Has anyone started a forum for Chemo in Dec 2008?

Texas357

Egads, eyelashes are 1/3 gone again ... 11 months after my last chemo. This is getting old.

bobcat

Texas - I'm with you.  It gets so tiresome drawing on the face each day but I still do it.  Hang in there

EleanorJ

Sorry about the lashes divas

Happy St. Patty's everyone. Anyone doing anything special? I have my corned beed cooking and getting ready to make some irsh potatoes with the kids. I don't care for store bought ones, but homemade... they're yummy

Happy Spring too, it's beautiful around here!

Mandy1313

I just had my breast MRI and it is clean!!!!!!!!!!!!  What a relif!!!! And it is already 1 2/3 years after the bad MRI that brought me here. 

Love to my chemo sisters,

Mandy

Texas357

Mandy, that's great news! I can only imagine the anxiety of waiting for the results. I haven't had any follow up tests except bloodwork and physical exams.

bobcat

Mandy - That is something to celebrate!!  Great news.  I am still planning on responding to your PM from the other week - just a lot on my plate.  Love and good wishes to you.

Bobbi

lovemyfamilysomuch

Yea Mandy!! So happy for you!! xo

Mandy1313

Thanks everyone. I was shaking in my boots because my last mri had 5 hot spots---four were false positives and one was the cancer.  But I had to have 5 biopsies and I was scared that this time I would go through the same thing with alot of false positives. By the way,  I counted wrong---it is already 1 3/4 years---so almost at the 2 year point!

Love, 

Mandy

Firni

congratulations Mandy!!!!  What good news and what a relief.  I'll be 2 years in June when my Dr. found my lump.  Didn't actually have my biopsy until Sept tho.  Really don't know when to start counting.  Like Texas, I don't get any follow up tests.  I don't even get blood work tests!

EleanorJ

Congrats on the clean MRI. Those tests are so nerve wrecking now aren't they?

havehope

Happy Easter! Red Wine Helps Cardiovascular Health, But Is It the Alcohol or Something Else?Two studies show different results on the source of wine's heart health benefitsJacob Gaffney
Posted: March 31, 2010One of the longest-running debates on the potential health benefits of regular, moderate red wine consumption is whether the alcohol or the other components in wine are responsible for better health. A study from Italy claims that moderate consumption of alcohol, regardless of other compounds like polyphenols, can help prevent a repeat heart attack. But a new study from the U.K. suggests that the polyphenols found in red wine may help keep blood vessels in proper working order.Previous studies suggest that red wine is responsible for improved blood flow, which helps keep the heart and the body in better health, but whether that's due to polyphenols or alcohol, or both, is still unclear. A study from the Research Laboratories at the Catholic University of Campobasso, Italy, claims the alcohol, not the antioxidants, helps prevent another heart attack or stroke.Published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, the study looked at 16,351 people from eight countries who had previously suffered a heart-related injury, usually a heart attack. When the researchers compared their drinking habits to the recurrence of strokes, heart attacks, or any other deadly cardiovascular event, they found that moderate drinkers of one to two servings of alcohol per day had a 20 percent lower risk of recurrence compared to nondrinkers and heavier drinkers."Our research highlights another crucial issue: Drinking has not only to be moderate, but also regular," said co-author and university epidemiologist Licia Iacoviello in a statement. "Moderate consumption spread along the week is positive. The same amount of weekly alcohol, concentrated in a couple of days, is definitely harmful."The director of research at Compobasso warned against using the study as an invitation to start drinking, however. In a press release, Giovanni de Gaetano said that the study dealt with previously ill people and, therefore, is not necessarily translatable to the general public.A study conducted at the University of Surrey, England, published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, suggests that alcohol may not be the only factor, however. A research team found that people who drank a kind of simulated wine—alcohol mixed with red grape juice—during mealtime showed several markers of improved cardiovascular health. Those who drank just water did not see the same levels of improved blood flow. Those who drank just grape juice saw slightly lower benefits.To try to figure out the relationship between alcohol versus red wine compounds, the team had ten subjects consume a standard meal with a test drink on different occasions. The test drinks accompanying the meal were either water, red grape juice or red grape juice plus alcohol. Red wine itself was not used in any form, as de-alcoholized wine tends to still contain some level of alcohol, which might have marred the results. The simulated wine was red grape juice with alcohol added to create a 12 percent alcohol drink. Various measurements were taken to estimate blood flow.The flow-mediated dilation, a measure of the ease at which blood is pumped through the body, stood at 6 percent for those who only had water, 7 percent for those who had grape juice only and more than 8 percent for those who had the red grape juice/alcohol mixture.The scientists credit ingredients in the red grape juice for most of the benefits. "The conclusion drawn from this study was that non-alcoholic components present in alcoholic beverages have a potential benefit on vascular function—blood vessels," said Dr. Shelagh Hampton, senior research fellow on the faculty of Health and Medical Sciences.

havehope

I hope everybody is ok. I had my checks, including OBGY, and everything is ok. Still NED. Next check in October. 

Wishing you all a nice and healthy spring. 

Firni

Hi all.  I guess it is time for a little check in with the December Divas.  All is well here.  Still can't grow any hair, but I'm almost getting used to having the monk look.  Almost.  I don't have all my checks until June.  Not too far away.

Great to see NED in your post havehope! 

Texas357

Hey there Firni! My hairdresser says my hair is only partially grown back. But then since I'm on Femara, I doubt I'll see much more hair for the next 4+ years.

Next oncology visit is in June. I'm about finished with reconstruction. I get tattoos in a week, if the healing is finished from nipple surgery. Still not completely happy with the reconstruction but I'll wait until fall for any further surgeries.

My company just started offering Aflac insurance, and they have a cancer policy. If I'd had this before, I would have been paid at least $9000 since diagnosis! Wondering if I should get a policy ($20/month) just in case or if I'm tempting fate.

Still have lasting effects from the chemo, including almost nonexistent brows and lashes, but I'm thrilled to have my stamina and tastebuds back! 

Firni

Texas, I don't have brows either.  I'm going to have them tattooed on in June.  My right eye lashes are great.  My left eye lashes are still all bent and sparse.  So, no mascara for me yet.  I am finding it harder to work the hours I did before BC, but overall I feel pretty good.  Even my toe nails are back.  Another month and I can trim them.  Yippee.  The hair on the sides of my head are doing pretty good.  Kind of thick and growing.  The top of my head and most of the back is still just baby fuzz about an inch long.  I'm on Tamoxifen so I guess I'll have this hair for another 4 years too.  So frustrating.

It took my nipples 3 months to heal.  I see PS next Monday to set a date for tattoos.  My implants have dropped a lot and don't look as good as they did soon after the exchange.  But 8 surgeries is enough for me.  I'm done. 

Texas357

Hooray for toenails Firni!

havehope

bump

EleanorJ

Hi Divas. I hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day yesterday. A lot nicer than last year

Texas357

Several of my out-of-state co-workers got together to walk the Race for the Cure in my honor yesterday. It was a complete surprise that moved me to tears. I was remembering: last year at this time, I could barely walk a few yards without being out of breath. This year, I know I could have done the entire 5K.

I wish I could hug every member of my fantastic medical team!

lovemyfamilysomuch

Sending prayers, love and support to all my bc sisters!  Thank God for a life sooooo much better than when the nightmare began in '08. xoxo

busqueen

Hello to everybody still checking in here once in a while.  I know we've all gotten so busy trying to get our "regular" lives back...with or without all the hair we used to have!:-)

Unfortunately I got some bad news last week.  Apparently some of those nasty little cancer cells I had were hiding somewhere because they have popped up now in my spine.  I had an MRI last week to see if I needed a steroid shot for pain, and they found cancer instead. **Dramatic Sigh**  Today I had a PET scan to see if it is anywhere else.  On Thursday I will see my oncologist to get the results and find out what the treatment plan will be.  Crazy stuff.  I think I'm in deep, deep denial.

So I would definitely appreciate all the prayers and warm, fuzzy thoughts I can get!:-)

Firni

Oh, busqueen!  What a shock!  I can imagine that you are in denial.    My prayers are certainly with you!  Your dx in 2008 was not so much different than mine.  It brings it all back to home that cancer is an unpredictable little B____.  I do so hope that your Onc has encouraging news for you.  Let us know.  warm fuzzy ((((((()))))))

Mandy1313

Busqueen:

Of course you are in shock and denial. That is the natural thing.  But people live long and full lives with bone mets so do not despair.   Your onc will figure out the best treatment and in the meantime, I am keeping you in my heart and prayers!  
(((((((((cyber hugs)))))))))

Mandy

Texas357

{{Hugs}} Busqueen. Saying a prayer for you!

EleanorJ

Oh no Busqueen I feared the day one of us would go throught that. ((((HUGS)))) sweetie. You can still live a long happy life with mets, keep us updated.

lovemyfamilysomuch

I will pray the rosary tonight for you Busqueen.  Sending you lots of love and support! xo

busqueen

Howdy everybody.  Thank you so much for your encouraging words and prayers. This last week was really busy, only 1 day with no doctor appt.  So the good news is that at this point the cancer has only spread to my bones, the PET scan showed nothing in my lungs or liver....**HUGE sigh of relief!**  It is pretty widespread in the bones....spots in my ribs, breastbone, shoulder, pelvis and several places in my spine.  My neck and low back have been hurting for awhile, which I was just contributing to moving and still sleeping in my recliner, but now I know those are two of the largest "hot" spots.  On Monday I will have a biopsy of the spot on my breastbone because my onc wants to make sure the cancer cells are the same as far as the er/pr/her2 stuff.  And on Tuesday I'm having another MRI, this time on my neck, for my rad onc to get a better look.  Wednesday I start radiation, and I'm sure I'll see my onc that day to start the other treatment of tamoxifin and monthly doses of Zometa.  No chemo! Yay!  I am officially Stage IV now {gulp}, but my onc says patients can live with bone mets for many years. 

So this is about all the time I can spend in my computer chair....the percocet hasn't quite kicked in yet.:-)  I hope all of you have a great weekend!

Firni

Hi busqueen,I'm so glad to hear that there is no cancer in your organs.  That is a plus.  I wonder why your onc didn't have you on Tamoxifen to begin with seeing as you were ER+.  I know that stage IV women can live a long long time.  I don't know a lot about bone mets but I am so sorry that you have been dx with that.  At least there is no chemo now.  Lots of prayers coming your way.  

Mandy1313

Hi Busqueen!

Good that there is no spread to your organs and it is just in your bones.  You are in my heart and prayers as you go through this new treatment.  Take care and keep in touch.

Many cyber hugs.

Mandy

horsercn

My prayers are with you....we are all still here for each other.  I'm glad you don't have to go through chemo again.  I will keep you in my prayers