Taxol 5, Herceptin 2

I know how scary and daunting that initial diagnosis is. I can't believe it's been just on five months since I was diagnosed. The kit has lots of information in it, just read what you feel ready for. I still haven't the part about radiotherapy as I don't feel I'm ready to read it as I'm still doing the Taxol. Write down your questions, take someone with you and make sure you get an appointment to see the Breast care nurse. I found I just didn't take in what the surgeon said to me but after a chance to calm down I took in the information a lot better when I saw the nurse. Any rate best of luck with your treatment and if you have any questions or just need to vent don't hesitate to message me. Regards, Cheryle.

I know how scary and daunting that initial diagnosis is. I can't believe it's been just on five months since I was diagnosed. The kit has lots of information in it, just read what you feel ready for. I still haven't the part about radiotherapy as I don't feel I'm ready to read it as I'm still doing the Taxol. Write down your questions, take someone with you and make sure you get an appointment to see the Breast care nurse. I found I just didn't take in what the surgeon said to me but after a chance to calm down I took in the information a lot better when I saw the nurse. Any rate best of luck with your treatment and if you have any questions or just need to vent don't hesitate to message me. Regards, Cheryle.

Sorry to hear you're joining us. The waiting is the hardest part. Read up on this site and you'll be inspired. It's been a great support for me and a great place to get first hand advice and to have a good'ol whinge. Have you ordered your kit from this site, it has all sorts of help for families etc. Make a post and let us know your story and how you get on, fingers crossed for good results. Take care Louise

Hi, have only just been diagnosed don't even have biopsy results yet but a large 4cm tumor & possible lymph node involvement. I am so scared......not exactly sure what scares me the most but not knowing what is next, how my family will cope...just everything.

Hi Louise, you look fantastic in that picture. I wear a head scarf most of the time too. My husband keeps saying to me are you going to wear that wig outside of work or put your hair on and we'll go out to lunch. I just want my hair back, it was blonde streaked and just below my shoulders. I have read some of your blogs and think how brave and strong you have been, especially with the big op up in NSW. I have been very lucky as I have kept my breast as it was detected early, not as much as there was but not overly noticeable. I said to my Oncologist I think I need the week off next week (Taxol 6) he thought I meant Taxol and was reluctantly agreeing and I said no work! I think I'll be the better for it. Any rate both of us keep smiling :) Cheryle.

Gee that's is a large workplace, gotcha about telling colleagues. I'm tired of discussing cancer and treatment totally now, my exception is on bcna with those who understand what I'm talking about. I'm at the stage where my hair is short as if I cut it short, so I don't look like a cancer patient anymore. I went about mostly in scarves because I had a weird conflict with faking it with a wig. It sort of felt like I was ashamed of having cancer if I tried to hide the bald evidence under a wig. I recently had surgery and a huge part of my emotional recovery was to do with my hair and how I used to look. I had really long dark hair and was always told how young I looked. I felt warm and pretty in my hair. I thought I'd accepted how I had changed, but I obviously hadn't. My profile pic is at the end of AC. I think I look good in this pic and am so glad I have it, coz its been all downhill since then. Realistically I don't think I'll feel right till my hair is long enough to flick out of my face. I returned to work end of Jan till April. I started out with a scarf, then after a few weeks just braved my very short hair, then finally coloured it during March sometime. I finished taxol the week I returned to work. I guess we just have to find a way to deal with it. In your case I think I'd do what you've done and wear the wig to curb questions and non genuine concern. I only washed my wig the one time and tried to get the 'doll hair' smell out of it. I don't think I did a good job though. Take care Lou

Don't get me wrong I'm not keeping this from my all my work colleagues but I work in a very large workplace (Crown Casino), I have told my managers and most of the girls I'm friendly with and a few of the guys. For some reason I'm reluctant to tell male colleagues I'm sick. After a while I just don't want to tell any more people. Work has on the whole been very supportive they have let me work a 6 hour shift instead of 8, four days a week but I'm working between 2 to 3 depending on chemo and the days I'm rostered to work. Still the wig gets me down. I hate it I like it, it took two washes to stop being squeamish about handling it. The Taxol side effects are not as intense but I feel like I'm just getting my breath and back we go again. You're right as bad as AC was I felt much better on the two weeks off. I haven't lost my eyelashes yet, but I'm getting very good at doing the eyebrows! Thanks Loiuse it's good to talk to someone who's going through the same treatment.:) Cheryle.

I understand completely. I am thankfully past taxol, I found this drug chipped away slowly at my whole being, inside and out. I found while AC was harder physically and immediately, I came good in the good week better than I ever felt on taxol. I looked much healthier on AC than on taxol. At number taxol 5 I'm afraid you may continue to get more tired, the blood noses will continue. I lost my eyebrows and eyelashes on taxol too. That's a give away, but you can get falsies and draw on convincing brows. I recall moments like you mention with the wig, hated wearing it, hated not to wear it. Hated my look. I recall getting very down and confused by the end of taxol because I was not sick like before but felt increasingly flat. I ended up having a break for a week then only having 11 doses instead of 12. You are amazing to be working through this, I admire how you are strong enough to keep this from your colleagues. But if it all gets too much I hope you can step back a bit and take good care of yourself. I not trying to upset you further, but is not useful to be unrealistic. You have every right to whine, so whine away coz this is all so crappy right now. BUT it will get better and you will recover from taxol treatment. I wonder if you have considered letting them know at work what you're going through, their support might help you through this difficult patch. Wishing you an easier time Lou

I know in the big scheme of things losing your hair is not the end of the world. But I have found it to be very upsetting. I will catch sight of myself in a mirror when I'm wearing my wig and think is that me? To me it doesn't look like me and how can no one catch onto the fact that its not my hair? I get comments at work, oh your hair looks so different or your hair looks good. I smile and say thank you but sometimes I just want to say enough with the hair already, leave me alone! (I should point out, these people mostly guys don't realise I've got BC or its a wig) I feel and look bloated and I dread getting weighed at chemo. Boy am I being a misery guts!