My Husband, My Life, My Love, My Family, My Cancer

LivingIVlife

Candy- what a great idea!

I have blood work and MO appointments on Tuesday the 26th. My white counts have been on the low end.

I also read the posts regarding HERS2+. I guess I'm questioning my Ibrance medication. When the biopsy was done on the tissue they removed from my lymph node it originally came back HR/PR+ HERS2-. The MO when reading the notes was questioning the HERS2- so she requested a second opinion. It then came back positive. Since she had already started me on Ibrance for MBC and it was working I have been on it ever since 2019. The catscans have always come back ok with no further progression. (other than the lymph nodes tissues bones and breast tissue that had been left from my mastectomy 20 years ago) There is a small spot on my right lung also.

The MO is my 3rd in the 2 years. He is French Canadian and have a hard time understanding his broken English. 😢 Should I be questioning the Ibrance or if it's doing its job which it is then keep going with it . I guess I don't ask enough questions when I'm there.

Micmel

living~ I’ve been on ibrance since 2016. When it works. It works. I would ask questions if you have concerns about something, but the scans speak the real truth. My oncologist is Japanese, he also has Terrible broken English. I can relate. Stay the course if it’s working….

illimae

Living, I wonder if the recent test could be a false positive or low HER2 and I would ask, so I fully understood the logic and treatment plan but I too am generally a “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” type.

candy-678

Living- I say the HER2+ might not have been accurate since the Ibrance is working. When you have progression on the scans, then see if you can get a new biopsy and they will check the HER2 again at that time. But, for now, the Ibrance is doing the job.

LivingIVlife

Thank you for your responses regarding Ibrance. My reasoning told me to stay the course but anxiety gets in the way!

Micmel

ibrance is a great drug. I feel lucky to be on it for so long.

Tanya_Djamila

Candy thanks for getting us organized again with the pocket duty. We missed you.

Tany

SeeQ

Candy - thanks for restarting the pocket duty list. Your organization is our benefit!

LivingIVLife - I meant to tell you, earlier, that I love your screen name

Mara - I agree with you about the negative messaging about light or moderate exercise not being "enough". Inarguably, some is better than none. Why make people who are trying feel inadequate?

We are still busy packing up the house. Friday was "put the (effing heavy) bunk back in the toy hauler" day. Yesterday was "empty the attic" day. I am tired and sore from lifting the bunk and lowering totes (and stuff) down a ladder, and trying not to drop anything on my dh. He definitely had the harder end in both jobs. The last piece in the attic was a spare (effing heavy) coffee table...I finally said honey, I just can't help you with this one. That one I would have dropped on him, for sure...if I could even have gotten it that far. I can't believe he managed it without any help. No attic in the new house, thank goodness!

Waving to everyone. Jumping in pockets, as needed, with Lindor 70% dark chocolate truffles.

Micmel

SeeQ~I’m exhausted just thinking about it. I’m glad you decided not to drop the coffee table on DH. Also, glad you aren’t dealing with attics in the. New place. You’re amazing helping with all of that. Amazing ladies getting their shit done. Strong woman! I always hated moving. So much stuff , seems to never end. But way to go helping DH. Good to see you as I try to sleep, insomnia, my good ole buddy. Visiting again tonight.

GoldensRBest

Thank you Candy. I have CT and bone scan on Tuesday. Results are posted to Mychart as soon as read so I will know results almost immediately. First in person visit with MO since pandemic began on Thursday followed by Xgeva injection.

SeeQ - we are in process of moving as well. I’m trying to purge - hubs wants me to sell everything on Facebook. I’d prefer a simple donation to Goodwill. I started working in the basement this summer, repacking and putting stuff in piles for trash or goodwill. I have since tried to pack a couple boxes a day. All our other moves (this is our 12th house) have been covered by employers so we had full packing services. Fortunately I will have lots of help at the other end.

SeeQ

Goldens - We are also in our 12th home. We have always moved ourselves except for one of the cross-country moves and, of course, the two transatlantic moves. We were paid extra to move ourselves and thought it was worth it... until the first time we let someone else pack us out! Lol. This time, we are packing verything except the kitchen. I told dh the movers have all the right materials, and can pack it better, faster, and smaller than I could. We're giving or throwing away everything we don't need, with the exception of a handful of more valuable items. I was able to give away the bulk of my work clothes to my friend's daughter, who is a young military spouse. I am happy to know they'll be appreciated. I've made two trips to Goodwill, and will make at least one more. Dh decided to hire a dumpster, so that is helping with the "throw away" part. We'll have some help available on the other end, but will probably prefer to manage it ourselves, for the most part.

Mel - the new place has a 30×50 shop, so we have plenty of storage space and my dh is in 7th heaven.

LivingIVlife

Moving did you say? 12 houses? Oh my! I think I moved maybe 5 times and hated the packing and sorting. I'm hoping this is the last house for us.

Mel - I also have alot of nights where I can't sleep. The doctor gave me Trazadone to see if that helps. I'm still up watching TV or tossing and turning.

LivingIVlife

Is anyone dropping in on the virtual meeting today? I'm going to try to hook up.

illimae

I’ll be in the MBC zoom group today. For anyone interested there’s a post for it and s link to register, I think the US timing is noon pacific, 1pm central and 2pm eastern. I have my infusion at 1:30, so video may be off for a portion of it but I will be listening. See ya later 😁

mara51506

Goldens, I am with you about just donating whatever you can to Goodwill. Selling and having to wait for a pickup or someone wanting delivery is a PIA. I also pack a little at a time when moving, my Mom taught me that as well.

mara51506

Taking it easy today so not doing much other than bleaching my walking socks, yes I separate them. Using a mix of vinegar, hydrogen peroxide and a bit of Oxiclean white revive mixed with generic oxy powder from the dollar store. We will see how the socks turn out.

Still loving my new Panda tumble dryer, is drying much faster than the older one did when it worked, no lint from the vinegar rinses. Cat fur is being removed from clothing. That is where the new one succeeds. Old one would not remove any cat fur makikng it useless to use on anything but towels. Keeping it though as I am storing my heated rack in there and it does soften towels without heat.

Sunshine99

I had to write it all out to figure out my moves. I've had five as an adult and one more with my DH. We have no intention of leaving this home. We actually have a good sized attic with plenty of storage down the sides. It runs the length of the house (a small-ish Craftsman). We have four beds upstairs where our guests stay.

We have lots of holiday decorations and supplies up there and a lot of clothing that I will never wear again. The holiday stuff we still use so it's nice to have a place to keep that. My DH also flies RC planes and all or most of that is up in the attic. The other random stuff we have just gets shoved back somewhere out of sight. DH is actually better at getting rid of stuff than I am. He's always willing to take a run down to Good Will or Salvation Army. We also have a great place in the desert (near Palm Springs) called Angel View Charity where we take stuff from our vacation rental out there. When we bought that place it was furnished with some pretty, let's just say "not to our taste" furniture. I called them and they sent a big truck to haul everything away. Nicest guys ever. They wouldn't accept a tip, so all I had to offer them was a Coke, which they gladly took. It was summer in the desert and well over 100 degrees.

You'll all probably totally get this, but I have a drawer full of old bras that I never wear. because I just don't like how they fit or feel. I found some soft Anemone bras on Amazon that I love and I don't even think about them when I'm wearing them. I washed all of the old bras and am going to see if my housekeeper would like them. She's takes stuff down to Mexico and has taken dishes and other misc. stuff. Next up is shoes and clothes. I haven't worn a dress in probably over two years.

Anyway, sorry for the ramble down memory lane. Pity the people who have to clean our our house after we both die. Oh well, not my problem, right? LOL

GoKale4320

I hope we will move one more time (with the option of moving one time after that if I feel compelled). It's just difficult to decide where especially having to find new doctors Also not sure where to move to based on climate and fun things to do - probably the top two concerns after healthcare. It would nice if it were affordable, too. lol That's asking a lot. Our daughter graduates from college next May so I am curious to see where she finds a job and hope we won't be too far away.

We have moved a few times and have never packed ourselves. But I know if we move again, we will have to do the packing for the most part. So I am trying to purge as much as possible. Leaving a houseful of stuff for my daughter is not the goal. My parents had gotten rid of a lot of stuff, but when my sisters and I had to clean it out, it took all of us and 2 teenagers to help. It took all of us about a week - whew!

We recently hired 1-800-Got-Junk to come to our house and take a few things. But they would not take the old piano even though it was on the first floor, relatively close to the door.

Elderberry

To All Moving, Purging and all that Chaos: When we bought our house in 1984 the idiot who built the suite before in the basement had done a really terrible job. We should have done renos back then but we rented it briefly to a friend then it was "We live upstairs, downstairs is for laundry, storing stuff, hobbies...." 30 years did not improve anything. The lighting is just awful. Was the so-called handyman thinking of renting to moles.? The Tower has more light. It proved too dimly lit for me to make jewelry or paint my dolls. I am sure friends and relations have thought we have lost our minds. We are in out 70's -- we should look at condos. No - not as long as my DH plays trumpet, ukulele, keyboards. Not as long as we have hobbies that eat up space. Right now we are mortgage free, have decent civil servant pensions, CPP/OAS. We are one block away from a shopping area (High Street) that virtually everything you need except major stuff like washing machines, TV's, furniture. Our "walk score" for our property is 98. We would have to live in a condo over a storefront to get any higher than that. No cars needed just to get some cheese or a pot roast, veggies, fruit, bread....We have dentists, labs, doctors, pharmacies, banks, a Salvation Army, Dollar Store, great restaurants, the list goes on.

Yes - it is crazy. $$$$. But be it 2 years or 10 - I want a house that I can enjoy living in. A basement that doesn't make my skin crawl No intention of ever renting again but we have now three bedrooms, two bathrooms, two living rooms, two kitchens. The downstairs kitchen will be become a much better laid out laundry room with just a chest freezer. The bedroom will be for guests.

The neighbourhood went from working class with a great shopping area to "Burnaby's Trendiest Neighbourhood" I don't want to be trendy but I want to stay here. Our dirt is worth a truly ridiculous amount, the house will be bulldozed. That is a given. I have watched all the old houses get munched up and some huge house going up. Lots of Teslas and Lexus's, BMW's parked. WilI I have to sell my old Nissan to fit in? Ha Ha

OMG the purging. 30+ years of keeping stuff. Not hoarders but we do keep things we should get rid of. When we got flooring for the upstairs kitchen and I needed to move the hutch --- WTF. Why do I have three quiche pans when I seldom even make quiche? I, on rare occasions, have watched "Hoarding: Buried Alive" No - we are not any near like that. No hazmat suits required to purge. I can cart the stuff in bags by hand to the Salvation Army. My husband has a harder time letting go. Of dishes?!! He doesn't even cook.

I am dreading the noise, the dust, the unexpected costs that we are expecting. I can't wait not to be mortified and depressed at the thought of going downstairs. I am with you Sunshine. Pity who ever has to come in after us and before the dozers.

moth

Hi everyone, ooops missed the zoom, I got busy with stuff this morning.

Reporting for pocket duty for illimae, MoCoGram, Candy & any other Monday appointments.

Not much new here, just planning out some stuff & scared myself with how few weeks it is till the end of the year. holy cow time is going so fast. It feels like just yesterday that I broke my arm but I might be getting the cast off sometime next week...

Sunshine99

moth, I agree! What happened to this year? I hope your cast comes off soon!

Carol

GoKale4320

Elderberry - I am envious of your walkscore! It's great that you are upgrading it so that you can enjoy your space.

illimae

When I got home from treatment, DH said our friend told the nurse he wanted to get off of there. He spoke, was understood and said something totally in character for him. Small but huge step, yay!

GoldensRBest

This move will be into our last home. It is a 69 home development, most semi retired to retired folks. Very active community-pool, exercise facility, lawn service and snow removal,including shoveling up to front door. Plus we will be 5 minutes from daughter, SIL and grandkids. That's what matters most - being close to family. So excited.

Mae - such good news about your friend

Sunshine99

Mae, that's such great news. Baby steps, but that's a big one!

moth

Mae, excellent news. That's very positive progress!

Moveforward

• missed you today Mae. When I saw you all masked up etc I was concerned. But just another one of those days, huh. Still trying to figure out this forum. Fay said she messaged me but I don’t see it.
  interested in the scan list. Is there a place we go to see it or do we look here for updates.
• Thanks for looking after kitty

Katyblu

Mae, that’s great news about your friend! I hope he continues to improve daily

LivingIVlife

Mae- wonderful news about your friend

Oops I laid down on the couch early afternoon and fell asleep. Missed the meeting totally. DH didn't want to wake me.

When we built our house out here we made sure it was all on one floor, double heated garage attached to house,. We have a full basement that was used for stuff we didn't know what to do with and suddenly it's full of junk. This year when daughter and SIL came out we rented a dumpster bin and got rid of everything that was never used since we put it there. It felt like a huge weight had been lifted. Slowly working on closets etc.

illimae

Moveforward, the scan list is something Candy started to keep us all organized for pocket duty and support. My suggestion would be posting on the weekend what we've got for the upcoming week, so the list would be as inclusive as possible with needing many updates later.

Also, for messages, Fay probably sent you a private message (PM), you'll find those along with active topics and favorites on the main menu (pic below) You’ll see a number next to the description, if there are new posts/messages.