2012 sisters

Soyaandpepper

Welcome SJD and winnie. Sorry you have to be here with us, but glad that we help you through every step of this process. I find that only the ldaies who had gone through the treatments and process can really understand me. My family is very supportive and by DH is fantastic, but they will never understand fully what it is like. I'm so greatful to have found this site as well and get to share my ups and downs with this group of great ladies here. 

Cindyl

Winnie - I'm glad you found us.  Hoping for low oncutype numbers for you.  Our stats a similar, although my lumps were bigger.  I didn't tell my Mom for quite a while either.  She's younger than your mom, but has MS and was going through a difficult time when I was DX and she lost a sister to BC years ago so it's a tough topic for her.  I eventually did tell her, once I had good news for her. 

Cheryla

I was diagnosed with DCIS in December, 2011.  I had a lumptectomy in January.  Came back clear margins but found early stage IDC in the same spot.   Had a sentinol lymph node biopsy which came back negative.  I had 33 radiation treatments.  Finished this last March.  I was told I definitely needed radiation but planned on having it all along even if the doctor said I didn't need it.  I was never told that I needed a mastectomy but that if you have one you really don't need radiation if it hasn't spread.  I am also taking anastrozole for five years  (the generic form of Arimidex).  Not many side effects but my hair is really thinning out.  Sometimes this happens the whole 5 years I was told.  
Sometimes it may stop and start.  I didn't start taking it until the end of my radiation treatments so I have a long way to go.  Hopefully it stops soon.

juneaubugg

Welcome to everyone new to or group. You'll find great solace here; and plenty of laughter.
So I was out and about all day with MY beautiful bald head exposed. I tried on conacts just for color (althoung meeys are getting worsewith this but it is mu umderstandin they should return for the mowt part. They only had Turquoise, but I may buy the green . Here are some photos from my sister visit yesterday, trying on one blue contract, and my bath Friday which ed to shaving my head down.

 

 Strngehead ange but what do you think of the blue in the left eye instead of my basic browm (altough I think I'll go green).

 

 And lastly, I posted this on my FB page.  Some poeple found this one pretty prophetic.

 

Amywy so far a bit better with this TX.  I think I am getting some tast changes now, I loaded up on beverage and have not had any headaches yet. Just a lot less energy then i  prefer.  i find nyself hitting the wall pretty quickly.

PS - I think I am noticing a change in my tastebudds now.

Scorchy

juneaubugg,

Hang in there!  You look fabulous (like the blue).

Sending good thoughts to everyone here.

I'm finding my energy is flagging and my lower back and left hip hurt like a mofo today.  Visit to the oncologist on Wednesday; first time since my upgrade to Stage IV.  Talk of biopsying the vertebrae, bone strengthing drugs, and a shot to shut down the ovaries.  And so it begins.  Sick of it already.

Scorch

stride

Scorchy, I just looked at your history. Diagnosed in June and Stage IV already, I am so sorry. Will be thinking about you. 

I'm actually afraid to post much about my medical history because the Internet is not the most private place and I worry about future career discrimination. But I am seeking sisters who did/are doing neoadjuvant TAC. I have had four treatments of six. My lump shrunk significantly, by more than half, after the first treatment or too. I swear it stopped after that. My surgeon and oncologist did not physically examine me until after the third treatment and they were excited about the shrinkage.

I'm about five days post fourth treatment, and I actually think maybe the lump is larger now. I'm hoping there is just some swelling around the lump as a side effect from the treatment, or maybe just delayed swelling from the palpitation/ultrasound by the surgeon last week. Or maybe it's a remnant former menstrual cycle symptom. Or maybe I'm just OVERLY PARANOID!!!

What a wild roller coaster we're on, eh? Is there anyone on here whose lump appeared to grow during chemo, but turned out to be nothing? Thinking positive, because really there's every reason to think positive.

Moonflwr912

Survive, you can change your name in thus site so feel free, just note your old name a fewvtimes til we get used to it. Much love BTW, sorry you have to be here, but glad you found us.

websister

juneaubug - good to hear from you. Seems like you are doing much better after your 2nd treatment. My hair did the same as yours, I am pretty bald now also. The blue looks good.



Scorchy - sending hugs - I'll be thinking of you on Wednesday and the decisions you have to make



Survive - there are several on this thread who have had the neoadjuvant chemo, I'm sure they'll share their experience, this whole BC experience is definitely an emotional roller coaster



Moonflower - I saw and appreciated your poetry on the triple positive thread, thinking you are very good and should show off a little on this thread also

jpmomof3

Wow I miss a couple of days and there are three pages to catch up on. Had to work all weekend including today:(



Wow lots of new people. Welcome, Sherbab, prettyinpink, annabug, Susan, Winnie, cheryla. This disease sucks. Sorry you have it. But welcome to our group. I hope you get as much information and comfort as I have. It just helps to have people to talk to that have had the same problem. Nobody else really understands unless they have gone through it. This disease sucks at any age but seeing how many young people are getting it is just plain unfair. I thought I was young at 41.



Juneau, that's quite a hair bath. You look gorgeous. Good for you for going out bareheaded! You kick ass! The foods are looking great too!



Welcome back mrscich! Hope your pain is controlled and getting better!



Ramols, good luck with the germ avoidance. I had to do that several times during chemo and somehow I made it without getting sick Hope you do too!



My energy is good. Not looking forward to radiation zapping it again, but it can't be as bad as chemo can it? I am planning on starting to run again this week. Still having the arm pain but it does seem to be getting better. Hope you all have a good week healing and good luck for those going to the BGC this week.

jpmomof3

Damn auto correct, Juneau that was supposed to say the foobs look great too!

Soyaandpepper

juneaubugg-you look great! Love the green top on you, hang in there cause you're half way finish!

stride

Moonflwr, good suggestion about changing user name. And thanks, jpmom and websister.

Moonflwr912

Stride, I am glad you changed it, especially to a SHORTER one! LOL

Moonflwr912

All, there are two familes here in Port Washington, WI, that could use prayers today. One is for the grandfather of a young child who went into the lake to get his grandchild who was out too far. Other people brought the child out, but the grandfather died. The other is a heartbreaker. A 14 year old went into the lake yesterday and has been missing since. He was a lovely, talented kid- valedictorian boy for eighth grade graduation, freshman quarterback, just enjoying Lake Michigan. The lake wasn't too wild, pretty normal. But to loose two people on the same weekend is horrendous. Lake Michigan is a big lake, more small ocean, and sometimes people forget the raw power of nature and go out when they shouldn't be out, but that wasn't the case, just so sad!

mcook301

Hello



Moonflwr - prayers sent! My home town this year had two families that lost children to drowning on separate occasion this summer. One family lost three young children swimming in the river. It is absolutely heartbreaking to hear of another tragedy like this.



I did neoadv and my tumor shrunk and at times I felt it was getting larger but path results after surgery two weeks ago came back with no tumor detected! You will find more after ur ultrasound if you have one bf surgery. Hope that helps.



Question now - what option do I have with radation and statistics on my response to Chemo? I don't want to take any chances but I need to understand the facts so I can make an educated Choice. I meet with my rads doc tomorrow and I am praying so hard that he says it is good to go without but understanding a good chance it still be highly suggested.



I want these dam drain tubes out tomorrow! I dislike my ps nurse I work with because she is horrible about explaining things to me so I am going to be brave and ask to switch tomorrow. At times I am too nice but learning to go with my instincts on items like this. Sorry hate was harsh term but she is not a good match for me. She acts like I won't comprehend details so give me the broad overview and I want explanations and details.



Weekend was pretty low key for me but I promised myself that next year for labor day I will be traveling somewhere and spending it with Friends:)



My bday is coming up this month and I am so glad to be turning 43! Ask me this question last year and it would have been a totally different story!



Love the pic Juneau and wear that bald head proud:) you shaved your head because you are saving ur life! I love both eye colors on you!

juneaubugg

Thanks all for the love and strength. Slept, ate snacks, and drank fluids all day. It is amazing to find out that I'm not one of those people who give a shit what anyone says abouts hair (or lack there of). Oh yes... Dare I say freedom??

Moonflwr912

Juneau, so glad you are doing ok. And knowing you don't care is freedom, go naked! Well, HAIR naked, that is, LOL

Moonflwr912

Mc, my bday is this month as well, yay Virgos!

firestorm531

I love going 'topless'!  Its rare that I wear anything on my head and when I do its usually because my head is cold, not because I'm afraid of what people will think of my bald head :P

*hugs to all* 

prettyinpinkterminator

Juneau, glad you are doing okay. I have days when I feel weird still about my naked head, but it's so darn hot here right now that it's hard to wear anything over it -- so I go bare

I had an incident on Saturday night, though. I was in the car with my boyfriend on the way home from a long day at a music festival. We were at a stop light in the city and a Grand-Prix out of towner in an SUV kept looking over and staring at me. His wife in the passenger seat went out of her way to peek over him and stare at me, too, and started snickering. It upset me a lot that two grown ups in their 50's would act like this. My boyfriend got pretty mad about it and flipped them the double bird and told them where to go. 

Stride, I just finished neoadjuvant TAC about 2 weeks ago. I was paranoid the whole time. I still am, actually. I think I feel myself about a zillion times a day. I was upset at first because it seemed like my tumor wasn't responding after 3 treatments, but a few days after the third, I couldn't feel anything. I think I am still in denial about it and go looking for something to be wrong in there because I can't believe it isn't palpable. I am hoping tomorrow I will get good news from my breast MRI and that there was enough shrinkage to get a green light for a lumpectomy in early October.

Aruba

Hi ladies,

Wow I missed alot in just a few days!  Welcome to all the new sisters on here, so sad you joined our group but let me tell you that this group is awesome and will be there for you!  And everyone here "gets it" as we all have been blindsided by this disease and are working to KCA (kick cancer's ass!).  I had a wonderful out of town trip to visit my daughter (a division 1 college women's soccer asst coach) play games at her home field.  Seems like yesterday I was watching her kick the ball on a recreation team..and now she is coaching on the college level..her dream job.  It was truly the escape weekend I needed.  Now I head for my first appt with the radiation oncologist on Weds.  I had to fight tooth and nail to get this appt as it has been over a week since I let them know I am opting out of chemo and they said I would hear shortly on rads appt as they schedule it.  Well, ladies be your own advocat..after callign daily and finding out forms had to be faxed yada, yada, yada...and that RO wants to see you where you'll be treated instead of main hospital (that would have delayed another 2 weeks), I finally got her first available which is Weds.  Not sure how long to get "mapped" if that is right term, and started but I want to get this thing rolling!  Has been 6 weeks since my surgery so time to move on! Still have the cords going on, but MO said no PT needed. Not as painful as before...keeping an eye on it.   Hugs to you all!!

Cottontail

I did neoadjuvant TAC, and my tumor shrank enough that I could have a LX instead of MX. I could feel shrinkage after just the first chemo, and by the third treatment I couldn't feel the tumor at all any more. I think I bruised my breast poking at myself!



I was initially disappointed when a follow-up MRI showed a reduction of "only" 60% in size. After a couple days, though, I realized I was grateful to have shrinkage at all. My MRI was a couple days after my fifth treatment, I don't know of there was more shrinkage by the time I had surgery or not.



I think if your tumor seemed to respond to the chemo, you shouldn't worry about it now, Stride.

PaEaglesFan

Juneau, You look like Demi Moore when she did her GI Jane buzz.  I haven't been going topless because I have this weird peach fuzz growing and I detest it as much as I would hate haveing to shave it so I wear these cute turbans that I got from TLCDirect.  They also help keep my head dry.  Did we sweat this much when we had hair??
So good to hear many of you are taking charge with your treatment and getting on with it. There are so many choices to be made and I'm glad to see that treatment is tailored to the patient now instead of SOP of old days.  
My first MO was also my grandmothers MO 13 years ago.  He was adamant about me having chemo and it would have been adromycian and cytoxan (not sure if I'm spelling that right).  My 2nd MO recommended chemo and explained its benefits to me and also that Taxotere/Cytoxan combo is not as hard on your heart and has been shown to have better results with my type of tumore than Adromycian/Cytoxan does.  
Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday whether you are resting or celebrating.  

Cherioo

Patricia I start Thursday chemo and I am nervous but readyvtonget this going and move on . We are all here for you and each other

firestorm531

PrettyinPink - kudos to your BF for standing up to ignorant people!  Its hot where I live too, so I spend most of my time going 'topless'.  I know people stare and if I happen to catch them in the act, you can bet that I stare right back.  There is no reason for us to be ashamed with what we're dealing with and there's no reason why we should have to hide our heads.  Oooooo that just aggrevates me that you were treated like that!  Don't you let them bring you down sweetie *hugs*  You are beautiful!  We all are!  

*grumble grumble* idiot people *grumble grumble* give them a piece of MY mind *grumble grumble*

juneaubugg

Prettyinpink: what firestorm said... But add more grumbles!!!!



So glad this summer is over. It means this journey is closer to being over. Mcook- I'm with you on next labor day.



Night all...

Moonflwr912

Pip, that's not nice of them! If people stare, and are close enough to hear, I use a variation of my go to response, ie: I know I'm fat, do you know you're rude? So, of course, It's - I know I have cancer, do you know you're rude? leaves you feeling calm, and the idiot is usually pretty embarrassed.

Anonymous

As much as I wanted to respond to everyone - I'm going to just have to send you all big hugs tonight, as I think I've missed too much to try. Day 7 after my first AC treatment and I finally felt like I was back in the land of the living today (thank you mirilax!). I didn't even take a nap. And we took the boys out for a nice morning of bowling (although after 4 frames my arm told me to stop and I let the boys have at it when it was my turn). I am hopeful that now that I know what to expect, I'll be better prepared and will snap out of it faster after round 2. But I'm thankful to have a full week before I get there. And Juneau - you give me hope that round 2 gets easier (I love the blue btw!).

As for all you ladies going topless - I love it, you look awesome! Making me rethink my buff choices. Maybe I'll have the balls to go topless from the start too - we'll see. I have a wedding to go to on Sunday, so I plan on keeping my hair until then (assuming it sticks around) - but after that, I might see if I can rock the GI Jane look... You have all inspired me so. I have to admit - I was pretty down in the dumps yesterday - as I was still feeling so crappy on day 6. Started to feel glum that I'd never regain energy between treatments. But then I woke up today like a new person - phew! So finally managed to find me my happy and spent a great day with my family just enjoying being in the moment. Trying to remember the lesson of not sweating the small stuff... I hope you all found a bit of happy today today.

To all you new ladies, please keep coming here and sharing with us. We're sorry you have to join us (and I have to say - I was a bit disheartened to see just how many new ladies joined the past few days...) - but we love the company here. You've found the right place to say what's on your mind and ask questions.

And to those of you still struggling with cording - I highly recommend PT. After just 3 sessions, my pain has diminshed, the cord is smaller, and my range of motion has greatly improved. I was even able to mostly successfully shave my left armpit for the first time since surgery. Aruba - I think it was you who said your PS nixed it. I'd suggest pushing harder if you feel like you need it. For me - I feel like it has done wonders so far.

Ok - off I go to sleepy land. Sleep well and feel good beautiful ladies. Tomorrow is a fresh, new day! Hugs to all!

lamb

Hi mrsCich. Haven't seen you on the boards in a few days. How r u feeling? Is you arm

Still

Doing numb? Just thinking of u and hoping u r a feeling a little better. Lamb

lostinmo

Good morning all!

 Welcome all the new ones, sorry that you have the need to join us.  I'm not on here very often right now. Getting ready to head back up for rads again this week. Living without family and internet is not much fun. But only 4 more weeks till freedom!

Thinking of you all.