Starting Chemo October 2009

Val, good to here another step done! Take it easy as you recover.

Michelle, skiing here is great as we have 3 ski mountains right in the city and lots of world class skiing just a few hours away. I haven't gone skiing in quite a few years and really miss it. Im gonna try just a few hours of night skiing to see how out of shape I really am..... lol I'm sure I'll pay for it but I'm gonna just stick to a couple of easy runs.

Soooo happy happy happy! I had my appointment with my onc today and everything is looking good. She said its not unusual to still have pain in the rib even after it was radiated. I was concerned that maybe it was spreading, but she said my bone scan looks the same as the last and there is no new area's of concern. She doesn't think I need the PARP Inhibitor trial yet (so no chemo) but I will have a ct done on my liver & area before my next visit (in 2 months) to keep everything highly monitored... I think my liver test came back a little high but not serious this time around.

I try my best to stay upbeat & positive but this visit I really felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders and I can breathe easier.

Big Hugs All

Suz, I'm glad to hear that you are stable right now.  Keep on with the easy breathing!

I'm breathing easier today too - heard from the doc's office, and there has not been a progression of the abnormal cervical cells to cancer.  Since I only got to talk to the nurse, I didn't ask what exactly he saw, but for now, all I care about is that he didn't see any cancer.  So, I can postpone the surgery until late March, and I'll just need to have a cold knife cone biopsy to remove the cells.  Day surgery, and in most cases, it solves the problem!  I am so relieved.

We had SNOW here overnight!!  Very cold, then some freezing drizzle, which coated everything with a thin layer of ice, then a bit of snow.  They closed all of the freeways until late morning, so there was no school - a surprise vacation day for the girls and I!  We ended up making a mini-snowman, and slid around in the parking lot.  Thankfully, it mostly melted and evaporated by the end of the afternoon.  It's supposed to warm up to the upper 60's by Sunday, but another freeze and possible ice is expected next Wednesday.  It's fun for a little while, but I couldn't make it like this for a long period of time.

Hope you're all having fun tonight!

Hugs to all... 

Jean, yuck on the snow shoveling...

Suz, sounds like some good news for a change...love being able to breath a little easier..

Shelby, I watched your video on FB. so funny and cute...you should bring your sled here for a little sledding adventure.

Juanelle, sounds like a good reason to stay indoors and bundle by the fire..

So far I have had nothing much.   a little joint pain, but then that could also be because I am getting older.  It goes away soon after getting up in the morning.  I have lost a little weight and I think that may be from it, but who knows.  I also have been having trouble with a annoying vaginal itch.  I think that is more a hormone change thing caused from having my body thrust into menopause during chemo.  I figured that I may as well give it a go and see what happens. I could always stop if I needed to.  I think some times women are scared to take it because of all the crazy SE,s, but then if you watch any of those commercials on tv, the se's are scarier than the disease.  You know like death or diereah from using zit cream.  They have to warn you of the WORST se's.

Shelby, cardboard is great in a pinch...we have  a huge dumpster of cardboard and a huge pile of snow out front where I work...we are just waiting for a quiet moment and watch out.

Shelby ~ I am so glad to hear of your good news.  Hope you are resting easier now. 

Valerie ~ how is your reduced tata feeling?  Matching the other one better I hope ~  Congrats on 25 years of sober life !  I gave up the drink when I was diagnosed with cancer.  (OF all times)  My brother and father are both alcoholics.  I was getting afraid I was turning into one.  I did have a glass of champagne New Years.  Drinking gives me a headache! 

The tamoxifen side effects aren't so bad and aren't so good.  I have days I don't even know I take it.  Then days my knees are killing me, shoulder etc.  Michele ~ I had the itching for months.  Doctor finally gave me a diflucan even though testing showed no sign of infection and wala !  NO MORE itching so go figure?!  Biggest problem for me is not sleeping..........  but that's been an issue for me always.  Thankful onc gave me some ambien to have on hand.

Hugs girls !

Alicia

I'll chime in too with having anxiety problems and giving up alcohol... they seem to go hand in hand. Addictions run high on both sides of my family so I'm a much better person without it.

It was funny, I went out Saturday night for dinner then on to a blues & reggae club with a group of 4 couples. I used to party with all these people but haven't socialized with most of them in about 10 years. One of them asked me if it was possible to still have a good time without drinking (as I got off the dance floor) I had to smile as I was having a blast and all my drinks were DD so they were free (club soda with a splash of cranberry) . Yes its possible to have an even better time because I could get up & dance in high heels all night and not suffer too much the next day. I will admit I was was extremely tired Sunday but I'm not used to late nights.

Hoping everyone is well! Lots of love & hugs Suz

Congrats to everyone that has reached their Chemo anniversary.  Last year I biggest wish was to have hair.  We are always evolving and what are our wishes now?

Mine is to never have to worry about BC again.

Wow - just catching up after a few days offline and we are in anniversary season!!  We have come SUCH a long way together.  I am a little behind you all - I started taxotere just over a year ago so my endofchemoversary is not till 4 April but I remember all the chemo dates (I've always been a bit anal about dates!!)

 But I wanted to share this (pasted below) -  it's a few (slushy) words I wrote the other evening prompted after an open air guitar recital and followed the next day by my morning sunrise swim.Being thankful for those small and special things ....

 Big hugs to you all

Philippa

The sound of thankfulness

Classical guitar

playing

under the lakeside stars

harmonising

with gentle evening birdsong.

The sounds of water

lapping

as the sun creeps over the horizon

harmonising

with chatty sunrise birdsong.

Blessings

truly

simply

counted.

Oh That was beautiful-that evoked some lovely images after thinking about chemo a year ago! Life has a lot to offer, some painful and others awesome. All part of it. Well, getting another haircut tomorrow! Oh and the girls match with just minimal discomfort left. They feel reunited.

Have a great weekend! 

Mary ~ how nice of you to go back and look at last year.  I was so thankful to be done with chemo and do our annual trip we have done for many years with my kids.  I was sad I couldn't ski last year but walked to the bottom of the mountain to watch them ski down.  THIS year I will SKI ! woo HOO.

Philippa ~ beautiful !  thanks for sharing.

Juanelle ~ Michele ~  I too hope to never have to deal with BC but somehow feel I will.  AND will kick it's ass again.  Maybe because my mother in law had to do it twice.  AND she is still here. 

Happy chemo anniversary to all.

Have a great day !

Alicia

I had my annual mammo today, nothing to report, they will  let me know something in about a week.  They said they would call if there were any problems and I told them if they called me I  would probably have a  heart attach.  I am not sure I could stand a call like the last one, it was a really bad day.  Anyway, every other time I have been there, I have seen a doctor, today I did not see a doctor, so I think that is good.  This was just a regular mammo. 

I will have a bone density test next month, then have a visit with my Onc and my Rad Onc on the same day.  She wanted all the test to be done, so she  would have the results before my visit.  I am feeling so good these days and am not having any problems.

Hope everyone has a great weekend and is having some beautiful weather.

Hugs,

Juannelle 

Michele, that is probably a good idea to change it, no reason to ruin a perfectly good vacation.  We will all keep our fingers crossed that you will only get good news.

Happy Chemo-versary to Everyone!

I'm just like the rest of you - treading water - following up with drs, going to tests, waiting and hoping that the C does NOT come back.

I did have my exchange surgery last week (2/3) and I'm getting through the aches and pains of that.  Funny thing is while I'm dealing with "chest pains" my jaw/neck pain has subsided.  Not sure if it was the anti-inflammatory, or pain meds from this last surgery or my new pillow that has helped.  I'm enjoying it though!

I won't bore you with all the details of my exchange surgery but I will tell you that I'm feeling pretty good about the results and the feeling that I'm getting through this stage of my life! 

This July will be 2 years since I was dx!  At the time it seemed like my life was over and now I realize that it was a wake up call to enjoy every day!

I hope you all have a lovely weekend and enjoy your days!