Crazy Sexy Cancer in Seattle

tkone · January 2010

Hi ladies,

This is totally off-topic, but thought I would post this here just in case. My sister and her husband booked a hotel and event tickets for the Olympics in Vancouver for next month and aren't going to be able to go. The hotel has given them until the end of this week to find someone else to take their spot or they lose their deposit. If you know anyone who wants to go and is looking for accomodations or event tickets, let me know ASAP!

Thanks,

Tracy

Anonymous · January 2010

Tracy - what event and what dates? We have good friends in West Van that we could stay with, but never got tickets (was getting diagnosed during when the tickets went on sale so we were a bit preoccupied!).

S

libby · January 2010

Hi Tracy - Ditto questions from me. I'm interested also. Libby

tkone · January 2010

Hi ladies,

I have some information on the Olympics but not all. There are two sets of event tickets that they have available and I only have the information for one set right now. I should get the rest later today and I will forward to you. Here is the info she gave me:

2/12 - (3) Opening Ceremony Tickets Category B - ($750/ticket) - $2250
2/13 - (3) ST001 - Ladies' 500m&3000m Relay/Mens 1500m - Category A - ($150/ticket) - $450

As far as the hotel, here is the info I will paste the info that I have:

Thinking about going to the Olympics or know somebody who is? Accommodations are extremely hard to come by. We booked a hotel in Vancouver around this time last year at a great place. (www.910beach.com) We have decided not to go so we need to "sell" the hotel reservation before we lose our deposit. We have a very short window to do this. If you are interested please let me know ASAP!

Here are the details:

www.910beach.com

(3 nights, 2 different rooms) ALL funds are in Canadian dollars - the exchange rate right now is just about even - these numbers are just slightly higher than they will be in $USD ($20-$40 per night??)

Sunday 2/14- Monday 2/15 - 1 Bedroom suite for 2 people -
Rate: $459/night plus 15% taxes Grand Total with taxes: $527.85

Monday 2/15 - Wednesday 2/17 - 1 Bedroom Deluxe Suite for 2 people -
Rate: $509/night plus 15% taxes Grand Total with taxes: $1,170.70

They have friends who were also planning to attend who have the same accomodations, but different dates: Thursday 2/11 - Sunday 2/13.

Hope this helps.

Tracy

Anonymous · January 2010

Tracy - I would love them, but can't do it! I saw the opening ceremony in the LA olympics (1984?) and it was amazing. Would love to have my kids see that - but it will have to be in the future!

Hope everyone is doing well!

frosty1 · January 2010

Good morning! New to your group and glad to see there is a Seattle connection. Even though my DCIS was Stage 0, it was very large with an area that was murky, so had a mastectomy this past Monday with 2 lymph nodes removed. Waiting to hear final results today. If I'm clear, I'm good to go. This has been a whirlwind for me -- went in for a regular physical on 12/1 and got a diagnosis on 12/11, 2nd biopsy on 12/24 and surgery on 1/11. I'm glad it went so fast, but still dealing with the emotions swinging back and forth. My next big challenge is to find a job -- I was laid off in November and now have an interview this coming Friday. Trying to find something to hide the bulk of my drains and still look respectable.

Issymom · January 2010

Welcome Frosty1 - I had a bi-lat mastectomy on 12/4 at Overlake. I found the winter to be quite a good time to hide the drains as you are wearing heavier clothes. I also wore a scarf draped around my neck then it just hung down in front. Perfect way to hide the drains (I had one on each side).

I hope the pathology comes out OK and that you don't have to have any other treatments. I started chemo 2 days ago. It is OK but not fun.

frosty1 · January 2010

Thanks for the idea of wearing a scarf -- I hadn't thought of that. Bummer on chemo ... I'm hoping results are good, but the wait to hear is hard.

tkone · January 2010

Hi Frosty1! glad you made it onto the thread and I will keep my fingers crossed on the pathology. Issymom-didn't realize you started chemo this week. How is it going. I hope that you are on one of the chemo threads as well, but hopefully someone told you to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Chemo isn't very much fun, but it is doable and you will make it through.

Hang in there.

Frosty1, what kind of positions are you looking for?

Issymom · January 2010

I have been working on the hydrating but didn't stay ahead of the nausea medication and so I had a very bad first day. Yesterday was pretty good. Today (day3) I am a little under the weather. One down!

Madge24 · January 2010

Hello all and welcome to the newcomers! I haven't been on here awhile and am catching up.

Issymom, my day 3 was always the worst. Do take care of yourself and wash hands alot of course. I took off my rings and left them off thru chemo as bacteria can collect under rings. I watched junk tv on my worst days and often went to bed early and read books AprilGirl1 gave me! Anyway, it IS doable as Tracy says, so hang in there, and you will get through it!

Frosty1 -- Yes it is a whirlwind, but it gets better and easier. I was just reflecting on that a couple days ago. It was fast and furious -- all the appointments -- for awhile.

Golfer779 -- Thinking about you, hoping all went well with the surgery!

Happy new year, everyone.

Anonymous · January 2010

Welcome Frosty1! Great advice to wear a scarf - good luck on the interview!

Issymom - glad you are feeling better. One down is something to celebrate.

I am here to report that I have had a couple of emails from Carol's husband (golfer779) and the surgery went well. She expects to be in the hospital thru the weekend, possibly going home on Monday. For the newcomers, she had diep surgery at Virginia Mason.

Off to "help" my 7th grader study central Africa!

FanofSwimfan · January 2010

Hi Susan!

cheers247 · January 2010

Welcome newcomer's, sorry you had to join the BC group, but glad you found us. I'm done with radiation now, just waiting for these painful burns to heal. I'm having scans the first week in Feb. I'm hoping they are all clear. It sure would be nice if we could get a little sunshine around here... it's been pretty swampy! Much love! Jessica

www.caringbridge.org/visit/jessicam

Madge24 · January 2010

cheers -- Congratulations on finishing radiation!!!! Yay! I'm so sorry it's been painful. I hope you will heal quickly. I still look like I have a tan in that area that was radiated and am stillapplying lotion. I finished early Nov. Keep us posted on how it's going.

Take care all.

Peg

daffodil45 · January 2010

Hi everyone!

Welcome newcomers! I still feel like a newcomer myself, as I don't post much! I love just reading this thread and knowing that you all are out there. I had my first Zometa infusion yesterday. It was a breeze, but today I'm pretty achy. Anyone else expeience the joint pain? I was expecting achiness, but waking up feeling like I'm 105 was a little shocking. I am hydrating like crazy, and taking ibuprofen....I'm sure it will be gone in a day or two.

Take care everyone.... use nice lotion, eat good food and stick your face in the sun when it comes out!!!!!

Christl

tkone · January 2010

Hi Daffodil,

For some reason the first one is hard. I had Zometa on Friday (my 3rd infusion) and feel fine. Hopefully it helps to know that it only lasts for about a day. Make sure that they are taking at least 45 minutes for the infusion. It hleps to have it go in a little slower.

Hope everyone else is doing well and welcome to the newcomers!

Tracy

cheers247 · January 2010

Hello Daffodil, I also had the achiness with Zometa, it lasted about 48hrs. It does get better with each infusion though. Much Love! Jessica

www.caringbridge.org/visit/jessicam

js37 · January 2010

hey everyone - gone for a couple of weeks and so much to catch up on! i needed a couple of weeks "away from it all". met with my radiology oncologist today, i really like her. she let it slip that my oncotype had come back, so i asked her for the number. 48. shocked. i'm her2neu Negative, and all the research said that a number that high is associated with her2neu Positive bc's. even my oncologist had said he expected it to come back in the mid range when we first ordered it, but the high range seems to be shocking people based on all my other stats. apparently even my bc is an over achiever. i meet with dr. fer tomorrow - i'm trying to psych myself up to get through what i know will be the hard chemo sell. supposidly my percentage of possible recurrence with just tamox is 32% - i don't understand how the 48 number plays into that, does it mean that i will be likely to be one of the 32%? i guess i'll know for sure tomorrow. i want the FULL report though, and to be honest, i still haven't decided on chemo or not. it may depend on how much chemo would bring down that number. it will probably also depend on what that high number means, if it means no matter what the % is that i'll always be at high risk, i'm not sure what the point would be. feeling sort of defeatest at the moment.

Anonymous · January 2010

js37 - well, thank goodness for the oncotype test. I have heard of others that have high numbers without her2+, but others with grade 3 that have lower oncotype scores than mine. There are a lot of factors that go into the oncotype which is why it is so helpful. You asked it you will always be at high risk and if so what the point would be...the benefit of the oncotype is that it helps determine how well your tumor will respond to chemo. A high number means that your chemo will be very beneficial to you - a lower number, less beneficial. So, I think that goes in favor for chemo, most likely a type that targets agressively.

I know the idea of chemo is just awful, but you will get great support here, and it is doable.

We are here for you - please come back and let us know how it goes with Dr. Fer tomorrow.

js37 · January 2010

i met with him today. he's really pushing for an 8 cycle regiment of a.c.t., with his second choice being a 4 cycle dose dense regiment of c.t. he said if it's the only way he can get me to say yes to chemo that he'd compromise & accept a 12 week course of c.m.f. with weekly doses. i guess part of it would be a pill form. he doesn't like it though because it's that low dose, "chemo light" thing, and in his mind, he thinks if i'm going to do it, i should just go for it all the way.

i have a huge problem with pumping myself full of poison, so automatically without any reservations i told him a.c.t & c.t. were absolutely off the table. i said i'd give some serious thought to the c.m.f. the oncotype test said that if i did c.m.f. with the tamox my risk would be reduced to 12%. he seems to believe that it would be more like 20%. so who knows. but what i know is that i am comfortable with a 20% risk, so even if his numbers are more correct, i'm still okay with it. the a.c.t, going on his predictions, would only lower that to 16% recurrence risk. so given the oncotype prediction and his prediction, and my absolutely wanting to put as little poison in my body as necessary, that 4 to 8% difference is not enough for me to do the most aggressive type of regiment.

i thought that was interesting, that the oncotype gave the 10 yr recurrence rate at 12% versus what he believed them to be, which is that 20%. it actually took him by surprise too, he said he found that interesting as well. who knows. what i do know is that i told myself before this came back, was that i was comfortable with up to a 20% risk, so that's what i'm sticking with, and so i guess c.m.f is what's it's going to be.

now here's hoping with all hope that the research & stats are true and that it is in fact less harsh on my body during treatment with less lingering issues after it's over. he said he could spread it out even longer to 6 months instead of 4, so that i'm every other week - but i don't want to extend the amount of time i'm putting all these chemicals in my body. i have a question out on the cmf board asking for people's experiences with it. i know it's probably been asked and answered a million times, but 139 pages is a lot to find the time to read through! and it's spand over somethng like 2yrs so i'm hoping to get some recent information.

Anonymous · January 2010

Hey Sexy cancer Seattle women - just popping in to say hello - we are leaving for Hawaii early Saturday and I am busy getting ready. This is my families celebration for "yay - mom is done with chemo/radiation".

Can't wait to spend time in the sun and sand!

Hope you are all doing well - will be back late on the 30th.

tkone · January 2010

Aloha Susan! I did the same thing and it was one of the best vacations we have ever done. Rest, relax, get some sunshine and enjoy your family. They are why we go through all of this BS and torture!

Carol---Where are you girl? We want to hear how the surgery went!

Tracy

Anonymous · January 2010

Did I not post here about Carol? I meant to! She is doing fine, home and happy with the result. Yes, in some pain, but happy. I have heard from her husband in a group email, and also on facebook.

I wil pm you with her name for fb.

daffodil45 · January 2010

Thanks everyone for the Zometa feedback.... I am fine today Infusion on Monday, high fever on Tuesday, major pain on Wednesday, and that's about it! I can do this every few months! Hard to believe that it is all I am doing. Dr. Kaplan strongly agreed to no hormonal intervention... including no hyster/oorphectomy. My bod just can't do it. Maybe (after 2 chemopauses) I will naturally go into menopause soon. The lupron really did a number on my pituitary gland....yuck. Anyway..... Susan, have a FAB time in Hawaii!!!!!!!

golfer779 · January 2010

Hello from Poulsbo .... the following is my e-mail that I sent out this afternoon. Thanks for checking on me Tracy. In fact I have your name on my distribution list but it kicked back. I think I used the one I saw on FB.

From my recliner to .....

Thought I'd give a little update on the rehab here one week and a day post op. First off, each day since Monday's arrival home has been better than the previous. I spend most of my time between one of three recliners here in the house. I tootle around (walk .... Or better yet kinda shuffle) from room to room and have walked outdoors a couple of times as well. Since we don't chat on a regular basis with all of our neighbors I've had to explain my strange walking style and funky lounging wear to a few of them !!!!!

Yesterday morning Kent and I caught an early morning ferry to the Plastic Surgeon's office so that I could have 2 of my 3 drains removed .... Whooo Hoooo! I feel like I've been freed from some form of bondage getting them removed. With three tubes protruding from various parts of your body it makes you paranoid that you're going to tug or pull something the wrong direction every time you move. I've now just got one tube in my lower left abdomen and I'm scheduled to have it removed on Monday morning. Shucks .... I was really hoping they would have removed it today, but as the nurse said ..."it's serving a purpose and you'd not like to have it reinserted if it was pulled too soon".

My pain has been managed with ibuprofen during the day and a codeine based drug at night. I've not been able to get very comfortable in bed but keep hoping that each night might be better. I think I'll soon be able to move around without pain while in a horizontal position, I'm kinda of stuck once I've committed to a position in bed.

So .... How's the new hoot .... AWESOME !!!!! The nurse assured me that everything looked good, both abdomen and breast scars we're healing nicely. Even with some bruising and stitches I know we have a keeper !!!!!

The attached picture Kent took today as I was talking with a friend from my breast cancer support group who lives in Washington DC. We're already firming up our second annual reunion trip to the east coast this summer. YES ... YES .... YES .... I can start looking at new swimsuits and not the ones with a prosthesis pocket built in !!!!!

Thanks for the continued positive thoughts, Carol

golfer779 · January 2010

Susan .... have a MaiTai for me will ya ?????? Enjoy your most deserving trip with your family and your health !!!!!!!!

Issymom · January 2010

Hawaii sounds like a great idea. I just started chemo and then need reconstruction and a hysterectomy. That all will take the rest of this year. I think I am going to start saving some money for a family trip to Hawaii next spring. My son will graduate from HS in June 2011 and this would be a great celebration trip!!

My mini chemo celebration trip will be to Walla Walla with several other couple to celebrate no chemo and our 20th anniversary.

Thanks for getting me thinking about how to celebrate. It is distracting me from the pain of the Port I just had installed this morning and the fact that I have my head shaved tomorrow (I started chemo early last week).

libby · January 2010

Susan - Have a great trip. I'm leaving in a month for the same destination. Will be celebrating 36th anniversary and 1 year anniversary of bilateral mastectomies - didn't get to go last year for 35th because, well....you know. I was hoping to be totally done with reconstruction but will be going with nips, no tats till I come back. So far reconstruction is going very well, it makes me feel more like my old self.

Carol - good to see you back. Sounds like you are doing well. It is a long process but sounds like it is so worth it in the end.

Ladies, is it time to schedule another get together?

Madge24 · January 2010

Golfer -- So good to hear how you are doing. I have been thinking about you and asking AprilGirl for updates. Am SO glad you love the results. How satisfying! Just take it easy and when you are better we will get together here on the other side. I am glad you are resting alot, hopefully enjoying lots of junk tv!

Libby -- Yes, it would be fun to have a get together! Let's do it!

Take care all.

Crazy Sexy Cancer in Seattle

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