MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish
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weather haha while we are on the subject it is beautiful here in Texas. I have my vegetable garden all planted.
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Youooooooooo Eli.....the girls are talking dirty again.......
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Too funny how we feel like we're kids getting caught doing something Mom would get mad about!! (Weather talk)
Staynsane, congrats on feeling good - nothing better! I'll look forward to updates whether you do or don't go. We do such great pocket parties
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haha, oh my goodness! I hate to continue the weather talk..... BUT, it got down to 28 degrees on the 1st day of spring here in Georgia. Usually it's hot by now! And currently, I'm freezing.
Sherry - good for you getting your garden planted. I wish I could have a garden, but my house has a canopy of trees covering it. I have to find plants that grow in the dark! I've been known to stick bunches of fake flowers around the yard, haha. You can't tell from a distance..
If you try to find my house on Google maps, it looks like a bunch of broccoli. Thankfully, some organic farmers come to my town every week so I can buy from them. The organic stuff in the grocery stores is already wilted by the time it hits the shelves.Staynsane - sorry I missed the pocket party, but glad you are feeling so good! I guess just play it by ear as far as flying goes. My worry would be blood clots at that altitude - does your doctor know you're planning on flying next week? Looking forward to hearing about the "big reveal"!
It's funny how the strangest things are interesting to us now. Cancer sure changes your perspective on stuff.
Barbe - you're right, we don't have to be all cancer all the time. Personally, I love to talk about all my dumb little things going on. LOL Barbe, once you said it's like we're talking to ourselves and if you get an answer, it's like YAY! And still, we're here when someone is nervous or has questions. A plethora of useless AND valuable information here!
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Just passing through & thought I'd say hi.
To the newer gals here, I have read your posts & I'm sorry I haven't made any comments. I hope you are doing well. I am sorry you have to be here but I'm glad you found us.
Keeping a couple of very special sisters in my prayers every single day....
Had my blood-work done yesterday for my six-month check-up in a couple of weeks. And the anxiety grows......... hate the TM's. Mine rose slightly last check & scared for the new results....
Take care everyone,
Val
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Staynsane, I am so happy you are pain free. At the time I had my fat grafting I also had an implant put on the non cancer side, and a lift for that side. My Recon was done in two stages, one side at a time in order to have insurance pay the greater part of it. So I had an implant and lift on one side , fat grafting on the other to try and fill divots, and then lipo on top of it. I was so sore. Also, what does your PS say about lifting, and having your hands over your head? You should ask someone else to help you with your carry on bags and the overhead bins.
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staynsane - glad to hear that all went well and that you are feeling good. Hope you continue to heal well.
Val - here's hoping that those TMs are behaving for you!
HNS - my sister has never been known for having a green thumb. She too has fake flowers in her flower box to add a bit of colour to her front step. lol
Good news on the home front here - my DS who has been out west for 4 months is coming home! Can't wait to see him. Will be anxious until he gets here safe and sound - he is driving the 3000 plus kilometers by himself. Another first for him. He continues to make me proud.
Wishing everyone a great Friday and a wonderful, painfree, stressfree, weekend!
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I have seen people who use the silk flowers in their yards. I have nothing against them unless they let them stay so long that they get tattered and faded.
So happy for you, Barsco. It is always wonderful to have a child return form being away for a lenghthy time.
Val, it is good to see you stop by. Don't be a stranger!
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Post lipo/grafting update- This procedure was a simple one for me, although my PS didn't address everything we talked about pre-surgery. Since my implant was inserted in November when the lift was done to righty, he was just going to lipo my abdomen to get fat to graft around my implant. I had the classic hollowed out area above the implant, and it has now been filled! It is a lovely shade of grayish pink and is tender, but at least for right now, I have a smooth transition. He also did a very minor revision to the scar at the underside of righty. The original made it look like righty was encroaching a bit on lefties territory (very minor); I don't know how he did it but that is no longer the case and the scar is still not very noticeable.
He didn't address the "extra" tissue I have below and towards the outside of my implant. The plan was to revise the mastectomy scar and tighten up the skin. I had also hoped for him to fill a divot under my arm muscle. While he addressed the biggest issue (the hollow) I can't wait to find out why he didn't touch the other areas we discussed.
My middle has some black, blue and grayish-pink areas, but no pain at all. Just a bit of tenderness. And I no longer have the mini-muffin top creators on my hips! I don't seem to be very swollen, and think my svelte tummy is going to be wonderful once things totally heal up. I think I could wear jeans now, but I am still wearing a compression wrap around my middle and sweats are very comfortable. I'm working (home office) today.
Travel was a concern, because I was warned about DVT (deep vein thrombosis) and my PS was not thrilled that I will fly across country next week. But I will drink lots of water and do leg and ankle exercises in my seat and feel I will be fine. There is no way I could put off travel for 4-6 weeks.
Thanks for your comments and concerns!
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Staynsane, we only say these things because we're all family here. I kind of shivered at your comment that there is no way you could put off travel for 4-6 weeks. There are times when we can fudge things, and there are times when we have to make our health our priority. I just hope and pray that you aren't trying to do too much. I think as women/wives/mothers we, as a whole, tend to want that superwoman cape all the time, but surgery is really one of those wakeup calls where you have to give in to your body. Even if you feel fine, there are so many risks with the change in altitude and confinement...I just ask you one more time to think what kind of advice you might give a loved one of yours who was facing the same question. Would you advise her to fly so soon after surgery?
One of the side effects of my cancer journey is that I say what I think, even if others think I should keep my opinions to myself. This might be one of those times. Know that I'm coming from a good place, with your health in mind, when I say these things.
Valjean, I miss your posts. Make sure to let us know the TM results as soon as you can, okay?
Barsco, woo hoo for DS coming home. We'll all rest easier once we know he's there safe and sound
Hugs to all.
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I am reading all these posts and I so understand how staynsane feels... I want my life to be normal and I do not want to have there be anything I can't do... but it isn't normal and there are alot of things I can't do...I go to work, planning on staying all day and half way through I am exhausted and know I have to leave - it almost makes me feel like crying.. I want to stay all day but my body doesn't have the energy..I want to go places I always went to before but I go to the mall and halfway through it, I realize, I can't walk any further as I don't have the energy...the treaments just zap the energy out of me.. I tell myself this isn't permanent, its only temporary and when treatments are done, I'll get my life back.. do others of you fell like this?
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IamNancy--yes, treatment knocks the stuffing out of you and it takes time to recover after. I've heard that you need 2 to 3 months of recovery for every month of treatment. It takes time for the body to reverse all the damage done by rads, chemo, anesthesia, truama and stress.
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IamNancy- I think you hit the nail on the head! Normalcy is what I am after (ok, normalcy with a new, slimmer tummy!) I really do feel good though and have never been one to take the advised length of time to recuperate because I haven't needed to. I have a hard time sitting around letting life get by if there is something that I want/need to do. But I really don't feel like I'm pushing anything, because again, I feel good. If I felt that I would be stressing myself out I would take it easy.
Marlegal- I appreciate your concern and probably would advise my friends and loved ones to take it slow and recuperate. I am not superwoman, but have discovered that I seem to heal a lot faster than most having similar procedures. I will do the recommended leg movements and stand/walk in the plane and know I will be fine.
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Staynsane- I hope flying so soon turns out ok. I just lost my best friend to a clot that went to her heart and killed her instantly while the doctors were monitoring her. She had been ill with the flu. I am still in shock. I will pray that you travel safely.
Lamnancy- I too want to feel normal again, but I am not sure what that pertains or if I even like it. I have no energy once I get home from work. Sometimes I struggle just to get to work.
On a happy note, I am going with my 2 sons to NC next month to visit my daughter and grand kids. I have never flown and either has my 13 yr old. Doc told me to take 2 Xanax on the way and if needed take 2 more when I am on the plane. I was wondering it the ports in my tissue expanders are going to cause the metal detectors to go wild. LOL I hope it's warm when we get there. I am tired of cold and snow.
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My job requires me to fly weekly. I started flying three weeks after my BMX and have had no issues. I get up and stretch, not really caring what it looks like to others. And of course, I drink plenty of fluids and because of a history of heart disease in my family, I take an aspirin/day. For a couple of months after my BMX I felt like I was swollen under my left arm after flying, but was/am negative for lymphedema. This has resolved.
I tell the screeners I have a port, but it has never set the detectors off. I also choose not to go through x-ray screening, but choose a pat-down instead. -
Maryah930- I was reading that the port in the tissue expander is magnetic, is that why you chose to not go through the screening? Also, do you wear compression sleeves when you fly?
I was reading that you are not supposed to have the tissue expanders in for over 6 months. It will be a yr for me next month and my exchange is not until June. This is per the manufacturer.
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Dianarose, I had TE's with the magnet in when we flew in December and went throught the full body scanner without an issue but had my Medical Implant card ready to flash if necessary. Funny thing is they said they saw something on my wrist but I wasn't wearing anything. Not sure they have the machines hooked up correctly.
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Dianarose ~ I only had the port for chemo and blood draws, but am thinking of having it taken out. Both my BS and onc say I have a very low risk of lymphedema. I don't wear sleeves, but did look into it after my surgery as a precaution. There are studies out there and differences of opinions whether wearing sleeves without a definitive diagnosis during flights can predispose you to lymphedema. As far as the pat-downs, I go through security 2-4 times/week. It may sound silly, but with all the scans, x-rays, etc. I have, I didn't want to add anymore to the mix. no matter how minute.
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iatigger- what is a medical implant card?
Maryah930- I think my PT is just being cautious because I had 17 nodes removed.
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Dianarose, now that I look at it I see it is called a Device Identification Card that shows the Serial numbers from the TE's. Your surgeon should give it to you after surgery. I received mine while I was still in the hospital.
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iatigger- My PS never gave me one or mentioned it. I will have to ask her. Thanks for the info.
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The surgeon who did my port also gave me a card and a little plastic card to put on my key chain.
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I am checking in after a bit of a break, looking to offer a little cheer to those doing hard things, like Eli: if anybody on this planet could understand and empathise with the treatment you will be having, it would, in my humble opinion, be the ladies on this thread.
Barsco, I am so glad your boy is coming home, there is nothing like having them in the same room with you! Dianarose, have a really good trip.
I am done with week two of radiation,and suddenly, since yesterday, feel like I got hit by a Mac truck. Sore, sensitive L. breast, wicked fatigue, weird nausea off and on, and, what throws me the most, trouble sleeping! I sleep really well, generally, and really need it now. I went to do errands today and dragged myself home after a hair appointment, utterly disinterested in my usual pleasant afternoon of errands. I am working half days but if this keeps up, work will not be an option for awhile. I don't recall any of this when I went thru radiation in 2003. Its scary. My brain feels all spacy and detached from its moorings. That's been happening some since diagnosis, but this weekend, wow!
Thanks for listening, and boy, can I relate to you, Nancy, and the unpredictability issues. /p> -
Glad to have you back MameMe! Hopefully the SEs will ease off for you as you continue rads - how many more tx to go? You have to remember that 2003 was 10 yrs ago. No offense but our bodies don't bounce back like they use to. Rest up when you can - maybe a sleeping aid is in order?
staynsane - I hope that you continue to feel well and that your flight goes without a hitch for you.
My boy is almost here! It's been a loooooong 2 days waiting and worrying. Thank goodness for modern technology. He has a gps on his cell phone and has been in constant contact with us to let us know where he is at etc. However, northern Ontario has quite a large area with no service - and lots of moose - worrisome when we didn't hear from him for that stretch. And when we did hear from him - he relayed a story about rounding a bend and 2 large moose in the middle of the road! YIKES Thank goodness he saw them in time. He should arrive home this afternoon sometime! Excited to see him!!!
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maryah, please don't assume you can't get LE!!!! I don't want to preach here, already have on another thread where two women then found out they did have LE!!! ANYONE who has even just surgery is prone. You've had 3 nodes removed. Same as me. I have truncal LE. My Oncologist found it - my surgeon didn't believe in it! I went to him for another surgery recently and he was a convert!! There is SO much more info now than there was even 4 years ago. It is very serious. And don't wear sleeves unless you are diagnosed!! You could cause LE if you compromise your own lymph flow. Sorry to be a bearer of doom, but please, everyone who reads this take care!
(I got a pacemaker last summer. When they found out about my LE they moved the placement of my pacemaker to ease the flow!!)
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Barbe ~ I have never assumed I could never get it, which is why I researched it before I flew.
I'm really glad I did because I was going to get and wear sleeves as a precaution! I now just stretch and move during flights and hope for the best. I am in a research study at Stanford where they are collecting information regarding LEs. I am aware that I am at risk simply because I had surgery. -
As you say, barbe, not to wear LE sleeves if not dx'ed with LE - that is why one of the things you do NOT do is wear tight sleeved clothing. Nothing tight under the arm pit area, no tight sleeved anything. No elastic on the upper arm. Clothing such as that will compromise our lymph flow.
Not a bad reminder to hear every once in a while to help spread the word that we are all at risk, even if not having had any nodes removed at all, but having had Rads in the area of nodes.
((E~))
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I have been doing some research on if you should or should not wear the sleeves while flying and it is very conflicting. Some sites say to wear them while others say not too. There is never any definate answer with anything to do with breast cancer. Even when I ask the MO a question he never gives a direct answer. The National Lymphedema Network says to wear one. WTH
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When my PT offered to order me sleeves I said, but I have truncal LE, why would I want sleeves?? She paused and them acknowledged my point. I then asked her, wouldn't sleeves just push the fluid down to the hands until LE developed there as well?? She then admitted that sleeves without gauntlets (hands) were kind of useless. It scares me to read how many women casually wear sleeves and yet don't mention gauntlets!!!! LE has been known to develop as late as 20 years out - probably a build up of bad maintenance on someone's part. It is expected now, that at least 30% of breast surgery patients will develop LE. Think more than once when you ask for those revisions!!!
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Ugh, those statistics on how many will develope LE sound terrible. I will be flying cross-country fairly regularly starting in about a year - I didn't know NOT to wear a sleeve if you've not been diagnosed so that is good to know.
Val - my tumor markers went up some for the first time last November (the highest they've ever been) so that combined with getting my first bone scan and then a PET scan had me nervous for months. The scans turned out fine and in February I found out my tumor markers had gone down again. I guess it was just the "moment of the draw", but I hope yours turns out the same way.
barsco - I know you must be so excited to have your son back home! I still have mine home for about 9 more months then he's graduating and starting a job in Seattle, so all the way across the country from me, too. I'm really dreading it - he's my only child and I'm divorced. I guess I better start stepping up my social life!
Something about having cancer really puts your social life in reverse for a while (at least for me), so I will have to make some actual effort to be sociable again.
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