March 2010 Chemo Start

Yeshua4Me

Lisa, I should have been more clear about my husband saying "no big deal". He was talking about the damaged car not the animals. Anyway, he's a sergeant at a level 4 prison (murderers, rapists, child molesters, etc) and the prison is in the middle of a desert along the California and Mexico border. These inmates are very violent and have no possibility of ever leaving. The inmates weren't given the death penalty BUT they were given life without parole. Because of the nature of their crimes and the violence, the prison was built far away from communities in case there ever is an escape. That's very, very unlikely but people don't like these types of prisons in their backyards. We moved out there once about 10 years ago to save on commute but it felt like the arm pit of hell! We stayed only 1 year and then came back home. I'm rambling...

badger

got my 'new' car yesterday, a 2005 Kia Spectra.  Not fancy but known for reliability and gas mileage.  Tan, 4-door, automatic not manual oh well, nice compact car for a good price.  One owner who took good care of it, fun to drive (peppy!), comfortable seat (critical!), and more leg room for the rider so it's all good.  {{hugs}} to all

hereandnow

Good for you Badger, and regarding your chocolate cake question - I ate sooo much cake and white christmas, and rumballs, and brandy cream, and pavlova -oh mygod, so much pavlova, over Christmas, that I am on a no carb diet now, and diligently going to the gym -I've moved up from power walking to jogging too, so feeling good - I'm going to try to zone out for Friday, and pretend it's not happening - then get up Saturday and get on with it.

Hugs to all,

Lisa

staceyt

Hello Ladies,

I am glad to see some people still hangin around here.  Badger - congrats on the new car.  Well, the reason for my delay in writing is - catching up on work after the christmas break and my break was extended because my father in law had a stroke at the end of dec.  His road to recoverery is slow but he will get there.  Had follow up w/surgeon and had a mamo & ultra sound done, mamo is fine the ultra sound is inconculsive - have to go back in 3 months - Ugh!!! How are everyones SE from the tamox? Bless you all you are all in my prayers ! - Stacey

Charley

Hello all,

I had way too many sweets over Christmas as well and have been hitting the gym and the trail (when the weather is good). I discovered Peppermint Bark from Williams Sonoma this holiday ... it is very evil. So now I am on a low cal diet, doing the Jillian Michael 'Shred' video and participating in the office Biggest Loser Contest. Hopefully I will be in some kind of shape when we go to Hawaii this summer.  We just booked the trip ... it is something that I have always wanted to do and have been trying to save for ... something always just kept coming up.  But no more!  I am going ... I guess it's one I can mark of the bucket list. Not that I have an official bucket list.

Have any of you all done a bucket list??

Stacy -Sorry to hear about the ultrasound but doesn't sound like they are "too worried" about it -because you were Grade 1? Please be sure they keep an eye on it!  My SEs from the tamox have been tolerable.  Hot flashes seem to have settled down so hopefully they will become less and less as time goes on.

Hugs, Charley

hmh23

So, I finally decided it was time to change my photo...so here it is!  My hair is growing in fairly well but I've got a lot of grey..much more than I had previously but just happy to have hair!!!

Kayne

Happy New Year to Everyone!!  We certainly deserve a Happy one, don't we? 

Badger:  Sorry to hear about the accident, glad you are ok and good luck with your new car.  It sounds like its fun to drive!

Lisa:  I too have been wondering about the floods.  The pictures are devastating.  Back to the infusion room?? Oh well,  towards the end I actually found comfort in going there. I had no major  side effects from the Taxol (except my liver enzymes) so I felt like it I was being pro-active. 

Charley:  What a wonderful vacation you have planned!  So glad you decided to go ahead with it.  I had somewhat of a bucket list-- but now I look at it and it and those thing just don't seem important.  Oh well.  Still trying to get my life organized, maybe once I do, I can concentrate on a list.

Stacy:  Try not to worry about the ultrasound.  I've been on Tamox for about 5 weeks and my hot flashes are getting worse!  Thank god its winter, when I am cooking I go and stand outside to cool down.  I am having about 2 or 3 during the night. 

Heather:  You look amazing!  Thanks for the updated photo.  Do yo like your hair short?  I actually liked mine very short.  But I am too cheap to get it cut that often, so I am growing it a little. 

Well, I feel foolish telling you all the next part of my saga.  But that seems to be the way it goes with me.  I had started Rads in Nov.  Absolutely hated it, felt like it was killing me, but you have do what you have to do. My underarm started to get red by my 10th treatment.  Long story short, by the end I had severe burns under my arm.  Painful, raw.  After everything I' been through, this, my husband couldn't even look at. The only way I could function was on Advil during the day and oxycodone at home. I asked if I could stop rads and they said no.  Treatments went fine as far the machine was concerned.  My last treatment was on Dec. 17th.  Half way through the machine breaks!!!  They tell me I have to come back on Monday to finish.  I just started laughing.  Skin is so bad It's difficult to get dressed.   Monday comes and the Dr. calls to tell me not to come in.  He said I think the machine was trying to tell me something, that your body has had enough!   He said I was having a bad reaction to the radiation and that I should be finished.  I actually think think the techs told him how burned I was.  I hadn't seen him the last few times I was there.  So now I have an appt on the 23rd with my onc.  My potassium is high, liver enzymes are good.  She has me repeat blood work and calls me on the 24th. to tell me it's still high, no drinking over the holiday and repeat it on Monday.  Only reason she is not treating me is because it is Christmas.  I hung up and started crying!!  Got over that and had a nice Christmas with my family.  Wasn't feeling great, but at this point I don't remember what  feeling good feels like!!  Potassium came down, must have been due to the tissue damage from the burns.  My onc said I basically had 3rd degree burns and to stop with the Advil or I would get an ulcer.  She said to use the oxycodone. 

I have healed very nicely, still not wearing a bra yet, skin is still very sensitive.  I have an appt with my PS tomorrow and am scheduled to have the left tissue expander put back in on the 25th.  Not looking forward to it, but want to get all of this over with.  Hoping to go to Punta Cana in March and would love for it to be easy to get dressed. 

Well,  this is a New Year and we are all going to forge ahead feeling good!!  Right??

Have a good day, it's a snowed here in NJ last night.   Schools are closed, businesses are all open.  We got about 7 inches.  My kids are happy!

Hugs to all, Michelle 

  

hereandnow

hereandnow

my home town is very very wet (1.8 million people) - lots of people and animals have needed rescue, but the emergency services and defence force have done a wonderful job. The floods are 2 blocks from my flat in Brisbane - but there will be no further rise (so far). Family and friends are safe. Unfortunately the death toll is at 15 and likely to rise, and many thousands of houses are under water -  the floods are hitting the entire Stae and moving down the East Coast - and 75% of the State has been declared a disaster area ( an area 2 x the size of Texas) -the largest in our history. I'm living in another State, watching from afar, but constantly in touch with friends and family.

Heather, I love your hair- you look very elegant.

Charley -love your plans for your holiday.  And you too Michelle - lovely to hear from you - thank goodness the XRT is finally done - I'm sorry you've had such an awful time of it.

Stacy, we all have to go through this awful anxiety with our follow up, fingers crossed for the all clear in a few months.

hugs to all, Lxx

hereandnow

20,000 houses flood affected.... what a mess

hmh23

Lxx;  I think it is safe to say that we have all been worried about you...glad to hear you and your family our safe.  I am keeping those families who have lost loved ones in my prayers.

Love the kangaroo saving photos!!! How do they manage to get them into a boat???

badger

Yikes Lisa- Brisbane is right in the midst of it, SO glad you got out safely!

My heart goes out to the people affected, now when I see QLD I will think of you.

Thanks for the updates everyone and great new photo Heather!  {{hugs}} to all

hereandnow

Thank you for your kind thoughts. It's been amazing to see all the community goodwill, strangers turning up to help clean, wearing boots,bringing their own mops and buckets, families making food and carrying around to volunteers. Community is strong, it's a great message to get people through hard times. Heather, I don't know about those photos, because the water is so clear, and our flood waters are really muddy, but there are others of people walking into flood waters to save roos, aren't people wonderful?

xx to all

hereandnow

checking in Marchers, it seems like everyone's getting on with their lives, I hope that means good health to you all. Michelle, I hope your burns have healed well.

I cut the last ridges from my nails during the week. Hair is thick, and uncontrollable - I use bio-oil to make it look a little interesting, but if I don't, it looks like a toilet brush

Zometa has made me a little achy this week, but I did go running 3 times, so maybe overdid it.

I find my brain is sharper, unless I'm tired. Sometimes the flashes are only when going to bed and in the morning, but I often have them through the night still, and sleep is disturbed. Determined to continue on tamoxifen though.

Mammo and USS coming up in a few weeks. Will be happy when that milestone's passed.

hugs  .....  Lxx

Charley

Lisa - Hopefully you are drying out by now. Glad to hear the hair is thick!  Mine is thick ... but only on the sides! Still a little bald up top so I'm still wearing the wig.  <sigh> Maybe it will be grown in enough by summer???

What is your treatment plan with zometa?  My onc has not recommended anything like that ... only the tamox. What are the SEs? My hot flashes have really fallen off over the last month or two.  Hopefully it is not just because of the cold weather here.

Hugs, Charley

hereandnow

Hi Charley, I wish I could give you some of my fluffy top. I'll take a new photo and update my avatar. The Zometa is 4mg infusion IV every 6 months for 3 years. I was a bit more achy in my pelvis and back for a week. Hard to differentiate the stiffness in my feet when I wake up in morning - goes with walking, but this is usual since Tamox.

I'll be seeing my onc in Feb for follow up after next mammo/USS, and we'll discuss the Zometa - the jury is out on whether or for whom there is benefit, I'll keep you posted -apparently there are more studies which are being waited on.

I got a little sunburnt playing golf on the week-end, and that made my flashes more noticeable. Who knew 12 months ago that I'd be posting on a BC forum like a little old lady - long may we post until we all are little old ladies...... hugs, Lisa

badger

Someday I hope to be an old woman myself, how 'bout the Little Old Lady from Pasadena?

go granny go granny, go granny go!

Love the new pic Lisa!  {{hugs}} to all

hereandnow

Isn't Pasadena down south? Cowboy country?

Yeh, we'll be little old grannies, on our palaminos, yeehaa. Or maybe, little old ladies sipping cool drinks listening to jazz, clicking our old but nimble fingers. Or little old ladies writing our next novel, or little old ladies downloading cool apps for our iphone 28.1, or little old ladies laughing with our March friends from many years gone by. .. lol.

badger

hahahaha Lisa, love it! 

Pasadena is a city in California.  They are famous for an amazing parade there every year for the Tournament of Roses (college football, the Rose Bowl) where the floats are decorated 100% with flowers.  Pasadena was immortalized in song as the home of a drag-racing granny with a 'brand new shiny red super stock Dodge' and she's always been a family icon of how (not) to be old! 

Kayne

Hi All,

I'd love to grow with you all, too!!  That is our goal, right?  Back to the OR today, I am having the tissue expander put back in that I lost from an infection.  I am excited! I can't wait be a normal looking person again.  Not very fond of the one boob thing.  I decided I am going to take pain pills so I can get filled as quick as possible.  I have my rides all set up!!  My burns are all healed.  Just a little sensitive under my arm. 

I had my 2nd hair cut on Friday.  And I will say, I look like a normal, styled person.  I'll try to get a pic up, but I am tech challenged.  She convinced me not to color it.  She is amazed at how nicely it is coming in, so she said to wait.  I'm ok with that, it looks much better cut. 

Still having trouble with my nails.  Very weak and thin.  Breaking all the time.  Oh well. 

I am also having  worse hot flashes.  I may ask my onc to up my effexor.  I'm only on 37.5 mg. 

Need to go shower for my surgery!

Michelle

staceyt

Hello Ladies,

Just checking in - thawing out from the 35 below yesterday.  Michelle good luck w/surgery, Lisa I've been sending extra prayers to you and all your water woes - hope all is well.  Love the Kanga pictures. 

I can honestly say I have nothing to complain about this time, wow can't believe that.  I still check in and read how everyone is doing and you are all in my daily prayers!  Still having the flashes but dealing with them they seem to be getting better now that I upped my effexor to 75 mg in a time release pill.

Love every ones updated photos - you are all beautiful!  - God Bless you all -

Stacey

teemee

Hi all,

So busy lately but I wanted to say hello and send big hugs to all my March sisters! Lisa & Heather your new pictures look fabulous! 

I will write more later but just wanted to keep in touch.

Love to all,

Toni

hereandnow

Michelle, I hope your surgery went ok, and you're home now relaxing. I'd be interested to know if upping your Effexor helps with your flashes.

Hi Toni, hope alls good. How's things? I keep telling people I'm at 92%, god knows where that figure comes from. Certainly, there are plenty of times I still feel scrambled, I've given up worrying about it, not from any idea of "positive thinking", but just because I'm lazy, and can't be bothered expending the energy worrying anymore.

Hey badger, here's a live vocal of the Beach Boys "little old lady", funny how songs make you think of people, this will now be your song 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQMqgSaZZmM

Kayne

Hi All,

Surgery went well, feel like a pro now (having surgery).  My pain is much better than last time.  Very sore, but can handle it.  I have one drain and can't shower until Sat.  Took a bath and washed my hair by myself.  So that's improvement over last time.   Go to my PS on Tues.  Hopefully i will lose the drain.  I know they serve a purpose but they are annoying! 

Kids are home today, we got about 18 inches of snow.  My husband went to work and it took him an hour to get out of our driveway.  And he drives a Yucon.  (big SUV)  I am catching up on shows that I've DVR. 

Thanks for all the well wishes, hugs to all.

Michelle

Kayne

Oh BTW, has anyone heard that implants can cause cancer of the immune system?  Saw it on the news last night.  Not enough confirmed cases, though.   What to think????

badger

Michelle, there's a thread started in the recon forum on implants and a rare cancer.  Sounds like it's a miniscule number affected (but it would still suck if you're one of the few).

Lisa, thanks for the song, vroom vroom!  See why I love my peppy little Kia-pet?

Gotta get ready for work.  {{hugs}} to all

hmh23

Lxx;  Thx for the compliment.  I can't wait for my hair to look as great as yours does!!

Michelle;  Glad to hear you are home with your new expander in.  I'm off to see my new PS tomorrow.  Lots of questions about DIEP, skin sparing mastectomy on my good side, incisions and so much more. 

Had my annual mammogram and MRI on my good breast or should I say my 'one and only breast' last week.  All is great on the boob front however they did find a herniation in my thoracic vertebrae.... needless to say I was thrilled!!!  The pain and numbness in my arm and shoulder isn't cancer!!! How silly is that, I excited about a herniated disc.  I've been here before so I know I can get through the physical therapy and surgery if needed.  What a relief.

Have a great day, Heather

Charley

Heather - Glad to hear that pain wasn't cancer and your mammogram was clear!! I would be so relieved too! Hopefully you won't have to do surgery.  PT will be a piece of cake after what we've been through. I know you can do it. Will we ever get over worrying that the "pain" is cancer coming back? 

(((hugs)))

Charley

hereandnow

Oh Heather, I know what you mean about feeling happy to have an explanation for your pain and numbness. Congratulations on the clear scans - sorry about the herniation in thoracic area though  -I hope it can be managed conservatively for you. Good luck with PS tomorrow, lots of important questions for them. I just want to get through my yearly scans, and then I'll think about the next steps.

hugs to all, Lisa

hereandnow

ps hope all you in the midwest are safe and off the roads, the weather has been making its presence felt lately that's for sure.