BC Husbands and Boyfriends Hangout

Notsopuny5721

Carrie: Thanks for providing all that valuable info about rads (funny how quickly you forget these things and we're only a few months out from the end of rads treatment!) And, given your most recent revelation--how 'bout replacing your current profile pic with one of you astride that HD--I think it'd be a real kick!

Shemp: [on second thought, I think I better send this one *privately* lol]

Best to all
Greg
P.S. My wife underwent nerve-testing (for lack of a better word) yesterday. The results: she has carpal tunnel in both arms; lymphadema in her left arm; and zero feeling in one finger on her left hand--and overall, that's good news, 'cause it means no permanent nerve damage (except, of course, possibly the one finger and of course the spot in her arm closest to her surgical spot.)

csp

Shemp- bwaahaa-haa-haa!!

I swear if I can figure it out again how to post a pic I will, it took me forever to post this one my pics have too many pixels. My Dh and I had been advid Bike lovers , I had been riding on the back all those years and driving him crazy about having one of my own.
So my first bike was a 250 Honda Rebel all tricked out anniversary special , but it was hard to keep up with the Harleys and when we would ride with a group that thing would just about beat me to death on long trips.
So my husband gave me his 1200 Sportster and he got a Ultra
Glide full dresser.
My children think I had reverted as I didn't get my first bike untill I was 40 and they were all grown.

Keep your shiney side up and your knees in the breeze!
Carrie

Shemp

Quote:

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My wife underwent nerve-testing (for lack of a better word) yesterday. The results: she has carpal tunnel in both arms; lymphadema in her left arm; and zero feeling in one finger on her left hand--and overall, that's good news, 'cause it means no permanent nerve damage (except, of course, possibly the one finger and of course the spot in her arm closest to her surgical spot.)

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It's amazing how relative good news is post-diagnosis!

Is the carpal tunnel a coincidental thing brought on from her work, or was it a side-effect of treatment?

cowgirl

Carrie email it to me and I will post it if you have trouble!

Lots of working women have carpal tunnel though, who knows with what we all go through?

nowheregirl

Just wanted to ask you bike lovers something...

I lost my best friend in an accident when we were only 17. She was riding a bike and someone crashed into her from the side and just ran away without calling an ambulance. She might have been able to survive if they hadn't left her behind. I know you are good drivers but unfortunately there are too many stupid ones and sadly bikes are a lot risky than vehicles. I want you guys to stay safe as I don't think I can handle anymore sad accidents. {{{huggles}}}

joannar

Hey guys, sorry, only have a chance to check in from time to time. Haven't even gotten my own user id yet..
Greg, Carrie, Shemp thanks for the good wishes.

It's been exactly 2 weeks yesterday since my wife's last chemo. Her hair is barely coming back. However, she is still having hot flashes and she still needs those wonder pills to sleep. Luckly no finger or nail pain.

Now the last thing we have to do is the final exchange for her breast recon. She is scheduled for the exchange surgery on March 3 and that should be it, we certaintly hope and wish.

Shemp: best of luck as your wife start he rads treatments. One question: why can't the port be removed soon after chemo being finished?

Greg, hope your wife's rads are finished soon and that she is feeling good.
Question: how long after chemo did your wife's hair start coming back? going to Mexico in 1 month and are hoping to have at least some coverage.
She has resorted to natural hair groth ointments and stuff. She also got some vitamins that is supposed to help growth but the onc recomended not to start 2-3 weeks after chemo. Anybody try anything good?

Cowgirl heard that you've been giving my wife some good advice on the exchange surgery. I appreciate it..

JRC haven't seen any recent posts from you lately. Please know that you, your wife and kids are in our minds and prayers.

Alex

Shemp

Quote:

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It's been exactly 2 weeks yesterday since my wife's last chemo. Her hair is barely coming back. However, she is still having hot flashes and she still needs those wonder pills to sleep. Luckly no finger or nail pain.


Shemp: best of luck as your wife start he rads treatments. One question: why can't the port be removed soon after chemo being finished?

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Wow, hair already! My wife's still peeking in the mirror in the morning and evening looking for signs. She kept about 1% of her hair which we never shaved from the initial buzz we gave her, so it's hard to be for sure what's new and what's not, though she did notice a new eyebrow which excited her greatly.

As for the port, I think they wanted to leave it for a couple of years for a worst case scenario. There's no physical reason. She's scheduled for a minor surgery on Monday to treat a condition brought on by chemo, and after numerous pleadings, some begging, and topped off with some eye batting on Friday, she convinced the oncologist to give her permission to get the port taken out. Whether it's the prudent thing, I don't know, but I do know it's a huge psychological hurdle in the process of moving on with life, finding normalcy and putting chemo behind her.

cowgirl

Hey Guys you have such an active thread!

So glad everyone is checking in!
Alex I love Joanna! She is very sweet indeed!

Shemp,
It very normal to want it out! She wants all old traces out of her! I threw away my drain bags, and my husband tried unsuccessfully for me to keep them and give them to a new patient. I said they were a bad reminder, and they had to go! No amount of logic would have helped, I hated those drains with a passion! It was the bags or him that day! He is very smart you know:D.

joannar

oops sorry Greg, just realized that your DW has been done with rads for a while...my bad..

Alex

csp

Shemp,
It is all about moving on and Denise said that the port although she loved it during chemo feels like if she kept it in it would be like waiting for the other shoe to drop.

I'm doing a happy dance that they relented and are going to remove the port for your DW. WOO-hooo One more step forward ! Denise's surgeon said they can (God forbid) use the same site if they ever have too, but he was the one wanting her to keep it too? I bet not many do!!

Alex your DW is so pretty I think I saw her post on the chemo boards in Nov. thread not sure? When Denise was doing chemo, she is in July. She finished chemo in Nov. and her hair started filling in during taxotere she now has a covering all over her head , eyebows but eyelashes are taking there sweet ole time ! I actually colored her hair for her because it was comming in light and dark and it made it look thicker all one color.
Carrie

joannar

Quote:

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Wow, hair already! My wife's still peeking in the mirror in the morning and evening looking for signs. She kept about 1% of her hair which we never shaved from the initial buzz we gave her, so it's hard to be for sure what's new and what's not, though she did notice a new eyebrow which excited her greatly.

Quote:

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I shaved my wife's left over hair after most of fell out. BTW, by hair I mean 1/4 inch white fuss.

Glad to to see that your DW will have the port removed. For some reason our hospital doesn't initially go for the port. It could have certaintly help at the end when the veins were hard to find.

Notsopuny5721

Shemp: My wife's carpal tunnel was apparently the result of the surgery or treatment or both.

Alex: I don't recall exactly when my wife's hair started growing back. Maybe some of the ladies here can help? Have fun in Mehico (and definitely bring the sunblock.)

Cowgirl: Yeah, this thread is really cookin' no? Aren't you ladies proud of us--all this banter back 'n forth and no talk of sports! ;-)

Best to all,
Greg

cowgirl

Oh I am so proud you guys are helping each other and women that need it!

My PA and I talked about sports none stop yesterday! Please don't get me started on Football!

You guys really help people here! So proud of y'all!

Notsopuny5721

Cowgirl: Thanks for the kind words. The support and encouragement from you ladies also means a lot. Football, what's to talk about--the Cowboys didn't even make the playoffs! Oh yeah...Longhorns...Woo hoo...Too bad my Bears took a dive. If they'd spent half as much time preparing for the game as they did trash-talking the week before they might not have embarrassed their silly behinds as much!
Greg
P.S. What's "PA" stand for?

KariLynn

At least your Bears were in the playoffs - my Chiefs were home AGAIN! Think it's Physician's Assistant.

Notsopuny5721

Ladies and Gents, our good friend JRC needs our support, during this difficult time. Please stop by his thread to offer some words of support and encouragement and let him know he is not alone:
http://www.breastcancer.org/ubbthreads/s...&PHPSESSID=
God bless each and every one of you,
Greg

cowgirl

The boys haven't been the same since Tom IMO! Hey we were talking about Vince Young! That kid is awesome, and in our town there is a receiver and a cheerleader that were in the rose bowl. Then we talked about great coaches and good football movies!

ktjensen

Well I will post a hello here. Wife has BC and is dealing with a lot, while I just try to understand it all. I had started a message and discussion in other groups, and made a couple comments, but got chased out (with big pitchforks with an attitude that GUYs must be monsters). Yes, I can understand the pain and the hurt of dealing with death nearby in your life (I have lost loved ones). The smart guys just shut up and leave, which I did, and deleted my posts, which I did. Oh well, live and learn.

nowheregirl

Welcome Ktjensen,



I am so sorry about your wife. I hope you'll get a lot of support and information you need. {{hugs}}

Anonymous

ktjensen

wife developed a rash on breast. would not go away under anti-biotic. did skin biopse and found nothing. did CT scan with biospse of any suspicious areas, and Lymph node biopse and found suspicious cancerous cells. Consider it cancerous Inflamatory with Interductal, stage 3. Do chemo; and tumerous activity reduces substantially and completely, but chemo made her neutrapenic (low white blood cell count) every single chemo treatment, and landed her in the hospital for a week each event.

Plan for mastectomy, right now, with reconstruction via tram. Plan for double, because the other breast is showing some signs of activity. Had historectomy twenty years ago for uterine cancer. Treatment post mastectomy will be radiation and other chemo.

**The people doing the stoning and burning in other times have been proven to be ignorant, and being ignorant IS NOT an insult, just a fact. Raised in New England where being flipant is an artform. **

Anonymous

KariLynn

Wow Yvonne,

You went from happy and giddy to be back to on the warpath in one day!!! Better watch those mood swings!

Go Girl!!

2up

well i'm the one who "chased him out". Had my mast not been on my dominant side i'd have thrown my stones harder! RUDE is being diplomatic, i like condescending myself, and to refer to any of us as ignorant is the really the pot calling the kettle black! if ignorance is bliss, this dude must be deliriously happy! way to go yvonne!! how much you wanna bet, he deletes that post too!?!? i had my ex husband (with whom i remain best of friends with) read those posts and he was infuriated at the guys audacity (used a little different term, but you get the idea). we did both agree however, that if there really is a BC wife in the picture, she's gotta be suffering more than we can imagine right now, and that made us both feel really truly, physically ill! man i don't know why he got to me so bad, must be the decadron or something! i need to block his posts cause, this has been bugging me all day, so i think i'll do that now!

Anonymous

Notsopuny5721

Ahem...Well, what a difference a day can make, lol. Okay, gimme a minute to strap on my tightrope outfit...there...I'm ready...

Kevin: Welcome to the BC husbands and boyfriends hangout. We're here to help you. If you have not already done so, please get a hold of a copy of Marc Silver's "Breast Cancer Husband" book. It's perhaps the best guide out there for guy's on virtually every aspect of this dreaded/dreadful disease and how you can help your wife (even has a chapter on intimacy.)

Good luck and keep us posted on your wife's progress.

To the other recent posters (Yvonne, Shel, et al): Nice to see you here, too. Please stop by as often as you like to add your constructive thoughts to this thread.

Cowgirl: how did I do? ;-)

cowgirl

Oh ever the diplomate Greg! I think we are in all in a grouchy mood, and so glad we can all come here and get together!

ktjensen

cowgirl and BCHusband2 are definately nice people.

nowheregirl

Kevin I did welcome you...

Shemp

Yesterday, my wife and I made the trek to the U of Iowa for her CAT scan so they can work up her radiation plan. She was just getting used to normalcy in that span between chemo and radiation, so she's a bit bummed to be restarting treatment, but happy it's moving that closer to the end of all this. Monday she gets started. Probably wouldn't be so bad if it weren't a 35 minute one-way drive from here everyday.

Tuesday, she had her simulation run-through. They were pretty adamant about her not using anything (like the cream's suggested here) unless they gave it to her.

Best of all, no tattoos! They used ink and taped over it. If it had been a tattoo, we discussed hiding them later by finishing off the ink marks by getting a large Chinese dragon tattooed on her breast. Okay, I discussed it, she rolled her eyes.