Re: I'm in the hospital

[Guest guest]

Gloria,

Sorry to hear you are in the hospital. I will keep you in my prayers.

Hugs

nne

Breast Cancer Patients Soul Mates for Life

http://www.geocities.com/chucky5741/breastcancerpatients.html

Check out my breast cancer ornaments at:

http://www.geocities.com/chucky5741/bcornament.html

I'm in the hospital

Hi all,

My white blood count went down to 0 yesterday, so

I'm for a couple of days. I don't feel sick at all,

but my temp went to 103.3. They gave me a shot today

to help boost up the white cell count, but I can't

remember the name, something that starts with an N...I

think. Have others had this happen to them.

Bye for now,

Gloria

=====

[Guest guest]

Gloria,

The first time I was hospitalized for being neutropedic, I kept calling

myself Neutrogenic after the soap. I was in shock because back then I was

TERRIFIED of hospitals; I associated them with my mother dying of cancer.

Finally I said " this is stupid " and asked a nurse to slowly spell the

condition for me while I wrote it down.

I made the mistake of asking my oncologist if I could die from it. She is

very literal. If you asked her if you can die from crossing the street

she'd say yes. She said " Yes, but it's not common, don't worry about it "

but I worried anyhow. When she came to see me on her rounds I said I'd been

worried sick about it and she said we'd have to come up with a better means

of communication. I tried asking what are the odds of someone dying from

it, and she answered " Around one in one hundred thousand " so after that I

wasn't so worried! It's no big deal unless you catch a bad infection and if

you do you go to the ER if you're not in the hospital already and they hook

you up and fix it. I get that way every chemo cycle; you only have to be

hospitalized if you have a fever. Still, I'm sorry you suffer from it. It's

annoying to be hospitalized when you feel fine. I've been hospitalized

twice and spent the day at my oncologist's office almost being hospitalized

from it once, and it's no big deal. Mostly boring.

Please let us know when you get home.

Jill

p.s. Your shot is called Neuopgen. I've learned to give it to myself, at

home, something I'd never have thought was possible.

At 04:56 PM 10/27/2002 -0800, you wrote:

>Hi all,

> My white blood count went down to 0 yesterday, so

>I'm for a couple of days. I don't feel sick at all,

>but my temp went to 103.3. They gave me a shot today

>to help boost up the white cell count, but I can't

>remember the name, something that starts with an N...I

>think. Have others had this happen to them.

>Bye for now,

>Gloria

[Guest guest]

I seem to have missed the post about nulasta. What's that? Unfortunately

neupogen *does* give me a lot of bone pain, but it's not as much of a pain

in the neck (literally!) as going to the hospital.

Jill

t 09:21 PM 10/29/2002 -0800, you wrote:

>Hi,

> I was given Neupogen, once a day. The doc said I

>would get it after chemo, for a few days. Some people

>can have bone pain with it, but I didn't...at least

>not this time. I think I'll ask him about nulasta,

>since I am continually around young children, and I

>really don't want to give up giving them a hug and

>kiss at night, even though they think it is funny to

>get a kiss through a mask, ha, ha.

>Bye for now,

>Gloria

[Guest guest]

Boy Georgia, I envy you! It's annoying to have to give myself a shot every

day. Though this time my white cell counts got too high, so next time it

will only be every other day. Imagine being grateful for only having to

give myself a shot every other day. BC sure changes your outlook on life.

Jill

At 07:00 PM 10/30/2002 -0800, you wrote:

>My treatments are every three weeks. Nulasta is the same as nuepergen but

>lasts for three weeks like my treatment...georgia

[Guest guest]

Georgie,

Kudos for doing the physical therapy. With fibromyalgia, I find it usually

does more bad than good. And it *is* a very difficult time to begin trying

to loose weight. I'm not that strict about it; I just don't want to gain

more. But then again shirts come in all sizes and Sharon just told me I

will have to buy button-up nightgowns and shirts for after my mastectomy

because I won't be able to lift my arms over my head for a while, so I'll

try to get some before the Christmas shopping season starts.

Jill

At 10:32 AM 11/2/2002 -0800, you wrote:

>Thank you for the correct term. I was looking for a word to describe the

>beanie shape of the stocking liner for the wig.

>As for flat tops and round bottoms, I have the same problem. I thought

>about ruffled blouses and shoulder pads. I am going to start with some

>physical therapy this week to help with the neuopathy. Since at the end

>of the school day I just want to put my feet up at least I can be working

>on the rest of my body with the therapy. It may help trim something

>somewhere. I find that when I get tired I grab something to eat..It makes

>me feel like I'm accomplishing something even if I'll have to pay for it

>later. I try to make it fruit and veggies if I have made it to the store

>for them, but right now the Halloween candy is still plentiful. I'm

>trying to stick with the low fat variety. But after trying sugar busters

>for a while about two years ago, I know for a fact that cutting sugar in

>you diet does burn fat. But when the sugar is added again the fat comes

>back......georgia

[Guest guest]

Jill, I bought a complete set of tank tops from the local K-

Mart...all colors and wore a button up shirt over them (any color)

and was quite fashionable when I went out! But at first you will

need something that buttons up...I loved my hubby's old shirts. I

also wore some of his old undershirts that had been washed so much

that they were practically threadbare....they were sooooooooo soft

and by wearing them, I got to ask him to take it off for me so I

did not have to raise my arms...they were stretchy and he was

always wanting to do something for me so this was perfect...

My hubby, by the way, is a wonderful nurse although he is a

professor in his job. He has the softest touch when a soft touch is

needed.

You will be having drains for a while too so I suggest you get some

big safety pins and use them...I also used the kind of sling that

you use for a broken arm to hold the bags...worked just fine. Of

course I only had bags on one side since I had a single mast. but

maybe the bags for both sides would fit in one sling. The nurse

told me to pin the bags to my panties or p.j. bottoms but every time

I had to use the restroom, had to unpin and repin. Not funny...so

pinning to shirt is easier. You'll see.

AND last thing...you probably should get all cotton if

possible....if you are hot, the nylon, silk, etc. can be awful.

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Jill,

thanks for the TLC info. I went to the ACS site

and found info on the TLC catelogue.

Thanks again,

Gloria

--- Jill Merrill wrote:

> Hi Gloria,

>

> Oh. I obviously didn't know that about the Yoplait

> tops. Dumb, because my

> daughter and husband sometimes eat Yoplait. I only

> like plain yogurt. No,

> the neupogen doesn't entirely keep me out of the

> hospital. I still had to

> go back but it was only once out of four treatments,

> so it definitely

> helps. Usually it takes only a few days for my

> counts to come up again.

>

> As for hair, I lost all mine pretty fast, so I had

> my husband shave it

> after I got home from the hospital for the first

> time. I got a wig, two

> actually, because my insurance paid the same for one

> or two (long story)

> but I found it horribly uncomfortable and just not

> " me " . There is a great

> catalog you can get from the American Cancer Society

> for bc that has a lot

> of really nice hats and such. I find their hats

> great; I bought two for

> sleeping in (it gets cold in Boston!) and one for

> days. Here's their

> number; they're very reasonably priced.

>

> 1-

>

> It's called the TLC (tender loving care) catalog.

>

> I hope it helps.

>

> Jill

>

> At 10:52 PM 10/30/2002 -0800, you wrote:

> >Hi,

> > The Yoplait yogurt tops are for breast cancer

> >research. Each one is 10 cents, and a quart of ice

> >cream is 50 cents. We eat a lot of yogurt, so we

> have

> >quite a few right now.

> > So, diet, vitamins, etc. don't help? Are the

> >shots usually given after each chemo series? What

> is

> >the usual time to be in the hospital for this?

> What

> >is the usual time for recovery? Once on the shots,

> do

> >you have little chance of getting so low again?

> > My hair starting coming out so fast, but it

> stayed

> >in a thin stage with bald spots. A friend who has

> >ovarian cancer, took me to a beautician, and

> basically

> >said that I nneded to take control of the cancer in

> >any way I can, and have it cut short. So...it is

> >very, very short, shaved basically. I hate it, but

> am

> >getting used to hats, scarves and the itchey wig.

> >What do others use before putting on the wig? I

> tried

> >a net type thing for wig wearers, but it was so

> tight

> >it gave me a headache. I bought a hose type thing

> at

> >the beauty shop, but it too is too tight.

> >Bye for now,

> >Gloria

> >--- Jill Merrill wrote:

> > >

> > > >Hi Gloria,

> > > > I am finallly home, but I am soooo tired

> and

> > > >weak.

> > >

> > > Wow! You made it home fast. But yeah, you'll

> > > probably feel tired for a

> > > while. No fun.

> > >

> > > > I just want to sleep...remember I have 13

> kids

> > > >at home, and they have early release today.

> > >

> > > I cannot conceive (pardon the pun) of how you

> can

> > > possibly live with 13

> > > kids. My one daughter exhausts me. Many brownie

> > > points to you.

> > >

> > > >Now that I know the

> > > >seriousness of it, I'll be a lot mor careful.

> > >

> > > Being neutropenic is nothing you can prevent. I

> > > guess it helps to be

> > > serious about washing hands, etc., but other

> than

> > > shooting up with

> > > neupogen, there's not much you can do about it.

> It's

> > > just another side

> > > effect, like your hair falling out (if it did).

> > >

> > > > When my kids visited me one child brought

> all

> > > the

> > > >Yoplait yogurt tops because he thought he could

> > > give

> > > >them to the doctors for breast cancer

> treatment.

> > >

> > > That's sweet, but I can't for the life of me

> figure

> > > out how he thought

> > > Yoplait tops would help. Prostheses?! Oh!

> There's a

> > > contest, maybe? It's a

> > > funny image, me after my double mastectomy

> walking

> > > around with yoplait tops

> > > stuck to my chest. Maybe the bottoms would look

> > > better... All your kids

> > > sound incredibly sweet. But I agree. The

> hospital is

> > > boring, and when I've

> > > been hospitalized, I've usually felt too yucky

> to

> > > even bother listening to

> > > my daughter's Walkman, which she lends me for

> > > hospital visits.

> > >

> > > I hope you stay hospital-free and feel better

> soon.

> > >

> > > Jill

> > >

> > >

> > >

> >

> >

> >=====

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Jill, again,

You are so right about taking care of myself. I

have always been the one who gets so much joy helping

others, trying to find a solution that will please

everyone involved. I am now coming to the conclusion

that I need confidence to ask for help. Our church

just provided dinner for our whole family for the last

3 days!! I am also leaving on Tuesday for the ocean

and will return home on Thursday. I'll go alone. I

did this about a week after my very best friend was

murdered at her front door (long story). I found I

needed that time to be totally alone, to think, read,

pray, and talk to the Lord (yes I did a little bit of

yelling when I was on the beach alone).

Bye for now,

Gloria

--- Jill Merrill wrote:

> Gloria,

> I have back pain and feell " ikky " when my white

> blood count is low but not

> the emotional sensitivity. But now is not the time

> for you to worry about

> other people's problems. You have enough on your own

> plate.

>

> Jill

>

>

> At 08:51 PM 10/30/2002 -0800, you wrote:

> >I guess I can't use Nulasta because my chemo is 2

> >weeks, then 2 weeks off. Right now I am

> experiencing

> >just a slight amount of lower back pain, and

> extreme

> >sensitivity: not able to deal with other's

> emotional

> >problems...I feel like I have tears in my eyes for

> >hours at a time. That isn't written as a side

> effect,

> >so maybe it is just a result of having no white

> cells,

> >and now my body is trying to heal. Has anyone else

> >had this happen?

> >Bye for now,

> >Gloria

>

>

>

=====

[Guest guest]

Gloria,

I will miss you when you are gone. I hope you get some R & R.

Hugs

nne

Breast Cancer Patients Soul Mates for Life

http://www.geocities.com/chucky5741/breastcancerpatients.html

Check out my breast cancer ornaments at:

http://www.geocities.com/chucky5741/bcornament.html

Re: I'm in the hospital

Jill, again,

You are so right about taking care of myself. I

have always been the one who gets so much joy helping

others, trying to find a solution that will please

everyone involved. I am now coming to the conclusion

that I need confidence to ask for help. Our church

just provided dinner for our whole family for the last

3 days!! I am also leaving on Tuesday for the ocean

and will return home on Thursday. I'll go alone. I

did this about a week after my very best friend was

murdered at her front door (long story). I found I

needed that time to be totally alone, to think, read,

pray, and talk to the Lord (yes I did a little bit of

yelling when I was on the beach alone).

Bye for now,

Gloria

--- Jill Merrill wrote:

> Gloria,

> I have back pain and feell " ikky " when my white

> blood count is low but not

> the emotional sensitivity. But now is not the time

> for you to worry about

> other people's problems. You have enough on your own

> plate.

>

> Jill

>

>

> At 08:51 PM 10/30/2002 -0800, you wrote:

> >I guess I can't use Nulasta because my chemo is 2

> >weeks, then 2 weeks off. Right now I am

> experiencing

> >just a slight amount of lower back pain, and

> extreme

> >sensitivity: not able to deal with other's

> emotional

> >problems...I feel like I have tears in my eyes for

> >hours at a time. That isn't written as a side

> effect,

> >so maybe it is just a result of having no white

> cells,

> >and now my body is trying to heal. Has anyone else

> >had this happen?

> >Bye for now,

> >Gloria

>

>

>

=====

[Guest guest]

>Doris, thanks so much. I'm printing out your email and saving it in my

>cancer folder for future reference.

>Jill, I bought a complete set of tank tops from the local K-

>Mart...all colors and wore a button up shirt over them (any color)

>and was quite fashionable when I went out! But at first you will

>need something that buttons up...I loved my hubby's old shirts. I

>also wore some of his old undershirts that had been washed so much

>that they were practically threadbare....they were sooooooooo soft

>and by wearing them, I got to ask him to take it off for me so I

>did not have to raise my arms...they were stretchy and he was

>always wanting to do something for me so this was perfect...

>My hubby, by the way, is a wonderful nurse although he is a

>professor in his job. He has the softest touch when a soft touch is

>needed.

>

>You will be having drains for a while too so I suggest you get some

>big safety pins and use them...I also used the kind of sling that

>you use for a broken arm to hold the bags...worked just fine. Of

>course I only had bags on one side since I had a single mast. but

>maybe the bags for both sides would fit in one sling. The nurse

>told me to pin the bags to my panties or p.j. bottoms but every time

>I had to use the restroom, had to unpin and repin. Not funny...so

>pinning to shirt is easier. You'll see.

>

>AND last thing...you probably should get all cotton if

>possible....if you are hot, the nylon, silk, etc. can be awful.