Starting Chemo Aug 09

Karen09

Hey ladies.  I'm feeling quite good today too and feeling a little cabin fever so I'm going to go to the mall, maybe see a movie this afternoon.  I have supper planned Friday night with a few girlfriends so I'm really looking forward to that.  I'm so tired of my apartment right now.  LOL!

Kristin - I hate that taste in my mouth too!  To me it's the worst side effect!  Luckily I only seem to get it when they flush my PICC though.  I hope the gum and flavoured water help!

I hope you are all doing well! 

buccaneersdj

Kristin, Yes I was up at midnight and yes I am smiling and feeling better. I always feel great week 3, but chemo tommorrow, I am trying not to dwell on it this week, only 2 more tx's. My concentration is moving towards how I am going to lose about 70 lbs. after chemo. I was already overweight when I was diagnosed and have gained 25 lbs. on top of that. I thought this was all from chemo and realized last night that the day I was diagnosed (over the phone), June 2nd, I was sitting on the back porch smoking a cigarette. I had smoked for about 22 years, wow how time flies I couldn't believe it had been that long until the dr. asked me. When the surgeon told me the tumor was malignant I put down my smoke and haven't had one since. Even though smoking is not highly associated with breast cancer, something about being told I had cancer made it very easy to put that cig down and never pick one up again. So that had a hand in my weight gain too I'm sure. I am a bit of a foodie, so it comes down to overeating and lack of excercise so easy to say not as easy to fix. But this is going to be the only thing I can do to stop me from getting breast cancer again.

Lilah

Ms Patty I've been using Eucerin on my face and it has been like restoring leather!  It's meant for the body but I've had no problem.  I recommend using it at night, though, as it can leave your face a little greasy (which by day means the wig bangs get stuck in it

My first Taxol (with Herceptin) was simply horrible -- bad bad aches the second day after as Jenn described pain killers every 4 hours etc... but interestingly, my second Taxol (no Herceptin) was fine... minor aches by comparison... and here's what I did different: I drank a ton of water.  I think it helped to flush the stuff through my system.  My doctor had told me to do this when I started (with A/C) and I think I just got lax about it. 

My only other Taxol SE is a slight darkening of a few nail beds... which I am watching and hoping will not get worse.  Oh and of course the diarrhea -- which is almost daily now -- but I find that eating a banana a day has helped a lot to slow it down/diminish it.

Two more... and I am done!  (Well except for Herceptin -- but that doesn't seem to have any SEs for me, which I'm grateful for). 

Cheers,

Lilah

Lilah

Aw Sunflower I just read your post -- sending you hugs and assurance that you are SO not alone (as I'm sure others have told you, but I haven't yet had a chance to read the rest).  I wish to God none of us had to go through this - it's so unfair, so random.  I blame myself at times, thinking I did something wrong (ate wrong, didn't exercise enough, shouldn't have smoked when I was in my 20s) and then I realize I know tons of women just like me who did all the things I did and are BC free.  Then I feel jealous and angry.  So many feelings.  But in the end I keep coming back to this: still alive, still loving life, still kicking.  I hope you are doing the things you love to do whenever possible.

Cheers,

Lilah

jenn3

Good morning - I am feeling pretty good today, but it's the day before chemo and I always feel great the day before. One good thing I have noticed is that my mental capacity is getting better.  I'm starting to feel more focused and have gotten back to my organized (OCD) self, which helps me to function a lot better.  I am experiencing white horizontal lines on my nail beds, the onc told me yesterday that some women get a line for each chemo session.  What am I a tree?  My eyebrowns are extremely thin, almost gone and I have missing eyelashes now.  Oh the joy of chemo.......................  For all my complaints I do have to say the weekly Taxol has been much much more tolerable than the AC. 

Lilah - Taxol #3 was easier on me with the aches and pains, I found that I only needed a few pain pills vs every four hours.  Thanks for the info on the water.  I thought I was drinking a lot, as water and lemonade are the only thing I drink now, but I will pay attention and try drinking more to see if it helps.

Donna - Glad to hear you're feeling better.  My best days are right before chemo too.............then the toxic drugs go into our bodies and we start over.  When you do get to NOLA, please let me know I'd love to meet up with you and YoYo.  As for the weight, it'll come off after chemo - don't let it get you down right now.  Congrats on quitting smoking - going cold turkey like that is hard.

Karen - Have a wonderful time at the mall and I'm glad to hear you're feeling good.

I'm afraid to go back a page and lose this post, but someone asked about Where the Wild Things Are.  I went to see it with my 18 yr old and she loved it - I hated it.  I guess I remembered the book differently or not at all.  I did see Couples Retreat and laughed all the way through.

Well I'm off to Sams to pick up a few things - hope everyone has a great day!

MaineCoonKitty

Just checking in to see how everyone is doing these days.  I'm glad to see most of us are doing pretty well now and have adapted to the SE's of chemo.  I'm still having virtually no SE's at all and I count myself very lucky and am greatful for that.  This week, I finished the third of my 6 three week cycles of Taxotere/Gemzar, so I'm halfway done.  YAY!

I even weathered a bout with flu, which hit 12 hrs after my Gemzar infusion last week and that was not fun given that Gemzar really knocks your platelets and WBC's down.  But other than that, I'm working way more hours beyond a normal work week and have plenty of energy.  it feels GOOD to be productive again and not letting cancer control my life.  I feel like I'm back in charge of myself now and just have to get through the rest of the chemo and a few weeks of rads to remove this beast from my life forever.  I wasn't so sure in the beginning, but now I KNOW I can endure whatever comes my way to get on with my life as a cancer survivor.  So many of those who went through this before us gave us hope and inspiration that we too, could do this chemo.  They were right....we can, and so can those who come after us.  I hope I can do the same by encouraging them as others have encouraged me.

I feel good and I'm sending feel good vibes to you all.  My hair has even started growing back, which my onc said is very unusual for Taxotere.  It usually doesn't start growing back until 4-6 weeks after the last infusion, but I'll take it!  I sorta look like a baby chick and this colorless fuzz will probably fall out, but for now it's a good thing to see anything growing out of my head!

Thinking of you all every day and keeping everyone in my prayers for a return to good health, an easy time with chemo and rads, and the patience to endure it all for the short term.

Hang in there, ladies!

weety

Jenn3,

I'm still laughing at your comment, "What am I, a tree?"  I don't have the white lines, but I sure can appreciate your humor!  This all sucks-- we might as well have a little fun with it, right?

jenn3

If I didn't have laughter I'd be insane right now.   I should probably start sharing some of the crazy stories so we can all laugh, especially when it comes to the stomach issues.  I have to admit that I can be somewhat of a smart ass and at times fluster my onc when I get on a roll.  

msmpatty

Lilah, thanks for the tip on Eucerin.   My skin is sooo dry ... even my earlobes are shriveled!   Also good to know about pushing water on the Taxol.   I start my 12 weeks in November.   I'm not at all good about drinking water (no doubt why I'm shriveling up) but I'm thinking that because the stomach problems may be fewer on Taxol I can substitute lemonade and other juices.

Congratulations on your new hair MaineCoonKitty!  Lucky you!  Nice to see someone experience something unusual that's actually good thing!

 My final AC is tomorrow...YEAH!

 Patty

Lilah

MsPatty: I definitely have scaly patches of skin where I never had em before (including ear lobes!  I think the Eucerin must be applied there, come to think of it)... I also use a light Clinique lotion in the morning (non-greasy), which is all I used to use pre-chemo, but I think if all I used was Eucerin I'd be fine.  I've always had dry skin and it is definitely worse with chemo.  Today I put lotion on my thumb nails (which were feeling ridgy) and it seems to have helped, so I'm wondering if hand lotion is a help with taxol as well.  But the weird thing is: on my body where the skin isn't dry (in patches) it is incredibly soft!  Like my forearms and my upper thighs... I am thinking it's because the hair is gone?  Feels like a baby's skin.  So freaking weird!  Good luck with your final AC!

Jenn -- you are a riot!  I agree with Weety on the tree joke   Glad you're feeling better.  I am also feeling terrific today.  It was 75 degrees here in the NY/NJ area and I was SE free all day and felt like my old self (didn't even need tylenol or ibuprofen).  I even refused to let the dumb drivers during my commute get me down (I work as a teacher one day a week and have to say having this to do once a week has been a great help in getting through all of this... love having my work to do and the goal of feeling good by Thursday after my Monday chemos).  Hope you got something good at Sam's!

Lilah

kristin09

Donna - How are you feeling today?  You had chemo on Thursday, right?  I hope that you're doing well.  I quit smoking the day that I found out I was pregnant with my son, about 10 years ago now. You did the right thing!

Jenn - I was the one asking about "Where the Wild Things Are".  I've been warning my friends with young kids that it's not quite a movie for little ones.  Although I have to admit that I don't like saying that because I'm typically pretty lax about movies as long as they're enjoyable; but this one wasn't very enjoyable for me.  Aside from the stick in the eagle's arm (what a hoot!).

I just noticed yesterday that I have the same white lines that you wrote about.  Let's see, if I am going to be a tree I think that I want to be a cherry tree so that I can bloom in the spring.  What kind of tree do you want to be, Jenn???? 

MCKitty - glad to hear that you're doing so well.  I was determined to minimize my experience with SEs, but mind-over-matter only got me so far!  I will live vicariously through you! 

Tx #5 is one week from today so I plan on enjoying this next week as much as possible! 

K 

jenn3

Good morning - Today is chemo #4 for me and I'll be getting Avastin/Placebo again. I received the Avastin/Placebo with each AC, but now only get it every 4th tx with Taxol.  I've had some SE's that didn't seem much better after #1 Taxol, have gone away and/or become much better with #2 & #3 and am curious to see if they return with the Avastin/Placebo that I'll get today.  Then of course when I'm unblinded at the end I'll be really curious to see if I had the Avastin and mentally made the SE's worse knowing/thinking I was getting it.  That'll be the psycological part...............

Kristen - I agree Where the Wild Things Are really isn't for young kids.  I don't think they'd get it and I think would be upset by it.  I just did not enjoy the movie and had I not been with my daughter who loved it I would have walked out.   Good choice of a tree - my absolute favorite (it's my backround on my email account).  I'll have to say my next favorite...... Crape Myrtle, they have beautiful colors and start blooming in the Spring through the Summer. 

Lilah - It sounds like you had a wonderful day and the weather was great-whoo hoo!  I love those days when my mind and body are in sync.

Patty -  Mary Kay has a product called Emollient Lotion that is wonderful, which I need to look into getting myself.  It's a consistency of vaseline, but can be used on hands or face.  I've only used it on my hands and nails, but I do have a co-worker that has extremely dry skin and uses it on her face-she swears by it.

McKitty - Way to go!!! I'm so glad to hear you're doing well through chemo.

Hope everyone has a SE free day and will talk to y'all later.

YoYo44

Hello Amazons,

Woo Hoo #13 Taxol done.  Last one next week. This is such a grind.  So far still pretty good.  The RBC's continue their downward trend but I think they will last one more week.  The feet are semi-cooperative with the neuropathy coming and going but setting in pretty solid now by the weekend.  At least my hands don't have it yet.  Next week is the onc visit to discuss what's next.  I hope he says yes to surgery and not more chemo first as I want to get this out.  But then again I am not looking forward to that either.  I have been searching for the right word to desrcribe how I feel abut the surgery.  It is not really fear, maybe dread is the right word.  It is so hard to describe, as I am sure you all know.  Still don't know if it will be single or dble MMX.  Hope to see a PS soon as well to understand what options I have and will obviously be talking to the onc as well about this.  He says the BMX is too extreme but...I didn't detect the ILC until it became a 4 cm lump!!!

Jenn, LOL!  My question too was if you were a tree what would it be.  Too funny.  I don't have those lines or any others-odd.  I think I would be a Myrtle tree.  I like the leaves and the fruit for the birds.  If I ever make it to NOLA I will definitely let you know so we can meet.  But sadly, it seems so unlikely.  My colleagues will be enjoying it this weekend as much as one can at any of these working conferences.  Oh well.

 Lilah, I so agree with your comments about the randomness of this.  I go down the same path and I have to give the reins a sharp tug.  Life isn't fair (and no one said it would be I guess ) but I certainly wouldn't wish this on anyone else instead of me, so where does that leave me?  it is what it is I guess. Just getting on, one foot in front ot the other I guess.  The support of friends, family and colleagues is immeasurable. But the support from the folks here is something else because it comes with true understanding and helps to validate and make me not feel alone.  If you all can do it I can do it!

Sunflower, how you doing?  Hang in there.  Hope you are starting to have more good days than bad.

Donna, good for you quitting smoking, just sorry you had to end up here and deal with that added guilt and stress on top of everything.  I have never smoked so I don't really understand but have had family and friends who have struggled to quit, many times.  My dad also quit when he was seriously ill, but was unable to before.

MCKitty, enjoy your new fuzz!  That's great.  Glad you are doing so well.

Have a great day everyone!

Yo

msmpatty

Last AC done!  I had a porta-cath installed three weeks ago in anticipation of the upcoming 12 weeks of Taxol, but they couldn't get it to work right today.  So they did the infusion through my arm  and sent me for an X-ray to see what's up with the port.  Otherwise no problem...feeling great right now, but we all know how that goes....

Lilah/Jenn - Thanks for the additional dry skin advice.  Like you, Lilah, parts of my skin have never been better.   I am (well, was) a strawberry blonde and have more freckles than I like, and I swear they have faded on the AC.  Jenn,  I know three Mary Kay gals so maybe I can score a free sample of the Emollient Lotion.

Hope everyone has a SE-free weekend!   

Patty

jenn3

Good morning - Woke up this morning and did another 1hr 15 minute walk with the dogs.  I was walking the dogs for about 40 minutes, but upped it trying to energize myself a little more on my good days.  Taxol w/Avastin-Placebo #4 went okay.  I do have one SE during the Taxol infusion that has happened each time that I think I need to mention to the onc.  As soon as the Taxol starts to go in my lower back and legs really ache. The first and second time I figured it was me, by the third and fourth time I took pain meds during the infusion and have realized it's the Taxol not me.  The pain goes away by the afternoon of the same day.  Does anyone have that happen?  Is that considered an allergic reaction?

YoYo - I didn't have too much time to think before my surgey (two weeks between mammogram, biopsies and surgery), but I always knew that if I was ever faced with something like this I would remove both breast to reduce my chances of recurrance. I figure a good reconstruction job will give me two perky 20 something boobs instead of the 43 year old boobs I had before this and if it's an option maybe a tummy tuck too!  Good luck with the decision - I know if I would have had more time to think about it I would have been a mess.  I sure hope that one day you get to come to NOLA and if you do we'll have to get together and I hope your co-workers have a good time - I think the weather is suppose to be good.

Patty - Yes, ask for samples of the Emollient Lotion it goes a long way - it's also great on cuticles too!  Sorry the port is giving you trouble. So..... are they going to do them all through your arm or try to get the port working again? 

Happy Saturday to all.

Kim09

Yoyo44 - I am sure you will make the surgery decision that is right for you.  

YoYo44

Thanks for the support ladies.  There is no good way is there, having surgery in the initial rush of diagnosis or building up to it after neoadjuvant chemo.  While I don't want to wish away my life, I will be happy when it is finally done.

Today I am going to do some chores around the house that I enjoy-will do some sewing and mending and some baking.  A little bit of creativity is always nice.  Then later this afternoon we will be carving pumpkins.  So good things mixed in with all the BC.  Life goes on!

Have a great day ladies!

jenn3

Good morning -   I'm a little achy and my stomach is a little angry today, but that seems to be the routine with Taxol.  However, I'm not going to let that ruin my day - Today is game day, family coming over, burgers on the grill - Geaux Saints!

YoYo - I love carving pumpkins and baking the seeds afterwards.  Sounds like a great afternoon!

Hope everyone has a great day!!!

msmpatty

YoYo - The surgery decision is a tough one, whether you have lots of time or almost none to make it.  As for me, I went to the surgeon the day after I was diagnosed and completely in shock and ignorant.  She recommended the breast conserving route with rads.   I said okay but had a some serious second thoughts and almost went with a full MMX.   The surgeon talked me out of it, saying it was always an option in the future.   So far I'm really happy with the breast conserving route,  they got everything and I had big clean margins.

On the other hand...I have a friend who went for the full BLMX two years ago and has had reconstruction and is really happy with her decision too!  My friend was very concerned about a recurrence in the breasts so she went the whole route there and choose a less aggressive chemo regime.  I'm more concerned with mets so I did the conservative surgery and choose to do pretty agressive chemo.  (Not that these two things are a trade off -- just telling you how my friend and I differed in thinking about treatment.)

I don't think there is one right answer.  You need to do what will give you peace of mind!

Patty

jenn3

Good morning - I'm a achy this morning, little angry stomach.  Monday's are usually my worst days so we'll see how today plays out. 

Saints won yesterday - whoo hoo!!!  I had family over to watch the game, it started off pretty bad, but they came back and won the game.  Exciting......................  The upside to football season is it gives me something else to think about. 

Hope everyone has a good Monday!

gillyone

Hi everyone

Just wanted you all to know I have my last of 4DD taxol tomorrow. Yeah!!!!

Kim09

Well its official. I will be having my bi-lateral mastectomy (no reconstruction) on Nov 30.  I have decided to not get my port out until after we get the pathology reports.  Since the pathology report from my lumpetomy was a lot worse then we were expecting, I am a little parinoid about what this one will say. 

Now I just need to call the radiation onc to set up a visit in December so I can get my radiation started in January.

Lilah

Hey Jenn -- Sorry your stomach is angry but glad your Saints won!  Woot!  I had Taxol DD #3/4 today -- I can hardly wait for the last one in two weeks!  Drinking tons of water today and tomorrow in the hopes I have the same minimal SEs I had two weeks ago with same regimen.  I think staying active helps too... walk around!  Helps with the leg aches. 

Gilly -- WOO-HOO!!!! Congrats on making it to the last one   It's all uphill from here!

Kim -- Good luck with your surgery and here's praying for clean margins and minimal pain.

Yo-Yo -- I know what you're going through with the surgery question.  Me too.  I am planning unilateral with a lift/reduction of my healthy breast; knowing that tissue will be removed from the healthy breast and examined gives me peace of mind about whether I have cancer there... my doctors also tell me (all three of them) that BMX isn't necessary, though I fully understand why so many opt for the prophylactic second MX for peace of mind.  For now, given that I already had my SNB and lost feeling under my arm (and hate it), I just don't want to lose all feeling across my chest.  So, given that the doctors feel a BMX is unnecessary, that's the route I'm going.  And then there's the agonizing over whether to do an implant for the reconstruction or a TRAM... though whenever I go through the pros and cons I keep coming back to implants (less radical surgery, less parts of my body that need to be scarred, that need to heal).  The advantage of the BMX, aside from that peace of mind, is that you have a better chance at symmetry from one breast to the other.  For me it comes down to keeping one breast with feeling (even if some of the nipple feeling is diminished by the reduction, I will still feel the rest of the skin on my breast and that, for me, is the bottom line when health is not an issue).  Don't know if that helps but that'smy two cents   What drives me nuts is that no one will tell me what to do!  Not even my mom who made these breasts (technically).  And I do understand why... but that doesn't mean I have to like it

Cheers,

Lilah

jenn3

Good morning -  Yesterday the pain was really too much to do anything, planned on getting out this morning for a long walk with the dogs - stretch the muscles and move, but it's raining.  I think I'm still going to still try get out between storms - I can wear a light jacket and the dogs don't care if they get wet................

Gill - Congrats! I'm so glad you're done with chemo!!!!

Kim - So sorry to hear the reports were worse than initially expected.  I'm guessing by doing the BMX they are expecting to get everything...... I know it's hard to not worry about what will be next, but it sounds like you have doctors that are doing everything they can to get you through this.  ((((HUGS))))

Lilah - Wow - you're almost done with Taxol too - WHOO HOO!!! I am drinking a lot of water, so much so I think I'm going to float away.  I've been walking at least 5 days a week for 40min to 1:15hr/min.   I love the walking because it keeps me moving and helps clear the mind.  And..... good luck with your recon decision. 

Marrhea

Hi everyone,

I'm new to this post, but I thought I'd drop in to tell you that I started my chemo in August 2009, 4 tx of Taxotere and Cytoxan. Just finished the last tx on Thursday!

I've been reading a lot of your posts, which I find quite interesting, heartbreaking, uplifting, etc. The good news is that we're all in this together. My experience was that the first two treatments were rather easy, minimum SE. Treatment no. 3 was a little tougher as I had more "down" days, more queasy stomach, and no "taste buds." Since chemo seems to accumulate, I figured my fourth treatment would be harder. So, right now, five days after my last chemo (no. 4), I'm having a real "no taste buds" time. Nothing tastes good - all taste like hay! I'm sucking on juice bars which gives me a little taste. Hope this doesn't last too long. Also, had minimal nausea, a little bone pain from Neulasta (took 2 Tylenol, and within a half hour, pain was gone!). However, I can't complain - I've been lucky in SE department. I am tired a little more than usual. Can fall asleep at any time; however, I can get up at 3:00 a.m., too, and walk the house!!!

This has been quite a journey for me. It started in an unusual way. My gastro doctor wanted to check my liver, so he ordered an MRI. Liver fine, but he noticed a shadow on my right breast, so he called my doctor. That's how it all started. I had a mammogram last November, 2008, and it was fine. Saw Gastro doctor in March of 2009. So, I would say that my gastro doctor saved my life!

Hair no longer, but I am enjoying my wigs. That's the best part of all of this! I'm making it fun. I got my first wig free from the American Cancer Society, and they gave me a catalog (tlccatalog.com), and I've gone bonkers over their wigs. Every day I look different, and my husband is really enjoying this. Don't try to look like you used to. Take this time to find a new you.

This whole situation is quite an experience, and I know that SE, pain, depression, etc. plays a big part. But you have to conquer all of this with a positive attitude. I have not cried one moment over my loss of breast or hair. I have, however, cried because of the wonderful support I have received from family (4 daughters, 10 grandchildren & 2 step-grandchildren) and friends. Did I mention that I'm 71 years young and live in an age restricted community in Illinois (55+). I am enjoying life - celebrating life. I read that so many of you are young, working, have small children, and I know that can be difficult. I'm not going to bring religion into this picture, but I know that if you believe in G-d, it's the same G-d for all of us. Just bring in his light into your lives.

I've started a support group in my neighborhood, not only for breast cancer, but for anyone else that needs the support of friends. After my surgery, I was inundated with meals, desserts, gifts, cards, emails, hugs, and loads of prayers and love. That, plus my wonderful doctors, faith, etc. has helped me during this time. Right now, I have 2-3 breast cancer patients that I'm hoping to help get through their ordeal.

Going through reconstruction now. Had my left breast perked, and soon my right breast will be perky, too. I plan on being a perky old lady!!!

So, I hope that I've brought a positive spirit to this forum. Anything you want to ask, know about, please do so.

Thanks for listening.

Lilah

Hi Marrhea - Welcome!  (Though I'm new too I'm not as new to posting as you so I'm gonna say "welcome"   You have a great attitude!  I have to say I cried when I heard I was going to lose my hair (in fact when I found out I needed chemo -- at first they said I only needed lumpectomy and radiation -- I was ONLY concerned about losing my hair... so dumb!)  But since losing it I could care less.  I cry now about losing my right breast, though at least in part because there are so many decisions to make and it's so hard to know what is right (thanks Jenn, by the way, for your good wishes in that).  I suppose when it comes to it I will think this too is no big deal.  Although with the hair it's no big deal because I know it will grow back; maybe the implant will feel like "hair grown back" as it were

Anyway you sound amazing!  Glad to have you here.

Cheers,

Lilah

jenn3

Good morning - I made it out yesterday morning after my post for a one hour walk with the dogs.  It was wet, we got a little muddy, but well worth the walk.  Then I went to my nephew's football game in the evening and got muddy all over again.  He's on the 5-6 yr old team and they all look like little bobble heads running around the field. While sitting on the sidelines I got to visit with family and hold my new Godchild.  I'll be heading out in a few minutes for another walk this morning as well.   

Welcome Marrhea- I love your attitude. And................ I do believe that a good attitude helps us to get through each day.  I remember writing somewhere along the way that I do have bad SE days, but rather than focus on the bad days I enjoy each and every minute of the good days.

Lilah - What you're feeling is normal, we are all handling this differently.  So....... crying for the loss of the boob is okay.   While loosing the boobs and hair for me wasn't something that upset me.  I know from the experience of dealing with trauma, it will hit me later.  I'm guessing when it's my turn to start making decisions on recon I'll probably start to let everything that has happened really sink in - then I'll finally get a good cry in............

The rain is gone for today so I'm going to try to get out and get a few things done before it starts again tomorrow.  Have a great HUMP day! 

Lilah

Thanks Jenn... I wish I could be stronger all the time but I am what I am   It helps having people like you here to talk to.

Cheers,

Lilah

Marrhea

Hi Lila  and Jenn, thanks for the welcome. Are you going to have reconstruction? I'm in the middle of reconstruction now. I've had expanders put in my "right boob" and I go weekly to have them insert the saline solution. Interesting procedure. During surgery they inserted a port with a metal backing. Then when I come in for my "solution," they use a magnet to locate the port and then they insert the needle with the solution Just a prick and then into the port. Really doesn't hurt. I've had about 6 "insertions." Believe it or not, I actually have cleavage. Had the other boob perked up, so when I have a bra on, it looks pretty good. Not sure how many more times I will have to go. When I'm all "stretched," they will actually insert the implant. If you want more details, I'll be glad to share. I'm quite open about this and will tell "all" to anyone who wants to hear. It seems that most people have no idea how this works. Hope I've given you some insight into one type of reconstruction.

Keep a good attitude, laugh and enjoy life! 

jenn3

Good morning - It's another gloomy day outside, but I got out and walked for an hour with the dogs.  Today I'm going to lunch with my boss for a belated bosses day lunch and I may try to get to either Walmart or Kmart for some more Halloween candy to make up some bags for my daughter's friends tomorrow.  Apparently what I put together isn't enough.............  Even in High School they all bake for each other, give out treats and handmade cards for birthdays and holidays.  I'm so going to miss it all when my youngest leaves for college next year.

Lilah - You are strong, look what you've dealt with and are dealing with. Someone with you're strength couldn't have gotten this far.  When you cry you're just "cleaning" away the frustrations and anxieties you're dealing with so you can handle everything with a clear head.

Marrhea - You sound like me, I tell it like it is.  Anyone who asks and REALLY wants to know I have no problem sharing information.  Just last week I had a friend ask me about losing hair, she was really curious if it ALL goes.  I said yep - all of it....... It's a shame it's not summer. Thank you for the info - I know I'll be asking a lot more questions when the time comes, but for now will store this information in my mental file.  Interesting about the metal plate and magnet.  I guess when they do the final surgery it all comes out.   

Hope everyone has a great day today!!