The Hermit Club

Teka

*Hermits*

Basia

Hi Ladies,

Hope everyone enjoyed the long weekend.  I am finding it harder and harder to be around people these days, they are all such morons! Lily, if I had a neighbor like that, there would have been acid spilled on his cars by now, just to annoy him.  My husband did that to our old neighbors who were horrible human beings, one night, he just took this stuff he was using for the drains and splashed it all over their car, I felt bad, but they deserved it.  

I got my pathology report back yesterday, seeing the oncologist tomorrow.  Looks like both pieces of scar tissue contained tumors, one was 1cm*.5Cm and the other was .5*.3 cm.  The thing that got me was the microscopic cell(s) found on a lymph node.  Not in, but on.  The oncologists PA said he was going to call the pathologist to get clarification on that.  Looks like I will start chemo next week if all goes well. Not sure which drugs this time, but I told them I want to be as aggressive as possible because I don't want to be here ever again! I was hoping for radiation first, but that's not going to happen.  Oh well.  This will be a crappy summer but at least I will have many many more to follow  

Teka

Basia,

*Hugs*

magdalene51

Basia, I know how you feel. People, in general, are pretty much idiots. I swear this cancer has driven me deeper into hermiting. Look! I made a new word!

I finally called surgeon's office today and made an appointment for follow up next week. I'm still waiting for the path report, her office said she'd call today. But said I could have my drains out, so I talked to my friend who is a nurse, but she can't do it because she has a broken foot and has to stay off it so she's going to ask her husband to do it as he's off this afternoon. (He's not just a friend of 15+ years, he's also the ob/gyn who assisted with my BMX.) it will be interesting to see what he says about the red puffies on my non-BC side. I haven't run a fever, and I only took a couple of the antibiotics the surgeon prescribed because I got a roaring case of thrush. Spent the last couple days fighting that with home remedies ( h2o2 rinse, saltwater rinse, elderberry) and it's all gone now. Why can't we find those things to fight everything?

We have made tentative plans for a short road trip next weekend, though seeing the surgeon Wednesday cuts it awful short as far as release to travel. There's a bunch of folks I play an online game with, known most of them for nearly 8 years, and we've been planning this meetup for months. I didn't want to let a minor thing like BC keep me from this, so we are planning on it. A day's easy drive, a day with folks, a day's drive home. I think I can do it.

Teka

I bet a lovely road trip ;o)

magdalene51

Just got off the phone with the surgeon, with the final path report. First off, she says she's glad we went ahead with bilateral instead of just a lumpectomy, as the right breast had "funny looking" cells. "Is that a medical term?" I asked. It means they look probable for turning cancerous. The lump in the left breast was 5.8cm, and 4/8 lymph nodes positive. She's forwarding it to my oncologist, and I will see him in the next week or so. (First time I saw him one of his questions to me was, how's your spiritual health? We like him.)

At that point, we will decide when to begin chemo, and the plans are to install a port when my incision is healed sufficiently. My ob/gyn friend is coming this afternoon to take my drains out. A house call! He's such a sweetie, assisted with surgery, and his wife went with me to all the tests. My initial mammogram and ultrasound was on my 63rd birthday, and when she saw the ultrasound, she knew. And when the biopsy came back she was the one who called me with the results. We had a mutual friend who went through this back in 2000, and I always said if it happened to me, I wanted them on my team. She has so many health challenges of her own but when I reach out she's always there. She had planned to take my drains out but she's laid up with a broken foot. But he has a free afternoon and is coming by soon. Such friends!

Teka

Yes, Dear Friends!!

magdalene51

Yay! Drain-free at last! And doc says it all looks good. 

I CAN HAVE A SHOWER!!!!!!

If there's nothing substantial on the gauze pads he placed in a couple of hours, replace with bandaid.

Nothing like having a housecall with a hug at the end.

Teka

Jazzygirl

Hi hermits- catching up on the posts here. Sounds like Basia and Mag are heading into chemo next. You both sound like you are doing okay so far. 

Lilly- an abusive white male supremacist is not good to have next door ever, but especially right now. I hope you can get some good rest so you feel prepared for the upcoming surgery.

Basia

Magdalene, yay no more drains! I didn't start feeling human again until those things were gone! They are miserable.  So glad you went with the mastectomy, if you didn't you may be in this position again one of these days.  I hope the chemo regimen your oncologist puts you on isn't too harsh.  Maybe you'll only do tamoxifen or something like that.  

I have 2 friends from my support group going to the onc with me tomorrow, this should be fun, they are both like bulls in the china shop and aren't afraid to speak up about anything…..gotta love friends like this.  

I have to say, as much as I am not a people person, cancer does bring out the best in people. The few people outside of family and support group that know about this have been extremely nice.  One of the dads from gymnastics offered to pay for my girls summer camp so that I can rest and not have to worry about entertaining them all day long. I love that the few people I "allow" into my life have such kind souls.  When I told him what I am going thru, he ran out to the flower shop a few blocks away from the gymnastics center and brought me a beautiful center peace.  Now don't go getting any ideas, I have become very close with him and his partner over the last few months.  LOL.   My daughter asked me if we are in love because of the flowers, it was really cute.  

Teka

Jazzy,

I am not familiar with published works.   I only know of *Maya Angelou* as a guest on the *Oprah Winfrey* show.   Impressive woman!  

She'll be sadly missed but not forgotten (

Jazzygirl

Basia- most folks are pretty understanding and compassionate about those going through cancer treatment. Almost everyone has already known at least 1 person who has had treatment for some kind of cancer.You have already been down this road before from what you have shared, so you know what to expect from people around you. It sounds like you have a great support system as you start out with your treatment plan.

Mag- same for you, you have people experienced with dealing with this disease and who are stepping up to help you. You are also in good hands.

dwill

Checking in--being a true hermit; I've  been AWOL.   Read some of the above post, and it sounds like many of you are doing well.   That makes me happy.  Had a CAT Scan to see why my implant is giving me so much trouble.  Good news--the Ct scan showed nothing---bad news still have the tightness, shortness of breath, pain.  Will be going  to see the new PS again in two weeks to see what our next move will be.  Well happy and calming to see many of you on this thread.  Will check in again, later!

Teka

magdalene51

Well, I had a lovely shower (tho short as I was not too steady) and washed my hair. My cousin changed my dressings, no leakage so just band aids, yay! And I'm back in my own bed tonight, though not too sure how well I'll sleep. Hope you all rest well.

Teka

blondiex46

Good news love when that happens.jazzy u always make me smile 

Am ok chemo forgoing the  neulasta shot, hopefully the tracker trailer will stay off my chest. Treasure uu all

Jazzygirl

Blondie and Dwill- good to hear from you today! 

magdalene51

Bed was not the best choice apparently. My arthritis is so bad that I have to change positions frequently or my joints just scream at me. In the recliner I have support on the sides. I have these poufs under both arms the size of a lemon, and I can't lie on either side because they hurt. I've never been a back sleeper. I think I'm just going to have to be unconscious to get to sleep, once I do I can sleep ok but still just so uncomfortable. I take a muscle relaxer which helps, I may just increase the dose (I only take half the allowed dosage now). I had to take half a pain pill this morning just to not cry. And my hair looks awful. Oh well, it'll be gone soon enough.

Teka

camillegal only sleeps in a recliner!

magdalene51

She is an awesome role model! I saw somewhere else that recliner is recommended for 6 weeks post op but no one told me that. My nurse friend said I should be ok to but I might just reassess that.

Teka

blondiex46

mags thinking of you...

how is everybody doing...me had chemo yesterday, today steroid day but got lots of fluids yesterday so am doing ok.

Teka

Trying to get caught-up with outdoor flower & vegetable planting.

Last weekend in May (

Hope You get more shore time this Summer )

Jazzygirl

Hi hermits- well I did a good thing for myself today and found some new things happening as a result. As you know, I have been working on this REALLY HARD project for awhile now and am coming to the end of it. My client had asked me to stay on PT in July and since I agreed to that, I started realizing that it was probably not in my best interest to do so. So nothing has been signed contractually yet, and we talked today and I told her I felt it was really better for me to wrap up and go since my work for what I agreed to do will be done in June. She agreed and knows I need to move on. So that is that and basically I have a month to go now (three weeks of actual work as I go to Aspen for a week soon). This place is no longer good for my physical or emotional well being.

No sooner did I do that than a really neat work opportunity has come my way that may be a good fit at the right time and is local (meaning no big consulting travel). It came via some colleagues from a FT job I had here once and of course, we are all in other places now doing other things. I sent in my resume tonight and hope to talk to him tomorrow or by early next week. I felt today like by letting go of the thing I don't want, something I do want is moving in. Will see where this goes.

Blondie- I am glad you are doing okay with this round of chemo. I think of you often.

Mag- sleeping after any surgery is so difficult. I don't have a recliner but many here have used them to be able to feel okay during times of rest.

Speaking of Cami, where is that gal?

Teka- I am going to have a nice photo of my new yellow prickly pear that is starting to bloom for you by this weekend. What is blooming in your garden?

Hoping everyone else is doing okay. I have been really tired this week and have been waking up to early with the VERY CHIRPY birds at 4:30 a.m. I need to get back into my exercise routines this weekend.

camillegal

OH I'm so far behind tht Mag got her drains out--yyyeeaaa it's a good feeling t feel freed up and even if u stand in the shower for a couple of minutes u feel better, I think--I had my drains in for 3 months and surprisingly I smelled OK I washed like crazy every day Oh still I couldn't wait to shower. But I think my BS just wanted to see me twice a week--yea right.

Basia u sound good and I'm glad too.

I've been so so busy  with the phones I can't even get on the board and then the phone rings, Busy times. I'm on the computer so much and I get such goofy headaches but my pain meds don't take away headaches--why??? I hope everyone has a good nite's sleep tonite and yes I still don't have a bed in my room--I'm so goofy but I started sleeping in a chair when I got my hysterectomy years ago it just got more comfortable.

camillegal

I'm back----

Lily that neighbor HIT you OMG--I'd be freaking out, what a horrible person he is all the way around. How can people be so mean? I'm so sorry.

Jazzy u seem to be doing good about the job thing I pray it all works good for u, u deserve to be at a job u enjoy a lot.

Hey Teka

Jazzygirl

Cami- good to her from you! I figured you were busy with work. You sound like you are doing okay!

Guess what? I sent in my resume tonight and the managing director contacted me in less than an hour and we have a phone meeting set up tomorrow morning. Really feeling excited. Will let you know how it goes! Whoot whoot!

Hoping everyone has good sleep tonight, especially those recovering from surgery or heading in. You have friends here who care.

Good night!

Teka

Jazzy, the following are in bloom!

*photos taken from on-line*

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*dwarf bleeding heart*

*wild lilies of the valley*

*wild columbines*

*wild jack in the pulpits*

*wild red trillums*

*wild cowslips*

*wild violets*