MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish

elimar86861

Yes, the bleeding was lucky.  Some people don't get that.  Often the symptom of blood shows up after a full blown invasive cancer is present, unfortunately.  I will PM a little more of the follow-up to you.

p.s.  The miss rate is like 5%.

Tomboy

Jumpin jack christmas, elimar! haysoos! i am so sorry to that you had that!  & no symptoms what so ever? How quick after that colonoscopy did they do the one that found it? i hate to think about how chained i am to my body now. it used to just purr along nicely, now its makin mistakes. i am glad you are good to go. i am following all your guy's good advice, and i think i am getting suprep. thanks for everything! where in the world else would i find such frank discussions about such important things?

elimar86861

Oh, I had the scope due to a postive fecal occult blood test, then doc missed the lesion I had.  So, I then had non-occult blood symptoms, worsening over time, thought to be hemorrhoids.  Wasted some time on that.  False sense of security over scope done the YEAR before, so it was not until about 18 mos. after scope that I got Dx.

elimar86861

                                       Just when you thought it was BC, menopause, and the rest, now...                                       

                                      

                                       Heightened emotions?  Ha!  Do I really need a Super Moon for that?

Tomboy

waaaaaaaaah!!!!!

SchoolCounselor

I don't need a moon to mess with my emotions. BC does that quite nicely.

staynsane

Kathec- I just thought I'd pop in and say that I had to really push to get a colonoscopy (at 55) and just had it a few weeks ago.  The prep wasn't so bad for me the first day, but when I awoke at 3 am to start taking the second half, it really did make me gag.  I made lime jello the first prep day and found it to be a delicious dinner (and a diversion from the prep liquid).  I also bought apple juice, but only had one glass; who could keep drinking after a gallon of prep?  Anyway, once given sedation, post procedure I didn't recall a thing and was pleased that my bum didn't hurt or anything.  No evidence of alien invasion.  The "all clear" was good to hear.

Tomboy

i wonder why she (np) was pushing so hard for me to get one when i was first dxed at 52?? i eat almost no meat, got extreme amounts of exercise, etc. i cant help but think(and i have been told) that i ask too many questions, and so i was just thinking that they wanted to poke a hole in me so i would have to wear a colostomy bag... i know, a little bit paranoid, huh? but my old bs actually told me the last day i saw her, that i "got a medical education"  at tx centers expense. well,no, not really, cause so few questions WERE answered there, i got most of my education and answers from women on bco.

i'm with you, schoolcounselor, i don't really need the moon for that either, but it's lovely to howl at.

jbokland

I had a friend ask me "so you're in remission?".  My (quite offended) answer was "NO!  I am cancer-free!".

I'm now a little haunted by that conversation.  Although there is NED, am I officially in remission?  Do I have to wait for the 5 year mark to make that claim?   The professional community will never use the word cured.

Just wondering if anyone has had that conversation with their doc.

Momine

jbokland, as far as I am concerned "remission" is the correct term. 

barbe1958

I haven't heard the term remission for breast cancer since I had it. I consider myself NED. Until they come up with a CURE then being NED is the best I can get. That's what all my scan reports say, "No evidence of metastatic disease". Even the "no evidence" part makes my skin crawl....

elimar86861

I always have to qualify my "cancer-free" remark with "until they tell me otherwise."  Which is another way of stating NED.  I might have been surgically cured, plus/minus treatment, but there is no way to really know for certain at this point.  (I am at the 5-year point, jbok, and for ER+ BC that is really not all it is cracked up to be as recurrences can and do come even further out.)

I have heard NED and remission used interchangeably and I think the journal article use remission commonly, but in my own usage I usually say "remission" for those with known metastatic disease, when there is no "progression."  In other words, when there is shrinkage or at least stability, or if the person even goes to NED.

3rdtimenow

 Jbokland, I celebrated at the 5 year mark and did a happy dance at the 10 year mark and only months later had my second new primary. 2 years after mastectomy I am now dealing with my 3rd. When I saw the 2nd. MO last week for his opinion, he stated you are cured. Trying to be optimistic, it's not easy.

macatacmv

bars, great news!!! We love stable boy!!!

fbn, glad you are feeling better! Keep letting your team "care" for you! 

I'm with you eli, eating the whole grain "stuff". Sometimes I wish I could go back to that uncomplicated time of cheeto finger licking. 

It's funny what people notice about us. I have people say how they like my short hair, or the color ( lighter) or my new glasses, or others will say how much weight I have lost. I just say thank you, I'm working on being healthy and it's a full time job!!!

I also say I'm living like I'm cancer free!!!

Footballnut

hi all

It's Monday and I'm feeling more like myself albeit a few minor things. I'm losing my eyelashes and eyebrows are thinning out and my eyes feel "sticky". Tummy is much better and my tongue isn't burning so much anymore. The back of my neck still feels clammy off and on and I get the odd chills. Sometimes at night I'm on FIRE but not sweating

And I'm HUNGRY!

We had a BBQ on the weekend and I ate 2 Nathdns hotdogs with buns - they gotta be Nathan's!! - some pasta salad, chips and a piece of chocolate cake. I even drank 1 1/2 bottles of Pepsi. Felt great!!!

My friend gave me a book called "eat to beat cancer". I told her today that according to this book I'm already dead. Lol

I just can't buy into all of this stuff. Go vegan, live on rabbit food etc. I believe in moderation. If I can't eat my junk every now and then I'm not living!

A friend of mine took me on his motorcycle during our BBQ. It was awesome! It felt so great - until we got pulled over for speeding. Lol

Today I was on the treadmill for 40 minutes and did arm weights for 1/2 hour

A week wed in my 2nd to last round of chemo. I'm scared sh*tless! I'll see what my onc has to say regarding proposed changes to my treatment. I think that I'll be getting taxotere weekly for the remaining 6 weeks. A nurse told me that most women tolerate this much better.

For now I'm going to enjoy my week! 😊

Tomboy

slow down there, girl!!

Footballnut

Brwneyedgirl

FBN - so glad to hear you feel better.

Footballnut

thank you!  I never thought that the pain would end!  I just dread next week!!!!

HomeMom

I hear ya FBN. Just getting over my 4th and final A/C treatment. Two weeks I start Taxol and I'm told it is much nicer on the stomach etc. Things I didn't eat before I eat now - fried food - coke - mac/cheese. Just looking for the taste!

jbokland

ladies. I will share with you a news interview I did in April when I was going through chemo.  

http://www.myfoxorlando.com/story/25377911/orlando-cancer-patient-proud-of-illegal-marijuana-use

MinusTwo

Thanks so much for sharing your news interview.  You are strong & brave!!

elimar86861

jbok, Great job as spokeswoman for the situation as so many of us see and experience it.  Way to keep it real!      

ndgrrl

This is all so scary , not knowing what is to come. When my oncologist told me I was to fixated on my breasts when I was in for my last appointment wanting some answers I wanted to smack him.  UMM hello I was no in there for a hang nail if I was then I would be fixated on that. Sheesh... 

I have a question for everyone. What date do you base your anniversary on. The date you had surgery. The date you were done with treatment or the date you were first diagnosed? I was diagnosed July 19th last year. 

Tomboy

ndgrrl, my stupid ass ex breast surgeon said the same thing to me, a year and a half after she scolded me for "not understanding the gravity of the situation"--sheeesh.

3rdtimenow

Great interview, Jbok. Some people just have no business being doctors, such terrible bedside manners. I am so fortunate, my surgeon gave me his cell number. My other doc gave me cell # home # even his mother's number when he left the country to visit her, and they both always have a hug of encouragement for me. I always considered the date of my surgery as my anniversary date, interesting to see what others consider their anniversary date.

KLJ

You are a great spokesperson Jbok!

elimar86861

ndgrrl,  I just celebrated my 5th cancerversary and I used the date of my lumpectomy.  People use the other two methods you mentioned and no one cares which one you choose to go with.  I mean they are all equally valid, so you can just pick one that is the most meaningful to you.

HomeMom

Jbok I saw that interview on TV! I remember thinking that I wasn't getting chemo, or that "red devil" and was thankful, but then after my biopsy came back I found out I would. Seems like a long time ago. I wish I had had access to medical marijuana. 

barsco1963

Great interview jbok! I have been offered (and even tried) baking with MaryJane. Didn't find it to be advantageous, but then again I was just kind of winging it - didn't really have a recipe or anything. The Colorado Yum Yum as you named it, looks and sounds like a better option (I don't want to smoke it).

Eli - like the new topper! I don't usually have a problem getting to sleep before 2am. It's the waking at 1 or 2 am and then trying to get back to sleep after that.