Starting Chemo Aug 09

gillyone

Patty - I get twinges in my back when I've been walking carrying stuff,or even just standing around for a time, or between my shoulders when I've been hunched over the computer. Then my bad boob often does not feel normal, no pain, just weird. All probably nothing but everything is worrisome these days. I don't talk to anyone (except here) about this stuff - people would think I'm nuts!

On a different note, I went to a "pink tea" yesterday. This is organized by our local hospital and is a fundraiser for people in the area who can not afford mammos. (I was invited last year but it was a chemo day!) I am not thrilled about October pinkness so slightly concerned, but it was a good cause and no companies making megabucks from the pink. There were 500 people there including many survivors and I got to stand up and be acknowledged about the support group a friend and I have just started. It was great for us to be recognised and made us seem official. We had out first meeting in the conference room at the hospital earlier this month and a lady who has worked with others setting up support groups came to talk and help us out. In November we have an actual speaker on lymphodema. So we are slowly getting there!

Lilah

Gilly -- that is just so wonderful!  I know what you mean about the mixed feelings re: Pink and all... but it sounds like you chose the right event. 

I think aches and pains are normal as we age.  My doctor said it's the pain that is constant and does not go away for a few weeks that you need to worry about.  Not that that means it's cancer... but if it's constant and doesn't go away it is cause for concern and should be checked; if not, well, it's gas or it's a muscle strain or you know -- something NOT to worry about.

jenn3

Gill - the event sound great. How far we've come is right......

I also have mixed feeling about the whole pink thing.  I know it's for a good cause, but for some reason I feel weird getting out there and doing the whoo hoo's and yipeeee's and in all honesty - I've always hated wearing bright colors, pink included.  I am trying to find ways to show support for a good cause.  I did recently meet another co-worker that is a 10 year survivor.  Again, I would have never known. 

Lilah - My Mom and coworker have fatty livers.  My co-worker like you said it's something you have whether the weight is up or down.

The weather has been really nice these last several weeks and I've been using it to my advantage.  I've been walking almost everyday.  I've even convinced DH to go walking.

msmpatty

Gill - I like the idea of fundraising for women who can't afford mammos.  It seems so much more specific and useful than buying all these pink products and having no idea where the money goes.  Plus your hospital's event supports local women.  I like that.

Lilah - I didn't realize you had diabetes.  Tough disease. 

Have a great weekend everyone!

Patty

Lilah

Patty -- thanks   I am lucky because I control it with pills and diet (no shots!)  When my mind enters the merry-go-round of reasons why I got BC, one of the bobbing horses in the circle is definitely diabetes.  I've read articles that suggest there may be a connection.  But then the merry-go-round continues round and round to all the other possible reasons until I give up, get off, and let it go.  (OK I will stop now with the silly metaphor). 

We saw HEREAFTER tonight -- another good one!  Very touching/moving but also absorbing.  Matt Damon is rather sweet in it.

jenn3

I went to see RED, DH and I enjoyed it very much. 

Lilah - I want to see HEREAFTER, guess I'll try to check it out during the week or next weekend.

Hope everyone is having a good weekend.

Lilah

Ah RED is on our list!

jenn3

Has anyone seen Life as we know it (with Kathryn Heigel and Josh Duhmal)? It looks funny,

Today the Saints play the Browns - let's hope our team plays like they did last week for a good win, rather than a nail bitter.  We're going to my in-laws to watch the game and visit with one of our nephews who is on a two week leave from Afganistan.  Then our other nephew is expected in from Afganistan in about another 2 -3 weeks for a visit. 

Hope all of you are having a great day!!!!

Lilah

I haven't seen that one yet... I like both of those actors, but something tells me it's a good candidate for my Netflix queue

Sounds like fun Jenn -- hope your team wins!

NavyMom

Jenn, please thank your nephew for serving our country.  And hug his parents.  They need it and deserve it.

Navy

jenn3

Navy - thank you, I will pass it on to both of our nephews.  One of our nephews had planned on making the military his career, but after spending 2 years in Afganistan he is having doubts.  I guess we'll see what happens when he gets back to the states.  How is your son and new grandbaby doing?

Well.........the Saints played terribly, kinda like they used to play.  So, so frustrating.  On to next week.

gillyone

Had a mammo last week with a follow up u/s on the bad boob because of the staph infection this summer. Yesterday was my 3 monthly onc visit. All is well

Hope everyone is feeling good.

gillyone

Forgot to say I had my hair cut last week - it is super short. But it looks like I intended it to be short rather than "this is all I've got." I think I have finally got rid of all the chemo hair and now it is shiny and healthy. I'll have to wait for it to grow a little bit to see if there is still curl in it.

Lilah

Wooo hooo on the good report Gilly AND the new 'do

jenn3

Gill - so glad you had a good report and can't wait to see the new hair.

msmpatty

Gill - Congrats on the clean bill of health.  If I cut my hair back to about 1 1/2" it, like yours, would be nice and shiny and straight.  But I just can't get myself to do it.  So longer and frizzled will have to do for a while.   Brave Gill!   Post a picture!

Lilah - Can't dwell too much on "what caused this?".  That will make you crazy.  It's just the (bad) luck of the draw.  Glad to know your diabetes is controllable through diet and pills.  

Jenn - Sorry about the Saints.  The Chargers ain't exactly chargin' either.

Patty

Lilah

Thanks Patty

And LOL re chargers not chargin'!

buccaneersdj

OK, not to try to upset anyone, but last night I found a pea sized lump under my lumpectomy scar. I'm pretty sure it wasn't there before. I am completely freaking out! I can't even find my list that I made ( I made a precise list from the day I found my first lump, about the dr's and order in which I saw them and who sent me to who). So I just called my primary and told him and schedualed an appointment for next Wednesday.  I have been trying ( in case you didn't notice) to forget about breast cancer for a while! I am very pessimistic by nature but have been pretty optimistic about my cancer since treatment. My Onc always told me if my TN cancer came back that it would most likely happen within the first year, that's why my port is still in. When I wrote my appt. next week in my date book, I just happend to notice next Thursday is my 1 year PFC! I did have my last digital mammo on May 6th and a CT of the chest and abdomen on August 30th, both were ok. Do any of you lumpectomies have a lump by your scar? Anyway, I will keep you updated on what they do. {{{HUGS}}} Donna

gillyone

Donna - I know how hard this is. Any change in our bodies is so scary. My scar is very lumpy. I know you will freak out over the weekend (always the weekend right?) but try to relax. It is probably nothing and worrying changes nothing. Easy for me to say, I know. We are all pulling for you and will keep you in our thoughts.

buccaneersdj

OK, One more VERY honest question. I am scared to death to touch my boobs, which makes a self breast exam pretty impossible. I of course am fully aware that I need to to these to detect any changes as earliest as possible. I acually at one point told my husband he would have to do them for me, but last night he could barely feel the little lump when I put his finger right on it! Does anyone else have this issue or am I just being overly dramatic. I did feel my scar area last night and that's when I found the little lump right beneath the skin, now I am completly freaked out, which is why I am afraid to check my breast! I consider myself pretty smart, I do know that just because I don't look for cancer doesn't mean it wont come, that's what's so weird about this fear. {{{HUGS}}} Donna

jenn3

(((HUGS)))) Donna - yes it is terrifying to feel something that doesn't seem normal.  I was a somewhat worried about the way an area was feeling and it turned out that it is scar tissue.  Could that be the case?  Maybe scar tissue? You're doing the right thing by seeing the doctor. In the meantime if possible keep your mind busy with Halloween fun and football. 

NavyMom

Sorry to hear that you have new worries, Donna.  Back in June I had a bump along my incision line and it turned out to be a suture that was trying to poke through the skin.  It went away by itself.  Took about 2 weeks.  But I went in and had it checked by my BS.  She was very understanding and knew that I was feeling a bit panicky over it and even did an ultrasound to confirm that it was "nothing"    So hang in there.  We will all be here waiting to hear what the Doctor says.

My latest PET scan came back clean except for the same lymph node in my armpit.  It remains stable so no treatment is needed.  So I am trying my best to get on with the joy of living a full life. 

 I have lots of trips already planned.  Most of which are going to see my Navyson and his family.  My grandson is almost 6 months old.  I have seen him 3 times already and he and my DIL will be here next week for a few days.  I look forward to playing with him again.  He has a great laugh and is very easy to please.

For anyone interested, The Discovery Channel has a program on tomorrow at 8am CST focusing on TripleNegative BC.  It plays again on November 6th, same time.

Have a nice weekend everyone.

Navy

msmpatty

Donna - At a regular exam a few months ago my surgeon felt a new lump near my lumpectomy scar.  She referred me for an ultrasound and they pronouced it scar tissue or a fat necrosis,,,which can result from trauma (read: surgery) to the breast.    I just had a 3-month follow up with the surgeon and she had trouble finding the lump at all.   I understand completely your fear of self-exams.   I've got it too!   I do a quicky exam in the shower on the first of every month (soap up boob, put arm over head, feel around) but I figure that with someone thoroughly prodding my breasts every three months for the next four years, they are much more likely to find something than I am.  Hang in there...the odds are it is nothing to worry about!

Patty

jenn3

Today is Halloween - HAPPY HALLOWEEN to everyone that will be celebrating, having parties or trick or treating.  My youngest drove in from school and surprised us this weekend, so we've been hanging out together.  She'll head back today.  Then......the Saints play the Steelers and I'm sure hoping they bring their A game - they've just been so disappointing this year. 

I watched the show on Triple Negative cancer yesterday, but it didn't really tell me more than I knew and seemed to hide the unpleasant stuff involved with chemo (by any patient). 

Navy - enjoy that new grandbaby!!!

Donna - thinking of you and sending a giant ((((((HUG)))))

Lilah

Hugs all!  Running around but wanted to say hi

gillyone

just saying hi too! Had a birthday on Saturday and went and bought myself 2 pairs of dangly earrings. The menfolk of my family are not too hot on buying gifts so decided to just do it myself.

Lilah

LOL Gilly I do that too sometimes   Happy birthday!

jenn3

Gill - Happy (belated) birthday!!! Sometimes we get what we really want when we make our own purchases.  Although DH is a good gift giver we each decided on our 10 year anniversary to make our own purchases, which was different, but fun. 

msmpatty

Happy birthday, Gill!   I'm so glad to hear you got exactly what you wanted.  HA!

Patty

buccaneersdj

Happy birthday Gill, I too buy myself presents, or at least my husband takes me to pick something out!

I want to say thank you to you all, for supporting me this past week. I went to my primary care Dr. today (because that is how an HMO works) and as I thought he is refering me back to my surgeon to have a look. He doesn't think it needs another mammo, because of how close to the skin and small it is, and I just had a diagnostic mammo 6 months ago and a chest CT scan 2 months ago. He doesn't think it's an abscess of any kind because it is hard and firm. So I wait again for an appointment to the surgeon, so he can diagnose it. He did say it could be residual scar tissue from a sucture maybe, but just isn't sure. He said the surgeon will probably biopsy it or just remove it...oh joy! I can hardly wait! I guess this is the new fun I get to have! It is small he said about 1cm, smaller than a pea, very close to the scar and surface. He also said he would recomend getting MRI's instead of CT scans in the future. I wonder if he can get Aetna to pay for those??? They wouldn't even pay for a PET scan because my lymph nodes were negative, so I'm cured! We all know your lymphatic system isn't the only way cancer travels; but apparently Aetna doesn't. I will keep you posted!  {{{HUGS}}} Donna