June 2010 Mastectomy

Beckey: I am so sorry that you are going through so much. I have no  experience with what you are enduring, so I can offer no advice. But I am sending you love and hugs. I hope it gets better for you soon!

Laurie: Great pictures! I can't believe how much snow you all have had this year! The cupcake pictures are funny. I don't know when I can consider myself to be getting through the Tamoxifen without side effects. I'm trying not to read anything about it so that I don't start getting symptoms just from reading about them. I hope that since I've noticed nothing, things will continue to be good. I do take D3 every day. I'm taking 4,000 IU every day. I put two drops in my coffee in the morning and I'm good to go. My PCP is checking my D levels every three months and it's going up slowly. I think my last test had me somewhere around 35. We're aiming for a score (count?) in the 50's. 

(I had my husband inspecting my skin graft two or three times a day, in all sorts of light. "Do you think it's peeling off?"  "Is that a blister?" ... and goodness knows what other questions I came up with.  Poor guys!)

Joystars- What about putting some lemon in the water? I also drank lots and lots of tea. Just not green tea while on chemo.... I'll send an SMS about getting together when I see what my week next week looks. I hope you feel better soon! I do think that with each FEC treatment it takes a little longer to bounce back. It really will be done soon....

Jane: I'm happy to hear your revision surgery is behind you and that your PS is pleased with the result. It's great to have the surgeries behind us!

I have a friend who is just finishing up chemo and now has her BMX surgery ahead of her sometime in March. She is in that terrified place where we all found ourselves leading into last June. I am soooo thankful that it's behind us now. 

Jeanne- Nice to see your post!

Joy- I hope you're feeling ok.  Remember to rest as much as you can!

Getty- I laughed out loud at your post and how you have your husband checking you out too, so nice I am not alone with driving my husband nutty   I finally got some new pic's posted on the picture forum.

Jane- Great to see you are on your way to being healed, yay!!  So glad things are going well.

Laurie: I saw your pictures and left you a comment. You look great!

Great news, Jeanne! I found the exchange surgery to be sooooo much easier than the MX. It's not even in the same category of surgery, as far as I'm concerned.  I'll be thinking of you on Friday. Please let us know how it goes.

Jeanne - Hooray!!!! After tomorrow you'll be through and on your way. I'll keep you in my thoughts for a fast healing and easy surgery.

Jeanne- I hope you are feeling well!

Jeanne- I hope you are feeling more comfortable now that a little time has passed.  How long before you get to see your results?  Sorry, I have no idea about the effects on lymphedema and the exchange surgery.  Do you know if the the nurses kept your arms moving during surgery?  I know that helps.  Mine for my mastectomy surgery said she "worked really hard on my circulation", when I asked her what she meant she said she massaged my arms and moved them as much as possible to prevent any problems.  I don't know if you should wear the sleeve or not.  My gut says not to unless you notice a problem...but what do I know right?

Jeanne: It's great that your exchange surgery is now done and behind you. I hope you're feeling better every day! I don't have any advice in reference to the compression sleeve.

I hope everyone had a good Valentine's day!

Getty 

Hey there, June sisters! How are all of you? I am doing pretty well. I had an appointment with the oncologist in January because I was having horrible memory problems while on the Tamoxifen. He took me off of them to see if the memory problems would go away, and they did. So now he put me on Evista. I have not started them yet because I get my prescriptions through the mail and they haven't arrived yet. But paying $10 for 3 months of Tamoxifen versus $100 for 3 months of Evista (no generic available yet) is not a good start.

Otherwise, we are gearing up for our cruise at the end of March. My husband, 8 year old and I took a mini cruise over Super Bowl weekend and had a blast. We can't wait for the next one!

My next appointment with my PS is at the beginning of March, and he said that we'll be discussing surgery dates for the enhancement of my other, non implant side and cosmetic additions to the implant side.

Hi everyone! I hope it's so quiet here because we're are all doing so well and just living our happy lives without having to think of bc ...

I saw my breast surgeon a week ago for my one year check up. Can you believe that? Today marks one year since my biopsy and Wednesday will be one year since my diagnosis. What a crazy journey this last year has been! My BS told me that I'm doing really well with everything and that she doesn't need to see me again. I told her that, although she was my absolute favorite of all the doctors I had, I was okay with not seeing her anymore. Hopefully, there will be nothing popping up in the future that will necessitate a return visit.

Take care!

Getty 

Jane so glad you got your first fill!  You are on your way to the next step, yay!

HI Getty!  Yes, it has been quiet here.  I went for my 6 month check up, which was late due to the exchange surgery.  I have to see my BS twice a year for two years to check for recurrence.  Then once a year after that.  Glad everything went well with your check up, mine was event-less as well which was fantastic.  A friend of mine, which I don't see as much as I used to before we all had kids, has been battling breast cancer.  She was diagnosed almost three years ago and it has come back as mets to her thyroid and spine and she is triple negative.  So augh.  They are having a benefit for her on St Patty's day.  My heart just aches for her and her family.  We've talked on the phone a few times  since this summer but I haven't been able to get her on the phone since the latest diagnosis.  No surprise she is being over whelmed with those whole love her, and she doesn't feel much like talking so I have sent a couple of e mails and left her alone.

On a total side note I wanted to get your opinions on something.  My mother was diagnosed stage IV.  She passed away six years ago with mets to her brain, bones and liver.  Awhile back my father told me if I ever wanted copies of her medical records he'd get them for me. So, I said no thanks.  But now that I am better informed I have become curious.  I now wonder  how much she told me, I thought I knew everything, but she was still a Mom.  So I keep going back and forth on whether or not I want to read her records.  Would you want to read them?  Would you let more time pass or would you leave it alone?  Am I silly to want to see the path of treatment her Dr took?  She loved her Dr and he took great care of her so I am not looking to find blame at all.  My mother was actually part of the trials for Herceptin.  I think I may need to see it.  Any thought s would be so appreciated, I trust you ladies so much.  Thanks!!

Today is another day of yuck weather in NH.  In the past few days we have gotten another foot of snow and today it has been freezing rain and sleet the whole day.  Spring where are you?? 

Hi Laurie & Jane!

Laurie, it's awful to hear about your friend. Sadly, I've had a similar experience with someone who was diagnosed around the same time I was. She's a mom at the school where my sister's kids go. I don't know her personally, but you know how you hear about these other ladies that are on the same journey while you're going through it... She had her BMX right around the time that I had mine. We have the same oncologist. She did have lymph node involvement. In the past couple of weeks, she found a lump in her remaining tissue. The biopsy showed that it was malignant and that she has mets in her spine, bones and some other place. I can't even tell you the panic that I experience whenever I think of her. Her kids are really young ... preschool and early elementary. Logically, I know that my case was so different, being Stage 0, lymph nodes clean, no invasion or microinvasion. But feelings know no logic and when I think about it, my blood runs cold from the fear. I feel so bad for her!

About your mom's medical records, I think I would want to see them. After the past year, we've all become pretty savvy in understanding the language and scope of bc. I agree with Jane that it may be healing for you to look through them. It will be hard, of that there is no doubt. But you might get some answers that you didn't have before. If you don't want to read them for fear that you might find out more than your mom wanted you to know, I think I would be inclined to give a copy of them to my doctor just so he/she can see if there is anything relevant to your case in them.

Our weather here in Orlando has been pretty darned nice lately. Well, except for today that it's been rainy. Don't worry, Laurie, spring will come. It always does.

Getty

My June BC sisters!
I've been missing you a lot and thinking on post something here since a while ago. But of course motherhood adventures keep my very busy these days and I'm glad is that way.
Little Vida Sofia celebrated 3 months yesterday (yes on March 2nd as February had only 28 days) we clebrated her three marvelous and full of joy and energy, months.
But yesterday was quite special too as I had my appointment with my surgeon, a post surgery follow up after 6~ish months. To be honest I was very VERY nervous as on the past weeks I've been wondering what will the MRI and CT scan of my organs would have to tell. Is the bastard still there? Do I have to worry because it spread somehwere else while waiting for my chemo treatment and being pregnant?
So ladies, all the results show I'm clean, there's nothing! That gives peace to my mind for now.
I know the battle is not over and that I'll need to keep my check ups every year and so on but hopefully I'll never get to hear of a come back.
I'm still on chemo, just 2 more rounds to go and then after it, Tamoxifen.

So I'm sharing these good news here with you! and also this picture of my little baby girl... she is celebrating with me and with each one of you! Bless her!