Has anyone started a forum for Chemo in Dec 2008?

Wonderful news Mandy!!!  I'm so happy for you!

Great news on the lung infection

Well, tomorrow is my one year anniversary since dx. A year ago, I considered myself dead not knowing anything about cancer. So here am I a year later, happy & alive Surgery anniversary in 2 weeks. I guess this is the beginning of all those one year milestones for us. I have found myself very emotional entering October this year. Last week, I had to go out of town (a simple hour drive!) to run an errand and found myself driving back home right in front of THE spot when I got the call. I had gone shopping at the outlet with my MIL when hubby called to say my BS wanted to see me that day, my appt wasn't for another week. I knew it before she returned my call, why else would she want to see me NOW, 2 days past biopsy. Anyhow, I was driving, kids in the back seat and saw the outlet mall, I got all teary remember that moment so vividly. Phew, what a year it has been!

Yep, I never thought I'd be thrilled to have a lung infection. But it sure beats the alternative. Thanks for the good wishes.

Cebula: those anniversaries do pop out at us.  But the good news is that you are here and will celebrate many more of those anniversaries.  

Have a nice day! 

Just checking in to see how everyone is doing.  Can't hardly believe that it has been one year for most of us.  It all seems like a bad dream.  When i was first diagnosed, I would have the same dream for weeks.  I was diagnosed with cancer and it was horrible and then I would wake up and it was just a bad dream.  Well it was not a dream but I did make it through.  Had some hard times but it gets better all the time.  All of you have helped with kind words and advice.  It would of been difficult without having this thread and CMF thread to get help from people who were going thru the same things.  And for anyone who asked me what I got out of this.  I may of changed a little bit, but like everyone else said I was a good person before and maybe I am a little better now.  But the big thing is CANCER SUCKS!!!

Have a great weekend,

Colleen

Well Texas, I think we can honestly say that out of all of us, you probably had it the worst Not everyone's body reacts the same way. I had it rather easy. I hope those linguering SEs stop soon for you.

So, we headed out to Trader Joe's yesterday to get this amazing marinated beef they have to grill. Picked up myself a homemade Chocolate Ganache Torte (from TJ as well) and a nice bottle of wine. I know right, charcoal & wine to celebrate a year past cancer dx! We had a great evening, played a Trouble with the kids, they were hyper from the chocolate, we were from the wine.. oops, we had fun screaming around the table. The small things in life

WAAA!! I want a Trader Joe's to open near us! Houston is the 4th largest city in the U.S. and we don't have a Trade Joe's. I love that place!

Even at Whole Foods I have to check each and every ingredient.  I started doing that because I have a daughter who as a child had a life threatening allergic reaction to sodium metabisulfite, a preservative used in coconut and dried fruits as well as other things (she has since outgrown it, amazing as that seems).  I was always surprised to find that even in a place such as Whole Foods, you might find dried fruits that were preserved. I agree with Cebula that people go to these "healthy" markets thinking everything is good, but while everything is better than in an ordinary market, it is not all good.

However, if you are craving coke, Whole Foods sells a coke made with sugar, not corn syrup.  I bought 4 bottles at one point when I wanted coke.  I still have 3 left but it is nice to know it is out there.

Hugs to all.

Mandy

Hi Divas!!  I've been absent for a while.  Needed to be in a no cancer zone for awhile.

Congrats, on infections, arthritis etc instead of mets.  BC sure has change our perspective on things.

Texas, I still don't have eyebrows either.  The lashes on my left eye are about half way back and are looking good.  My right eye has lashes that are all bent and going every which way.  So, still no mascara for me.  I have one chemo ridge on each fingernail and then they will be back to normal.  The hair, well, 8 months now post chemo and I finally have about an inch.  The color is a nice medium brown except for the corners of my forehead. (no my head isn't actually square), those hair are blond.  Not white, but a really pretty golden blond.  So far my hair is still pretty straight but it is starting to wave a bit.  It almost looks on purpose.

I have a job interview on Fri.  I don't know if I should tell them I spent the past year battling cancer or not.  I didn't work so there is that hole in my resume.  What do you all think? 

Hi everyone,

I haven't been here for awhile and wanted to stop in and say hello.  It's so good to catch up on your posts!  My dx anniversary was September 15 and my surgery date will be Oct. 21, so I'm right in the "zone" with everyone else on this thread.  Arimidex and arthritis give me lots of aches and pains, but Celebrex is good for those and they aren't cancer-related!  I do have capsular contracture and the PS is recommending another surgery if vitamin E and Trental don't help in a couple of months.  I've had more problems with reconstruction than most of the other treatments combined.  The capsular contracture feels just like the TE did -- NOT good.  Congrats to all of us celebrating our 1 year anniversaries!!  --Bonnie   

Well, it just occured to me that if I have chest/breast lymphedema, I should get my boob squished next week for my mammo! Just called my BS and we'll see if she agrees to the MRI due to my swelling concerns. Really don't want a mammo, they hurt Plus, I never got a breast MRI last year so it would give me extra peace of mind.

Good luck tomorrow Firni! And Caroline good point about the mammo. Even though I've had a double, my BS says he wants to order one every 2 years to watch for skin mets. Does anyone else still see their BS? I expected that I wouldn't see him after I saw him the week after surgery but he says once a year at least.

Firmi, good luck! I would not tell about bc unless they ask.  

My BS said he wants to see me every 6 mo the first 2 years and then once a year. I am planning to have thermoscan once a year. My onc wants to see me every 6 months for the next 3 years. 

Anybody had a PET scan done at the 1 year anniversary? I don't know if I should have one or not?

Have a good weekend! 

Can't stop crying. The eye doctor who put in the stints is a jerk. I've had nothing but problems with him and his staff. So I self-referred myself to a specialist in Taxotere-related eye problems down at MD Anderson Cancer Center.

The only problem: they need my records from the jerky eye doctor I've been seeing and they aren't sending them!!!!

The eye doctor is part of a group that has several offices, and the medical records office is downtown but my chart is at an office closer to where I live. Somehow I wasn't surprised when they told me they can't fax my records unless they have my chart downtown so I'm just going to have to wait until someone can transport it.

This is an eye surgeon who, among other things, required me to find another doctor to order the chest x-ray and EKG for the surgery HE was doing; never came to see me before the surgery or talk to my husband afterward, and FORGOT to get insurance authorization so he can remove the friggen stints. Meanwhile, he's trying to strong arm me into another surgery that only he does.

When there's ice in the center of the earth maybe.  But in the meantime, they are throwing a major roadblock into my getting help elsewhere. My eyes have been watering nonstop since April -- I go through a box of tissues a week easily -- and I'm at the breaking point.

Be strong Texas! You can do this. Wish you all the best!

xoxo