MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish

Welcome LeeAnn!! Hugs!! I bet you are going to look like a knockout in that wig. What's really great is when someone tells you that they love your haircut!! LOL. I think we ate all of Nancy's cake so here is one of your own--but you do have to share!!!

welcome lwarstler.  I had mild bone pain from the nuelasta.  It wasnt enough to cause me problem that I couldnt handle.  I know some have swore that taking a clariten daily for 3 days handles this issue.  My Onc and the treatment nurses never heard that, so I didnt try it.  I thought if the pain was that bad I would.  Thank goodness it was mild and just a few asprins did the trick.

As Elimar point out, it is hard to predict what will happen in the future.  We all have to make our own life choices, but for me it was important to be aggressive about treatment. The bc may come back, but at least I will know I did what I could.  My question is, will refusing treatments help you to forget about the bc and "leave it behind you?" For me, not doing the treatments might make me think about it more.  I wish you the best luck, whatever path you choose.

Is All my Children being cancelled?  I still watch it on soapnet

Goodbye Ericka!

Just back from the simulation.  Why am I so tired?  Probably because I didn't sleep at all last night.  Holding my arms over my head for the 40 minutes or so was not hard.  But after, the tech said you can bring your arms down.  I said no I can't.  The left was fine, but the right was clenched on to the handle and I could not get it to open.  The tech had to pry it open.  It was asleep, but okay after a while.  Got some tattoos and made some appointments to start 28 rads in 2 weeks.

Denise I know its hard to deceided on all this.  You have to do what you feel is right for you.  Dont let anyone talk you into something you are not sure about.  You can please anyone in the end.  You have to do whats right for you.

When I found out for the second time I had BC I was shocked and stunned.  I didnt think I was going to be going down that road again in less then 2 years.  All my options were laid out to me and I did alot of reading and talking to others about their experences.  I even had people who thought I was off my rocker for have both my breast removed at 45 years old.  Alot of people just dont understand what goes on when you are told you have cancer.  Its easier for them to tell you what they want you to do. Some people dont understand what being BRCA+ means and what my family history is.  Once they heat alot of them understand, some dont but thats ok because in the end its my choice and noone else's.  They are (or were) my boobs and my choice on how I wanted to be treated before during and after.  Cancer had my boobs but thats all I wanted to give it, nothing more nothing less!

Nobody ever mentioned radiation to me so I'm assuming I'm not a candidate. I'm not sure where they would direct the radiation since I had a DMX. The way I understand it - that one stinkin' lymph node that was positive could have put a cancer cell(s) into my bloodstream which is why they want to do chemo, in the event that the cancer did travel. My attitude, however, is why poison my whole body in the event cancer MAY HAVE traveled.

I have always felt this way about chemo, even 30 years ago before all the advancements were made. If they could give me 100% guarantee that if I did chemo it wouldn't ever come back I would do it but since they can't I'll take my chances.

lwarster...welcome to a great group.  Sorry you had to join, but you could not have landed in a better place.  Great people here, period.

chivlur...everyone is different and so is every cancer.  You have to make the choices for your treatment that you are most comfortable with.  As long as you are happy with your choices, then that is enough.

Paula..no gall bladder.  It is funny becasue the stabbing pains kind of remind me of when I had my major gall bladder attack over 20 years ago.  it was horribe and they say the pain mimics a heart attack.  Well, have ruled that out of course.  This pain was stabbing, sharp, and it hurt to try to take deep breaths.  Very nasty.  I am going to see a different RO tomorrow.  Mine is on vacation and I usually don't go on Tuesdays, but my techs wanted me to.  I have no idea if he will have any better take on what this is.  Now that I have had it twice I am scared of it hitting again.  At least this time I stayed home and just laid still and took pain meds.  The pain did not subside until late Saturday night.  The attack began at 9:30 in the morning.  Nasty stuff!

Hope everyone is doing great.  Hauntie.....how are you feeling now? 

Janis - The area of nerve irritation is getting smaller, but still lots of strange sensations. I'm 4+ weeks out and the incision is still sore especially where the drains were. I don't remember having this much difficulty with my first MX 17 years ago. Of course, I was 17 years younger then. I guess the younger you are, the quicker you heal.

I hope someone figures out what's going on with these pain attacks you're having and soon. I know this was mentioned before, but it sounds like pleurisy, especially the intense pain when breathing. I've had it a few times, but it's always happened after a respiratory virus and goes away pretty quickly.

SAB - Well said. I'm reading a book "Bathsheba's Breast - Women, Cancer & History". It seems we've been treating this horrible disease the same way since the beginning of time - slash, burn, poison. The surgery may be less radical. The radiation more targeted. The poison, however,  just seems to be getting more poisonous. When will they find a better way to treat it? When will they learn how to prevent it? Where is our cure?

Stjude I am sad that All my Children and One life to live will be off the air.  Grew up watching those and when in college made sure my schedule was around all my children.  Love Soapnet so I can watch it at night when I am at work.  Guess everything becomes history at some point.

Janis and Hauntie--I am sad that you are still in so much pain. Here is to gentle and quick healing. I get stabbing pains in various places and my docs are totally unconcerned. I think our nervous system is totally out of whack after what we have been going thru. that and what might have been a minor problem before BC is quadrupled because our immune system is spent. What we do have left is focusing on the BC and its treatment. 

Denise- your decision is yours and yours alone. There is no right or wrong, we all have our own diagnosis and reasons for going down that path.  Just remember to be diligent on getting tested and scanned in the future.

As for All My Children Can't believe its being replaced by a talk show. There is already enough talking heads on tv--give me back my fantasy world!!! I want to know there is someone out there that has more problems than me!!!! However it is sad to watch Tad Martin become the elder male star of the show--Tad the Cad, such great memories!!