Illinois ladies facing bc

I hope everyones doing well and happy and healthy..  

Welcome to the new members, Firstclasszip and Jneumann..

Ruth- I saw the news and wonder, does it really works?  or....   I don't know..

Buddy- what a great news for negative result~!   good luck with the colonoscopy.. BTW, I only did good side mammo they didn't do anything on my bad side, just self exam and look for dark dots like moles that's what my bs told me..

Donna- I am glad you get some sleep now...   I know how much chiro can do to your body...

Ok, about the valentine's day...  After kids had nice bath, we're gonna order some pizzas and watch the Winter Olympics, so I came down stairs get my phone..  Then I realized floor got wet and I can see my foot prints with water..  I opened the bathroom door and all I see was dark water with something floating around...  OMG, I told my husband and I opened the laundry room door, then I really freaked out because floor was covered with dirty water you ever seen and it was everywhere, went through the wall to the living room, bathroom, closet, under the couch...  It was mess and carpet was soaked and wet...   We have a drainer in our laundry room since we don't have a basement that drainer got back up and overflow....   We called the water company and they came out checked the city pipe line and told us city line was fine and somethings wrong with ours, inside the house, they told us to call the plummer to check our line.. So, in my head, gosh, it's always something and cleaning this mess will takes forever with two little kids running around and how we gonna lift the washer and dryer to clean the floor??   it's Sunday night and how much the plummer gonna cost us??  omg, omg, omg...   We grabbed the all the towels, any kind of towels we can find around the house and put down the floor..  That night me and my dh spent few hours to cleaned the floor so, at least we can walk around, it was nasty nasty...yuck~!

Then next day plummer came out and they checked the pipe at the front porch and said, something must be blocking between there to drainer from the laundry room..  So, they brought the noise machine to the laundry room and started sucking out the drainer..  Then, with the big tumbling noises, there was bunch of baby WIPES...   lots of wipes got tangle up big time..  that's how our pipe got clogged and back up...    you can guess who did it right??  between two boys~~  arh~~~~~~~~  so, lesson learned....  no more wipes in the toilet no, no, no...  The plummer coat us $175.00 within less than half hour, omg....

So, there you have it...   I don't want to experience that again, ever..

I need to go, my kids are all over me want this and that.. so, I will come back later if I can..

Have a good night everyone~!~! and smile  

firstclass - Welcome! Best wishes to you on the 9th for CLEAN margins. Hang in there. I am nowhere near Decatur. I'm sure some here are. And if you ever want to talk on the phone to any of us, please just post and let us know. All the girls here are more than willing to help you through this and possibly answer any questions you may have.

Ginny - So sorry you're having a tough time with it all. Understandably so! Try to keep busy. I know it's difficult, but please find comfort knowing we're here for you - 24/7, GIRL!

ELF - Our Little Elf - OMG! Baby wipes! lol Back when I was a late-teen, we had the same problem, but ours was with Tampons! lol Between me and my sister and all our girl friends that visited and stayed overnight for pajama parties. I was so embarassed when the plumber came out to fix it! My cheeks turned BRIGHT pink when he explained the problem to me and my Mom. Glad it's resolved for you and dh! Sometimes, unfortunately, we have to learn the hard way!

Marina - Sorry about the probs so early into treatment. Hang in there!

firstclass - I know right where your town is.  I live in Mahomet just outside of champaign and one of kids lives in Auburn just outside springfield and we go thru Decatur to get there.  I also work for Dick Van Dyke Appliance World and one of our stores is in Decatur.  You diagnois sound much like mine only a year later.  Ihad abnormal mamogram, ultrasound and then MRI  still not definite conclusion so did excisional biopsy  and found small cancer and removed, did not get clean margins, went in for another lumpectomy and sentinal node biopsy, clean nodes but still not clean margins.  Third time we got clean margins.  Thought I was just going to have to do rads, but got results back and HER2+++ and that meant chemo and herceptin.  March 16th is my last scheduled herceptin  and we are taking a cruise to the Panama Canal to celebrate finishing.  Had a couple scares along the way .  They found spots on my lung when doing CT for setting up rads. Ins.  would not pay for pet scan, so pulmonry doc did a bronchoscopy.  Not cancer and lump on thyroid turned out to be a cyst..You do tend to be very careful about any new ache pain, spot, etc. but for the most part life is starting to get back to our new normal.  My husband had colon cancer 10 years ago and is doing fine, so that helps to remind me that everything does get back to what will be normal  just a little different, but well worth living.  If I can do anything to help you with questions or anything I would be glad to.  There are a bunch of BC ladies who meet in Bloomington once a month for dinner.  I don't make it much in the winter, but when spring get here I will be going and the drive for you would be about the same.  You would be more than welcome.  Rita  and Wendy started the group.  This group has been thru about everything you can imagine one way or the other, so if you have questions, just ask, someone will be able to help out.  Hugs Annette

Hello Ladies,

Sorry I haven't posted anything in awhile, things around here got a little scary.  But everything has calmed down for the most part, thankfully.  I was in the hospital with what my oncologist called some of the rarest side effects she's ever seen.  Only 1 in 3 million get this side effect on AC and go figure it had to be me.. lol  

The good news is that I'm done with AC and already had one cycle of Taxol with only 3 more to go then I'm done with my chemo.  I can't wait!

Then a month after I'm finished with chemo my plastic surgeon is going to put in the implants and I'll be done with these horrid Tissue Expanders... as many of you know they aren't the most comfomy things.

I hope that everyone is going well...

Marilyn

Hi Marilyn and glad to see you back.  Hmmm, we always wanted to be one in a million or three million and for you it finally happened.  As you say, you might know.  Glad it is under control now.  Yeah -- only three more to go.  They should go fast as you are on the short side now.

Wendy --  I got some info on Vitamin D and will find it and send it.  Always good to check, but I too have wondered -- I haven't found out my levels as yet -- still trying to "achieve" this feat, but have thought -- unless you have really noticeable negative effects of some kind --- Are you really THAT bad off.  The thought has always been there for me.  I just don't "feel" bad.  Could always use a bit more energy but frankly...I do a lot, so why wouldn't I have times.  Ok -- nuf' bout' that.

I need to get to work, but hope you all have a great day and have some sunshine to enjoy. 

Many hugs, Jackie

Hi Nana A!  Thanks for responding to my post.  We have a daughter who lives in Pawnee ( which is only about 6 miles East of Auburn).  Small world, huh?  Have a fun trip.  We are on vacation now and will be home on March 2nd to get ready for the next surgery. 

I'll be looking for you on here!!  Hugs and prayers coming your way!!

Hi ladies - seems like we have a lot of new girls here.  So sad.

Marina - glad you are doing ok.  Zofran was my savior but everyone is different.  I also had Decadron just on the day of chemo.  I was glad to hear they told you not to cancel your vacation!  I went to New Mexico on vacation in the middle of chemo.  It was hard but I'm glad we went.  It was very hot with that wig on for the week plus I was doing hiking, etc.   Also, I had very bad sores in my throat during chemo.  So bad I could hardly eat.  I had a lot of popsicles and lemon ice.  It went away soon after chemo ended.  Hugs to you!

 Buddy - so glad you got good scans! 

Found out my Vit D level - 23.5.  The nurse told me normal is higher than 30.

Went for my annual pap last night and my doc pulled up my bone density scan.  Not good!  I was told I have osteopenia which is a condition just before osteosporosis. Apparently this medically induced menopause has really hit my bones hard.   He is putting me on Actonel, 1500mg calcium and 800 iu's Vit D.  Anyone else have this or take Actonel??  I was pretty mad last night.  I know there are others that are much worse off than me, but this bc crap just does not go away. 

Hi Ginny,

I know what you mean about the fatigue, depression and guilt.  Sometimes I just cry cause I feel like I am not contributing to our household at all.  Lost my job about 15 months ago, miss my friends, miss my work and hate being sick!  My husband is great, he does all the housework, laundry, shopping and has even began to learn to cook.  Sometimes I think I get depressed and feel guilty out of frustration that all I can do is just sit or lay here.  But my hubby tells me too that my job right now is to get better.

I have a question though, I read somewhere that chemo cancels out antidepressants.  I am on Celexa and wondered if that is why I get depressed.  I have to admit that my mood is usually very good and everyone says I have handled this wonderfully.

Concentrate on getting better, when you feel down thank God we don't have to do the dishes or laundry - soon enough we will be doing all that stuff again and wishing we could get a break!  I do miss cooking and shopping!

What a nice sunny day..   I hope everyones enjoying the fine day~!

Laura- I like your picture~~  and you are right we have to larned hard way..why why why.. 

Wendy, Jackie- oh, yes, I am so saving this plumber bill to show them when they are least expect in the future.. or till wait they have their own kids and show to them..

Mrina- I hope you feel better today...  I used to drink lots of broth during the chemo because of nausea, my onc tried 4 different nausea medicines but none of them worked and I couldn't eat anything and broth was the only thing stayed in my body... hang in there~!

Marilyn- nice to see you  again~  and sorry to hear that you had to stay at the hospital from the AC..  3mor TX to go, you are almost done with chemo, hang in there~~!!

Connie- I am so sorry to hear about your bone density...  That's the one thing I was worry about myself too, since my mom has osteoporosis and I had 3 broken rib bones and all that treatment I went through with bc...  I think you have right to be mad..  It just not right!!

Juliette- rads are not to bad compare to chemo, it's so much easier.. It is pain in the butt to do everyday but time goes fast.. good luck~!  I used sing during the rads and next thing you know your done before you even finish the one song and that was my happy hour believe it or not..

Ginny- let your body get rest first before you do anything, like your dh said, don't worry..  I hope you feel better and get some nice sunshine this weekend, how about take a little walk with your dh?? 

Jneumann-  I hear you..  I cried every night when my dh was at work and when no ones around me... and my dh said the same thing as your dh, gosh, I got tears...  

Susan- I am with Wendy, I think you will be a great children's book writer~!!! 

Rita- good to see you~~ so, how's the FL??   I am glad you had good time~ and welcome back!!

I am having lot of pain from TMJ/TMD it hurts like h*** and sometimes couldn't sleep or can open my mouth, hard to chew, dang it hurts.. It was ok until when I went to see my dentist for filling and extraction about month ago..    I guess, my mouth was open for too long and put the pressure on my jaw which already have TMJ, even my teacher suggested see the TMJ doctor when I was in college and that was over 10 years ago...  So, I had to go back to see my dentist again and he took few x-rays around my jaw and dx with TMD...   and told me to chew with front teeth only and try not to use the back teeth because it will give more pressure to my jaw, well, easy for him to say, but that is hard to do...    So, I am bit cranky lately cuz of all the pain and dealt with that plumber situation, gosh...   I am pulling my hair out~!!!    

However, I do have a one question about the bone density scan and vitamin D level check.. Do we all have to do it or need it after chemo? or it depends on your dx or medicines they used for chemo??   I am little confused...hmmm..

Have a good evening and give big hugs and smiles to your loving ones because they are the reasons that we are here...

Love you ladies~!!!!

Donna  I hear your school was evacuated on the news.  A boiler leak.  Was it a crazy day?

Thanks for all your info on Vit D and the Dexa Scan. I had my D levels checked last week for the 1st time, and was told I was within the normal range. I asked for a copy to be sent to me and then I can see the number, and try to figure out what it means. Tomorrow I have the Dexa scan, never had that done before either.  I'll be back with questions I'm sure

Have a great weekend, and the ladies going through tx, thinking about you and hugs to you.

Morning my pets!  We did get a dusting of snow but that's it...until the Winter Storm hits tomorrow night.  With "measurable" amounts.  I am not happy....

Ginny, JNeumann....I cannot imagine what it's like to walk in your shoes.  Thank all the gods that you have such wonderful husbands and family.  And truly...don't worry about the little things....they all seem to take care of themselves eventually.

Carolyn....well, what can I say?  I do remember trying to get reports/cd's/films etc and all the running around that was needed.  It was not fun.  I was somewhat lucky that most of the "stuff" was done at one hospital but then my surgeon was at a different hospital and that required some legwork on my part.  When do you hear the "final" report?  Let us know....

Susan....will be reading my PM right after I post!  DH cut off the top of your SUV yet????  LOL

Mich101...yes, get a copy of your report.  I for some reason, had such a time getting my results from the D levels...turns out my PCP didn't know what to do!  My PCP has a med records gal and she just hits a button on her computer and it faxes me whatever report I want.

And now...my Vitamin D saga...and this is NOT MEDICAL ADVICE...just what I was told to do...I turned up as "14" with my lab reporting their normal range as "18-72" (usually labs range is 30-100).  My PCP who is VERY conservative had his nurse call my onc's nurses who talked to the onc's and....I was asked to take 50,000 IU of D3 once/twice a week for 6 monrths and then do a re-test of my levels.  You can get these high-dose pills at certain health food/vitamin stores but my GNC only had one VERY DUSTY bottle so I ordered from amazon.com.  I am hypothyroid and was put on synthroid 3 years ago so it will be interesting as in my reading I have found that very low D levels can present itself as hypothyroidism.  I have spent the last 2 days reading about this high dose and Laura GTO gave me some insight and BJ too settled my uncetainty re: D in high doses and I figure if both of my doc's are onboard with this...then so am I.

RE:  bone density...I really do wish I had had one prior to starting arimidex.  I had the heel scan testing done last March (afer 1.5 yrs on arimidex) and I was .9 so OK but then this test isn't all that great.  I had the bone density scan (DEXA) done last fall and I was -1.3 so in early osteopenia.  But really...I have NO idea where I started so maybe nothing has changed.  Knowing what I know now....I would have insisted on a DEXA prior to the AI's so I would actually know what was happening.

Connie...what were your numbers that your doc was so concerned he put you on Actonel?  But then...you are what...about 15 years younger than me?  So...probably necessary at your young age as I am sure you would like to keep your bones around!

Well...that's it for me...off to?????  Don't really have anything planned for today and ya know...that's OK!

Paramahansa Yogananda