Chemo Starting Sep 09
Comments
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Kim and Jane you are welcome for the hair tip, hope it helps.
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OMG Girls! I have missed so much on here!!!
You all know the drill, trying to 'clean up' everything that hasn't had my full attention for almost a year! Seems like the day I finished radiation, I started running and haven't stopped - CRAZY stuff at our business that needs attention and catch up.
ANYWAY, having surgery Monday to replace tissue expander - will surely be able to get on line and peruse these threads while I'm 'laid up'.
Pamela - to reiterate what the gals are saying, my oldest daughter too has put us through the ringer - in fact I had such a stressful time with her last year -feel it may have contributed to the cancer cells 'waking up' and getting me. I don't say that of course - as I would not want her to feel responsible for my cancer - But, gotta let go and let God. She will grow up, mature and continue to change - and she'll 'fall back' on her upbringing and appreciate all that you've done for her! Prayers with ya!!!!
I see many of you are getting brave with the HAIR! My daughter just 'relaxed' mine this week. Could have used perm solution, but got something called ManeTamer at the beauty supply. So easy now - blow dry, put a little goo on, spray and walaaa!
Talk to you all next week - I'll be sporting two drains again, yuk! - But glad to get to it!!
Love to you all! Have a blessed weekend!!!
Di Di
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Almost forgot...I ended up on FEMARA. Onc confirmed with two blood tests that I was high range for menopause, so no tamoxifin. So far, no side effects that I can tell. Taking Ca+ +VitD
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Hi all
Pamela love and hugs to you. I so wish you didn't have to do more tx - but also know you are wanting to fight it with everything you've got, so go girl! And I am very glad you like and trust your new onc. That is so important. Please let us know your progress.
Didi love your new pic!! Good luck with surgery. Mine was pretty easy - compared to mastectomy the exchange surgery is really OK.
Kim and Jane I am also hot flashing all over the town. Seem to come in waves with some days not too bad and others (or esp. nights) pretty bad. My older sister suggested cutting out caffeine and sweet things in afternoon and evening so am trying that - I think it helps. (I do like my piece of dark chocolate at night though!
)My little family is still very strained and fractured. It hurts so much. Hubby and I are trying to get on with life but it hangs over me dreadfully. It is the first thing I think of when I wake each day. I think my son will move out soon-ish and while I would normally celebrate that as an important and exciting time in his life, I wish it were under other circumstances, rather than because of conflict between us and his partner. It just seems too cruel, to get through everything last year, and now have this to deal with. I am having lunch with his GF next week and I hope that will make things between her and I, at least, a bit better.
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Hello SOSisters...a whole weekend off and I have been keeping busy. Don't know where Saturday has gone.
PamelaJo - you can get through all of this again. If you have to take the Nestula (sp?) shot you should get Advil or Claritin for bone pain. Water, water and more water. No matter how yucky it gets remember we are all pulling for you and sending you get well in a hurry vibes! Please keep us posted on how you are doing!
DiDi - Good luck with the tissue expanders on Monday. We'll be thinking of you. Love the new photo, wish I had enough hair to do something with - but it's getting there. I am also taking Femara and having hot flashes, hot flashes and hot flashes! But I am like Neece, somedays are better than others. I haven't found the magic solution yet, but promise to share if I do.
Neece - glad you are doing well other than the hot flashes. I don't have any caffeine in the evenings so I'm not to sure if that will help. I do like some kind of dessert at night - that could certainly contribute to mine (and my weight). Sorry things are still tense in your house - wish there were words I could share with both you and Pamela Jo that would help. The only thing I can say is that my daughter caused us some major worries and heartache many years ago. We are now all over it and the best of friends. It will get better!
BarbAnne41 - you are so positive for all of us! How are you doing? Still haven't purchased my Pantene yet but it's on the list for tomorrow. The warmer it gets, the more I think I may have to change my date for the "unveiling" to sometime end of May or first of June!
Barb0343 - hope you are doing well and recovered from your surgery. Let us know how you are doing.
VickiLynn, Ronnie Kay, Susan, Catherine, Amy, ChinaBlue, Melinda, Flacracker, Onty, DomeGal, ScoobyDoo, Holly, Patty, Anita - some of you have posted recently, some it's been awhile. I just wanted you to know that we think of you and hope you are well and enjoying life! For those we haven't heard from, drop us a line sometime, we'd love to know how you are getting along!
Thoughts and prayers are with you!
Jane
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Hi ladies. Sorry I've been MIA on the board but I've been thinking of you all. My company produces bridal shows and we had our spring event last Sunday (3,000 people attended). Then I left Wednesday for a business conference in Las Vegas. It was my first trip away from home since my DX last May and I really enjoyed a whole three days on my own with no kid, no cooking, no laundry, no worries!
Oh Pamelajo, I am so glad your surgery got the little sucker but I'm so sorry you are now facing more treatment. I did A/C (every three weeks) followed by 12-weeks of Taxol. I agree with Barbara's suggestions on the A/C but would add to be sure to get ALL the anti-nausea meds, especially Emend, and take them as recommended to prevent any problems. I found that with the A/C I'd feel good the first few days after a TX (steriod and anti-nausea pill days), then feel kinda bad on days 4-6, and then I'd start feeling good again. For me, Taxol was no problem. The TX's take forever but it doesn't make you sick. I took the B-vits and never had any serious problems with neuropathy. By the end I was pretty tired, but the weeks go by surprisingly fast. You can do it!
Hair! What do do? As mine gets longer it gets more and more unruly...cowlicks, swirls, curls, straight parts...one big mess. Every morning I look at the train wreck on my head, slap on my wig and say to myself "I'll think about it tomorrow".
I started Femara about a month ago and so far no problems. I feel for you guys with the hot flashes...I get hot "spells" where I feel too warm regardless of the actual temperature but no sweats or anything. I was checking into the Femara board and got one tip that I've been using...which is to take the pill at night. Quite a few ladies found this helped with their SEs...especially sleep problems and joint aches.
Now here's a strange...but really good thing...after peeling from the rads the scars from my lumpectomy are completely invisible! Prior to rads they were really obvious...like a criss cross on the front of my boob (X marks the spot!). Now it just looks like I was born without one nipple. On the advice a friend I used Emu Oil during and after rads, so maybe that did the trick?!
Good luck with your surgery tomorrow Didi. I'll be sending good thoughts your way.
Patty
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Patty how nice to have a se (peeling from rads) that actually has a positive effect on something else!
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Good Morning
Went to see my onc. yesterday and we are going exploring. I have had hip pain for 3 or 4 months and chalked it up to bursitis( i had it about 5 years ago.) We were discussing some pain I am having in my ribs and cervical spine for about a month. He is proactive and wants to make sure everthing is ok. I am sure it is but better to be safe than sorry. So on Fri. I am having a bone scan, x-rays, dexascan and a MRI of my hip. I'm glad they can get them all done in one day.
Pamela- I am happy you have a good onc. and now have a plan of attack. Knowing you are doing everything possible hopefully can give you some piece of mind.
DiDi- How did the exchange go? Mine will be sometime in the middle of June.
Neece- praying for peace in your family.
Jane- Great to see life is busy and you are doing well.
Msmpatty- Las Vegas is one of my favorite places. I am planning a trip with my parents in Oct. I can't wait. Glad you had a good time.
THINK POSITIVE
Catherine
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Hang in there Catherine. Praying your aches and pains are just "because".
My ribs hurt too, and have since my mastectomy. I think it's traumatic on the bones to go through chemo and such. Mine especially hurt where the drains were. I'll be thinking of you
I should get my PET scan results today. -
Catherine and Pamela - saying prayers for you. Let us know right away!
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Yes I am with Vickilynn-keeping you both in my prayers and let us know when you know something.
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Pamelajo? Catherine? Any news? I'm thinking about you guys.
Patty
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I go today for all my tests. Bone scan, x-rays, mri and dexascan. Hopefully I'll hear something next week. I'm sure everything is ok but we just want to make sure. Thanks for the thoughts and prayers
THINK POSITIVE
Catherine
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Hello SOSisters.... Been thinking of everyone, I'm a little bit behind on posts but hope to catch up!
Patty - your bridal event and trip sounds wonderful! I am not fairing so well with Famera. I am having horrible joint/bone pain, in fact, was concerned maybe something was going on I didn't want to know. Turns out to be side effects to Famera. Going to try for a few more weeks with lots of Advil, if it doesn't get better will be going off it for a while. I move like I'm in my 80's! You have descibed my hair perfectly and I don't know what to do with mine either. I am going to get color on it, doctor said it was okay!
Neece - hope you are doing well and enjoying your new job. How is the hubby/son situation going?
Catherine - you have been in my thoughts and prayers. When will you get your results? How did your tests go? Let us know as soon as you can as we will all worry along with you even though there is nothing to worry about!
PamelaJo- we are all waiting to hear. Hope you are hanging in there being the tough warrior that your are - please let us know as soon as you get any news. In the meantime all positive vibes are coming you way.
VickiLynn & BarbAnne - hope you are both well and enjoying the weekend!
Hope all of you have a wonderful Mother's Day! Take care.
Thoughts and prayers are with you.
Jane
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Hi everyone,
Ditto the positive thoughts to Catherine and Pamela - my heart hopes for the best possible results for you both.
Do you know, it never occurred to me that rib pain could be due to mastectomy and /or chemo! I have rib pain on my left side and I had put it down to all the broken ribs I had in car accident last year. But maybe it is more likely the surgery.
My family situation is better - but not solved. I met my son and his GF for coffee after work last week, and she was lovely - no hint of the problems that had occurred! The issues were more btwn my husband and her, not me, but of course I felt caught in the middle. Was so relieved to be able to have a friendly conversation with her. Not sure if the husband /GF issues will be resolved but at least I can continue to have a relationship with her.
It is Mothers' Day in Aus. tomorrow so looking forward to a nice breakfast out with my Mum, son and sister, and DH.
Good health everyone.
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I wish all of you a happy Mother's Day!
My twins have just finished their freshman year of college and will be home on Sunday. It will be great to have my whole family together.
I am doing well. I am still exercising and dieting. Now, I am only 7 lbs away from my goal! Next week, I have a 10K. I had a follow up appt. with rad doctor who said all was well. On Tuesday, I have a follow up with my onc. He does not require any tests. I am not sure who orders my mammograms anymore. My follow up with my ps is the following week. I have so many questions for him. My bs follow up is not until next year. So, I will try to live a healthy as I can.
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Jane - I'm sorry to hear you have problems on the Femara. Have you tried taking it a night? Many ladies on the Femara board found that helped with the aches, although no one seems to know why. I wonder what causes them. So far I'm doing fine on it, but who knows what the future holds?
Neece - Good news on the GF front. Good for you for making the effort to get together with her, I'm sure your son appreciates it. Unfortunate that your husband and the GF got off on the wrong foot, but maybe time will fix that.
China - Congrats on almost reaching your weight loss goal! Like you, I'm doing the rounds of "final" check-ups with the various docs. No extensive tests for me either. My rad Onc told me I am officially cancer-free.
I got "de-ported" yesterday. Hooray! A little sore this morning but nothing I can't handle.
Happy Mother's Day to us all!
Patty
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Congrats Patty on being deported Yea!!!
Jane sorry about the aches, ugh I hope you can find a happy place.
Catherine and Pamela still thinking of you both.
China, congrats you are my weight loss hero.
Neece good that things have smoothed out a bit, hope they continue that way.
Well today is my 42nd birthday and I was determined not to spend it like my 41st, (last year I was having a couple of follow-up mammos and an ultra sound where the radiologist told my hubby and I he was pretty sure I had the big bc, and so far the day has been fabulous. I have a follow-up mammo on my left breast on May 28th and a follow up with my onc June 1st. I can't wait to get through that and just have this summer to myself...no docs or hospitals.
Heels are still a little tingly, still stiff and achy especially when I sit too long it takes a bit to get things moving again, and the hot flashes are still..well, hot and heavy but nothing I can't tolerate.
I am thinking of you all
Barbara
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Hello SOSisters...working tomorrow so wanted to wish everyone a Happy Mother's Day today. We celebrated today with lunch at Olive Garden and family time at home. Had a good time, some get togethers are just more fun than others, today was fun.
Neece - glad things are going somewhat smoother for you and your son's girlfriend. You will never regret making the effort and it may help heal the hurts sooner. Hope you have a lovely Mother's Day breakfast.
ChinaBlue - congratulations on almost being at your goal! I wish I was motivated to loose some weight, I'm sure it would help with my aches and pains. Twenty would be good! I had my appt with radiologist - don't have to go back until August for a mamo. Have appt on 18th with onc dr and then will be done except for Herceptin. My onc doesn't require any further tests either.
Patty - I am taking the Famera at night, have been since I started. My se's didn't kick in until about 8 weeks. I was feeling so good, lots of energy, now I'm aching and move like an old lady with very little energy. It will get better! Congrats on getting deported - I can't wait. It will be another milestone. Happy Mother's Day tomorrow.
BarbAnne41 - HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!! What a difference a year makes! I'm with you, ready to be free of appointments of any kind! Hope you have a wonderful day.
Catherine & Pamelajo - thinking of you! Also thinking of all of our other sisters and hoping all is well and life is good! Take care.
Thoughts & prayers are with you!
Jane
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY BARBARA! Mine is next Friday!
I have to have visits with my onc. every 6 months for 5 years before they will call me free of cancer. But I'm feeling better all the time... certainly do have a lot of aches and pains I don't remember having before all this, though.
neece - Glad you're building a relationship with your future DIL (?)... such an interesting relationship that is... I love my DIL and get very frustrated with her all at the same time! Wouldn't change her for another one though!
Jane - love the Olive Garden!! Guess it's the same no matter where you live : )
Happy Mother's day to all of you. I planned to have a picnic but it's thundershowers predicted, so we'll just picnic inside : )
On another personal note - Our Lazy Dawg Cafe is on hold. The swamp cooler had mold and we asked the landlord to fix it --- he went to his attorney and said I was a liability because I have mold allergies and that we either find an alternative source of air ventilation or vacate. Because we had not signed a lease and found out what a jerk our landlord is (not just to us but to all his tenants) and because I know how important my health is (my cancer was likely caused by long-term exposure to mold/bacteria/mycotoxins in a house we lived in), we vacated. Called friends and were totally out in 1 hour!!!
So now we're trying to figure out another place to do this as for only being open for 2 months, we were quite successful! Already 3 businesses in town have offered us a spot if we can come up with a mobile cafe (trailer).
Today I took a Food Handler's class and a test for certification. I was really nervous about the test --- wasn't sure if my chemo brain was able to do it. And I won't know for a couple weeks, but I think I did OK. Turns out the teacher/test proctor was recovering from skin cancer (with chemo treatments).
Even if I don't post as often, I'm keeping up with my reading!
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Happy Mother's Day to my Sempber Sisters
My surgery went ok, it took me about a week with PT with a walker. I have one rod in the femur bone and it connects to my hip bone. I find out Monday what the test results. More x-rays. I will keep yall posted. Sorry it took me a long time. I will be glad when I know the results. I am thinking postive and praying for good news!
I hope that everyone have a Great and Wonderful Day!
Wanda
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praying for you Wanda... please let us know.
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Thinking of all of you and wishing you a Happy Mothers day a day late.
Got my PET scan results Friday (the day I started chemo again) ..........drum roll please..... NO EVIDENCE OF RECURRENT DISEASE
The lump they took out of my mastectomied/reconstructed boob was all there was. Praise Jesus. So very happy..... and I really like my new oncologist. He was straightforward and insistent that I get this scan so he knew EXACTLY what he was dealing with. He feels this new lump is a third primary tumor instead of a recurrence. He says I'll live to be an old woman. yay. so now I take my 4 A/C's and try the 12 Taxols, do some radiation and go on with life most ricky tick. I feel a little like I have the flu today so I stayed home from work. Killer headache.....percocet helped, but LOL, I cannot function at work on it, so I'm functioning from the couch.
Sorry I didn't get here to fill you all in sooner. I've just been reeling from this setback. Love you all. Wanda, I am praying for you hon. Catherine, you too. No MORE CANCER!!!!
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Wahoo Pamelajo! I'm so happy your PET results are good...I've been worried about you. I hope chemo treats you better this time. Then...no MORE CANCER.
Glad to hear you are up and around again Wanda. Gosh, that seems like really major surgery. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for good pathology reports.
I hope everything went well with your tests last week, Catherine. Fingers crossed for you too!
Jane - I guess taking Femara at night isn't magic, huh? Rats. I'm wondering what causes the pains. Any ideas out there? The de-portation is a breeze. One sore night after the removal but two days later I hardly notice it at all.
VickiLynn - Fiddlesticks to your nasty landlord. I hope you find another place soon because people in your town will be needing their coffee and muffins.
Happy belated birthday Barbara! It surely wouldn't take much for this year's birthday to be better than last year's. HA! I'm a May baby too. Diagnosed two weeks before my birthday last year. So I'll be celebrating double this year.
Patty
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Oh Pamelajo...what a relief. I wish you the very best.
Vickilynn, I am dreaming of coffee and muffins. Let us know when you set up shop again.
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Good Morning
Just letting everyone know all my results were good. There is some problems in my cervical spine but it is not cancer. I really can't believe that there is nothing wrong with my hip. I have been in pain since Jan. I am meeting with my onc on the 27th and see what he thinks but I can say everything is ok.
Neece- I'm glad things are better on the home front.
Chinablue- Sounds like you are doing really well. It is nice to hear good news.
Patty- Yeah!!! no more port.
BarbAnne- Happy belated B-Day
Vickilynn- I'm sure your cafe will be up and running somewhere very oon.
Wanda- Keeping you in my prayers. Hoping for the best results possible
Pamela- NED,NED,NED three terrific letters. I hope you are feelin better
THINK POSITIVE
Catherine
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Catherine
Jumping for joy!!!!
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Catherine,
Hooray for NED! Now I hope they can find something to ease your hip pain!
Patty
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Catherine and Pamela - so glad to hear the good results!!!
Wanda - thinking and praying for you.
Vicki
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Thanks Ladies. I appreciate all the prayers for me. Obviously they work.
Catherine, if there is something going on in your spine, it can and will affect your hips. You guard your spine with your hips. Sounds funny, but as you walk, if your back hurts, you simply carry your weight on your hips differently. I actually have degenerative disease in my lumbar region and when I have an episode, one of my hips will literally raise up higher than the other to accomodate the weight and shift the pain. LOL It's crazy, but so am I.
Anyway, 4 days out from the first A/C treatment and I feel alot better. I think I'll go back to work tomorrow. I was having some serious constipation. Senekot S didn't work. Mineral enema didn't work. I think it was a culmination of being put to sleep for recon for 8 hours, then a couple hours for the lump removal, and then this treatment. Today...........I exploded. I feel wonderful now LOL
amazing how someone so full of crap can feel so good getting rid of it..... irony?
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