Starting Chemo February 2009?

apple

a fun bittersweet time.. way to go Rosa.  I've been following your saga and wish you the best.

My sister came thru her surgery with flying colors.  the tumor was hanging on the side of her liver and the surgeon just snipped it off and sewed her back up.. He was ecstatic.  and we are elated and surprised.

MicheleS

great news Apple and Kerry!!

{{{Rosa}}} I remember getting my head shaved too... It is something you'll never forget.  But, it grows back.  more {{{{hugs}}}}

Jaimieh

((Rosa))~ I remember the shaving all to well....me crying because I really loved my hair then I was yelling at my DH for pulling the clippers thru my hair and hurting me.  It was a mess...lol....  It is funny now.....

Apple~ thrilled that your sisters surgery was easier than the doctor thought.  Tons of thoughts and prayers that things keep going in this direction. 

apple

Happy Easter everyone.. (happy Seder too)

KerryMac

Happy Easter from me too.

This year sure beats last year, that's for sure.....

Jaimieh

Happy Easter . I agree that this year sure is better. Last year on Good Friday I was so sick and my centers phone was no working. I thought DH was going to kill the on call doctor. Much,much better this year.



We are on our way home only 7 more hours to go and the Easter Bunny has already been to our house

xpectmiracles

Happy easter everyone! Remember last year I painted my head as an easter egg? This year I am not planning anything special. I need to work. Those of you with young children and grandchildren make wonderful memories!

MicheleS

LOL Cheryl! I *do* remember! Happy Easter everyone!

apple

i thought it was supposed to be an Arabic hat.

Bethie1

How was everyone's Easter?  Mine was great--at my sister's house.  She is the one who took care of me.. She's so cool and so much fun.  She does Easter clues every year that lead our baskets.  Is that totally cool and fun or what???!!!!! 

Hey Apple-- Hope you're doing OK, our prayers are with you sister!!

Helen and Judy --I know what you mean about BCO dropout--I wasn't in denial that it happened, but I got to a point where it was time to move on, and I thought that meant moving on from this forum too.  Judy-- The port never really bothered me unless I had to scratch myself there, but if I left it alone, it never hurt--it sometimes pulled or tugged so to speak when I'd have to scratch there.

Kerry--  That's a great idea!!! We all come and visit Jamieh!!! 

Cheryl-- When did Rosa get BC????  Is she your sister or girlfriend?  Our prayers are with her as well!!!!

I'm still doing great with the port out.  Stitches will dissolve, and I can't get incision wet so no shower til Wednesday! That sucks!!!

Nancyb7912

Finally have the appointment for my next CT scan.  April 13. If the lymph node has shrunk I'm off the hook and finishing up the Herceptin April 23. If not, I'm in surgery for a biopsy of the lymph node. I just want to know what to plan for. I was really beginning to enjoy that part of life that was missing for the past year - making plans.

Thanks for listening and hope everyone had an enjoyable Easter, today. 

sea_of_luck

Bethie1- It's not breast cancer. It's ovarian cancer.

apple

my sis is fine Bethie.. a huge operation turned into a small one.  Bad news is that she's the patient from HEdouble hockeysticks - she complains more than anyone I know.. and the nurse won't respond to her beeping.

We had a great Easter with my 2 families over.  I quit my music job temporarily to devote my time to moving.  I'm getting my hair cut this morning.

greetings and blessings to all.

xpectmiracles

Apple, I've dealt with many patients from HE-double-hockey-sticks! I feel for those nurses! Lol I am so glad the surgery found the situation less severe than.originally thought.

Nancy, you are in my prayers.

living4today

Nancy,

I can only imagine how hard the waiting is...you are in my prayers!  How quick are they about getting you the results?  I have a friend who was recently dx with colon cancer, on ct they found a spot on her liver...well,  she had a PET scan last Tuesday and liver biopsy last Thursday and they are making her wait for results until this Thursday--truth be told, I think that making anyone wait that long for results is cruel! 

Praying for B9

Bethie1

Oh Apple--that's awesome your sister is OK, prayer helps!!!! We're here for you.

living4today--I pray that your benign also!!! Waiting for my PET scan was just as nerve racking as hearing I had BC---but we kicked butt, RIGHT SISTERS????!!!! GIRLS RULE!!!!

Let's have some fun this year!!!

xpectmiracles

I am scared and know this is the place to talk about it. I have been having intermittent cervical bleeding since starting on femara. It is a clear mucousy discharge with a pink/red tinge. The first time it happened was when DH and I were having sex. (sorry Rosa, probably too much information!) It was painful and I saw the mucus later.Today I noticed the same discharge but have not fooled around  in a while. I called my onc and was told to make an appointment with  my gynecologist. I have an appointment on Friday. Vaginal bleeding is a rare side effect of femara; but it is a symptom of all kinds of other nasty stuff like cervical/uterine cancer. Of course that is where my mind goes and I get all nervous.

MicheleS

it is also a sign of being peri/post-menopausal.  but, yes, I understand why you are worried.  I worry non-stop. 

Jaimieh

Cheryl~ I hope that they figure out that it is nothing. 

Michele~ Canitis sucks big time.  Add me to the list....so far it's automatic......headache=brain mets, back pain= bone mets or if it is on the right side= liver mets, eye issue= eye mets......and the list goes on.......It doesn't matter if my car is green, I have not been drinking my water (causes kidney pain)......it just never ends.....I miss the old carefree me...  I hope she comes back or at least sends a new version soon....

Well we have had 2 record breaking days of heat.  We were at 94 today....  I think Maryland is just going from one extreme to the next. 

Bethie1

Cheryl-- hope everything gets resolved soon!! I had irregular periods, but not cervical bleeding.  I'm doing good so far on Tamoxifen.   Thank God, and hope you get better soon

Jamieh--94!!! We had heat up here in Albany, but only in the 80's!! I bet it's humid too!!!

Well, I need some zzzz---alarm clock comes arund too early lately!!!

KerryMac

Add me to the list, I worry constantly too. A few weeks ago I was out walking in the morning (still dark), and I saw a big fuzzy blotch in my eye, my heart literally stopped, I thought oh no, it's in my brain....it was a bit of fluff from my hat hanging down. I tell you, it is crazy making.

Cheryl - I am sure it is just something minor, if it happened after sex maybe you were just a bit vigourous ?? The only thing I would be sure of is that you wrere actually post-menopausal before starting Femara. My Onc wouldn't give me an AI even with me being in Chemopause, while I still had Ovaries, she said the AI can in some cases overstimulate the Ovaries, leading to an increase in Estrogen production, not a good thing for us who are ER+. So, that is one thing I would raise with your Gyn. Good thoughts for tomorrow.

I'm having a mammo tomorow. Yikes. Not overly concerned (had clean U/S in Dec) but I hate scans, and hospitals. Ugg. 

Jaimieh

((Bighugs)) Kerry.....Just waned to post to let you know that I will be thinking of you tomorrow....

Had to go today and get my port flushed for the last time.  I am so grateful that I had this little device but it's time is limited....I am ready for my baby port to go.  I also used it for the last time to give blood.  So all of my "stuff" is done for test for stage 2 and hopefully everything will be okay. 

KerryMac

Thanks Jaimie - just off now. Don't want to go, but once it's done, it;s out of the way, right!

apple

Cheryl.. good luck  'since starting on Femara' is a big good flag.  Things should be ok.

KerryMac

I'm all done, the tech was lovely, didin't see anything to be concerned about. So that is one lesss thing to worry about for a while.

xpectmiracles

Kerry, that's great news!  I know it was good to get the all-clear!I will be seeing my midwife at 2 p'm. It probably is a normal postmenopausal discharge that I am having; but I want to her it from her.

living4today

Cheryl,

 Thinking of you...as I too recently and continue to go through the same thing.  In January my labs showed menopause.  However I have had vaginal spotting/bleeding (depending on the day) 18 of the last 24 days.  Last weekend was the worse and almost had to have a d & c...thankfully my hemoglobin stayed steady.  I am not on tamoxifen/femera or anything else as my bc was e -, so basically they don't know what to do with me.  I'm not too worried about cancer in that neck of the woods as I had a laproscopy in Jan and endometrial biopsy which was good.  They offered hysterectomy, but I don't know about you gals, I am so sick and tired of surgerys and doctors, that I pleaded we just wait and see.  It is a bit frustrating on the lack of education that is available for us who were premenopausal prior to chemo...

xpectmiracles

L4T, thanks for sharing about your experience. My midwife said my vaginal and cervical tissue look menopausal and since I haven't had a period since January 2009 I am definately so.There are no signs of infection; yet my vaginal pH is not very acidic. She recommended something over the counter to help with that. Since it is not uncommon for menopausal women to have less lubrication; that is most likely why I had the bloody discharge. She also recommended a good lubrication product for me and encouraged me to keep having sex with DH. "Use it or lose it!", she said; meaning "using" the vagina will keep the tissues healthy. You heard it girls! Grab your hubbies and get busy!

The midwife also said we should rule out other causes of the bleeding; so next week I will have an ultrasound done. I feel much better after talking with her today.

Hugs to all furies!

KerryMac

Cheryl - glad to hear there is nothing worrying going on. That "use it or lose it' will make Angus' day1 he he.

Well, I have Celulitis. Felt fluey and achey, and noticed my surgery arm was sore, and red and inflamed in places. So, off to the Dr, and I am now on antibiotics.  Feeling better this morning, but my Chest wall is still inflamed. Hoping I won't need IV antibiotics. 

Jaimieh

Cheryl~ Glad you got some answers.

Kerry~ How did you cellulitus ??