Starting chemo January 2009?

jrgolomb

My PS just mentioned I would get a tatoo for the nipple.  I decided not to go for it because the radiation basically fried the foob, and it is way lower than my other breast .  I imagine there is some way to "even" things out, but I am not "there" yet in terms of going through anymore surgery.  Plus, he has said the outcomes may not be quite what I expected which tells me I am still going to have a nipple that looks unaturally lower than the other breast. 

PLUTZ

Hi ladies. Thankyou for all your thoughts. I have not been feeling well. The cough seems worse and it makes my body ache. I sleep ok as long as I take the sleeping pills. I really don't like taking them, but if I don't I lay awake and get panic attacks. Reiki sounds so nice. Someone mentioned me to get a massage, but I have so many scars, I don't want to do that. About the nipple thing. My dr. mentioned it only once, but I decided not to do it. My breasts are uneven and I really don't care at this point. I have a dr. appt. tomorrow.  I hope she has good news for me. I will let all of you know whats going on. Hope your all doing good.

Renrel

Phyllis - Ask your doctor, or better yet, his nurse, if they know of any place you can get Reiki near you.  Alot of nurses get trained in something very like Reiki so are reasonable open to it and doctors are starting to give it a nod.  The nice thing is you do not have to undress and if you prefer you do not even have to be touched. 

 We had a dinner party last night.  One of my best friends just got engaged over New Years for the first time.  She is over 50 and just beaming with happiness.  Her finace messed up one marrage but gets what he did wrong and seems to adore my friend.  We celebrated their engaged over dinner.  it was wonderul but my feet and legs are killing me today after spending all day getting ready and that all night hostessing.  It was not a big or formal party but I was still in me feet most of the evening.  This afternooon I took my DS to see HUGO which was very enjoyable.  Now I am just pooped. 

BerkeleyKim

Phyllis--Been holding your hand in spirit hoping the dr. has good news.Sleep is so important for our sanity and feeling ok, so if you need those pills to rest now is the time.

Another birthday for me! Turned 56 and I was born in 1956. I wouldn't have realized this if my little sister hadn't told me. She said it's my special year--we''ll see. Realized I'm twice as old as my co-teacher (she turned 28 yesterday) and half as smart, but I'll take it!

 No nipple issues here. I think I may have given up on ever getting reconstruction, although I don't like the uniboob I'm used to it and don't want to spend time recovering from another surgery. My lymphedema is back after wrapping and I don't want to aggravate it.

ktym

Phyllis, I was hoping you were feeling at least a little better, I'm so sorry to hear you aren't. BerkelyKim said it best, holding your hand in spirit.

jrgolomb

Phyllis-- I agree- I am holding your hand in spirit.  I hope the docs are able to help you manage and kick the ugly beast to the curb!

PLUTZ

morning ladies. Well I ended up in the hospital last week for pneumonia and dehydration. Spent 4 days, Had to have fluid drained from my right lung. Just a few days before that, I had fluid removed from my left lung. I know its going to take days to recover but I still feel sick from nausea and vomoting. I have never been so miserable. I just want to get well. I see my dr. tomorrow and see what she says, Hope everyone is doing well.

ktym

I've been thinking about you Phyllis, I'm so sorry to hear that you've been so miserable. 

Renrel

Take it easy Phyliss, you will get better faster by letting yourself be sick then by try to forcing yourself to feel well before you really are.  Just stay focused on the fact that you will feel better soon. 

jrgolomb

Well CRAP!  I need more ultrasounds on my ovary--- it has too many shadows.

PLUTZ

  Hi ladies. Had my dr. visit yesterday. Everything looks good. The tumor in my neck is shrinking. My pneumonia is gone but I am still weak. Not sleeping well. Got a prescription for morphine for my back pain and it made me nauseus, so I'm not taking it anymore. The Ambien I'm taking to fall asleep makes me feel like crap. I'm so groggy today. I think I'm getting all these reactions cuz I take so many pills. Anyway, I go back in 3 wks and possibly get another CT scan.

Jess- hope things turn out ok for you. praying you get good news

BerkeleyKim

Phyllis: Sounds like the Arimidex is working! Glad about the pneumonia gone. Did you hurt your back from the coughing? Hope you find pain relief that works. I don't like morphine or even vicodin either. They give me nightmares.

Jess--waiting with you and holding your hand in spirit. CRAP is right. Hope it's just some shadowy cysts. Were you having symptoms?

 Just saw my bs, who is retiring after 50(!!!) years. Don't know if I want to see one of his colleagues or not for my next 6 month. He finally after 3.5 years brought up recon. I think he wasn't sure originally if I'd make it til now. I don't think I want more surgery. Too scary. He showed me my mammo images from 2 weeks ago. He says all ok,but that's what they said after my mammo 3 months before finding 3 tumors. Maybe I should just get the other one off. If I didn't have lymphedema already I might.

 Wow, jewels. 3 years ago we were in the thick of chemo.

jrgolomb

Yes, BK--I had a back ache they attributed to the tamoxifen........So now , I think- could it always be that ovary? 

jrgolomb

Sorry, I am not making much sense, lately.  I feel a bit overwhelmed....

I meant to say-- could that back ache I've had always been the ovarian cyst?  I hope it is benign!

PLUTZ

My back hurts because I have to sleep propped up  because I'm still coughing. I'm starting to feel better but I'm nauseus again. can't keep any food down. I just want to feel normal again. I haven't driven in over 2 wks. I was able to get a handicapped placard because I can't walk very far. Still too weak. I am so thankful for my husband and daughters that have been helping me out. Also a friend brought over some homemade soup. Unfortunately, I couldn't keep it down. I'm just taking it day by day because I know I will get better. I think of all of you and pray everything is good. 

jrgolomb

I am so sorry, Phyllis!  I hope and pray you will feel better soon.

jrgolomb

Hey all-- my cyst turned out to be a firbroid!  I am so relieved!

Renrel

Happy Valentines Day all!  Hope you all shared some love today or at least some chocolate.  DS was soooo excited about his box of 3 "fancy" chocolates and I am pretty pleased with my big  box of really fancy chocolates. 

 Life has been busy around here.  My DH had catract surgury last week which seems to have gone well but he is still recovering.  His aunt passed away over the weekend is sad but she had brain and lung cancer and it is probabably better that she only had to deal with it for a few months then to have all these stroke like systems for a year or longer.  At the end she could not talk and that must have been so hard for her because she was a gabber.  We will miss her.  She was a real character.  I have had weekend training at work which has made for very long weeks.  Luckily this past weekend it was canceled for a storm that never it so I could take DH to his follow doctor appointment.  I finally saw a podetrist about the "thing" on my foot which has been making me limp for 3 months.  She says its a wart and gave me a prescribtion for extra strength salicic acid. But the best thing was she gave me some mole foam and with it I can walk like a normal person again.  I looked in the mirror this evening and it looks like I have pink eye again, so have to keep my distance from DH given that he really does not need pink eye on top of recovering from eye surgury.  So much for a V-Day roll in the hay.  

Jess - Great news about the cyst!

 Phyliss - Are you feeling better?  I hope so!  

ktym

Yay Jess!

Phyllis, hope today was a better day, I think of you often.

Renrel, I'm sorry, hope you get a belated Valentine's day. 

jrgolomb

Hugs, to you too, Kmmd

And to you, Phyllis

Renrel- Yes!  A  V-day roll in the hay!  Yes!  ( well, soon; it will be soon!)

Berkeley! In the thick !  Crap! WHen I thought I might have to go through it again when they thought they saw a swollen ovary with suspicious shadow!  Absolutely the nasty, nasty thick!  I have to say, I couldn't have done it without any of you! 

PLUTZ

Hi ladies. Its been a heck of a week. Last Thurs., ended up in the hospital again, but only for 3 hours. was dehydrated again and had a bunch of tests done. All came up normal, but I was not feeling well. Picked up 4 prescriptions for different ailments for nausea, coughing. was given an inhaler. I still have breathing problems. I was feeling alot better over the weekend. Yesterday, i had my checkup with my dr. They did an oxygen test and it was only 85. I could barely walk the hall. So now I have an oxygen tank in my home. Don't know how long I'll need it, but I'm glad I have it. I was given a portable one in case I needed it when I was out doing errands, but I don't think I will need it. I'm scheduled for another CT scan and a Pet scan tomorrow to see if the meds are working on the cancer. I'm praying they are or I'm going to have to have chemo. UGH.

BerkeleyKim

Phyllis--hope your tests today show the arimidex is kicking that nasty cancer out. Very scary about the breathing issues--when I can't take in enough oxy I go into a panic. Hope you're breathing easier and can soon breathe without the oxy tank. Praying with you

 Jess--hooray for benign!!!

Renrel-we've had lots of pink eye at school (and sooooo many other viruses involving kids spewing different bodily fluids). No fun at all. I'm crossing my fingers I don'tget one of them.

 I'm doing ok. Really tired by end of week. Just read a study that the trial drug I'm on (ibandronate--boniva) does not help prevent recurrence and I'm wishing I pursued the zometa--which does have positive studies. Going to ask onc about that next visit in March.

PLUTZ

  Hi ladies. I'm glad your all doing ok.I'm doing ok. Haven't heard back from my scans, I'll call Mon. Renrel- I was on that clinical study ibandronate. Was taken off of it when my recurrence  happened. I hope it works for you. How long have you been on it?

I still have the shortness of breath. My resperatory therapist said its still from the pneumonia. My dr. refilled my prednizone. It seems to help a bit. It also gave me my appetite back. I've lost 16lbs since I got sick. I'm hoping it stays off this time around. lol 

I have other good news, not related to cancer. We sold our house that has been on the market since Nov. Had to take a deep cut, but the markets so bad. I'm just glad we're finally getting things going. I'm tired of all the home showings, especially when I'm not feeling well and I have to leave for an hour or more. Hopefully this guys financing goes through. He was preapproved. As soon as we find out, we will get our paperwork going. We are already approved. We've had a hold on our new home since last Aug. I'm so ready to move. Well I'm going to try to get back to sleep. It is 4:30am. I have insomnia really bad. Any ideas to get some sleep would be appreciated. Thanks

ktym

Phyllis, hope you're hearing good news on the scans and the prednisone helps. Personally I rely on melatonin and benadryl, ambien in a pinch.  I know benadryl is discouraged on tamoxifen, but, the world is a better place if I occasionally use it to get some sleep

PLUTZ

 Well got the news from my scans. Some of the tumors have disappeared but now I have new ones. One between my heart and diaphram and one on my right lung which is why I have the shortness of breath and thats where my pneumonia was. Have an appt. Fri. and my dr. says I have to do chemo. I've been on oxygen for a week. Don't know how long I'll be doing that. It just seemed like I was finally getting better and here I go again. I'll find out more Fri. and I'll let you all know whats going on.

ktym

Keep us updated Phyllis, think of you often

jrgolomb

hello everyone---

BerkeleyKim

Hello to you Jess, and to all who still check in.

Phyllis--sending hugs and healing wishes. BC is so tricky--disappearing, showing up again. Damn disease. Hope the chemo knocks it out of the ballpark.

PLUTZ

  

Hi Ladies. Well I start chemo tomorrow. Thankyou all for the hugs and prayers. I'll  keep in touch.

jrgolomb

I will thinking of you tomorrow, Phyllis.  I hope the chemo kicks cancer's A$%$%^^!