My Very Last Day Of The Steroids.

Today is my very last day of taking steroids and that makes me happy. No more nights of not been able to sleep and been kept awake all night. No more depression when your coming off the steroids. I had been taking the steroids as early as I could in the mornings so I would be able to take the second lot by lunch time because if you take the second lot of steroids any later then lunchtime they keep you up the whole night long. They are not nice to take and they have to be taken 3 days running which is the day before Chemo, the day of Chemo, and the day after Chemo to stop you having a reaction to the Chemo. I found out I have to have the Herceptin till next June because that is when I had my first treatment but at least I don't have to take steroids for the Herceptin. So my advice to anyone starting steroids for Chemo is to take them as early as you possibly can in the morning and make sure you take the second lot nice and early like lunch time so your not kept awake all night. The first time I took them I left 12 hours between the second lot because no one told me any different or that I had to take the second lot lunchtime and I was awake the whole night long.

I Had My Last Big Chemo Day Today.

Today kevin and I left for the hospital at 8.30 am. The doctor called me at 10am said he was happy to let treatment go ahead today. He checked me out and said my chest was ok and asked me if I had any questions for him I said yes I do I asked him if the swelling in my arm and hand was due to the Chemo or Lymphoedema and he said it was the Lymphoedema I then asked him how long I would have that problem and he said I could suffer with it for life. We then left the hospital for a few hours and had to go back at 1pm for the chemotherapy. The Chemotherapy took till 5pm to finish so it was a really long and stressful day. I got a call from the radiotherapy hospital during Chemo asking if I could go back again next Thursday to have another CT scan because the other one was not good enough so I said yes that I would go back next Thursday. The nurse told me that that was normal and nothing to worry about. So lots more running around next week with hospital appointments and suffering from fatigue that sucks bad.
I was told next Wednesday and the Wednesday after are just the short Herceptin Chemo then the week after the Herceptin goes to a higher dose once every 3 weeks and takes an hour to complete treatment instead of the lower dose of a half an hour.

My Last Big Chemo Day Today.

Today is supposed to be my last big Chemo day if the doctor gives the go ahead. I'm suffering with a cold and chest infection that I just seem to not be able to kick. I don't want anything getting in my way of my last big Chemo session. It has been a very hard few months for everyone and everyone is looking forward to the end of all that horrible Chemo especially me. The kids and Kevin are very happy today is the last one and I cant say I blame any of them. It has been just as hard for them as it has for me.
They have had to watch me suffer and go through so many feelings especially Kevin. Kevin has been by my side every single step of the way and had to put up with everything from anger, depression, sickness, stress, lack of sleep, dealing with the house and kids. He has been an absolute angel to me and has helped me cope in so many ways. kevin will be with me through all the Radiotherapy treatment as well. Nothing makes me happier then having Kevin here with me. All I can say is I hope the last big nasty Chemo session goes ahead today. Then it will just be the little Herceptin days for 3 more Wednesdays after before the Herceptin goes to once every 3 weeks for a year and 5 weeks of Radiotherapy from Monday to Friday.

Here Is A List Of Some Side Effects Of Chemotherapy.

This is a list of some of the side effects of Chemotherapy that I have gone through. Everyone is different and not everyone goes through the same side effects. Some people suffer worse then others and others have few side effects to deal with. I guess it depends on the individual.

Hair Loss.
I was told I would lose all my hair. I didn't lose it all I still have some hair, eye brows, eyelashes. I don't have much hair but what I do have is still growing.

Dry Mouth.
I have to say a few days after the big Chemotherapy sessions my mouth does get very sore and dry. The roof of my mouth feels like it's peeling away and it lasts for a couple of days. The tip of my tongue gets very red and sore and stings a little for a few days to.

Numbness.
After the 4th Chemo session my toes started to feel numb and still feel that way. The tips of my fingers get a tiny little bit numb but nothing major to cope with.

Nails.
I managed to keep all my nails on my fingers and toes. They changed color from a pink to a brown color.

Fatigue.
This is something I suffer bad from in my legs and feet. The tiredness in my legs and feet are so bad that when I walk it's like trying to walk up a steep hill. It's the best way for me to describe it. It does not go away with rest and when I'm lying down they ache and throb like mad. A little tip from me. Buy some Peppermint Gel to help with fatigue in the legs it does help and can be got from any health shop.

Depression.
The steroids you have to take the day before Chemo, day of Chemo, day after Chemo, tend to make some people stay awake all night while your on them and depressed when they wear off for a couple of days. The best advice I can give is to sleep as much as possible and make the days go by a little faster to where you start to feel a little better.

Tiredness.
The Chemotherapy does make me tired. I do what I can in the mornings that seems to be my best time of the day for energy. By the after noon I'm pretty tired and I do have little sleeps to help me feel a bit better. Everyone is different so just rest as much as you can.

Taste.
Your taste goes off really bad and the food tastes different soon after the first Big Chemo day and does not come back till the Chemotherapy ends. For me I can taste really sweet things, soups, spices, Milk shakes, Different things work for different people.

Hot Flushes.
I'm going through hot flushes and for me thats sweating on the head a and face and only for a few minutes. Not sure if that is from the Chemo or the Menopause. The Chemotherapy stops you from having periods and can cause early Menopause.

Finally Found A Hat For When My Hair Starts Growing Back.

Kevin and I must have went into about 20 shops looking for a casual hat that was nice and not made of wool and not to short at the back of my head. I am so not a hat person and I hate hats so it took a very long time to find the right one. I needed to get a hat because when my hair starts growing back properly the wig will be slipping off my head because of the hair underneath. I had not even thought about the wig slipping off when the hair starts growing back until Kevin said it to me so we were determined to find a hat before my hair starts growing back again. There were so many hats in the shops but mostly all made of wool which I cannot wear. The choices were limited after that but We managed to come across a black hat with a bit of a peak that covers all the back of my head. My plan is to put some hair extensions on the rim of the hat a make a pony tail so it can be tied back then I wont need to wear the wig any more.

My Radiotherapy Planning Treatment.

On Thursday I had my radiotherapy planning treatment. The first thing I had done when I got to the hospital was a CT scan. I had to lay really still while they done a scan and hold my arm above my head on 2 little rests and keep my head facing the right hand side while they marked on my chest and sides of where the radiotherapy treatment will be. The nurse said she would be back in a few minutes to put the permanent marks on me.
She said I would feel 3 tiny little pinches. I was nervous especially as I couldn't see what they were doing with my head facing the right hand side and she was on my left side. The permanent markings hurt a tiny bit and just for a second no longer then that so that was not to bad at all. Then I had to wait and see a nurse who asked me loads of questions. She asked me if I had any questions for her and I said yes I do and that everyone is advising me to put plenty of cream on before the radiotherapy treatment before it starts so I wont get burned and do I need to put lots on. My answer was do not put on any cream at all till after the radiotherapy treatment because the cream can make the treatment more severe on your skin and to wait till after the radiotherapy treatment to put lots of cream on. Her answer surprised me a lot considering everyone was telling me to put the cream on before hand. She told me not to shave under the arm and not to wear deodorant and to use something really mild in the shower to wash with. We spent a good few hours waiting around the hospital for everything to be finished. By the time we got home my feet were really tired and throbbing for ages. Thats another thing over with for now. Treatment should start in a few weeks time.

Your Mouth Gets Very Very Dry After The Big Chemotherapy Days.

Your mouth gets very very dry after the big Chemotherapy days. For me after having Herceptin, Taxotere, Carboplatin my tongue gets really sore and red and painful for a few days then my mouth starts getting dry a few days later. It gets so dry it feels like the roof of my mouth is peeling. My mouth stays like that till the 8th day after Chemotherapy then starts to get better. The tongue doesn't be so sore and the dryness starts to get better as well. I cant speak for everyone just what happens to me. For the 8 days after my big Chemotherapy sessions I drink chicken soup and I have light things like a sandwich or some dry bread to go with the soup. I try sleep as much as I can and drink as much as I can to. Milkshakes taste pretty good when your mouth is all dry from the Chemotherapy.

Your Taste Buds Go Off On Chemotherapy.

Did you know your taste buds go off when your having Chemotherapy treatment?
After your first treatment all the food tastes different. Everything tastes bland even bread. The only things I could taste properly were really sweet things like cream, pineapple, and some spicy foods and garlic salt. I put garlic salt on most of my dinners just so I could taste something. The taste stays different till after your last Chemotherapy treatment. It's not one bit nice having to go so long without tasting your food it kind of puts you off a bit. I cant wait to be able to taste food again properly. A few more weeks left and I should be able to taste everything again. So if you have to go through Chemotherapy don't cook your favorite foods they wont taste the same as they did before.

Herceptin Only Today.

Today Kevin and I were at the hospital for 8 am. I had to wait ages to be called. We were hoping I would be called and out of there by 9am the appointment was for 8am. I had blood taken again today as well as yesterday. I got called for the Herceptin Treatment and got the needle in my arm and there was no blood so it had to be taken out and put back into my arm in a different place. Treatment took half an hour then we were out of there. The oncology department was packed as usual. After we left the hospital we went for breakfast it was nice getting some time out together. My hand swelled up so much when we were out I had to take the sleeve and glove off for a bit. I slept for a bit after getting home and the swelling went down a little bit in my hand.

Kevin Got His Visa Extended For 3 Months.

Today Kevin got his visa extended for an extra 3 months so that he can be here for all the treatment. We are both very happy it means he can be here for the last big Chemo session and all of the Radiotherapy. We get to spend Christmas and the new year together as well. The kids are very happy Kevin can stay longer. It's great having him here with us. It makes me feel good known Kevin will be by my side as much as he possibly can. God is on our side.

Your Taste Buds Go Off On Chemotherapy.

Your Immune System Goes Down With Chemo.

Day 13 after the 5th big Chemo session and everyone in the house had colds on and off. Kevin had a really bad cold for a few days and I caught a cold and chest infection. I went for a sleep and woke up unable to breath properly and my nose was running bad. The next day I went to my own doctor and she said it was better for me to go to the oncology day ward to get checked out because the chest infection could get very bad quickly because my immune system was down. We went to the hospital waited 3 hours to be seen and were going mad with the boredom of hanging around eventually got to see a doctor and she gave me steroids for the asthma and 2 courses of anti-biotics. I have to say I feel a bit better today. So my advice is when your doing Chemo be very careful of people been sick with colds and stuff around you. Wrap up warm and take something for your cold as soon as it starts. You really can get sick quite fast when your having Chemotherapy treatment.

11 Days After My 5th Round Of Chemo.

Today is my 11th day after the last big round of Chemo and I'm still feeling off. This is the longest time I'm taking to recover after a big round of Chemo. Normally it takes me roughly 8 days after to start feeling better. My feet are really sore and numb and my stomach is off to. Kevin is smothering with a cold as well he is so not well. We are trying to make him better as soon as possible. I hate to see Kevin sick. I do wish I could make him better then and there. I have been sleeping on and off today I'm still really tired. I hope I get to sleep all night tonight. My hand and arm seem to swell up more when I'm up and about then when I sleep it goes down a little so I'm not to sure whats going on with that. 10 days left till my last big Chemo session and it so cant come quick enough for me. I think I will never see the end of it. It would be nice to have some energy to be able to do more.

A Breast Cancer Prayer by Catherine.

Lord may you watch over anyone suffering with breast cancer,
Their children, family, loved ones, let them know your their strength.
Show them the reason they can only see one set of footprints is because the only footprints they can see are yours carrying them through the pain and suffering.
Lord let your little angels dance around the children and make them stronger to get through this horrible time.
Give the breast cancer patient power to beat the cancer and strength to face that long journey ahead of them.
Lord Give everyone the determination to fight and win that horrible cancer.
Lord Graciously hear our prayer.
Amen.

My Son Still Has Doubts.

My son is 13 yrs old. He recently came home from school and said that his whole class knew I had breast cancer. I asked him how they knew and he said the boys were slagging of each others mothers and someone started to slag me off and one of his friends said to the other boy don't slag his mother she has breast cancer. I asked if it bothered him with everyone knowing and he said no. He looked at me and said you would tell me if it was terminal wouldn't you. I said of course I would I have told you everything thats happened right from the start and I do tell you whats going on at the appointments. All the kids know I will not brake a promise to them and I told him I promise it's not terminal and that he knows everything. I think he feels happier now he just needed some reassuring that I am not going to die. My heart was braking for him I felt so sorry for him and I know it's always on his mind along with the rest of the family I had to choke back the tears talking to him and watching his face. I understand the kids worry totally. I mean who wants to be without a mother.

When Chemotherapy Is Finished I Never Want To Do It Again !!!!

When my last big chemotherapy session finishes I never want to have to go through that again. I'm going to celebrate after the last one is done with. It has been the toughest thing ever to have to go through. I find the more Chemotherapy I have the tougher it gets. I have learned so much in the last few months. It's been so hard on the whole family in so many ways. It has destroyed my self esteem totally. Kevin has had to put up with so much stress and sadness and has stood by me every single step of the way. He has been an angel to me and the children. It has not been one bit easy for anyone. The children have had to suffer in lots of ways with me been sick by missing out on so much. They all deserve gold trophies for how they coped and still cope. I have been miserable, moody, upset, angry, exhausted and I want everyone to be happy.
I admire their strength to keep me going through all that awful Chemotherapy and I love them with all my heart. If I was a fairy I'd use my wand and make their dreams come through after all the suffering they have been put through. My heart brakes for anyone going through cancer and their families. You can never really understand something unless you go through it yourself. It's not just the cancer so many other things as well that you'd never even imagine.

Let Me Explain What These Words Mean.

ADJUVANT TREATMENT: Treatment given soon after surgery when a diagnosis of cancer is made.

ALOPECIA: Loss of hair (partial or complete). No hair where you normally have hair.

ANEMIA: A condition in which blood has less red cells or haemoglobin.

ANTI-EMETIC: A tablet or injection to stop you feeling sick or vomiting.

BENIGN: Not Cancer.

BIOPSY: The removal of a small amount of tissue from your body to find out if cancer cells are present.

BLOOD COUNT: A term used to describe the blood test that looks at the number of different cells contained in a sample of blood.

BONE SCAN: A Test to see if you have cancer in the bones.

CAT SCAN: pictures of inside your body taken by an x-ray machine at different angles.

CHEMOTHERAPY: Anti-cancer drugs used for treating cancer.

DUCTS: Tubes that fluid passes through.

FATIGUE: Tiredness that just does not go away even with rest.

IMMUNE SYSTEM: Your body's natural defence against infections.

LUMPECTOMY: Surgery to remove cancer and a little tissue around it.

LYMPHOEDEMA: Swelling of the arm after surgery after having lymph nodes removed from under your arm.

MASTECTOMY: When a breast is removed by surgery.

MALIGNANT: Means Cancer.

NAUSEA: Feeling sick.

STAGING: To See what stage your cancer is at.

TUMOR: Overgrowth of cells.