2012 sisters
Comments
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Tazzy-LOL, that pic is really funny! I'm sure your hair will look much better than that when it grows out. Good to hear that everything is healing well and continue to do so! Sending healing vibes!
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Ramols: I met and chose my MO before surgery. Have you really not met with one yet??
Tazzy: you're almost through the tunnel!!! Good vibes and hugs your way.
2fried: I agree the strange shape hurts. I touch the side under my arm and it feels like its getting moved and hurts. Since I have no feeling I bang the damn thing on the door frame when exiting the bathroom or something. I don't give myself the additional clearance space now needed. LOL.
I went to a BBQ today and for the most part forgot about things. Of course...I cried for a whole this morning. I am scared about chemo on Friday. I feel like Dead Man Walking... Trying to live all my summer by then.
Also I keep getting a longer list. Now I need Claratin and Lidocaine cream too?! Did I miss anything? Am I. Ready? Damn. My DH is amazing and supporting me. Everyone loves the short hair except me.
The stupid insurance company sent yet another...please confirm you weren't hurt at work or in a car form with 20 questions! I wrote I HAVE BREAST CANCER!! On top. Signed it And sent it back. Fuck them. Just shut up and pay that's why we paid you CRAZY money for the last HOW MANY YEARS?! Argh!!!
Tired...scared...sore from the cording in my arm which I now realize goes into my chest too not just down the arm. I thought it was the TE being pulled at first. Now that this doesn't hurt I can better identity the source of my discomfort.
Goodnight ladies. I'm beat. xxoo 😘 -
Tazzy- I am so glad you're doing well. Thanks for posting the pic and making me laugh.
2friedeggs-Thanks for the info about the wound vac. As far as people touching, poking, cutting, etc. to my breast...well I guess I've gotten used to it. This nurse will be yet another person to feel me up in the past 7 months. In the beginning I was keeping track but I think I've lost track between mam techs, US techs, radiologists, nurses, BS, MO, RO....just one more!
Tpolychron-I had so much anxiety about starting chemo but once I knew what to expect that got better. Neulasta is a necessary evil. It keeps you healthy so you can keep fighting the cancer. My greatest fear was to show up for a treatment and my blood count be too low to treat. It never happened and the Neulasta helps with that. It does make you sore but I just took Tylenol before the shot and knew that 24 hours after the shot I was going to feel like hell but then the day after that the worst of it would be over. I will be thinking about you on Monday.
liefie-I was bad and decided to get my hair colored today. I'm a teacher and have decided to start school without my wig. It will be enough for the kids to get used to seeing me with such short hair, much less gray, white and black hair. I sure did miss my beautician and it was great to be back after 6 months!!!
I had a wonderful day. The other soccer moms wanted to take me out for lunch. When I got there, they had two sunshine boxes filled with all kinds of fun goodies. I have to say I was really down yesterday and this was a nice pick me up!!! I love when I feel loved!
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Cindyl, thanks for great explanationi l love it! Very helpful.
My stubble or peach fuzz is starting so far dark like real hair with some white ones. I too have very curly hair, formerly shoulder length. When I told a friend it was starting to grow, she asked if it was curly...I Had to tell her It was still too short to tell!! -
Tazzy- glad you home and dooing good. Where did you get that picture of my hair? LOL Mine is nowhere near that long but the coloring is about right. Just went back and reread your post. I'm glad you don't have the underarm incision. That is the worst part for me.
ramols- glad you have it worked out with your sons vaccine and chemo. Makes me wonder about all the women that work through out chemo and come in contact with kids. I'm sure it different from spending everyday with them.
tina_jason-hope that the wound heals up quickly! Leave to our DS to come up with explanations for things.
Tpolycron-happy that you got to freeze your eggs. Hope you enjoyed that fancy dinner and have fun on the boat ride. Don't think of it as a loast hooray, but as a normal family outing. Moonflwr is right if your taste buds turn you will have memories of how food taste good. Mine is slowly coming back and I want to taste everything now! Will be thinking of you tomorrow for your first chemo.
So happy here..my arm is starting to get better every day and doesn't hurt near as much. No pain meds! I was standing in line at the grocery store yesterday and the lady behind me leaned over and said " I had your same hair style 16 years ago, you'll get through this" It was a comfort to actually meet someone who has been through this and that long ago!
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I can't thank everyone enough for all the kind words and sentiments. I'm off to target tonight to get Claritin. Just went to the market abd bought snacks to pack a lunch. Anything else I should need? My mom is coming to take care of me. Love my mommy!
Should I take my gel polish off? I read acetone is bad during chemo. Thanks everyone -
I'd take it off, probably better without it, sorry.
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Starting chemo on Wednesday. Any advice/opinions/words of wisdom will be greatly appreciated. I am having AC for 4 treatments(2 weeks apart) and Taxol for 4 treatments. Each will be followed the next day with a shot of white blood cells(begins with an N). Thanks, Ladies!
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Tracy, just a bit of advise. You will get thru this. For the Nuelasta shot, most women on the boards, myself included took over the counter Claritan (not Claritan D) it helps with the bone pain that the shot causes. Good luck
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Tpolychron... good luck with tx # 1 tomorrow. You'll do just fine. Remember to hydrate lots.
And Juneau... you will do just as well on Friday too... remember we're all here for you.
It really is fear of the unknown... once you get into the routine of chemo, that's what it becomes a routine.
Tina_jason: that's so nice you were made to feel special by friends.
Lostinmo - I think that's a wonderful story about the lady in the grocery line - how inspiring for us all eh?
Welcome Tracyc3771. Hydrate lots and lots and then some more. Oral hygiene will help to keep any mouth sores away. I used ‘normal' toothpaste and as a mouthwash I used a mixture of 1tsp baking soda and cup of warm water and swished after most meals. Never had a mouth sore through all my 8 txs. A/C will make you pee pink for the first couple of days... do not be alarmed. Your taste buds may desert you - for me everything tasted like a metallic mud pool. For me Red Delicious apples were the only food item that actually tasted like it should. Also I enjoyed mashed potatoes, Brussel sprouts and chicken breast after tx.. like my comfort foods. Remember we're here for you.
Well I did manage to read each and every post and although I cannot respond to you all I am there for you wishing you good mojo and happy vibes. Thank you all for your good wishes - they are working as I feel pretty darn good actually - well the pain meds are helping too - DH said that my mood is definitely elevated after I have taken them
Shout out to jpmom - hope you are OK.
Expecting a friend round in about 30 minutes as she is cooking us our supper tonight.Love & hugs xxx
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Tpolychron~
Good luck tomorrow !
Juneau~
Good luck to u too
Tazzy~
Glad to hear u r still doing well!
Tracy ~
Good luck as well
Hope everyone had a restful weekend. -
juneaubugg - I guess it is kind of hard to believe I haven't met the MO yet. I'm at Memorial Sloan Kettering in NYC - although I'm at the Commack facility on LI. My sense of how they work is the BS and her office are your navigators and organize a team of treatment for you. I'm sure I could push to meet the other MO that works out of the Commack facility - but I think I'll be happy with the one they got me an appointment with. Basically - I started with my BS and her staff took it from there. They scheduled me with the PS on my team and then the MO on my team; and eventually I imagine they'll schedule me with the Radiation person who will be on my team. Seems like they all communicate with each other, with the BS leading the charge. My Dad - who works at Memorial has helped facilitate some things and has sat in on all my consulation appts, so I'm trusting his assessment of the course they are charting for me - but inserting questions when I feel I need to. I've learned a lot from all of you and have a list of growing questions for the MO once we meet. Sending you good vibes for your chemo start.
lostinmo - the MO nurse said they rarely come across this issue of vaccines and chemo start; typically only with teachers. Guess they don't get too many 30-somethings with young kids (or if they do - the stars don't allign in such a way that the two events collide...). Glad to hear you're starting to feel a bit more comfortable.
tazzy - yeah for surgery being better than expected! Keep feeling good!
tracyc - sorry you're with us, but welcome. You'll find tons of support here.
tpolychron - thinking of you and sending you good vibes. And yes - thank goodness for moms. Mine slept on my couch for a full 3 weeks when I had my surgery!
I've missed plenty of others... Sending you all good vibes and giant hugs.
As for me - enjoyed a fun-filled family weekend and felt pretty good. Still working to get more range of motion back in my left arm, but I'll get there. And I'm off to the City for my first day back in the office tomorrow. Here's hoping for an easy commute!
Nighty night beautiful ladies!
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Ramols~
Good luck back to work tomorrow !! -
Tpoly ,juneau, Tracy, good luck on your Tx this week. ramols, good luck at work tomorrow. Tazzy, glad you're doing well. lomo, it is nice when you get such an unexpected pick me up! To everyone I missed, much love and small SEs
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Tracy and Tpoly- my advise besides the hydrate as much as you can is to take a walk daily even if you feel tired. I felt so much better if I got outside a few times per day. I took water and a bar with me and sometimes just felt like I must have a bite of bar that second or water right then or I'd faint- probably doesn't make sense that the bar or water got into my system that quickly but it really helped. I needed to sit at times and sometimes it was on someone's steps if need be. At times it was the last thing I "felt" like doing, but, I forced myself to take a walk and it always made me feel better.
I'd also bring snacks to chemo. I sucked on Popsicles during the chemo infusion to prevent mouth sores- it worked for me. -
Ramols: you're lucky to have your father assist you in navigating through the medical community. In sure youre in good hands.
All: to tired to even attempt to respond to all, but I have read everything. All I need is Clartin and lidocaine cream and I think I'm ready for Friday's Tx.
I'm getting used to the short hair and not crying anymore when I see it. Everyone loves it; I hate it. Too much work. I have to blow dry it and I miss the wash a go of my hair when it was down my back. And them people day it's temporary, it'll grow back... And I think 'yeah; after it falls out'. Ugh!!!
So worn out. My arm really hurts. This cording runs under my arm in both directions. Into my TE and down my arm. Tired of pain.... Tired of cancer. Just plain old tired.
Tazzy: yay for friends to come cook for you. I counted on mine; my mom isn't too dependable unfortunately.
xxoo -
HI ladies,
I have read everyones post. Tazzy, welcom back from surgery! I hope you are recovering well. I am doing ok, no worries. I just got busy with family and I was test driving some fast cars. It was loads of fun.
Generally I am getting my energy back and the pain and swelling are getting better day by day. The stretching exercises have got my range of motion normal from my AND basically. I am a worried though that i have a significant seroma forming..It is firm and grape sized with a softer golfball sized are of swelling centered on the incision. it isnt that painful but is sore, though i am mostly numb in the axilla. I see my BS on Wedneday to schedule my next surgery. I will see what he thinks... I have my mammogram tomorrow. I hope I can get through it. I am only 2 weeks post surgery. I am a bit nervous about it. I just want to move this process along though and get this second surgery done so I can start radiation.
To all those about to start chemo this week, good luck. Its not fun but just try to remember that chemo is your friend. It kills cancer. I agree with all those who commented on it before. Hydrate hydrate hydrate. and exercise if you can. It really helps to get out and stay active. I worked the whole time. It helped to stay busy for me but everyone is different. You ladies will figure out the pattern quickly and it will be routine within a dose or two. Best wishes. Its not easy but we are strong and you will do it. If i did it you can.
I hope everyone enjoyed your weekends. I hope you all were abel to forget about BC for a little while.
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I am newly diagnosed (June 2012) and though I've been looking at this site for a few weeks, this is my first post. This seems like the right forum for my questions, but since I'm new, I'm really not sure. I have a couple of questions for my "2012 sisters"...
Found my tumor myself in April - it was never visible on either my January or June mammogram, and is considered among the 10% that is just mammographically "occult". Since my sister was diagnosed with bi-lateral DCIS at age 44, and because this tumor wasn't visible on mammography, it was a pretty easy decision for me to choose to have a bi-lateral mastectomy, which was done on 7-23.
My surgeon told me last week that I had made a very good decision since the pathology results showed I had 2 more invasive tumors in the same breast in different quadrants. These also didn't show up on mammography OR the MRI... (The new tumors were 1 cm and 5 mm, while the main one had grown to 3 cm and was seen on the MRI.) And, here are my questions: while my sentinel node was clear, I did have an intramammary lymph node that was "involved by metastatic mammary carcinoma and was 4 mm." From my reading, I think this means my MO will treat this as "node positive" cancer. But does this mean I am Stage II b and/or T2 N2b M0? Even on this site, when it asks if the cancer metastasized, I'm still thinking it is local since this wasn't a distant spread.
I already know I need chemo since my OncotypeDX score was a 40. I meet with my MO again next week and am curious as to how she will treat the IMLN finding. Did anyone else here have an IMLN?
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Beth- sorry to hear you have to join us. My understanding is that spreading to nodes does not mean metastatic. Rather spreading to other organs is metstatic. I had 6 positive nodes and was staged at II. Although my BS said staging doesn't mean much. As far as I know - nodal involvement will simply help determine chemo and or rads plans. But this is all just my understanding. Good luck and stick around here - you'll get a lot of support.
Jpmom - what cars did you try?
Juneau - I thank goodness for my dad. Radiation is his lifes work so I know i'll be in good hands when I get to that phase. -
Thank you all for your kind words of encouragement! I read the posts on Clariton and went to the store to get ready to do battle on Wednesday! I bought Clariton, Imodium, a gallon of hand sanitizer and masks for the days I am highly suseptible to infection. I am going to work as I am able during my treatment and am truly blessed to have the owners of the GM Dealership I work for that are behind me 100% and are willing to allow me to work from home when needed. AND my salary will not be affected! What a load off my shoulders!
Thank you Tazzy and Moonflower! I will write that down and will heed your advice. My DH and I have started walking every night for 30 minutes and per my MO's (and you ladies, of course) suggestion, I will continue to walk everyday. Even if I don't feel like it. So thank you again for all your advice. Have a blessed, restful night!
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Tracy, I sucked on peppermints a lot during the AC to help soothe my stomach. Like everyone said, drink lots of water. Bland, comfort food was my favorite, especially during the AC. I had Monday treatments and by Friday I was feeling almost normal again. Wednesday was usually my worst day but I still worked. Good luck. You'll do just fine. No one ever told me about Claritin for Neulasta. I wish I had known. I just did Tylenol, but didn't have too bad of muscle aches. They were minor and not severe.
Good luck to those starting chemo this week! I'll be thinking about all of you.
I am still packing my wound until my wound vac arrives. The good news is that I went from 2 4x4 dressings to only one now!
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Good luck to all those starting chemo today... Prayers that is goes well!!! Hugs 😃
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Beth-in-Tenn, so sorry for the reason you've had to join us here at bco but the ladies here are great. I can't offer anything to you about the IMLN but I can relate to the tumors not being seen on the mammograms. Mine was missed on the mammogram and only spotted on the mri as well. Although I could have stuck with the lumpectomy I decided to have a DMX so that I didn't have to worry about the tests missing something in the future. Since your sister had cancer at a young age did they mention testing you for the Brac gene? This is all so overwhelming, particularly in the beginning, but once you have your treatment plan in place it gets a little easier.
Tazzy glad you're on the road to recovery. I love your Don King hair do and enjoy those happy pills until you feel back to your old self.
Tina_Jason are you hooked up to your camera bag yet? Wish you lots of success in finally getting that wound closed. I know what you mean by losing your modesty after all the tests and poking an prodding of our breasts during all this crap.
My thoughts and prayers are with those of you starting in the BGC today and this week. Juneau, I hope there is enough room in the bgc for those coconuts and that they don't bump the edges of the chair!
Also praying for great pathology/test results for those of you waiting.
Take care all.
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Beth in tenn, sorry you are in this situation but welcome. I had a positive IMLN too but I also had 5 positive nodes in my axilla. From what I understand they don't really count those in the lymph node count but I am not positive about that. I don't think they mean the same thing as the nodes in the more distant sites.
Ramols, I drove a Nissan 370z, a Cadillac cts-v and a Mercedes slk250. They were really fun. Got a couple more to try. Gonna try the BMW z4 and the porsche boxster next. And some money to save, this will be my present to myself for getting through this and 10 years of child raising and 12 years of putting my husband through school and training.
Good luck to all you starting chemo, my thoughts are with you. I know it sounds weird but I actually kind of enjoyed the actual infusion. It got me out of a couple hours of work and I got to sit still and relax and play games or read or snooze. I don't get to do that much sometimes. I hope that you can all remember that it is to kill cancer and to find the good n it even when it is making you feel bad.
Tina, good luck with the wounds. That must be really frustrating. It seems like this stuff never ends.
I am sitting in the breast clinic now waiting to get my two week post op swollen boob squished. I hope I can do it. I just want to get this done so that I can move on to the next step. And go drive some more fast cars. -
JPmom Good luck at the squishing. You've got the best attitude. Enjoy those testdrives and which ever car you decide to reward yourself with, you deserve it. You go girl!
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Jpmom~
Good luck!!! Can't wait to hear which car u decide on!!!! 😃 -
Sitting here trying not to be upset. Just got off the phone with MO's office, the reran the hormone receptor on my tumor and it is now er/pr neg. Wondering how this changes things other than no hormone sucking drugs to take.
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lostimo sorry I can't help you treatment wise for TripleNeg but like you said, you won't have to have your estrogen sucked out of you and have the SE's of the drugs like so many of us! But I'm sure getting any kind of unexpected results at this point, after you've come to terms with what you have and how it will be treated, is upsetting. Did they make any mention at all of what this means as far as treatments or make you an appointment to discuss it so you can put your mind at ease? Could work out that you've had all the treatment you need; that would be nice wouldn't it!
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Lostinmo sorry to her about the change. I have gotten a lot of unexpected results lately too. it's not fun usually. At least you won't have to take hormone therapy. Don't know why it changed like that for you. Those tests are not perfect.
I just finished my mammo appointment , Well I am happy to report that they got all the calcifications out so there is a good chance I will just need a re-excision. Home they can get clear margins this time. I will find out for sure and when Wednesday when I have my pre op appointment. I also have a 5 by 3 cm seroma in my axilla, I hope my surgeon will want to drain it, it is annoying. -
Lostinmo~
Sorry to hear. It's not fun to keep hearing news like that.
Jp~
Glad ur done with that. Hope for clear margins
Hope everyone who started chemo today that went ok.
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