MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish

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  • marlegal
    marlegal Member Posts: 2,264
    edited August 2011

    Again, way too many posts for me to read - you gals talk up a storm during the week!!!  From skimming things, I'm glad for those who don't need chemo. To answer questions to those who are facing chemo, please PM me and I'll be happy to share my experiences.  I did 4 rounds of dose dense AC and 4 rounds of dose dense taxol, followed by 35 rads and 5 yrs of tamox/aromasin therapy.

    To those talking about hubs going to appts/tx, for some reason when I was going through tx, I really truly wanted to go alone and told hub that. He didn't go to any appts at all, and that worked for me. So don't feel bad if that's your choice and you hear of all these hubs going along ... it doesn't work for everyone. He came to one chemo, I think because others told him he should, and it was painful for both of us! Different strokes for different folks.

    Cabana boys - Jo - you find the best pics...hands down!!!!  the package on that last one was inspiring :)

    Wednesday 8/24 is my 6 yr cancerversary and I would love to start a party for that.  All are invited, and I thought I'd let a few of my friends come too ... whaddya think?

    We'll have some fancy drinks to share

    and some good food

    I hope you can all join me :)

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  • cmbear
    cmbear Member Posts: 1,086
    edited August 2011

    PARTY!! WOOT WOOT!! 

    Do we need an excuse??!!   I'm thinking a little jacuzzi action right now sounds good. And I take my margaritas with no salt please!!

    Alfie-I had 11wks of Taxol and 4DD of AC. I took off Wed to Sun( for the AC)  because I work retail on my feet. It exhausted me.  The taxol I didn't take any time off. But it is true that by the end of your chemo, it seems to accumulate and wipe you out. It did me!! 

    FlWarrior here's to a uneventful path report!! I had neo-adj chemo too and my path report was almost anti-climatic. Nice to know the chemo worked.

    Can't wait to crack open the WHINE tomorrow!!Frown 

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  • Foxlairfrm
    Foxlairfrm Member Posts: 214
    edited August 2011

    Marlegal- congrats on 6 years!!

    Alvie - I worked through all my chemo, a pretty physically demanding job. Up until the chemo getting ready for the stem cell transplant. The chemo I worked through was adriamycin, cytoxin, 5fu. Did it on Fridays then took most Monday's off. By the 3rd or 4th round it did get a bit tough but taking care of yourself and getting plenty of rest helps. My kids were 10 and twins 7. I was lucky and had a weekly maid come in during that time. It helped my mind mostly! I can not stand a dirty house! It literally drives me nuts. I know it's an illness, I can't help it!

    I have noticed listening to everyone's treatment plans that they do things sort of backward than they did to me 14 yrs ago. I had surgery first, then chemo,stem cell, rads, Tamoxifen for 5 yrs. Of course the world is upside down now with the recurrence.

    DH has an interview Monday!! Please oh please keep fingers crossed!

    I'll be back later for the pool party. I'm off early this morning to go raid my brother's huge perennial garden! Lucky me, he wants to thin a bunch of stuff out!

    Foxy

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  • KittyGirl2011
    KittyGirl2011 Member Posts: 537
    edited August 2011

    Hi Everyone,  Had lots of sleep (drug induced) yesterday and last night so now I'm up too early.  Oh well a nap will come later.  I' m waiting for my canana boy to get up and make my breakfast. 

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  • justmejanis
    justmejanis Member Posts: 1,847
    edited August 2011

    marlegal...the drinks and foods look fabulous!  I like, I like!  I know what table I will be sitting at.  Congratulations on the six years, that is wonderful!

    Foxlair...Fingers, toes, and paws crossed for the job interview.  My DH has been looking for ovwer a year, nothing here.  I so hope you hear some good news very soon!

    cmblastic, same here with the margaritas, salt free.

    SherryC how wonderful you get to be surrounded by so much family.  I hope you all have a wonderful time cat5ching up, and pklenty of hugs to go around.

    Kitty...that breakfast plate is so pretty, but I don't eat eggs.   I really should be eating oatmeal (ugh) but I prefer blueberry pancakes...bacon....dream on!

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  • jo1955
    jo1955 Member Posts: 8,543
    edited August 2011

    Marlegal - Congrats on 6 years cancer free.  Doing the happy dance with you.  I also went to all my appts without hubby.  The only one he went to with me was my first MO appt and the only reason he went then was because we now have the same MO.

    Foxy - Keep fingers crossed DH gets that job he is interviewing for on Monday.

    Sherry - I have to spend today cleaning the house as well - Yuck.  Fired me housekeeper and have to find a new one.  

    Kitty - The breakfast looks wonderful but I am not an egg eater - as least first thing in the morning - I could have that for dinner. 

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  • justmejanis
    justmejanis Member Posts: 1,847
    edited August 2011
    Jo...I would be more than happy to clean your house for you!  Might be a long trip though.  If I lived close I sure would.  I am the clean of queen!  Laughing
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  • jo1955
    jo1955 Member Posts: 8,543
    edited August 2011

    Janis - I would probably take you up on that.  I used to be the queen of clean - but don't have the energy anymore.  Been spoiled the last 8 years.

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  • justmejanis
    justmejanis Member Posts: 1,847
    edited August 2011

    I used to help a friend clean her house when we lived in Wyoming.  She paid me, which made me crazy because she was a wonderful friend and I did not want her money.  She was a bit of a hoarder and it was always a challenge to clean.  She loved vacuum tracks so I always made sure I vacuumed as much as I could so she had those to love!  For you, no charge!  Just would love to help another "sister" out.  Some people hate cleaning but it has never bothered me.  I have two dogs and three cats and everytime my dad visits (once every couple years) he always comments that my house doesn't stink.  He dated a gal with two dogs and he said her house smelled terrible and he could not go over there.  He asked me what I do to keep it smelling fresh.  Told him I CLEAN!!  Every day.  Vacuum every day.  Mop and keep kitty boxes clean at all times...bathe the dogs and the cats sometimes.  LOL. 

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  • elimar86861
    elimar86861 Member Posts: 7,416
    edited August 2011

    Foxlairfrm, I think they might be using neo-adjuvant chemo a lot more now than they did 14 years ago, which is to shrink larger tumors beforehand, which allows more ladies to have a lumpectomy with a better cosmetic result.  I haven't heard too much about the stem cell procedure.  Not sure if they still do it or not?  Were you in a trial of some kind?

    Marlegal,  My husband came to only one visit with each doctor, usually the big informational, planning one.  I swear I had to tell him not to start in with any questions until I was done.  He will just derail the flow of info. I gather from the doc.  Now that might sound uppity to anyone reading, but he is a scientist and tends to ask questions in a language that you and I and even some doctors do not speak.  Half of it is he wants to understand things in that way, the other half is some ego thing that implys to the doctor, "I am a learned, scientific man, like yourself...let's talk in our secret code."  It makes me want to nip that pomposity in the bud, that's all.

    Be sure to stop by on Weds., so we can celebrate your cancerversary with you!!!

    Glad everyone has posted how their chemo experiences were different and individual, even on the same chemo!

    Also glad people are confessing that some housecleaning has fallen by the wayside.  I used to have the energy to whip thru' the whole house in a day.  I can't do that anymore.  It wasn't the B/C, it's the middle age.  I am 100% back to my pre-treatment levels of energy, but I still don't clean like I did in my 30's.  Wah!

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited August 2011

    Marilegal



    Thanks so much for the red wine much appreciated Congrats on your 6th yr anniversary



    Foxlairfm. Keeping my fingers crossed for DH job. Saying a few prayers also



    Kitty. Breakfast looks delicious. It is my favorite meal



    Hope all is well ladies. Took a very long walk with hubby and dogs this morning. Enjoying an absolutely glorious day down the shore and relaxing for it has been the first weekend all summer that we don't have house guests of some sort. Heading to the beach soon. Wishing everyone a wonderful day



    Liz

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  • alfie167
    alfie167 Member Posts: 13
    edited August 2011

    thanks Paula, I was crying about everything before my diagnoses.  I felt 6 months pregnant, put the fear of god into my husband.  lol my poor tony.  Oh well, better or worse that is what he promised.  Ha

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  • jo1955
    jo1955 Member Posts: 8,543
    edited August 2011

    Janis - I don't mind cleaning it is just that I have not had to do it in quite some time.  Even with both of us smoking in the house and having a dog, it always smelled fresh.  Just a note, I quit smoking 5 weeks ago but DH is still at it.  I liked having a house keeper because my job in the winter months can be really demanding and I can put in about 60 -70 hours a week.  So the help was great.  You certainly can come help me anytime you want.  Where in Wyoming did you live?  DH and I were in Cheyenne for 3 1/2 years when we were in the Air Force.

    Elimar - I am back to 100% pre treatment energy too - I also think middle age is catching up with me and I just don't want to do it.  So I will Wah!! right along with you. 

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  • Foxlairfrm
    Foxlairfrm Member Posts: 214
    edited August 2011

    Elimar - my DH is the same way!! Even though he's an engineer he is very intelligent especially with medical stuff since that has been one of his specialties. It drives me nuts!

    The stem cell transplant is no longer used for BC treatment I understand. The risks out weighed the benefits apparently. They damn near kill you. Really. You have to harvest your own stem cells so when they give you such massive doses of chemo (4 different ones simultaneously) that accidentally kill your bone marrow they then give yours back to you and pray that you start making blood cells again. Your WBC is 0, your platelet count is so low you can't even use a toothbrush for fear of bleeding to death, your RBC is really low causing you to have transfusions. It is like a bone marrow transplant only using your own marrow. You are hospitalized for 3 to 4 weeks in an isolation type unit. You are so sick you don't even know what day it is. It was horrible but I think that's why I'm still here. You have to live in a clean environment even when you come home. No animals in the house, no handling or eating raw foods, not even lettuce. I'm glad I was only 36 I don't know if I would survive it now. The important part is I AM still here and it's over. The disadvantage of that is they are saying now that I have had so much chemo and so many different kinds that they don't know if my body would handle any more or if the cancer would even react to it.

    So, that's a stem cell transplant...on with the party! Got my literal truck load of plants, now what am I going to do with them all! First thing - a dip in the pool!

    Oh, if my house doesn't smell like bleach, it ain't clean! I guess part of that habit is from all my treatment! Lol

    Foxy

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  • elimar86861
    elimar86861 Member Posts: 7,416
    edited August 2011
    Foxy, So happy you had the youthful strength to go through all that.  As challenging as chemo still is these days, I think anyone reading your story will be thanking their lucky stars that they have managed to adapt current treatments (at least to the point of avoiding the 3-4 week hospital stay.)  Some of the older methods were "overkill" although they did not know it at the time.
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  • LovesChristmas-Barb
    LovesChristmas-Barb Member Posts: 706
    edited August 2011

    Wow...I didn't know they did stem cell transplants in the past for breast cancer. I guess it's similar to a bone marrow transplant. My daughter is an ICU nurse at our Children's Hospital here and she always talks about how sick the bone marrow transplant kids are. How difficult that must have been!

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  • Foxlairfrm
    Foxlairfrm Member Posts: 214
    edited August 2011

    Elimar - ignorance is bliss. If I knew what it was really like I don't know if I would have done it. Thank God they just can't explain it well enough...lol.

    My PC told me to go home and get my affairs in order. She had only one patient that had tried it and she didn't survive it. I was looking at 3 kids 10 and 7. I had to survive it! So I went back afterwards and told her now you can say your experience has been 50/50. Then I found another PC!

    It probably was overkill and nearly killed me but dang, I'm here! I also have a good excuse for being brainless sometimes...hehe Thank goodness for medical advancements!

    Foxy

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  • justmejanis
    justmejanis Member Posts: 1,847
    edited August 2011

    Jo...that is great on the smoking!  I quit two years ago and took up eating instead.  I was diagnosed with Type II Diabetes in May, along with high cholesterol.  Then cancer in July.  Hmmm, not my best year!

    We lived in both Casper and Cheyenne but moved to Idaho from Cheyenne last year.  We had been there 7 years, I had a couple acres and a couple llamas along with our dogs and cats.  I had to rehome my llamas which broke my heart, but got them a wonderful home.  My hubby had emphysema and COPD and he could no longer live in a high elevation so we had to move.  Now we are near Boise, terrible economy, cannot find work.  It has been a very rough year.  Still, I never give up!

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  • Sherryc
    Sherryc Member Posts: 5,938
    edited August 2011

    Finished most of my cleannng will do the rest tomorrow.  going to the movies with my mother.  We are going to see The Help and then to eat. 

    DH only went to the first meetings with the Dr's to find out what was going on.  He just likes black and white answers and I drive him nuts because I ask questions and want all the details.  He starts zoning out.  However I go to all of his Dr's appts because he has a hearing issue and he is always afraid he will miss something and although my questions drive him crazy he sees the value in it because he will just take what the Dr says and thats it. I make him think about things.

    Marlegal congrats on 6 years. whoo hoo.

    Well off to get cleaned up so I can go to the movies.

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  • jo1955
    jo1955 Member Posts: 8,543
    edited August 2011

    I did not want my Dh to got to all those appts with me for the fact that he would have driven ME crazy.  He is not good at waiting and sometimes I would have to sit and wait  2 - 3 hours at some of the appts.  He did not care about the MO appts since we see the same one.

    Sherry - I sure cope you don't do all that cleaning before I come up to stay with you.  I am coming to see you not your house.  I would care less.  That was something my mom taught me - you go to visit the person, not to inspect the house.  Enjoy the movie with your mom.

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  • Paula66
    Paula66 Member Posts: 1,728
    edited August 2011

    Marlegal Congrats on the 6 years!!  Yahoo for you!

    I just came back from a crazy day of shopping.  I went to a resale shop that wanted to get rid of thier summer inventory, so they have a bag sale 2x a year.  You stuff whatever you can in a bag for $3.00.  You can get as many bags as you want.  I stuff 5 bags, now Im set on clothes for awhile.  I love going to this.  I missed the last one because I was down and out, but not this time.  At first I wasnt gonna go, but now Im glad I did.  I'll be sharped dressed now!

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  • jo1955
    jo1955 Member Posts: 8,543
    edited August 2011

    Paula - That sounds like so much fun.  I am good at stuffing bags and for so little money.

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  • KittyGirl2011
    KittyGirl2011 Member Posts: 537
    edited August 2011

    Hi All,  Well my cabana boy finally got up and took me out to breakfast, shopping, lunch, and then put me in bed for a nap!  What a guy. 

    Foxy- I keep thinking about your DH and really hoping he's the next one to get the job. Sounds like you could sure use an extra bit of positives these days.

    Janis - You and I are sure in the same boat.  Let's keep it moving in a good direction and we'll both make it through these hard days of BC and Diabetes. My blood sugar is a little wacky now with this last procedure to put in the catheter.  Stress, nerves, whatever, it's just wacky!

    Cleaning was a big thing for me until lately.  I just don't have the energy to do what I want to get done.  Don't want to heap it all on my DH either.  So I putz at it and do just enough to get by for now.  Not going to worry, just want to "float and drift" like a jellyfish till treatment is done.

    I think I need a foo-foo drink by now........where's that cabana boy Jo? Kitty

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  • Paula66
    Paula66 Member Posts: 1,728
    edited August 2011

    You woulda had a blast Jo. I suffed mine to the max too, lol!  Its a really nice shop and they have tons of clothes.  I like it because they sort the sizes and colors.  You dont have to go thru alot of clothes you like just to look at the tag and see its not your size.  Plus the price is right.  I cant even go to a rummage sale and bring home the amout of loot I got today.  And if it doesnt fit right I take it to the Goodwill, so its a win win for all. 

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  • Sherryc
    Sherryc Member Posts: 5,938
    edited August 2011

    Paula your shopping sounds like my kinda deal. 

    Jo Don't worry I won't go crazy when you come to see me.  With rads and all I can say my house has been pretty deglected.  Just did what I had to do and you know how that fatigue hangs on.  So I figured this gave me a good excuse to get my house back in shape. Of course after I have my kids and grandkids here I will need to clean it again when they leave.

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  • justmejanis
    justmejanis Member Posts: 1,847
    edited August 2011

    Kitty sounds like a really nice day!  Going out twice, you deserve to be spoiled!  I don't have a meter so no idea where my numbers are.  Probably all over the place like you.  I have to go get bloodwork Monday.  YUCK.  Diabetes and cholesterol!

    Paula how fun on the shopping, and sure can't beat those prices!  Glad you were able to get out and find so many new things.

    Sherry I have seen previews for that movie and it looks so good!  Please let us know how you liked it.  Sure sounds like a great day for you.

    Hope everyone is feeling good this evening.  Thinking of you all!

    Janis

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  • elimar86861
    elimar86861 Member Posts: 7,416
    edited August 2011

    After reading about all the super-cleaners on this thread, I figured I better get out to the ol' virtual pool and get it nice and clean and ready for tomorrow.  Can you see me there on the left?  I have my toothbrush out and am scrubbing all the tiles individually!!!

                 

    We don't have to fry ourselves either since there are some nice shady spots to relax in.   Plus, I'll have some more tables and umbrellas set up too so it's all ready for any early birds that get up earlier than I do tomorrow.  Dive in.  Chill out.  Make yourself at home. See you soon.

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  • marlegal
    marlegal Member Posts: 2,264
    edited August 2011

    Thanks to those who wished me well on the cancerversary :)  We all need to celebrate those milestones with our friends, and all of you are definitely my bestest freinds during this journey, so thank you from the bottom of my heart, truly

    Cleaning ... I decided a few years ago that I just wasn't good at it, and really didn't like it, so that's where I put my money, having someone else clean for me. it's soooo freeing... I recommend it totally ladies.

    Peace, love and hugs buddies :)

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  • marlegal
    marlegal Member Posts: 2,264
    edited August 2011

    Thanks to those who wished me well on the cancerversary :)  We all need to celebrate those milestones with our friends, and all of you are definitely my bestest freinds during this journey, so thank you from the bottom of my heart, truly

    Cleaning ... I decided a few years ago that I just wasn't good at it, and really didn't like it, so that's where I put my money, having someone else clean for me. it's soooo freeing... I recommend it totally ladies.

    Peace, love and hugs buddies :)

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  • Sherryc
    Sherryc Member Posts: 5,938
    edited August 2011

    justmejanis I just got back from the movie and dinner.  the movie was great.  I had read the book about 3 years ago and it was great as well.  I def recommned going to see it.

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