Starting chemo January 2009?

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  • BevR
    BevR Member Posts: 101
    edited July 2009

    BerkeleyKim---thanks for the link about the prophalatic mastecomy. Even though I am not a particularly high risk to have BC in the other breast, I am choosing to have the other removed when I have reconstructive surgery. I had no risk factors to get the first cancer so I figure for me the picture is blurry! I like the article though, it helps to show that no mater what the numbers are it is a purely a personal decision.

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  • holtbolt
    holtbolt Member Posts: 625
    edited July 2009
    Phyllis.. this may be too late but in the hospital giftshop.. they sold a camisole specifically made for this surgery that opens in the front and has  pockets inside on both sides that hold the drains.  That's what I had... if you don't have that.. you can take a couple safety pins and pin the drains up high inside whatever you're wearing.. then you don't have to worry about them pulling... does that make sense? My drains had loops for safety pins... if I remember right...  good luck.. check in when you can.. Smile
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  • BevR
    BevR Member Posts: 101
    edited July 2009

    My insurance paid for one camisole with pockets for the drains.

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  • lisalisa
    lisalisa Member Posts: 824
    edited July 2009

    hi all,

    can i ask a HUGE favor?  i'm one of 3 finalists in a contest to win a photo shoot worth $1,000.  go to http://bluelily.squarespace.com/   VOTE for me.  taked 2 seconds.  I'm the 2nd contestant.

    thank you!  spread the word if you can!  i'm off to UCLA for PET/CT scans today.  1 vote per computer.  voting ends TONIGHT at midnight!

    thank you!!!!

    lisa

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  • kt57
    kt57 Member Posts: 425
    edited July 2009
    Lisa: My vote is in.  Hope you win!
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  • BevR
    BevR Member Posts: 101
    edited July 2009

    I voted too! Great pictures---brought tears to my eyes!

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  • Hawaii808
    Hawaii808 Member Posts: 35
    edited July 2009

    Hi Lisa,

    I voted also.  I don't know if its too late but it took my vote.  You seem to be far ahead of the competition!.  It was a beautiful, touching video.  You have a beautiful family.  I guess I saw a little bit of myself in your photos, knowing the struggles we all went thru and how important family is.  Good luck!  I hope you win (or won).

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  • lisalisa
    lisalisa Member Posts: 824
    edited July 2009

    awww! thanks for the votes!  the contest is going till midnight tonight (PST).  one vote per computer.

    i hope i win!  would LOVE a big photo of my family....well, i'll stall till my hair looks better LOL!

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  • jillyG
    jillyG Member Posts: 401
    edited July 2009

    I voted Lisa!  You are way out in the lead......hope you win. 

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  • holtbolt
    holtbolt Member Posts: 625
    edited July 2009

    Lisa....I voted on all my computers and will pass it around... good luck!!

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  • lisalisa
    lisalisa Member Posts: 824
    edited July 2009

    Thanks Jilly and Cindy! 

    Cindy, any word on the concert?!?!?  I know Max must be getting impatient by now!

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  • holtbolt
    holtbolt Member Posts: 625
    edited July 2009

    Lisa - no reschedule date yet... but we are hopeful because they finally resumed the tour .... keeping fingers crossed!

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  • lisalisa
    lisalisa Member Posts: 824
    edited July 2009

    fingers crossed Cindy!!!

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  • ktym
    ktym Member Posts: 2,637
    edited July 2009

    Lisa, went to the link, but can't figure out hwo to vote.  Brought tears to my eyes hearing about the contestents who dropped out because they wanted you to win

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  • lisalisa
    lisalisa Member Posts: 824
    edited July 2009

    kmmd - isn't that just amazing!  this girl named Lauren dropped out to help me win.....2 others did too!  i'm so honored by them.....wow!

    to vote, you just scroll down to the end of the post....there is a little box that says, "who deserves to win" and then there are numbers.  i'm contestant #2.  it says cancer survivor lisa, i think!
    http://bluelily.squarespace.com

    thanks so much!

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  • jillyG
    jillyG Member Posts: 401
    edited July 2009

    See now, cancer does have some advantages, I knew there must be SOMETHING good about it!  haha.  How thoughtful for people to bow out of the contest.

    Doesn't it warm your heart to know people care so much about "us".  If anything, my cancer has shown me how wonderful the human spirit can be and how much people around me care.  Brings a little tear to my eye....I'm such an emotional basketcase lol. 

    Anyway, keep us posted on the results!

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  • lisalisa
    lisalisa Member Posts: 824
    edited July 2009

    I WON!   I WON!!!

    I'm so excited!!!  thank you all for your votes!  and, yes, jilly, it does do my heart good to know that people care about us cancer patients!!!!

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  • ktym
    ktym Member Posts: 2,637
    edited July 2009

    Lisa, yeah and congrats.  How nice of them to give the miniprise to those who supported you.  Watched your video again, what a wonderful family.  You keep fighting like a girl. I wear that pin daily, always have, even before I got breast cancer

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  • BevR
    BevR Member Posts: 101
    edited July 2009

    CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!

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  • jrgolomb
    jrgolomb Member Posts: 1,236
    edited July 2009

    kmmd---I love that you wear a pin 'keep fighting like a girl".   I am getting a tee made up like that today! It will especially resonate at our next TKD event.

    I had a bit of a reprieve from the hot flashes, but this morning!  whew! 

    Lisa---I can't wait to see the photos.  What a wonderful idea!!!  

    Bev---How are you??????

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  • lisalisa
    lisalisa Member Posts: 824
    edited July 2009

    I am SO GLAD that they gave a mini prize to Lauren.  Lauren is amazing!  as soon as she read my entries, she gave up her chance and helped me instead.  I HAVE to meet her someday!  she's incredible!  as are all of you!

    off to vacation!  see you in a week!

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  • holtbolt
    holtbolt Member Posts: 625
    edited July 2009

    Congrats Lisa!!  Lauren rocks... she must have a very good heart!   Enjoy your vaca Lisa!!

    Phyllis.. you out there?  How are you?? 

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  • Alo123
    Alo123 Member Posts: 308
    edited July 2009

    Hi Jewels.....just popping in for a minute to say Aloha.  I am on vacation and don't get on the computer as much.  I'll have to catch up on all the old posts.....I hope everyone is doing well.  Personally....I am fine.  More later!

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  • BerkeleyKim
    BerkeleyKim Member Posts: 390
    edited July 2009

    Lisa--Great!! Let us know how the photo shoot goes when you do it! Have a great vacation. Time to have some fun...

    Phyllis-Hope you're doing well after the surgery. Wishing you speedy healing!

    Alo-great to hear from you, and that you're doing well.

    Have one more radiation on Monday! Hooray! Decided to take my first bisphosphonate this am (I got the ibandronate--same as Boniva but every day). I hope I don't have some of the terrible SEs that I've read about. I sure worry every decision to the max! Beautiful day here, and I'm determined to keep getting outside. I've been walking lots and trying to cut back on snacking and eat lots of fruit/vegies, but I can't seem to lose weight! I wonder if it's the Arimidex.

    Have a great weekend, Jewels.

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  • ladyjane54
    ladyjane54 Member Posts: 192
    edited July 2009

    Hi Jewels.  Life has gotten busy with new granddaughter in house.  DH's new job keeping him away from home a lot more than I would like.  Thank God the major part of my treatment is done and I am feeling pretty well. 

     7 of 33 radiations done.  So far so good.  Don't seem to be having any side effects yet.  Still experiencing a lot of neutopathy in hands and feet from chemo though.  Anyone know when that goes away.  I am almost 5 weeks out from last chemo.

    Patti

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  • jillyG
    jillyG Member Posts: 401
    edited July 2009

    Hello Jewels......I am doing my big 60km Weekend to End Breast Cancer walk next weekend.  My husband and I and our friend make up our team and we raised over $5400.00 for the Alberta Cancer Board.  Before the event started 3 years ago the budget for breast cancer research in my Province was $300,000/yr and now because of this event, over $5.5 million dollars has been raised each year.  I am so excited to be a part of a fundraising event that is specifically benefitting the fight against breast cancer.  I know I'll be an emotional wreck the whole weekend when I see all the survivors and meet other women fighting the fight and hearing all the stories throughout the walk, but everyone that's done it that I know, says it's a lifechanging weekend.  Wish me luck!

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  • ktym
    ktym Member Posts: 2,637
    edited July 2009

    Good luck Jilly,

    LadyJane. 5 weeks is still early out of chemo to get much of anything better.  re:neuropathy everyone is a little different. If you really look into it they tell you it can worsen for up to 4-5 months after chemo (mine still is).  How long depends on how bad it is.  Nerves regenerate at a mm a month.  If its just the tips of toes or fingers, it won't take that long.  If its your heels of your feet, your whole hand etc then it will obviously take a lot longer.   Neuropathy is just the pits

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  • PLUTZ
    PLUTZ Member Posts: 133
    edited July 2009

    Hi ladies. Well my surgery went well. Came home yesterday afternoon after waiting 2 hours for my paperwork and prescriptions. I feel pretty good. My arm hurts but I guess that was expected. I've just been pinning my drain underneath my shirts. Its noticeable but nothing I can do about that. The hospital is sending me a home health aide starting today and for this week to change my dressings and check the drain. Were any of you depressed after having your surgery? Maybe it hasn't hit me yet. I guess I'm just relieved that I'm almost done with all this. I have an appt. Fri. with my rad dr. I was told by one of the nurses that I have to wait 4-6 weeks to start rads. Is this true?

    lisalisa-congratulations!

    LadyJane- My neuropathy seems to be getting worse. Sometimes it feels like my whole feet and hands get numb. i think I'm going to lose one of my big toe nails. Its almost all white. It doesn't help any that its been bumped a few times. I haven't been able to wear closed shoes, so I just wear my sandals. I'm hoping it goes away soon, but my onc. told me it could be weeks or months. UGH. My tear ducts have gotten better. Not so teary anymore.

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  • jrgolomb
    jrgolomb Member Posts: 1,236
    edited July 2009

    Hello everyone.  I hope you all had a nice weekend.  My husband was gone and we didn't have any exercise classes on Saturday, so it was a very peaceful weekend.  My dd had a bunch of online coursework to finish; that was a bit of pressure, but necessary for her to finish. 

    BKim---I would love to see those redwood trees, but I have to question "real" trees?  Let's discuss usefulness vs. something pretty to look at in the Redwood forests: the Michigan white pines have bark you could peel and use for writing notes to each other.  The bark was/is used for shelter, and beautiful to work with if you are into carving. And those of us who want to preserve the beautiful White Pine love looking at them.  So here we go again.  California wine vs. Michigan wine and NOW California trees vs. Michigan trees.  LOL!Wink  I still say if you and I ever get together for that NAPA visit, we will have to go to Leelanau Penninsula in Michigan and check out the cherries and grapes there as well.  

    All kidding aside, wouldn't a visit of some sort be wonderful?  I know we have all mentioned it before.. I wonder if we could banter about a place and a time.   A JJ get together.  How exciting.  I am still saving my nickels and dimes for a trip .  IDEAS??????

    Phyllis--I bet you are so glad to have that part of your treatment done with.  I had surgery during christmas break.  I trust and hope the 2009 winter break will be better.  I am losing my left big toe nail.  I also have signs of two of the other toe nails on my left foot and one-maybe two on my right foot.  I was told to soak the toes in Epson salts to keep them clean.  Last spring one of my students stomped on my big toe- the white part became gooey and oozed (  tmi-sorry)  ,but felt much better after I soaked it in peroxide.  plus , it dried out and now is falling off ever so slowly.  

    Jilly --Good luck with your walk .  That is wonderful amount of money you raised. Congratulations.

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  • ktym
    ktym Member Posts: 2,637
    edited July 2009

    Jess, how fun, all the January jewels together bringing things from their home state and comparing wine, cherry jelly etc. Oh yes, Michigan Vernor's. Mackinaw Island fudge. maple syrup, what else am I missing?

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