Starting Chemo April 2009

The Amazing Alaina Bracelet!!!

My good friend (and extremely talented jewelry designer) Kathy Reading has created a beautiful bracelet for Breast Cancer Awareness Month in my honor! I am so stunned and humbled, I hardly know what to say, but to say that I love Kathy is not even enough!

There are only a few of these bracelets available, but if you would like one, please visit her site ---> http://catjudesigns.com/Catju_Designs/Blog/Entries/2009/10/11_Breast_Cancer_Month_-_Amazing_Alaina.html

If the Amazing Alaina bracelets sell out, please take a look at some of her other georgeous designs! Your support of her would be a small measure of the gratitude I have for everything she has done for me! She is truly a wonderful person!

I am blessed to be loved and cared for so creatively by her!

Alaina

Hey Dawn..I happened to be passing through and I saw you had posted!  How are YOU doing? How is soccer going?

Lena...you don't want us to come after you now do YOU????

Helen..didn't you have a bump on your arm?  What did the dr say it was?  I still have mine though it is very small, my doctors said to not worry about so I haven't...hopefully you have nothing to worry about either!   

Judy!  I have a little osteoperosis also...just take the D and calcium and you will be fine!  How much are you supposed to take...I still haven't had my D levels taken yet..so I just went ahead and started taking it..I'm taking about 4000 IU's per day..heard you couldn't OD on it so I thought what the heck!

Give those kids of yours another hug from me! (they probably will think you are weird..but heck..that's what MOM's are all about!

I thought I'd drop in here to say "hi." I've been hanging out on the Sept. 09 Rads thread for the past 6 weeks, but now my radiation is done!

I am doing okay, pretty well. Today is my first day that I don't have to drive all the way (only 7 miles, but with the traffic and parking, it feels like 37!) into Boston for anything! I am so looking forward to getting a bit stronger and getting my energy back. Between chemo and radiation, I'm tired! 

 The good thing about being done with radiation is that it feels like yet another cancer chapter is done. I'm still on Herceptin until the end of May, but I do feel great that I have completed another step.  I feel like so many parts of my life stopped when I was diagnosed and then treatment has been so all consuming. I'm so looking forward to just returning to my normal life! Whatever that is!

Take care everyone,

Pam

I just read something "interesting" in my newspaper, in the column written by Dr. Oz. He writes: "Aspirin does have great additional anti-cancer benefits: It can decrease - by about 40 per cent - your risk of cancer of the colon, rectum, bladder, esophagus, breast and prostate."

I am shocked by this statement. Has anyone else heard of this or been told to take Aspirin to reduce risk of breast cancer?

Hi ladies!  I just saw the April 2009 chemo thread and thought I would drop by to say hello.  I am so glad to see that you all are still staying in touch.  That is wonderful!  I am back at work (teaching) and quite honestly, come home so exhausted every day that I can dream of nothing else but going to bed each night.  Anyone else feel like that?  Also have HAD IT WITH TAMOXIFEN and the irritable, nasty, short-tempered person I have become.  I wonder if all my nurturing qualities went right out the window with my estrogen!!!????  No hot flashes, just an awful change of personality...... I don't like myself right now and didn't take a pill today in rebellion.  My DH says he'd rather have me alive and _itchy, then dead.  Hmmmm..... do I really believe him???  Have any of you investigated alternative therapies to tamoxifen?  Hope you are well!   Seems like a lifetime ago already that we went through chemo, doesn't it?  Tammy

Hi all, just passing through, good to hear from you!

Have a good weekend, hugs, Judy x

As of today, I have completed 13 of 28 radiation treatments! 13 you say? For those keeping track, you may wonder why only 13 and not 14...well, the machine was broken yesterday, so no rads!

So that means this phase of treament will end on 11/20/09 instead of 11/19/09.

So far my skin is holding up! Tape dots have been removed and left my skin ON my body! Praise God! I will have to be scraped off the ceiling if (when) the tape dots take my skin with them (and I fear that day is coming). I've still got 3 full weeks of treatment left (15 rads), and the effects on your skin are cumulative.

I'm using prescription Biafine cream emulsion on my skin and it's really nice. I have to use it 2x a day (once right after treatment and once before bed).

So what's on tap for the weekend? FUN!!! I've never been one to get too excited about Halloween, but today is special. One of my bestest girlfriends is getting MARRIED TODAY! And yes, the wedding and reception are COSTUME! I'm going dressed as a Green M&M! LOL!!!

Tomorrow, I have a busy day as well. Church in the morning. Brunch (somewhere). My friend Sharon's Bon Voyage Party (she's going to Naples, Italy ya'll! for THREE YEARS!!!) And then zipping back up the beltway to get to CenterStage Theatre for a 7:30pm showing of "The Importance of Being Earnest" (it's 2 hours and 40 minutes long, I hope I stay awake!)

Here's wishing each of you has a weekend filled with love and fun!

Alaina

Alaina, sounds like a great weekend! Hope you enjoy every minute!

Hugs to all, Judy x

Hi Chelev, so sorry that you are worrying about "something". .....and yes, I do remember Gilda.

Fortunately, you already have an appt so you'll get seen quickly.

Chelev..maybe an infection?  Know exactly where you are coming from..you think every thing is OK..going well and then something happens..probalby nothing..we freak out about everything!

I have a follow mammo tomorrow and I'm freaking..realistically I shouldn't be..this is just "procedure"...6th month follow up but I still dread going to the freaking thing...I just had one on my left one and it was fine...the right one just got done with treatment...I don't feel any lumps or anything...and I feel awesome..I feel healthy!  Just trying to keep my mind off of it

Yes, we need to keep each other informed of what's happening. I still have a lump in my upper arm - just above the elbow. Both the surgeon and onc said it doesn't feel like anything but they are sending me to another doctor to get it removed. ...."always something" right? (((Titan))) (((Chelev)))

Titan, yes, we are always going to freak out about one thing or another after all of this!  I'm thinking it is an infection of some sort in the nipple - it is getting more and more painful, so I am really glad I was able to bump up my existing appointment a few weeks from now until tomorrow.  Would have gone last week but I was setting up and then working at the Ft. Lauderdale boat show and couldn't get away.  I don't think it's anything "terrible" but this searing pain is the pits! 

Good luck on the mammo - I too am dreading my first diagnostic test there.  I think we are all coming up on our follow ups and will understandibly be nervous.  You are going to be just PERFECT!!!   And I only will have an infection.  Yes, that's all we'll think!!

Just got back from mammo...I am stable! 

Chelev you are next with the good news!

Yes...you will!