Lets get to know each other :)

dee1961

Hi Martha,

Glad to hear your good news about your church and that you are back in the dating scene and LOVING it Just remeber you ARE beautiful no matter what. Take care of yourself and check back soon.

TTYL

Lovegolf

Way to go Martha!!!! Glad you are feeling better and are out dating.  check PM that I sent.

NoH8

Hey everyone-- I haven't been around much because I'm not thrilled with things on other places of the board and not sure I want to be here any longer. I just logged on for a PM and figured I'd check in. I'd love to stay in touch with any of you, I just don't want to be on the boards.

sftfemme65

What happened NoH8.  I had some issues too.  I had to speak up and I dont think a few liked it at all.

Teresa

dswope

NoH8,

Please stay around.  You have been a great help to many here.  Your knowledge and support is valuable.  I can't imagine that this particular thread will end up as ugly as some of the others....they're still going at it! 

I start my 3rd round of CMF today.  At least I have about 9 days per month that I feel like my old self again.  It is amazing how I can feel like total S#*T after working all day, doing my chemo, and then I go home and hold my new grandson and feel like a new person.  I guess in some ways I'm really lucky.

Hope you are all doing well.

Dee, haven't heard from you in awhile.  You OK?

Lovegolf

Deb

Glad you can hold your grandson and feel better.  Hang in there.

chainsawz

I'm a little late on this thread :>  I was dx last year with stage IV IDC with mets to the lungs at the age of 44.  I had a bilateral mastectomy without reconstruction......I call the missing 'girls' my noobes (no boobs)!  I recently had a few little brain mets zapped, but otherwise I am doing great.  I don't have any other medical conditions which I think helps.  I have an amazing partner of 11 years - I don't know what I would do without her!!   lisa

dee1961

Hi Lisa and welcome!

Glad to hear you are doing well and have great support. My partner and I have been together almost 9 years, I don't know how I would have gotten through this without her.

Take care!

Dee~

Lovegolf

Hi Lisa and welcome ...Glad you have good support. I know there are other post here based on the stages of one cancer....fight like hell. I love your qote about the weakest step.

TorchSong

Hello all!

Had my first post-treatment mammo on Monday. It hurt tlike the dickens (still sore from radiation on one side, pulled on port site on the other).

However, saw my med onc today and he said the mammo was clear. Yay! He also thinks I am going into menopause early (that chemo thing), and has prescribed Dixirit (clonadine) for the hot flashes. The mood swings I just have to live with, apparently... ugh. Not sure if I want to take the clonadine...anyone have experience with it?

So, back in another 3 months to see him.

chainsawz

TorchSong - yay for the clear mammo!!  I didn't take anything for my hot flashes, but I wish I had - awful!!  They finally stopped after a few months....whew! 

Lovegolf

Hi all Hope everyone is doing well.  I am having my dog ears fixed 10/28.  What a--hole man named the condition that?  I will be so glad to get these rolls of skin with with hot wire surface nerves cut away. 

Role call time to see if everyone OK

dee1961

Hi Lovegolf,

Doing alright over here, going through some testing for gallbladder probs right now but otherwise doing okay. I have the "dog ears" too. Will have then removed during my exchange sometime in December. How are you? I cannot figure facebook out, so I'm a lost cause at that ...lol

Take care and lets hear from all you ladies, where/how are you?

Dee~

dswope

Hi all!

I haven't posted in a long time.....really don't have time right now.  Busy at work, and my daughter has gone back to school so grandma's daycare opens as soon as I get home!

As far as the "dog ears" go, I thought maybe I was the only one with them!  I have to make a follow-up appt. with my surgeon, and was going to ask her immediately why she made me look even more deformed.  I guess it's common huh?

The chemo is going OK I guess.  I only have 4 more sessions.  The dragginess is tough, and the stomach knotting-up, and the diarrhea.  It's so annoying to have this interuption in my life.  However, I'm done by 12/05!  Then, of course, the estrogen inhibitor for 5 years....god that seems like such a long time!  But, it is 5 years of life!! 

Hope you are all as OK as possible!

Miss talking to you Golf.....isn't it amazing where we started and where we are now?

Lovegolf

Yeah we have come a long way.  I am doing good. had a real scare last week. Had a chest Xray and they "saw something " on spine. Report said given recent history "can not rule out mets."  I felt like I was kicked in the chest.  I was going to Komen event that night so went on.  My surgeon was at the event and said not to worry, but she also got me a full bone scan for the next day(Friday).  Passed the scan so still not sure abut xray.  Maybe scar tissue.  For 22 and 1/2 hours I was scared. Just another reminder to really enjoy all our time.  Yes 5 years of taking a drug is a long time, but here is to the years after that!!!!  Glad grandma daycare is up and running. 

I have got the PS set for 28th to get the dog ears off ...it is in his office suite so I do not think it iwll be too bad.  I will put the 5th on my calendar and have a drink for you that night to celebrate.

dswope

I guess our biggest fear right now is the possibility of it coming back.  How frightening for you.  Hope you didn't have to deal with it alone.

I, luckily, get to go to Mexico in Feb. to kind of celebrate the end of chemo.  I'll definately be having some celebration drinks then! 

Lovegolf

no I was not alone.....Sounds like a fun trip

GML

Hi all and glad to find this particular forum.  I was given my diagnoses on August 18, 2009, over the phone while my partner sat next to me.  On 9/14 I had a right sided mastectomy for invasive lobular carcinoma.  The mass was 6.5 cm.  My lymph nodes tested negative during surgery but two tested positive in pathology, so on 10/1, I went back in for full axillery dissection.  I had my first round of chemo on 10/8/09 and ended up hospitalized for the next two days.  Am hoping that my remaining chemo sessions are less eventful.

I am 45 years old and live with my partner near Syracuse, NY.  My partner and I have been together 6 years and were married in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in December of 2004.  So, that makes us legal in Canada, Mass, Connecticut, Hawaii?, but not Vermont....lol.  Anyway, my partner has been with me every single step of the way in this process and I would be lost without her.  It's a bit difficult posting on these breast cancer forums because I never know how people are going to be.  And you know, when you just want support or information, you just want to be who you are while you are asking for it.  Hell, the other night in a chat room I was asked if I had children.  When I said no, the person responded, "Well, most of the women in this room do".  I responded, "Well, I imagine they do".  What the hell was that?  

So, anyways, we took up golf this summer.  We both suck but we are working hard at getting better.  Then I had my biopsy and couldn't swing the club and then the dx, surgery, etc.  So I hope we will be back to golfing next summer.  She tolerates fishing and I occasionally tolerate bingo, yes bingo.  We go to Provincetown with some friends of ours for one week each and every summer for the past five years. 

 I have a pretty good attitude but that doesn't mean that I don't worry about the future.  Thanks for welcoming me  

dswope

GML,

Welcome.  I understand your hesitation to do much posting.  I happened upon a thread one day and couldn't believe the arguing and hatefulness I was reading........this is about breast cancer, right?  We should all be here for each other, whether you are stage 1 or stage IV.  Sometimes it seems like those "clicks" from high school!  Anyway, I've had a lot of support here also.  There is a woman that is a nurse that has helped me soooo much. 

Good luck to you on this journey.  Again, there are many very caring and knowledgeable women here to help you.

Lovegolf

GML

Welcome to a place you never wanted to be....This tread was a lifesaver for me.  When I was going through the waiting, the sugery and after the women on here were so supportive. I have posted on some other treads here but this is home.  

 I used to go to P'town ever summer but have not been now in years.  I have a partner who has been great.  We have been together 10 years.

Feel free to post here and you can PM if you have any direct questions.  

Lovegolf

GML

Welcome to a place you never wanted to be....This tread was a lifesaver for me.  When I was going through the waiting, the sugery and after the women on here were so supportive. I have posted on some other treads here but this is home.  

 I used to go to P'town ever summer but have not been now in years.  I have a partner who has been great.  We have been together 10 years.

Feel free to post here and you can PM if you have any direct questions.  

dee1961

Hi and welcome GML and hello to all

Try not to be discouraged by what some may say on these boards. Most women here are very nice and helpful, maybe she was just having bad day and came across the wrong way-who knows? Good luck with your tx and hopefully your next go around (chemo) won't be bad for you I am glad to hear that you have a good suppport. I do not know what I would have done without my most patient partner...lol

Please stop in often and let us know how you are doing...nice to meet you!

Dee~

dee1961

How and where is everyone? Hope you all are doing well !  

Lovegolf

I had dog ears fixed yesterday...boy this plastic surgery hurt more than Mx.  I am sore and black & brue, but it already feels better.  There was a damaged nerve under right that he fixed too and i think is going to make all the difference.  Golf course here I come. 

dee1961

Hey Golf,

Glad to hear your surgery went well, sorry about the pain though. I had no idea a PS could fix a nerve problem, what a bonus! Have fun at the golf course

dee1961

cindoe

I like ur outfit! Happy Halloween to you !!

Cyn

chainsawz

Have a great halloween!!  lisa

dee1961

streetangel

Hi, I'm a 5 year survivor but not in a great space these days. I made a decision to have a bilat mast due to family history, 1 lymph node involved so due to history I had very aggressive, dose dense chemo. That ended in June of 05 - got it out of the way and went every other week, cut the time in half. Later, I had implants put in (replaced expanders). They did not agree with me. I'm one of those unlucky ones that contracted auto immune disorder and I kept getting infections in the left breast, last one was bad so the PS finally decided to remove both of my implants. That was Feb. of this year, I have not been the same since. My partner of 15 years thinks its time to move on, however its not so easy. I'm wondering if I made the right decision, which I DID make becuase I am with a woman so thought it would be easier, was in a long term relationship and just felt o.k., that was then this is now. NOW, regarless of my sexual preference, my womanhood if you will is just ruined. Intamacy? Not! To add insult to injury, when I just wrapped up chemo and before my implants, my partner had an affair with a friend of ours. Even though that was in 2006 I'm still impacted by that as well. I am not the same person I used to be and don't know if I can ever find myself again. I'm very angry, very sad, very upset and just a whole host of "stuff" stirring up inside. I'm glad I found this board, there is actually something available where I can express what I am going through and not apoligize for it. The proverbial pink cloud just isn't where I am, today anyway. Maybe one day I'll get there but until then this ride sucks!!!!!