Class of 2010

ttechred,

I agree with every word LINDAGARSIDE said about your BC treatment.   I'll keep you in my thoughts.

ttechred - As I mentioned before (I think in this thread), my husband and I had to tell our 12 and 9 year old girls and it was, just like you said, the hardest thing we've ever done. It helped for them to know that I wasn't sick and that the treatment to get rid of the cancer would be what made me sick and tired and the treatment would likely last all of 2010. We tried to set their expectations for what would come without scaring the #%@$ out of them. They were shocked, but things have settled.

We had a month of tests and waiting around and eventually I had a mastectomy of the right breast and am one month in to 6 months of chemo. After that I have another surgery to replace my expander with an permanent implant and then tamoxifin (a hormone receptor blocker) for at least five years. We've told the girls that we can't plan much in the way of vacations or trips too far away from home this year but next year we are going to celebrate in a big way!

We've all been where you are and we're all getting through it! So will you!

For those of you that have had good news this week -- Hurrah! It's a bright light for all of us!

Hey all,

So round 1 of TC down!  And I have to say not too bad (yet)!  It was a long day... reported at doc's office at 1:45. Walking in the door at home at 7:30pm.  I am proud to say I made it through the treatments well, no flushing with the Taxotere and I enjoyed my ipod "Happy Hour" playlist and read a mindless magazine. I hit the bed like a lead balloon, had a little bit of nausea and sleeplessness until I took the ativan. (thank the Lord for that stuff!) Today was okay.  Better in the afternoon... i would liken it to a hangover. I did take a brief ride in the convertible with my hubby.  Of course with BIG hat and shades, but the fresh air did me good! Will see what tomorrow brings!

At the doc yesterday I asked about supplements, my doc is in totally concurrence with no supplements except VitD. 

Pickles, I am sorry for your rash... drat that!

Ttrechred, My heart aches for your hubby too.  Mine has had a pretty positive outlook, but trust me we have shed a few tears.  Just an idea,  a dear friend of mine gave my hubby a book called "breast cancer husband".  He's not much of a reader but we put it in the bathroom (LOL) and I think it is really helping him a lot!!!  I can get you the author if you like.

Oh, and good news from my doctor yesterday... though my oncotype test conflicted with my hospital labs, she feels fairly confident after retesting that my tumor is at least somewhat receptive to Estrgen so I should be able to take tamoxifen, hopefully with some positive effects in the future!  YAY!

And Irish, I am with you... I can't imagine not being informed on my own body like the other women in the waiting room....wow.... also, sorry you are whacked! But you are amazing!

Hugs to all!

Hi Michele...great to hear from you.  Hope you are tolerating your treatments well.  Thanks for the comment about the anti-oxidents...that is indeed the word I was searching for when noting the type of supplements we DON'T want to take...at least not while we are trying to fight the beast.

Shopper...so very sorry to hear about the stray nodule.  Darn this crazy disease anyway.  Let's hope there is a treatment that can zap it to smitheriens. 

Had a few issues with my radiated boob over the weekend.  The nipple area cracked, flaked and then oozed a bit.  I don't think this is a good thing.  I will be seeing the specialist tomorrow so perhaps they will give me some dressings or something.  I've still got a week of rads to go.   It's getting pretty tender, that is for sure.

Ok, pink peeps...I'm out to do some yard work with my husband.  Will do some edging around the lawn while he does the mowing.

GP Jeannie - good to hear from you again.  I hope your cruise is simply divine and you can actually not think about cancer for those days and more.  I sure am looking forward to that.  

Rads are halfway today!  Yahoo, and it seems like there is still a lot to go.  My poor boob is hard and pink and itchy and annoying.  My dull headache is now a part of me, and I am exhausted.  Yesterday I cried for no reason twice.  I feel like a little kid again... (I used to get too tired and cry for no reason, my mom always understood, never made a big deal and put me in my room with a book).  My principal and husband and child don't seem quite as understanding.  They are just worried about my mental stability  Really I am making a big deal out of nothing.  This too shall pass.  May 20 at 7:15 am will come.     

GP Jeannie...have an awsome time on your cruise, you deserve it.

Katie..a good cry is what we all need on some days. My husband and son don't understand either. I'm still supposed to be "SuperMom" and put dinner on the table right after my 4:30 rads. At least my job, walking dogs helps. Good exercise and unconditional love! 

I have 7 more rads and am very tired, sore and cranky. Have a good night all.

Ellen:  You'd think with 4 dogs, I'd have one to go on walks with me.  My oldest turned 15 last week, the younger ones are way faster than I am.  I'm with Linda.  Someone else can make your dinner.  I feel fortunate to have a DH who, when he comes up for air from his computer, is satisfied to make himself a sandwich.  When my son comes home this summer, he will find life has changed around here.

Linda:  The whole triple negative thing.  Higher rates of recurrence; onc saying if it comes back it will be incurable cause it will have morphed.  That's the sort of thing I end up thinking about when hot flashes wake me up in the night.

Linda  - I am not concerned about the forehead thing because... 

after my lumpectomy in Dec. I was not supposed to ride my bike, but I did.  My DH told me very sternly not to crash.  No big deal, I don't crash.  Well, sure enough I hit a slime patch and dumped it at slow motion.  I was unhurt and did fess up to the DH, however, I recently found that I had cracked my helmet in this little crash.  Hey, any guesses as to where the crack is?  You got it, right over my left eyebrow.  Thus, I am not worried.  I see the oncologist tomorrow and will see what she says.  I'm surprised that that was all the bone scan found as I have broken both arms a couple of times and have sustained some pretty major crash / surgeries.

Anyway, thanks for all your thoughts and hopes, ladies.  What do pink peeps do if they don't find this place?  I would be a hurting unit.

Katie 

Linda:  Thanks for the hug. No other drugs; just TC and rads.  I think Herceptin is for those who are HER2+.  Anyway, I tend to dwell when I can't sleep.  I do wish there were a "hump" to get over and then feel it was behind me, tho.  Sometimes scared, sometimes sad, sometimes just plain tired.  Doing stuff with the dogs is a real mood-lifter for me.  Hearing that it's going to snow again tomorrow is a major bummer.  Want to be outdoors!

Michele:  Are you going to get to go to the Derby?  I've watched on tv since '64 and a major thrill was going to the horse farms and seeing some of the winners at stud.  I hope you're feeling ok.

Reading all your posts about dinner on the table and crying for no reason and constantly finding something to worry about sounds so familiar. I think we all must experience these things many times throughout the course of our diagnosis, treatment, and return to 'normalcy'. It's been 9 weeks since my mastectomy and I'm 5+ weeks into my chemo tx and I realized yesterday that everyone around me (most everyone) acts like it's over and I can go back to doing what I always did. In part, that's good because I'm back to work and very busy so it keeps the worry and that nasty thoughts at bay. At the same time, I think we need to remind our loved ones that we still need help and that we still have a lot of emotional stuff to deal with. 

Today in Seattle as I drove my daughter to school it was beautiful. The sun was shining over the water and onto the snow-capped mountains. It reminded me that the world holds a lot of beauty and that we will all get through this and come out on the other side. That said, we're expecting rain and thunderstorms this afternoon!

Regarding getting dinner on the table, my co-workers bought my family a gift certificate to Dinner's Ready so that we could go and pick up ready to cook meals to put in the freezer. I was a little skeptical having never done anything like that, but it was awesome. You have to order 6 meals at a time and it's a little pricey. BUT, it was wonderful food; very easy to prepare; and we enjoyed every meal. We were able to order twice and the only problem is remembering to take a meal out of the freezer to thaw in time for dinner. Even my 9 and 12 year old children liked most of it. If there's one in your area, I highly recommend it.

A happy day to all!

HI All : )

I had my first radiation consult today.  Sounds pretty straightforward actually.  6.5 weeks of daily sessions and I have my CT setup session on Friday.  All I need now is to fast forward to next Wednesday when I should get the final verdict on Chemo from the oncologist.  Otherwise I start radiation on 5/11.

Thank goodness my bday is on a Saturday this year.  At least I know that I'll have a day off of treatment!

Hope everyone is doing well : )

Went to see the rad onc today and ended up having my sim done.  I'll start rads on Mon. 

Teka:  Hope you wake up feeling ok.

Snow didn't stick, so it's back to spring here.  Wishing everyone an SE-free day.

Met with my onclologist for the first time today. I love her!  It was more like talking to your cool best friend than a doctor. She is just wonderful. She also has the distinction of actually reading my medical file before meeting with me. Most don't bother and then get flustered when I try to fill them in later.  She is ordering the oncotype and we will go from there. Fingers are crossed for a low score but I will perservere either way. It feels really good to like and trust your doctor.

Also... she is not ordering any scans. She doesn't think I need them or to be freaked out by them when there is no real reason to go there right now. I am great with that. At my request she is sending me to a dietician and is advising to eat well, keep weight steady, don't smoke, don't drink more than 3 a week and do 30 mins of excersize every day. All things we strive for anyway. Today was a good day.

jakhope,

My husband and I were like you and ended up with colonic diverticulosis.   Yes, hurt on right as well as left side.  Also, we thought the worst.