MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish
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Eli - The virtual tour was definitely not boring. I really enjoy your writing also. However, I spent most of the day yesterday sleeping due to walking the Relay for Life the night before. Then off to my nieces ballet recital last night. My first ballet experience - very enjoyable.
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Oh hello there Middies, those up and computing before me this morning.
marlegal, My hub has never cruised, but considers it just a floating hotel, a crowded hotel. Even after I told him my highlights, what I saw and did, and that there are many places to avoid the crowds, he turned his nose up at going. I will cruise again. In fact, since I have two sons and try to do for them equally, I am pretty sure a Caribbean cruise will be on the agenda when my younger graduates.
mostlymom, I will tell you a side story of something that amazed me. I brought a new pair of Adidas walking shoes on the trip, white around the soles. They are very comfortable so I put those on to do the Mendenhall walk. Well, as you might remember, you can go off the trail in many places out onto siltly little points that are good spots to photograph the glacier. I walked all over that silt. When it was time to head back, I thought my shoes would be encrusted with muddiness, but the silt had dried and fell off like dust and my shoes were as pristine as when I started. Even the MUD is CLEAN in Alaska!
mumito, It was mostly timing and luck that led me to go Norwegian. Although I wouldn't mind trying another line, I definitely would recommend Norwegian and would not hesitate to book with them again. You are a seasoned cuiser (and I know you did the B/C Thrivers one, too) I'll have to see what your next destination turns out to be. If I lived in Ontario, I'd be looking at the warmer cruises, but the Alaskan cruise would be perfect in the summer months for anyone living in the Southern inferno states, if they wanted a nice, cool, week-long break. Btw, which is taller the Space Needle, or the CN Tower? (Which has attracted the most aliens so far, I wonder?)
NM, I have only seen a bit of southern Maine. Once I get to my final two U.S. states, it might be time to get to your NE corner again.
O.K., barsco, I can understand that post-Relay exhaustion. It was lonely here on the weekend, BUT so long as everyone was out enjoying themselves, I'll just have to hush up.
carollynn79, Sorry to hear you are still hopping around. A hairline fracture should take only a few weeks to heal. Cellulitis is more unpredictable, but I hope yours gets GONE soon.
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Eli love your travel diary. Really makes me want to take that cruise
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Hey there Middies!
Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend - sounds like our little group was busy this weekend. Wish I could say I was doing something great or fun but I was just doing a good scrubbing of the house and trimming of some bushes.
Elimar - Thank you for sharing your cruise with us. Hubby & I did a Caribbean cruise 3 years ago for our 10 yr anniversay and want to do an Alaskan cruise for our 20th. I am glad you enjoyed your cruise and hope you have many more voyages in your future.
Sweet dreams ladies. Wishing everyone a great week!
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Wish we had "clean mud" here - my son was out 4-wheeling yesterday and seems to have brought home half of the trail on his pant legs!
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love the pics!
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Got scolded a little this morning when I set us my mammo for next month. She noted, "Oh, you missed your 6 mo. appt in January." I replied, "I phoned in to cancel that and from now on I will be good following up, but it will be just once a year." They don't like it when you stray off the path, but I thought long and hard about what is best for me.
For any relatively new Middies, I scaled back on my mammo squishing because: First and foremost, the squishing gave me petchia (small red spots of broken capillaries that didn't go away.) I'm sure this is due to radiation in the first place, since my good side was able to withstand the squishing, but I don't want to add further trauma to my treatment side. Secondly, although I have Grade 2, I know that the mitotic rate was the lowest so my orig. tumor was slow growing. I reason if there was a cell or two left behind, it will take years to even get big enough to image. I fully expect to get to the 5 year point "cancer-free," but what happens in 8-10 years? Who knows? They told me my 7mm (BB-sized) tumore had probably been there for 7-8 years in the first place. Which brings us to thirdly, perhaps the weakest reason, which is mammo didn't detect my original tumor, so I don't have 100% confidence it will find something new that might arise. My breasts were dense and I was just darn lucky that my tumor was near the surface and I could feel it. This is the weakest reason, tho', because now that I lack estrogen (menopause and Tamox.,) the composition of my breast should be getting fattier and easier to image.
I write all of this, not to influence anyone to blow off their mammos, but just to say that we aren't all the same. The person on the phone with me did not have a clue to my pathology. She was just following the routine agenda, but I made a careful, informed decision to do something else. Sometimes it has to be like that as you assert your individuality in the B/C world. I don't know more than a doctor, but I know me.
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cmbear, I know you'd rather have Johnny or George, but during your recovery you need some real help and, let's face it, it has been years since either of those two has even taken out the trash so I had to find you another home help hunk. This one will leave the kitchen spotless after making you a pancake and serving it to you in bed. Enjoy.
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He definitely works for me, lol, bye-bye Clooney
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I hear you Elimar! The biggest reason I chose a MX instead of a lumpectomy was that I found the beast myself, two months AFTER a clear mamo.....and my BC also said it had been growing for 7-10 years! ...every year I was vigilant about getting a mammo.....but not so vigilant about doing self exams. I'm not real confident in the mammo......but I DO think they are muy important! More important is that we know our own body!
Now I'm torn between having the "good" breast removed during my DIEP. Initially I was adamant so as not to have to worry about BC recurrence in that breast....and no more mammos......and a better chance of symmetry in the reconstruction. But now I'm thinking if there is cancer cells floating around...they've had 7-10 years to find a new home....and I kind of like having feeling in my "good" side. I have my PS consult on the 18th. Hope I can come to a decision I will be at peace with. -
I need one that actually has a real job. One where he gets up everyday and goes to work and gets a pay check at the end of the week. Although this one will do until I can find one with a good resume. LOL
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I totally understand doing what feels right for you not just following standard protocol. And I hate mammys... BUT, just playing devils advocate here but I owe my life to one. By the time my tumor would have become palpable, I would have been terminal. That said, I understand they aren't perfect so I opted for a BMX to reduce my risk and get better reconstruction results.... Besides, never having to ever get another mammy, priceless!!!!!!
Seems to me we all have to make our own decisions and individualize our treatment to us not just accept the cookie cutter protocol....
Wishing all my middies sweet dreams tonight...
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I agree with odie- we all have to do what feels right for us and what gives us the most peace of mind. I also opted for BMX and have not regretted it.
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Hey Elimar! I loved reading about your Alaskan cruise - and thanks for the photos, too. It sounds wonderful, especially being lucky enough to have an art auction on your particular cruise - as much as you love art! I'm glad you hit the EMP Museum in Seattle - my son is living in Seattle this summer and STILL hasn't seen it, although that was #1 on his list. Hopefully, this weekend...
I was thrilled when my BS told me in February to just wait until August for my next mammogram. He moved me to once per year on his own, although I was all prepared to ask for it and debate him. He said they are finding in younger women that it's not such a good idea to scan so frequently because of the chance of radiation building up in the tissue. Besides, I hate being smooshed!
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Like your new avatar HnS76! My son loves Seattle. He has been out there three times now. I know your son will have a great time this summer and have many tales to tell. Ask him to try and get me Bill Gates home number. Also, he's gonna need rehab for a Starbuck's addiction, so heads up on that.
Yeah, I didn't like how my Breast Center made a big deal out of me coming just once a year. I know that some women on here go yearly schedule at the 2-year mark, so what is the big deal considering the Dx and treatment I had. The funny thing is that I think I go back to "screening" mammos after 5 years, and no longer get diagnostic ones. I guess that's o.k., but I almost wish they would still be taking a closer look and do few more views until the 10 year mark, as slow growing B/C takes a while to even show up. I think I am going to push for additional U/S screening every couple years if my breasts are still dense after the 5 year mark. They need to consider all factors for the individual. Is that really so hard?
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I'm in same boat as Odie...my tumor was deep enough that I wouldn't have felt for many years after a young resident radiologist caught it on my mammo. My surgeon and I agreed on a yearly mammo schedule at the 5 yr mark (I'm almost 7 yrs out), but either she or I felt something at alternate 6 mos visits with her and she sent me for ultrasounds. I have a lot of internal damage from rads after my lumpectomy, and so far that's what all the lumps have been. I like her proactive measures and willingness to make a plan, but then change it when necessary. Another instance of just saying that we need to find what works for us, what lets us sleep well at night. Well, that might be asking too much, but you know what I mean!!
Eli, I'd love to hear more cruise stories and see more pics ... your story-telling is great
Hugs to all with tests and treatments this week.
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I don't know where I should post this....but it just occurred to me yesterday that I had donated blood one month before my diagnosis.....and I was an active bone marrow registrant. I called both today to update my health status and was told they were very appreciative I thought to contact them. I can't donate blood until 5 years in remission, AND I was taken off the marrow registry permanently.
It seems like the question re: recent blood donations etc should be standard protocol when you are diagnosed. With everything else to think of....this didn't occur to me until after three months! I don't know if my blood was already used....but would be horrified to think something I did to help actually caused harm to someone else! -
In hindsight, wearing my black boots with my swimsuit was probably not the best fashion statement. Thanks for dredging this old photo back up E!!!!
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Chacha, I think we went over the whole blood donation thing on here at one point. If I remember correctly, there has not been a case of someone getting cancer from blood. There have been several cases of cancer developing after receiving tissue or organ transplant. Jump in anybody that has heard otherwise.
That article I linked last week was about the CTC, circulating tumor count, which could further check people who had no evidence of distant spread. It is probably more expensive, being new, but maybe it would be something done routinely on donated blood in the future. Or maybe that just does not matter; that cancer just can't spread that way.. What, to me, is the big question mark is, why are some told o.k. to donate after 5 years of remission, but some have been told no donating for life. Like I was writing earlier, a person with a slow growing cancer (like me) can make it to the 5 year point, maybe donate, and then have their cancer return 7, 9, 12 years later. I feel too confused to donate again, unless it was life or death for a family member.
Eph! I told you to wear your white boots, like I did, so it could match our belts! If only we wore attention getting straw hats, we could have been in the center of the photo, like Miss Thing. I am almost cut out as it is.
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Ha! I still have that parasol. Maybe I'll take it to the beach this weekend
Chacamom, one of my friends who knew that I donated frequently called me a few months after my dx to say that I should probably alert my donation center to NOT call me for 5 yrs. I never thought of it either! And one of the best feelings in the world was when I passed that 5 yr mark - for lots of reasons of course, but honest to God, one of the key ones was knowing I could donate again.
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Thank, Elimar! I'll try not to worry about it....but why do they make a big deal over disqualifying donars......and then in 5 years NED resume? If the cancer cells have been in the body 7-10 years before palpable.... Agree, could be still there after five years NED...so I'm not donating exept in an emergency AND with full disclosure.
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When I got my Dx, I was the first one in my group of old friends to get cancer. Then, my oldest friend got B/C. Now, another girlfriend who went in for thought-to-be-benign ovarian polyps/fibroids just got Dx'd with Stage III ovarian cancer. Surprise! She doesn't have her final pathology results yet, but sounds like they do it about the same as B/C...definitely some chemo for her. Because I know so many on BCO who did chemo, I was able to be encouraging to her; at least to say it's "doable." Didn't have to say it sux. Everybody already knows THAT!
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Elli good for you. Recently a friend of mine found out she had BC. I reached out to her and gave her several places to go for info, here being one. I did fb her a few times, but didn't want to pressure her. I know how it is, plus she didn't tell many people so it wasn't my place either. I let her come to me with any questions. When she finally went for her BMX she was at ease. She said that I was one of the people that didn't scare the crap right outa her. Her parents tell me this every time that I see them. Her dad just goes on and on everytime about how much I helpped her. That in itself helpped me as well. Its a scarey time for anyone and I remember that when I had my BMX that last thing I wanted to hear was how awful it can be. I let her lead with the questions, but my answers weren't meant to scare her, BC does that all on its own. The only time that I had anything bad (if you wanna call it that) was that I still questioned up until the time they put me under was O Crap am I doing the right thing. I know that sounds weird but thats just how it was for me. So anyways good for you on telling your friend chemo is doable!!!
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Elimar- I finished round one of chemo and am now on a 13 day break
. I can honestly say that so far fear was the worst thing (other than the nurse not knowing how to put in an IV). They give steroids along with the infusion so I feel like the 6 million dollar woman for a few days and can't sleep. I have had plenty of energy to do my normal tasks including working. I will admit I had days of nausea and constipation, but no vomitting or time in bed from side effects. The fear of the unknown can really play head games with us. I am hoping that the next 5 rounds go just as smooth. My white blood cells are still in the normal range and the red are slightly low, but some spinach should help with that. I have been trying to stay positive and the only thing I can say is there were some days of depression, but that too passed. I was terrified of having the double mastectomy, but that too has passed and I like my new girls (even though it is just the TE's until spring) better than the old ones. They are perky and look great. I can't say that it is a pleasant journey, but it is a tolerable one so far. I feel for your friend with ovarian cancer. Fear can rob us of so much. I have learned to face many fears the past 10 months that I never thought I could or would ever have to. I couldn't have done it without all of you.I want to thank all of you ladies for all your support you have given me to get to the point I am at. You are all a wonderful bunch of Angels.
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Diana, great to hear from you and so glad to hear that you are doing so well. I figured that each round of chemo that went well was a sort of bonus, in the sense that it was so much better than all my fears.
Hang in there and try to squeeze as much of a good time as you can out of feeling so relatively well. -
Dianarose - good to hear that you are doing well. Enjoy your break from chemo and best wishes for the next 5 rounds to go as smoothly.
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Dianarose, Mentally, the first one seems the hardest to go through, but that's under your belt now. Just hearing from others here keeps the expectations realistic. I think that helps. Chemo is no picnic on a sunny day, that's for sure, but then you find out YOU CAN DO IT TOO.
cmbear, Haven't heard from you this week...how's the recovery going so far?
Momine, Congrats on your 1-year cancerversary milestone (belated,) and wishing you many more to follow.
Barsco1963, I'm gonna say belated congrats to you to too, although I don't even know if that is considered appropriate for someone at Stage IV but I am thinking every year and every month and every day has the significance of being one step closer to finding a cure, or finding something to stop B/C in its tracks. So, let's all head in that same direction together. And have a cupcake, just because we can!
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Celebrate the small things, just walked to the mailbox and back with DH and no walker. My back is killing me but, at least I can say I got out of the house today! Hopefully, I will get my last 2 drains out on Tuesday and then I plan on a nice, long shower. Thanks everyone for your kind thoughts
Diana, you've crossed the first hurdle and I agree with eli, the rest will be easier to deal with because the fear of the unknown has lessened incredibly. Don't forget to eat your proteins and drink,drink drink your water. It'll help you heal.
And eli, I REALLY am going to enjoy your cyber cupcakes!! Dr has vetoed chocolate during recovery--and personally, I think I would have reconsidered this whole procedure if I had known that chocolate would be verboten. . . .
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WTH, cmb, you've been on a walker all week, plus drains, and with NO CHOCOLATE? What kind of sadistic recovery program have they got you on, you poor thing! Don't they know you need the additional serotonin-stimulating dark chocolate for it's pain blocking ability? Maybe they have found that no chocolate helps people recover quicker...like this...
Doc: It's been a week now, how are you feeling?
Patient: Great! Totally fine. Never felt better. Practically forgot I had a surgery. Recovered like a charm. All back to normal. All good. Good to go.
Doc: That's what happens when you stick to our recovery diet.
Patient: Didn't I see a vending machine out in your lobby?
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cmbear..you can have my chocolate muffin too, sounds like you need it.. Yay for walking without a walker
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