Illinois ladies facing bc

IllinoisLady

What matters in life is not what you're busy doing or having, but what you're busy BEING. Whatever you ARE is what you will experience in your life. Your 'beingness' equals your life experience.
~ Soren Lauritzen ~

lemondrop1967

Hi everyone. I am heading to NW this morning for a PS appt and my 3rd A/C. I am on my own today. My brother was supposed to go with me, but cancelled. I brought my computer and will try to do some work I guess. Opted to take ythe train. Have been very tired this week (not from chemo, just from busy schedule). Not looking forward to being tired this weekend, but DH will be home tomorrow night, so am happy for that.



MakMak, Yay for 2 years! Katie, sending you big hugs as you decide what to do. Sorry this is so stressful for you.



So, on the chemo/hair topic: I have some hair left (not tons), but it's very short and I have been wearing my wig. I don't love the wig, but it looks pretty decent. I have had lots of compliments on my newly "straightened" hair. If I can figure out hoe to post a pic, I will.



Thinking of all of you, L

NancyJill

Congrats to makmak!!

IllinoisLady

Morning....bit oops.  Can I say that it seemed that my hair was growing faster that 1/2 in. per.  Did  not mean to raise any false hope.  I think seeing it coming and knowing that it really would be back was a big assurance to me and must have taken some of the "sting" out of the waiting time. 

Going to be ( if report is correct ) fairly warm and maybe even a bit sunny today....no more rain for now and I'm glad about it.  I did not get to feed the feral cats yesterday so they will be out in full force today.  There are three from last fall's  ( generally last litter of the season ) litter --- still somewhat small who tend to eat voraciously all the time.  Mother Nature's way I think of catching them up -- I felt bad they had to go without yesterday. 

Hope it is nice up North and that you all have a marvelous day. 

Hugs, Jackie

lago

Lemondrop If I had known I could've stopped by. I'm getting my hair done in 30 minutes. Won't be done till noonish.

LisaMomOfFour

My last chemo was April 7th last year, and I went topless around July 4th... rockin' the Jamie Lee Curtis look, just a tad bit shorter than that.  I agree, that it seemed like it took FOREVER!  And it was so hot and windy at the spring soccer games....    that last month is when it really took off and started growing.  

hawk

WendyK - I was thinking the same thing last night - what if this rain was snow!

Mak - Yay!  Praying for those anniversaries to keep coming for you.

Has anyone tried Ovation Hair Care products? ovationhair.com 

I start Tomox in about two weeks too.  Kind of scared to start too.  

Anonymous

At the request of our lovely Grandma ZAP...here's adorable little Violet on her way home from the hospital:

IllinoisLady

Beautiful -- another perfect gift to the world, and to her family.  Welcome home sweet Violet.

Jackie

zap

Thanks, Laura!  I wish I could be more tech suave and it is one of my goals to be so this next year.  What really got to me is Laura's signature under Violet's picture...."Illinois Girls are Tough" 

Violet had a rough start but seeing that signature just so helps me to believe this is not a Shrinking Violet.....but rather  a tough Illinois Girl!

Thanks to all again.  She will see the cardiac doc in a week, but she will do great as she is a tough Illinois girl!

Susan

Adey

Violet looks like a red X to me!?  Boo.

Hugs to all.

Timbuktu

I think Northwesstern is the highest in the area for breast cancer, specifically.

Another caution, though.  You mentioned research.  When i first went to U of C they got me to sign a release for research.  My son does brain research at U of Illinois so I really felt strongly that I wanted to help.  

Well, what a surprise.  When I proudly told my son that I would be part of the research he told me "no way!"  I read the release to him and they said they would use "tissues".  He said "let them hav all of the pee, spit and blood they want, but no tissue!  you might need it in the future!"  Boy was he ever right.  I got the seocnd opinion and then a third because they had the slides!  Had the slides been gone, I never would have known.

So remember everyone, blood, pee, spit but no tissue!  lol  The tissue is irreplaceable.

lago

U of C is rated higher for cancer than Northwestern followed by Rush in this area, not sure about breast cancer specifically though.

http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/rankings/cancer 

Grandaughter Zap… So cuuuuute

Well it looks like I'm off to a last minute freelance gig in a few hours Yay.

Adey

There she is!  She's not a red X anymore.  Yay!  Another pumpkin in the world.  Awesome.

lago

<rant>
OMG these freelance gigs can drive you crazy. Last yesterday afternoon I get a call about a freelance gig. Was told if I didn't hear anything I didn't get the gig. 6:15pm didn't hear anything so I make a hair appointment. 9:50am on my way to the hair salon I get a call. They messed up and double booked the other designer am I available. Told them I could be there by 2pm. 10:50am they send me a confirmation email.

12:50 I get a call that the job is cancelled!
<rant>

So nice out maybe I'll go out and play.

spunkyboobster

Violet is a beauty!

What an incredible day-took the dog for a walk and after abut 15 min I was so warm I had to take my coat off.

Robo and Madismom-hoping that hair shows up very soon.

Let the sun shine!

Katiep1388

Ok decisions are made. Going with winchester surgery is the 24... I feel so much better now fewf. still going to use a xanax though lol



Spunky-walked my pup today too it was great!

Adey

Congrats Katie!

spunkyboobster

Katie-so glad you've made a decision.  That's a huge step-You can exhale a bit now.

Madismommy719

Adorable baby zap!!!! She is absolutely perfect!



Yay Katie on making a choice! Take that Xanax and try to relax a little now!! Next stop is buying comfy button down Jammie's for after surgery!



Lago...that would really make me crazy, all the up and down scheduling!

lago

or

Madismommy719

Lol... I can't even begin to tell you how warm those look with all my hot flashes....it almost makes me sweat just looking at them!

lago

They have trap doors so you can cool off or go pee

I'm feeling so guilty that I don't really have hot flashes.

Anonymous

I have a pink one and dh has a blue one! We love them! It's called a Forever Lazy...quite appropriate!

Madismommy719

Lago...feel grateful not guilty!!! I'm hoping mine will get better with time served....or I just get so used to them I don't notice?



My biggest fear is what happens after my 5 yrs on tamoxifen?? I'm 36, do I end up premenopausal again and do this crap all over again naturally??? Two menopauses?????? That is SO not fair....

Madismommy719

Oh and my eyebrows are growing like weeds all of the sudden, and not neatly.... I might end up with an unruly unibrow and still be bald.... Curses!!!

joan888

Zap... awwwwww!  Violet is so precious.

Got my DEXA scan report back today and yes, osteopenia is worse after 15 months on AI's.  Lumbar T rating was -2.4 and I guess -2.5 is officially osteoporosis.  I had a 3% bone loss over the last year.  Like we say..  BC...the gift that just keeps on giving.

One the other front, my lumbar MRI is showing the already known stenosis, slippage,pinched nerves, etc.  Thankfully, no cancer lesions though.. so I am on the hunt for a good orthopedic surgeon to look into some options to relieve the back pain.  Since I already have two surgeons at NW, I am hoping to find one there that I can work with.  Always something.

Robo and madmom.... it is truly frustrating watching hair grow.  I had my last chemo treatment on Aug 31 and tossed the wig on Jan 1st.  When I see pictures of me back then, wow.... it was short, but, oh well.  I was comfortable with it!

Lago... I could not possibly sleep in those things.  I don't really have hot flashes, but I am definitely running warmer than before.

Katiep1388

Lago- lol if i wore one of those id light on fire!



Madismommy- i hear ya on the double menopause its so unfair only bonus of no hormones is no acne.... But the flash sweating is soooo grossing me out. My hair is growing so painfully slow, ill prob have a unibrow too lmao!

Madismommy719

I never lost mine all the way??? They thinned a lot and I lost all my lashes but my brows just thinned.... I suppose I'm lucky with that aspect!

Anonymous

robo - Get some Vitamin E oil (Walgreens) and massage in into your eyebrows. Might help them grow faster.