san diego area

Hi Everyone,

I miss all of you.  I'm so hoping to make the next get together on the 27th - is that the correct date?  We have football on Fridays and Saturday, so Sundays work best for me for the next few months... 

I'm sorry I missed meeting Adnerb and Lilyj - and seeing LisaSDCA!!  Lisa - I hope you get that scooter soon.  You'll need to have someone shoot some video of you to post.  I hope it's candy apple red with racing stripes. 

I've got an appointment with my ONC today.  I'm still on a 3 month schedule and I'm about 1-1/2 years out from my last treatment.  When do the visits get spread further apart? 

take care all,

Lisa #3 

The 27th works for me, too.  Am looking forward to seeing you all.

Where?

Jeanne 

Lisa...if you can make it..I can pick you up...let me know

September 11, 2009

Hi San Diego Girls,

Just got back from the ONC and learned a bunch of important things:

I had 2 tumors, the bigger one was as big as a golf ball.  They don’t have the same pathology as the one that I had 4 years ago.  This means they were new primaries, not recurrences.

There was no lymph node involvement, no tumors were found in the lymph nodes.  Margins were clear.  Yeah!

Because of the size and the rate of growth I need 6 chemo sessions, one every 21 days.  The cocktail will consist of Cytoxan and Taxotere.  I will lose my hair again. (sniff, sniff).  I can’t start chemo until my mastectomy incisions are somewhat healed, maybe a month and a half from now.

The ONC suggests a blood test called BRCA.

As for me, I’m feeling better each day, not having the need to take too many pain pills, and starting to do non-strenuous exercises with my arms.

I see the PS and the BS on Monday.  I’m keeping my fingers crossed that drains will be removed!!

Take care.

P.S. Lynn, I did not know you were a San Diego girl as well! 

September 14, 2009

NO MORE DRAINS!!  It actually felt very, very good when the nurses were taking them out.  Unbelievably good.

So I get to take a shower tomorrow!

I see P.S. again in 2 weeks, ONC in a month.  You are now updated.

Love,

Wow I feel like I have been gone for a week or something.

Brenda S. Sounds like things are moving along. Yeah for no nodes!

Lynn-Welcome to the San Diego Lunch Bunch. Hope to meet you soon.

It looks like the 27th is shaping up to be a good day. Now where are we going?

Hi Lynn, well, not really any rules, they prefer that we don't fight!  haha, but gals do get pretty opinionated at times and everyone is under stress.

But truly, you are welcome to post a new topic, hop onto any other topic that is interesting to you.  No rules really.  You will make friends fast and that is soooo comforting.

Vent anywhere, we all do.  It is nice that we are all sisters, we have BEEN there and you don't have to worry about worrying a loved one. (Although you will quickly be a loved one here)

So don't be shy, just ask away, one of us has had about everything, I think there is more info here than almost any doctor could possibly know.  Although we try to avoid any medical advice, we sure know where to get cute wigs!

Glad you are here and if you can't make this month's meeting, you are welcome any month you can come, we just chat and smile at each other and we have become great friends.

Hugs, Shirlann

I am not yet set up for surgery (exasperating PA in neurosurgeon's office) but California Pizza Kitchen is a winner for me, too.

Liz - I will take you up on your offer of a ride. You are so good to me!

Brenda S - no nodes and no drains! Whoop-te-doo!

Shirl - ran into a bit of weather up yonder, didja? You had a great time anyway, right? Do you have pix?

Brenda - how's the head feeling these days? I'm glad you are planning on attending this month's meeting - there was a vital ingredient missing in Aug. - YOU!

Susan - thank you so much for choosing to participate in my 'scooter procurement fund' on the Stage IV board. You are such a sweetie!

Lynn - hope you get to join us this month, but if a bilat.mastectomy gets in the way, we'll understand.

Jeanne and Lisa#3 - it's been a busy summer for you guys! Great that you are planning on making this brunch!

Bonnid - are going to have a bit of early chemo-curls to display this month?

Cheers!

Lisa

Hi sisters, actually, it was gorgeous in Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan, we got a big storm on the way back between the inside passage and Victoria.  It really blew and rained.  But the day we took the train up the Chilcote trail in Skagway, it was good weather, we were lucky, going so late in the year, it had rained the two weeks before.  We hired a float plane to take us to see the grizzly bears and that day was nice too.  We only saw bears at a distance, so I was a little disappointed, since we were so close when we were up there 20 years ago.  Ah well.  It was a great cruise.

Is the CPK off of 15?  Let me know, I will be there.

Hugs, Shirl

Shirl - glad to hear you didn't hit the nasty weather 'til the return trip! My father always said Alaska was the most beautiful place on Earth, and he traveled the world as a career military officer. Unfortunately, it's also the ONE state I haven't set foot in. Perhaps I can stow away on your next cruise!

Sylvia! Long time, no see! Thanks for the kind thoughts. I'm determined that the surgery set for the week of Oct 8th will be my last one. Stage IV be damned!

Liz - on target for needing that ride, please. Only thing that could possibly derail it is my new port placement - and my chosen dr. isn't likely to have time before the next two weeks are up. One can hope, still. Besides, a port is no more than a cricked neck for a few days, right?

Lisa

Lisa - I don't know if I'll have curls.  It's still kind of short, short but I definitely have started growing my hair back.

Everyone, We're on our way back from a week in Las Vegas where we attended SuperZoo 2009 - it's a pet store/groomer conference.  We went to attend the classes in anticipation of a new venture we're going into.  I'll tell you about it over lunch.  No gambling - we stayed in a condo and walked through a casino only one time.  How I love having a wireless card for my computer - I can get on the internet anywhere as long as the card can make contact with the ATT cellular network.

I had what I think is a reaction to Femara; my ankles were swollen; really strange as that's not listed in the se list.  Stopped taking it before we left for LV and the swelling went away.  I was planning to call my onc office tomorrow but my husband suggested I take the Femara again to see if the same thing happens again.  Then we'll know for sure.  I'll take his suggestion and start back on it tonight. 

See my PS on Thursday in anticipation of exchange surgery the following Wednesday.

Looking forward to lunch next Sunday.

Brahna

Lisa #3..sure hope you can make it..we have missed you!!

Lets count then

You are #1

me#2

BMD #4

Shirl#5 (if she remembers)

Sylvia#5

Guitar girl #6

 Bonnid #7

 Jeanne #8

Lily#9

LisaSDCA#10

sheri Maybe

cruzer Maybe

anyone else??

How about the mysterious #3?

Lisa