Starting chemo August 2014

CassieCat

Aw, kellogg, so sorry to hear about the swelling.

I made my appointments yesterday for my mammogram and annual exam in August. August is when I was diagnosed, so I'm coming up on all of those first anniversaries.

eileenpg

Happy 4th everyone!!!!

ladyb1234

Happy 4th all hope you are enjoying.

Catie57

Hello to Everyone! Got away with friends for long wknd. My DH and I both biked, walked on beach and around community. Laid out on the beach and ate good meals. Saw some great fireworks also. Boy did we need that! Lol hope everyone is doing good. I have my usual aches and pains, but otherwise hanging in there.

Cathie

Bippy625

hi my babahs!

Off to san fran tomorrow!

Last minute preps and naps. How much has changed in a year.....soon is my Canciversary.

Meh, we are off to do tours, eats and drankies. Cannot wait for dim sum in Chitown! You all will be subjected to my photos soon enough. I cannot keep off google maps and street views. How fun.

Xxxxoooo.

StrongEnough13

Ok, I chickened out again... rescheduled my colonoscopy for Aug 28 (it was supposed to be this Friday). Blamed it on my hubby not getting the day off to drive me. We really can't afford another day off for him this month after 4 days off for the ID road trip anyway. So we went to get eye exams yesterday & picked out new glasses, courtesy of our HSA account. Probably should be paying BC bills with that, but we both need new glasses & thought that would be fun, but now hubby might have glaucoma. He goes for a follow up w/ a specialist in 2 weeks. Can't win for losin'.

Kellogg2006

Bippy have fun! Can't wait to see photos.

Strongenough- Sorry to hear about hubby and glaucoma. Sometimes things are just never easy. Do what works for you regarding the colonoscopy!

So I am stopping the exemestane for 2-4 weeks to see if that makes my swelling and pain better. I sent a long email to my MO's office an his NP called me. I told her I was trying to hold out until my appointment at the end of August but I couldn't take it anymore. I feel like I am 80, my ankles/feet hurt so bad when I stand up and my arm is killing me. If they go away while I am off the meds then we will come up with a new plan. Ugh. I hate this I just want to feel "normal". Whatever that is and move on. I really want to start running but I can barely walk and my ankles feel like they will give out so that's a no go for now.

So we are taking a 7 he road trip to upstate NY this weekend to visit some of my family. 7 hours in a car with an almost three year old! What was I thinking when I thought this would be a good idea?

ladyb1234

I have been on and off the boards for the past few weeks. Lingering SEs from radiation and Tamoxifen and Lymphedema were hitting me pretty hard. Trying to get a head of the game and trying to not let my mind go to dark places kept me pretty busy. I am on the tail end of the current set of Tamoxifen SEs so hope to get a breather for a very looong time. I also had my yearly Breast follow-up went well, none eventful. Not sure why that wasn't scheduled at the same time as the mammogram since they talk mostly about the mammogram and also about the incision and how the breast is settling after radiation. The PA's remark, Boy you were burnt pretty badly -- I wanted to say no kidding.

Bippy, you are in the SF area! I live across the Bay, so if you and Gatomal plan to get together let me know and I will see if I can get over there. Would love to meet the both of you in person if the timing works out. If not, enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!!

Kellogg, I second that on just feeling normal again. These last few weeks have been a serious rollercoaster ride for me and not a fun one. Hope your swelling and pain subsides.

Cassie, how is DD doing? Hopefully still having a great time.

Catie, how are the wedding plans going?

My youngest, left for college last week. She put college on hold and stayed here with me during my treatments. She has moved all the way across the country to Florida --- I am so sad. But want her to move on and follow her dreams! But it is still hard.

Hugs as Always,

-Angie

CassieCat

I've been on and off the boards too. I still check in here, of course.

Angie, that was pretty awesome of your daughter to stay with you. I'm sorry she's so far away for school now. I understand that feeling. I hope she has a terrific freshman year! I'm sorry to hear of your SE struggles.

Kellogg, good luck with the road trip! Hopefully it will be smooth sailing. I'm sorry to hear how bad the SEs have been for you, too.

StrongEnough, such a bummer about your DH and glaucoma. I hope he doesn't have it. I don't blame you for postponing the colonoscopy, but do go in for it sooner than later if you're due.

Bippy and Gatomal, have a great visit!!! I hope we can see pictures. I'm jealous!

Catie, your long weekend sounds wonderful. I'm glad to hear you had a good one!

Eileen, JustAmy, Jean, DaisyQ, windgirl, and all our other friends - I hope you're doing OK and that the days are getting better.

I'm feeling OK myself. The SEs from Tamoxifen aren't any worse, so hopefully that means that internally things are good too. I worry about uterine cancer now and other uterine issues, having had a history of fibroids (and I have them now). The whole radiated MX area is still sore and a little stiff. I try to stretch. Healing is a long process. I'm walking three days a week with a friend who also needs to get out and exercise, so we push each other. It's good. I started fostering a days-old kitten two nights ago, so that's keeping me occupied. She's adorable. Tiny little thing. DD is doing great. She's about halfway through her program now. She's working hard and tired, but she's also having fun. She's made friends and has already mentioned feeling sad that she wont' see them again most likely after the five weeks are over.

eileenpg

Hello everyone. Today is my prep day fro my colonoscopy and endoscopy. UGH!!!! Some one gave me a verbal offer for my house. So, I am waiting for the contract. I have been super busy cleaning out closets and junk that I have accumulated for over 33 years. I swear this is harder than chemo.

Angie= Where will your daughter be in Florida?

Hope everyone is doing well. I am not on any meds for a follow up. So, I have no residual side effects. Good luck to all!!!

Catie57

Sounds like everyone is learning to deal with their new normal.

Ellenpg - good luck w ur scopes. Better to get them done and over with.

LadyB - wishing you good days ahead and happy thoughts. It's been a tough year. So glad ur daughter was able to be with u thru treatments.

Cassiecat - I've been walking more often also. Starting to have more energy each day. Love that ur caring for a kitten. I'm an animal lover.

Told by my surgeon to schedule a mamo for just the right Breast. No SE so far with new Femara drug. DH pushing me to exercise more. Truth be told, I feel better when I do. Still stiff and achy in mornings, but hey, thats my new norm. Could be because I'm getting older too. Lol

Thinking about you ladies often. Wishing you all a good weekend and a fabulous year ahead

Bippy625

ello ladies,

All is well and freakin AWESOME here in San Fran. Havin java with Gatomal tomorrow! Angie, you are so invited, but I think we are doin it early, like 8 am. PM us and we can exchange numbers!

DH is a gem, all the gals at the Perjeta conference loved him. And now I have more NEW friends! I guess you could say it was a focus group. Genentech puts on an incredible program. I learned so much, shared my story, and am astonished at my luck.

Enough about me though. Eileen, good luck and let us know how you are! Katie, Cassie, and everyone else I'm thinking of you always and hoping we can meet some day too.

Bippy625

us

JeniferE

Bippy, enjoy our Bay Area! Cloudy, rainy, unusual for July, although SF can be chilly and foggy all the time. Share what you have learned when you get a chance, too. I'm on holiday in Napa nearby

ladyb1234

Jenifer, I forgot you were in the area too. We have to plan on meeting up on day!

Bippy and Gatomal, sent number in PM. I have to work tomorrow so 8:00am won't work but maybe we can talk via phone. Have a wonderful time!

CassieCat

Woo hoo, love seeing those photos! Have a great time today - wish I wasn't quite so far south. I'm going in for Herceptin #15 today. Not quite as fun, lol. And bippy, you've got a good head of hair going! Looks great. Mine refuses to lie flat on top. But at least it's hair.

Catie, keep up with the exercise. It really is good for us.

Eileen, hope the exam went well and that everything comes back clear. Good luck with the home sale!

Bippy625

hi Angie!! i will call you later today. Gatomal and the Bipster missed you at breakfast! Hope you are better today. Are you at work all day?

Eileen, eat something good after your rotorooter. Thinkin of you!

Here is the dynamic duo this morning, well, the triple threat if we count Oliver, Gatomal's bulldoggie! We laughed and cried and wished you were all here with us. Quad if you count Mr. bipster! What a wonderful day.

Gatomal

fantastic morning! So happy to meet you and your man. A real treat! Hope you had a great day

eileenpg

OH I love the pictures!!!! I wished I could have been there You guys are gorgeous!!!!

Ok. I have internal hemorrhoids. YEAH ME!!!! No colon cancer. Chemo gave me the BIG C. Which has never quite resolved itself. So, like I always say. Chemo the gift that keeps on giving.

Hope everyone is doing great.

CassieCat

Eileen, great news! Relatively speaking, of course...

eileenpg

FYI= The dog and Mr Bippy are fantastic!!!

Gatomal

hi Eileenpg...yay no more ca. Phew. Miralax every day? Does that help? Miss you!

windgirl

Bippy and Gatomal - you both look great! It must be amazing to meet in person after almost a year. And Gatomal, wow, the cold caps sure worked great your hair is still long and thick!

Eileen, great news, while I didn't doubt you would have good news, I can see how scarey it can be. Isn't it amazing that we've gotten to a level of cancer maturity where hemorrhoids are a blessing ) yay for hemorrhoids haha

CassieCat

Can I ask how you all are feeling if you had surgery and radiation? I feel like the whole area is getting more sensitive and more painful, and rationally I think it's because the nerves are regrowing/regenerating or whatever it is that they do. How are you ladies doing? Is anyone else still sore? I'm 6 months out from surgery and 3 months out from radiation. Between that and my platelets dropping, my mind is starting to wander to uncomfortable places.

NorthernCanuck

Well, I'm not sure whether I should join or not. I go to see the oncologist on August 4th. My surgeon said I will get chemo for sure because of the tumour size but it is the oncologists decision. However, the nurse for the new admission clinic on the 4th said that any treatment will probably start within a week or two after that appointment. So I PROBABLY belong here but not 100% positive yet.

Thanks Clare! I'm 59 and I was here for the first time when I was 57 (for ADH, not yet cancer ... my left breast. This time it's IDC in my right breast). So, it's nice to think of a worry free time.

So, do I add myself to the list when I get a date from the Dr? Or is somebody maintaining that?

windgirl

hi Cassie

I'm still sore, it has gotten better a bit or I got used to it I am not sure but I am quickly reminded of it when I turn to that side in bed. My PT says I have to keep massaging it, 5 min a day with enough pressure, but it's boring and I don't do it. She massaged the area under the scar a few times which felt hard and it's better now, she says if I did it daily it would disappear in no time, the scar tissue needs breaking up. So maybe give that a try, I always feel better afterwards.

I had my 16th herceptin today, onc said it could be my last one or I could have one more and we decided to do one more. He was hesitant to take the port out afterwards, which was a shock to me, when I asked him why I would wait he asked if it hurt me, I said no, he then asked if I wanted it out, I replied with a firm yes and he said fine and laughed and said I figured there is no negotiating there. So in about 4 weeks (week after my last herceptin) it's coming out. I figured if I have a recurrence the port will be least of my worries and I don't want to spend the next "risky" year living with it. Still I would have felt better if he had not hesitated. In our previous meeting he had said the port would come out after the last one so I am not sure what changed in his mind

windgirl

oh and I still have a "tan" where they did the radiation, the super dark skin came off very quickly, within weeks of ending radiation, but the remaining tan has lingered. I try to keep it out of the sun but I wonder when this will pass too.

Bippy625

Hi Cassie,

Yup, last rad was 2/24 and still sore, still darker in the rad area. Feels tougher than other skin, though I drown it in sesame oil, coconut oil and etc. My LE therapist got me back to normal, with a simple resistance band and 2 tiny exercises. what a difference. it is tight, but getting much better and nothing like right after rads.

OMG, Eileen! Thank jeebus for hemorrhoids. you go girl! I am so happy for you. did you say you sold Baltimore yet?

Angie I am sorry I did not call. Got a tad of traveler's trots and not feeling stellar. We did so much that I was exhausted and had to crash last day there. I would have loved to have met you too. Meeting Gatomal was awesome. All the gals at the conference, I felt like I knew them already. Great information and experience. It still feels like a dream!

Anyhoo, since you are my friends, here is a cc of my blog post about friends:

Friends are precious to an introvert. It's not easy for me to let people in and I have always held back from emotional attachments. Maybe it was the mother abandoning thing, or something else genetic. I like solitude and peace, am comfortable in my own company and (used to) be able to live a rich dream life in my head. As a teenager I will escape into radio for years on end, developing a vast and useless encyclopedic knowledge of obscure 80's bands, songs, and lyric sheets.

Now though....it's different for me.

I realize my time here is finite and a gift. It is obvious to me immediately after my diagnosis that my friends are amazing, kind, lovely women. They save me time and time again, together, individually, early in the morning, late at night, crying with me in person and on the phone, listening to my deepest fears and horrors and not trying to fix anything. See that's the key - they know they cannot do anything other than be there for me. And most times, it's more than enough to get me through the night, the day, the minute. How did I, a child of poor West Virginia Hillbillies and German pig farmers, get so lucky?

So, this post is for my girls. Kim L., Cheri, Robin, Anni, Lauren, Theresa, Haley, Jean, Elaine, Lori, Cassie, Jacqueline, Angie, Eileen, Denise, Gwen, Kim W., Rebecca, Kim H., all my BC support group. I love you guys and you make me want to be a better friend.

JeniferE

Cassie, I am feeling more soreness in my breast area too. There is hard scar tissue where my surgeon replaced the cancerous tissue with my spare fat. Breast area is sore near where the lymph nodes were removed too. I have had difficulty with my left arm and shoulder, limited range of motion and pain that has gradually increased. Will see a highly recommended PT in early August as the pain and motion issues will effect my work when I return to teaching in August. It hurts when I write on the board...that is not fun!

Question about port removal, AKA "deportation." Are you all having it done in office with anesthetic or going to hospital for heavier anesthesia? Still have a couple more Herceptin infusions before I can schedule deporting. Just wondering ehat you all are planning to do.

Thanks, Jeni

CassieCat

I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one! Thank you for sharing. I had a bit of a cry tonight as I admittd out loud to DH how scared I am of my mammogram next month.