The Hermit Club

duckyb1

Tek, Tek, Tek, Good almost afternoon, where I live.......great advice......especially if you can't get the help.....get the crap done before surgery,.and it keeps you busy, and lessens your time to sit and think, because thinking is your enemy after diagnosis......the words "its cancer" sets the mind crazy, so thinking is not advised......just make a plan........also don't think too far ahead......a day at a time works best......

And do accept help if offered cause guess what.........if you say no thanks enough times.......people stop asking.......found that out the hard way....lol

Lynn1234

Ducky-How great that they all walked in honor of your husband-such a beautiful tribute...what a nice family you have!

Sally-Good Luck this week...take it easy. Let people wait on you. Many prayers and hugs are with you.

Just an idea-- I sometimes give myself a reward if there is something difficult for me to do. ie...When I had my mastectomy, I bought a beautiful, new bedspread because I thought I would be spending more time in bed. After I had my first chemo treatment, I bought a new lipstick. I don't decorate a lot or spend much on myself, so those were treats for me. A little reward helps me focus on something besides whats happening to me at the moment.

duckyb1

Good idea Lynn......

While I was doing Rads I purchased the first day 38 $1.00 scratch off lottery tickets. Each day when I came home from my treatment I scratched one off.........as the tickets dwindled so did the treatments.......and to boot I won $95.00 total when finished......it started a trend on another thread....such fun.....

Teka

I no longer feel that mom should eat the burnt toast!

duckyb1

Hey Tek, does that include the " last piece of pie too, when there are 6 people and 5 pieces of pie".......been there.....and how about when your down to the last scoop of ice cream, and still have 1 kid left.......they say...."Mom, why aren't you having any ice cream"......,..answer .....it's a little cold for ice cream".... Lol.......

Teka

Husband said "I must stop doing that".

duckyb1

He is right, but it's not easy......Guess how many times my husband got the last piece of something if it was just the 2 of us.......but I don't think he ever realized it.....lol

Tomboy

Welcome SallyS70. you got some very good advice here from the hermits. please take real good care of your arm on that side, keeping my fingers crossed , no lymphedema for you! i found this site after surgury, but before chemo. i was about ready to bolt & run. that scared. but women here are truly wonderful n knowledgeable, and carring n funny (CAMILLEGAL!). that was a great lil frog, jazzygirl. much better than the other version even! i want that leftover ice cream! and loved that scratcher ticket idea.

Tomboy

anybody hear of turduken? combination chicken duck and turkey? I SOO want some deepfried turkey, had a little piece once. so good.

Lynn1234

kathec-I have heard of turducken-it's sold at our Kroger-could be pretty tasty! Maybe I'll get one for thanksgiving just for fun. I bet the deep fried turkey would be really good though.

ducky-I love the idea of the lottery tickets! I could use a million bucks right about now.

teka-why is it moms do that? if we make it we should get first dibs right? Somehow I would feel so guilty.

duckyb1

Trying so hard to drink water......I hate water, and it's pure torture......every time I moan about something like....I'm dizzy today....or, wow my knees really hurt today..."or my ankles are really swollen.....my youngest daughter will say....." ARE YOU DRINKING WATER"..."....and if I am with her or my grandaughter they are shoving a bottle of water in my face.......I am not a real drinker of anything......imagine when I prep for any test that requires water to be drank.......not fun.

Now give a bag of chips to eat, and I will drink the spigot dry.....lol

Lynn1234

haha ...I am not a water drinker either...during chemo it tasted awful! I do drink more than I used to-which was zero.

Lynn1234

I am pruning some things in the garden that my daughter planted in between my posts. She planted some endangered plants that grew like crazy this past summer-not sure what they are. But they have now been pruned down to within an inch of their lives, so next summer I should be in control-not them.

SallyS70

duckyb1, thanks for sharing about your surgery. It is good to know that I may be up and around very, very quickly.

SallyS70

Teka, thanks for the cleaning suggestions. Some precleaning will make me feel good too. How long will reaching overhead be a problem?

duckyb1

Sally trust your BS on that one...all treat it differently....my pet peeve is people who give advice on something that important....we are all different.......so what might be good for me, might not apply to you.....trust your Dr....just know that you should not do any raising or lifting within the first week..........however, you will be given instructions by the nurse before you leave ......which come from you Dr

I unfortunately got LE.......luck of the draw.....many don't...in fact most don't.........but of course if it was to be gotten.....it would be me....lol.....it's a bitch, but so many have bigger fish to fry, so I faired pretty well..

Your gonna do great.....won't say what so many said to me..."think positive".......I thought "ok asshole, you may mean well, but this is "cancer" not a tooth extraction.......

So just take the first step, then one after the other.....".eventually you have a plan"........don't forget to come here the night before your surgery, and sew big pockets in your hospital gown.......we gave a habit of having parties in your pockets.....we will be there for you.....hugs

CCFW

del

duckyb1

CC.....your right......."

CCFW

del

SallyS70

Hi Lynn 1234, thanks for the encouragement to let people help me after surgery.

Teka, I will take it slow and easy.

Spookiesmom, I am hoping you post a picture.

duckyb1 ... You are so right about dx setting the mind crazy ... taking walks is helping me.

kathec ... hi ... any advice about caring for the biopsy side will be appreciated.

duckyb1

Sally.....not much to do on biopsy side......it's just covered with a band aid....at least mine was.....when is your biopsy.........

Lynn1234

CCFW Post a pic of you two all dressed up - would love to see it! have fun! Let me know if Sean C is there.

duckyb1

Lynn......he will be there....I'm his date tonight.......lol

Jazzygirl

Sally- I wish you the best with your surgery this coming week. I too had lumpectomy and SNB. It went very well, and everything has healed well. I found the SNB incisions bothered me more than the breast incisions because they cut through muscle to get through the nodes, and that always takes longer to heal. The breast incisions healed very quickly. It has been almost a year since I went through my surgery. You will be able to move pretty quickly as ducky says, but do take it easy and don't over do it. For me, it was also the easiest part.

We will be here for you as you head into it and come out of it to be your virtual support team.

grammaB

Sally, yep up late, besides being a hermit I am a night owl too, have been all my life. I'm pretty new on this thread but I will send out a welcome to you too!

Teka, agree. I don't do any social media other than this board and my diabetes board. I just don't want too much info about me out there in the ethers. Part of being a hermit I guess. I can't tell you how many times I have started a post and then deleted half of it because I felt it was TMI.

Spookie, sounds like a fun event! Looking forward to the stroller photo!

ducky, so sorry for your loss and what a great tribute from your kids! I lost my DH to leukemia and complications from diabetes. It was a long hard 2 years before it took him. It will be 16 years next Tuesday.

Tomboy

like duckyb1 said in the last cupla posts, you should really be fine. i am glad that you are only having the sentinel node biopsy. they will probably tell you what you should and shouldnt do, after lumpectomy. just be more gentle with yourself, and dont try to be a tuffie, like i did, so used to doing things for myself, and a tomboy, from waaaaayback. i really should have taken it more easy, for longer, after. did the excercises they gave me though, but with so many nodes removed, i did develop lymphedema, fairly quickly. no fun. but really you should be fine. when is the lump coming out?

SallyS70

duckyb1, my biopsy is Wednesday, 11/13 ... 13 is one if my lucky numbers, fortunately.

CCFW, I too hope you post a picture. My grandfather immigrated from Scotland.

Jazzygirl, I will take it easy. It's wonderful to have all of you as resources.

SallyS70

Hi grammaB and kathec, you two must have been posting as I was writing. Thanks ... both of you.

Lynn1234

ducky- you're a hoot! LOL

sally-we will all be with you there in spirit. Lots of prayers headed your way.

grammaB

Posted that last post as sometimes posts disappear before I get them submitted.

Sally, a couple things to do before if you are going to be on your own: Make some meals ahead and freeze so all you have to do is reheat and eat. Any kitchen items you use regularly that are on high shelves, move to lower ones or the counter. Especially if you need two hands to get them down. I had a BMX and this was really important for me since I live alone.

You'll do great! Sending healing energy and prayers to get you through sx and beyond.

Lynn and Ducky, like the reward idea! Really like the scratch off lottery ticket one!! Since all I had to get through was the sx itself (and the healing) I didn't do a specific treat. However, because of a large weight loss (around 60 #) over the last year (50 after diabetes dx, another 10-15 from bc) I have been buying clothes like crazy!! I thought my weight had finally stabilized before bc dx so I had bought a few things over the summer, some now not suitable for wearing after sx. So replacing even new things! And shopping online is a great way to pass the time in the wee hours of the morning. )

CC I love that blouse!! I too want to see photos of the two of you all decked out!! Have a great time!! Will cross my fingers you win the jacket!!