Starting Chemo February 2009?

KathyAlex1960

Thank you all for your words.  I was told today that the Avastin could be causing the aches in the arms and thigh muscles.  Ugh.  Oh well.  I also was wondering - since I have different lengths of white hair and fuzzies on my head, should I start from scratch and shave it all off?  I look like Elmer Fudd - bald on top, and fuzzies on the back and sides.  Glad to hear Michele that the mammo is good.  I am putting off my implant on the left side until next year, after I have the right one removed.

gcpommom

Thought I'd post a couple of pics from the beach yesterday.

Me and my DD's, Julia (on left) and Michelle (on right)

Me and son, Brendan:

And one of my fav pics, my intelligent husband in his inflatable kayak (no, our son cannot go out in that thing---good call, eh?)

gcpommom

A few more pics, hope you don't mind, but I had so much fun....my first real outing this summer.

My adorable niece, Raegan:

DD Michelle, niece Laura, Pretty boy (a friend of nieces, don't know name), and niece Trina:

Tongue tattoos (fruit snacks)

MicheleS

Judy~ Love the pics.  And, I don't think you are vain for wanting boobs.  *I* want boobs too.  I think that everyone fighting BC does to some extent. I just don't have it in me to do what needs to be done to get them *right now*.  In a few yrs, maybe.

Jamie~ I'm sorry that you are still having boob issues.  Do they hurt? And the cath w/ a stent??? Ouch.  You must be superwoman!

Kathy~ I have the muscle aches too.  My onc said it is common w/ Avastin.  But, my aches seem less severe on the days wne I *do* exercise.  Go figure!

Jaimieh

Oh Michele I am not a superwoman I held my ground and I will now be out for the count.  After my last year everything that I can do not to feel pain I do it or get it done.  So I am waiting for the scheduler from He!! to call me to arrange the date.  My foobies only ache once in a while but I am still in surgical bandages so I get to see how they are healing and how to keep any infection away. 

Judy~ Your beach day looks like it was so much fun  

Kerry~ Miss you morning updates.  I hope you are having a blast. 

Off to the doctor's appt   I did have a good weekend.  We went to the beach which was a blast even though I can't do much.  It was nice to get away again.  This week my MIL is coming up which means something nasty will be said about the way I keep my house even though I can't "scrub" or clean real well yet.  Oh the fun of family........   I am thrilled to be here

Hope everyone is having a great one. 

susan13

Hey Ladies!

Just trying to catch up with everyone, but wow so many things going on, I don't think I can read it all just yet and keep it in memory!

Michele- yeah for the all clear! Wohooo!   and I hear ya on the mast. The stress isn't worth it.

Jamieh-Sorry you are having such a problem with your recon. That really sux!

Judy-Looks like you are getting on with bigger and better things. Good for you! You have a beautiful family. Keep up the fun times!

Today is exactly one year since I had the dreaded mammo... I can't believe it's been a year already!

apple

thanks for the pics Judy.. i love seeing pieces of people's lives.



school is starting finally.. my house is an absolute disaster. .. absolutely a mess. it will take months to recover from this summer piled on top of 16 months of cancer.. omg. i will relish this time to clean and organize.

living4today

Judy love the pics--they are such an encouragement.

Thanks to everyone else for advise re: shortness of breath.  I had a CBC done yesterday and onco says labs are perfect.  Her advise: you are having both breasts radiated--your body is trying to tell you it is tired!--do you think?  So with the exception of rads and work, I have informed everyone that I am once again doing house arrest!  It is taking every stubborn cell in my body to not quit rads, only 9 left to go! 

Thanks everyone!  I sure do enjoy reading the updates on everyone!

apple

Kim i enjoyed my visit to S. Dakota.. very pleasant.. Vermillion seemed to be a cross between Iowa and Minnesota in vegetation.. (I attended a marvelous, meaningful funeral).

hang in there.  9 days is less than 2 weeks.. right?

Jaimieh

Kim~ Glad to hear your counts are normal   Rest, rest, rest....

Apple~ I hear you on the mess issue.  We still have a couple of weeks until both are in school and I can't wait.  I might finally be able to get my house back in order  

Well I got my strips removed and everything looks good so far. Not much else going on besides still trying to get a surgical date for stint removal.....grrrr...

Gramof3

Living4-- I think "house rest-arrest" is a good idea.  9 more!  You can do it.

Apple,  Jaimie     Ya Hoo!

Michele  Glad for the all clear!

Kathy  ELmer Fudd, huh?  Well, you have a double here.  I've wondered, too, about just shaving it all off and starting over..did any of the Furies do that? 

Judy  Thanks for posting the pics--I am worried about your DH, though.  It looks like he's just paddling along, unaware of that boat bearing down on him!! 

Relieved to report that the neurosurgeon says my followup brain MRI is "identical" to the first...the lesion hasn't grown and he still doesn't know for sure what it is--may or may not be a tumor.  So, I'll go back in 3 months unless something "unsual" happens...

To all Furies who invited me to be friends on FB--Thanks.  I still don't know what I'm doing...what is sending a "butterfly?"

gcpommom

Glad you all enjoyed the pics, I really did have a good time, I'm glad I went (almost talked myself out of it....I'm good at that lately).  We stayed at the beach until 6pm, then raced home, unloaded everything, loaded up the band equipment, took quick showers and were at a party (with the band playing) by 7:30.  DS ended up with a migraine, so I left early and took him home.  Too much in one day!

Helen:  DH saw the boat coming at him, but luckily, it turned and he's fine.  I still find that pic hilarious, though.  I haven't done much on FB either as far as the games and such....people send me things (what the heck is farkle???) but I haven't had time to figure any of it out either...in addition to coming here, and FB, I am also a member on 2 mosaic boards, and simply cannot keep up with it all.  I come here most.

Jaimie:  glad things are looking good so far

Kim:  only 9 more, that will go by sooo quickly!

I know this sounds pathetic, but I just took a bike ride with DH, first time for any 'exercise'.....we took it easy until I see how I feel tomorrow....but it was really relaxing and I enjoyed it alot.  I still have so much pain, I didn't want to overdo.  I feel silly because I know some of you are walking like miles....with my asthma, biking is so much better, because I can coast when I get winded.  Oh well, it's a start!

Hugs

Judy

apple

good morning.  (where is KerryMac?.. the first to post everymorning).

the kids are IN school (except for son #2 who is enjoying a week in the mountains of Colorado - courtesy of a Burn foundation)  they fly him out there every year for fishing, horseback riding, hiking and crafts.  It messes up the beginning of school for him quite a lot but is too much of an opportunity to skip.

I am cleaning and my hair is growing finally.. like hardly any scalp shows.   maybe in a month i'll have lashes and brows that you can see.  Who knows?  that femara is kind of hard on one's hair.

Jaimieh

Apple, Kerry our early bird is on vacation   Wow your school started this week we don't start until next week. 

Speaking of school starting I am officially out of it I didn't think that school started until Tuesday and I was shocked to find out it starts Monday Morning   Which means early waking time for me now.

living4today

My DD started school all ready this past Monday and starting tomorrow has early volleyball practice...7am.  It will work out great though as my rads are at 730, so I can drop her off and go get zapped!  Machine was broke (again) this morning, so DD and I treated ourselves to a cup of chia and than went to school/work.  Lucky machine was able to be fixed and I went to get zapped at 10, now working from home the rest of the day. 

Hope you all are having a great day!

gcpommom

Here in Michigan we don't start school until Sept. 10th ...our district always started on the thursday after Labor Day, but a couple of years ago, the entire state of MI went back to starting school after Labor Day to promote tourism over the holiday weekend (most districts start on tues after labor day). Going 'up north' is what most Michiganders consider a vacation, and by starting school late, many families squeeze in that last 'vacation' around the Labor Day weekend.
It's fine by me, it's how it's always been in our city, and I love the late start date (and am not looking forward to getting up early again, since I'm a night owl). It also gives me a couple extra weeks before subbing starts!

I just found this pic of me from 2004....I'm with our local weatherman, Chuck Gaidica....my sister won a contest and Channel 4 send food for a block party and broadcast live....I kept walking so that I would be behind him and be on TV, I was such a geek!

apple

now that is BLOND hair. - it's really gorgeous

Jaimieh

All right my happy of the day:

My Aunt is coming over to clean my house  

Pissed off moment of the day:

The surgical coordinator for my kidney doctor took it upon herself to schedule my surgery for 50 days instead of 30 and at a different hospital without every talking to me about it.  Can you tell who is getting a new doctor I am DONE with the service or lack of service they provide.  Honestly I am a patient person but she has blown every ounce of patience that I have.  I have said mutliple bad words about her. 

gcpommom

Jaimie: I would switch, too...they sound terrible! How nice of your aunt to come clean for you, yay!



Apple: that is the blondest I had ever dyed my hair....my natural color was more of medium blonde....I didn't really like it that light, and went back to a darker blonde after a while.



I am in the ER again with Julia, after being here last night for something totally unrelated....she really scared me....she is having very, very severe pain in her right abdomen....never had it before, she can't move....we carried her to the car and here we sit, waiting for someone to give her pain/nausea meds. It could be anything...appendix, liver, gallbladder....I'm really worried, since this is new for her.



I'm off to find her nurse

Judy

Jaimieh

((bighugs)) for you Judy and Julia.  I hope they figure out what is going on with your baby . 

Bethie1

Here's my hair I've been yapping about!!! Love the pics Judy!!!!

Jamieh--Hope you're well!!!!

living4today

Judy so sorry to hear about Julia...hope she is doing much better!

Jaimieh how cool for someone to clean your house! 

Bethie love the hair and it looks like you are eating something really yummy!

Only 7 more days of rads...I can hardly wait.  The machine has been having issues several times this week causing my times to be altered.  Well, today after treatment, the center gave me a card with a gift card in it for my inconvenience.  I thought that was a very nice jesture on their part.  I truely have been blessed with a great medical team.

Hope everyone else is doing great!

apple

Judy - some night time prayers for Julia and you.



gnite

Gramof3

Judy,  Hugs and prayers for you and for Julia.  I don't know what a "farkle" is either!  

Living 4,   Only 7 more!  Ya Hoo!

Apple,  I think it's great that your son is having an out-of-classroom experience!  Hope he's having a wonderful time.

Kerry,  Hope your vacation is going great...although I'm a bit jaded about camping...just drop me off at the nearest Super 8.

Jaimieh,  There are better doctors out there.  I think you've been treated very poorly...hope you let hospital administrator(s) know what's been going on. 

I go for my "post chemo" appt. with the onc tomorrow morning.  I have a list of about 10 questions and I still don't know what it means to have my "tumor markers pulled."  Anyone know?  I was supposed to start rads the 24th--had my simulation on MOnday, but haven't heard back as to when I'm to get my tatoo.  I called this afternoon and the tech told me that the dr. hadn't finished my rads plan yet.....doesn't make me really comfortable.  Oh well. 

Take care Furies (Bethie, love your hair!!).  Helen

xpectmiracles

Bethie, it's great to have hair, isn't it? You look great! (but what the heck are you holding in that picture? lol)

apple

i'm guessing it's an umbrella

goodmorning everyone.. i am sore - having done the super mowing yesterday.. omg  today i am playing secretary - 2 proposals and 1 huge transcription..

It will be good to sit.

Jaimieh

Thanks for all the good wishes.  I am working on getting a new doctor today well as best as I can my cell phone fell apart yesterday.  I opened it up and it came apart in 2 pieces so now I have to go have a talk with verizon and try to get a new phone.  It's always something but at least I am feeling decent.  I gotta get a new picture up this week with my new dooo.  I look like the gerber baby with the hair all meeting in the middle. 

Apple~ Glad to hear you are sitting down some. 

Bethie~ I was wondering what it was also ??

Helen~ Apparently your body makes certain chemicals or hormone's when you have cancer in your body that can be detected during a blood draw (hence the name pulling your markers).  Someone else please correct me if I am wrong but that is how I understand it. 

Kim~ whooo for only 7 more to go.  I have to say the GC was extremely nice.

Bethie1

Hey gang!!  I'm eating a fudgsicle in the pic!!! I should put up another pic of my hair

Gramof3

Jaimieh--Thanks for the info.  I know that my onc doesn't order scans--told me a while back that the blood work would indicate any recurrence and would be just as accurate.  I just didn't connect that with "pulling the tumor markers."  Now I got it. 

gcpommom

Everyone:  thanks for the wishes for Julia....she is much better today, but we never did find out what was causing the pain....her liver is inflamed, so it could be that I guess.

Kim:  they need to fix that durn machine, so you can finish!  but it was nice of them to give you a gift card....that's always fun, spending someone else's money!  Only 7 more (or is it 6 now??)

bethie:  you look great, good job getting the pic up there

Jaimie:  Yes!!!  We want to see your hair!

I'm not sure if my onc is checking tumor markers, either....I should ask, because I know he won't volunteer the info!  I have my son's birthday party tomorrow, but with the hospital visits this week, I am sooo behind in getting prepared for it.  Still have to bake a cake, figure out what we're gonna feed everyone, and buy his present (his fault...I've been asking for a list for weeks now, he does this to me every year).

Hugs

Judy