**NEW** Starting Chemo March 2009

ChrisC433

Great news Francine!!  Hope your appointment goes well.

crusader1

Chris,

The appt went well. I am now scheduled to start my fills a week from today,. The docs assured me that I probably will not get an infection at this point being that I have been on the antibiotics since last week. I am keeping my fingers crossed.I did learn that nothing was put in the TE during surgery. The mound is not that small so maybe I will not need that many fills. I never had big breasts.

Hugs,

Francine

ChrisC433

Francine...good news...I guess the third one is the charm!  One less thing for you to worry about...smile!

crusader1

Beth..Pickle - r u okay? It's been a few days for you...

Francine

ChrisC433

Finally got a pic without the wig!  This is 4 month post TX.  Getting thick and curly!!!  Can't seem to do anything with it, except be glad that it is there!

Take care all...

jdeking

Hi all!

 I have been MIA for too long now! Not any specific reason, just life picking up speed and carrying me along with it. You all know how that is.

Dawn - Hugs sister, I hope you are healing, and I am sorry to hear your bout with the red devil was delayed. I hope you can start it up and get it over with sooner rather than later!

Rachel - Congrats on reuniting with Damian. I am happy you are happy, and believe that this time all will work out well! I see you on FB and always smile when you post happy things. Yay for life getting back to normal! How has it gone with your battle to NOT take Tamox? Did your onc put up a fight?

Nasharayne - Congrats on the reappearance of Aunt Flo! That gives me hope. Still no sign for me either, and I am coming to the end of my 2nd month on Tamox. SE's are not too bad, just hot flashes from Hades and mood swings. I notice every time I have a strong emotion, I get a hot flash. So this means 15-20 per day, less at night. Sigh.

Everything else is going well. I love work, my job is the best and keeps me busy. I love family, and can't wait to spend time with them during the holidays. My niece is growing by leaps and bounds, and I love her to pieces, even though she is scared of me and screams every time she sees me. lol.

I have my 3 month f/u at the onc tomorrow. Can you believe we have weeks/months now that go by without dr appts? I know that isn't true for everyone yet, but a large majority. I think I may have truncal LE, my breast and chest wall feel wrong and swollen, especially after flying. I'll confirm with my onc tomorrow.

My hair is growning like molasses. Hardly at all. I did last chemo 6/4/09, and only have about an inch of hair. It is so sad. I have always had slow-growth, so am not surprised, but I wish it would grow faster. Lots of people say it suits me, but my hubby hates hates hates it. He's gonna have to get used to it, it's gonna be short for quite some time at this rate!

I hope you are all well, and I have missed you. I promise to do better about keeping up!

Janine

ChrisC433

Welcome back Janine!  So glad to hear that life is taking you on the good road now...I think it is Happy Lane or Delightful Drive...can't remember!

My under arm area is still swollen as well.  PT thinks it is LE and to message it downward a couple of times every day.  She says it doesn't have to be permanent.

Hugs to all...

kim40

My under arm is swollen too.  My rad onc is is mild LE due to the radiation.  I'm going to the LE clinic in December for the afternoon.  At the LE clinic, they teach you basic excercises that we can do to lessen our chances of getting LE and if we do, how to control it.  I'm looking forward to it as it is a group session and a chance to meet other BC survivors in my area.

Just looking at the calendar and Christmas is not that far away!  How is everyone making out with their Christmas shopping??  I've started, but I got a long way to go before I finish!  I guess I better get cracking! 

Hugs to all....

Anonymous

francine  So glad things are working out for you from surgery.  You have more on your social agenda the day of surgery and day after than......well  I ever have when I'm well.  Good for you.

Janine   Glad to see you are doing well and getting on with life.  My hair is about 2 inches long now and did not fall out after just one dose of Adriamycin.  It is thinning a bit, but not enough to make me buzz it.

Went to see the PS on monday and he decided that the healing process was going to take too long and we needed to get me back to the chemo train.  I suspect that my onco and he talked. Anyways, he had me in surgery at noon yesterday, cleaned everything out ( debridement) and closed it all up.  I should be back at chemo in a couple weeks.  I feel best today since before my original surgery on Sept 29th and my DH is a happy camper that his duties of wound packing are over.

No doubt that everyone has been listening intently about the whole cancer screening proposals.  Is that not the most outrageous thing you ever heard?  How many of us found our cancer through self examination or mammogram?  I was always a terible procrastinator when it came to my own health care and now they are just fueling that fire for so many women.  Ok, off my soapbox.

I hope everyone is getting ready for a wonderful thanksgiving with family and freinds.

ChrisC433

Deb:  Glad you are back on schedule....kill those little buggers!

Kim:  Xmas shopping, haven't even started....ugh!

Dawnmrn1

Deb!  great that you are healing and will be back on the chemo train!!! Good luck and Happy thanksgiving!

Janine!  you have confused NYDeb and I, she is the one who was  to resume chemo!  Fortunately I am doing well as is she!!! thanks for the good wishes!!!

I can't believe the politicians and insurance companies are telling women how to care for themselves with mamos and self examS!!!! I am horrified and Sue Love backing them up!  I am surprised at her!!!! I worked with her for years!!! she has always been so proprevention and as mothers of daughters how can we be anything else.  Sorry off my soapbox!!!

crusader1

Hi,

Nice to see a bunch of old friends back. We missed you..JdeKing, Dawn.

It has been real quiet the past few days.

My hair is short and very curly. I love it as well as my girlfriends do . My DH wants the long highlighted hair back.To me it always looked wild despite all the hard work I put into it. Now I do blow it but it always looks the same. ( great)

Yes those guidelines were just terrible. I think the most outragious statement was not to do monthly breast exams . What harm can they do. So many folks have spoken out about these statements that maybe there will be a turnaround. I saw Sunjay Gupta speak on CNN . He found the doctors statements incredulous.( whom he interviewed). She( the doctor) said that the benefits were too few. He said how can a benefit be too few. If we save a few more lives that is great.

The NY Times had many letters to the editor by women who had early mamograms and said otherwise they would be dead.

I am probably the old lady in this group and I know personally how many of you are young .

Deb,,I also had debridement after my messed up mastectomy but I needed a skin graft to close up the hole on my chest to begin chemo. Many don't realize that these surgeries can cause problems unrelated to our cancers.

I am doing great and go back to my PS on Monday for my first fill. I am very optimistic but one never knows.I went out for lunch with my lady friends today and since my last surgery am wearing a mastectomy camisole. I now have one whole perky breast and a small mound for the other. I said to myself what the hell. No one really looks at my unbalanced breasts and I  just didn't care. Prior to my last surgery I did wear my prothesis.

Well glad to hear from all of you.

Hugs,

Francine

ccbaby

Deb...Good luck...you are such a trooper

I had some mild lymphedema in my arm due to rads too and I was diagnosed with Stage 1  lymphedema. I went to a therapist 4 times and now do manual massage and exercises. It helped so much in a short amount of time.

jdeking

Oops, sorry about the mix up Dawn and Deb! Yes, I did mean Deb. Glad you are both well and so good to see everyone else too!  Deb, happy to hear wound packing is done for you, and I am sure it is a relief to Hubby as well.

 The BC guideline proposal is ridiculous. If I waited until 50, I would have been dead. That would have been 17 years of that monster growing and spreading. Ugh. I hope they get a wake up call from the huge influx of angry letters that are heading their way!

Luckily it seems like most insurances/doctors are going to follow Amer Cancer Society guidelines anyways, which is still 1st at 40 and yearly thereafter. Let's hope so.

Kim - good for you for getting started on shopping. I haven't even bought one thing yet, and will start panicking soon. I hate fighting the crowds! This time last year I was done... but I didn't have the whole cancer issue in my life yet either.

Have a great day all!

pickle

Good Morning Ladies: Lots of posts to catch up on. I have been busy the last week with my Dad's health problems. He is in the hospital but doing much better. His medication had him so screwed up. hallucinations, wandering, extremely confused. He has been undergoing testing for dementia/alzheimers for the last 2 months and it looks like it is all medication related. So relieved because at least we can fix that.

Just popped in to say a quick hello.

Hope everyone is healing, happy and getting ready for Thnaksgiving.

My daughter and her fiancee are going to New York on Nov 27 for a week. They have never been there and this is a surprise for her birthday. They are so excited. They are going to the tree light up at Rockefeller, Jets game, Ground Zero, Museums, shopping etc. I am so happy for them....I've never been to NYC either!

 Have a wonderful day.

Hugs

Beth P

kim40

Hey Ladies - Just checking in.  Beautiful day here day +17 degrees Celsius - not sure what that is Farheinhet (sp_!)

For all of you that work outside the home, have you all gone back to work?  If not, when do you plan on going, IF going?  I still havent went back yet, (my employer very understanding) and trying to decide when I should go.  I feel guilty somedays being off but has you all know, some days are easier than others!

 Gotta run, my son is coming home for lunch.  Something that he as learned to enjoy since I've been home from work!  (and me too!)

pickle

Hi gals

Kim: I am back to work part time and really enjoying it although I don't have young ones at home anymore. If I did....I would probably not work and just enjoy them everyday.

Who has dyed their hair yet? Christy, I know you are a hairdresser so what are your thoughts? I think I am getting grayer everday...sigh! More salt than pepper. I used to have med brown with highlights....I am missing my old hair today. I posted my pic from my son'd wedding last year. Is it possible to get back to this color? how long after chemo do we have to wait? I have heard that it takes 5-6 months to get it out of your system and if your dye it too soon it will be brassy. I think with the holidays quickly approaching I am trying to get back to my old self....I know....but I though I'd try...lol

Thanks

Beth

Dawnmrn1

Beth!  You are beautiful!  I know how you feel with the salt and pepper hair!  I am more salt than pepper!  I am 5 months PFC and have 11/2 inch to 2 inches of hair, it sticks to my head and is very soft, I can't imagine going withou my wig!  I look awful!  I am going to wait until I have enough hair to style until I color it!!! Probably in March according to my hair dresser, showed her my hair last week!  LOLOL! Nothing like I used to have!   this too shall pass, it just takes so long, everyone says a year and I think that is about right! Hang in there!!!

Kim!  I worked thru chemo and rads!  It was my sanity!  My work friends /All RN's were so supportive, it pulled me thru!!! Good luck, going back!

Hope everyone else is doing well!  NYDeb and Francine!  Hope you are both healing well

bethr

Hi All,

I hope everyone's well.  Beth and Dawn, I'm dying to color my hair and have heard you should wait about 6 months..  My last chemo was July 10th, so in January..  I'm coloring it!!!  I've colored my hair for years and as with you, have much more salt than pepper.  I keep looking at other women's hair and getting so jealous....  My goal is to color it around New Years and try going without the wig.  I hate the wig so much but  at the same time, it's become a security blanket...  And it definitely doesn't help the hot flashes I now get...  oh God!  I'm getting one now...  ugh...  I've been trying to slowly work myself out of wearing it.  I've told my family I'm not wearing it when I come home at Thanksgiving.  I'm trying to make not wearing it my New Year's resolution.  Wish me luck.

 Beth, I hope you daughter has a great time in New York..  It sounds like she will.  I love New York city.  I hope you get the chance to go sometime. 

 Kim, my chemo ended on July 10th and I've been back at work since around the end of July.  I initially tried to work through chemo, but the first week after each treatment was so rough, I just couldn't do it.  I had to go on short term disability.  I was able to work through RAD's which, thankfully, didn't affect me much at all.

 Well, I had my first visit with the PS who will be doing my reconstruction last week.  He's in high demand, and my reconstruction is scheduled for June 2nd..  It's a bit of a long wait, but this guy's supposed to be one of the best and will be doing the DIEP, so I think it's worth the wait...  After that I'm buying a beautiful bra!!!

 Have a great day ladies,

Beth

crusader1

Hi,

Pickle..Beth ( you are so pretty) glad to hear that you are well . Do hope things straighten out with your Dad. I will be in Manhattan ,the theatre district on November 29th. If your daughter and finance  would like to have a quick cup of coffee with a few NYer's just let me know. WE have theater tickets for three PM.. My brothers family also has a bike touring business of NYC. If your daughter and her husband like outdoors stuff their tours are great. PM me if they have any interest.Also PM me if your daughter has anquestions about dining,sightseeing etc.  Pickle ..I would love to show you and Hubby around NYC someday. Just let me know ..

I also welcome any other BC friends to visit My great city. I would love to show you all around

Kim that does sound like great temps in Halifax. If you want a quick way to convert  between faren and  celsius     My  Husband always says that 68 degrees Far. is 20 Cel..NYC has been quite nasty but still not cold.

Dawn..Thanks for the well wishes. I am definitely on the mend and looking forward to my first fill on Monday.

Beth and all...I just love my short curly hair.It was very salt and pepper when it started to grow again and I was not happy. So I bought a color the gray rinse and am real happy. When I had my original hair I was not that gray and always had my hair highlighted. Being when  my hair was so short I did not feel I wanted to make any decisions re color. I have done this rinse to color the gray twice. Not permanent but enough to give me a good feeling.

Glad to see the board is coming alive again. So much by Marisa Weiss on the news. I never knew she was president of BC.org.

Hugs,

Francine

pickle

Thanks everyone.

 I know it seems silly for me to be suddenly obssessed with my hair. I think it's because the end of the year is nearing. Last December is when I found the lump and I didn't go to the doctor until January 5th. I think I knew that it was cancer and I didn't want to upset anyone before Christmas. .January will be one year from diagnosis and I just want to start the new year fresh. Shallow me and I know there are far bigger things in the world to worry about.

I am hoping to get Christy's ideas too on what she thinks can be done with my current skiff of hair. I don't have a hairdresser here so I would like to go in with an idea of what to do.

Francine: You sound so good...how is the healing going? Thanks for the NYC and hair tips. I will pass the info on to DD.

I would looove to go to NYC. Maybe hubby and I will get there in the spring...doesn't that sound lovely...springtime in New york!

BethR: I think the wait will be worth it if he's the best. I would wait and go with who ever you are most comfortable and confident with.

Deb: How are you doing. Is chemo date set yet? hope you are healing well

It is so nice to see you all back.

ChrisC433

Pickle:  My last chemo was June 15th and I just dyed my hair for the third time tonight.  I have had no problem with the color.  I can't stand all the gray and it looks so much fuller with a nice color.

I go in for my carpal tunnel surgery tomorrow on my right hand.  Trying to get everything done tonight that I won't be able to do for a little while!

Went to PT last night.  Still have some cording that doesn't want to go away.  She breaks it free, but it just seems to return.  She worked out some more of the scar tissue around scar and axillary dissection site.  She hurts me like no tomorrow...but always feels better when she is finished.

Take care all...wish me luck!

Dawnmrn1

Francine!  we will be in NYC from the 11 to 1 3 or Dec!  We are coming in to see NYC at Christmas!  My husband and DD have never been at Christmas, many other times, but not christmas, and I haven't been in 20 years!!! lol. We are looking forward to it! 

pickle

Chris: Holy....3 times already. That is so encouraging.Good luck with your surgery tomorrow...healing vibes are coming your way sista!

Dawn: That's exciting. I would love to see it at Christmas time. Will you go for a skate at Rockefeller?

crusader1

Dawn,  Maybe we could  meet up at some point. Let's talk more when the time comes closer. NYC at Christmas Time is like a fairyland.

Hugs,

Francine

bethr

Hi all,

All this talk about NYC at Christmas gave me the urge to post a pic I took a couple of years ago, the last time I was there.  It may be a little early, but if you get the chance to go, GO!..  Yes, it's crowded, but it's so wonderful!!  A great place to go a spend some time around the holidays.

Have a great day!!!  

 Beth

crusader1

Bethr...Great Picture. My city. I do try to get into NYC each year to see the tree and expecially the windows on Fifth Avenue. Many many tourists.

I live about 17 miles North of the city.

Chris-Hope the surgery went fine today.

Hugs,

Francine

Dawnmrn1

Beth !  thanks for the pic!  Can't wait!  Dawn

pickle

BethR: Great picture. I will also mention fifth ave to my DD. It sounds so magical at Christmas.

ccbaby

Beth...Sorry,  I just now read your posts about your hair. I have colored my hair 2 times since my chemo ended and I have had no problems with it turning brassy.  Of course, I use professional color. Before my cancer, I always colored my hair blonde but now I have been coloring it a light/medium brown to cover the gray. When I get a little more length on it, I am going to add some blonde highlights.  I think it will be fine to go ahead and color your hair. Have you had the ends of your hair trimmed off? You need to get rid of the left over 'chemo' hair.   Good luck and keep us posted!