Starting Chemo February 2009?

KerryMac

Michele and Jaimie  - thanks for the dog whisperer tricks, we will try .....

Jaimieh

Keep trying Kerry . She will get it real soon.



NOLA is scheduled for 1/26/10. Now I need to get my insurance to agree

Beverly11

Jamie - What  a long crazy number of roads you have been on for these foobs!!!

Kerry - The hair is growing fairly well.  Quite thick on top & a bit thin on the sides.  I look like David Letterman a bit I think.  I think my hair got a bit of a slower start than some but seems to doing ok now.  It appears that it will be curly.  The longest hairs are under an inch.  So, kind of slow for 5 months but coming along.  

 

Jaimieh

Michele I hope you are doing great and getting something good to eat.

MicheleS

I'm home.  Tired and woozy but home.

KerryMac

Michele - Now put your feet up and rest. Glad all went well!

Bev - I had an "Obama" look going there for a while, now it is more Halle Berry - so curly!

Jaimie - yah, new tatas for the New Year! 

Jaimieh

Michele~ Rest, Rest, Rest and when you think of getting up and doing something lay back down   Get well sweetie...

Kerry~ You saw my man hairdo.  I think I have the haircut that one of my ex- boyfriends have had....but it's hair and I will take it....:)

KerryMac

Oh, yeah, any hair is better than no hair! You are looking great, by the way! Healthy!

Artemis

LOL @ Letterman and Obama hair!  When my hair is wet, it makes me think of Christopher Walken, haha!!

Michele ~ glad you're home and that this surgery is behind you!

KerryMac

We all have celebrity hair!!

Michele - hope you stay in bed today! How is the pain? Oh, I really feel for you. Do you have many drains? Take care,  and rest up.

MicheleS

I have 1 drain. It doesn't really hurt at all. I'm uncomfortable but not in pain. My surgeon told me I could shower today so I'm going to unbandage myself after Maggie goes to preschool. I'm interested to see what it looks like. Hopefully the same as the other side! LOL!

KerryMac

I have to say, I was wondering if they "match" the scars....I am guesing it won't be as traumatic as seeing the first one. I actually think i would look better if i had matching scars, rather than a uniboob. Anyhow, glad you are not in pain, and feel OK. How is the puking??

apple

i'm sorry Michele.. i haven't been keeping up.  what was your surgery?

MicheleS

Apple~ I had a mastectomy.

Kerry~ The scar doesn't exactly match but the same amt of tissue appears to have been taken.  Soooo, the prosthesis should sit the same way on the right as it did on the left.  Seeing the new scar wasn't as bad as the 1st time.  I didn't even cry.

Jaimieh

I am glad to hear you seem to be well Michele.  How is your drains doing ??  Mine are producing practically nothing but my PS is going to make me deal with them until next Tuesday.  I hate drains......

MicheleS

I'm putting out ~80cc in 24 hrs so I still need it.  I cancelled my appt for tomorrow and moved it to Mon.  There's no way he'll pull it tomorrow and I don't feel like going over there for nothing...

Better to keep your drain too long than not long enough. You've been on the seroma route... You dn't want to go there again!

gcpommom

Michele:  glad to hear you're doing good.....I have terribly uneven scars, one goes straight across, but the tumor side slants upwards toward my neck since the tumor sat high on my breast and was close to the skin.  You can see the end of the scar if my shirt is a vneck...but that doesn't bother me. 

I have been lucky 2 times now, and managed to style my hair so it looks like a girl's cut....but it was pure luck, and I can't get it to do it very often.  If I straighten my bangs down, they are almost halfway down my forehead (I have a small forehead).  I'm hoping to have bangs by the new year (wishful thinking).  My longest hairs are over 1 1/2 - 2" now....darned curls make it look so much shorter.

Julia has a follow up appt with her doc today....they want to start using the tube...she's scared it will cause gastric pain, which she already suffers from.  Hopefully this will go well....but if the swelling doesn't go down soon, it may have to be removed.  It's been over a week now.

Jaimieh

Drains are coming out tomorrow afternoon NO MATTER WHAT.  I am a Witch because of the pain they are causing.  I drained less than 10cc on one side and about 15 on the other yesterday and today it is even less.  They are hurting the inside of my body at this point.  I feel like I am being a big baby but the incision site hurts a little but nothing like the darn drains. 

MicheleS

my surgeon said when I got to less than 50 cc in a 24 hr period, they could come out.  Last time it took 21 days to get to that point.

If you are putting out that little, Jaimie, then I agree with you: they should go.  Your risk of inf goes up the longer they are in and not "productive"

xxoo

apple

i had a drain in for five weeks..

yuk..

hope everyone feels ok in spite of things.. so many problems.

me, i'm having music problems.. no big deal.

xpectmiracles

Hugs to all my Furie Friends! I hope all the drains and tubes are behaving well ((( Michele, Jaimie, Julia)))

I discussed my increasing aching and joint pain with my oncologist. We decided to have a tamoxifen break in order to see if they are side effects of the hormone therapy. It would be good to have some pain free days! I talked to my psychiatrist as well and I increased the effexor I'm taking to help with the depression.

The good thing is I am getting my energy back. I can tell when I exercise don't get winded as easily. By the way, I'm testing for my brown sash in tai chi in the middle of the month!

KerryMac

Oh, Jaimie - hope the drains get pulled today - I think mine were pulled when I had less that 25cc's.

Michele, I hope you drain faster this time. 21 days sems like a long time. Hope you are feeling OK. So, because they didn't take any nodes, do you still have arm stiffness, etc or is that just from the node clearance?? 

Cheryl - hope you get pain free soon. I was just saying to my husband I live with constant aches and stiffness now.  He can relate because he has arthritis - it is amazing what people put up with. I would have to be seriously incapaciatated to stop the arimidex, but your risk of recurrance must be pretty low, not sure it is worth it for you if you are in so much discomfort. Hope the Effexor helps....

Well, I have my 4 year olds birthday party this Sunday. So far I have done nothing for it, so I had better get myself organised.  At least it will be easier than last years!!

Have a good day. 

KerryMac

Cheryl - brown sash! That is fabulous!! Congrats.

MicheleS

great Cheryl! 

Kerry~ My arm is fine.   I've got discomfort where they took out the port and at the drain.  My incision is still numb so no pain there!

KerryMac

So you don't have to do all the excercises and such? Am thinking that is all from the node removal?  Just thinking ahead here....

Glad that you are doing OK. 

Artemis

Jamie ~ sounds like those drains need to be out for sure! 

apple ~ I hope your music problems are just from learning new pieces and not from the stupid neuropathy.

Cheryl ~ I hope you can get some pain relief and still find a way take Tamoxifen.  Best wishes for increasing your Effexor; it can be difficult to find the right dosage for meds like that.  Good luck with your tai chi test; I don't think I knew there were levels in that!

Kerry ~ ooo, a birthday party!  Hope it goes well and that everyone has a great time.
:-)

Hugs to all,
Artemis

MicheleS

Kerry~ All of that is for the node removal (assuming that you don't have a radical mastectomy where they take muscle).  I have full range of motion in my arm.  This surgery was A LOT easier than the 1st one.

living4today

Hey Everyone,

I read your updates every day, just don't pop in with anything because I don't have much to say.  Tonight I just wanted to express my thanks to you all for your continued posts and updates, congrats to everyone who is experiencing good things and awe shucks to those who are having setbacks.  Things are going good here!  Been busy working and trying to fit in some cancer rehab programs. 

 Hope you all have a great weekend!

KerryMac

Busy today getting Jacks party ready - shoping this morning, then cooking this afternoon. Somewhere also find time to clean the house....

Michele - so glad to hear you are doing well! 

Hope everyone has a great weekend!! 

apple

gosh. i realize with Michele's surgery that most of you are on a totally different treatment schedule.

 i had my surgery Sep. of 08.   I ran into my surgeon a couple weeks ago.  I had fixed his ipod last year.  we took a few minutes and had a cup of coffee at Starbucks. (bless his cute heart -he paid for the coffee!).. i'm not quite sure why i find that funny, but i do.  i remember teasing him when he pulled the drains.. making this slurping sound ... it about gave him a heart attack.  i also remember him telling me to cover myself -  i was sitting there after an examination with my top off or down.  i asked him 'why' and he said.. well, you're cute.. 

i have this director kid .. the organ wunderkid who is leading my ensemble and doing an absolutely horrific job.  he is so un-right for the position.. so i am dealing with that.. the details of which would probably bore you.  (i don't know why Catholics must be so darn diplomatic... it would be so much easier if i could simply decree - OFF WITH HIS HEAD).

we are finally having some warm weather.  our property has a ton of trees.. there really is quite a bit of fall work to do.. pruning, sprucing, working with planting beds, leaves.  i was mowing the leaves 2 days ago and my shoulders are killing me.. darn Femara.  my boys willingly help me but it's a hassle getting them out of bed, out of their books or movies or games.

big party tonit that  i am attending - a church fundraiser.  .. wish i could drink drinks like i used to..  good thing tho, one beer is plenty.

have a great day all.  you have to hang in there.. hang in there tight.