Starting Chemo March 2015

Jackbirdie

Denmark! Wow! Can you check in with pics from an Internet cafe?

SO GLAD you are getting to do this!

Marksgirl

NinjaMary, my MDs are in the same camp - no scans, no PET (even with diagnosis).   I have a new pain in my armpit and I was instructed to take anti-inflammatories and call again next week if it persists as I probably pulled something.   I have never pulled anything in my armpit before and I had to bite my tongue to not comment on the extraordinary ability of the MD to palpate and know that it is not a lymph node.    So may be my sentinal node surgery scar tissue extends further then I thought and it is sore (since my Feb surgery).   I have been exercising and using full range arm exercises.  I guess if it is a node bothering me, it will not go away and I can get a scan at some point.     A scan to know nothing is active would be a wonderful thing.   Does LE make your armpit ache?   Just when you think it is all over!     Sigh.

molly1976

Marksgirl, my armpit still aches sometimes and we had our lumpectomies on the same day! My MO told me to only worry about pains if they're consistent and get worse. "If it comes and goes, it's not cancer." I have repeated that to myself a hundred times when I start to freak out about my leg randomly hurting or similar.

Katy, I will for sure take a million pictures! I'll make blog posts about the trip when I get home and share on facebook.

neverthought

Hi Ninja, sorry to throw numbers around. Triple negatives are not all alike. Best to check with a medical oncologist you have confidence in for recurrence/effectiveness numbers. I estimated the best I could based on the various calculators but I had 3 different things going on in same breast, so who knows? I try not to worry about it too much as I did what I did and too late to change it now.

Kind of amused by my hair progress from squirrel to guinea pig to brillo pad.

Trvler

Just stopping in to say hi and my surgery went very well. I had to back into the OR for a second surgery yesterday morning because one of my flaps was bleeding and he wanted to clean it up. So far my pain is pretty minimal. I am majorly constipated but I have been there before so I can live with that.

BS says he took out 2 nodes and both were negative but we won't know for sure until after the path comes back.

I tried to read through everything. I am still in a bit of a anesthesia/norco fog here.

Any updates, Eileen?

Leigh: I hope you made it to #12!! I had to check into today to congratulate you.

Katy, you just always touch me with your kindness and how you know just the right thing to say. It's your gift.

Jackbirdie

Allison- So happy you checked in! Glad your surgery went well and the pain isn't too bad. And the path sounds promising too! Keeping my fingers crossed and the mojo flowing...

KBeee

Allison, so glad all went well. I hope you remain comfortable

Marksgirl

Thank you Molly!    I love and will cling to your statement!   ("My MO told me to only worry about pains if they're consistent and get worse. "If it comes and goes, it's not cancer." )   I should put that as my screensaver!!   We are lumpy buddies.    Wow!   You were in surgery one week after diagnosis.   That's great.   I found that waiting time the absolute worst.  

 If it comes and goes, it's not cancer.  If it comes and goes, it's not cancer.   If it comes and goes, its not cancer.   

 

Thanks again!    

pboi

Allison...so happy to hear you are doing well. Thinking of you and hoping that you have an uneventful recovery.

PB

michele1028

thank you for the advice.I appreciate it. Good luck to you

BBwithBC45

Molly, thank you for sharing the "if it comes and goes, it's not cancer." I'll have to keep reminding it to myself.

Allison, I'm glad you're doing well.

Leigh, congrats on the final chemo.

Katy, I loved the photo of you and Jack from yesterday.

Neverthought, I don't take antidepressants either. My PCP was offering them to me, but I didn't want to take more meds than I absolutely have to and I don't think I'm THAT depressed. I feel like I can handle it on my own at this point

ksusan

Everyone should be aware that Tamoxifen interacts with some (not all) anti-depressants. This includes St. John's Wort.

shaz101

I know I'm a bit fragile at the moment but... A work colleague has just left and she said a boss had said to her, "I would have thought sharon would have been back to work a while ago!" Am I wrong to be annoyed by that comment? Has he had 2 surgeries, chemo and radiation? Seriously, im really stressed about this, do they all have this view? Do they think I've been holidaying all this time! I'm already anxious about going back, now I'm really feeling apprehensive, angry and sad.

IndyGal35

Sharon, I'm fragile, and I'd probably feel hurt and angry too. Maybe your co-worker didn't say it with the proper inflection and what Bossman was trying to say was, "I was hoping Sharon would be feeling good enough to be back by now." Take heart. An 8-hour day for others feels like a 20-hour day for us.

Take our word for it, FELLOW BOSSMEN OF THE WORLD!!! There's a ton of other stuff we'd rather be doing with our time, money, and vacation hours!

Leighrh

I'm Done. I'm done I'm DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today is my steroid high day so I feel pretty great! I am also going to take a steroid today and half's tomorrow and Sun.... to try to clear up this lovely Taxol rash I have developed on my hands and legs

I do not go back to the doc until Sept 25th and that feels soooooo good! after that I will start Rads but I just don't have many fears about that! MO said he would do a tumor marker test on the 25th.... that makes me a little nervous but I am not thinking about it! Now I just need HAIR!!!! and all will be good!

Allison, I am sooooo glad you are doing well. I will message you about coming Sat if I am feeling good!

Jackbirdie

Sharon- that was an unbelievably hurtful comment. The last thing you need and I know you weren't even ready now to go back. I like Indy's take on it though. You didn't hear how it was said, the inflection, and you can't control it anyway. So ditto. Take heart, and a deep breath. We already know nobody gets it. You will do great when you do go back. It's hard if you share what you've been through because people may think you are sick and weak and can't cut it. If you do share, they may also realize you are fragile.

Either way, you hold your head UP. HUGS.

K

ninjamary

Allison - glad you are feeling good!

Leigh - Yea!!

Carrie37

Glad you are able to check-in Allison! I hope your recovery is swift and easy!

Sharon, not only is that a jerky thing to say but I'm not sure why your colleague would repeat it to you. I think Indy is right though, you could have missed the tone of the conversation. It's so easy for people to say things when they have never been through this. When I went to Herceptin yesterday both my nurse and MO commented on how I looked tired. Ya, think?!?! Maybe because I just had surgery and am on narcotic pain meds?? And the PS telling me that this pain is "normal." Really buddy, when did you have a MX

eheinrich

So glad you are doing well Allison.

wpmoon

YAY, Leigh!

shaz101

Lee, thank you so much! That has helped me to look at it differently. It's amazing how we can take things anyway we want. Because I'm feeling uneasy about returning to work I have taken that comment as a negative. It is my choice how I take it. And I choose your way. 😊 I can give other people more positive ways to look at things but obviously I don't take my own advice.

Gotta go Katy has just called 😀

shaz101

leigh, im so happy for you. Another thing ticked off of the list!

Eileen, how are you today? Sending you hugs X

Thanks Carrie, im not sure why she said it either. But I'm not going to let it take up anymore of my time.

Katy, I loved our chat, thankyou xxx as always you help me so much and I value our friendship.

Trvler

I am sorry, Sharon. That would bug me but you have to do it on your own time. It sucks that people can't be more compassionate.

Leigh: Yeah on being done!!! I am not sure if I am checking out today or what. They said I could stay another night yesterday because of that second surgery and I did because I can't imagine handling all this drain crap and showering already. DH is helping with drains and my sister is helping with showers and I beyond hate it.

But at least I am not constipated anymore.

IndyGal35

Allison, those drains ARE awful, but you have the extra challenge of dealing with them after DIEPs. Make them keep you as long as you need to stay! Hope you're pain is well managed, and I'm glad that the pipes are working. I think it's funny that we actually congratulate each other on here for resuming normal bowel function. Gentle hugs.

Jackbirdie

Allison- so glad to see you! Also very glad to hear the pipes are working, haha! Indy is so right. What kind of ridiculous crazy bc world are we now living in when moving bowels are cause for 🎉🎉🎉. Hope the drains come out soon, and you are managing with a very helpful hubs in the meantime. So glad to hear that also!

Keeping your mojo drip going for now...

Hugs, gently though.

Katy

eheinrich

So it's definitely a reaction to whatever the adm was preserved in. My system should break it down. One day on steroids and I feel soooooooo much better. Most of the redness is gone. I can move my arm. Still have the drain on that side but I'm pretty sure it's coming out in a day or so.

Thanks for all your positive energy & support.

Hugs to you Allison

Jackbirdie

E- so glad to hear this news! Hope you have a much more pleasant few days in front of you.

Carrie37

Glad you are feeling better Eileen!

shaz101

Allison, so happy to hear from you. I agree stay there as long as you can. Gentle hugs to you.

Eileen I'm glad they think they know the cause of it. I hope your body sorts it out very soon and I'm glad the drugs are helping.

It's pouring with rain here. It's the start of spring I can feel the change in the air, but it's still bloody cold!

Jackbirdie

Checking in with my work product today. Finished the top except the border. Did a little gardening this morning. All in all a nice day.