Chemo Starting Sep 09
Comments
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WAHOO!! YEAH VICKILYNN-CLEAR MAMMO!! AND NO MORE CHEMO FOR ME!! Oh my gosh, I'm doin' the happy dance and can feel you all dancin with me!!! Got the news tonight...I was a basket case thinking I'd have to wait until Monday and then the surgeon called, apologizing for calling so late. My surgeon's out so the female surgeon that called verified my bday and said she had a belated gift for me...no cancer outside the margin they'd set & no chemo! Not everyone knows what that means...but YOU do!!! I have lots of calls to make but wanted to let my family know first!!! Thanks for being there with me and giving me faith! XOXOXO
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Ronnie!!!!
GREAT NEWS!!!! tip-tap-tip-tippity-tip (adding a little tap dance to your happy dance!)
Rejoicing with you and for you!!!! (Don too)
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Yes yes yes Ronnie!!! Definitely happy dancing down here too. I know you would have done chemo if you'd had to, (with your big girl pants on) but OMG I am so glad for you that you don't have to.
Please continue to get over this new nasty. And keep us all posted.
And Pamela so glad to read your post and see your new pic.
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Just went back and read posts I had missed and I felt so sad to read about your hard times Ronnie. I do think recovery from mastectomy is much harder than from lumpectomy (I have had both, twice over!) and you will also probably find that as the next few weeks progress you may get a burning kind of sensation (a bit like sunburn) under and around your affected breast, especially under the arm etc. I believe this is something to do with the nerve endings fizzing where they have been damaged by surgery. Wear soft clothes and take pain meds - it will go away eventually but can be quite dispiriting while it lasts.
My other tip Ronnie is do the exercises you were probably shown by a pt or your surgeon RELIGIOUSLY every day to avoid frozen shoulder and arm. And at the first sign of any swelling in your arm, wrist or hand, go see a trained OT or pt for some lymphedema assessment / therapy. Hopefully this won't occur as it sounds like you only had a couple of lymph nodes removed?
Love and gentle hugs to you. You are brave and doing amazingly well. you are entiltled to some little meltdowns occasionally you know!
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Ronnie Kay - I am doing the happy dance here in NC, tripping over the dogs, twirling around the room celebrating your good news!!!!!! We are all so relieved for you, wow, that must be such a huge relief. Now we just have to get through the rest and we will every step of the way. Will post more later!!!
YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jane
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Ronnie!!!! Happy Dance!!!!
Vicki Happy Dance for a clear mammo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
and
Jane enjoy that vaykay!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Hooray for a clear mammo. I'm still awaiting the results of the one I had a few weeks ago. In this case, I believe no news is good news! I see my Onc next week.
Patty
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Hello SOSisters.... spent time at the pool with grandaughter. Just a little red, do you suppose I'll be tan tomorrow? Sure was hot!
VickiLynn - Congratulations on your clear mammo! Do you think we will ever get to the point that we don't worry until we get the results? What have you been up too? I get 5 weeks of vacation, all of which I am suppose to take between 1 Feb - 15 Sept. So it works out well and I don't have any long stretches without time off except Sept - Feb.
Patty - hope this finds you enjoying the weekend. So what time is your appointment on Thursday? Please post as soon as you get your mammo results!
RonnieKay - you know we are all so relieved right along with you. Know that you still have some hurdles ahead but at least you can put the thoughts of chemo behind you. What happens next? How long does it normally take to heal? I'm so glad we have sisters who can guide you along since they have already experienced what you are going through.
Neece - it's so good that you can pass along your wisdom to Ronnie Kay. Know you really went through a tough time with your arm. And yes, I agree with you that Ronnie Kay can do anything that comes her way.
BarbAnne - is it this Monday you hear about your job interview or that you have a job interview? If I go back I will lose this post. Anyway I'm thinking "BarbAnne will get this job, BarbAnne will get this job".
Take care sisters. Thoughts and prayers are with you.
Jane
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How often are you ladies having mammos?
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China Blue - your post didn't come through. Would love to hear from you and how you are doing!
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Good Sunday Afternoon Sisters...
Getting ready to go get a new cell phone...ugh, I'm so electronically challenged! The ringer on mine is broken so I keep missing calls. I'm going to have to bite the bullet and get a fancy phone that will probably take forever to learn to operate but...c'est la vie! I have forever to learn...yeah! Still have a smile on my face, doing my exercises, Neece, and practicing the lymph node massage to ward off any nasty lymphedema! Will probably get my drain out at Wed appt...which will be nice! Thanks for sharing my happy dance, gals!
Now...Patty, why have you not heard about your mammo? Jane said something about a Thursday appt. Will you hear then? Are they waiting until you go in for your onc appt? I agree..no news is good news! Our son is trying to get us back to So Cal...he said to recuperate. I would love some sunshine since ours is gone again! Lucky you, Jane...I don't think I've been tan for 2 years!!! Hope those little boys did ok with their surgery...bet they got the royal treatment! And will you get to use your vacation time for Las Vegas? You said you have to use it before Sept 1. When do you fly in & out of the TaTa reunion? I'm still sad about missing it.
Vickilynn..Please tell Don thanks for his thoughts...I love that our guys understand what our sisterhood has been and become
Sending you sister strength tomorrow BarbAnne!
Love & Hugs!
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Now here's a very stupid thing. When I posted on Friday, I somehow completely missed that Ronnie had already checked in with the good news. So all weekend I've been worried about you Ronnie, thinking "Oh dear, if she hasn't posted good news, then it must be bad news". Then I check in this evening and see that I missed a whole bunch of posts. I must be losing my mind. ANYWAY...YAHOO! I am soooo happy that you don't have to do any more chemo!
Which reminds me of our sister who has been doing chemo all along. PamelaJo, how are you doing? Are those little left over skin mets gone yet? I hope your tummy is better and you are enjoying those chilies.
I finally got my letter on my mammo. NED! I see my Onc Thursday morning (Happy B-day Jane) so at least that won't be a topic of conversation!
Patty
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I got a reminder postcard for a mammo the other day. It has been six months since my last mammo. I scheduled it, but I am wondering if I am back to annual exams. I better call. I sure don't want insurance problems.
Wednesday, I have an appt. with my PS. It's a check up after the TE exchange. My new foob still too flipping small and there are dents. Ug Ug. Hopefully, he has some tricks up his sleeve. If he tells me I have to wait until October for revisions, I will scream. I want to be done! It has been two years of continuous reconstruction procedures!
Now, that's off my chest, so to speak. Here's to msmpatty's NED. I love NED.
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YIPPEE!!! A clean mammo, Patty...thank heavens! Jane's right...we'll celebrate these good results for a mighty long time! China, I don't know about your doctor or insurance, but I think most of us are on the every 6 months plan. I am until I'm 3 years out of treatment, and then it's annually for the mammo. When each doctor I encounter mentions highest incidence of recurrence between 2-5 years, I see why they want to keep on top of it (and thank the stars for that!). They've also said within the next two years, there will be more gene markers identified, and suggested I bank blood at this time (they each mentioned my recurrence looking like a gene-thing).
China..It makes me sad and scared that reconstruction has been a 2 year process! And if so, the result should be perfect! My ps said it'll be 3 distinct procedures (main diep flap, nipple, tatooing), but that there may need to be small procedures to perfect foobs (he mentioned lipo). Is that how he's correcting your dents...omg...it's just wrong! I'm actually wearing my knitted knocker and it looks pretty good...too bad this stupid drain looks like a boob too! Waiting for Wed!
Three days before your BIG DAY...JANE!!! Hope you have something wonderful planned!
Vickilynn...what're you up to these days????
Yep...wondering how you're doing Pamelajo. Amazing how pep talks from sisters make scarey situations a little less frightening! Neece, my daughter went to Walmart and got me a bunch of short sleeve/sleeveless, button down shirts...perfect! All my tops are v-neck, slip ons, synthetic, clingy...so these were heavenly!
Have a great week.....
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Hello SOSisters....
RonnieKay - I got an Iphone (early birthday present). It is actually user friendly and I haven't hung up on anyone yet. DH already had one so I'm reading his "Iphone for Dummies". The boys are going tomorrow morning for their procedure. I feel so guilty for making them go through this but it's time. We drop them off at 8:30 and pick them up between 3-5. It's going to be a long day. Already told DH I'm headed to the pool for an hour (about all I can stand). It's 102 here today so want to go early. I haven't been tan in quite a while so any color is good color for me. Fly out on Sept. 30 for Vegas and back home on Oct. 3rd. It's going to be a very quick weekend. I got approval to go on the trip before I booked my flight. Patty and I are going to try to do all sorts of exciting things to post about, aren't we Patty?
Patty - so glad you got your results back. I'm doing the happy dance for you and if I continue dancing for you ladies I may actually lose some weight! Is the weather beautiful there? Last time we talked weather it was 75. That sounds so good! Have your se's from the Famera subsided?
ChinaBlue - so sorry you are having such a time with your reconstruction. How aggravating it must be for you for this to keep dragging on and on. I think I'm the only one who doesn't go for a mammo every 6 months. I'm due for mine on the 28th and it will be a year since the last one.
VickiLynn - missing you gal. What are you doing that's fun and exciting?
PamelaJo - wish you'd check in, we are all thinking about you!
Take care. Thoughts and prayers are with you.
Jane
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WOW! So many posts - like the good old days - wait - they weren't so good, were they?!
Re: Mammo - I also only go once a year but go for onc. visits every 6 months.
Ronnie - you sound way too perky for just having major surgery... so glad to read your posts.
I too am enjoying the pool - but had to slow down my exercising! I ended up at the dr. last week with pain from a torn (or pulled) ligament in my shoulder (the arm with the lymph nodes gone). I decided it was time to start getting it moving again and I moved it too much! Dr. said "no more backstroke!" and suggested some softer, easier exercises for in and out of the pool. For awhile I'll just be kicking while the shoulder heals. And she had to give me the "as we get older..." speech. SIGH. I was swimming laps morning and evening... seemed like the right thing to do!
Jane - sorry your guys have to go in... but it's the right thing to do.
Haven't been too many places except up to Lewiston Lake (my favorite) for picnics and to watch the bald eagles and osprey fishing. Last week a 4' long king snake slithered along the bank and the butterflies are prolific there. It is so peaceful and usually 10 degrees cooler than here in the valley.
Everybody - keep posting - it's so good to hear from you all - good or bad news!
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I am sooooo happy for all the good news and hugs to all you lovely sisters. I had my interview today, and won't hear anything for a week. I feel a little overwhelmed by the responsibilities for this job, but that is very common perfectionist Barbara, so we'll see...and the date they would want me to start, if I was offered the job, has some serious conflict with my old job and training a new coworker, who hasn't been hired yet!!!!!! But everything works out for the best, as it will for you too China!!
Hugs to you Patty for the clear mammo!
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Patty NED is wonderful news.
Barb good luck on job front!
Ronnie so glad you are sounding so well after your surgery.
Hope your shoulder heals quickly Vickilynn
Enjoy life ladies.
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Ronnie - When is your surgery? Check with your PS, but diep usually has what they call a "stage II" that includes revisions to the shape of the breast and/or donor sight then comes the nip and tat. Please do as much research as you can. Happiness=reality-expectations
I am wondering about Pamelajo too. -
Barbara, Good Luck with the job!
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Hello SOSisters... it is so wonderful to see everyone posting. Now if we could only find the rest of our missing sisters! The boys are home and recuperating from their surgery. They will be sore for a few days but should be up and running by Thursday. We are having a major heat wave here, 112 with the heat index and it felt like it. Not suppose to get any cooler anytime soon.
Vickilynn - how is your shoulder? What are you doing besides swimming? I went to the pool very early this morning for about an hour. Just too hot to be out. I may be a tad red, no tan to speak of. I can emphathize with the "as we get older" refrain. I got that just recently at one of my appts. and didn't much appreciate it. I am getting better not older! Your lake sounds lovely, all except for the snake slithering along!
BarbAnne - BarbAnne will get the job, BarbAnne will get the job. Repeat after me, BarbAnne will get the job. How are you doing otherwise besides anxiously awaiting an answer next week?
Neece - what is happening in Australia? Is it winter, is it cold? Cold sounds really good right now.
ChinaBlue - so glad to see you can share with RonnieKay so she knows what to ask and what to research!
Take care ladies. Thoughts and prayers are with you.
Jane
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So I see we are changing our mantra from "less than 6mm" to "BarbAnne will get the job". Hey it worked for Ronnie, why not Barbara? I'm on it!
China - I'm so sorry the reconstruction is going so slowly. ((((hugs))))
Ronnie - Knitted knocker...LOL. I've got my fingers crossed that your drains will be removed tomorrow. Hateful things!
Vicki - Sorry for your shoulder boo-boo. I don't think it has anything at all to do with age. That's my story and I'm sticking with it.
Jane - I hope the boys do well. My cats had already been fixed when I got them. They were really young and so tiny (about 20 ounces each) that I was surprised they could even find the parts that needed "fixing". They had had surgery the day before I adopted them and they were not bothered in the least!
You ladies be careful in the sun! I know we all like a color and look healthier for it. But since I got that absolutely hideous growth on my leg that turned out to be cancer, I really think twice about the sun. Be safe!!! You especially, Neece. Slip, slap, slop.
Patty
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You made me laugh out loud Patty!
Neece is probably OK since it's still winter there, isn't it? I found a great sun block - Ocean Potion which claims "Anti-aging". HAH! But it does a good job of blocking and DH and I both love the scent! But thanks for the reminder. Skin cancer does "run" in my family. Dad had a complete skin peel and part of his nose taken out... plus aunts and nephew. We're a pretty fair-haired crowd. Maybe Jane should go for the spray on tan : ) It won't wear off on the zip-line in Vegas either!
BarbAnne will get the job, BarbAnne will get the job.
Hope the boys are doing OK.
I'm going to try something I've never done here - download a photo of Mr. O'Riley who seems to have settled in well with us.
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Couldn't add him to my post - so you can see him on your left! He's 9 years old and so much easier than a puppy (he's already "fixed" and potty trained and sits and comes and ... cute). This is his "won't somebody love me" look but he also has a happy look...
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Hey SOSisters.... the boys are doing well if not very active today. To really enjoy my vacation I went and had my teeth cleaned this am. Do you see why I need to do the zip line in Vegas? A little excitement would go along way
Patty - I have been putting on sunscreen, I haven't stayed out more than 1 hour at a time and go early in the am. Didn't get there today because of dentist and now it is way too hot. I also laughed at RonnieKay's knitted knocker!
Vickilynn - O'Rielly is precious. What a cutie. He needs to come visit and play with Mac & PC. I thought about a spray tan but what if I didn't like it? Then I would be walking around with hoards of people pointing and laughing at the lady with the fake tan. Or at least that's the senario that goes through my head when I think about it.
I'm glad everyone has picked up the "BarbAnne will get the job" mantra. Now we just need to keep repeating it frequently until she gets her phone call that she got the job.
Take care. Thoughts and prayers are with you!
Jane
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My PS says it is time for fat grafting to round out the diep flap with implant foob! Hopefully, I will be scheduled for the first week of August. Then, comes the fipple....ah progress...I think.
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Jane, your idea of a "vacation" is, I'm sorry to say, a bit strange. Fixing the boys, seeing the dentist...what's next...a colonoscopy? You really will need to let your hair down in Vegas!
China, I hope you are on the home stretch now!
VickiLynn, Riley is a handsome devil.
Patty
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Thanks ladies for all the mantras. I hope it works out. I can't thank you enough for the support. I will let you know when I hear something. Hopefully next week.
Jane I'm with Patty, what kind of vacation is that? I think we need to have some sort of spa intervention. Glad the boys are recovering so well.
Patty you are right about the sunscreen, it is sometimes hard to remember, but I try to be diligent. Are you guys in a drought right now? Seems as if everything out west is.
Vicki- love the new photo, and how can you go wrong when a doggy comes already trained! Give that pooch a pet from me. Hope your shoulder is on the mend.
Ronnie- I hope the drains are out and you are feeling stronger everyday.
Nothing news wise from me. I have been on back on the Tamoxifen for a week and a half now, and seem to be okay, knocking on wood.
DD and DH got into it again last night....sometimes I wonder why I don't live alone...don't answer that.. :-) So Jane, that's how I fill my time... mediating relationships, joy-oh-joy.
Love to all my sisters
Barbara
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Happy Birthday, Jane! Also Happy Bastille Day to any of you who are French or want to pretend to be.
Just returned from my 6-month follow-up with the Onc. Everything is fine, except he doesn't like the idea that I had the skin cancer at all. He says it could be completely unrelated, or I could be a person who just grows cancer. Hmmm. So...MRI ordered, Colonoscopy ordered (again! I've been avoiding), blood workup ordered. Y'all know the drill. I know I am just dandy, but looks like I'll be traipsing off to the doctor a few more times.
Barbara - Stay calm. Deep breaths. Don't take it personally. That is my advice for dealing with a teenager. (and a DH who sometimes acts like one!)
Patty
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Hello SOSisters.... no I don't feel a day over 50
Spent a little time at the pool, then DH and I went to lunch (Weiner Works) and did a little shopping. The whole family is going out this evening to Red Lobster to celebrate. I did go and get a pedicure on Monday, am going on Saturday for manicure and covering of the gray! Tomorrow pool in the am and retail therapy in the afternoon. I'm having fun. The boys I'm delighted to say are doing much better today and have been running around chasing each other.Patty - I had to laugh at your post about my vacation. I'm scheduled for a colonoscopy next Friday but hadn't shared that yet. At least it wasn't this week! So when do you go? The before is so much worse than the actual procedure. I am so glad to hear that your appointment went well but sorry you have to go through the colonoscopy and the MRI. I know you don't want to go through all this crap (ha), but just think about the sigh of relief when all comes back clear!
ChinaBlue - progress is good and August will be here before you know it. Keep positive and we will send you positive vibes.
BarbAnne - as noted above I am doing the spa thing twice this week. I had a gift certificate for a massage but they didn't have any openings. Our spa is lovely but very busy. If you lived alone you would be very lonely. Sure you might enjoy a day or two of quiet but then it would be too quiet and you'd realize you'd rather have all the drama with the ones you love rather than be alone. As you can tell from so many of our posts, any of us who have or have had teenagers know the drill. I'm with Patty, take a big deep breath. You might also try ear plugs
BarbAnne will get the job, BarbAnne will get the job!!!!Hope all of you are staying cool. Take care. Thoughts and prayers are with you!
Jane
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