Crazy Sexy Cancer in Seattle

So would one be insane to do elective surgery in the middle of a heat wave? I'm seriously reconsidering. Tomorrow is supposed to break the record for highest temperature EVER in Seattle. Don't you just love breaking records???

Judie

Heidi, I'm scheduled for Friday at 2:45pm, so doubt that I would be welcomed with open arms before then...lol. I haven't canceled yet...back and forth. I have no AC and am on the eighth floor with lots of windows. It's 91 degrees in here right now. But, it's on the books and I hate to waste all the preparations. I'll decide for sure tomorrow. I just want to be sure of having the best chance of an uneventful recovery.

I just love the way Heidi Sue sounds. Kind of like a highly sophisticated version of the Southern tradition of cutesy double names. I never liked those, but love the one your mother and I came up with...lol. My daughter was born in 1967. So who thought of the name first...your mother or me? She's also an outstanding daughter and friend. I'll bet you are, too!

Hope everyone is chillin' somehow. I'm sipping a smoothie of my own making...frozen mixed berries, frozen banana, milk, ice, Fume Blanc...all blended to slushy perfection.

Hey Jule, you make me blush!!!

I scrapped surgery. I really feel crappy in this heat. It's elective. Why would I do that to myself??? I'll re-schedule in the fall. I've agonized over it for days and am utterly relieved. It's the right decision.

Sept 29th I'll be in New England, but the other two dates will work for me.  Once we decide, I'll put it on the "Get Together" site.

Hello Seattle sisters - I have had lots of house guests, and still am recovering from my reduction/reexcision that was three weeks ago.

My path report came back all clear too Tracy!  Woohoo!  Right now can't IMAGINE squishing "the girls" in a mammogram - ouch - so good idea to postpone.

All the dates seem good to me - if Patti can only come on  9/16 - maybe we do that date?

My sister in law and her bf (from Germany) left this morning, and my in-laws are still here.  We have a friend from Canada arriving on Friday.  

Lots of fun and laundry

Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying August

Susan

Hello again ladies!!  I'm thrilled that Susan and Tracy are all clear!!!!  I started Herceptin again last week, and am being admitted to SMC for each treatment (allergy to taxol) for long taxol & herception infusions.  It takes more than 12 hrs for the treatment and I get tons of premeds.  I have 5 more weekly treatments, this pushes my surgeries to the end of Oct. now.  I'm glad everyone is doing so well!!  I'll try to come to the get together, just depends where it falls in my chemo cycle... I'm so glad it's cooled off some here... much love!!!!!!!  Jessica

HeidiSue - you are correct, I had 24 weeks.  i agree, you and I are the only ones that I have seen on these boards with weekly CMF, although SCCA said that is the only way they do CMF.

Congratulations on completing 12!!!!  Halfway there is wonderful!  I would certainly ask about 24 vs. 26 but I bet your oncologist has a reason why....they always seem to.  

How do you feel overall?  I was so happy to reach halfway, but the fact that I had 12 left seemed a bit overwhelming at the time.  If you feel that way too, I assure you that you will be ticking those last 14 off and be done in no time.

I think you are right that we are all in summer mode.  I have been so busy with houseguests and doing fun things that I haven't been on the boards much.

Jessica - only 5 more - that is wonderful too.  I can't believe that it takes 12 hours - what a day.  Once school starts and I start radiation I would be happy to come meet you at Swedish if you are up to it.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Susan

Hi Susan - I asked my onc why it was 26, not 24, and she said it was because that was the # in the studies, but her nurse told me that they do 24 with some patients.  Go figure.  I have been doing pretty well, the main thing bothering me now is fatigue, which I just noticed, maybe 2 weeks ago.  It's fine on a day I take it easy, but on a work day, or a day I try to cram too much in, I really notice this late afternoon slump, which is really like no feeling I've ever had.  It feels good to be 12 into it.  I'm feeling like the rest will go faster.  I really appreciate the assurance from you - helps to hear it from someone who's done it.  So you start radiation next month?  Healing OK?  That's alot of ferry rides!

 Jessica - I haven't talked to you before but I would be happy to drop by whenever I'm a Swedish when you are having your treatments if you want some company, or someone to bring you something to eat besides their sandwiches.  I have my treatment on Thursday afternoons, usually around 4pm, and I have 14 more weeks to be there.  Do you have to come back in later for Neulasta shots or IV hydration or anything?  Good luck.

Sounds good Jessica.  Hope things go well for you tomorrow.

Heidi 

Hi girls!

I haven't posted in soooo long - just been reading, hoping to gain more knowledge of all this.

I wanted to respond to HeidiSue and Susan:  I am also on the CMF regiment.  However, I am on it for 12 weeks, 2 weeks on and 2 weeks off.  I take cytoxan orally (everyday for 2 weeks) and have the methotrexate and 5Fu by IV once a week for 2 weeks.  Could the difference be the different type of BC I have?  Looks to me like everyone here has IDC except me!

I will finish my 2nd 2 weeks tomorrow.  So far it hasn't been too bad.....a little tired, bad case of diarrhea, and a kind of numb feeling in my legs some days.  I do OK the day after the IV stuff, but by Friday I'm knocked out.

Been spending a lot of time in my garden...amazing amount of tomatoes this year.  I think our hot spell had something to do with that.

Hope you are all as well as possible.

Deb -- Just so you don't feel alone (!)...I am and ILC'er also.

Re: tomatoes and growing season.  Our apple tree is loaded down with apples, more so than usual.  But the blackberries seem slow to ripen this year, most around here are still green.

Gina -- how's the hair growth going?  I have a bunch of crazy white hair all over my head.  Well "a bunch" is relative...most would describe it as "sparse" but I guess these comments belong on the hair hair hair thread!  Glad Orcas was fun.

Take care.

Peggy

Hi all,

Heidi - Duh, I feel so stupid....I was going over my path report from surgery again, and noticed that they found IDC in my right breast (besides the ILC).  No one mentions this when they talk about my cancer so I'm now at a loss for why I'm on the CMF regime.  I can't believe I missed that.  Anyway, I wonder now if I'm being treated for both or what.  I did notice though that Gina's dx is IDC and she did the CMF also.  Maybe it's because we're Swedish patients!  I see Dr. Ellis who is in the same office with Dr Rinn.  Anyway, I guess it's time for more questions.  I find I can get a lot of info from the nurses.

Gina - I'd love it if the Onc would take me down to 2 cytoxan a day!  I'm having a terrible problem with my stomach - not nauseated but kind of knotted up.  I shouldn't complain, it's not nearly as bad as I imagined it would be.

Aug. 21 and another weird, cloudy summer day in our glorious PNW!  Hope you are all doing ok.