December 2009 Rads Group

I had my yearly pap yesterday. It doesn't seem as scary anymore. The doctor went over my results from my latest blood tests and everything is in the normal range... even my cholesterol. (Yeah me!) June 1st I go in for my yearly mammo and a week later I see my surgeon for a check up. I want to ask if there is anything that can be done to fix the scar on my breast. It looks like a pothole.

I've been keeping busy in the garden. This year we doubled the size. I wish we had some sun. Its been raining here since Friday. Its getting depressing.

Hugs to all.

Valerie

Renee, actually, George Bush gave a end time for the shuttle program, unfortunately they did not back it up with a replacement plan as everyone that worked at the Space Center had been led to believe....Everyone thought that surely we would continue with another newer vehicle but no one stepped up to make that happen...So So many have been let go, only a few more months of the shuttle, then the last one in July....Looks like my DH was one of the very few that was offered a position to stay with the company he has worked for for 23 years....The biggest problem is that it will not be local, we will looking for a little beach shack or somthing to stay in Mon-Fri that is about 2 1/2 hrs south of us and come home on the weekends...Good news that he has his job and we keep insurance, but bad news to having to live in two places...I'm trying not to go crazy over this, could happen in as few as a couple months....Hey with what all we've been through, I guess it has made us all stronger women and as long as we and our family has our health we have to try to look at the brighter side of life, esp., when so many on this site are having so many more problems..Wishing all health and happiness....Jewly

Valerie, congrats on good test results....I do blood work every 3 months, next week is one of those times, seems I go a lot, 2x year for mammo, lump side in April, then both in Oct.....I am still sore..I have a V-shape dent, but it is almost under my arm at the 3 o'clock area and with as long as it has taken to heal it does not bother me so much....Your garden sounds great....

Renee, thanks, I guess the one thing we can always depend on in life is "Change"!!!..We just really have to see how this is going to work out, my son will still be here all week, but he will be starting his third year of college and drives to Orlando UCF so between his college hours and his working we don't see him that much anyway...Hopefullly if my husband can work 4-day weeks, we can be home at least 3 days....But, we are very lucky that his company gave him this opportunity, it wasn't offered to very many, so we will make it work.....Glad you and Val keep checking back, if ever in South Fl, will have to look me up, where ever I am...

Yeah Valerie for a great mammo!!!! Doing the happy dance for you

Somanywomen...

So glad that you are getting good news! 

Here's a smile...

Hey all my lovely RADS ladies where are you all hiding yourselves at this last 2 weeks?  I have been ultra busy.  Having to work some 3rd shifts and do some training, at least that was the story that I was told to get me to do it.  LOL!  Sometimes I wonder about my boss.  She is a little weird and I feel like she is out to get me other times I feel like she isn't.  Mostly I think she is just playing me or trying to but I am a little smarter than she gives me credit for and I'm not letting my guard down. 

Here's hoping that you all have a wonderful upcoming holdiay weekend.

hugs my lovelies

Have a great time at the beach!

Valerie

Jewly, PCB is Panama City Beach and it's up in the pan handle close to the Alabama line.  I hate to hear you are still having pain in your lump area.  I have started having shooting, burning pain around my left areola the last few weeks very strange.  I assume it has to do with regeneration of nerves after my reduction.  The plastic surgeon is talking about reducing the areola some more in December since they still aren't equal.  Guess we will see.  I quit my job where my "boss" was giving me so much trouble.  They were about to try and put something that one of the other nurses did on me because I was her boss and I didn't catch it, so I started praying and God led me to resign.  Now i'm looking for a job.  I won't have 2 insurances anymore and mine had been the primary so I am not sure how my hubby's blue cross will be about picking up and paying for the rest of my recon.  I hope they don't give me any probs since they had been the secondary. 

Stay well

Renee

Hi everyone! I have been busy canning tomatoes and freezing veggies from my garden. I had an appointment with my oncologist last week and had a breakdown in frot of her. Ended up talking to a nurse and then a social worker. The social worker helped me change therapists. Later today is my first appointment with the new psycologist. I actually slept last night but had some crazy dreams. I wish this nightmare was over.

I want to get some work done on my scars. The one from the lumpectomy is the size of a silver dollar and it looks lke a belly button. The port scar is red and is indented. I thought maybe a scar revision or micropigmentation would help improve the way they look. The ocologist replied that if I have a plastic surgeon do anything to them that it would only make them look worse. She said that I am too focused on them and that I need to spend more time with cancer patients to appreciate where I am. I totally broke down in front of her. I told her that I am constantly reminded of my cancer when I come to the hospita for an apintment and see all the patients. My best friend is stage 4 and has outlived the 6 months the doctor gave her to live. I go to 2 support groups, see a therapist and have a phone therapist. She listened and then she got a nurse and a case worker.

Last night I saw a different therapist, actually the psycologist that is inthe same building as my therapist. She says I have PTSD and lots of underlying problems to. The scars aren't the real problem. We talked for two hours. I like her because she argues with me. I need that.

I worry because I am triple negative. I ave to wait and see if it comes back for three more years. There is no medication I can take to help it stay away. Maybe the scars remind me of that fact. I try to do at east one thing I enjoy each day...garden, bake, shop, or just have a hot cup of tea and watch the rain. This too shall pass. 

That's so true Renee, we all are reminded at different times of what we have been through, what others have been through and what and if it will happen again...Veggy, I think your oncologist was very irresponsible with her remark...I'm glad you found someone a bit more caring to talk you through this....Good luck and keep enjoying the rain, I'm watching some heavy rain coming down my canal right now....Take care

I for one will continue to check on all of you and hope we all continue this Topic for many many years to come...I am having mammo/ultra Oct 4, I am a bit nervous since I am still so sore, sometimes I wonder if it is due to the IMRT Radiation therapy that I had vs the traditional....But for now I am planning a 2-night stay at Hard Rock in Tampa next weekend, wish me luck!!!!

Hey, where is everyone, how is everyone....Just got home from my 2 hour mammo/ultra, very grueling..Always takes a long time and then with the ultrasound I was greeted with a tech that said, "hi my name is so-so and I am in training, so the other tech will probably come in and check a few times while I am doing the ultrasound"....Okay I think, it should be fine I will just make sure she doesn't miss any areas, but I am concerned...No one ever came in to check during and she said at the end that someone now would come in to recheck my left breast...I am on the table about 10-15 minutes waiting, no one came in...Finally she came back in and said the Radiologist said all was the same and I am good to go...I ask to speak to the Radiologist, most of the time they will come in for a minute...I was concerned that I was not rechecked by a more qualified tech...She said the Radiologist was busy and could not come in....I just felt short-changed and was not comfortable that I had only been scaned at by a trainee....I came home feeling exhausted and called the head of the clinic who I repeated the above and once she talked to the Radiologist and asured me that all was well but said if I wanted a re-do on the ultrasound that they would do it and I said yes I would feel better so now I am to go back Friday for a re-do...I believe if they are going to have trainees scan us they ought to at least check in on them during the proceedure....Sorry this is long I just had to vent to those that I know truly understand.....Jewly

Thanks Renee, that's why this site is so helpful, just knowing that all of you understand...I just didn't feel I should accept what happened so I didn't....I don't want to go for a re-do but that will ease my mind for the next 6 months so I'm going...

Hi Bonnie, nice to see you check in now and again...I always wonder about all of you and the couple of years we have had together with our common theme...Glad to see that for the most we are doing the best we can never to deal with this again...I also live in tornado/hurricane country, none have even gotten close this year....Knock-knock-knock on wood.......I have my redo ultrasound Fri morn, at least I will be checked extra good this time, my regular Radiologist will be there and he usually takes the time to talk to me for a few minutes......Glad you are slowly but surely getting stronger and feeling better....Jewly