Starting Chemo March 2015

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  • Jackbirdie
    Jackbirdie Member Posts: 4,693
    edited February 2016

    Allison. Yes. Thanks. I appreciate that you get it.

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  • Trvler
    Trvler Member Posts: 3,159
    edited February 2016

    Another great article from that site. http://www.fredhutch.org/en/news/center-news/2013/10/what-not-to-say-to-a-cancer-patient.html

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  • Jackbirdie
    Jackbirdie Member Posts: 4,693
    edited February 2016

    Anybody want to walk in the garden with me?

    Listen to the marvelous birds

    Maybe spring will return some joy to me.

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  • eheinrich
    eheinrich Member Posts: 792
    edited February 2016

    For the lake I'm thinking maybe the first weekend in June. I know that my class ends June 1st, but I don't know when my responsibilities end. I'll know more soon. Or the second weekend is fine as well. Also remember that anyone can stay longer at the lake or come home to LA with me. My house is small but big enough to fit some sisters.

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  • ksusan
    ksusan Member Posts: 4,505
    edited February 2016

    Thank you, Katy. I was happy to see some cherry trees breaking bud on campus today. Spring always lightens my spirits. I was happy to drive up Highway 99 and have it be light enough in late afternoon for me to identify many kestrels on the power lines (and two juvenile bald eagles eyeing the sheep).

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  • Italychick
    Italychick Member Posts: 2,343
    edited February 2016

    Allison, I have been confronted with every single thing mentioned in that article. Most of them by my friend of 9 years who is still a friend, but definitely not at the top of the pile anymore.

    Just did a beach walk, it is crazy warm here, feels like summer!

    Eileen, I'm in whenever the date is picked. I go to the mountainssummer hiking all the time and love it!

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  • SueH58
    SueH58 Member Posts: 632
    edited February 2016

    Regarding the Chicago get-together, it seemed there were some concerns re: April. I posted a question to the group as to whether the team wanted to meet in Chicago with the Lake Arrowhead and camping trips also on the tab;e. If folks are still interested in meeting in Chicago this spring or fall, I'm more than happy to pull something together. It just gets a tad more complicated since reservations would be required.

    Comments are welcome, please!

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  • shaz101
    shaz101 Member Posts: 718
    edited February 2016

    hi. I think my infection is getting better ☺

    Katy we need to chat. I'm away camping this weekend with my sister. And the Internet is much good here. Maybe during the week?

    I feel very unsure of my life now. I don't know if I should live like I'm not going to get old or try to get on with my old life again and pretend that I will still have a long life.

    You are all welcome to come here! ☺ I'd really love to see you all. 😢

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  • pboi
    pboi Member Posts: 663
    edited February 2016

    Glad you are feeling better Sharon!

    Thanks for sharing the video Katy! I'm glad you got outside to enjoy the garden. I'm excited that spring is just around the corner! I'd love to start planting a few things...though my yard is full of weeds...wish I had a wand to wave to make them go away.

    PB

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  • ksusan
    ksusan Member Posts: 4,505
    edited February 2016

    Hi, friends. The March 2016 chemo thread has been started. As some of us have discussed, let's pay it forward to support these members with our year of experience!

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  • Jackbirdie
    Jackbirdie Member Posts: 4,693
    edited February 2016

    I just went a'callin'. Will keep them in my favorites for awhile..

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  • ksusan
    ksusan Member Posts: 4,505
    edited February 2016

    Same here.

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  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 5,109
    edited February 2016

    I'd be in for a Chicago gathering if I am free. If anyone wants to venture a little westward over the summer, tehre are a ton of motels in my town which is right on I-35 and I-80. There's big aquatic center in town, an amusement park 15 minutes away, and we have over an acre and a pool here and a barbecue that can easily cook for 30; we love to do big picnics and host parties (and host ones with over 200 guests. I'd be happy to host anyone who can come if you'd like a lower key, less expensive getaway. Families of course would be welcome!

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  • BBwithBC45
    BBwithBC45 Member Posts: 727
    edited February 2016

    Sharon, your post resonated with me. From time to time I wonder too how I should plan the rest of my life, especially my finances, worrying about retirement - will I live that long? I'm only 46.



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  • eheinrich
    eheinrich Member Posts: 792
    edited February 2016

    I'm planning on living until I'm 90. I'm planning my finances such that I can do things now and then. Mind you I've had a huge change in my financial situation & currently budget planning is underway, but ideally I'm going to try to strike a balance between present & future.

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  • Italychick
    Italychick Member Posts: 2,343
    edited February 2016

    I've been learning from my children. They are balancing being financially responsible with taking chunks of vacation and adventures along the way. Like working hard, then taking a month to go surfing in South Africa, making great memories. Things that have definitely left my world are material possessions. I'm keeping a car until it rots, and using the money instead for experiences

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  • ksusan
    ksusan Member Posts: 4,505
    edited February 2016

    Theresa, that's our strategy. Do stuff, but balance it with economizing decisions in other areas.

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  • SueH58
    SueH58 Member Posts: 632
    edited February 2016

    I'm sure ready to retire. I just can't get back into work since I was out with my treatments. I'm 58, and planned to work a couple more years (and probably will). But I'm seeing 2 financial advisors this week and am hoping for a retirement incentive at work (rumors are flying one's a coming).

    In the meantime, I'm watching the birds flocking to my feeder in frigid Wisconsin.

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  • neverthought
    neverthought Member Posts: 90
    edited February 2016

    I'm sorry about your mom Amber. I can't imagine how that hurt. I hope there are other people in your life who are more rational and kind than your mother.

    Sometimes I find myself blaming myself for getting cancer. Sometimes I wonder what people around me are thinking, but there is nothing I can do. Some think I didn't do enough chemo and one thinks I shouldn't have had it at all. Only thing I know is that I did the best I could with the information I had. And good people and bad people, young people, old people, people who eat organic and people who don't all get cancer. Who knows why? It's not your fault. I think even people who drink lemon water get cancer!

    I was thinking about it this week and in my slow but steady travels through the bible just happened to be starting to read the book of Job that morning. I haven't finished it yet, but I guess the gist of it that there is no explanation for suffering. It just is.

    But there is lot of joy too and I am so glad to come here and see Katy's garden when it is below zero degrees here. Wish I could meet everyone on this thread in person and give everyone a hug. Because I feel like you've been my lifeline for the last year. I am so grateful.

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  • BBwithBC45
    BBwithBC45 Member Posts: 727
    edited February 2016

    Sharon, I know that you are having bad issues with your LE. I happened upon the thread about lymph node transplant surgery, if this is something that could be an option for you:

    https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/64/topics...



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  • DavisD
    DavisD Member Posts: 338
    edited February 2016

    Just stopping in to say hi to my March sisters! I  haven't been on much lately, not really a lot to say. Two more Herceptin treatments and I made the decision to not take Arimidex. I'm still having frequent hot flashes and severe vaginal dryness/burning/arophy and Arimidex can worsen these things 75% of my tumor was HER2 pos so I feel ok about the risk of not taking something for that 25%. I found something on BC.org about this Mona Lisa laser therapy which sounds hopeful. Anyone here know anyone who's had treatments? Doesn't sound like insurance pays but if this happened to a man you can be assured they would cover!

    Theresa-Love the lifestyle and working on that myself!

    Katy-Hope your days will bring you more joy:) will never forget your joyous spirit, seriously.

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  • BBwithBC45
    BBwithBC45 Member Posts: 727
    edited February 2016

    DD, thank you so much for mentioning Mona Lisa laser therapy. I've never heard about it, but I will definitely look into it and ask my doctors about it. I want relief and I was too embarrassed to mention these symptoms, I don't know why.

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  • DavisD
    DavisD Member Posts: 338
    edited February 2016

    BB-You and me both..it's not an easy subject to talk about...let me know if you find out anything. I just wonder why my gyn didn't ever bring it up as I've been to her lately for this very issue?

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  • Trvler
    Trvler Member Posts: 3,159
    edited February 2016

    I think the Mona Lisa thing is fairly new so maybe not many doctors know about it? I am going to try it if I need to. I am having troubling climbing back on the horse, so to speak. There is a thread about it but not many posts. All of the people who try it seem very positive.

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  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 5,109
    edited February 2016

    DavisD, My MO mentioned the Mona Lisa treatment at my last visit when he was mentioning all options he knows of for vaginal dryness/atrophy. He said it often is not covered, but is hoping that will change. One of my Sept 2013 chemo sisters has had it done and said it was life changing (in a good way).

    Neverthought, I was drinking lemon water when I read your post (and almost spit it out of my mouth laughing. Yes. People who drink lemon water do get cancer!!!!!! Some of us even get it more than once!

    A year ago this weekend, my kids had their sectional swim meet, and the team secretly decided to do a "pink out". Boys and girls alike all wore pink caps, signed a giant pink sign, and all of the parents wore pink. This was organized by a 14 year old on J and E's team. It reminds me of one of the good things cancer has taught me...that despite all of the evil which dominates the news, 99.9% of the people in this world are good and kind-hearted.

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  • neverthought
    neverthought Member Posts: 90
    edited February 2016

    Sorry Karen. Didn't mean to dis people who drink lemon water but glad it made you laugh!


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  • ksusan
    ksusan Member Posts: 4,505
    edited February 2016

    That's a nice memory, KBeee.

    Last week, I was doing an activity with my students that I do at this time every winter. At one point, I always invite whoever wants to do so to come to the inner circle to "tell a story about one of your tattoos." This year I was in the interior "fishbowl" circle facilitating and a student asked me, "Do you have any tattoos?" I leaned back in my chair, smiled, and said, "I have 6 tattoos." A student gasped, "You're badass!"

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  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 5,109
    edited February 2016

    Actually, I don't drink lemon water that often. I drink water constantly, but I had extra lemons because I made fish last week, and just happened to be drinking it when I read that. I thouhgt it was funny. I dislike soda, so I drink water, tea, and decaf tea...and that's pretty much it, other than coffee at work.

    ksusan, I think you're pretty badass too! I never considered a tattoo befoer, but now after having so many for cancer reasons, I think I should get one. I have a design in mind, but have not mentioned it to DH yet. Not sure what his thoughts would be!!!

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  • littleblueflowers
    littleblueflowers Member Posts: 2,000
    edited February 2016

    Kbeee, what kind of design, if you want to share? I love tattoos!

    Ksusan, too funny! You faced a proton canon and lived, too. Pretty badass!

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  • DavisD
    DavisD Member Posts: 338
    edited February 2016

    BB and Allison-My office is closed today because of more snow so I've been doing some research on the Monalisa laser therapy. Looks like the average price within an hour from me is 2,400. which includes three treatments and one "touch up" follow up in one year. No insurance coverage yet. They recommend coming once per year following that. I got pretty excited about the provider closest to me and then looked up his doctor reviews and they weren't very good. I don't need any bad bedside manner, gruff medical professionals, etc! I'm going to keep looking though. Called my GYN and her RN called back stating she'd never heard of it. Sounds like it's only been around since 2014 in the US. I had this problem prior to BC tx but symptoms are worse since being plunged into full menopause. I'm hopeful it can at least improve my condition :)

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