Anyone starting chemo in Aug. 08?

Hello everyone,

MamaK I am so sorry to hear about your mother.  I will definitley keep her in my prayers.  

Lashon & Bette: Hopefully your Pet/Bone Scans turn out to be negative.  

Celebrated final chemo on Friday and feeling yucky.  Dr. and team were wonderful.  My DM went with me and it was a day I'll never forget. I took pix w/staff (& cake) but can't find my camera!  I am upset about that.  Onc. decided to put me on Tamoxifin (is that right?) since I may have residual Progesterone.  I feel good about that since I didn't think I would take preventative meds.  Also having that oophorectomy and Double Maste. in the future. Now on to RADS! Having my consultation next Wed. What a ride..

Thinking of you all,

Jeannine

Thanks for all the wishes ladies.. The Radiation Onc that I seen sucks.. he called monday and was to put in a ref for me to see an ENT about my neck.. But when I called he had put nothing in.. but i changed my radiation doctor to a civilian doctor.. canceled all my appointments with him and told him to set me up with an ENT so i can see whats going on in my neck.. I am trying to keep my faith.. 

Hi, everyone

Congrats, Jeannine, on your last chemo!  I see you decided to have the DMX and ovary removal.  My DMX is tomorrow, and they didn't want to do the oopherectomy at the same time:(.  Why do you have to have rads before the surgery?  I'm just curious.  I hope you are feeling better, it seems like the last chemo took a little longer to get over for me. 

Lashon, it seems to me that every appointment I've needed is some kind of battle.  What we're going through is bad enough without having to fight for every attention by a doctor.  Good for you for taking things into your own hands!  I'm praying good things for you.

My surgery is tomorrow.  I will be having a double masectomy with tissue expanders, and a sentinel node biopsy to see if all of the lymph nodes need to come out.  My ovary removal will have to be later.  I am a little nervous at the thought of waking up bald and flat.  Seems like most of my femininity is being taken away.  I'm kind of a tomboy, so it surprises me that it's bothering me this much.  My DH has been wonderful throughout all of this, so that helps a lot.  I've got a great family and wonderful friends, too.

Thank all of you for being here and helping all of us through this.

Deen

Deen, Best wishes on your surgery. You will be in my thoughts and prayers.

Alibug, Have a fantastic time! I would love to get away right now. I will have a short honeymoon in the Pocono mountains of PA, then home for rads. 

My drain is still draining. 29 days until our wedding. I hope and pray that the drain will be out by then!

Appointment with medical  oncologist today. She said if I cannot start rads by mid-March, she will start me on an aromatase inhibitor to keep those cancer cells away until I can start rads. Right now my simulation is on March 11, IF the drain is out. My tumor was very aggressive and grew quickly in between chemo and surgery one month later. It is important that I continue with my treatment.

The doc detected two seromas in my chest, but she believes they are connected so that the one drain should do it. Pray that they will drain and heal quickly. I have gone through so much already to delay treatment and risk recurrence!

It is in God's hands, I know. Thanks for reminding me of that Corinne.

Bette 

Deen ~ You will be in my thoughts & prayers today!   

Jeannine ~  What a lengthy chemo journey you've had!  Hopefully, rads will be a piece of cake by comparison.  It was for me.

Lashon ~  I also think of you each day, and am praying that you can find a new doctor, and that the concerns you have turn out not to be bc-related. 

Alibug ~  Have a wonderful trip!  Isn't it amazing how things we enjoyed but kind of took for granted pre-bc seem so much sweeter when we haven't been able to do them for awhile?  

Bette ~  I'm praying that the new drain is a big help to you, and that you will be drain-free very soon. 

Karen ~  Please update us on your Mom.  She and you are in my prayers. 

Hugs to all ~  Deanna

Hey Girls,

I had off from work today, so I went to the gym and did a class.  Then, I did a little shopping at the mall!  Gail, like you, I am loving this quick hair wash/dry every day.  I especially love when I am at the gym working out with such a short head of hair-so much more comfortable.  I have a little over an inch-I feel like it is starting to get a bit wavy on the ends.  I am going to go out and buy a straightener soon.

I finished my 11th out of 18 herceptins the other day.  If I stay on track, I will be done on July 23rd-woo-hoo!!  I felt bad the other day, but I had to speak up to a more experienced nurse about a less experienced nurse about her "poor IV insertion."  I have had three bad experiences in a row, and my DH hates seeing me go through a bad insertion-literally, it takes her about 3-4 minutes and lots of digging around to get the stick in the vein.  The exp. nurse thanked me for speaking up-I still have 7 TXs left and just can't take the pain of that awful stick-it should not hurt as much as it does.  I tried to be nice about it.  I went to my surgeon for a check the other day-she can't feel a thing on the good side-I think my cyst from the fall went away.  So, that was good news for now.  I will go for the next mammo in May.  I feel so covered by seeing all of these docs-onc, surgeon, gyn...

Deen-hope your surgery went well-just think, you won't have the "worry" anymore.  The expanders will be uncomfortable, but doable.  You'll love life after you have the implant exchange.

Jeanine-how are you doing after the last chemo?!  

Hope everyone else is well!

~Misty

Today has been a good day. The drainage has slowed down, so I have hopes that it can be removed next Thursday at my appointment with the PS.

Tom and I purchased wedding rings today. We also signed the lease on our apartment and got other wedding things done.

Hopefully, my rads simulation can go on as planned on 3/11. That is also the day I pick up my wedding gown, which is being altered. The following day I go to the post-mastectomy salon to be fitted for a fake boob to wear inside the gown. The un-weighted puff I wore to try it on tends to migrate up toward my chin! LOL

Praying for no more complications as I am too busy with wedding stuff to be sick!

Bette 

I am actually and truly praying and keeping positive thoughts for Bette's drain to be gone forever, and for Lashon, Deen and all my BC sisters.  We are real troopers!!!!!!!

So far, the peeling of the rads darkened skin continues and now there is only a little bit left.  Yesterday I went to the spa and got a few treatments including a manicure and found myself explaining the bit of darkness left on my nail beds.  I didn't mind....just one more opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of getting regular mammos etc.  Meanwhile I am keeping my word to myself to take better care of me by going to the day spa regularly. 

I didn't have to explain my hair and port scar to the facialist.......she said that her sister is going through the same thing and is coming along fine.  She said that she knew the minute she saw me.  Well, healing and repair is happening and soon there will be no traces left.  I am wishing 'no traces left' for us all.  Yes, Gail & Corinne,  that includes dying the 'silver stuff''    

Corinne, for the first 2 weeks I noticed nothing unusual with rads. Starting the 3rd week the skin on my breasts started to redden, darken, etc.  I had excoriation underneath my breast where the wires of my bra scraped the skin.  It grew worse until the treatments ended.  I immediately put my bras away and went braless for healing.  At first I had been using the pure aloe vera several times a day which helped.  After the darkening began the docs advised 'Aquafore' but when I started using 'Bag Balm', the healing really accelerated.  My skin even started peeling as if sunburned.  Now those S/E's are nearly gone.  Once treatment has ended it does not take long for the healing.

For deodorant I used Lavilin since you only have to apply it once every 7 days.  I would apply it on Saturdays after showering and just forget about it until the following Saturday.  After the first shower following application, it is not visible at all.  The rads techs highly recommended it over those clear stick deodorants since they do leave an invisible film and Lavilin does not......after your first shower.  It workds not by covering but by getting rid of the bacteria that cause odor.  It is all natural and can be found in most natural food stores and on Ebay.  In fact, It is so effective that I still use it.  No film so DH enjoys  the taste of me instead of  the inadvertant taste of deodorant

The actual rads procedures are painless and quick.  The first time takes longer because they have to position you more and make sure the marks are perfect etc. and the docs have to come in and approve etc.  After that it just takes a few minutes each time.   Use your aloe or whatever you use immediately after each treatment and several times during the day.  Wash it all off before your treatment.

Wear comfortable clothing that is easily removed.  You will probably get a locker to put everything in.  The less you take the better. 

Hi, Corinne ~ Like Roya, I started with Aloe Vera Gel, and then onto Aquafor.  But chatting with another RT patient, I learned that she was on Emu Oil and so highly raved about it that I went out and bought some -- and loved it.  When I told my rad onc, she said that Emu Oil would have been the next thing she recommended for me, and that the other woman had been on it from the start because she was extremely fair.  So, you may want to keep it in mind for your arsenal of healing oils & creams.

The actual treatment time goes very quickly, but several women in our January rads group came up with ideas to pass those few minutes on the table -- everything from imaging beach scenes, to counting our blessings, sometimes by color categories (i.e. everything green that we're thankful for one day; blue the next).  

Also, the treatment room can be cold.  If they don't offer you one, you might want to ask if they have a blanket or something to put over your feet & legs.  Good luck, and don't worry.  It's soooo much easier than chemo!     Deanna

editing to add:  Hi, Deen ~  Looks like we were writing at the same time.  So glad to see your post, and to know that things went so well.  Your BS & PS both sound wonderful!  How're you feeling?   Deanna

Deen-it sounds like you got good news from your surgery!!  How nice to wake up with something to see down there.  My PS did the same thing-filled it at surgery,so I saw something instead of a flatness.

Corinne-good luck with your first rads tomorrow.  It sounds like rads have gone smoothly for those doing it here, so I am sure it will with you, too.  YOu have gotten such good recommendations from the rads vets!  I did have a port in for the TCH x4.  I had it taken out after Herc #6 when I had my exchange surgery done.  It really stuck out on me, and I was just done with it!!  That is why I do IV now for the remaining Herc treatments.

Alibug-are you back from your trip?  Can't wait to hear about it.  Here's a nice story from my sister's friend who just back from a cruise.  On the last day, they had a BC walk on board-15 times around the ship-you had to donate $15 to the Susan G. Komen fund on your cruise account.  She did it along with her DH and another couple in my honor!!  I was so touched to hear this.  I didn't see anything about this when I took my cruise in January.  It must be certain cruise lines.

Everyone, I sure hope spring comes soon.  Just had 5 in. of snow and the cold is awful here in MD.  I am done with this season!!  Looking forward to the warmer weather of spring.

~Misty

Hello gals,

I really am grateful for all the prayers and positive vibes. As for my mom, she is in shock and completely acts as is nothing is wrong. I know my mom is a very strong women and am very surprised that she seems to be handling all of this so far. Usually no one tells her anything about anything because she gets so nervous about everything. I have been feeling so many different emotions and feel as if I'm being pulled in 20 directions. All i keep doing is praying that God gets me through this. Just when i was feeling good for the first time in a longtime this crap happens! Wednesday we go to the onc for my mom so lets pray that our miracle happens. 

I hope everyone is feeling good and will be praying that everyone keeps getting good scans along with checkups. Can't thank you all enough for your support don't know what i would do without my sisters. I always wished i had a sister and look God granted my wish and gave me so many. So i will use that testimony and believe that God will grant me another wish with my mom.

Lots of Love, Karen

tonya~ Things will get better with time I guess we just have to believe that. Being busy is good for our minds they say. Good luck! you will be back to your normal strength in no time.

Goodmorning all, Today is such a beautiful day the weather is perfect here in Tucson. Hope everyone has a blessed day.

Karen

It is a chilly 25 degrees with lots of snow on the ground here in West Chester, PA. We were snowed in yesterday, and I got all my centerpieces done: little bud vases with miniature teddy bears tied to them with purple gauze ribbon. Today the roads were plowed, so I went out and got all the pieces I need for favors, including the candy for inside, which I had better hide from myself, LOL

My hairdresser and I have plans to dye the "silver stuff" about a week before the wedding.

I have decided not to cover up with a wig for the wedding. I will just be me with short hair and a white hat with white chiffon cascading off the back. Tom loves my "hair" and everyone there know about my cancer experience, so why pretend?

This morning I made appointments for pampering for me and my daughter for the morning of the wedding:manicure, pedicure and makeup.

This snow had better melt, or I will be very cold in my halter wedding gown.

Tomorrow I have my first dental checkup since before chemo. Am praying that there is not a lot of damage.

Thursday is my six-week checkup with the PS. My drain is slowing down. I am praying that it can come OUT. My final wedding gown fitting is March 11, and this bumpy old drain is not going to look good with a white chiffon gown, especially the bright blue tubing that is sticking out right under my armpit!

My rads simulation is scheduled for March 11 as well, IF the drain is out. If not, I have to start taking Arimidex or something like it until rads can begin.

I feel blessed today. After all my errands I came home to a visit from a church friend, plus a wonderful phone call from a breastcancer.org sister.

We have all come so far since August! We are strong. We can finish this journey.

Bette