January Mastectomy

Oh Gina, I'm so sorry to hear about DH.  As someone who deals constantly with health issues with my own DH, I know how hard that can be to be the "strong one".  Please know you are in my prayers.

And Laura, I forgot to mention I'm sorry about your "baby" too.  I've lost many pets over the years and they are family to us and they are missed just as much as a person.

I too have been thinking a lot about our "anniversaries" coming up from our surgeries.  The emotional issues we've had (and have) and fears we try to supress to try to take care of others and not focus on ourselves for awhile. 

I still think this is a crummy disease and sure wish no one else would ever have to go through this again.

Laura, nothing is ever off topic here.  If one of us is hurting, we are all hurting.  Come to us and allow us to help, however we can.  (((((((((Laura))))))))))

Thinking of you all, love ya Team.

Kat- LOVED the family pic on facebook.  You and Kevin have a beautiful family !

Sally

Oh Kat, I can't answer you're question, but I'm so sorry that you are in so much pain.  And no shower for 10 days!  Wow, I took a shower the next day after my BMX, can't imagine going that long.  I guess that is small potatoes compared to everything else.  I think of you always and am always praying.  I hope your pain is lifted soon!

Laura, so sorry about Smudge, I'm a little late, but just getting caught up and there is so much sadness.  The only consolation is that Smudge is with Grahm now...  Hang in there.

And Gina, when it rains... blah blah blah.  Will add you and yours to my prayer list.  Again I am a little, I believe your DH had his tests yesterday, I'm praying for good results!!

Hugs & Prayers to all!

Paula

Hello all.  With our two-year surgery anniversaries coming up, I'm just stopping by to say hello again.

Kat, I'm very sorry to hear about your recurrence.  You can count me in as another of your Team January cheerleaders.  I didn't have a port, but I just looked over our February 2010 Chemo thread because some of our girls posted about their ports.  Some said the redness and major pain lasted about 3 days and they started to feel fairly normal within a week.  I hope you have some pain meds to tide you over.  I believe Lola and Kim had ports, so maybe they'll be along to give you first-hand knowledge. Like you, I didn't shave my head but let the hair fall out naturally.  I did most of my shedding while walking the dogs in the back yard.  Unknown to me at the time, the squirrels I feed picked it up and made a nest with it.  A few months afterwards, one of the squirrels came running down the tree with a clump of my hair in his mouth as if wanting to give it back to me.  I guess it was a thank you for all the nuts I gave him over the winter.  I got such a kick out of the fact that my hair didn't go to waste, although my husband does like to call me "nest head".  I also had a scarf on standby, a really soft cotton one. If you're in a cold climate, you might want to think about some type of cap to sleep in.   If there's anything I can help you with regarding chemo, just ask. I was lucky and got away with minimal side effects, and I wish the same for you.  I hope the chemo does its job quickly and the doctors will soon declare no evidence of disease.

Laura, I am so very sorry to hear about Smudge.   I know the deep pain losing a beloved pet causes, and I also know that there's nothing I can say to make it better.  It took over a year and a half after we lost our dear dogs and cat for us to finally adopt two cocker spaniels.  They have made all of the difference to me, bringing me through treatment and bringing joy back into my life. As goofy as it may sound, I talk to them about their "sisters", our two dogs and cat who passed in 2006, but are still loved and never forgotten.

Gina, I hope things turn out well for your husband.  You two have been through so much.

My thoughts and prayers are with everyone.  Take care, all.

Cindy

Hey Team, This is the 3rd attempt to post, I lost the last 2 when I submit, so I am going copy this one in case it poof again!

Kat, I just want to reach in here to our site & Give you {{{{{{gentle Hugs}}}}}}Thanks for sharing your Picture of Port, I am hoping it will surface after the  incision start healing. But,I agree with you & as long as it work. We will be with you each treatment & when you have your last Chemo, we will have a Big Team January Chemo Grad party for you here!we all will be celebrating with you!

Laura, Love the Picture of Smudge thanks for sharing. Please keep his happy memories alive. Laura, no topic is off topic here on Team Jan, we are family & Smudge is family too! {{{hugs}}}}

Thank you all for your great support , your Prayers have help me cope with My my DH Dan's test & Biospy.He still doesn't have any results back, They gave him an appointment with Doctor Jan 11 for cystoscope & to go over biospy results, they said it take up 2 week for results, so He won't find out til Jan 11th. I may call next week, they Don't know I am not that patient anymore-LOL He still in pain & is walking like he got Corn cob stuck-LOl. I guess we won't be Dancing at Any New years Party! Think we will be staying in this year! Hope you all have a Safe & Happy New Years weekend!
Thanks for the Prayers{{{{hugs}}}} Gina

We are a team, aren't we?

I'm already up past my bedtime, but needed the updates.

((((((((((((((((((((Kat)))))))))))))))))))))))))))

((((((((((((((((((((Gina + Dan)))))))))))))))))

The picture of Smudge was truly worth a thousand million words.

(((((((((((((((((((Laura)))))))))))))))))))))

The New Year awaits.

We will continue to hold one another up as we move forward -- one step at a time.

xx00xx00xx00xx00xx

Here, here!

Raising my fluted cyber-champaigne glass in affirmation of your toast.

Full speed ahead!

Find the joy, or make your own.

xx00xx00xx00xx00xx

Debbie

Strength and courage.

Strength and courage.

Strength and courage.

xx00xx00xx00xx

(((((((((((((((((((((((Kat)))))))))))))))))))))))))

(((((((((((((((((((((((Kat)))))))))))))))))))))))))

((((((((((((((((((((((Kat))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Wow. My surgrey is right around the corner. Jan 12th. I'm getting alittle scared about the unknown after surgrey

Happy New Year to all..... and  a Happier and Healthier and C-Free Year!!!!

Loved the picture of Smudge - what a doll-baby   Keep his pictures around with Graham's...  not sure why he had to leave you now, but maybe his job was done. I don't know....still praying for you because we all know what a void his absence leaves.

Kat - praying for you!  Hoping that port placement is hurting less.  Bless your heart.  Already praying that the chemo does its job as it should!

Gina- praying for Dan and for the doc to be able to get the other test in sooner!  You all don't need that wait.

love and blessings to all of you! 

Happy New Year all...haven't been on in awhile so must say so sorry about your DH Gina.  Praying for good results there.

Kat-as you said..as long as it works.  My port protruded a bit and was very uncomfortable with seat belts.  A small pillow or towel helped.  The initial pain wasn't that long...in fact they accessed it for the first time within the first week & it wasn't as  bad as I had feared.  It did continue to be uncomfortable as it seemed to be irritating a nerve.

Laura--you expressed it all so eloquently....I'm still crying.  You will never replace Smudge, but there is another dog out there - maybe in a shelter, who would benefit greatly from the love you have to share, and in turn fill your heart.  Maybe you could volunteer to walk some of those poor beasts at the shelter...give them a bit of fresh air, and being at the other end of the leash could be a conduit for some peace.  Many {{{{{HUGS}}}}} to  all of you.

One of the books I read that really touched me during all of 'this' was Garth Steins THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN. .............I don't know why.................

Kat-my port protruded a lot, so I guess it seems weird that yours is sunken in.  But maybe that won't hurt as much rubbing on clothes and seatbelts?  Could be a good thing.  It did bother me quite a bit until I got used to it, although I can't remember how long I was in pain.  I had mine put in and started chemo 7 days later, so I had other things to think about.  Good idea to have a wig ready-my hair started falling out in clumps exactly 13 days after my first chemo.  But everyone is different-maybe you'll get lucky!

Laura-so sorry to hear about Smudge.  At least he's in a better place.  Hugs

Gina-sorry to hear about your husband.  I hope the results are good-it seems like a long time to have to wait for them.

I hope everyone had a terrific New Year's-nothing new here.  Hugs to all! 

Morning girls.

Yesterday went fine.  Had an echo that was uneventful, then crossed town to another doctor to look at the sunken port.  It's all good.  (thanks Kim...maybe you're right!)  Went to chemo teaching and get this,  husband has to start wearing a condom when we have sex!  Isn't that the craziest thing ever?  He's like...forever?  No honey, just till that stop poisoning me.  Don't want to poison you too!  gads.  The sad part is for the past 2 years I've been on tamoxifen, I haven't had any sign of a libido...now I'm off of it and the libido's back.  Timing is everything!

Found a super cute wig.  If you go to hairuwear.com and look at the Rachel Welch collection, it's called 'fascination'  And it is fascniating!  This one in particular looks a lot my hair style and I'm very encouraged now.  the nurse told me I may loose my hair in 2-3 weeks or it may not be for 2-3 cycles since I"m on only Taxol.  That's interesting too.  She's starting out low and slow with only one drug at a time.  I guess I can look forward to PET scans every 2 months to check progress and decide if she needs to do another drug.  Process of elimination I suppose.  I guess you could even call this a clinical trial.  What do we have to lose right?

Love you all.  Little nervous now.  Going to try and eat a little breakfast and take some Vit B6 (to stave off the neuropathy) Got my numbing cream so it should be fine.

Positive attitude is mandatory (but I have been known to occasionally skip out on mandatory meetings.  HA!) 

xoxo

Kat

(((Kat)))  Hang in there.  I know there will be days when it is harder than others and please remember we are all here.

Paula

Morning Girls,

Just thought I'd check in and say It's all good!

I had a real easy go yesterday, came home and slept for a couple of hours.  My step daughter brought us dinner and I went to bed at 9 and got up at 5.  Still feeling fine. 

The port is the most wonderful invention known to man.  I am a huge fan and am considering taking stock out in the product.  The 1 minute it took to access it was so worth the 12 hours that it took to put it in so I would highly recommend that.  Some of the folks had a line inserted that day but I just don't have any vein selection, and even if I did, it couldn't tolerate the volume and or the toxicity of the meds, so when in doubt...definitely get a port.

The way this treatment room works at the cancer center is really pretty cool.  I just was observing the operations from the big picture standpoint.  In this center there are 4 pods.  Each pod has 2-4 doctors and then all their peripheral things...waiting rooms, exam rooms, teaching rooms etc.  And each pod has the treatment room (which I had never known what was behind that door until yesterday)  It's a whole different world!  It's a crescent shaped room with bay windows that face the lake.  The sun was shining so that was a good thing.  There are about 15 reclyners that are divided by half walls and each little area gets about 6 ft of space.  My hubby stayed the whole time so that was good.  They have wi-fi so we laptoped too!    There are about 7-12 people getting chemo at any given time.  And you see each other and smile at each other and give overall general encouragement. 

The nurses station has all these little RN worker bees with cute hair starting all these treaments.  That would have a been a good job when I was young.  You would think it would be depressing but it wasn't.  They give you 3 bags of pre-meds, decadron, zantac and benedryl.  These are mostly to prevent anaphylactic reaction from the infusion and I would say that worked since I didn't have one.  The benedryl however, had my slurring my words and I couldn't focus so I just layed back and went to sleep.  The start the Taxol and I didn't feel any different.  It's a 3 hour infusion by itself and they check your vitals every 15 min for the first hour then every hour then I was done.  I went home went to bed (still tired from the benedryl) and slept until 6.  Then my step daughter came with dinner and I putted around and went back to bed at 9.  Still feeling fine...like maybe a slight hangover but nothing worse that that.  Got up this morning, still feeling fine so I'm going to work!  I need to get as much done as I can in the event I can't make it through the day but I have no reason to think I can't. 

So, pretty encouraged. 

Next week I get labs drawn again and then the 3rd thrusday will begin my regular cycles.  You start with labs, (from your port) then you meet with the toxicity screener to ensure your whites are high enough and your reds aren't too low and then off ot the treatment room.  It's an all day process.  6 cycles of every 3 weeks...with a possible PET scan thrown in the middle.  She said if I could feel the cancers shrinking on my butt and on my back and sternum area than she could put off the PET scan until after the 6th cyle.  I like that idea better.  So I'm going to go with that!

Well, it's time for a healthy breakfast, pack my healthy lunch consisting of broccoli and berries (HA!) and head out to enjoy this beautiful day!  51 degrees today!    Maybe I'll sneak out early and see if my wig is in...thanks Paula for checking it out !  
And thanks to all of you for caring, and sending good thoughts and prayers my way!  xoxo

Love ya team...have a good one!
Kat

Congrats Kat that all went so well for you. You can do this! For what it's worth, and forgive me if I repeat myself, but there were LOTS of people who worked all through treatment when I was working at the clinic. That isn't to say there wasn't some shuffling and taking time off here & there, but I was amazed at how many employers were more than happy to work around treatment schedules rather than lose someone they appreciated. And get to be BFFs with the scheduler to try to lessen the time you need to take off if it is an issue, they can schedule you out for the best times- just know if something comes up it might have to change.

Forgive me, but I'm struggling. My brother told us they had to put their dachschund down. My SIL just LOVED that dog, and he was such a comfort to her.  I am so worried about her going through this now, waiting to lose the other half of her heart without her little buddy to cling to.

delayed diep june 27, 2011
Diagnosis: 11/19/2009, IDC, 6cm+, Stage IIIa, Grade 2, 2/5 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2-