Illinois ladies facing bc

smerf

Did anyone see the report on new study that confirms chemo brain does exist? A radiologist has confirmed images to show the areas of the brain which are affected. Memory and decision making areas for sure! I really noticed it when I went through chemo, but it has now gone back to probably just getting older memory loss. Oh well, at least I am getting older, and I'm grateful for that. I am happy to see the study though, because some of my docs were skeptical about it, and try to blame it on the stress of dx.  That doesn't help, but it's not the full puicture. Momto7, it will get better!

Hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful day with lots of sunshine.

mdg

Lago - I talked to them a few weeks ago and am waiting for training info....never heard back.  Do you have a phone number you can PM me for a contact?  Thanks!

Timbuktu

My onc said that arrimidex se's get to be their worst around month 6.  Then they supposedly improve.  Has anyone experienced that?  I'm at month 7 and went off of it around 2 weeks ago.Unbearable pain.  I will start Aromisin Dec l.  

spunkyboobster

mdg-how's that puppy doing?

Good luck to anyone who bought a powerball lottery ticket! I didn't buy one.

kjiberty

Okay:  Here's a pic of my hair growth almost 5 months PFC.  It's growing like a weed.  Just got my 4th haircut yesterday.

http://s1270.beta.photobucket.com/user/kjliberty1/media/IMG_0272.jpg.html

spunkyboobster

Karen-that's great, your hair looks beautiful.  Did you have all that texture prior to chemo?

kjiberty

Spunky:  My hair was always thick and very fine. It just never looked thick because it's so fine. No curls.  It's softer now.  

lago

kjiberty you have more hair than I do and I'm about to get a hair cut tomorrow. Funny thing I met with Jonny Imerman yesterday (nice man) and he said "and your hair is growing back!" I laughed and told him that not only am I keeping it short I'm getting a hair cut on Friday. He laughed back and explained he understands… Jonny shaves his head, completely bald. Only another cancer survivor would say "your hair is growing back." When my hair was even shorter growing back people I didn't know would tell me they loved my cut. LOL

MDG I'll pm you later. Are you talking about Imerman or ACS? The holiday might have messed things up.

Must check my powerball to see if I won.

IllinoisLady

Accept the pain, cherish the joys, resolve the regrets; then can come the best of benedictions “If I had my life to live over, I’d do it all the same.”

~ Joan McIntosh

IllinoisLady

Yea Kj --- now on to 'bad' hair days again.  I thought I'd never complain, but I'm female so I did.  It's all good though.

Jackie

Adey

Good morning all!  Off to the dentist today..... haven't been since diagnosis!!!!!!    Sidetracked you know.

My C25K got interrupted again so I am pondering if I will do the Santa Shuffle on Saturday.  Think, think, think..........

onward

Good Morning beautiful women. This morning I realized that I have been hacked. So if you received an email last night or during the night from me regarding foreclosures, please dont click on it. Unfortunately, the hacker took my entire contactlist that is almost ten years old. So I cant even warn them about it. And since I am a realtor........

They told me we need to change our email passwords every 30 days. What a pain. But to loose all those contacts, some of which I will probably never have again. Just saying....

Onward

lago

That stinks Onward Yes I got your hacked spam. I did ignore. No big deal

Adey tell me if you are doing the Santa hustle? I might come out and see you. I know someone else who's doing it too. Another 2X cancer (not breast) survivor.

C-squared

I will be at the Santa Hustle too!  Let me know if you will be there.., I'd love to meet you both!

spunkyboobster

Adey-I was thinking of you and your dentist appointment today.  Hope all went well.  Did you get the spa cleaning?

momto7

Love the hair Kijberty  how long did it take to grow back? Some one told me to get a vitiman shampoo that they help with hair loss  can't remember the name tho

IllinoisLady

"The most beautiful people we have known are those who have
known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and
have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an
appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that
fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving
concern. Beautiful people do not just happen."

-- Elizabeth Kubler Ross

joan888

Kjiberty.... Love the hair.



I know that Lemondrop had her double lat flap surgery on Wednesday. Hope all went well and that you will have a speedy recovery.



I am finishing off a busy week with a massage this afternoon. Thinking oaf all going through treatments and challenges. Take time to rest and enjoy our mild weather this weekend.

lemondrop1967

Hi everyone. Have been MIA from the board as I have been crazy busy at work and with kid stuff. Will have some time to post in the next few weeks, though, as I am recovering from my lat flap surgery (which I had this past Wednesday 11/28). I am still in the hospital this morning, but may go home later today. I have been walking the halls, and am basically feeling ok, just pretty sore. It's hard to tell what part of the soreness is coming from the incisions and what part is coming from the horribly uncomfortable hospital bed! DH is holding down the fort at home, and it sounds like he is doing ok with that. Anyway, hope you are all doing well. Thinking of all of you.

lago

Hi lemondrop. Hope you get home soon. I too found hospital beds very uncomfortable… not sure what body size/shape these things are made for. I think the nurses were in every few hours to lift me up since I kept sliding down. Thanks for checking in.

ritajean

Kimbr...my surgeon was Lynn Jalovec and I loved her.  She and Mammolito are both excellent.  When one is gone, they cover patient emergencies for each other.  You will be in good hands with either of them.  I don't know about Mammolito but with Jalovec I think it helps if you can get your doctor to refer you.  I have been told that you get in faster that way.  You are in good hands with either of them.

I hope everyone had a great Thankgiving.  We got through Thanksgiving day and then caught the flu from our little guys. It was pretty wicked stuff.

Now I'm into the Christmas rush.  Fortunately much of the shopping is already done because my laptop gave out on me and my new one has Windows 8 which is certainly going to be a learning experience for me.

Hope all of you are doing well.

Hugs.

LoriBach

I had my last Taxotere/Carboplatin treatment today!!   The plan now is to start continue on with Herceptin till September 6th and start Tamoxifen in 3 weeks.    Hopefully the SEs won't be so bad.

lago

LoriB there are many women that don't have any SE from Tamox. I hope you're one of them… let the hair growth begin!

camillegal

LoriB---YaY for u. I hope all goes well for u.

kjiberty

Lemondrop:  Hope you're feeling okay!  Take care of yourself.  Your Dh will be fine!

Jackie:  Words well said!

Momto7:  This pic was take just a few weeks shy of 5 months PFC (a few weeks ago).  I have gotten it cut again this week.  I use Bosley shampoo/conditioner and 5000 mcg of Biotin. I really don't know if they make a difference, but  am trying....

momto7

I go to my BS  Tuesday to see when she is going to put in the port  for Chemo then next Friday the 7th I go to chemo  learning class??? Any one ever herd of that?  UGH never ending  and I am in the beginning still

Kjiberty thanks i will check that out i hope i don't lose my hair but it seems like every one does

camillegal

Momto---U'r on u'r way. I guess that chemo class is something kind of newish, I mean I never heard of it beofre nor do it---I might be for learning how to manage SE if u get them? but not everyone gets all the SE or just a few just to get u prepared. Once u get started it and gets going it's better maybe the anticipation seems like it's so much but u get into the schedule and it goes along.

onward

Momto7, I didnt get a chemo class. : (  But that was okay because truthfully, I knew exactly what to expect from this site. : )!!!  By the time I had my first Oncology appointment, I felt like I was a mini Onc. lol.

Everyone is different but I do better with more knowledge and more choices. And I have had my port now since October of 2010. Yeah Port O Cath's.

You are the most important person in the world, or should be to your Onc, because they are working on getting you back on your feet and for a cure. The appointments will be done before you know it. Just remember every step you take is one more step away from the cancer. Blessings, Onward

mdg

Momto7:  Good luck with all the chemo.  THe beginning is the worst.  As far as the hair, I used cold caps and kept my hair.  It does cost $$ but I was glad I did it.  So there is a choice but it is not for everyone.  I did not have a chemo class but I had a LE prevention class and a BC orientation class to review surgical options for reconstruction right when I was DX. 

Happy Saturday to all! 

IllinoisLady

“Absorb what is useful, Discard what is not, Add what is uniquely your own.” – Bruce Lee