Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!

Jclc83

Great news Mairew!!!

PontiacPeggy

Mairew, YES!! Great Oncotype score. Are you breathing now? Will you go on Tamoxifen? Very happy for you.

HUGS!

Gemma12

Molly - I'm glad your friend is okay!

Marie - Congrats on the low score. I'm hoping for the same!

Molly50

Aha, I was wondering about Gronk as well. Mariew, great news on the oncotype score.

PontiacPeggy

Gee, I feel so stupid. I didn't realize who Gronk was. And I follow football (granted, it's the Lions).

HUGS!

Gemma12

I should have address the post to her. You know us Pats fans think everyone knows our guys, LOL!

**Edited to say that I went back and edited the post and addressed it to her.

brithael

Been out of touch last two days - chemo kicks my butt on days 4 & 5. Hope tomorrow is better. Best wishes to all of those with good news, and positive thoughts to those of you that are dealing with less than that. Too tired to individually respond unfortunately.

ChiSandy- maybe next year for Restaurant week. My taste buds are erratic now.

HappyHammer

FYI- We have gotten about 2-3 inches of SLEET today..expecting another couple of inches of sleet and snow overnight. Our feathered friends were so happy that I re-filled the feeders this afternoon- just filled them yesterday. Thinking of the rest of you in the path of this huge winter storm! Be careful, stay warm..sending hugs to you ALL!

mustlovepoodles

Congrats, Marie! I think you're on the right track. Time to just get on with it. I'm glad you'll get to skip out on chemo, for sure!

LovesToFly

Great news Marie.

I saw my oncologist today, forgot to ask about oncotype score. Oh well, not a big deal to me, I had a 2.5 mm spot at one lymph node, so chemo was a no-brainer for me anyway. I guess it could help me make future decisions, but it probably wouldn't change my treatment right now.

ChiSandy

Peggy, they're thinking of renaming the Bears-Lions game the Toilet Bowl.

Suzanne, I hear you about chemo doing a number on your tastebuds. At Kellogg, they give out boxes of Lemonheads hard candies in the lobby to counteract the metallic taste. And chewing crystallized or preserved ginger helps with the nausea. (Whole Paycheck has crystallized ginger in bulk).

Mairew, yay on the no-chemo. Even though you're pretty young, OncotypeDX 14 is pretty darn persuasive. I'm hoping that because my friend has just DCIS (we won't know about any IDC lurking until after her surgery, whatever it is), she'll be ER+/HER2- and will be able to skip chemo and go straight to endocrine therapy, despite her tumor(s) being grade 3. The tough part is going to be wrapping her head around a mastectomy, since she's barely an A cup, the area in question is front-and-center, and 3.7cm (nearly three times as big as mine). With my 1.3cm tumor, they had to take about 5cm to ensure clean margins; if the formula is strictly proportional, she is almost certainly facing either a mastectomy or at least lx + a partial reconstruction (if she wants one). The “A" cup letter size is somewhat misleading as it is relative to projection minus underbust circumference, and she's got about 30-40 lbs. on me (at least 3 sweatshirt sizes bigger--can't say “dress sizes" because the only time I've ever seen her wear a dress was the muumuu she wore for her Hawaii-themed wedding 25 yrs. ago); perhaps there'd be enough breast tissue left over to warrant lumpectomy.

More good news about my other friend--the one who at one point wasn't expected to last out the week after being on high-volume O2 and breaking her hip--two weeks ago they kicked her out of hospice; and Monday she starts physical therapy to get her walking again!

Two bits of serendipity today--renewed my driver's license. On a tip from a friend, I went to a smaller DMV (yeah, the Sec'y of State now calls it that) office in a mid-NW side strip mall on Diversey (instead of the big one on the far NW side, where I have to circle endlessly to park in Siberia and wait two hours). Pulled right in, and the clerk waved me over as soon as I walked in the door. Had to take a vision test, which consisted of reading one line of an eye chart and telling the clerk whether the flashing light was coming from my right or left. Then the cashier/photographer did a double-take when he saw my old license: “HOW old are you? You must have had work done!" I told him, “yeah, I had my knees replaced." (Thought better of adding “...and a chunk taken out of my boob"). And the photo, while I could have been smiling a little more, looks better than I do on any given day--and certainly much better than my passport photo, which is an accurate representation of what I look like after standing in the security line for half & hour, spending 8 hrs. in a cramped Economy seat on a crowded 747 eating lousy food and watching terrible movies with a defective headset, and waiting at baggage claim & Customs & Immigration for a couple of hours. (The clerk gave me a heads-up: in 10 years I will have to start taking a BIENNIAL road test--there have been too many incidents of over-75-ers plowing into storefronts & pedestrians of late).

PontiacPeggy

ChiSandy, Sounds like an appropriate name Great on your friend who is now out of hospice. Amazing. Not often you get in and out of the DMV in no time. Lucky you.

HUGS!

HappyHammer

Brit- SO sorry for the SE's of chemo..sending healing mercies your way~glad you came up for air even if for a bit.

HappyHammer

So...anyone have ideas about what might be going on? Have had a very slow day due to weather. However, starting last night, the bad girl has just been sore. Yes, I am still dealing with skin issues from ending rads on Tues. A bit raw, very itchy and irritated, peeling near underarm area and nipple...whole breast is a bit warm. Using a "recipe" from RO of Benedryl cream, triple antibiotic ointment and 'jock itch cream" that they told me to mix up and use after about week 4. All of a sudden the breast and underarm area are all just so sore. When I raise the arm or am just sitting...it is very tight and sore. DO not seem to have swelling and no fever....???

PontiacPeggy

HappyHammer, I didn't have skin issues like you do from rads. Have you been moving your arm (I would think it might be uncomfortable)? It could be that. Lymphedema? The warm breast part makes me wonder if you are starting an infection. I'm sure someone here knows much more than me. Hope you feel better!

HUGS!

ChiSandy

My breast has always been warm on the surgical/irradiated side--but it’s not infected (at least not acc. to the docs, nurses & therapists who’ve looked at it). If you have a seroma, it will feel warmer because of the enhanced circulation. Watch out, though, for increasing redness, especially in streaks--THAT signals infection. Might you have a chemical sensitivity to the ingredients in the jock-itch cream or an allergy to one of the antibiotics in the ointment?

HappyHammer

Thanks, Peggy and Sandy- am wondering about infection...no streaks but, damn, it is increasingly uncomfortable. Could be the creams but have used them for several weeks now? The RO did mention last week that the muscles under the radiated area can sometimes get inflamed. Though uncomfortable..am moving it and so do not think it's due to not moving it...Weather has caused everything to shut down here...an inch of snow creates havoc in the South so a lot of sleet and ice/snow on top, well, damn, it's the Armageddon! (thinking it really could be for my sisters a bit further up from South Carolina, though.) Anyway, I may call the on call RO doc in the morning...ugh!

PontiacPeggy

HH, take an anti-inflammatory. That can't hurt. I would think if you were going to have a reaction to any of the ointments, you'd have had it sooner. I don't do well with aloe. And I couldn't use Tom's of Maine deodorant - that was pretty instantaneous. Just keep very close tabs on what's going on. Calling RO in the morning might bring some comfort if nothing else.

Nothing like having a huge storm mess up everything. My niece is in NC - don't know how it is there tonight.

HUGS!

Molly50

HH, my guess is that it's the rads. Take ibuprofen and see if it eases up. Have you used a cooling towel or wet cool washcloth?

ChiSandy

Well, as of 45 min. ago I am now an Official Old Fart (“Senior Citizen” is just too P.C.). Gonna toast myself a little square of cornbread (it’s sitting in the pan taunting me, cooing “you know you want me”) and top it with a little butter and Tupelo honey. May even open the little bar of torrone I bought in Sicily and slice off a sliver. Had salmon & veggies for dinner, so why not?

Gemma12

Brit - Hope today is a better day!

HappyHammer - I haven't started Rads yes, so I'm not help but I wanted to send feel better vibes your way. ((hugs))

ChiSandy - That's wonderful news about your friend. Kicked out of Hospice, wow! I hope her physical therapy goes well. I found a smaller DMV office in Wheaton. What a time saver! Unfortunately, the last time I needed a DMV was to get a duplicate license, and you have to go to a main branch for that. A bonus whas that they let me keep my pic. It's the only decent license pic I've ever had! Your passport photo description made me laugh. I read on the form that you were not allowed to smile, so I look like a total criminal in mine. Lasty, Happy Birthday!! I hope you have a fabulous day and the coming year is filled with love, happiness and most importantly... good health!

Jclc83

HappyHammer I'm sorry you are so uncomfortable. Feel better soon!

Happy birthday ChiSandy. I'm not an old fart yet but I do know I am too old to shovel snow. Looking forward to spring.

PontiacPeggy

ChiSandy - HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! Being an OOF brings some perks - the best for me has been Medicare. Of course, the opportunity to be less PC without worrying about what any thinks is nice, too. Have a wonderful day celebrating!

JcLc, no kidding. Shoveling snow is for kids. Hope you don't have too much nor ice and keep your power.

HUGS!

brithael

Happy Birthday Sandy - being an old fart is not half bad - I've been one for about a year and a half now, and waking up on the right side of the grass is a definite plus! Plus Medicare has been pretty good to me (that and my supplemental,) in spite of the multi-thousands of dollars spent so far on BC, I have paid only a co-pay on prescriptions that I needed right away, and that was mostly small.

Love the DMV story - imagine my surprise when I got my IL driver's license in 2012 after having a Texas one all my life. I had to take a written test! I didn't study or anything 'cause I had no idea and had not taken a written test since I was 14!. All the gods were with me that day 'cause I passed.

So far, this morning has been much better than the last two. If I can get through low blood count week (next week) without fever, I'm 50% over this chemo crap!

PontiacPeggy

Brithael, I can't recall the last time I took a written test either. I think I checked out the helpful booklet used to prepare for it and found that what I learned when I was 14 in the 1950s hasn't survived the passage of time. And like you, combined with my fantastic Medigap plan, I also have only paid my prescription co-pay during this journey. DH had a "widow-maker" heart attack 10 days after going on Medicare. We didn't pay a penny. It doesn't bear thinking about how awful it would have been had it happened the month before.

HUGS!

Gemma12

Brithael - I was also surprised when I moved to IL and found out there was a written test. My Dh felt superior to me as he only had one incorrect answer and I had 2. We both passed, though.. phew!

Fever-free vibes coming your way. Hoping you sail over the 1/2 way point hurdle!

Amy

MJS1266

With no swelling and no fever, sounds like challenging but normal SE's from Rads. Have you tried alternating with a moisturizer like calendula or Aloe. Hope you feel better.

Molly50

Happy birthday ChiSandy!!

LovesToFly

I guess I'm done rocking a buzz cut! should I shave it or will it just fall out soon.

Gemma12

I don't know, Jill. If you are ready to buzz then go for it, but I think with a little gel you could spike it and it would look wicked cute! 🤗