Am I missing something?

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  • webwriter
    webwriter Member Posts: 535
    edited December 2008

    I was thinking right. What a day!

    I had my first PT since the breast surgeries this morning. BOY had that shoulder stiffened. I'm blaming it on the nights in the recliner. Got me loosened up tho and talked about what we're gonna do the with the "new" bad side now. Felt good to make progress.

    STRAIGHT to the BS from there. DRAIN IS OUT! (Good Gawd, who knew I was THAT irritated with it?) Got my oncologist, who has been through cancer himself. We'll see if that made him tough or compassionate. Knowing my BS who set it up, he'll be awesome. Did I mention I'm adopting my BS? I truly love him. Yes. I'm weird. I always come out of appointments with him just pumped-- like I just won the superbowl or something. I know the trophies suck in this case, but he has a way of making you forget the downsides. 

    So, without further ado, please stand at attention for the newest ER+ (94%) and PR+ (90%) among us! No further nodes either. The radioactive sentinal had .75mm in it and the dye one had none, making me a confirmed IIa. I can live with that. Yes, I certainly can.

    Hope all of you are having a stellar day. I'm going to celebrate with a nap. (Yes, that WAS all the excitement these old bones can handle!) 

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  • webwriter
    webwriter Member Posts: 535
    edited December 2008

    Dang it! I should've changed my profile before I posted. GOTTA see that FULLY DIAGNOSED (limbo just sux folks!) line appear from now on.

    Hey?! Does this mean I graduate from my 5 post limit at last? Can I join the big kids now? Pweeeeze!!! Tongue out

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  • webwriter
    webwriter Member Posts: 535
    edited December 2008
    Um. That's why we need to see things in print. Proofreading is our friend, but not mine. No mets. Embarassed
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  • wahine
    wahine Member Posts: 8,231
    edited December 2008

    Hi Webwriter, GREAT news--no mets!!!!!! Hope you are feeling better now, without that dang drain! I had my drains in for 5 wks after my bilat mast/reconstruction surgery. Boy was I miserable with them. Thanks for all the updates. Hope you will have a WONDERFUL Christmas!!!

    Hugs,

    Kathy

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  • otter
    otter Member Posts: 6,099
    edited December 2008

    Webbie, big hugs coming your way!  (((((Webbie)))))

    That is really good news about having just one positive (slightly positive, at that) node.  (We won't talk about how much it sucks that they had to take out a bunch more, just to be sure.)

    Yay--no more drain!   And yay for working on loosening up that shoulder ... and on the good rapport with your BS (and hopefully with your onco).  I'll bet you're glad you didn't decide to drive all that way to N.A., when you could be treated close to home.  And, I'm glad you changed your sig line to take out that mets part!

    I don't know what the details are about the 5-post limit.  I can't find it mentioned anywhere in the community rules.  Maybe we can write letters of recommendation for you?  :)

    otter 

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  • webwriter
    webwriter Member Posts: 535
    edited December 2008

    You guys really will use any excuse for a party won't you?! I'm thinkin' this might be my kinda place. (Okay, I admit, I've been reading The Road To Hell for two days.)

    Why do I feel like I just won the Heisman ? Cloud nine. Over a diagnosis. My. My. Things have changed. It feels darn good to be happy, doesn't it? Round two is weeks away. Today is a very fine day.

    Thanks for being here to share "My Moment." In my still rather new, um, we won't say "fresh" capacity; If I gotta be here, I'm really glad to be here with you.

    Wahine: If I'd had to live with that mess for five weeks, it would have been A Problem.  GEEZ! My hat is off. (Talk to me in oh, 8-10 weeks and that might be an extreme gesture.)

    Otter: You'd Write for me? Oh man. I'll take that as graduation, diploma and after party all in one.

    I obviously haven't had my nap and now punchy. However, I've been playin' verbal games with a highly happy hubby for about 4 hours straight now. It's just gonna happen. :)

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  • webwriter
    webwriter Member Posts: 535
    edited December 2008

    Oh, yeah, and the reason I love my BS? He DID talk about the the nodes we had to/didn't have to take out. He said it sucked. He said he knew it was going to be that way, but that we couldn't take the chance. He said he was sorry, while looking me in the eye. And then he moved on.

    What's not to love?

    (That's five isn't it?) I may be outta the minor leagues without extreme measures!

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  • webwriter
    webwriter Member Posts: 535
    edited December 2008

    Woot! I edited that!

    I can't find the 5 post limit any where either. From a moderating standpoint that's probably good. From a user stand point, not so much. Probably a security issue.

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  • Britt
    Britt Member Posts: 731
    edited December 2008

    Webbie -

    What a great Christmas present for you and your family!!!!!!! I am so incredibly happy for you - and it gives me hope for my own ordeal which is two weeks from this Friday -

    Enjoy the holidays! 

    Maria

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  • webwriter
    webwriter Member Posts: 535
    edited December 2008

    Britt!

    Happy Celebratory Season, M'Lady! I hope you are enjoying yourself to the utmost.

    However, I take issue with this "two weeks from this Friday" thing. That sounds a whole lot like math hidden inside a word game to me. Momma doesn't do math. **big cheesy grin** Wouldja PM me that date in English please? (Is it too soon to claim chemo brain?-- Oh wait! Pain Brain?) Tell Xena I hope Santa brings her a wicked "out on the town" outfit, just 'cause every Warrior Princess needs to kick it up once in awhile--in a different kinda way. ;)

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  • Britt
    Britt Member Posts: 731
    edited December 2008

    Webbie!

    And a very Happy Christmas to you and yours!  Yes, I am doing my utmost to have a great time while "in limbo" at the moment . . . . anyway, surgical date SO FAR is Friday, January 9 - the MRI guided biopsies on New Year's Eve - and if they want to do more tests, they may postpone my surgical date again, but my BS told me that was only if they found something really alarming. We shall see . . .

    But do enjoy your day, and Happy Christmas to all of the other warrior princesses out there!  So great to have a group like you girls - such fabulous support!

    Blessings to all - we will get through this!

    Xena

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  • Lories
    Lories Member Posts: 351
    edited December 2008

    Hi Webbie, I have been reading up on your surgeries and am glad you got clear margins on round two. 

    It is still a ways for me til surgery, as well as awhile until I surpass the max 5 posts a day, but you give me hope.  Lori

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  • glostagirl
    glostagirl Member Posts: 388
    edited December 2008

    Hi Yawl,

    I'm a yankee girl (MA), living (seasonal) and being treated in Northern Utah, near Salt Lake in the heart of ski country.  Had a Lumpectomy and SNB in 02/08.  From a previous injury I too have shoulder issues and man was I sore and stiff after surgery.  Forced myself to go skiing about 4 weeks after surg. and WOW what a difference!  The upper body movements (poleing) really loosened things up and I felt great.  So I kept at it through two rounds of chemo but after the third I just felt too dizzy to risk flying down a mountain at 30 MPH.  Yeah I love to fly!!!  Yoga, stretching and the exercises I used after my shoulder injury have helped immensly.  I know you southern gals can't ski but, just some good old fashioned arm swinging while out walking, rowing motions and push-ups are similar to skiing movements. Hiking with trekking poles is great as well.  I finished with rads in late August and am STILL swollen and stiff, especially in the armpit, but my docs say it's normal.  Going skiing tomorrow, can't wait.

    Here's some inspiration, my best friends mom had inflammatory b.c., after surgery and rads, was told that not only would she never play tennis again but only had 6 mo.'s to a year to live.  That was 30 years ago and at the age of 86, she is still playing tennis!!!  Yeah baby!

    The journey for me continues, during a self-exam in early  December I found a new lump near the original.  Went for a mammo & ultra sound yesterday and they want to biopsy Monday (12/29).  It's small, about .8 and is quite sore.  Anybody have experiences like this?  I'm hoping it's irritation from rads, we'll see.

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  • webwriter
    webwriter Member Posts: 535
    edited December 2008

    Welcome glostagirl!

    Sadly, the time has come for me to get serious about my hard drive replacement. Dell is looming! It is not going well, just for the record.

    I may be out a few days, folks. Drivin' me nuts, but can't be helped.

    Hang tough till I get back! ;)

    (And then keep hanging--gawd even common sayings take new and stupid meaning these days! haha!)

    All my best,

    Webbie

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  • webwriter
    webwriter Member Posts: 535
    edited December 2008

    GRRRR!!!!  I managed to save my emails, contacts, receipts and calendars. That's good news. I also managed to save, obviously, my password list to my favorite sites and my bookmarks. Also really, really good news.

    I have yet to get into my "storage drive" which contains my photos, journals, technical notes, many of the installation files for programs I need to reinstall onto THIS drive. It may be dead. Unbelievable. The backup failed and I can't get into the drive. 

    But I'm up and running. No email YET, haven't tracked down the passwords to all my accounts yet. I am however, "here." Insane. But here. (Wait, isn't that the same thing?) **big cheesy grin**

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  • Britt
    Britt Member Posts: 731
    edited December 2008

    Hi Webbie -

    It's a real hassle, isn't it?  My harddrive crashed back in early October - had to purchase a new computer (a Dell) which I really love - but salvaging all of my stuff was rather daunting, to say the least.  Hope your family visit is going well . . .

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  • Carolina59
    Carolina59 Member Posts: 232
    edited December 2008
    Hi Britt,
    I just saw your previous post about breast MRI picking up something that u/s did not. I see that you are now scheduled for MRI-guided biopsy. I had the same experience. DCIS and IDC in right breast, and then breast MRI picked up something on left side. Sent back for u/s, which showed nothing. Then MRI-guided biopsy found multifocal DCIS in left breast. I opted for bilat mastectomy because they considered this two primary cancers, and my breast surgeon said I was at higher risk of recurrence. (I was already sched. for mastectomy of R breast due to size of the DCIS tumor.)

    Anyway, just wanted to let you know you're not alone. I hope yours turns out to be clear on the 31st. 

    Webwriter, congrats on getting through your surgery and the ALND surgery. Hope your recovery continues to go well. 

    All the best,
    Carolina
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  • Britt
    Britt Member Posts: 731
    edited December 2008

    Thank you, Carolina!  Nice to know someone else experienced the same thing.  I was scheduled for 12/16 for a lumpectomy, but then the other tests showed other things . . . .  thank you so much for the good wishes for the 31st - so NICE to know I am not alone in this battery of tests.

    All the best to you and thank you so much for sharing your experience with me - and I hope and pray you are doing well . . .

    Blessings -  Maria 

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  • webwriter
    webwriter Member Posts: 535
    edited December 2008

    Hey Britt!

    How did your testing go today? You doing alright? 

    Thinkin' about you, Lady!

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  • Britt
    Britt Member Posts: 731
    edited December 2008

    Ok, Webbie and everyone here.  I am going to totally honest about my MRI guided breast biopsies today.

    IT WAS TOTAL HELL.  I was there from 7:30 am until 1pm (when I arrived home).  Thank God my BS called in a prescription for Vicodin late yesterday, which Mom picked up while she was waiting in the waiting room -

    Ok - here's what happened:  they had 3 biopsies to do.  I had to lie in that accursed machine with my arms pinned to my sides (because one of the nodes in the left breast was way back by my armpit)  - did not have a reaction to the contrast stuff, thanks to your advice to eat protein and whole grains for breakfast!

     The procedure involved taking pictures to find out where the stuff is - and they found nothing again in the right breast, so only two biopsies to be done on the left. Pictures taken, then staff and radiologist dr. confer - then they come back - more pix - then they confer (today's music was New Age - what I call "Ambien Music")

    Time for first biopsies - NEEDLE RIGHT NEXT TO NIPPLE!  OH MY GOD THE PAIN!!!!!!  Then the clamping of the breast (ouch again - imagine one of those plastic hair clamps on your breast) and the taking of the samples, which is done with a rather noisy suction machine.  During this process, they hit a vein - LOTS of bleeding.  Extra 20 minutes to staunch the bleeding.

    Now it's time for Biop #2 - since it was in such an awkward spot, they took a half hour to make sure they could do it - and thankfully they could - THE NEEDLE WAS A KILLER - right in my lower chest cavity (yes, I was sufficiently numb for both) - then the clamping again, then the suction, then it's all over.

    This took about three and a half hours.  My poor mom.  One of the nurses was kind enough to keep going into the waiting room to tell her what was going on.

    So I'm done and after all of this, I have to get a mammogram!!!!!

    Sharon, the mammo tech, was a doll.  She was also to properly dress my breast with the surgistrips, and give me the ice packs and after procedure instructions.  It's now around 12:00.

    All of a sudden, I was gushing blood from where they went into the vein - Sharon said it is a hematoma (what fun - it gets better, believe me).  We try to staunch it with pressure and ice, but it just got worse.  Sharon summoned the radiologist, who explained that there are so many little veins in that area that it was quite common for this to happen.  Yeah, right - well, Sharon goes out to tell Mom about it - and of course my mother is imagining the worst. 

    We finally got the bleeding under control. It's now 12:40 pm.  Sharon decides to put a very strong pressure bandage over the surgistrips, and to wrap my entire breast area with an Ace bandage to keep the pressure on.  Cannot wear a bra.  My right breast is peeking out of the bandage at a cockeyed angle, and my poor left breast is scrunched and looks as if it is peeking out, looking for safe haven somewhere - anyway, I am to go back there on Friday for them to remove the bandages - but it's a HUGE hematoma . . .

    It throbs quite a bit, even with the Vicodin - I think I am going to take two next time (it says to take one or two every four to six hours - I took  my first at 1:15) .. ..

    So - that's it.  Happy New Year!!!!

    This was the WORST procedure I have ever been through.  The absolute worst.  I was so stiff having to lie in that position - thankfully one of the nurses kept giving me shoulder and back massages!

    Suddenly, I'm not so scared of the surgery anymore.  Can't possibly be that much worse than this - even the SNB!

    But I'll get the results on Monday (as we all know, tomorrow is a holiday) . . .

    If I have to have another test between now and 1/9, I am going to have a fit!

    Also, my only pre-op test required this time is bloodwork, which I'm having done on Monday.

    Believe me, it was NO picnic!

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  • fairy49
    fairy49 Member Posts: 1,245
    edited December 2008

    oh my goodness Britt! you are such a brave girl, definately a warrior princess!! Surgery should be a breeze for you with all you have been through already! Try to have a nice evening, the vicodin should help :) big hugs sent your way keep us posted on Monday!

    Lorraine ox

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  • webwriter
    webwriter Member Posts: 535
    edited January 2009

    Oh. My. GAWD!

    Britt! No! Say it ain't so! I think that has to be the WORST MRI story I have ever heard. I have heard of one or two of your issues happening, but ALL of them? This is just beyond Sux. This is well into Uber Sux. 

    And, I know the last thing you want right now is the upside. So I will not say that I wholeheartedly agree with Fairy49 up there. You lived through this...surgery isn't going to be a shocker at all since you'll be ASLEEP for the Uber Sux parts.  (And the ace will squish both boobs equally!)

    WTH?! I am SO sick of not being informed before proceedures of what could happen. Of course it's not like I can REFUSE them once I know, but I'm really, really getting tired of surprises. They should have stopped long enough to give you awesome good drugs at least. Sheesh!

    How's the Vicodin handling the pain?

    I'm going to let my Resident Nightmare go to sleep. Then I'm going to crack open a bottle of wine and vicariously commiserate, tho I hope you've gone to bed in a Vicodin haze. 

    Britt, 2009 has GOT to be better. For all of us.

    I'm thinkin' of you Lady. Drop me a line when you get up and around. I'll worry until I know. Call it delayed maternal instinct, haha!

    Love,

    Web

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  • amysmom
    amysmom Member Posts: 2
    edited January 2009

    hey = just wanted to say that I did go to UAB and LOVED it there and feel that I made the best decision to go there.  However....it was a HUGE inconvenience when having to do chemo every other week!!!  I am in Mtgy.....where are you located? 

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  • marshall2000
    marshall2000 Member Posts: 110
    edited June 2009
    hey all: I had not read this post until today, even though i started browsing in january 09. I have interacted with Brit on another site that she so graciously started. March Chemo Warrior Princesses. I just thought i would post on here, i wish i had read it early on in my tx. Awesome site. I hope everyone is still doing well.  Michelle
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