3pm before kids got home. 

I felt great all afternoon and all night. My pupils were very tiny and I felt kinda weird or high. My eyes kinda of hurt like I had been reading too much. I had to take Tylenol this morning due to head ache. It hurt from my eyes all the way over the top to the bottom of my head like a ^ shape. You know. Hurt burn this morning so I am drinking ginger ale which really helps me. other than that it been great so far. I woke up at 3am and couldn't go back to sleep. nervous about this Neulasta which helps my immune system. It makes your bones ache. I go @1pm today.