Starting chemo January 2009?

PLUTZ

Hi ladies! Well finally got my drains out today but I still have fluids. Have to go in next Mon. to be drained. Fee pretty good except my arm is really bothering me and my drs. nurse told me I will have to see a physical therapist because the exercises aren't working for me. Its really hard to do. I will be leaving for W.V tomorrow to visit my sister whom I haven't seen since Christmas. I hope all of you have a great weekend and I will catch up when I get back.

holtbolt

Hey Jewels..

Just checking in/trying to catch up.... Plutz, congrats on getting the drains out... I too had to go to a PT to get my range of motion back... it actually was the most pleasant part of all this treatment stuff...

Lisa, hope you are recovering well... so sorry about your friend.

Jess.... that is a good reason for new carpet! lol

Jilly.. have fun on vacation!

Misty... hoping Malcolm doesn't wait too long ... sending good thoughts...

I think I'm going to fast forward ovarian removal here... working on that.... MRI tomorrow on my back to see why it hurts all the time (xray came back clear but slight spine curvature)... other than that... feel great.. hair is filling in.... hope you all are doing well this week!!

holtbolt

Hey Jewels..

Just checking in/trying to catch up.... Plutz, congrats on getting the drains out... I too had to go to a PT to get my range of motion back... it actually was the most pleasant part of all this treatment stuff...

Lisa, hope you are recovering well... so sorry about your friend.

BrendafromFL - good to hear from you!

Jess.... that is a good reason for new carpet! lol

Jilly.. have fun on vacation!

Misty... hoping Malcolm doesn't wait too long ... sending good thoughts...

I think I'm going to fast forward ovarian removal here... working on that.... MRI tomorrow on my back to see why it hurts all the time (xray came back clear but slight spine curvature)... other than that... feel great.. hair is filling in.... hope you are all doing well this week!!

ladyjane54

Hi everyone:  Busy, Busy, Busy is the word and school hasn't even started yet.  Love having the dd, son-in-law and grandbaby around but it does eat up my what use to be spare time. 

Hope your surgery went well Lisa.

Sorry about the skunk Jess that must of been horrid.

Phyllis:  Glad the drain is out.

 I have had 19 of 33 rads.  DD and I walk for 40 or so minutes at mall before I head over for treatment so having to go every day has not been as horrible as I thought it would be.

 Got good news from genetic testing in that I have no BRAC 1 or 2 mutations!!!!  Very happy to hear that.  Of course the disclaimer they give you about it not being 100% guarantee that it won't come back left me a tad down.

Gotta go.  Babysitting and she has decided she needs me.

Love to you all

Patti

jrgolomb

Hey all.  Well, I cleaned the carpet and it looks pretty good.  Darn....no new carpet!  Oh well.  All is well today.  Trying to figure out when I can get away for a couple of days, but dd and driving....it will all work out.  

YearoftheHat

Hi Jewels.  Just thought I'd stop by and say hello.  It turns out the new normal is a lot like the old normal.  Things are dull again - woo hoo!  I'm working full-time and taking care of everyday things.  It's really still a thrill just to feel well. 

Phyllis - I'm sorry to hear about your pain but there is so much time for you to improve.  I would think it has to get better.  Hope you are having sa nice visit. 

Misty - thanks for staying in touch.  It's such sad news that Malcolm is facing another wait.  You have both been through so much and I am amazed at your positive tone.  I am thinking of you both.  

Patti - congratulations.  I too was happy to hear they detected no BRCA 1 or 2 mutations for me so I know what you mean.  It's one less thing to worry about. In my case, I would have opted for more surgery if I were positive and was glad not to feel compelled do go under the knife again. 

Jess - Glad to hear things are going well.  I had a good day too.  Thank goodness for it.  

Jilly - enjoy Scotland.  I had a fascination for Mary Queen of Scots for a bit.  There is a very engaging biography of her life that I reread a few times and I always wanted to go there.    

Holtbolt - I hope you get some useful results from your scan today.  

Lisa - I am thinking of you too and hope you are feeling a little better every day.  Give yourself a pat on the back for facing the surgery with such a great attitude.  

I saw an old friend today.  I find it takes a while for people to realize it's me if I haven't seen them since bc treatments.  We hugged and exchanged numbers when she figured out who I am!

We change and the young people are looking so much younger all the time. 

It's a beautiful day here and I went out and enjoyed the fresh air.  I think I'll turn in early so I can get up and exercise tomorrow morning.  

It's nice to 'see' you all again. 

Alo123

Aloha girls!

I hope everyone is doing well.  I have been so busy with vacation and getting kids back to school that I have not had much time to spend on the computer.  It's a far cry from a few months ago when all I did was lay around waiting for a new post to read.  What a difference a few months can make.  

How is everyone's hair doing.  I have a bit of an afro!  It's so curly.....I finally figures out how to keep it from being a big frizz ball....I have to load it up with Paul Mitchell dry wax.....and it look better....how about anyone else...any great hair ideas to recommend. 

I hope everyone is doing well!

lisalisa

hi all!

i had my hyserectomy on monday.  i came home from the hospital yesterday.  i'm still on painkillers but the recovery for this is so much easier than my mastectomy w/recon.

the only wierd thing is that i'm so bloated!  taking lots of pills for gas.

will check back in a few days!
 

ktym

Patti: congrats

Jess: had to laugh, but sorry about no new carpeting

YOTH: me too.  People walk right by me in the hallway because they don't recognize me

Alo: I'll try that, right now I'm just plain lookin like a poodle

Lisa: happy to hear things went well.  Baby and be kind to yourself, that's still a lot of surgery so soon after everything else.

I tell you, my myopathy is slowly getting better, and I'm learning how to compensate for the neuropathy, but getting so tired of my feet hurting all the time.  Plus, the fatigue is the same.  That's what I have a hard time getting across to people. Parts of me are getting better, but the fatigure is the same as if I'm still going through it. Sure makes getting a normal life back in a struggle.  I'll take today over a few months ago anyday though. 

Had the wierdest thing happen this week.  DH mentioned a food I ate a lot during chemo but not before or since. He mentioned it and I pictured it in my head and just started gagging.  Guess some memories will be hard to bury.

Oh well, at least the sun is shining today, time to get off to work...hope you all have a great day

jrgolomb

Yeah, the story about the 7 lb"viscious critter" chasing down our 40 lb lab is funny.  It actually has been quite hilarious throughout the whole ordeal.  I gotta admit though, I am still easily stressed so I probably didn't help the situation when my duaghter called.  She at this point is not laughing at "it" yet.  Good thing the house doesn't smell anymore.

Renrel

I saw my gyn today for a overdue pap and birth control consultation.  My last pap was in 2007, I somehow forgot to take care of it in 2008.  Wonder why?  But now that I am a cancer survivor my test results automaticaly are reviewed by my doctor instead of a clinician.  Normally 20% of the normal tests are reviewed as a control, but us cancer survivors get special treatment. 

 I decided to go with the IUD and take care of while in the office so that it would be in place for our vacation.  OUCH!  It really hurt. It was interesting that my gyn/ob said that he did not think having another child was completely out of the question, just not very easy.  He seemed to think I should ask my Onc what he would say if I said I we wanted to try to get pg.  Somehow I don't think getting pumped on hormones to get pg is a good idea for me.  I have to say thought that did not feel completely comfortable about getting the IUD.  Rationally it makes sense but my gut was not happy about it.  Maybe its just my denial about not having any more babies.  I like have sex with the possiblity of having a baby, even if the possibiity is very very small.

 Ok I need to get some things done around here before DH gets home.  Hope you are all well.

Renrel 

Hawaii808

Hi Jewels

I'm recuperating from my lumpectomy and SNB.  Unfortunately, my BS found a lot of cancer cells in the tissue she took out and now recommends tha I have a mastectomy.  So, next Tuesday I will go in for a simple mastectomy.  The good news is that my lymph nodes were negative.  I had chemo prior to surgery and the ultrasound and mammogram post-chemo showed no or very little signs of the tumor.  However, when they went in, the tumor was still quite large.  I have invasive lobular carcinoma so I think the mass shrank quite a bit but there's still a lot of "tails" left.  This ILC is very sneaky.

I was very depressed to find out that there was so many cancer cells left and that I had to have a mastectomy but then that the aim is to get rid of the cancer, right?  Anyway, I can always have reconstruction later.

For those of you that had a mastectomy, can you tell how it went?  Pain...recovery...drains...  I already had a SNB so won't need to do that again and I won't have reconstruction at this time.  I'm feeling anxious about this surgery but I also want to get it done and move on to the next phase (radiation).

holtbolt

Hawaii808 - so sorry to hear about the news.... but it's mixed news.. I know you are disappointed but your nodes were clear () and if you can get through chemo, you can get through this surgery.  I had a bilat and truthfully, looking back, it is not as painful as I had envisioned.  YES, the aim is to get rid of cancer.. and if a mast is what it's going to take.. you will do it and move on... our thoughts and prayers will be with you Tuesday....

ktym

Hawaii808: Ya hoo for the good news on your lymph nodes. I had an expander in at my mastectomy and went home after a couple of hours in the recovery room.  I had one drain which DH took care of without any problems.  The worst thing about the whole experience was my PS didn't let me shower until the drain was out (took about a week).  I was back to walking on the treadmill day 3  because walking was all PS would let me do for a month.  I took it easy the first couple of days but after that was walking and slowly increasing my activities. I would recommend buying milk in 1/2 gallon jugs so it is less weight and easier to pour.  Wish I had taken the drawers out of my dresser ahead of time.  They are heavy and about killed me opening them the first time to get things out.  Left them open the first couple of weeks. Do you have help at home?  Things like laundry baskets up and down the stairs, carrying garbage, groceries, heavy pots and pans etc you're not going to want to do the first few weeks.  I think the hard part of a mastectomy is the emotions, physically it wasn't bad at all, emotionally, not sure I've recovered yet.

lisalisa

Hawaii808 - I'm so sorry that there was more cancer than expected but it's GREAT news that it didn't go to your nodes.

IMO, you've been thru the toughtest part (physically) already.  Surgery/mastectomy is not really painful, or at least it wasn't for me.  I had a lumpectomy first and then a mastectomy with DIEP reconstruction.  Both times, I had lymph nodes removed.  Both times, the node removal hurt so much more than the breasts!  really!!!! 

Like others have suggested, make things easy for yourself when you get home.  Have clothes laid out to wear (you won't want to reach into your closet). Leave a few dishes, glasses, out in the kitchen.....again no stretching.  Stock up on groceries.  Catch up on laundry.  You'll be fine....REALLY!

kmmd - LOVE your new avatar!!!  where did you get it?  i want to copy it if you don't mind.  i just secured the domain name HowToFightLikeAGirl.org    I'm going to put together a website to help those newly diagnosed.

For me, it's day 5 after my hsyto and I'm doing well!  I'm off the vicodin and just taking motrin here and there.  I'm so relieved that the worst of my recovery is over!!!!  I'm still taking it easy and can't drive for 2 weeks and can't lift anything over 5 lbs.  Yesterday, I walked a very slow mile....but I did it.  I plan to do the same today.  It's hard to sit all day and do nothing!

Lisa

ktym

Lisa : you're more then welcome to share and copy.  Happy you're recuperating well.

Hawaii: forgot one other thing.  Get some loose clothes, maybe even a size too big. The first few days of pulling pants up and down can be sore on the arm, so the looser and easier the better 

jrgolomb

Hawaii--all the above---very good advice.  My ps had me moving my arm right away. I did slow yoga like stretches,deep breathing actions and  moved what I could when the arm hurt too much.  I did find if I sat still too much and didn't attempt to move around, the muscles would lock up and pain lasted longer. 

I was also happy to have big loose button up shirts pains with fairly big pockets in them.  I wore the shirts and put the drain bulb in my pocket.  There are great mastectomy products you can buy to carry the bulbs in, but I found loose fitting pants the best for me. 

kt57

Hi Jewels: 

Happy August -- seemed light years away when we started in January.  We have all endured alot.

My oophorectomy is scheduled for the end of the month.  will be good to have that behind me.  Arimidex and ibandronate trial medications are going OK -- some joint soreness.  i have also developed a trigger finger  -  not sure if that is a med SE. Energy is better for the most part, but every now and then I feel overwhelmingly exhausted.  Sleep is interrupted by hot flashes.  I guess this is all the new "normal" and seems to get more tolerable over time.   

I have changed my diet - mostly fruits and veggies, whole grains and lean proteins. Have weaned myself off caffeine.  Diet coke (caffeine free) is now a rare treat.  Exercise tolerance is increasing - golfed 18 holes for the first time this summer.   My radiated side is a little tight and the other port side is a little tender yet --- so my swing has slowed down and i can't add much "oomph" -- which has actually improved my game -- go figure!   a positive SE of bc.  Next week we go to Chaska MN for the PGA Championship.  It will be fun to watch the pros golf.   Will tip my pink hat to Phil Mickelson -- both his wife and mother have recently been diagnosed with bc.  

Also I treated myself to new living room furniture -- the "chemo couch" is gone!    kmmd: have some gaggy food memories too.

Hawaii808: Sorry about your news.   Will be sending prayers and good thoughts your way on Tuesday.

Hang in there Jewels -- healing takes time.

Hawaii808

Hi everyone,

Thank so much for all the great advice and encouragement.  I'm a little less nervous now knowing that so many of you have gone thru this and have come out on the other side.  It's so great to be able to discuss these issues on this board.  I'm so glad I found this back in December.  Although I haven't always posted, I always read all of your posts and have been amazed at everyone's strength and will.

 Lisalisa - So glad to hear that you're recovering well.

 kt57 - So you golf game improved?  Maybe this will also help my game although i really didn't have much of a game before.  LOL.

sweeeeetpam

Hi everyone,

                There seems to be lots of new names, and some of the old ones, sounds like you all are doing well. I feel a little sad that once we are done with our treatment we all sorta go on our own way.

             I did not have the brac test and it was never offered to me even thou I am 56 I have a 19 year old daughter to worry about. My 3 month blood test was OK, now I have to wait until until dec for the next one, remeber I said NO to rads............hope that was a good choice, but I was told only 10 percent chance of it coming back????

             we are with a new insurance Cigna may call and see if the will cover the blood test!!

                          Hope most of you are at the end of your journey!!! Thank you for all of the surpport you saved my life>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Pamela 

Renrel

Hawaii808 - Sorry about needing surgury but as everyone said no nodes is great!  I had a bilat with expander.  The recovery was pretty easy. I stayed in the hospital 2-3 days but they would have let me out earlier. I chose to stay and let my family get things ready at home.  I was off pain meds pretty quickly.  Having to sleep on my back was hard.  A friend lent me foam forms in wedge shape that I put under my back and legs.  It helped keep me on my back and the angle probably helped with drainage.  I was told not to lift over my head for I think 3 weeks and I was not to lift more than the weigh of a quart of milk for 6 weeks.  It is a good idea to have shirts that zip or button up the front since you can't raise your arms over your head to get into other clothing.  I also got camies rat Costco that I could step into and still wear them all the time.  I got muscle relaxant to help me sleep.  The PS thought that muscle spasms might be what was waking me up at night.  That most of what I remember from my surgury.  My PS is very conservative about what you are allowed to do after surgury.  She scolded me for my handbag being to heavy and when she thought I was back at work since I had my ID on me.  

 DH and I are working on getting our Mojo back. I got an IUD on Thursday, so spontanity is now possible.  I have mixed feelings about it.  I know I should not get pg but I still want to so taking such an absolute precaution bothers me on an emotional level. But rationally it is great to have a form of birth control that is non-hormonal, requires no effort after placement, is very reliable and can be removed as soon as I want to be done with it.  

We saw UP! last night and really enjoyed it. Today I took Gabe on a playground playdate with a child he will be in school with next year.  A chance to make a new friend one on one before school starts.  It took an hour for them to warm up to each other but after that they were doing well.  Tomorrow we leave on family vacation so I will not be on the boards much.  8 days in New Hampshire around Storyland which everyone raves about.  It should be alot of fun.

 I am still doing the Reiki.  It seems to help DH sleep at night and a few friends who are dealing with different stages of canser said it made them feel better as well.  Relaxed.  It is less easy to feel the effects on myself but I think I feel better when I do it for other people.  I have been reading alot about it trying to understand more of the theory behind energy work.  We had friends over the other night and she was telling me how she does not believe in this kind of stuff but that she knows it does work.  A healer in a neighboring town cured her addition to nicotine by just placing his hands in her aura.  And she went to see him in complete disbelief.  She had a pack of cigeretts with her to smoke when she left the appointment.  She has not smoked since her appointment, years ago.  She took her mother to see him due to lymodema (sp) he placed his hands on her arm and shoulder and the sleve she was wearing that had flesh pushing out the ends just fell off because her arm shrunk down immediately.   This man appearantly had a great deal of pain at times in his life and will do his best to heal anyone of pain for no charge.  I would live to meet him just to learn about the type of energy work he does.  

My hair is getting very thick and I need to shave every where I used too, which sucks, but I guess it is normal which is good.  My nails are getting better but are still not good.  My eyelashes are growing in, so they are reasonably thick but short.  We will see if they fall out again. I think there was something else I wanted to share but I forgot what.  

Have a good week!

Renrel 

misty123

hawaii808- You will do fine with your mast, look at it as a blessing in so many ways....one being that they will catch all the little cancer critters and get them out of you, It really cuts down on the worrying as to whether the got it all with a lumpectomy...good luck and healing to all my fellow sisters.

holtbolt

Crap!

Nothing is ever black and white...

After 3 months of Lupron injections, two blood tests confirm I'm still NOT in complete menopause.  So, the Arimidex I've been taking for months hasn't been doing squat!  Onc told me to stop taking it because I've been getting all the SE's and none of the benefits!! .Fast forwarding ovarian removal... and I mean... AS SOON as they can prepare the table!! KT57, I may just beat you to it!!  And, that is funny about the "chemo couch".. I have "chemo sheets" that I refuse to use on my bed now.. lol

FYI, if anyone is in my same situation - i.e., getting Lupron to shut down ovaries... please ask them to do a blood test to confirm you are in complete menopause.... Oh well.. whatever..!!  I must have raging estrogen... first Tamoxifin failed me, now Lupron failed me? 

The good news is... my back MRI is back.. the pain is not being caused by cancer thank Goodness.. but I have a herniated disk and slight scoliosis... OMG... relief and pissed off at the same time! lol

On a brighter note.. just got back from Indianapolis Colts Training Camp and it was FUN!! 

ladyjane54

Hi Everyone:  Been reading posts but finding it harder and harder to find the time to post.  DD and baby in house keep me busy.  School will be starting soon and I am not ready.  I was really hoping to have accomplished more this summer.  Oh well it is what it is.

Have finished 21 of 33 rads and will be glad when it is done.  I will end up having 3 treatment after school starts which I was hoping to avoid but vacation on my part and machine problems on the hospitals part have delayed me.

Glad to hear you are all doing well.

Holtbolt:  so sorry to hear about your raging estrogen and surgery in your future.  

Lisa: Glad to hear you are doing well.

Patti 

misty123

holtbolt - sorry that you are taking meds and not benefiting from it, hope the surgery is soon and you have quick healing, good luck sister.

jrgolomb

Sorry Holtbolt about the estrogen still looming its head.  Even as I type, I am experiencing a hot flash.  I have about 5 or 6 a day and about two or three a night.  I also experiencing a racing heart and on top of the chemo brain, a feeling of disorientation.  Gosh, it gets worse with the tamoxifen?

lisalisa

Holtbolt - ugh.  i'm so sorry.  what a bummer.  i'm staring arimidex TONIGHT since i do know the estrogen is gone.  so glad i had my hysto to know for sure.  truly, the surgey is NOT BAD!  laproscopic is the way to go!  hope you can get scheduled ASAP!

lisalisa

meant to say, today is one week since my surgery.  they say you need 6 weeks recovery.  i feel GREAT today.  other than one of those steri strip things is hurting my belly skin LOL!

i still won't lift more than 5 lbs for 5 more weeks.  can't drive for one more week.  i've been walking ALOT!

lisalisa

I need your VOTE/COMMENT to win a contest.   This is for a $6,000 branding/website package.  I want to win this and launch HowToFightLikeAGirl.org   Person with the most votes wins!  and I want to build a website for newly diagnosed breast cancer patients....with all kinds of resources to help them! 
go to http://www.ebsiwebsites.com/_blog/EBSI_Main_Blog/   you'll see my name (Lisa Mittleman) and a hawaiin sunset photo.  you don't even have to watch the montage.  just click on the "comments" section below my name.....and leave a quick comment about why I should win.   THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lisa

holtbolt

Done!! Good luck Lisa!!