MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish

elimar86861

Kleenex, a lot of the vertebrae & rib soreness existed even before I began hefting large furniture around, plus created one new area or soreness. Thanks for making the bone scan sound like n afternoon at the spa. Spa-aha-ha-ha!

I find it very easy to go "split personality" on the whole B/C lifestyle.  One day I feel like a true survivor; the next I'm a wimp and feel that any one of the many check-ups will start the "circus of horror" all over again.  Can I at least blame the Tamox. for this moodiness?

elimar86861

Hey, P-Mom, how is the treatment going?  How much "detailing" did you get on your brain?  What is the chemo program going to be like?  Don't you just love how you start to get used to one "new normal" and then they make ya do it all over again?

JMW

Well, I have told my sons about my cancer. They took it well. Good thing as I have been upped from stage 1 to stage 2. My sentinel nodes were positive and they are also going back into the breast because of unclean margin. They are doing this tomorrow along with more lymph node removal. Will be in the hospital for a couple of days. Sure not looking forward to doing all this again! Start chemo at the end of Dec. Was first told I would be doing only the radiation but now its the chemo also. Kind of scarey!

elimar86861

JMW, sorry your surgery turned into a do-over.  I hope you will have a period of stress-free healing after the second surgery and will be able to have a relaxing Thanksgiving.  And you made it over the hurdle of telling the kids, so that's good news.  I notified one of my kids teachers and a counselor about the B/C, just in case I could not be as responsive to all the "action items" the school seemed to send home and just as a heads up in case my child appeared more moody in his classes.  I don't know if you want to go public like that, but I told them to keep it on the down-low and asked them not to bring up the subject with my child unless he mentioned it first.  I was just putting the awareness out there.

raeinnz

JMW - I hope you feel better now you have told your boys - not a nice thing to have to do but that is one stress off now that you face more surgery and recovery.  Chemo is usually standard if there is node involvement as they presume some nasties have made it out of the breast.  It is very scary but you want to be around as long as you can for your boys so, as one lady says on another thread, 'you don't have to like it, you just have to turn up'. Lots of ladies have had chemo and rads and they can answer any questions you have - just ask.

Eli - I had a full nuclear bone scan post surgery to check for mets.  It is a no brainer - as others have said.  Radioactive injection, wait a few hours then lie strapped on the couch for about an hour as the machine does its work (the worst part for me was that I was tied down and told not to move... excruciating because EVERY muscle in my body wanted desperately to move after being told not to.. ).  The radioactive dye soaks into your bones and denser areas show up brighter and if there is not a reason for that denser area, well ....  Mine was all good as gold except for a less dense area in my jaw where I had had a tooth absess a couple of months earlier so it is pretty sensitive I think.  Re pain in joints - I am on Femara and had had no history of arthritis but a few months after starting it I got a very sore joint on the side of my foot on both feet.  I asked my dr about it and he said it was probably the start of old age (hmmm... didn't think much of that description when I was only 52) arthritis BUT it hadn't shown on the bone scan a couple of months earlier so I am sure it is drug related.  I didn't have rads but I do now have sore ribs in places around the bottom of the recon area and it can only be from the bmx/recon surgery and the back pain is definitely muscle related - and different from what I have had a times in the past.  I too HATE my new normal but I am convinced a lot of my emotional turmoil and physical problems are HT related so I am hoping for some improvement when I finish HT in just over 3 years  

Hi Pauldingmom - hope the treatments are going ok and that you are not too uncomfortable afterwards.

Harry Potter fan here  haven't read the books but I love the movies!  My 20 y/o DD is going to the midnight premier tonight but I will go at a more sensible hour when the rush of people has died down.  I would prefer to watch them at home but I think they are one of the few movies that lose something when they are not on the big screen - The Horse Whisperer is another that has to be seen on the big screen to get the full effect of the scenery etc. 

elimar86861

Thanks for sharing raeinnz!  About your film comments...Uh, I remember this one little trilogy that had beautiful scenery...The Lord of The Rings, filmed in NZ!  Loved it!!!

raeinnz

Yep - definitely best viewed on the big screen but a little TOO big and real at times for me!  My little old country is just as beautiful as it looks though.

elimar86861

Now if you can only get rid of that Ring Wraith problem!

3jaysmom

hi ladies,just wanted to thank rae for your info about rib pain..talked to my onco about that, also. pet scan showed nothing, so she said it was because i had dbmx 2 yrs ago, and ps. cleaned it all up again this yr.. there's been too many men messin in my private parts!! at least the one's on top!!lol noone's gonna get a chance on top for awhile.. ok, maybe DH but only outside of the skin.. now, having put my foot in my mouth, i'll go hang my head...3jays

Anonymous

PauldingMom - what part of Montgomery Cty? I'm in IL now but my roots are there...Lancaster is BEAUTIUL and New Hope? Been there? I've actually lived all over the country as my X was working for Gov and was in Navy so I've lived West Coast, NYS (twice), Willow Grove, PA, and many more...Hope you are doing well and happy to have met you here on this site...what's GA like?  :-)

BarbaraA

Hey all you PA gals! I lived in Erie from age 0-6 and in Beaver (near Pittsburgh) from 7-16 then Camp Hill (near Harrisburg) until college.

brazos58

Onetough.... the Planes of the Willow Grove Navy Base been flying over my head all my life. Oh and the Blue Angels! New Hope is always a special place to go around the holidaze at Peddlers Village.

PMOM.... Just went to Landsdale for the first time. I am so directional!.. Montgomery County is right next to Bucks County where I am. You must be missing the Pizza/ CheezSteaks/ Pretzels from up here, huh?!

BarbA.......never been out that far west in PA. But have friends that have Family in Harrisburg/ Clarion

We have beautiful counties the further north and west you go....lots of farms! I so want to get out to Lancaster.

but then there is that Phila- del-phia PA thing!  Great times and eats/ views/ music....and there esp by the River I love it.

(( Good Day to all))

Sherryc

JMW-glad you were able to tell your kids and that they are taking it well for now.  Sorry for you news and hope that your healing will go well.  Will pray for you starting chemo, no one wants to do that.  Keep us posted.

cookiegal

ElaineG  It's possible to have a totally different type of cancer come back. I know two people who had Her2+ cancer, and then had a different type after that. It could be slow and pokey. There is just no way to tell.

Eph3_12

JMW-I 2nd what Elimar said about putting teachers on the inside track.  My daughter was finishing freshman year of high school when I was diagnosed; I contacted her school counselor and asked her to keep an eye on the situation, but to not bring it up to DD unless she initiated, or a teacher inquired due to a situation in class.  There was never a need for intervention, but I wanted the school aware of the possibility.  

bluegems

From a teacher here...............YES! PLEASE let your child's teacher or the school counselor know when diagnosed, surgery, or setbacks occur. These are some of the most traumatic situations a child will deal with. I know I make accommodations for students when events like this occur. And giving the child someone (you trust) to talk to who's not in the thick of the situation can really help them deal with their feelings. It also gives us a head's up for potential acting-out, so that when it does occur, we know where it's coming from.

 Judy

PauldingMom

OneToughWoman- LOL I also spent several years in Illinois! Gurnee and DH is from Macomb. In Lansdale we were right near the train tracks on 2nd street. 

I have one more head zap tomorrow. It doesn't hurt but does give you one hell of a headache. They increased some meds. and that has helped. Tonight I feel pretty darn good. The lights from the computer, t.v. are not so great but doing good. As far as chemo. I won't find out till next week. I'll let ya know when I hear more. For right now I'm focused on the end of radiation and looking forward to some time off.

I got a bag of cheetos in the mail today so I'm gonna be busy for a while. I'll check in tomorrow:)

Pink Hugs, Lisa 

Anonymous

Brazos - Holy crow....I used to live in Horsham, right off of Horsham Rd., and I was Associate Exec Dir for the YMCA Corp Fitness Ctr...how funny....know the area very well and yes, miss those cheese steaks, pretzels and "goods" ships..and how could I miss those "tandytake cakes", was back in Sept., my mum suddenly passed away (West Chester) and I scarfed up a few boxes, had a real Philly Cheesesteak and took the surroundings all in...no place like home when you've traveled the country like I have...

PMom and BarbA - would love to hear from you ladies...pa gals as well???

PauldingMom - LOL - I know exactly where you mean (location), my father used to work for Snyder Real Estate there in town and he lives in Harleysville now....saw in this past Sept. and enjoyed scootin around the area, back roads, forrests, oh I just love it...my fiancee was with me and he took it all in, he's never been to PA, well 2 years ago when we drove back for my folks to meet him, and then we took a motorcycle ride out last June for my father's 75th surprise BDay party, was he ever surprised when we showed up and on the BIKE, non the less...good time was had by all, I hadn't seen my family and extened family in years.....and it was nice to catch up.

Have a great day everyone and bundle up (at least here in IL)

elimar86861

Woo-Hoo, P-Mom, last day of rads.  

Am I the only one who is wondering how long it would take to cook a turkey with one of those rads machines?  If our breasts are any indication, it would put a crisp brown skin on the turkey for sure.

Thinking of suzwes, and that all goes well with her ultrasound today. 

Eph3_12

ok completely & totally off topic, but here is a funny for when you have time.  It is a little long, but has some zany artwork & I was chuckling pretty hard through most of it! Enjoy.

http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/11/dogs-dont-understand-basic-concepts.html

PauldingMom

DONE!!! WITH BRAIN RADS.    Now to get my self back to normal. I want to do a happy dance but would probably fall flat on my @$$. So I will rejoice in the dancing kitties Elimar sent. 

They said 10 days of recovery from the rads. Recovery......sounds like a wonderful, wonderful word.

Love ya all,

Lisa 

Eph3_12

LISA:  TRA LA LA BOOM TEE AY! YIPPEE SKIPPY! AWESOME! COOL! OUTSTANDING! RADICAL! ZIPPITY DOO DAH! SUPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXPIALIDOUCIS! HIP HIP HOORAY! MARVELOUS! THE CAT'S MEOW & THE CAT'S PAJAMAS! HOORAY! MOST EXCELLENT! 

Love,

Joni

BarbaraA

LISA!!! {{{WAH HOOOOOOOO}}}.

JMW

Thanks again for the comments and advice. Back home now and feeling pretty good. Not in any pain from the surgery. I told my sons teachers about my BC as soon as I found out as I knew I would have to tell the boys at some point. I agree that their teachers should know so they can understand if there is a change in behavior. Thanks all!  Jeannie

faithandfifty

PAUL-DING

PAUL-DING
{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{Lisa}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

So proud of you. So very proud. So very, very proud of you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Prayers for the road ahead!!

Guess what middies. GUESS WHAT??????????

I have a date on my calendar to meet up with our Cookiest IN PERSON!!!

IN NYC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In a couple of weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Who wants to meet us for dessert in Little Italy? 

I am so excited!

Yes!!! There will be pictures!!!!!

sheila888

It is so good to hear from you Paulding

HUGS

♥

Meece

Congrats Paulding.  I knew you could do it!!!

elimar86861

JMW, How many nodes were taken out in all?  Did they put a drain in you?  I only had two nodes out, but the surgery area for the nodes was more sore than the surgery area for the tumor. 

3jaysmom

congrats, PM!! happy dance commencing here in sunny Fla!!well done.   3jays

chrissyb

Well done PM!!!!!!  CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!   Take it easy while healing and remember it's not long now!  Enjoy some more flowers.