Anyone starting chemo in Aug. 08?
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Glad to hear all the good news!!! Deanna - Please let Karen know we will be here for her & if she needs special prayer requests to just let us know. Take care everyone! Joyce
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Although my MRI was clear, my severe headaches continue. Pray that I can get some relief. Neither my family doctor or my oncologist in West Chester want to see me about this. Their attitude seems to be"You wanted to go to VA for the clinical trial, so go to VA for this too." I don't know what to do at this point. Any thoughts?
Bette
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Bette,
When I got first diagnosed for BC, I had severe headaches and "knew " I also had brain cancer. An MRI showed NOTHING and I was surprised. It was stress and worry which was very real. They eventually went away. I don't know if you have tried calm meditation (I'm not much good at that), but being outdoors seems to help me a lot. Another factor I thought of is some substance in your house. Mold? Carpet cleaner? Just something to think about.
I am also searching for a reason why I continue to have stomach cramps and pain - almost a nauseous feeling several times a week for the last 8 months. CAT scan and Ultrasound have found nothing so far and my doctors are tired of hearing about it. I know I have it and have to keep exploring why. Good luck and take care Bette.
Hugs to all,
Gail
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Had my last treatment today!!! YIPEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Going for my PET scan on Monday. Please pray that nothing news shows up!!!
Bette: Could you have headaches from any of your meds you are on?
Gail: Hope you find out what the problem is ...I hate that feeling too.
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Bette, I hope you find the cause of your headaches - glad your scan came back clear!!!! Corrine - AWESOME you are finished!!! I will keep you in my prayers for your PET scan. Gail I hope you find the cause of your tummy issues....nothing worse than a tummy ache and cramps!!!!! Still trugging along here in Ohio - it has been cold here but I like the cool weather!!!! My Gram is hanging in there - her bone scan came back negative so that is a ood thing!!! Loves to all...........
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Hey All!
Bette, great news on the clear scan. I am with the others-they could be related to the stress you are under.
Corinne-Happy Herceptin Graduation!!!! Good for you-you made it through the whole year.
Gail, I remember you talking about your stomach issues. I hope you get to an answer soon-could it just be an after effect of the chemo drugs?
Deanna, tell more about your next DIEP surgery.
I have recovered from my surgery last Friday. I was hurting over the weekend, but by Monday, things really turned around. I am back to work, driving, walking, but not lifting anything!! I go back on Monday to take off the strips. I have to say, I love them!!! He did a great job of making the sides more even and more natural looking instead of looking like perky "missiles." Now, I will recover and finish the process next summer of the little button in the middle!!!
Love to all!
~Misty
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Bette ~ That is so odd about your headaches. Can you connect when they started to anything new or different in your household or routine? Something like a new salad dressing or other food that might have MSG, for example? Or has your apartment complex been using any different chemicals? Your new chemo drug, as Corrine said, was my first thought, too. Have you looked up all the reported SEs for it? Sometimes oncs don't even know every one if they haven't had patients report them.
Gail ~ I can't believe you're still dealing with that pain! What about the Arimidex? I think you'd ruled that out earlier, but I also thought your pain had gone away. And are you still in Tahoe?
Corinne ~ Good luck on Monday! Did you find out anything more about your reconstruction options? Feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions on Diep. Also, there's a gal on the Motivation thread who just had bi-lat Diep+SGAP surgery at NOLA, and she seems to have had a really positive experience. PM me if you want her contact info.
Joyce ~ I'm so glad you asked about praying for Karen. That was definitely an oversight in my post about her. She does need our prayers. And I still want to see your daughter's wedding photos. I'd PM'd you an email address. If that doesn't work for a link, it will be a great excuse to register on Facebook. I just am so reluctant to find another distraction!
Big (((Hugs))) to all ~ Deanna
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Hey All!
Bette, great news on the clear scan. I am with the others-they could be related to the stress you are under.
Corinne-Happy Herceptin Graduation!!!! Good for you-you made it through the whole year.
Gail, I remember you talking about your stomach issues. I hope you get to an answer soon-could it just be an after effect of the chemo drugs?
Deanna, tell more about your next DIEP surgery.
I have recovered from my surgery last Friday. I was hurting over the weekend, but by Monday, things really turned around. I am back to work, driving, walking, but not lifting anything!! I go back on Monday to take off the strips. I have to say, I love them!!! He did a great job of making the sides more even and more natural looking instead of looking like perky "missiles." Now, I will recover and finish the process next summer of the little button in the middle!!!
Love to all!
~Misty
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bettylou,
I sent you a private message tonight.
My thoughts are with you and hoping your headache eases.
Tender
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Ladies, I'm praying good things for all of you! Thank you for being the lovely ladies you are.
Deen
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Hi all, Came home last night after one of my linenworld parties and found a beautiful bouquet of flowers, a card and two organic candy bars waiting for me. That was so nice of my family. I have a really good husband an am so happy he cares.
Bette, I get migraines at times. You could be experiencing cluster headaches. Mine are caused by some things in my back. I use to see a chiropractor and it helped so I stopped going. They still come and go but not to the degree I use to have them.
Misty: You had a DIEP right??? Did they take any muscle? How long for recovery?
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Corinne, I did not do DIEP. I had an expander put in at my mast. Then I had silicone implants put in at the exchange surgery. I was not as symmetrical as my doc would have liked. So, I went back last week to have the implants replaced. I was happy the first time, but now I am really happy. I will let them settle in and then go for nipple reconstruction with a tattoo. I believe Deanna did DIEP.
Everyone, have a great weekend!!! Happy Pink Month! Last year, this month drove me crazy. This year, I feel more proud to be a survivor.
~Misty
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Happy Friday all,
I'm so happy to hear your scans are negative Bette! Amen. Your headaches must resulting from the chemo and drugs. I had bad headaches too back in March if you remember and was concerned but they did go away. Has your diet changed any? WBC?
Misty: Love the avatar! Your hair is so long now. I was getting there but I will again..What is your aunts name? I will pray for her. What a blessing she has you to lean on. Happy to hear your surgery went well.
Allibug: Sorry to hear about your grandmother. I'll keep her in prayer too. I'd love to see your daughter's facebook pix.
Deanna: Thanks for the update on Karen. I'm happy to hear she's doing okay and her mom is fine. I PM'd Roya but haven't heard a thing?
Congratulations Corrine on your final Herceptin! You did it! Have you had the mugga scan? I know I have a wierd muscle thing in the lower region but was okay for chemo. You're right. One thing done then it's another. In women heart disease is serious. My mom has CHF and hasn't been the same since. That's what runs in my family. The ticker not cancer...lucky me.
Anyways, was sick last weekend. Still feeling the achiness in my leg & arm joints. Don't know what I did to my left wrist but it's been killing me the last 2 days. (Think I slept on it.) Other than that I've been okay. I've been catching Pastor Hagee's show at 6:30 a.m. on how to beat cancer (& life's challenges)...Discipline, Duty and Devotion. I just love his sermons.
Tonight going to the ESPN Zone to watch Dodger hopefully clinch the Div. Tomorrow a 50th wedding anniversary then on Sunday if I'm able, the horse races at Santa Anita. Gotta live each day!!
Love to all,
Jeannine
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Misty: wow love your hair!! It does look long. Did you have radiation?? I thought you did. How long did it take you after your implant surgery the first time to feel good?
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Yes, the hair is growing. That pic was from August, so I will post another soon. I am going to keep the back shorter and let the front and sides grow more. I can now tuck the side hair behind my ears. It is still way too wavy for me; I have to straighten it each day.
Corinne, I did not need to have rads. My first implant exchange surgery was pretty easy. I was back to work in five days. This past time, I felt much more pain because of the "cleaning up" that he did. I did it last Friday and went back to work on Tuesday. I was sore for about 2-3 days, then I started to get better. I just went to the gym for the first time today-I was careful; no lifting on the upper half for several weeks. All in all, the process is not that bad. We have been through so much that it is a gift to get these bonus boobs.
Hope everyone is having the nice weather I am having here in MD.
~Misty
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Bette- I had wicked headaches from steroid withdrawl associated with chemo- once i started stepping down instead of just stopping them after each treatment it helped dramatically .
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Had a wonderful visit with DD yesterday. No headaches while she was here.!
Visit with local onc tomorrow to see if headaches can be investigated/ treated. I always seem to have a fever over 101 while they are at their worst. Have stopped calling onc for the fever, because all they do is send me to the ER for blood counts and send me home with an antibiotic once the counts come back clear.
Pray for a solution to the headaches.
Bette
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Bette: Continuing to pray for you always!! i am happy you had a repreve from those headaches. You are such a testimony. Don't forget that you can contact me if you would like to.
Jeannine: You too are in our prayers as you progress along. I know that at times things seem so hard. Better days are ahead...
Tomorrow AM I am going for my PET scan. Thank you Lord for letting me come this far.
I love you all my bc sisters. Has anyone heard from Roya??? Did she move back to the states??
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Just stopping by to say hello & that I am praying for all of you! You all are looking wonderful!
Bette - I hope your headaches go away soon so we can have our DC, MD, VA, PA & anyone else get together soon. Stacy has made it bavk to VA & is in the middle of getting boxes unpacked.
Corrine & Misty 0 Your ha looks nice! Mine does that flipping out thing in the back too, but I don't straighten it. I just try to blow dry it straight & it then it does what it wants too anyway.
Jeannine - Do you need any scarves, do-rags, etc?
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Happy Monday!
Well I kind of overdid it this weekend but it was worth it. My friends parents 50th wedding anniversary was great. Family day at the horse races (even though I lost) was a blast. The kids really enjoyed it. DH & I were pooped.
Misty: I'm glad you got your booby bonus. You sure do deserve it. I plan to get mine after all this is over, no matter what!
Bette: I definitely will continue to pray for your healing. I hope you're feeling a little better. I know it is frustrating to deal with a new obstacle. Keep your chin up.
Corrine: I'm sending out positive energy and prayers your way for a clean margins! I've been concerned about Roya and Lisa too but haven't heard back.
Joyce: Thank you for thinking of me. I love do-rags. I bought a few scarves but they make me feel like a cancer patient (duh). Do-rags are so sporty. I'll PM you my address.
Have a great week all,
(DWTS Tonight! Go Donny Osmond
)Jeannine
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To my breast friends,
I got unwelcome news from the oncologist today. Skull and spine mets causing my pain, fevers may be from tumor growth. Another MRI, monthly Zometa and perhaps radiation to the spine in my immediate future. I should start feeling better as the tumors are treated. Still waiting on chemo schedule for the PARP inhibitor branch of the trial.
Pray for God to grant me grace to get through the pain until the chemo and Zometa start to work.
Bette
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Dear Bette, i cannot even imagine how hard this is on you. When something like this happens to you it happens to all of us who have been praying for you and are by your side. Is there anything we can do to help in anyway to encourage you? We love you and continue to pray daily for you\
i had my PET scan today. It took me two whole hours. What in the world??? Anyhow, hope I find out tomorrow. Went horseback riding today. It was so beautiful. The leaves are changing and the air is cristp. I cantered and cantered and cantered. What a great feeling.
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Bette ~ I thought your MRI was clear? Is this your local onc (the one who told you to go back to VA for your headaches, which I thought was rather despicable) now saying that there's bc in your skull and spine? How is he diagnosing that? Is he contradicting what they told you elsewere last week? Sorry, but I'm kind of confused by what seems like a sudden 180 re. this situation. And I just pray that your headaches will ebb. Have you tried any prescription pain meds?
Jeannine ~ Glad the chemo isn't keeping you down! It sounds like you were able to pack a lot into one weekend! Good for you! Are you still pursuing the rattlesnake meat?
I, too, have missed having Roya, but I also understand when someone feels they need to pull away from the boards here. I hope she knows we're thinking of her. Deanna
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bette, so sorry to hear your news. Like Deanna, I am confused. I thought your first scan did not show skull mets. That would certainly explain your headaches. We will all be thinking of you as you continue your fight!!
Jeannine, wow, you are just moving on and enjoying life. Good for you! I bet your mind is distracted by all of your activities, so you spend less time worrying about TX. Hang in there!!!!
Did anyone watch football over the weekend? It was quite a sight to see every person on the field wearing some type of pink. The ACS worked with the NFL to do this and bring awareness to BC screening. Gotta love a guy in pink shoes!!
~Misty
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Hi everyone,
Bette, I'm so sorry for your bad news. I will continue to pray for you. I am also taking Zometa every two mos for my osteopenia and to lower recurrence, and I've read on here that the ladies taking it for mets have had very good results with it. My onc is a big fan of this med. I hope your headaches will stop, I know that pain can wear you down sometimes, please know that we are all here for you.
Corinne, when I had my PET last year, it took about 2 hours also, just a lot of waiting mostly. I pray for good results for you. Ride on!!!:)
Deanna, I hope you are doing well. When is your revision?
Hood, glad to see you recovered from the wedding!:)
Jeaninne, you seem to be superwoman during this chemo tx! Keep on truckin' girl!!
Misty, I hope you are feeling better with your new ones! I have found Exchange City to be a good place if you have any questions about this.
At our county fair last weekend, they had a BC Awareness Day with a big rodeo, and it was cool to see the whole stands and cowboys all dressed in their nice pink Wrangler dress shirts. Looking Good!!!:)
Have a great week,
Deen
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Bette - so sorry to hear your news. I will keep you in my prayers daily. I too am confused though - I was sooo excited that your MRI was clear... Where did the change come from??? Misty I watched football and yes it was pretty neat to see all the men in pink. My son and husband both wear pink though and they have never taken off their pink breast cancer wrist bands - I am proud of them!!!! Gunner has taken some slack (even from adults) about him wearing pink and he PROUDLY announces each time - I wear it for my Mom, she is a breast cancer survivor!!!!! I couldn't be any prouder of him!!!!! Corrine I am praying for you some great results from your PET scan......Jeannie so proud of you and the fight you are giving that chemo!!!!! Loves to all...........
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Deanna, The brain MRI was for brain mets. It was clear for that, but did confirm the presence of tiny little holes in my skull(lytic lesions). When I think of it, it brings to mind "swiss cheese" in my scull bones. This diagnosis has been confirmed and discussed by both oncs, PA and VA, and they both agree on the Zometa.
Right now I am on prescription pain meds for the headache and back pain (which I had been blaming on reaching the wrong way for a straw at a fast food restaurant ) Oxycontin and Oxycodone. They take off the edge of it, but don't take it completely away.
Tom has been wonderful through all this.
Bette
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Bette - words cannot express what I want to say to you. Just know we are all here for you and we love you!!!! Glad you have Tom - he is a special man!!!!!!! Well my daughter's volleyball team is having a Volley For The Cure game Saturday - all the money we earn from everything we donate to breast cancer. It is pretty cool and it means a lot to her!!!! They are getting pink hair extensions put in - the varsity did it and they wanted the reserve team to do it too!!!!!! Even the hair extensions ($10) proceeds go to breast cancer!!!!! It is pretty cool and we are excited for it!!!! Loves to all.............
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This is to bump us up. Still waiting on test results and still undecided on what to do for reconstruction. Two differing opions.
Bette: We are hoping that all went well today. Have been continuing to pray for you as I know you had an appointment at 10
Love to all,
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The spine MRI was incredibly painful, both in the noise surrounding my headache, and in keeping still for 45 minutes with what turned out to be cancer at levels T9 and T12 and a small compression fracture at T9. The radiation oncologist said they can do rads for 10 treatments to reduce the pain on the spine, but that the procedure of radiating the skull would involve radiating a lot of soft tissue and scary SE's. The docs have to discuss the timing of the rads, before, during or after chemo, and then we will have to make a decision.
Tomorrow at 6 AM we leave for VA to start Cycle 3 of the clinical trial. I will start Zometa then as well. Then on Tuesday we go back there to get the PARP inhibitor, BSI-201.
Tom has been very sweet today and is teaching me the safe use of my new wheelchair. I could not have navigated the hospital today without it.
Bette
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