Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!

Sloan15

Poodles - Keep us posted. You'll have bumps in the road, but you can do this! Your temp will probably be a hospital visit because you are in nadir period. Hugs. A lot of went tbrough those chemo lows, but we are here for you!

meme2006

Hello everyone...I haven't posted on here lately, but love reading all of your helpful post! It helps me daily get through all this insanity. I still have not received my oncotype score, so my oncologist is rescheduling me when it comes in. Seems like its taking longer than I thought, it was ordered on Nov 16. I was hoping to have it back before my second surgery on Dec 9th. Praying to get clear margins this time! For anyone that had a re-excision, is the recovery time easier, since I wont be having the lymph nodes done this time? I know my incision will be larger and across my breast, because the tumor was under my nipple area. Also has anyone had problems with cording from the lymph node removal. What a pain in the rear!! Thanks everyone for always giving me encouraging advice! Blessings and hugs to all..

PontiacPeggy

Meme2006, it is so hard to wait for that Oncotype score. It really isn't needed, as far as I know, for your re-excision. Just to determine the rest of your treatment. I can't answer any of your questions since my margins were clear the first time. I did not have cording from my SLNB but I find I still need to stretch my bad arm regularly or it is annoying.

Please keep us posted on your progress. Praying for clear margins and a zero Oncotype score!

HUGS!

Sloan15

My hair is only 1/4 inch long, but I have a new haircut goal for 3-4 months from now! Italychick posted this jamie lee curtis pic in the Hair thread, and I wanted to share this cute cut with all of you (esp those in or finishing chemo).

PontiacPeggy

Sloan, it will look great on you!!! It's rather like your hair in your avatar. (Isn't she pretty?)

HUGS!

molliefish

Sloan re AI vs Tam when in menopause.

I started menopause 2 years ago, and am fully menopausal yet I am still getting Tam for the first two years the MO says. I am 50 and 9 months old now. The tests are pretty conclusive in regard the amount of hormones they are measuring and it is my understanding that the drop in estrogen is related to the rise in FSH. So if you're in the clouds with FSH like I was you can be pretty sure you are post menopause. (however we all know how chemo can mess with everything). My MO hasn't mentioned AI's at all.. wanting to stick with Tam. I am ER/PR+ HER -

PontiacPeggy

My MO never checked my hormone levels, I'm sure because I was 69 and it was highly unlikely that I was anything REALLY post-menopausal I find it quite fascinating the things they can discover with a blood test.

HUGS!

Italychick

Sloan15, even though my hair is longer than hers, I'm still waiting for enough darn bangs. Those things grow in slow. My hair is half over my ears six months after chemo, but bangs? They take a long time to grow. I try to comb them down, and I look like an old time Roman soldier with one of those bowl cuts, hilarious

Sloan15

Italychick - Hilarious visual of Roman soldier! I'm keeping my hair trimmed above my ears so I don't feel so scruffy. But, yes, we need bangs! Also, did you notice how the gray ones stayed and are wirey? I had to cut those bad boys back!

Italychick

oh yeah, I buzzed my grays early. Now I get compliments on how healthy and shiny my hair is. I say it should be, it's brand new hair. I'm trying to fight through and let my hair grow over my ears just to get past that stage

PontiacPeggy

Oh, Sloan and ItalyChick, you started my day with a smile! I wasn't able to be with my DIL when she was growing out her hair after chemo so I missed all those wonderful stages that you're at. Hang in there! You WILL have hair and you WILL survive those horrible times when you just want to cut it off - growing out hair for any reason always seems to present problems. You'll have your Jamie Lee Curtis looks soon.

HUGS!!

CyndiNic

Meme2006 I just had a re-excision less than 2 weeks ago. I took Tylenol that first night before bed and woke up not being able to tell I had even had surgery. I found it to be a much quicker recovery that the first time - the SNB was really what caused me discomfort the first time. I did have some fluid issues with the second surgery which required me to see the surgeon to have some drained - but after a quick and painless trip to her office I am back to my normal self and ready to start chemo on Monday!!!! Best of luck to you!!

Sloan - love it!!!!

Molly50

Sloan, you will look great with that look! Both you and Italychick have great senses of humor.

Italychick

Trying to show my hair in all its bed head glory. I haven't washed and styled it yet this morning. Six months out, and on Herceptin still which I hear slows hair growth. It's probably time for a trim, but I'm trying to go as long as possible

PontiacPeggy

Theresa, I love it! What pretty hair you have - all the waves and curls. Totally envious!!!

HUGS!

HappyHammer

Sloan and Italychick, y'all are too funny! I love that JLC cut. Something to think about for when I have hair. Currently, there is fuzz all over my head except right in front is even shorter. Still on Herceptin til May so if that causes slow growth, than, dangit, it will be a loooong time before needing a comb, brush or cut. Am about 10 weeks out from chemo. Italychick- am hoping for waves like you have....

Italychick

Oh yeah, the short front hair, seems like the slowest place to grow in. Sadly, I bought one of those old man black combs, hope you know what I mean, because that's what works in my hair now. But hey, I have hair, I'm not going to complain, considering the alternative. At about 3 and 1/2 months I went with no head coverings. It took that long to have enough hair, and it was still really short, but if somebody didn't know, they would just think I did it on purpose. It seems like the hair comes in very sparse at first, and then suddenly it fills in everywhere, and then starts growing longer. HappyHammer, hang in there, it will grow.

bluedog

Three and a half months PFC, and I keep thinking my hair is as long as JLC's. But then I look in the mirror and realize the bald truth.

PontiacPeggy

Bluedog, groan. At least it's growing!

HUGS!

HappyHammer

PP- you are right..."at least it's growing" is what I say every day! Can't stress about it...we know what stress does so...am glad it's coming in. Soooo, did an eyebrow check and eyelash check today after reading some posts and....yep- my eyelashes are completely gone al of a sudden on the bottom and mostly on the top. Thought the brows were growing back in and the ones that were....welp- they are now almost all gone too. Good grief....funny thing is, my darn eyes are so bad right now, am not sure when this all happened. BC and old-ish age- not a god combo but beats the alternative!

Y'all really do make this bearable. Nice to have a sisterhood.

PontiacPeggy

It IS nice to have a sisterhood, Happy. Dang about the eyelashes and brows. Hopefully they'll come in soon.

HUGS!

PontiacPeggy

My best friend found this kerchief for my rat terrier/Pomeranian mix doggie. As you can tell she wasn't particularly interested in getting her picture taken.

On the left, the printed "sausage" is a "kitty kicker" that my niece makes. She's in LA. My kitty loves it. Think it is filled with catnip. The rest of the toys are the dog's.

HUGS!

marijen

This may or may not be true but I read that cod liver oil helps hair grow.

Italychick

HappyHammer they come back quick. A brow pencil and some eyeliner can be your best friends right now. That's what I did to camouflage mine, and hardly anybody noticed mine were missing

HappyHammer

Think I"m going to head to the mall and get a makeup person to help me with the brows...tried with an eyebrow pencil I have here and it was BAD!!! Haha....thinking the powder with brush may be better. Thanks for the positive comments. The hair seems to be looking different everyday for the past week- still see scalp but there is some great progress. The lashes and brows- well that was sort of a slap in the face.

HappyHammer

PonPeg- aren't canine and feline friends just the best? Maybe your pup was "modeling" the new wrap.

PontiacPeggy

HH, I'd be lost (and lonely) without my furbabies. They are such good companions to me (not particularly to each other).

Good luck with the brows. I can't do eye makeup - even mascara. I'm so untalented. It's a wonder I can manage coloring my hair

HUGS!!

HappyHammer

Thanks, PP...I am really bad with the makeup stuff as well! We have a calm Maltese and a crazy, crazy but precious Boxer as well as 2 indoor/outdoor cats. Love them all and am always entertained by their antics and little personality quirks. Empty nesters at this point so am very glad to have these furbabies to keep us laughing.

PontiacPeggy

HH, like you, spent 20 years as an empty nester (after the boys married) and now just me and the four-leggeds. Quite a few years ago we tried having just a dog and I went nuts (which rather surprised me because I really like dogs) and found a rescue kitty. Also tried with just a kitty but DH needed the goggie total devotion Two seems to be a good number for me. They DO keep you laughing and content.

HUGS!

mustlovepoodles

just popping back in to say I'm okay. They let me go home from the ER last night. I haven't felt good all day, just laying around and napping mostly. Anyway, i just didn't want y'all to think anything bad happened.