Starting Chemo March 2015

Jackbirdie

http://www.boredpanda.com/empathy-cards-cancer-postcards-serious-illness-emily-mcdowell/

Jackbirdie

sorry Diane- that wasn't the exact link.

This morning Amy (so-she-did) posted an article about this woman doing much needed cancer empathy cards to combat the rampant stupidness.

Here is the original article. I'm not sure it will be hot,miso you may have to cut and paste. It's worth reading.

http://www.boredpanda.com/empathy-cards-cancer-postcards-serious-illness-emily-mcdowell/

shaz101

Oh Katy, you must have been so scared loosing jack. I hope it scared him enough not to do it again.

I get to joint pain too, joined with the migraines which makes it harder to deal with because I can't sleep through it as my joints need to be moved regularly.

Eileen I also have cording and some swelling. I'm ignoring it for now. But I was going to see a pt but a migraine got in the way and I can celled it.

Big hugs to you all.

BBwithBC45

Arlene,

I was happy with the healing time, but I don't have much for results just yet. Right now I have a partially inflated TE for which I need a revision surgery, because it is sitting too high. For some reason it moved up instead of dropping, I don't know the details, I can't seem to be able to retain the explanations I got - I'll blame it on my chemo fog. I have to wait till the end of chemo before I can have that revision surgery and then we'll resume the fills. Right now I am asymmetrical and in some discomfort.

Sometime in the fall I will have the exchange surgery, hopefully.

The other side, the reduced and lifted one looks nice, perky.

Sorry I don't have more helpful info yet.

greenae

Thank you BB!

I am so torn with this decision. I guess I need to see pics of 1 implant and 1 reduced/lifted together. I am on the hunt. My TE is very high, as well, it's above my rescued nipple, and a bunch of skin kinda tacked up under the nipple. ....and now the TE seems headed towards my armpit---yikes. I am DDDD on the right and C-ish with the TE...and about 6 inches higher on the left. Lotsa scarf wearing these days...lol. I think my PS will do the lift and implant or DIEP at the same time in July.

perky sounds great!

arlene

shaz101

katy what an amazing job you've done of your garden. Wow, I love gardens - unfortunately I dont do much. But I have just had my porch concrete ripped up and paved. The concrete had sunken and the last owner just tipped more concrete on top. It was a mess. I'll post some pics shortly.

Italychick

Ok round 4 done and home. Hope I hang together this time.

Jackbirdie

Wow Sharon !!! That was a big job! And the new pavers look lovely. I wish I was sitting there with you and a little "crock"tail admiring the terra firma. And the animals. And enjoying your company. Watching the sun set, looks really really nice.

Theresa- congrats on making it through another. Thanks for letting us know you are home and safe. I expect to be hearing about 25 miles or so in the next day or two

Italychick

Lol I hope. May try to ride Friday. I usually give myself a rest the day after chemo, other than a few dog walks. But I'm feeling tired right now, hope I perk up!

slothabouttown

Today was my last infusion. "All done chemo!" My little sloth friend was a gift during my surgery and he's been a big hit with the chemo nurses. Celebration lunch included massive carb loading at my favorite Italian eatery and a trip to the garden center next door where I picked up A HUMMINGBIRD FEEDER! Probably around the exact time you all were discussing hummingbirds in this forum. Uncanny. Now it's on to a few weeks of SEs then time to start rads. Hope I'm still welcome here to help see everyone through to their last spa visit.

Sharon, really glad to hear from you, thanks for checking in and best wishes for easy treatment.

For those of you planning to try melatonin, I have read that timing your dose with your bed time can be pretty important. You might read up on that, I don't remember the ideal timing but when I take it I hop right in bed and I'm usually out in under half an hour. I think the key is that we need to be ready to sleep when it kicks in, if you're still up and active it's more prone to "pass."

I've still got a steroid buzz on so I think ill go set up that new feeder and hope I get some visitors soon!

Angiel

Thank you wonderful ladies who responded about the melatonin. I was confused and thought it was melanin also, so I appreciate the clarification.

That darn Jack, Katy! I would have been a crying mess over losing him too. He sure is a cutie, though and looked totally pooped out in your yard. Good luck in the chair tomorrow!

Here's wishing all of you a peaceful night filled with deep sleep!

IndyGal35

Those cards are awesome! They need to make more!

Sharon, I'm very relieved and glad to see your name back on the board! So hoping you get the relief you need and that it lasts this time.

Praying for minimal SE for all of you sitting in the chair. I see the PS tomorrow morning. I'm really hoping for clarity and that I can be at peace with my decision when I leave.

Hummingbirds are a really symbolic creature for me. I even thought of getting one tatted on my scars if I forego reconstruction. I'd love to see pics if any of you can capture them stopping by for a morning snack!

Angiel

Congratulations slothabouttown! You did it! Cheers to you!!

Italychick

hopefully a positive sign, I have the post chemo breast tingling going on again. Kill those cancer cells!

greenae

Congratulations, Sloth!!! Way to Kill Cancer!

And you, too, Theresa! I will ride my stationary in your honor tonite! Rest up. This freakin decadron has me FULL of energy.

Katy...how crazy do our dogs make us when they take off! Don't they know how good they have it with us? I am so glad you found him!

arlene...halfway thru TC...ooorah!

Jackbirdie

Sloth- How did I miss this? CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

That is wonderful news. And your adorable little mascot and adorable you will always be welcome here. I envision communicating here for years to come. Friendships like these don't come easily, and I won't let go easy either.

So excited about your hummingbird feeder! I use 2 cups water to 1/2 cup sugar and barely boil. Just get the sugar in the game, suspended, and cool it down before putting in the feeder. No food coloring. They will find it without, and who know what THAT does to those little guys.

I have always loved them. But during surgery recovery one little guy came every day to visit. Morning, noon, and late afternoon. It was the promise of seeing him or her that got me out of bed during those hellish weeks and months. To commemorate his guardian angelship during some of the very darkest days of my life, I found this tiny little charm. It's strange that the charm doesn't remind me of bad times.

It reminds me that friendship, support, and entertainment can come from the most unexpected places.

Jackbirdie

Arlene- 🎉🎉🎉 to you too for halfway through! Celebrate these milestones!

I don't have a stationary bike so I'm going to eat some lasagne and garlic bread in your's, Theresa's and Sloth's honor tonight. And anyone else I overlooked due to chemo brain and almost losing Jack which did just make me lose it. Completely

Italychick

Mmmm, garlic bread and lasagne, so yummy!

SueH58

Well shoot, SpecialK. I thought they were one and the same. At any rate, the melatonin works great for sleep.

OK, Katy, I found these on my iPhone so they're not in great detail, but fun anyway. Trust me, their long tongues reach down to the bottom of a 4" test tube.

This is the largest hummingbird in Costa Rica. Proportionately, it's huge!

My hubby with his feeder, with 4 H-birds feeding.

rleepac

Seriously...all this talk about food! Nothing sounds good to me and I'm living on protein shakes because nothing sounds or tastes good.

My weight is down to 101. Hopefully I don't get a lecture from the MO tomorrow. I'm not trying to lose weight - I'm just not hungry

DH says he could teach an anatomy class using my bony body.

Bekah

Jackbirdie

Bekah- so sorry nothing tastes good! At least you're getting the protein shakes down. I am really hoping next week is better.

Sue those pics are amazing! I especially liked the one of your husband. Four altogether, but the two little ones looking at each other.....awwwww...and the size of the one in your pic! The size of a medium parrot looks like.

Sue- that has to be one of your happy places...

Marksgirl

Terrymarie - I am having a terrible time swallowing also - very sore throat.   I think combination of reflux and attack on mucous membranes.     I have no voice at all, had to give up talking.    Funny thing though, I can power through and eat!   I was starting to think noone else had this side effect.    Wish I had some advice on fixing it!    I found I loved sugar free cough drops but then saw they had a full days Vit C in each one.   I hope 6 is your last one!  

SueH58

It was the best vacation I ever had, and I've been on some pretty cool trips, i.e. sailing through the Caribbean, and hiking through the Galapagos. It does put me in a happy place, which is why I am trying to encourage them here in my yard.

Thanks for your interest Katy, and I hope it brightened your day. I will plan on adding a hummingbird to the traveling bracelet in your honor. Thank you for the privilege.

Sue

so-she-did

A huge congrats to you, Sloth! Awesome! 🎓🎓 I feel like we should cue up the orchestra to play a little Pomp and Circumstance. Please stay on with us. I'll be following in your footsteps with my last chemo on the 19th so you'll have to fill me in on the rads.

Arlene - hooray for halfway!

Went in to work for the first time since losing my hair. They were having a teacher appreciation luncheon after school and I was so nervous walking in there! I changed outfits several times before I went but then finally realized that it wasn't going to make much difference in the bald and 10 lbs heavier department.Glad I went, though, since it was so good to see everyone. Now I have that behind me so it'll be easier going in next time.

Italychick

Marksgirl, Biotene makes a spray which works pretty good because you can spray it down in your throat. Also, maybe try gargling with salt water and baking soda? About a quarter teaspoon of each in a glass of lukewarm water? I hate the way the Biotene tastes, but it really does help my throat. And the advantage of the spray is I can carry it in my purse and spray whenever all day long.

Bekah, sorry about your appetite. Nothing tempts you? When you run through all your favorite foods, nothing says mm, that sounds good? One thing that I have been craving is plain buttered noodles with a little bit of Parmesan cheese, which I haven't touched for four years, but have been eating once a week during chemo. Sigh, no wonder I'm up five pounds.

Sloth, woohoo! So awesome, and very happy for you!

Katy, one time my husband was out walking our Jack, and a big dog chased him and he ran. So my husband is running around the neighborhood completely freaked out looking for him. Finally he figures out Jack is sitting in our front porch with his head cocked to the side looking puzzled about why his papa is running around like a lunatic. Lmfao for days over that story, still do

eheinrich

Jack is a very naughty boy! My pup used to run away on occasion. She found ways out of the property that we couldn't find. Folks around the blocked called once. They had Penny, put her in their yard while they finished dinner. When we got there & they went to retrieve her they found she had been swimming in their pool. So rude! Interrupting dinner & swimming without an invite! She eventually realized she had it good at home & stopped her messing about.

Diane I was at my GP today about my eyes. Very teary but also I have this thing that looks like I should be able to scoop it out of my eyelid (too graphic?) but it's actually part of my eye. I have inflammation between the layers of membrane surrounding my eye. Probably caused by dry eyes. I have drops. Of course I was convinced I have eye cancer.....

SC_Coqui

I start on my weekly infusions today. I still don't know whether I'm getting Herceptin or not. I'll know when I get there which is kind of off-putting not knowing what to expect.

I also need to catch up on work that I slacked off on yetserday AND get my house ready for my in-laws coming over this weekend. Sometimes I wish I can click my heels (like Dorothy) and it will be this time next year. I know we shouldn't wish our time away, but I think with our situations it's acceptable.

rleepac

Teresa - sometimes I'll get a craving for something but since my taste buds are shot, I get 2 bites and push it away because it all tastes like cardboard. If I really load up on salt, I can 'enjoy' certain foods but since I have high blood pressure, extra salt is not a good idea. I don't think it's a problem yet...just annoying. If I drop below 100 pounds I'll address it a little more aggressively.

Bekah

Trvler

Sloth: Congratulations! You did it!

A bird is building a nest in my crabapple bush so now I am worried my cardinal friend won't come by every day to see me any more. I told my daughter that and said I kind of feel like that daily visit was a sign. And she said…'that you will get better from cancer'? I was so amazed she picked that up. (This is my 11 year old).

Jackbirdie

Allison- your daughter is very special. Very sensitive. And I agree with her.

And he may still come. Cardinals aren't the shyest of birds. Wish you could take a snap through the window.

Woke up at 4 like a house afire. Ahhhh dexamethasone....

Went outside in the dark to get my hummingbird feeder down and give it a good clean. Made some new juice and put it back up.

Yesterday I bought a <$3 basin that goes under a pot to see if my active birdies will deign to take a bath. Before I spend over $100 on one I can mount from the top of the fence. They don't seem to make clay or ceramic ones any more so I bought the hideous plastic one. I have a pile of locally quarried rock from when I was (cheaply) trying to do the garden beds. I put a pile of rocks, flattest ones I could find, some with concave areas, and filled it with about 1 1/2 inches water. Balanced it on top of my fence posts. Since it is broad and shallow and the rocks are heavy, I think it will stay put.One bird already perched on it but didn't bathe. But a good sign!

Getting ready for the spa. Not exactly dread I'm feeling. Maybe foreboding. Last one, the 3rd, hit me much harder. So I'm preparing with more care this time.