March 2010 Chemo Start

Hi lovely friends, sorry I've been a bit absent on the boards, I've been busy now I've got my mojo back. Hoping to have my PhD finished by the end of next year, and getting back into some surgical study. Also, loving the Spring here, although still a litlle chilly at night, the days are glorious, and my vege patch is filled with little green shoots from seeds of carrots (orange and purple ones!) beetroot, spinach, rocket, silverbeet, snow peas, sugar snap peas, tomatoes, and herbs herbs herbs.

I think of you all often. Toni, good on you for doing the run - I still don't think I could, but I did buy a new bike, so there's hope. Badger, it would've been great to catch up in person with your BCO friends. One day, we will meet. You might like to know, I've bought a paint sprayer, it's like a bazooka, and sprayed the new back fence. Planning on starting one room at a time inside, so you you better be quick and come and visit here. And Charley and Heather, how's that hair come along? I hope it's full, and getting some length now.

Hugs to you all,

Lisa

Hey ladies, hope this finds you all well.  I spent last weekend in Minneapolis with some BCO buddies.  We laughed and gabbed and had so much fun!  Downtown Minneapolis is clean and friendly, with lots of interesting architecture.  We had near-perfect fall weather too, which was good because once we got to the hotel, we walked everywhere.

My friends flew in and I drove, so met them at the airport Friday afternoon.  First stop was the Mall of America, where we had wonderful Italian food for lunch at Tucci Benucch and of course did some shopping.  Friday evening we had tickets to La Cage Aux Folles at the beautifully restored State Theater.  George Hamilton was one of the stars and wow he looks good at 71!  We started in the balcony but at the intermission, a man came up to us with four tickets in the fifth row, asked if we wanted them.  You betcha!  What a treat to have seats that close.  Friday late night was a light meal and a drink at a bar & grille by the theater. 

Saturday we were supposed to go on a walking food tour but the tour operator was sick so she canceled.  So we did our own tour, basically wandered around.  Happened upon the Aster Café and what a nice find that was.  Good food and great coffee.  Saturday night was elegant dining at Vincent restaurant, what a fabulous meal!  Lingered over dessert then strolled around downtown, mingling with the post-orchestra crowd.

Sunday morning we had a coffee en route to the airport where I dropped them off and headed home.  Took my time and stopped at a pretty rest area with a nature trail to stretch my legs, so I was home by mid-afternoon.

That trip, along with my trip to see Chrissyb, has inspired me to be a tourist in my own state.  For example, tomorrow I plan to take a guided tour of the state Capitol. 

Take care everyone and {{hugs}} to all.

hello lovely Marchers, checking in to say hi and no one is posting here anymore? Oh well, I'm posting anyway.

Hope you are all well, and getting on with your lives. It must be getting very chilly over there now. I heard that your unemployment numbers looked a bit better, so hopefully your economic problems have turned a corner.

I feel good. 99% of the time all is rosy, I still have my moments when I get a bit of an ache and the lurking fear re-emerges, but so far, all is good, and I feel optimistic it will remain so.

My hair is getting quite long, although not to my shoulders yet, and it's still wavy, and I still don't know how to style it, LOL. Some of you are coming up to your 2 year (!) checks, and I send you very strong hand holding through it,

hugs to you all my March sisters, love, Lisa xxx

great to hear from you Badger. That must have been scary having the retinal tear, and the urgent treatment. So glad you had a sharp opthalmologist available. My memory isn't too clear, but did you also have the nasal septal problem? Sorry to be nosy, (pun not intended), but it's what I do in my day job, try to figure out correlations and tuck away facts if I see them reappearing.

By the way, there's just been some very good news from The Early Breast Cancer Triallists Collaborative Group (EBCTCG) - modern chemo improves survival markedly - 123 randomised controlled trials with over 100,000 women.

Here's the link.    http://www.ox.ac.uk/media/news_stories/2011/111206.html

Watch that eye Badger (sorry I couldn't help myself, and I know you love word games

But do please be careful, will be in touch again before Christmas,

Hugs, Lisa xx

Coming up on the 2 year mark since diagnosis.  Probably why I am feeling more stressed and melancholy.  Or could it just be the season?  Badger, I see that you were diagnosed a few days ahead of me during this wonderful time of year. Maybe one day I will be too busy to remember.

Hugs to you all!

Charley

Hello to all and Merry Christmas.

Badger - I must admit I've never reviewed any literature regarding the connection with BC and thyroid problems, but certainly have seen plenty of women here discuss it, and Heather has clearly had some experience with changes.

I have cooked 3 large family meals in the ast week, including todays Christmas lunch, so I am feeling very full, and exhausted but happy. Watching Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon on TV, and about to fall asleep with a sugar induced coma.

Hope you all have a happy day with people you love,

Lisa xxx

Heather/Badger - totally missed the thyroid and chemo connection but I was hypothyroid befor BC and a few months after chemo was completed my dose was reduced.  Last blood test shows that medication levels are good. Wouldn't have thought thy would be better but I guess so ... at least for me.

Happy New Year!  Ready for a good 2012!!

Good to hear from you horsedoc, and glad you got good news fom the uterine biopsy. I'll probably have an ultrasound later this year. I'd be interested to know what your gynae docs suggest.

Happy 2012 everyone, I hope it's full of peace and health and love,

Lisa

Badger, the "horse women unite" was started after someone responded to a thread I had posted, and we discovered we were both horse people.  It's cool, there are lots of horsey women here!  Hey, just realized you're from Wisconsin; I just flew back from there this morning!  I was near Milwaukee, doing an animal chiropractic course.  I've actually been up there 5 times in the past 5 months.  I guess you guys got your first real snow while I was there (Thursday I think.)  All of the other times I was up there the weather was really nice; in November and December it was "unseasonably warm."

Lisa, I STILL haven't talked to the gyn-onc.  I will call his office tomorrow.  I am uneasy about doing nothing; endometrial hyperplasia is a very big risk factors for cancer as far as I know.  Are you on Tamoxifen?  I know they like to monitor uterine thickness for people on that.

One thing I did to help with my health, with the encouragement and help from a good friend, was change my diet.  I am eating as much organic food as possible, and have cut out everything with added sugar AND cut out artificial sweeteners.  That is all huge for me, as I'm basically a sugar addict, and have been drinking everything with artificial sweeteners for YEARS.  It's only been two weeks, but I feel great, and think I'm starting to lose some weight too.

I hear ya about the 10 kilo's Lisa!  I gained at least that.  My new organic food/no sugar/no candy/no ice cream/cookies, etc. diet is going well.  I'm still feeling good.  I have a program app on my phone that is a really easy, awesome way to count calories, monitor your diet & exercise, and things like that.  I've already lost 5 lbs! 

Good job Badger!  I've eliminated most wheat but not *all* of it, but enough that it's making a difference in how I feel (not bloated) and my cravings.  (It's helped cut down on the carb cravings.) We have a good health food/organic grocery here, and a huge Amish market which is open Thursdays through Saturdays.  I get meat there (not that I eat much) and some vegetables too.

I need to get back on my Wii and start doing some core exercises.  The balance games help with that.  I also have some good exercise programs for it too.  They don't do any good sitting in their package though....

badger - thanks for those tips!  Wow, I didn't even think about the little balancing hairs in the ear being affected.  My balance was not bad BUT I was doing to balance games on the Wii Fit constantly all during chemo and after.  I really think that helped. 

 I use frozen organic blueberries and mixed berries, add a little organic apple juice, a banana (or part of one), and some fat free plain Greek yogurt and blend it for a smoothie every day for breakfast.  I put the frozen  fruit in a measuring cup in the  fridge the night before so they are mostly thawed by the morning.  And since I'm not eating sugar or artificial sweeteners anymore it tastes really sweet.  I actually had something with artificial sweetener in it yesterday and it tasted horrible!!!!! I could taste a chemical taste; it actually reminded me of my chemo taste buds.  

I have also learned to drink "almost black" coffee.  I add either a little Agave sweetener, or coconut milk for cream, or I'll put one little Mini-Moo sweetener in.  (it's cream/milk.)  I have a Keurig which I love, but I haven't found Organic coffee for it.  Does that exist?

Have you cut out using plastics? I'm trying.  It's hard.  What do you know about cans?  I heard that BHP (?) can leach out of cans into foods too.  

hi ladies, quiet here, hope all is well. Just had 2-year anniv of bmx (2/2 - groundhog day).

I reached the 2,000 miles walked mark yesterday and increased my goal to 2,500 miles.

Down a few more pounds and feeling great. The less junk I eat, the less junk I want to eat.

A Canadian friend shared this article on another thread and I thought you'd like it too.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2012/01/11/toronto-viral-video-doctor-health.html 

Watch the video!   It's very motivating.  Be well my sisters.  ((hugs)) to all

Hello my friends,

It's so nice to see people still posting! I am happy to report I had my first mammo since the cancer, on January 24 and it was normal! Actually, it was my first normal mammo ever (my very first one found the cancer). A dear friend of mine was recently diagnosed and I've been reliving my experience a bit while trying to help her out. Still no periods -- that makes almost 2 years (since the week after my first chemo). The onco says she's still not convinced I have no ovarian function, and I'll take that, because there's no way I'm going on arimidex instead of tamoxifen. The one side effect I really seem to get is bone and joint pain, and it's worse on arimidex. 

Boy I am random! I am finally finishing my master's degree (due in June), so very busy with that. I suppose I need to make a gyn appt to check the uterine stuff. Cancer did not help my procrastination with doctor visits!

In other news, I got to be part of a very special concert last weekend. I'm a singer and live in Los Angeles, where you may have heard Gustavo Dudamel is conducting all the Mahler symphonies, then going to Venezuela to do it all again! He's the conductor of the LA Phil and amazing. So, we performed Mahler 8, originally billed as the "symphony of a thousand" -- and we had 1.017 musicians on stage. It was breathtaking and transcendant.

I appreciate every one of you and love to hear the updates. Keep them coming!

Love,

Toni

teemee- I'm not usually on this thread (finished chemo in March 2010) but happened to read about your Mahler concert. I just wanted to say that we are doing Mahler 8 in Oslo also this week. Wow! What an amazing, amazing piece!! I don't know if we have 1,000 people on the stage but there is just barely room for the chorus! Do you get to go to Venezuela, too?