2012 sisters

lostinmo

Tazzy- doing a happy dance for you tomorrow!!

websister- hope everything is going good with you. How far are you in the chemo?  It's been so long that I have lost time.

Hope everyone else is doing ok today.

KarenZ0305

Oh cindyl I have one of those too! She goes by MIL. One year she had the flu convinced herself it was MS. My FIL said the day she wakes up and says I feel great he will drop dead from a heart attack. Not a day goes by she doesn't have one ailment or another. We call her the mom who cries wolf. Oh the stories I could tell!

Nkb

PA-love the knitted knockers. Made my day. Thanks.

Cindyl

Love the knitting posts.  I've been a knitter since I was an 8 year old girl scout.  I should get back to it.

Karen - I love it.  The Mom who cried wolf, indeed.  I really, really hope all will be well with our wolf crier.  She's a lovely person, just really needy.  And, frankly, if she really is sick, she's going to lose her job as she always runs negative balances on leave.  When I got sick, I had more than a years worth of leave I could have used if I needed to.  She (who has been here longer than I) has less than 20 hours... and current administration has no inclination to advance leave.

Aruba

Hi there,

Tazzy, You done good!  Here comes the sun.....

Websister-Sounds like you are hanging in there.  Your mom with the move, your grandkids with a special weekend, your whole family is so lucky to have you!  Hang in there..you are KCA one day at a time!

I went to MO today for the after rads appt.  Skin is healing well..just a bit of peeling left on the boost area.  On to the next step...a script awaits for Arimidex, I am to take a baby aspirin every day as it also lessens the chance of recurrance, this was news to me. A dexa scan to do a pre bone density measure..  All clear now on exercise and asked even about swimming..all go..so no more excuses LOL.  Asked about a flu shot...that was a go and got it then and there.  So let the next round begin and hopefully SE stay minimal as I always hope they are for you all too!

liefie

Cindyl, we hope the wolf crier does not have something serious. Wouldn't want her to lose her job, although she seems to be the architect of much of her own misery.

Aruba, so glad to hear you are well after rads, and that your skin held up so well. Interesting what you say about the baby aspirin - I should look into that too. One of the side-effects of Tamoxifen is blood clotting, and it should help prevent that too - oh, the joys! Wishing you minimal SE's on Arimidex!

MirandaSW

Congrats on last Rad!!!  How exciting.

Jen, good luck on your surgery. Let us know how you are doing.

Tazzy

Thanks everyone.  Finally the end is here.  Really hard to believe after the most awful fucking year of my life the end has come.  Well I start on tamoxifen, but really? what is a pill a day after all this.   My face is aching from having a permanent smile on it.

Scottie... you really must know me well - of course we will be going to the pub to celebrate.  Will save the pub crawl for when my energy level is better... but it will happen

Hugs to you all and have a wonderful evening.   Off to prep dinner. 

Cindyl

Yes! Tazzy!

Party time!

stride

Hi Ladies, I have been off for awhile and just catching up. There have been too many posts to respond to, so I'll respond to the last one:

YAY TAZZY! So happy for you!

I just posted on two other boards that I had right mastectomy and left lumpectomy. Well, that's wrong. I actually had left mx and right lx. Can I blame chemobrain? No, because it has been too many weeks since last chemo. Can I blame Percocet? Nope, did not take any today. What can I blame for dumbness after I'm done with cancer treatment?

Chrisrenee77

Congrats Tazzy on tour last treatment! So happy for you.

Tazzy

stride:  you can blame chemo brain for up to 5 years... least that is what I read - yes, it can really last that long.  I intend using that to its fullest

Outdamnedspot

Tazzy,  Great that you are hours away from being done!  I have really enjoyed your posts here.

Is Westbank across the lake from Kelowna?  I have a brother that lives there...near Summerhill Winery.  What beautiful country.   Cheers!

Joanne_53

Yeah Tazzy, I remember how happy I was ... Had party whistles for the techs to blow for me ... They humoured me .. It was wonderful.

I have my 1st mammogram since treatment tomorrow and I am nervous. Silly I know but the butterflies are there.

Cindyl

Not silly at all Joanne.  I was so nervous I seriously thought I was going to throw up in the waiting room.  I had my eye on the waste basket, just in case.  You'll be fine, and it's a real milestone.

cowpower

Scorchy, I loved your knitting pieces. I have been knitting since I was about ten, over forty years now. I have always used knitting to carry me through life's crises, both small and large. This year has been a roller coaster ride, but I have had my needles and yarn to keep me steady For some strange reason, I seem to have the need to make socks. Twelve pair since August. Looks like warm feet for everybody this Christmas. Since I am switching fro chemo to rads maybe I will do some mittens.....

MirandaSW

So I see all these shows and movies where the cancer patients are instructed to stay away from sugar. Were any of you diet restricted by your Docs?
I eat a lot of foods with sugar...of course I eat a lot of healthy stuff too. I am an equal opportunity eater. I eat everything.

marianelizabeth

Tazzy, good to hear about last Rad tomorrow; not long until the 21st when you leave.

It is almost 11 PM here and though I am feeling OK, I know I need to shut this laptop down for the night but  have read all your posts. 

Am copying from what I posted on chemo threads...

I had A/C #3 today and neutrophils were good. 6 Neupogens this cycle and no S/E first 2 cycles so hoping for the same. Leonard Cohen age 78 and some exceptionally talented musicians and singers from around the world put put on an amazing concert last night. He sang for almost 3.5 hours not counting the intermisson and it was midnight before we got out of Rogers Arena yet I felt good today with an early start for bw and MO appt. then chemo at 2 PM. I honestly think Leonard Cohen energized me. We spent the first 5 min. at MO Appt. talking about him as MO has seen his 3 times.

Silver lining of course that it was last night not tonight post chemo!

It was the first concert of his tour and he is also going to be in the US, Texas for sure. Inspiring.

Marian

PaEaglesFan

Scorchy I just LOVED your anchors! I am a cross stitcher (omg the back of your work is amazing!!) and I had to put it aside while I was going thru chemo because of the chemo fog and neuropathy. I've actually used that as a way of gauging how much better I'm doing post chemo. I'm back to stitching and so happy to see my projects progressing again.

I did work on 2 pieces as I was able, but it was a simple and straight forward pattern that was done in only 1 color so it didn't require too much gray matter. I did one as a gift for a friend and one for myself. I always associate my projects with what is going on in my life when I'm stitching them so I was glad to have been given this pattern as a gift from another BC survivor. It reminded me that I am a survivor and will get thru this and will hang it on my wall with pride.

http://www.monsterpatterns.com/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=8946

Tazzy

Outdamnedspot: Yes, Westbank looks over the lake to that side of Kelowna. Summerhill is a beautiful winery, great food and even better wine.

Joanne: I would think that butterflies are very normal for a first mammo since dx. Positive thoughts to you.

Scorchy: My Mum is a knitter – I tried, but never had the patience to finish anything.

Miranda: I was never told not to eat sugar – everything in moderation… even soy.

Marian: glad you enjoyed the concert and thinking of you today. We will be in your pockets. Gentle hugs

I feel like a kid at Christmas this morning. I am meeting a friend for lunch, then off to see some work colleagues then for the last and final nuking – woo hoo!

Hugs and love to all xxxx

2FriedEggs

Hi All Have been following but not posting much as fortunately things are finally somewhat quiet on this front-thank goodness

Tazzy I'm so glad the Rads are done!I hope you know what a blessing and inspiration you are and have been to this group (in addition to being the groups much needed comedy relief! LOL) Enjoy your celebratory  trip to the pub and the shed!

Ramols so glad your days in the BGC are numbered and you have a date set for your squishees.Finally a much needed light at the end of the tunnel for you.Hope you got to enjoy car shopping.

Cindyl & Karen Seems LOL did we just become more sensitive to these people since our diagnosis or what? Seems like since I've gone thru all this BC crap, I hear more & more people talking about their optional elbow,knee & foot surgeries or how they had to go in for "more views" after their mammograms, etc (I can't remember ever going in for a mammo that I didn't need more views, a sono or Mri! lol) Hope they are all ok as you wonder if they could get thru what so many on here have gone thru.

Stride Hope you are doing well post surgery. As far as the chemo brain, Tazzy is right you can still blame things on that. Heck I didn't have chemo but having been on the boards hearing about every one elses chemo, Tazzy said I could blame my screw ups on empathetic chemo, so that's been my excuse and I'm sticking to it!

Joanne After the trauma we have all been thru with our diagnosis, I'm sure you would be nervous. Like post tramatic stress syndrome. Like Cindy said Once you get that 1st one over with and all is well, it will be a major relief for you.

MirandaSW I am anxious to see if anyone was instructed to stay away from sugar too. When I was 1st diagnosed I read something about how cancer cells were drawn to sugar etc etc. I quit using it in my coffee. But I find myself craving sweets-cake candy you name it. When I mentioned it to my doctors they said to concentrate on veges etc; eat a health diet and gave me the name of a nutritionist-lol. Seems they don't want to be the ones to tell me to lay off the sweets. Like you , I am an equal opportunity eater- Love it!

Scorchy and all of you knitters and other crafty people-I an very envious. My grandmother knitted and crocheted beautiful things while she watched tv. I don't know if I have ADD, am just too incoordinated or what, but as much as I wanted to, I could never get into it.

Liefie I was so glad to hear you said that about the dreams-I have been the same on the Arimedex.

Websister I see you have been very busy; I hope you are feeling ok.

Marianelizabeth glad you are hanging in there with your treatments and enjoyed your concert.

Jen how are you after your surgery?

Juneau you ready for your squishy? Won't be long now!

Sorry if I missed anyone-have to run to an appointment. Thinking of you all and hoping you can find your happy place each and every day despite this dang bc crap.

stride

Miranda, I was not given any diet restrictions. But I have stopped drinking alcohol, partly because there is some evidence of a correlation with breast cancer and partly because chemo killed any desire for more poison. I used to have 2 or 3 glasses of wine a week.

I have read somewhere on the Interwebs that cancer cells use sugar to grow in the same way regular cells use it. Food helps cells grow, period. So I have not really altered my diet, except adding protein and fiber during chemo.

Cindyl

I wasn't told to stay off sugar, my mo refered me to there nutritionist who was helpful in a general way, but was more about a low glycemic diet, just everything in moderation. Less salt, fewer empty calories, less caffine and alcohol, but no need to deprive yourself of the things you enjoy.

Scottiee1

Tazzy, when we go pub crawling in Glasgow, I'll teach you how to knit in between pints.....lol.....you'll be learning from the best.....have been knitting since I was 5 yrs old!!!!!

KarenZ0305

Yay Tazzy! Doin' my happy dance for you! Not too far behind. #26/33 today!

MrsCich

Yay Tazzy!!!! So freakin happy for you!



I've been on the quiet side lately. Things seem to be kinda back to the new normal. I'm having a hard time finding things to look forward to. For instance, we always had a vacation or some kind of get away planned. Whether it was for just my husband and I or for the whole family but now that Im doing treatments and have 2 surgeries (Oophorectomy and squishy exchange), its hard to plan anything.



I'm not liking this new normal. I'm not depressed or anything but I feel like I'm at a stand still.

liefie

Tazzy, are you done yet? I guess you're having a party somewhere? So genuinely pleased and glad for you!!!!!

Joanne 53, you are so human to be scared. I had the same in June, and nearly fainted when the mammogram technician took off after she had taken the 'photos', and told me to stay put and wait. It was just like the time they found the tumour . . . Fortunately it was all good, but it was totally nerve-wrecking. That's why I am considering getting rid of the healthy breast next year. Is that a good enough reason?

Marian, hope the SE's treat you kindly. Saw a Leonard Cohen concert on TV a few weeks ago - what an artist, and what energy at his age to still be touring like this!

About the sugar: I know I should not indulge, but on Saturday made lemon biscotti and cranberry white choc squares to welcome my new neighhbours across the street. Kept some of the goodies, and have been munching on it ever since. My sweet tooth is something that I have to fight every day . . . a losing battle more often than not! If there is chocolate in the house, my DH hides it, and feeds me a small piece now and then. This is by mutual agreement because I am soooo bad.

2friedeggs, it is good to hear everything is quiet on that front - keep it like that!

MrsCich, it does feel like a standstill, and if your life is on hold at times, but time does march on regardless. One of these days it will be over, and you will look back in amazement at what you have come through. Big hugs to you!

Anonymous

tazzy - you must be officially DONE, DONE, DONE now. Woo Hoo!!!

MrsCich - not sure if you can work it out, but we booked a 4-day weekend (local within driving distance) with our boys between chemo and my squishees. I realize I'll be in my final nadir when we go to an indoor waterpark full of germy kids and may regret it later, and that I might be completely wiped out when we wrap up our mini-trip - but man has it been nice having that to look forward to as a beacon of light post-chemo and pre-surgery #2. And the boys are super excited too. Might help to put something like that on the calendar if you know your chemo end date and your next surgery date.

Hugs to all!

Scottiee1

Liefie.....why don't you start baking with stevia then you don't have to feel guilty.....I feel your pain as I also have a sweet tooth.....lol

lostinmo

     Tazzy- Celebrating for you!