Anyone Starting Chemo Jan. 2010?

Vegasdiva - sorry to hear about your doggie loss. They really are a part of the family aren't they.

I am still on Herceptin too - 15 out of 17 complete - Yea!

Port removal and te exchange to implants scheduled for 12/20.

Hair at about 2 inches now - yea! 

Hi Everyone,

Its so good to see that everyone is marking that very wierd yet nonetheless noteable cancerversary. Mine was in September with surgery last November. I'm with you, Pagowens, what a hellish year.

 I'm healing well physically but still dealing with the emotional scars. For instance, I'm having a real hard time focusing and feel really sad sometimes. It seems that no one around me understands that I'm still healing and will be for quite some time. I guess the fact that I was laid off from my job doesn't help, either. Anyone else having the same issues?

Hi Ladies,

Just think of where we were one year ago at Christmas.  We were all fearing the start of chemo and some of us were recovering from surgery.  Now we are all looking at spending this year's holidays with family and friends.  I count each of you as one of my friends and want to thank you for al of the support that you offer.  Merry Christmas to all of you and may 2011 be our year to shine! 

Amen, also!

I am actually enjoying this Christmas...unlike last year!  I thank God for givin me another year to share with my family and friends.

Bless you all!  I think of you and our journey together often.

Hugs,

Pat

Yup - 2010 was a heck of a year!  One surgery, 6 months of chemo and 33 sessions of rads for me.....I'm NED right now too, and hope to be that way for a long, long time.  I'm soooooo glad 2010 is over.  Last New Year's eve my husband and I toasted 2011 because we knew 2010 would be a bear.  We toasted 2011 again this year - wth great joy that we're still here with each other!

I hope you are all doing much better than last year at this time.  Thank you for your kindness and support over the year.  I'm very grateful.

Pat

Hey georgiabirdgirl!!!  I switched oncologists and am real happy about my new one.  My ct scan in December remained the same.  I am having some lung issues they are watching, but other than that I am doing fine!

I was just thinking about everyone this week and remembering how awful I felt last year and that I lost my hair just before my anniversary on Feb 19 last year!  This year I have a ton of CURLY hair and I recently had the color changed!!!!  I love it!!  I would also love to hear how everyone is doing!  Anyone else still on the herceptin?  what about aromasin?

HI ALl,

Great to hear from some of you.  Yes, I am very glad it is 2011 and I'm still here, still doing okay, and regrowing my hair too.  My hair came in mostly  silvery white and then as it grew, it got darker.  Now it looks like the beginning of salt and pepper.  I haven't colored since I've been watching with fascination the shifts from mostly white to greyish silver back to brown.  Wierd.  I guess the chemo blasted the roots which are finally regrowing normally.  My texture hasn't changed much - still fine, a little wavier than before but very soft.  I chalk that up to no chemical stuff - no dyes, no "products" - so I'm embracing my naturalness.  )

Still having ups and downs with fatigue.  Am on Femara since September and the SEs are finally starting to recede - so that means I'm not as creaky and stiff anymore. 

The permanent SEs for me are:  my toes still tingly from the Taxol, my endurance still not where it was before, due to lumpectomy my one boob is considerably shorter, smaller, and perkier than the one that remained healthy - which will provide ongoing bra and symmetry issues, and I've become a professional patient.  By the professional patient, I mean no month goes by now without doctor visits....oncologist for check ups or breast surgeon or mammogram or colonoscopy or muga scan or primary for high blood pressure (as a result of the Avastin), or lab tests, or...... you get it.

So, besides the remaining anxiety about BC popping back up again or spreading,  I'm good!

Hugs,

Pat

I agree it is hard to believe it has been a year.  Still have 3 more herceptin treatments and will be technically done. Once Herceptin is complete I will be participating in the ENERGY clinical trial.  The trial evaluates the impact of diet and exercise on BC reoccurrance.  The study lasts for 2 years. I look forward to participating and seeing the results. 

I still have some lingering side effects like random pain and numbness in my feet and hands. I'm sure residual effects from Taxol.  I also have tightness around my removed lymph node scar.  I find that I need to stretch daily or it gets very tight in that area.

I have resumed my very busy lifestyle but try to not let it get to me.  My job requires a lot of travel so I have been just going with the flow. Before cancer flight delays, lost luggage etc used to drive me up a wall.  Now I realize these things are out of my control so I just take a deep breath think "it could be worse".  I really hate to admit it but a very small part of me actually misses my post chemo sleep all weekend routine. 

Glad to hear that others are doing well.

Any January girls joining us in Vegas for the 3rd annual TaTa reunion?

January 2010 people - where are you?? 

Rcames - there is a Thread going under the get together forums.

I would put the link here but I am very computer challenged.

It is usually in the active list - title is The 3rd annual Tata reunion.

come check it out!

HI Grace!

I too am surprised that our thread kinda of puttered out...

I am still on the boards occasionally, currently gearing up for the Las Vagas reunion party. June 21rst will be my one year cancerversary or at least one of them. It was the day I was officially declared cancer free.

I have one step left in the reconstruction process and have that scheduled for Late July.

Hair is growing like crazy - curly mess - but I love it.

Come on all you Jan 2010 people - where are you??? 

Hi Ladies,

I miss hearing from you.

I'm kind of ok, kind of stressed,because of some pain in the left side under the ribs. I read that for ILC is quite common to metastasize to peritoneum and I can't stop thinking that I might have it. I did some tests, but the results will be ready in 2 weeks. Otherwise my hair is growing nice, too curly but less white than half a year ago. My energy is high, even though my blood pressure is a bit on the low side. My tests are good, except D3 that is still low and I started taking a high dose of D2 weekly instead of D3 4000 IU daily. I hope that my discomfort on the left side is because of the D3 and calcium that irritated my stomach. I try to stay positive and enjoy life, but I'm still worried.
Hope to hear more from you.
Enjoy the summer!

Hi Everyone,

I haven't checked in for quite some time - January 2010 was only 3 years ago but now seems like forever ago.  

However, the journey post-treatment continues with checkups, mammograms and the after effects and side effects (Femara/Aromasin).  I am finally feeling about 90% where I was when diagnosed.  The chemo brain pops up every now and then with memory and word recall.  My thyroid took a dive post radiation and I didn't know that for over a year (feeling dog tired and gaining weight) until I wound up hospitalized and they said - "hey your TSH levels are way off the charts - you're Hasimoto Hypothyroid."  So a year with an endocrinologist finally got that under control.  And, my digestive system flared up - but the gastro guy diagnosed me correctly finally...since 11 years old I thought I was lactose intolerant.  Turns out if you actually take the tests available now...I'm not.  Rather I am Frustose intolerant.

So my 2013 goals include staying 90% and getting to as close to 100% as possible.  I haven't a clue now what to eat - need to lose weight, can't eat estrogen-producing stuff like soy, am fructose intolerant and high fructose corn syrup is in EVERYTHING, and the aromasin gives me daily joint pain (but better than the femara) so I move around a lot less (was never an exerciser but need to be one).  Next week I am finally going to a personal trainer/nutritionist to figure this part out.

So, the cancer has made me a permanent professional patient.  That in combination with aging means the body is needing much more care and attention.

HOWEVER - all that is better than being dead.  So, I'm really not complaining, just detailing what its been like since chemo and radiation.

I hope your journey has been a bit easier and that you are well, happy, cancer-free in 2013.  God bless you all for being there for me when I really needed you!

Pat