Starting chemo January 2009?

Hello everyone.  So many postings, such deep thoughts and I am forever grateful for this thread.  JJS rock!  Can you tell I am in my high school teacher mode?  I have been planning a bike trip with about 12 of my students.  I at first thought I could take them along a trail built along a river-  I took my mountain bike along the trail and within about 10 minutes of a nicely groomed trail, I began a descent of about a 45 degree angle; I am thinking "okay, kids could have fun with this", until I hit the bottom and had to manueuver around an hairpin turn...so my thought,  "Nah, this is probably too tough!" 

Actually the trip turned out to be tough for me.  I thought maybe the low wbc issue was starting to kick my in the butt again and I am a bit worried, because after that intermediate trail, I was quite bruised up.  Never seemed to be so bruised before!   I have done mountain biking before- all over the place- I've been in competitions before and never was I so bruised.,....and the fact that I wanted to stop.  Halfway through the 15 mile trek I stopped.  I swear I am going to go through that trail again.  And I am not going to stop, dang nabit!

Had my check up today.  The lab work was still cooking when I met with my Onc but absent anything on that he gave me a good bill of health and does not want to see me for 6 mths.  I will get my, hopefully, last CAT scan then.  He was not worried about my having had my period last month and not this month.  He said break through bleeding not full menstrual periods is what they worry about and that in premenapausal woman they have actually not had any uterine issues and for now  he still conciders me premenpausal since I must be making estrogen to have had a period last month.  Of course I have been having hot flashes again since then, not bad but they had pretty much gone away. 

At work we broke in new technology.  We now have super duper conference phones so we can do remote digital recording of our hearings.  Believe it or not we were using cassette tapes and recorders prior to today and will still have to for any hearings that were started that way and not completed.

 DS had his second swim lesson today and was totally into it, unlike last week when he absoluted refused to do anything but sulk in the corner of the pool and mumble.  

 DH came home with a smart phone this evening.  He lucked out and got one of the three new droid phones delivered to Cosco.  The saleman said he had a list of 500 people wanting a call when they came in and would only sell it to my DH if he swore he would not return it.  

So all in all it was a good day.  

Renrel, yay for a clean bill of health!  I have a follow-up next week.  I am hoping he wants to run some tests.  He usually does blood work, but it's been almost 2 years since diagnosis and I would like to be scheduled for a bone scan.  I think I want one to put my mind at ease.   Also, I have had a headache for over 3 weeks straight, every day, for most of the day.  I even wake up with it and go to bed with it.  I think it's iron deficiency anemia which I was dx's with 2 times before, so I started back on my iron, maybe my recent surgery put me into the anemia again, so I want the doc to run some tests on my iron to confirm.  Please let it be anemia!!  I have been drinking lots of water so I don't think that is the reason for the headaches.  I take a mulitvitamin (and vit D and Vit C and iron pills) everyday but maybe it doesn't have enough iron to maintain my levels. 

Anyway, have a great day ladies, better get back to work....

Two years ago today I was diagnosed. My emotions aren't as strong as last year. I still feel "why me?" alot, and feel very sad that I may be leaving life sooner than I'd planned. But I'm feeling OK, and today at our block party my neighbors all were saying I look better than before my surgery, which is weird because I sure have my aches and pains and exhaustion. Not sure what to think of that. I do remember how stressed I was after diagnosis, and all the waiting, and the worsening news with each test. I'm so grateful for a good year after all the treatment, took some fun trips, got back into work, really appreciating friends, family--and of course the JANUARY JEWELS!!

LadyJane--I'm having renewed insomnia too! I wonder why. I slept pretty well last year, and now with the start of the new school year I'm having those 4 am wake ups again. It's exhausting. Maybe as the school year goes on I'll get back into a better sleep routine . Hope you do too.

Renrel-I so relate to your post about eating well. I try, but as I was reading the posts I was eating a handful of choc. chips! Great news about the all clear.

Jilly-hopethe headaches go away. Does a painkiller like advil help?

kmmd-glad you had a good week! I hope we all have more of those as time goes by.

Jess--that bike ride sounds hard! I bruise easily too. My platelets are within range and so are my rbc, but my wbc dropped 2 points over the last 3 months.

Hugs!

Jilly--THANKS. I needed your positive words more than I realized yesterday. I agree that these milestones bring up lots of feelings, and I'm sure they'll get easier over time. I've been thinking about that grade 3 and the idea that if it was going to spread it would have shown up by now. I like that idea!! And you're so right about being carried through those fires on the back of the JJs.

 Today my husband and a goodfriend and I went to do the bike part of the mini tri I'm going to attempt next weekend. It was 11 miles on flat road, and I did fine but my butt is sore. The lake looks clean enough, but there were lots of geese and cormorants and ducks. Ick. I get to start at 8 am with this group:"under 18, disabled, and over 50". OK.

 Have a great week!

Lol, Bk!  You go, girl over 50!   Yeah, I just finished the route I am taking the kids on...which has now grown to 20 of them. I decided to simplify the route and go around it twice if I have to.  I went about 13 miles and my legs aches.  Good news, though....no bruises! 

My two year comes up next month.  My mammo is two days before THE phone call.  Yeah, I'll never forget for so many days, weeks and even months it seemed every test revealed more bad news. 

My oncologist said the same thing about the first two years being the time when the risk for cancer returning is highest........I'll sigh a bit of relief after my mammo.

I just started back to work today just pt it was all I could find but a start to reclaiming my life.

Renel,

It is far from what 'normal' was for me before...but my former position is taken. I've had to start all over again. It is an awful job but I am making the best of it, got to do what you got to do. I had lost so much of myself during my 8yr marriage & since BC (chemo brain & physically)...that this is really important to my & my childrens survival. My thriving will take quite some time if ever...but I am determined. I remind mmyself of all the lines I've told my children...... keep your chin up, do your best, believe in yourself, work for what you want, ...etc..... Surely if BC has only taken it's toll on me (be it big or little) no job is gonna take me down.

kmmd, glad you had a better week!

So glad there are those who are making a stab at claiming back life.  That is good.   For today, life is wonderful.  Day to day is so entertaining.  I car pool with a young woman who energizes me with laughter.  I appreciate that. Hugs to the JJs.  At this moment, I am alive and life is good.

Berkleykim - Way to Go Girl!!!!!!!!!!  You Totally Rock!

Hi guys,
I hardly ever seem to get the time to check in nowadays with work being so busy but yesterday was my second anniversary of finding The Lump and it made me think of you all again. I can't begin to express how helpful this forum was when I was first diagnosed. I have wonderful friends and family but no-one can truly understand what it's like unless they are going through it too. Thanks so much to Lisa for kicking off the January Jewels.
It almost feels like an emotional rollercoaster to read your most recent posts. I can relate to so many of the things you are all writing. In some ways it's hard to believe two years have gone by. In other ways it seems like a lifetime ago.
Like Renrel I also got a clean bill of health at my latest check up - last week. It's amazing how nerve-wracking going to visit the specialist is and when I come out I can't stop smiling because - so far - it's always been good news.
I spoke to a woman the other day who is five years post breast cancer and she told me you do eventually put it to the back of your mind and forget about it. Just two years on that's hard to imagine but I guess I'm reminded of it every day when I take that Tamoxifen pill or when I have a hot flash!
Anyway, just wanted to touch base with you all - my thoughts are with you all.
K.
PS - Have been blogging for a while about my exercise comeback (the comeback isn't pretty but I'm getting there): http://aplodder.blogspot.com/

Good luck this weekend Renrel. I think I've heard of the cramps being a tamox SE.  I know what you mean because you just described me to a T.  I've never had such a bad charlie horse in my life as the one a few months back.  Hurt to walk on that leg for days after. Had another hit this week but not as bad.  You're right most of the time I can catch it.  They started for me with the taxotere and never really went away.  I've tried magnesium supplements  and potassium rich foods  can't shake them.

KM47. Congrats on an anniversary passing.  I'm getting better at keeping the memories at bay, so I'm hoping a few more years will help and I'll be just like the woman you met who is 5 years out 

I had a first yesterday.  Had my hair cut.  I've been getting it trimmed and shaped up while growing it back out.  Went in yesterday and said, its too long, give me a cut.  That felt like such a blow for normal life. 

I have had horrible times with leg cramps.  It is a horrible feeling. I have found plenty of stretching throughout the day and lots of fluids seems to mitigate the pain.

BK!!  You ROCK!  Good for you.  Photos????????????

Kmmd---I have kept my hair short, and it is nice to keep it how I want it.  So much easier to keep going with short hair.

Jilly- I still struggle with wbc- flu cycling around school and with every ache and pain I think I am going to get sick.Good luck with results of the cat scan.

Hugs to you all 

Hi Everyone: Kim - is sneaking up on two years since my diagnose also.  (Nov. 17th)  I am still confused as to how they calculate survival years.  Is it from date of diagnose, surgery, or end of treatment?  Well anyway two years ago in Nov, I got "the call".  Does not seem possible.

 Good news is I am feeling great and very excited about walking/running in the Susan G Komen race for the cure this weekend in Hunt Valley, Maryland.  Any Jewels planning on being there?  Myself, my husband, one of my sons, my two daughters and my grandbaby are all walking for the cause.  It is gonna be a great experience I can already tell because just picking up packets today was great fun.  

Say a little pray that all goes well.

Thanks.

Patti

p.s.  we raised about $1,000.00 for the cause.  Woo Hoo!

ladyjane, congrats on almost 2 yr & the walk

Renrel, congrats on 2 years.