For Older People with Sense

Oh wow, look at that pear!! 

Annette, I am anxious to hear if they put a "breast shield" on you with the CAT scan....they came and put this little thing on my chest after they had gone over me entirely and done the upper chest area and said "to protect the breast tissue' and I said At this stage of the game, it's sort of a moot point, don't you think?  This must be something new because they never did that to me before.

Rain is coming down in buckets here....no exaggeration....I am definitely not going anywhere on my lunch hour today.   There are lots of flood warnings out. 

I love this thread

Marybe - Maybe you should write on your arms NO IV This Arm and on your foot write IV OK Here.  They will probably get a laugh, but it might make things easier and you have the opportunity to tell them about your small rolly poly veins and that they need to use a pediactric needle.  I think I may do that next time I have to go and there is no one there that knows how to access my port. 

3jays, sorry you didn't find out more, but no progression---that's really good news for sure!

Kathy

I enjoy it when you confuse doctors. Have done so for a lot of my life, sometimes its fun not to tell them things and see if they can work it out. Just keep on confounding them 3jays.

Marybe my hand is still bruised from the scan last week, they had trouble finding a vein, only three tries!!! 

Barbe, I wear my pink sleeve and gauntlet went I go for any sort of tests and have done so when I had other surgery last year. Just reminds them they can't use my arm.

Must think about dinner here, still early but have to get things organised.

Well Ladies,  I probably should not post prematurely, but "things ain't lookin' good".  I went and picked up my scans, which I am for the lst time thinking may not be such a good idea since I don' t know half the terms or what they are talking about on the MRI I had done of the brain.  I went to the medical dictionary and looked up things, but it still doesn't tell me a whole heck of a lot, other than the fact they saw something....maybe they would have seen even more if they could have found a vein and used the contrast.  Anyway, the line that worries me the most under Impression: is Solitary sclerotic metastasis left parietal calvarium,  Parietal means near side & top of skull and calvarium means portion of the skull including brain case.  So does that mean I have mets in my skull?  Also it says I have a retention cyst left maxillary antrum....Antrum means a cavity in the bone.....are they talking about my jaw?   I know maxilla and mandible from being a hygienist.   Could I be starting on osteonecrosis?   My imagination is running wild here, I know, and thank God I see Dr.Cody this morning so he can explain all this to me.  Also it talked about chronic small  vessel focal ischemic changed in the deep white matter both cerebral hemispheres.  Deep white matter....don't like the sounds of that, but at least that proves I do have a brain....I did have two TIAs that I know of so wonder if the Ischemic changes are from those.  Who knows....guess it does no good to wonder and I will find out soon enough, but believe me I am worried and thinking petty crap like If I have to have radiation will I have a big bald spot.  How can I think something so petty after all KonaKat has had to endure...and there is another women, Chainsaw maybe?....she did WBR.....so I know I am just being petty, but that's the way I am.  It is the small S@#& that I sweat.  Now the liver, I know what is going on there....it's heading south....tumor that was 4X4 cm is now increased to 6X6cm....another one that was 7X7mm is now 15X15mm and they are also talking about a bunch of new metastasis.....multiple they termed them and one is 2X2 cm so they aren't all small.  BUT I have been living with liver mets and just have to assume we will look for a new chemo that will really go after these.....it's the head part that has me concerned.  I do not like change.  Normally if I sleep on something it is better the next day, but with this even though I got the report, I have no idea what it means, just know it isn't good.  Whatever, he says, I am NOT going to jump in and start a new chemo today.  I will get my Xgeva shot since at least my bone mets are stable, but I am not going to start a new chemo without posting on the BCO board what it is and asking about it, also want to ask the onco at MDA, and I want time to digest the idea.  What difference is a week of two going to make at this point?  Who knows maybe I will have a decent bowel movement without the aid of a laxative if I am off the Gemzar a few weeks?!  So that is all I know.

Oh, I did go to the ophthalmologist last night after work before going to pick up these reports at the hospital and he plucked two eyelashes from the rt eye and 5 from my left and I am good to go for my lst cataract surgery on Friday morning at 7:30AM.....unless my INR is too high, but I have been cutting back on the warfarin so it won't be too high.....they told me I don't have to go off of it would just prefer it in the 1s as to having it 3.  That would be my luck....bleeding to death from the eye.....but the assured me there is really no blood even involved with this procedure.

Re my veins....I always tell them ahead of time that my veins are bad and that they roll, but they just don't get it.  I will ask about the foot that several of you told me about using, but I do think that if I am in an actual hospital they can use my port or at least there will be someone on hand who is skilled at hooking me up to an IV. 

So now that I have unloaded my woes on all of you, I will bid you Adieu and hope you all have a good day.  I had been doing real well with not pigging out the last few days, but think today is going to be mac and cheese.  Oh, and you know I just honestly do not know what to think about my onco....he kept saying don't worry as we watched the CA27/29 go up, kept saying they aren't always accurate, BUT they were in the past and I think the fact things have progressed so much in my liver shows that the tumor markers still are accurate on me.  However, at this stage of the game, what am I going to do?  Change oncos?  I know I am always encouraging others to get another opinion, but this guy is good and I really feel he has kept me alive whereas that other onco I went to just let me go to Stage lV....and I did go to MDA and that guy didn't exactly bat 1000 with the recommendations he had that we tried....maybe I am at that point where it isn't going to reverse, I don't know.  I would just be happy if we could get to stable in the liver since I still feel fine....and my head, well, I just don't know about that problem at all.  I will keep you posted......unless I come home after my appt, I will post tonight after work. 

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{ Marybe }}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

((((Marybe))))

I will be praying for you.  Please let us know the results. 

Marianne

{{{{{Hugs}}}}} Marybe.  I too will be praying for you.

Kathy

Chrissy,

 I don't get into negative discussions.  I just move to a different site.  I have Metaplastic, Triple Negative Breast Cancer and I have just finished my chemo and radiation.  I'm celebrating and here to encourage others who are just beginning this journey.

Marybe, I'll be praying for you.  Warm hugs. 

Marybe, so sorry you're going through this.  Feel free to vent and rant and anything else that makes you feel better.  I think all of us here can take it.  God can take it too--I've thrown Him a few unrepeatable words in my time.  Please tell those dumb nurses to get someone good to start your IVs if you need any more.  Every hospital has somebody who's a real expert.  For example, anesthesiologists and usually really good, as are nurse anesthetists. 

I have about as much ambition as a nematoad today.  I think it's time to watch some daytime TV!  Ellen, here I come.

Dragon (Lynda) 

Marybe. Just to say I am thinking of you, and wishing the best for you at this time.

Hoping that between you, Dr Cody and checking out others in a similar stage to you here on BCO, you'll wind up with a chemo regime that will suit. Hope you'll get thru' the next few days OK.

((((((((((((((((Hugs, Marybe)))))))))))))))))))))))

Was hoping to have an update on your appointment Marybe!!??

Ladies, my sister has been creating a website for a woman who wants to investigate current issues with breast cancer. Please take a read and let me know so I can pass on feedback to her:

http://www.theseventhwoman.org/

Thanks!

{{{{{{{{{{Marybe}}}}}}}}}} I am so sorry to hear all of this.  There is a new treatment for liver mets here at Duke. They send radiation ''seeds'' directly into the leasons and they have had some really good success with it,  I don't exactly what they call it, but I am sure we could find out more, if you think it might be an option for you.  Take care of yourself and remember you are in my prayers my friend.