Coronavirus

DivineMrsM

Grannax, thanks for sharing your great news of responding well to your new treatment! It is wonderful to hear.

Yes, steer clear of the coronavirus. I feel badly for your son. It’s unnerving to learn his hospital does not have enough masks. I have to wonder how this is all going to work out.

Moderators

We were wondering if we could hear from anyone who has had now to change course in treatment? If so, could you share with us?

LaurenInPHX

Not treatment yet, Mods, but bone scan has been postponed until the end of May. I’m getting a CT scan now, but the facility is closing after today so I just made it in. I’m worried about my Faslodex shot in a few weeks though. Will keep you posted.

Anonymous

I have to go in for Herceptin on Friday. My appointment is not cancelled but I wish now, more than ever, they would let us have the injectable form AND to let us administer it ourselves, as diabetics do with insulin.

Anonymous

Elderberry - I sent her our thanks. She could have stayed home when her employer shut down. Instead she'll be in the thick of it. I hope she doesn't run out of PPE. She wouldn't be able to avoid getting infected. She's also worried about her friends in NYC where she used to work. It's terrifying. We do love Leonard Cohen here. I have a terrible voice, so I just listened.

Grannax- Big congrats on your report! I hope your son and all healthcare workers can get the PPE they need. They should have the most protection.

Anonymous

JACK5IE

6,876 cases in New Jersey now with 81 deaths.

pajim

Grannax, congratulations!!!

Anonymous

Op - everyone in my row of houses/flats just opened their doors/windows to clap and cheer for the health care providers/NHS. A few set off fireworks!

Maeven

Grannax2

Congratulations on your good treatment news.. and sending cyber caring to your son, and to you as you are rightly concerned about him.

Your son and his mother are heroes, for we mothers carry the hope and heartache for our children no matter how old they are.

Feeling for you at this time.

finallyoverit

My upcoming Zometa, Lupron and scans were all canceled today. No Zometa until fall.. no word on Lupron or scams. I am trying my best to stay calm, but freaking a bit. My body does not do good things with estrogen. Yes, I do have a message into my MO. <ugh

ShetlandPony

Gosh, it seems like the lupron at least should be given. Maybe they are just shuffling the schedule for that so the waiting rooms will not be crowded? Are you on an aromatase inhibitor or tamoxifen?

finallyoverit

Just received a call from my MO. He made them put the Lupron back on the schedule and pushed the Zometa off until fall. I’m on Ibrance and Femara. I feel better now that the Lupron is back on. My body seriously does not do good things with estrogen. We really need to keep my ovaries shut down. <deep sigh of relief

dutchiris

Shetland.... My oncologist also told me that I'm immunocompromised and at severe risk if exposed to covid-19.

I work in a hospital and she said that I should not be involved with any covid-19 patients at all. She also said if there's community spread I should not work at all. Has anyone else been told anything like this? Are you working or on leave or something else?

Moderators

finallyoverit, so glad they put you back on the Lupron!

dutchiris, that sounds correct. We have, in this Forum, lots of information. Check out the links here: https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/164/topic...

finallyoverit

Thanks, Mods! So am I. I’m concerned about going to the hospital for it, but my appointment is super early and I’ll be extra careful I’m not touching things, using Purell and changing my clothes the minute I get home.

DivineMrsM

It was just reported the local cancer center in my county has three employees who tested positive for the coronavirus. Fortunately I go to a cancer center an hour away, but the local place here is now closed and I can only imagine the upheaval and anxiety it’s causing patients. The area hospital is right next door and I have to wonder if “community spread” will invade the health care workers there. What a mess. I was just overnight at the hospital February 24 and got a blood transfusion. I had shortness of breath but it was caused by Verzenio meds which caused severe anemia. I’m grateful I got all that taken care of a month ago.

Moderators

Oh gosh, Divine! How anxiety-provoking!

Grannax2

So far my appointment for Faslodex has not been cancelled. It's April 6. My next MO appointment is in early June, it has not been cancelled, yet.

I've been making masks for my son and my SIL sent some of the good ones to him. Bad news is that he's only working every other week because of the cancellations of elective surgeries.

My daughter has the symptoms of COVID so she's been isolated at home. No test was done. She's feeling better now so we're hoping she's on the mend.💞

Maeven

Just holding everyone in caring thought.

arolsson

Sweden now has over 4000 cases and 146 deaths-half in in Stockholm with a population of a million...

So far no change in treatment. I was alone in the ward last week with about 8 nurses serving me! I think a lot of people chose--or had to-skip treatment. Don't know what next week will be like. But the dentists have all had to shut down in order to give the masks to the hospitals.

On a lighter note, who finds themselves editing their grocery lists when friends are helping you buy so you won't feel embarrassed? Like instead of "large bag cheetos (crispy), brownie mix, brie, wine" you are writing "organic kale, fresh spinach, turmeric, large piece of ginger, kambucha, apple cider vinager"...Maybe self-isolating and having to ask for help will make us healthier : )

Tina2

I have an appointment on Thursday at my oncologist's office for bloodwork and a Faslodex injection. Maybe I can just stay in the car and stick my arm out the window for the former and my you-know-what out the moon roof (!) for the latter.

Tina

BevJen

Tina,

Ha ha, that's funny. It would get an interesting reaction I'm sure.

SandiBeach57

Too funny Arolsson. I would have to cross out 4 bags of family style Cape Cod chips, Peanut MMs and hot spicy cheetos. Would add ginger, lemons and garlic to make it look good.

S

Spookiesmom

Sadiesservant

Still think there is merit in exploring a drive by blow dart service for the fanny pack! 😁

DivineMrsM

Our county health dept is reporting 10 positive cases. But they said assume there are more cases in the county because only the sickest of patients are getting tested. They told us it is community spread, to assume anyone is infected and to take all necessary precautions. We were also told the testing time turn around for results has gone from 10 days down to 72 hours.

More people wear masks when going out. I know there is back and forth on this. My son lives 20 minutes north of Pittsburgh in a large populated city. He and his girlfriend went to Whole Foods this morning which was only permitting several shoppers in the store at a time. It was well organized with an employee outside communicating with others inside. All employees wore masks and many customers did, too. My son said it looked apocalyptic. He and his girlfriend are fortunate to work remote from home and they are taking stay at home orders very seriously,

Kanga_Roo

Just in case you need a little laugh in your day

https://twitter.com/oldjoeschmo/status/12430650320...

Amica

Grannax - are your faslodex shots at a hospital or at the doctor's office?

I just started on faslodex, for otherwise untreatable multiple liver lesions that popped up over the last few months. Congrats on your good treatment results!! That treatment is not available here, at least not at my hospital. First faslodex first shot was on March 25, so I have more of the two week interval ones coming up. I had the shot at the cancer center which is in its own building, but it is joined to the general hospital, not separated. I wore a mask and my MO said, "you know a mask doesn't work", which is kind of true if it is one of the standard el cheapo blue ones they used to have available for free at the cancer hospital. They used to be out in boxes on the counters. No more. I saved a couple of them, and I have not found masks available for sale anywhere in the region of Ontario I live.

The faslodex has left me feeling unwell, with many symptoms that are similar to coronavirus--I have bad chills, a sore throat, body aches and pains, and stomach upset (nausea and diarrhea). All of these symptoms started the evening of the first shot and some of the body aches got better at first but then come and go. I can't tell if I have a fever because I am taking both Naproxen and lots of Tylenol for pain, but need to maybe stop them both long enough to get an accurate temp reading. They only have regional coronavirus tests where I live, in another city, I wouldn't mind being tested but if I don't have the classic symptoms, high fever (as far as I know), dry cough, shortness of breath---I don't want to to go to a center and actually expose myself to coronavirus in the people waiting to be tested.

I've been trying to reach my palliative care/symptom and pain nurse since last THURSDAY---cannot seem to get a call back from that woman. Very unprofessional, and I don't think my family doctor would know what to advise because she knows next to nothing about cancer treatments.

Take care and stay stay safe everyone!

sweetp6217

At retail stores (practically most places), there are peeps running around with Covid-19 or waiting for test results. How about staying home? Most of these places deliver (most for free!). ME ME ME! Glad I'm wearing a mask (better than nothing).