You know you're a cancer patient when....

KittyDog

When you take your child to the peds and the Dr. is more concern about you that your child!

That happened today but she to is now facing BC with her mom.  So she had some questions and I told her to tell her mom to hang in there it does get better.

o2bhealthy

Barb - I love your sense of humour!!!!

changes

When your idea of fine dining is chocolate-flavored Boost.

Firni

When you can feel the wind contrails on the back of your head when you walk.

iodine

When watching TV, you are jealous of all the big busted women and it seems you only see BOOBS!  everywhere.

kittycat

When you forget yet another conference call at work and hope your coworkers can forgive your chemotardness!!!  (I can't count how many conf calls I've forgotten - sad).

When you count how many eyelashes you have left and look for more bare spots (sucks - I used to have the prettiest lashes).  And when you stop wearing so much mascara because you don't want the bare spots to stand out as much!!!

When you let women you just met poke your expander foobs to see how hard they really are! 

I love this thread!!! It cracks me up!!!

Summer38

Kittycat -

LOL I just recently stopped wearing mascara for that very reason! It looks so funny

badger

...when all your female acquaintances - family, friends & co-workers - tell you when they book mammograms

and

...when you get totally PO'd at doctors who make those women wait for test results because you know just how agonizing it is to wait!

LadyinBama

Sherri: That is exactly what I told the doctor the other day. He asked me what I did, and i told him I was looking for a job when I was diagnosed; but now all i do is have cancer. It is time consuming!! I love this threaad, just found it.

jenn3

I really love this thread!!!

When your friend calls to ask why you didn't show up for the weekend and you respond with "did I tell you I was coming?" because thanks to chemotard (love the word) you can't remember anything.  Yep that happened.  Told my friend I was coming to visit her for the weekend, just forgot all about that conversation and didn't show up. 

violet7

When your 7-year-old son is in the ER for an allergic reaction to nuts, the nurse hooks him up to an IV bag, and you gag loudly at the sight of a bag hanging there, have to turn away from said son or lose it, and your 11-year-old daughter explains to the nurse that mommy did chemo.  And don't even show me pink liquid or say the words "adria" or "push".  Bleh!!!!!!!!

kittycat

Jenn - I don't feel so bad anymore about missing conference calls!  I hope your friend understands.  Chemotardness is real!!! 

When you admire how you look in your wig and how you can change up the style for the chemo suite tomorrow! 

When your body doesn't know if it should be asleep or awake between the steriods and Ativan! 

AussieSheila

................when brother's partner asks you--three weeks after your mx, if you think she has BC because she has a swollen gland under her arm.

Thankfully, she is not around this time.

Sheila.

JustJean

When part of your morning grooming routine is running a lint roller over your head.

(I also love this thread!)

JJ

LadyinBama

When your breasts have had more viewings than an Internet porn star's.

amlg1

Whenever you see a woman with a real short hairt,you think oh she must have had breast cancer!This thread gives me a big smile:D

jdootoo

When you have the trots in the morning and constipation in the evening.

Kittycat: I am always letting people poke at my expanders, too, I laughed so hard when I read that!

One love, Jackie

Monty

Hi ladyin Bama,

 I went through more or less the same treatment plan as you starting back in August 2008.  I was lucky and sailed through the chemo without any problems.  Yes, I lost my hair 10 days after the first session - it does come as a shock even though everyone warns you!!!  It's amazing how fast it happens but I found I soon got over that part.  I recommend you attend the "Look Good, Feel Better" program if it's available to you, it's good fun and kinda nice to meet with other ladies going through the exact same experience as you.  The chemo was given intravenous for the F & C parts and then the E was given as an additional push, the last 3 I had doxarubacin ( I think that's how it's spelled).  I also had to have Herceptin with that.  When I was having chemo I was also given Neulasta the day after which may have helped with overcoming the side effects.  As I said I was real lucky and sailed through the whole thing without incident.  After chemo was done I had 1 month of radiation and that too went fine.  I was able to do gardening projects etc.  I did also lose some finger nails as a result of the "D" part.  I had my chemo at two seperate hospitals, the nurse I saw throughout for the Neulasta shot said that they should have put my fingers and feet on ice for the "D" part as it stops the neuropathy so you don't lose your nails, feelings in your finger ends etc.  Also, I was not given the option to have a port and I know now if I had to go through chemo again I would definitely insist on having a port as quite a few times they had trouble getting a vein and even now my veins in the one arm are shot, so I would definitely ask about that. Keep your spirits up, listen to any advise you are given and try remain positive - I read a wonderful book by Dr. Robert Buchman called "CANCER IS A WORD NOT A SENTENCE" and it helped me to understand things and also keep everything in perspective.  I was off work for 9 months as I was instructed to do so by my oncologist but other than that life remained pretty normal, I was able to do the cooking, cleaning etc - other than losing my hair no-one would have been any the wiser that I was going through this.  Sure hope this helps, good luck with everything!!!

Gaynor

lauri

You know you are a cancer patient when..

breastcancer.org is on your "favorites" list

your idea of a fun Saturday is attending ae "survivorship" conference

you appreciate what your nose hair used to do for you

barbe1958

...you don't make plans more than a week or two ahead!

LadyinBama

Gaynorl: Thanks! I saw the onc again today and had lots of questions for him about the drugs: why he chose these particular drugs instead of others, side effects, etc. I'm feeling better about it and wish I could get started; I hate the anticipation and not-knowing part. I've heard from more people who didn't have serious problems than ones who did, so that's reassuring.

Regina

KittyDog

When you have more appointment cards than your 78 year old mom.

Irishtess

 ... when your head feels like 800 grit sandpaper!

kittycat

When you're seriously thinking of investing in Depends after so many times almost not making it to the bathroom on time! 

When your life is unpredictable (and you used to love being spontaneous)! 

AussieSheila

...............when your handbag contains spare underwear, toilet wipes, paper towels just in case you really don't make it in time one of these days. 

At home I have a bidet (not my idea) which is plan B! Our new toilet suite has a self-closing seat/lid which is very slow.  Despite repeated requests not to, DD puts the lid down and hubby leaves the seat up.  Many times I have skittered sideways into the room, ripping the undies down, only to have to wait 5 secs for seat to lower.  I'm not game to slam it down in case I break the lowering mechanism.  TMI I know!

Sheila.

micheleboots

you buy one of those pill carrying cases for your stash.

micheleboots

BTW...love this thread.

barbe1958

...when "stash" has a whole new meaning!

cs34

when you can become an instant drug dealer with all the narcotics you now have in your possession.

(Does anyone know a publisher? This really needs to go into print!)

mymountain

when you've read ALL the magazines in all your doctors's offices and imaging centers more than once