Crazy Sexy Cancer in Seattle

Susan--Thanks for the good vibes last night during my MRI--it worked, the MRI was all clear! Congrats on finishing your rads tomorrow!! How is your skin holding up? Wow, you won't know what to do with yourself without all those ferry rides over for chemo and rads!

Towhee and Patti--thanks for the info about Harmony Hill, I've wondered about it too. Sounds amazing!

Hugs to all,

Jean

Jessica,

I think we must have been posting at the same time last night, just seeing your post now. Congratulations on the clear margins and I'm glad it hasn't gone beyond the first 2 nodes. Sorry to hear about the hematoma, does sound painful. Hopefully things will settle down soon.

Jean

Cheers -- This sounds like good news!   I'm sorry about the hematoma!  I hope you are better soon.

Hugs to all.

Jean, Congrats on the clear MRI!!

April, Congrats on the last Rad!!

Thanks for all the support ladies!  I got one drain out today, hopefully the other on Monday.  Have a good weekend in the rain, it's gona be a soup by the fire weekend for me.  xoxo Jessica

It's a lazy Sunday here in Poulsbo, and thankfully not quite as wet and windy as yesterday !!!

So I ended up getting a rather surprise phone call last week from the PS office.  Looks like my long wait for recon surgery has been moved up rapidly.  I'm now scheduled for Jan 14th "yikes" !!!  Actually the timing is great, after the holidays, before spring .... a good time to be laying low for about 6 to 8 weeks.  

I thought I'd give my two cents worth on Harmony Hill.  I went back in 2008, while I was doing chemo.  It was a day retreat with all types of cancer patients.   It wasn't necessarily a warm/fuzzy experience to be a rather "newbie" cancer patient and listening to a few others that we're basically dealing with late stage 4 diagnosis.   I do believe that they may have a bit more specific agenda for some of their day retreats.  Just something to ponder.  The grounds we're beautiful the food delicious and the staff very sympathetic. 

cheers -- Glad you have at least one drain out!  Take care.

bump

cheers247,

Congrats on getting the drains out! The lymphedema therapy is so important. I went for pt for 6 mos with a lymphedema therapist in Oly and would reccomend it to anyone who had nodes out. Even though some women never have problems with it, being educated about it is a good thing for all. There are tools and techniques that can help manage lymphedema. Hope you feel better soon.

Annie 

Are you in the Active Program, Jessica? Isn't it amazing? I did that as well as art therapy. In fact, I'm still doing art therapy. It has been a godsend. The Swedish programs for cancer patients are excellent and FREE! Gotta love that. They do a Yoga class, but it's not ongoing. That I would attend for sure. You are feeling blah because you've earned it! You are doing so much in a short time. Don't forget to breathe!

Judie

Jessica, you have the right to feel "blah" - and today's gray skies don't help.  Swedish seems to have amazing programs and hopefully the pt works fast.  You are one amazing, strong lady and every day you will be getting stronger and stronger (healing from surgery and chemo).

edited to add that I am STILL waiting for that "new normal" happines to kick in......anyone?  When does that start?????!!!!!

XO

Susan

hello ladies!  i am not originally from seattle - but we have been stationed here for a few years and will have a few years left...  i am inspired by your strength and positivity.  i figure i have lurked long enough and should come out of the shadows at some point.   i am brca1+ and have had abnormal biopsies since i was 18 years old.  my most recent mammogram showed a lump on the left side that the surgeon wanted to remove. i finally made the decision to have a pbm.  the path results confirmed that i had made the right decision with cancer on both sides.  my margins are clear and systemic treatment is now my choice.  i am currently trying to do reconstruction - roadblocks making it difficult.  i have done so much research that i cannot absorb anymore.  i seem to not fit the mold of 'normal' anyway.  if there is such a thing...

anyway - you ladies are amazing!  you give me hope and courage just knowing that you have fought and won.  thank you for sharing your lives and your fight.

Hi Armywifeandmommy, I too am glad you found us!  It does seem like there are lots of us in the Seattle area. 

I am 3 wks post bilat, and had more fluid drained out today, so gross, and painful!  The hyst has completely healed, if I didn't have scars I wouldn't know I had it.  I'm going to start rads ASAP, but have to wait until all of this fluid is under control.  I am having my PT at Swedish, but not the Active program, it's the breast surgery/lymphedema prevention program.  I now have signs of lymph edema in both arms, and have to wear compression sleves on both, and one around my chest.  BLAH!

Try to stay dry with all of this rain!  xoxo Jessica

Hey Tracy (the leader of the pack) .....  I'll keep it short and sweet this eve .... looking forward to a group gathering as well .... and I'll go along with Susan, the 3rd looks good to me, but pretty flexible during weeknights !

A pleasant weekend to all my SIS friends !!!!!!