Anyone starting chemo in Aug. 08?

Well ladies I went for my month check-up for my radiation doctor.  He said everything looks great and I feel great.  So 1 doc down and 2 to go.  I go to my next doctor on February 5th.  I hope everyone is doing well......  Mamakaren sorry to hear about your Dad.  DesertRider glad you made it through your surgery!!!!  Lashon glad to see you back!!!!  Lisahugs that really stinks about your arm hope it gets to feeling better!!!!!  Keep pushing through ladies!!!!!!  Loves to all............. 

Stacy, I will be praying for your DH's job to work out. It is good that you are nearly done with your treatment. STill It is quite a concern to not have work lined up with a family of five. I hope you don't have to move far from your family.

I just got a call from a nurse case manager from my new health insurance. With five days to go until surgery, I am finally in their system and approved! He asked if I thought I might need home health care post surgery, and I told him yes and he said if the doc orders it, he will approve it. That eases my mind a bit as I will be caring for myself alone while DD is at work.

Tom and I have decided to postpone the honeymoon to FL until I am recovered from rads. We will sneak off to a honeymooner's resort in the Poconos for the weekend, instead. So I get TWO honeymoons out of this! Something to look forward to.

Ten weeks and two days until our wedding!

Bette 

Hi everyone, I have been sooooo busy and so much is happening that I have not had time to write, However, I have read and caught up with everyone. As for me last Thurs, I had surgery for clean margins. I was very close in the margin but not close enough. I am now headed for a masectomy. Went for an ultrasound on my other breast today and have a biopsy scheduled for tomorrow. It is so small they can't tell. Ugh!!! Anyhow, my lymphedima is doing much better and my spirits are good.

BetteLou: The other night, coming back home from church I was thinking about your Bible verse and you. As I was thinking my daughter asked if we could sing a new song that she had learned in her video class. I said, "Sure, what is it?" She said, "We are more than conquerors!!"" I was so surprised but then why should I be with God??? Anyways, do you know that song? It says.

I will never, never fear, so let the battles rage,

He has promised to be near

Until the end ot the age.

What a week and I have just been singing that song over and over, The Lord is in control and there is nothing I can do but trust Him.

Wishing you all the VERY BEST , Corinne

Corinne ~  So sorry to hear that you're not done with surgery yet.  I just hate it when you think everything is okay, and you find out it's not. Is there any chance they can or would you want them to do a 3rd lumpectomy?  I've read many accounts of women needing 3 tries to get clean margins -- as long as they're sure nothing else is going on.

Mamakaren ~  Thanks for sharing such a personal, touching story about your Dad's cancer dx. It certainly is a thought-provoking one!  I hope he will be able to have that surgery for his broken arm tomorrow.  I'll be thinking of you, and praying that all goes smoothly. 

Gail ~  I was thrilled to see your post.  We'll have to get together soon to celebrate. 

Jeannine ~  Sorry that Taxotere is taking its toll on you.  It's certainly worth doing when you realize it's probably life-saving, but I just wish they could either get the SE's out of it -- or at least provide full disclosure.  But the oncs don't even seem to want to acknowledge the joint and muscle aches.

Stacy ~  What a shock about your DH's job.  But, you know, it really does sound as if things are falling into place for a move, doesn't it?   My heart  goes out to you because this is one stress you certainly didn't need quite so soon after everything else you've been through.  Will keep you & your family in my prayers ~  

My rad onc's nurse called this a.m., and, thank God, my MRI was totally negative.  So, I guess I'll just have to work on building up my body with exercise and good stuff, and see if I can overcome the pain that way.  But, needless to say, I'm incredibly relieved to know that everything is "normal," in spite of the unattributable pain. 

Take care, everyone ~   Deanna

Bette, the song is We Are More than Conquerors written by Ralph Carmichael. I found it in hymnal called Majesty Hymns,

We are more than conquerors through Him Who loved us so.

The Christ who dwells with-in us is the greatest pow'r we know.

He will fight beside us though the enemy is great.

Who can stand against us? He's the captain of our fate.

Then we will conquer,  never fear; so let the battle rage.

He has promised to be near until the end of the age.

We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us so.

The Christ who dwells within us is the greatest pow'r we know.

Hey, everyone.

Deanna- I'm so glad to hear your MRI was neg!  I find that I suspect every little ache, pain, and weird spots on my body now. Totally paranoid!  I hope your pain goes away, too.

Stacy- I'm sorry about the DH's job problems.  Very scary for you, but it sounds like God is in the drivers seat once again!  Hope everything works out good for you and your family, but hate to see you leave our great state!

Bette- my prayers are with you for your upcoming surgery.  Glad to hear you're to be with your daughter through this.

Corrine- Sorry about you needing more surgery, my prayers are with you on your upcoming tests.

Jeannine- I hope you get to feeling better.  We're blessed to have good hubbies to help out.

My last TX is next Tues!  I am so scared they're going to tell me I need more chemo.  I don't know why I'm paranoid about that.

I have been having appts with different PS and GSs.  I don't want to just go with who they tell me to, although I may choose them.  I just like to know all my options.  The PS I just had an appt with(looked like Keanu Reeves, woo hoo!), told me I might have to have rads according to the pathology after the masectomy.  My onco and GS told me back in Aug, that I would not have to have rads if I chose bilat masectomy, so I have to get this straight!  I also found out if I want a DIEP, I only have enough stomach for an A cup.  So it looks like I'll have to go with expanders and implants.  Kinda sad, I wanted the tummy tuck.  So I may have questions for those of you who have gone through the expander/implant procedure.

I hope everyone has a great day!  Deen

Bettelou - Have fun with your daughter!  It should be a great re-bonding experience for both of you!

Mamakaren - Sounds like you & your Dad had a very special relationship!  I'm so blessed to still have my father!  I think I'll go give him a call now!

 Deanna - Great news!  (& a big relief too!)

Deen - I'm not having a smooth reconstruction either.  I've been hanging out on the breast reconstruction board trying to find out more info.  I have my TE & the ps originally told me that I was going to get silicone round implants and the ps tells me on Tuesday he's going to do anatomical salines (he's not part of the clinical trial doing the gummy silicone anatomicals).  Easier to match the existing breast using an anatomical implant. Like you I couldn't do the DIEP unless I wanted to go smaller than my current size.  Who would want to do that and end up with that big hip to hip scar?  Not me, anyway!  Too scary!

Anyone out there with saline anatomical implants? 

Bette,  I had the mx first & then had the TE 3 months later.  The mx, in particular the SNB, was more painful than the TE.  I did have to have 2 drains both times, and they can be rather painful & uncomfortable to sleep with.  With the TE, after the drains came out, 3 - 4 days, I didn't have pain as much as tightness.  Having the TE placed at the time of mx, your bs should do a skin sparing mx so you shouldn't be as tight.  Of course they will give you plenty of pain meds to help , but I only had to use a couple.  I'll be praying that goes well for you on Tuesday!

Good News FINALLY!!  My needle core biopsy turned out to be only a needle biopsy because it ended up being a cyst. I am okay. Hurray!!  Anyhow, going for Herceptin Monday and finding out when I am scheduling my masectomy/ I truely was so elated yesterday. The doctor told me he thought it was a solid and not a cyst but decided to do a needle biopsy first just incase he was wrong. When he aspirated it it actually went away. We were all relieved. The nurse gave me a hug and the doctor seemed overjoyed.

My hair is growing in. I think it is at least 1/4 an inch. My nails look despicable but I feel great. I am now doing a mile of treadmill walking in 17 min.

Deen, I'll be praying for you on Tues. Just think you LAST one!!!!

Misty, I am finishing Herceptin in August. Yahoo!!

Jeannine- How are you feeling today? Your almost done!!! What a relief I am sure that will be!!!

Deanna. I am so happy for you with your MRI/ God is so good!!

Well, for all the rest of you have a great weekend. Has anyone heard from Kimberlynn?

Corinne

My hair is about 1/4", a mixture of curly black hairs and white hairs that are sticking straight up. If this continues it will be a very interesting bridal look. Seriously, I could wear my wig and dress it up with flowers or something.

Surgery on Tuesday, Phase 2 of treatment, followed by rads and reconstruction. It will be a long haul, but worth it ion the end.

Have a great Sunday and MLK day!

 It's time to start packing for Baltimore!

Bette 

Corinne ~  I'm so relieved to hear that your need for a biopsy turned out to be a cyst!  Praise God!  We have all been through so much, it makes good news like yours all the sweeter.

Bette ~  I have been praying for you constantly, and will continue to throughout the coming week.  You have handled so many SE's with grace and humor, you deserve smooth sailing from here on out, and that's what I'm asking God to give you.

Chelli  ~ WooHoo on your last tx!!!!  And what a disappointment to lose your BS!  I hope you really like the new one.  I'm guessing they're telling you it's best to delay reconstruction because sometimes implants (if that's what you'll be doing) and radiation don't mix, and you certainly don't need any complications that might delay your treatment.  On the other hand, I learned from a firsthand experience, as well as stories on these boards, that sometimes BSs sway women away from reconstruction simply because they're not set up to work with a PS.  They tell you, don't worry about reconstruction now mostly because they're not equipped to do it.  If you have any inkling that's what's really at the heart of what they're telling you, you may want to get a second opinion, just to be sure your BS isn't limiting your choices for his convenience.  But if it's truly for the benefit of not running into treatment delays, then that's different.     Deanna

Corinne, I am so happy that it was only a cyst!!  You would really have to wonder how anything bad could grow after going through that chemo.  Remember, the same exact thing happened to me back in late October.  I am so relieved for you!!!  So, will it wind up coming out when you have the mast?

 Hope everyone ishaving a nice weekend!!

~Misty

All packed and ready to leave for Baltimore for Tomorrow's surgery

I have come to peace with the procedure and am focusing on the cancer being GONE.

It is snowing in PA, but that will not stop us.

I am safely in God's hands throughout this experience. 

Bette 

Bette ~  You will be waking up to the life-threatening bc being gone.  That's what's important.  You can have reconstruction later.  It's not what any of us would have chosen to do, but thank God they found your bc when they did and you are getting it out of your body.

Big (((HUGS))) to you.  Praying for peace in your heart about this, a brilliant surgeon working on you, and a speedy recovery ~  Deanna