MAY 2009 Rads

barbiedahl

Ha ha Ivorymom very funny. It was sort of a "strip joint" wasn't it??? I always felt like I was on display, but no one threw dollar bills!

Deb from Ohio hope you're feeling okay and the countdown is ON! Do you prefer salt or no salt on your margarita???

 It sounds like we are all in the same pudgy boat. I'm trying to be really good during the week and now that I'm feeling stronger every day my exercise has been really ratcheted up. Cruise has a thread going, weight watchers.

Slow and steady and we'll all be as thin as our hair! 

Have a great day everyone.

jrgolomb

Barbiedahl---hahahahah!!!  I know what you mean.

Welcome home Lisa!

Cruise4life

Hi Radettes....

So sorry I have been MIA...dealing with a family crisis...should know more today I HOPE....

Deb "Dolly"...get going girl ...the rads are almost done...U CAN DO THIS....we are behind you!!!

chelev...I have been on Femara and no issues other than weight gain...KNOCK ON WOOD...it is scary though to think about not taking anything to keep the DAMN C away...I am sure your Doc will get you on something.

As for WEIGHT...get over to the WW thread...and help those who are chatting about getting healthy again.

As for HAIR...I have about an inch of gray mixed with dark...and was told to take Prenatal vitamins to grow the hair....I have been wearing my wig less and less and its okay...It feels better than wearing it or a hat in the freaken HEAT we are having....

So glad to know that our May 2009 Rads ladies are doing much better....Hugs to you all....

dkerler

I just got good news. The spots on my lungs are from the radiation I had when getting the whole breast done. I'm going to have another CT in October to see if they have gotten smaller. It's good to know I'll be around in October.

Thanks everyone!

Debbie

Anonymous

Oh, Debbie, thank goodness!!!!!  What a relief.

Cindy, I know - this is something I am struggling with right now.  I am seeing a naturopath this week to look at some alternatives other than more chemicals, since they don't seem to agree with my body.  I want to be proactive, but not at the risk of my QOL.

Another thing I seem to be struggling with is the regret that I didn't just have a double mastectomy off the bat - after reading my surgery reports and seeing how much tissue the bs took out (and I'm shocked I have a normal looking but smaller boob), why I didn't just go this course.  Maybe it's just emotions right now?  I do know if anything, even an abnormal mammogram comes up, I'm not fooling around with any of this anymore!

Texas357

Hi ladies! Back from my PS, and by the end of August/early September I'll be having that prophylactic mastectomy. I can't stand the thought of going through all of this again. Two weeks of drains vs. 9 months of chemo/rads -- it's no contest! She agreed with my BS that I'm a good candidate for nipple sparing surgery. I left it up to her because I want the best cosmetic results.

My hands hurt a little more today from the Femara but otherwise I'm doing well.

Did anyone else see the report on Fox news about the connection between high insulin levels and BC?

Bold

Barbiedahl you are tooo funny!

CCCCome on Deb!!!! I am with you sister. Only 2 more after today!!!!

I have more and more started to worry. I need to do my meditations 3 times a day now. I need to exercise more. I am starting to feel better and so it should be an easier. I still get soo breathless. I am going to swim this afternoon for 1/2 hour. Lots of sun screen and loud music. I am going to check out cruises site. I would love help on menu planning. I have y herceptin infusion tomorrow. I wonder if we wll ever be able to put this behind us. Chevel I had a lumpectomy and did not have a mast I think we did the right thing. Your grade is only 2 and thats a good thing. You have no nodes. Be strong.  Have faith that you will be OK and die of old age. I am going to do the same (gulp) Its so hard to be consistent huh? I can forget about it when I am involved in a project but then I will catch my reflection and I am right back in cancer hell! We are so blessed not to be a later stage. It is just I feel like everything is so unknown. I know that we are supposed to just live in the moment and let go let God take care of the future. Maybe I just want to know if I should make long term plans or should I clean out the garage and consolidate my life that is way to complicated. I am sorry to be a downer. 90% of the time am in charge of these thoughts my 10% fears I have no one to share them with except you guys my bosom buddies.

Deb-from-Ohio

Well ladies, tomorrow is my last radiation! Needless to say I am thrilled to death, be done with other then the arimidex....I go see my onc on the 12th so I  imagine that's what it's for...yaaaaaaaaaaaay!

americanpinay

Deb (Dkerler)...glad to hear your good news...

Deb-from-Ohio...yay!!!

Lisalisa...welcome back!

Chelev...I also sometimes wonder if I have done enough with the lumpectomy instead of mastectomy...I have to remind myself what the surgeon told me at the very beginning...choosing between mastectomy and lumpectomy plus radiation will not affect life expectancy...

Bold...there is that saying that goes something like this...live today as if it is your last day on earth but plan like you're going to live to old age...

Cruise...I agree...I can't wait to start on Tamox (not looking forward to SEs but hey, if it keeps BC away, I'll take it)...I see med onco this Thursday...hopefully, he'll have the CY test results by then and give me RX...

Take care ladies...

PrincessKauai59

Hi Ladies, Am just back from a weekend at ***Disneyland*** with my son and sister and nephew.  We made it a car trip, best parts were Friday dinner in San Luis Obisbo (great little sea food dive that my nephew found on yelp, on his iPhone!) and laughing on the way down, till I had tears streaming down my face.  The Buzz light year ride in Disneyland and Toy Story ride in California Adventure and a ride called Soaring over California, or some such.  Space Mountain.  And, what my son called the "punk" bed (its a b / p pronunciation thing) in our kids suite.  

Deb From Ohio - - Cheers!  Yay!!!

barbiedahl

dkerler I'm so relieved to hear the spots are rad induced. phew! Deep cleansing breath, and now on with your life.

chelev I think it's normal to start to question decisions. Just remember that you were given lots of information and I'm sure some guidance (I was) and you made a choice from the place you were. No second thoughts okay? I know I thought about a mastectomy, but my doctors agreed that a lumpectomy was best for now. I think we can play the game and questions all our choices. I could beat myself up for gaining weight and not losing it, maybe all the estrogen in my extra pounds helped the cancer. I'm not going to do that. It happened, it's done. I'm moving on now, -on a diet of course!

I have my first hair appointment tomorrow, just a shape up. I really don't have much hair, but it's starting to hang over the tops of my ears and the back could be cleaned up.

Texas It's a big surgery, but the body heals so much faster from surgery than the bi-weekly barrage of poison drugs. And nine months of chemo ? ugh they could take my big toe. We'll be there for you!

Anonymous

Thanks, Meg, Barbie and American - as usual, you wonderful women have pulled me out of the dark thoughts and balanced me out!  I really really appreciate your support and friendship, and you are right - no second guessing!  The surgery was 100% successful and that's that.  I'm living my life right now, every day. 

Deb-from-Ohio- okay, chickee, this is YOUR day finally!!!!!!!!!    Go forth, show the boobie and get it blasted one last time!!!  Yay!!!

Texas357

Deb, congrats on your last day! WOO HOO!!!!!

barbiedahl

Deb from Ohio you go girl -go right to radiation and have your last one! This is it! Celebrate! clink, clink

 Have a great day everyone!

Bold

WOOOOOHOOOOOO!! YIPPIE! YEAH! OH BOY! TADA! YOU DID IT IT IS OVER!!!!  We have all made it. Deb take some time to heal 2 weeks till almost perfectly normal. Keep slathering too. But hey no more everyday burn!!! I am proud of you. You took it like a girl! I will wait till after I have a bone density test and Herceptin infusion to get out the libation.

I was told Monday that my onc will be on vacation and that I would see her in three weeks. Well that is really not expectable to me. I have some questions that I have saved up for the last 9 weeks that need answers to. I am going to ask if it is at all possible to see her partner Philamina McAndrews. She is the Onc that is always on Oprah. Anyway we will see. I am trying to make the decision weather I am going to stay with her or go to City of Hope for follow-up care. I will still have Herceptin for 4 more months. As a Her2 gal it is the first 3 years that are the most critical for recurrence..I want to do all that I can to keep the beast at bay!!!!

jrgolomb

Yes!!!! Deb---clinky, clinky slurpslurp!

ajlive

Deb:  You did it!  Celebrate......

Deb-from-Ohio

Oh we did! LOL, I came home and at the main road and entrance to the subdivision, there as a sign saying i beat cancers butt, another one at the entrance to our street,  two of my daughters did all of this...LOL, I came to my house and this was what I seen along with writing on all the windows and storm door in pink! LOL

FACECRAFTER

OMG..OMG...That is too funny.  What great girls you have...And a fitting end to treatments....!! You go girl.  Glasses on high...Hooooray..JUDY

Genia

Congrats Deb.......your celebration looks fantastic!!!

hugsssssss

barbiedahl

Deb that is so sweet and wonderful. What sweet girls you have.

Anonymous

Deb, what a wonderful thing your daughters did for you!!!  I love it!!  And best of all, you are DONE!!

My daughter had the kids she watches at night for a friend make me a plaque with a pink ribbon made out of pink-dyed pasta, and they put sparkles all over it (that fall off every time you move the thing) and I keep it by my computer where I can see it.

Anonymous

Sort of, Meg!  I tried not to get sparkles into the keyboard (okay, so now it's got a few sparkles mixed in with the pretzle crumbs) but have put it now on a shelf at the desk, so they only sprinkle down when I move it to dust.  I can only imagine what their house looked like - 3 little ones, all under 9, with a container of sparkles.  Glad it wasn't my house!!

Texas357

Oh that picture just made my day!!!! Congratulations DEB!!!!!

My PS's nurse called yesterday to ask me what my preferred timeframe is for my prophylactic mastectomy. I've got to admit that my heart started racing. It's been so nice not to have so many doctor's appointments. I'm shooting for late August or early September. That should give me all of October and most of November off before the exchange surgery.

So far, except for sore hands and hips, Femara has been good to me.

carolinachick

Congrats, Deb.  I love the decorations!

Ivorymom - Did the onc say anything about doing scans on triple negative early stage bc? 

americanpinay

Congratulations Deb-from-Ohio!!! Woohoo!!! On to life!!! You have such wonderful daughters.

Bold

Deb you have officially made it. You are done, finished, ca-put. I am so glad your victory is ours. We have all done a wonderful job!!!! Now we are on to other things. Like exchanges and surgeries and with each step we are getting cancer further and further behind us.Hooooray for all of us.

I widll be finished with herceptin in December. That sounds like a long way away. I had my infusion yesterday and am very tired today. I met with a new onc yesterday not the one I wanted to see but I liked him just the same. I told him that the herceptin has changed my taste and he aid "So you like modern art now". He had a great sense of humor. He also said that my tumor size being 3.3cm is 2mm from being a stage 1. It made me feel like there is more and more hope for me. He agreed with the onc from City of hope that at 2% er+ there would be no benefit to take ALs. He thinks that my original onc wanted me on it to prevent a new primary??? I pray that we never have to go through this again!!!!!!!! We want our lives and our hair and stamina back. I have not fulfilled my destiny yet!!! Not to mention the people that need us!!!!!!!! And that we need. Thanks for always listening to me ramble. I also had my bone density test and I am OK in my hips but just a little osteopenic in my lower back. Pretty normal for my age (55). I feel better every time I get good news.

Stonger and Bold

Texas357

IvoryMom: Thanks for the information from your meeting. I think I'm going to split my treatment 2 years Femara/3 years Tamoxifen. My oncologist said that there's a very slight benefit of starting the split treatment with the AI.

Bold, hang in there girl and keep that sense of humor!

americanpinay

IVORYMOM...thanks for posting notes from your meeting...did the onc discuss chemopause...I haven't had a period since my second AC...so I'm wondering if I'm considered post-menopausal?...I'm 42 and could very well be going through regular menopause without the chemo...

TEXAS...good luck with the surgery...I wish you a fast recovery...

BOLD...your onc was funny...

Take care ladies...

PrincessKauai59

Great photo Deb!!