Crazy Sexy Cancer in Seattle

Kalen,

Good to have you with us!!  We are close by on Bainbridge.  Thanks for the encouraging words on hair; mine is shaven and I feel like a monk!  Time to meditate.... Have a great week.

Peg, I also had a port, it was "installed" during my mastectomy surgery, was a bit uncomfortable for a couple days after surgery, and being pretty thin under my collar bone it stuck out just a bit.  I had it in for almost a year and had no problems with it. 

Before I would go in to have my infusions I would apply a numbing cream to my skin at the port site.  I would virtually feel nothing when they accessed my port for my treatment.  I had a total of 12 infusions and was happy to have had it.   

Kalen ... hello gal !!!

So Seattle ladies ... been "lurking" lately ... seems like with the spring weather my day/eve's have been crazy busy.   Figure I'm making up for last year when I was couch potato-ing much of the time.  Positive thoughts around !!!

Jean- that is great!!!!!  I think I may join you - I have decided not to travel to the Bay Area that weekend - I just don't feel like it and damn it I have cancer - did you hear me stamp my feet?!

I hope your mom is doing better.  We had a busy week with school stuff - outdoor ed and band concerts etc.  If you want to get together for coffee next week, let me know.  Chemo went well and I have only 4 more weeks!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Susan

Carol and Tracy

Thanks so much for your postings on the port.  I had mine put in today and it really went better than I thought it would.  It was at 8:30 and we were on the way home by 11 am!  I'm sore, just as you said I'd be, but I haven't needed a pain pill thus far and I've just made dinner.  Since it was "twighlight" it was easier and I was never nauseous.  The anesthesiologist got it just right.  However, due to the boat travel time, I was up at 4:30 am, ugh!

Take care of yourselves.

Peggy

BUMP

Hi All - Don't think I have posted here yet.  I'm planning to join you all on the 17th.  I'm 8 weeks out from bilateral mastectomy and will have TEs placed the week after the Red Robin outing.  Glad there is a group for Seattle types.  Thanks to Gina for hooking me up with this thread.

Tracy, looking forward to the 17th !!!!!

Tracy, looking forward to the 17th !!!!!



Gina .. I'm also planning on walking on the 7th, maybe some cel numbers can be exchanged via PM's so we can hook up. I have others from my 3 day team that I also plan on seeing. Should be a fun and emotional morning !!!

Hi all,

haven't been around for a time.  Tomorrow is my last chemo then on to RT.  It's been a bit weird the last few days, my neck has been aching no sore throat or anything, just feels like allergies only worse.  Sat was the worst, my head was felt like it was filled with sand and the left side of my face down my neck to my shoulders just ached.  I keep checking for swelling, lumps.  Yes cancer has turned me into a hypocongriac (sp).  Anybody else experience this.  This this is so weird, side effect seem to pop up just when you think I'm far enough along where I should be feeling normal.  I am almost afraid to say anything to my onc tomorrow for fear he will say we can't do the treatment.

Mage thanks for your post on panic.  It happens and I hate it, I hate that this thing can take me so low.  Some days I just tuck and roll.

Peg I had my port installed after my first round.  They put it in my arm as I was nutrapenic and the surgeon did not want to risk and infection that might compromise my reconstruction.  You'll see how much faster your treatment will do and blood draws are a breeze.  The first round was really hard on my vein and took so long.  When I got my port installed, I just told them I want to feel like I'm back in the day 1978 at a Greatful Dead show so pump the drugs.  Then one of the nurses broke into a couple of Dead tunes.  It was great.  And for a short time I was flying and feeling like I was back in the day.

Welcome Libby, glad you're here but I'd rather we met shopping for Prada or something.

I'm planning on making the 17, but it will depend on how the RT goes, I'll keep you posted.

And a big Happy Anniversary to Tracy.  Keep kicking girl!

Well going to lay down and try to get some rest, these steriods are ripping me up so I might be us at 3 cleaning toilets again.  ARRRRRR! 

Enjoy the sunny days!  And keep kicking butt!

I don't plan on the race this year, but one of my friends will be in it so we are collecting our loose change and such to send her on her way.

I was lurking watching everyone talk about June 7 Race for the Cure, thinking it would be a great thing to experience but just can't get any enthusiasm up to show up.  Maybe as it gets closer I'll feel more like it, especially if I can hook up with others of you.  I had my PS appointment yesterday to plan for tissue expanders June 22.  Kind of all caught up with me, I think, I actually spent the day nauseous afterwards.  I know it is the "fun" part, but the idea of feeling like an "elephant is sitting on my chest" for 3 days doesn't make me too excited - it will be nice to have semblance of breasts and shape again.  The uncomfortable sensations in my chest are calming down this week, and I can't say enough about how helpful Physical therapy has been for increasing my range of motion and releasing some scar tissue to facilitate that.  I also tried to do some desensitizing stuff in my chest area and I think it has also really helped.  It is beautiful outside, sun lifts my spirits. 

Hi Everyone,

I live in Seattle and am in the middle of breast ca tx and would like to join the Seattle forum.  Susan (aprilgirl) was kind enough to point it out to me last week.

I'm 56 years old and have 2 daughters in their 20's.  November 08 I was dx'd with stage 1 mixed ductal/lobular, grade 2, Er+/Pr+,Her2-, 0/6 nodes.  I had lumpectomy/sentinel node surgery in January 09, 6 wks of rad tx Feb - Apr, and started CMF chemotx last week.  Up until now I have to say that the worrying has been worse for me than the actual treatments themselves.  Hopefully that will be true for the chemo too.

I had a lot of anxiety about starting chemotx last week and found reading this forum and talking to Susan extremely helpful.   

Hi Gina,

I'm getting treated at Swedish also, Dr. Rinn. 

Hi Carol!!  how are you feeling?  you sound wonderful, and I'd love to see how your hair is doing.

Gina, my hair came back in white & fuzzy too - I swear, I looked like a dandelion.  it came back in kind of like a baby's, really fuzzy and pale, and took a couple of months to start like looking like hair rather than peach fuzz.  omg, and it was SO soft.  it was really hard to cut it that first time, it felt so good - just like a bunny rabbit.  the color will come back, but it won't be exactly like it was before.  the texture may be different too, so just roll with it.  and be really, really sure you want to cut it when you finally do, cuz that softness will never come back - it's from the pointed tips of the first new growth.  but, cutting it does get rid of the white/silver in it :-)

absolutely bring family to the Race - they need to be celebrated and supported too.  it would be well nigh impossible to get thru this without family, be they blood relatives or the family you've chosen.  I spent most of last year crying, but it was very cathartic to do it in a place where everyone understood and I didn't feel like I needed to keep under control.  my favorite part was talking to multi-year survivors. 

sleep well, everyone, may your week go well, your treatments tolerable and your se's few.  hugs around...Kalen

Tracy - wow - your surgery is this Friday!  I can imagine you are excited and apprehensive at the same time.  I also imagine you will not be at the race for the cure!

I am very happy for you as you will be dune with surgeries!

Susan