Starting Chemo May 2008

Noelle - The slug defrosted and completed the journey. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!

Like crazydaisy I pop in here to try and keep up with some of the April gals who moved over to May.  While doing that I feel that I've gotten to know the rest of you also. I just wanted RanD to know that I'm thinking of her.  The April board gets pretty quite and sometimes it nice to just see how others who went through surgery/chemo/radiation at the same time are doing.  

 Just out of curiosity - now that your hair is coming in what are you doing with it???  I was so looking forward to getting hair and now that I have I have no clue what to do with short hair.

 You are a remarkable bunch of ladies who also help many of us on the outskirts without even knowing it. 

To All: Repeat after me the New May Groups pledge.

Although facebook may be cool,

We must come here, that's a rule.

Here we can say things, we can't say there,

This is our place to openly share.

Over to facebook we may roam,

Just remember this is our home.

Karin,

Have taken the pledge...but should we add wattle-bird sound effects at the end?

Kerry, my friend lives in Brisbane and her name is Jan.

Popping in, love you all.

Eddie, ramble again, please....

Love,

Sue

Karin, I too just took the pledge. I think we should nominate you for a position in the May Chemo group. Gracie, my prayers are with you and your family.

Roberta, I don't do a thing to my hair. It's so flipping flat. It just lies there doing nothing. Okay, not sure how the notes thing works, read the directions, I'll give it a whirl. Sure wish I had some of Rock and Kerry's weather. 

Crazy busy at work looking for jobs....I have three proposals all due at the same time. Way too stressful for me. 

Shite...mammogram next week. Not looking forward to it at all. You girls already have yours? 

Speaking of mammogram not sure when I'll go, rad onco left it up to me, although he prefers that I go next month. Left one is due 2/28, right one 6 months out of treatment would be April 12th. When I asked him why they liked to wait 6 months he told me it has had more time to heal, looks pretty much what it will look like, and hurts less. Duh, should be a no brainer, less pain, I want to wait. Last year left looked fine, I had chemo, will waiting just 6 more weeks really make that much of a difference?

Gracie -  you are so right All Cancer Sucks!  I'll be praying for your cousin.  I have a question to anyone - do all cancers have the same IV stages as breast cancer.  I've never known about anything other than breast cancer.

Karin - I love the pledge and took it, too.  I'm kind of scared of Facebook.  I don't have anyone else to correspond with there and I feel like I might be left behind here.  You got to wait before having your first mammogram?  I had my first one about 6 weeks after rads and will go back for the right side only in May.  I go Friday for my first gyno appointment.  Just a little nervous since this is where everything started last year this time.

Good luck with everyone else's tests as they start to come up. We'll be there with you all the way.  Special hugs to RanD.

Julie

Julie as for the wait, it's after radiation treatments. Some say 3 months but most say 6 months. It takes a while for the breast to heal after being zapped so they like to give it time. The insides are still going through changes even after the treatment stops.

Otter - Do you have anything else you could add to this? I'm only repeating what my onco told me.

Roberta, I just got my first haircut, on Sat., and I'm going to keep it short, through the chemo. hair stage, and letting it go naturally silver.  Personally, I can't see coloring my hair, until it looks like my hair, and maybe, I'll get used to it.

My oncologist, saw me a few days, after radiation on Nov.17th, and I don't see him again, for 6months.  My radiologist, told my not to have a mammogram, for 6months, because I won't be able, to stand the pain.....and I agree.  My breast, is still "congested", and painful. My surgeon said it wouldn't really start to heal, until after radiation, and he was right. Someone, mentioned a bra, from Kmart, can you give me more info.?l

*with one hand on the keyboard, jen says the may group pledge, then flops down in her 'online' comfy chair with a cupa hot chocolate to visit with the may-girls" ;O)

I wish my hair would lay down. the front 3 inches of it still stands straight up on end no matter what I do to it.  When can we color it again? I'm getting a ton of grey in now and I want it to be gone! Hubs doesn't want me to color it cause of still taking herceptin. He says I have enough chemicals floating around me lol.

I've taken Karin's pledge for our May chemo thread, but darn it I spent so much time on FB today that now it's time for bed.

Karin is right.  I "morphed" on FB.  Now y'all can see what I looked like with all my fur (and what I looked like without it).  My hair is still really curly, and it isn't flat--in fact, I'm getting worried about how much it sticks up.

Re:  Mammos.  My surgeon scheduled me for a 6-month post-surgery mammogram, which I had last August.  It was just for my "good" side, though, since there's nothing left on the other side. The radiologist asked me why I was having a 6-month mammo, since they're usually done after 12 months (she said).  I think she meant it had only been 6 months since my previous one, which was the one done right before my biopsy in Jan. 2008.  I just shrugged and said I was doing what my surgeon told me to do.  My next mammo is August '09, 12 months after my most recent one.  So, I have no info on the effect of rads or recon on the schedule. 

I'm sorry I can't stick around tonight, but dh is grumbling about how much time I spent taking pics and messing with Photoshop and FB today.  I do love y'all, though.  And, hi to crazydaisy and roberta and anybody else who's dropping in.  Pull up a chair and stay awhile!

otter 

[Edited to add: I'm gasping.  I just saw Julie's post about Deb C. Deb was having such a hard time these past few months, but ... aw, I don't know what to say.]

I went for my mammogram and ultrasound today, even though I almost forgot them! I was very gung-ho and then...kapow! The reality of it all. The mamm woman was really good, really friendly and personal. But then she left to check the pics and was gone for bloody ages. When she returned she was less..'friendly'..and didn't make much eye-contact. Am I being paranoid?? I hope so. The ultrasound woman was so thorough..I don't reckon ANYTHING escaped her attention. This shits me to tears. I feel so gutted about Deb. This was her life for so long. Constant tests and appointments and interventions and surgeries. And for what??    I really don't like cancer anymore, so there. I put my tixteentings up on FB (for y'all eyes only) but I didn't know what I was doing so...we'll see! Reads like a big brag, but it's not. I really am in awe of where gifts and talents come from. And I'll tell you something else..this May O'Eight group are some smart cookies. How can Oprah possibly resist us???   

At a loss of words over Deb. Does anyone have her snailmail?

My heart is breaking over Deb.  I am trying to take comfort in knowing that she has received the ultimate healing-no more pain, no more suffering and now peacefully in her heavenly home.  I can close my eyes and see all the women that this ugly disease has taken, welcoming her with open arms-with my Mom in front.

Pancreatic cancer has 4 stages, just like bc, but the stages are different.  With pc, stage 2 has already spread to the surrounding tissue and organs.  Not what I wanted to read.  

Ladies--have I told you today how much you all mean to me and that I love you all so much!

Noelle, good luck with your tests and appointments today.  Try not to be scared - we are all here with you and stronger than ever.  Deb's passing has given us all more strength to fight this horrible thing.  Oprah doesn't realize what she is missing!

Kerry, we will be waiting patiently with you as you await your results.

I love and appreciate everyone on this board so much.

Thanks, Julie