Chemo June 2010

grneyd5600

Hi All, I am doing well for 2 days post op.  Came home with no drains   I haven't been able to see the new ladies yet because I am wrapped but get a peek tonight because I can shower.  Staying ahead of pain with the meds but have to admit just having those heavy concrete block feeling things gone from my chest feels amazing!  Yay!!!

Great news from PS - he tells met that the chest tissue was clean and healthy looking.  What a relief.

Thanks for all the well wishes.  Hugs to you all!

PearlGirl

Jackie ...happy to hear that you and the new girls are doing well!

TMarina

Good news Jackie--and yay to no drains!!!

DesignerMom

Jackie-  Whoo hoo!  Onward and upward!  Time to enjoy your wedding....and your shower!

lizzyanne

Just came back from my hercepton infusion. Will this journey ever end????

Jackie - I am so encouraged by your news. I have been carrying around a bowling ball on my right side and can't wait to have it exchanged sometime in the next 2 months. Glad to hear you didnt need drains.

I have been dealing with a "frozen shoulder" as a result of my radiation. It is very painful and I go to PT 3 times a week. When they told me to make sure and stretch after rads they should have been a bit more specific. Now I am paying the price, and I'm pretty active. Want to get back to playing golf next Fall.

Hugs to all. I haven't been posting much but love reading your stories.

Liz 

PearlGirl

Lizzyanne...I knew someone was MIA!  Sorry to hear about your shoulder. Radiation isn't for sissies any more than chemo was. Seems that I had a bit too much radiation to my thyroid so it has to be watched for thyroid cancer. Isn't one cancer enough for anyone to deal with?

Here;s hoping that your golfing again in the fall! FORE!!!!

TMarina

Oh good grief Bon, seriously?  Don't you have enough to worry about?  (if it's any consolation, thyroid cancer is curable--but it's still cancer!!)

*sigh* I really hate radiation.  I have issues I'll have to live with forever from colon cancer rads. And a tight chest from bc rads.

Lizzy--good to hear from you.  Sorry about your shoulder.  Mine hurts too, and can't lift my arm all the way.  It's been getting steadily worse since my surgery.  I'm going to ask my onc about PT when I see him in a few weeks.  I've heard frozen shoulder can be really painful!  Hope yours goes away quickly so you can get back to golfing!  How are you doing on herceptin?  I'll be done with mine in Aug.  It makes me tired for a few days, but that's about it.

PearlGirl

Tina...I try not to obcess about the thyroid issue and still see you as my hero. You and Kitty. You've both been through so much and are testament to the indomitable spirit! Bless you and best wishes for a wonderful Easter with your family and newest grandson. Your family certainty seems to exemplify what is right with this world.

TMarina

aww, thanks Bon.  You are so sweet.  Wishing you a blessed Easter too--And all my ladies on this thread!  Hope everyone gets to enjoy the weekend!!

grneyd5600

Hi All!  Still recovering nicely.  I was actually able to go all night with no pain meds.   I also got to take a shower last night and got to unveil the new "ladies'". 

PearlGirl

Jackie...so happy you have no drains and now, no pain! Fantastic! Are the 'ladies' to your liking? Hope so! Enjoy the weekend with your family and the new gals!

flopsy

Hi, All,  Sorry but have been busy with family and the funeral this week.  Last night had to go to a going away get together for my DH boss and his wife.  My husband is stressed to the max with their leaving because the entire job has now dropped in his lap and he does not feel prepared nor willing to take on this job but does not have much choice right now.   He is beefing up and updating his resume in case things get too overwhelming and he has to leave and find another job.  Please say prayers for this situation to ease because I am worried that the stress is going to make him sick.  I do what I can to help him but that is not much and not near enough.  He has been so supportive and loving during everything with me that I just hate this is happening to him.  It seems so unfair.   Maybe we are being tested.   If so,  I sure hope we make it through the fire.   Thanks for listening.

Joan,  Yeah, for the good results on the PET.

Bon,  I worry about my thyroid getting too much rads also because they directed the beam that way to try to kill any supraclavicular invasion and my mouth and neck suffered so I know my thyroid was punished also.   I have been a Rad Tech for 30+ yrs and have gotten some dose to my thyroid in my job that others don't get so that is also concerning.  I have also wondered if my professional exposure to rads did not contribute to my BC but that I will never know for sure. 

I feel sort of dreary today because it has been raining here all day.  I had hoped to get outside and enjoy the day a little more but that is not going to happen either.  Oh well,  guess that is all my complaining for now, but in spite of it all I still feel thankful for what I do have that is good.

PearlGirl

Miss Ginny...you've been through a lot over the last year and what with your Mom and the death of your Aunt and your husband now struggling with this new challenge...well, it's no wonder that you're gloomy now and then. But you are so vital and encouraging to others, so able to see the good in amongst the bad, that I just know your 'funk' won't last long. Rain and clouds don't help, I'm sure. I know we desperately need rain to nourish the earth and keep the fire issues at bay, but give me a sunny day anytime! 

You still express your attitude of grattitude...hope the day improves and your mood elevates!  Happy Weekend.

TMarina

Gin--what Bon said   She always says it so well.  Prayers for you and your hubby.

DesignerMom

Golly, I just never seem to get things done!  My get up and go is still hiding.  I have a bunch of deadlines looming, you would think that would kick me to get going.  Some days just the simplest schedule seems overwhelming.  Now my friend sold his house and I have to drive two hours to get my stored furniture out of his shed.  Serves me right for keeping all that stuff.  I should have gotten rid of it long ago!

Gin-  I sure know how you feel about the gloomy weather.  It is cold and clammy here in NYC and I just hide inside.  No wonder my vitamin D is low!  Hang in there.  Tell your DH to remember the two most important words "so what"!

Bon-  You are always so great with words and inspiration!  How is your insurance mess coming?  I just got a surprise refund check from an insurance company I had 3 years ago.  Guess what?  They didn't sign it!!!  Now I have to track someone down to sign it so I can deposit it....that will be fun!

JFV

Hello lizzy !  So glad you checked in !  The frozen shoulder sounds difficult.  Does your Onc still give you choclates ? 

Lizzy and Tmarina- I am sorry I forgot that herceptin hasn't stopped for you.  What a long haul ! 

Bon and Gin and Chili-  This thyroid cancer thing is scary !  As you would say Bon cancer is the gift that keeps on giving.  I am so sorry.

Gin- I hope your hubby is OK and the stress doesn't get to him.  I am sure you are much more help to him than you realize.

I am definitely putting my Mom in bubble wrap !  She rubbed against something last night and got a huge wound  again.  This time it was on her leg.  She went to her doctor today because it wouldn't stop bleeding.  The doctor dressed it and gave her antibiotic.  She took her off her blood thinnner but only for a couple of days.  I am feeling very frustrated right now.  I don't know what to do ! 

Dmom-  Good luck cleaning out your friends shed.  I have an attic I need to do the same with.  I am off from school this week and thought I would clean the attic but somehow I never managed to do that.  I am a big procrastinator !

Sherry9316

Happy Easter everyone!  Our weather is a bit dreary this weekend and it looks like we'll have our egg hunt inside.  Hubby and I spent the afternoon filling the eggs with candy and $$.  I also bought the hollow chocolate bunnies for ALL the kids.  About three years ago, I only bought bunnies for the two granddaughters.  You should have heard my grown boys complaining.  How come they didn't get a bunny - they always got a chocolate bunny and on and on.  Can you believe that?  So, from then on I have to buy bunnies for the grown children AND the little children.  And they still eat them the same way they did back when they were kids.  They bite off the ears, fill the bunny with milk and then eat and drink until it's all gone.  It will be fun to have the whole family over tomorrow, plus my parents.

Gin - will keep your family in my prayers.  I'm so sorry to hear about how stressed your husband is.  I know what a worry that can be - I thought mine was going to have a heart attack, seriously, during my chemo days.  He was so worried about me, about finances, about his job.  Happily, I can say that time finally passed.  He's still stressed somewhat, but not to the max like he was.  I'll pray that this time in your life will pass quickly too for your husband.  

Latte - thinking of you.  How is your recovery from all your recent surgeries and extractions?  Hope you are strong enough to enjoy this weekend.

Jackie - so happy for you that surgery is over and no drains.  Prayers that you will continue to heal and do well.

Chey - where are you?  I hope this doesn't mean your Internet is out again!

Joan, thanks for the info on Tamoxifen.  I have been taking it for 6 days now and haven't noticed anything different.  I've been taking it in the evening just in case some strange SE's cropped up.  I also started back on Effexor for the flashes.  I stopped taking it after a couple of weeks because I thought it might be making my joint issues worse.  However, I learned that it was not a factor. So after seeing the onc this week, I went back on it.  My flashes are AWFUL and I have about 12-15 a day.  I'm really hoping the Effexor will calm that down.

Dmom - my epidrual is an injection I get for pain.  They shoot pain medicine and steroids and I don't know what all inside.  I've been getting them about once a year for three or four years because of the herniated disk in my thoracic spine and my right shoulder.  After I get the shot, I'm usually pretty much pain free for three or four months and then it takes a while for the pain to eventually work its way back up and by then, it's time for another injection.   Interestingly, my joint pain has improved since I got this shot.  I still walk with a slight limp because of my hip, but my knees and feet are much better.  

Bon and Tina - I don't think I've commented on your new hair pics but you are both so beautiful!  I just love how your hair has come in. Mine did not come in a pretty gray color.  It was like steel gray - so I colored it.

Love and hugs to all of you!

DesignerMom

sherry-  I was wondering about the epidural. I think they give those to take the pain away from childbirth, no?  Just in case you feel like another baby!!!

Happy Easter and Passover too everyone!

JFV

Hi Sherry-  I am on the Effexor also.  Taxol slammed me into menopuase so I was begging for relief from hot flashes during chemo and the Doc switched my anti-depressent to effexor then.  Unfortunately, it took a few weeks for things to settle down.  But now I feel much better.  In fact, now that I think of it I no longer have night sweats which were awful for me.  I do get hot flashes and think me skin looks more "old ladyish" since chemopause/menopuase/ tamoxifen.  But, otherwise I am OK with this part of treatment.  What a fun story about your kids and the Easter bunnies !

Hope everyone had a lovely Easter and Passover.  This was the first holiday I took charge of in a year.  It felt good to be doing the cooking and shopping and entertaining. 

Did start the weekend feeling a little upset.  The dermatoligist took off five suspicious moles and feels that I have some skin cancer.  UGH!  I hate the c word !

DesignerMom

JFV-  Thanks for reminding me to make a dermatologist appointment ( I think!). I have tons of moles, some looking a bit "different".  I am just so sick of doctors, but I guess I better pull up my big girl pants and get checked out.  Hope your results are all benign!

lizzyanne

My AZ onc still gives a dark chocolate on the pillow in the exam room...love it!

The skin cancer issue has always been big for me...my mother died at 67 from melanoma and one of my brothers has had it twice. Always thought that was the cancer that would get me.



Cant believe how much hair some of you have. Mine is coming in very slowly. Probably due to the anti-fungal I take to prevent a recurrance of Valley Fever. My hair was thinning from that before the chemo. I should be able to stop that in a few months .





Heading back to CT in 3 weeks. Will get this expander removed then and hopefully the new fake boobie will feel better. Still going to PT 3 days a week...very painful. Sorry I waited so long.

kittycat

We had a really rough Easter. We took our oldest kitty into the vet today because she wasn't eating much and was throwing up water. She was unstable. I thought maybe she wasn't feeling well and took her to the vet to get meds and fluids. They ran blood work on her and found she was in kidney failure. All of her counts were terribly low. They gave us some options, but the truth was she wasn't going to get better, just stay the same or get worse. We made the decision to put her to sleep. It was one of the roughest things I've been through. They put a port in her leg and wrapped her in a blanket. I held her in my lap and she went peacefully. I've never been with a person or animal when they passed away. She was originally my husband's cat. He cried so hard. We are both a mess.



My friend Amy is stage 4 triple negative cancer, mets to her liver. She's had some major complications with the cancer and the many chemos she's been on. It's been a hard battle for her. A few of us brought food to her and her family for Easter. It was so great to see her. She looks beautiful, despite all the suffering she's had. Tomorrow she finds out more info from our onco ( we see the same onco).



I'm still having leg pain. My incubus ordering a bone scan and a CT scan of my pelvis and abdomen. My back MRI came back okay. I'm hoping it's the same with these tests. Maybe it's just symptoms from neuropathy??? It's not bad pains, just annoying that they're there.



Anyway, I don't mean to be a downer today. I hope you all had a wonderful Easter! Take care.

kittycat

Onco, not incubus! Silly iPhone!

DesignerMom

kitty-  I'm so sorry about your kitty.  During the years when we had lots of family pets we had to make that excrutiating decision to put several to sleep.  I was always the only one who could take them to the vet and do it, but it wrecked me.  My big strapping brothers couldn't do it.  Take comfort knowing she went peacefully and is no longer suffering.  I know some may think it's not "right", but I believe each and every one of my beloved pets will be waiting for me on the other side....my horse Jackbox, dogs Tima, Willoughby and Laddie, cats Dukie and Tabitha....and that bloody parrot Manu, I hope he has stopped squawking!!!  Hugs to you sweet lady!

Carrol2

kitty so sorry about your loss. I know my cats are like my children and two of them are about 12 now. I will be very very devastated when they go. 

JFV

Kitty-  So much hard news so fast.  Some days you just want to crawl back into bed and forget all the sadness.  I pray for your broken heart, ill friend and body pain.  May relief come soon !  My PET scan found arthritis in my spine which explains some of my aches and pains.  I am hoping your scans will find some "old lady" problems like me !

Ladies-  One of Dmom's comments got me thinking.  Does anyone know what doctor/ tests we should have now that we've had cancer.\?  I know to go to my Onco. every three months.  I know to get a physical and yearly Pap test and now I have been told that I can join the colonoscopy club.  If everything is OK with my moles I know I should see the dermatologist once a year.  Is there anything else ?  What have you all been told ?

lizzy-  Feel better and tell your AZ Onc.  I think He/ She knows how to live right and treat patients right !

Latte

hi everyone, i'm back and recharged from a wonderful vacation :-)

kittycat - so sorry about your kitty. and i know you didn't mean to, but you gave me a laugh - i was wondering whether you were so unhappy with your onc that you had started calling her an incubus, and then i saw your next post with the explanation.

JFV - a few more checkups to add to your list. I also see my gynocologist for a checkup every 6 months, and do a vaginal ultrasound also every 6 months (because I am on tamoxifen). I also see my BS every 6 months (I alternate with my onc so one of them sees me every 3 months). I also have a mammo and ultrasound every year, and a breast MRI every year (so i do one of those every 6 months). my onc doesn't do tumor markers or any scans. my MD does general bloodwork and vitamin D every 6 months. i think  that's it... (I have it all written down, and i have a checkup or test to do every single month of the year!!)

kittycat

I see my incubus (ha ha onco) every 3 months. I'm supposed to be getting a breast MRI every 6 months. However I've had a whole host of tests lately. I see my dermatologist every 3-4 months because I've had suspicious moles removed. Because I have an ovarian cyst and I'm getting a hysterectomy, I see my obgyn all the time. I am still dealing with recon stuff, so I also see my PS every few months. And I'm supposed to see my rad onco every 6 months.



Thanks everyone for the kind words about our kitty Haley. My husband and I are so heartbroken over her. You all are so kind!!!

kittycat

My friend got some halfway decent news today. Her kidneys are not failing. The fluid build up is coming from her liver. Her platelets are super low, so that's why she's been feeling lousy. She starts chemo again, as soon as she starts feeling better.



I haven't heard from the scheduler on my scans. I'll keep you guys posted on that.

grneyd5600

Kitty, I am glad to hear your friends kidneys aren't failing.  I hope she feels better soon.  There was definitely some irony in your statement that "as soon as she starts feeling better" she will start chemo again.    We will keep her in our prays.

I see the onc for my next 3 month check up on May 10th.  Other than bloodwork he won't do any scans.  Which drives me insane!  I am not happy about just "waiting for the left shoe to drop" idea but what is a girl to do. 

On a positive note, my exchange surgery went well and I am healing up nicely!  I definitely have a nice little bust going on again.  I feel like I should have lost 30 lbs with the concrete block things gone from my chest. 

Hope you all have a great week!