Is there a July 2011 group?

Rabbit - Are you having the hysterectomy/oopherectomy next week or a different surgery? Sorry if I missed a post?!?!

Kristien-You are beautiful!!!

You look great Kristien! I LOVED the Look Good Feel Good class, that was awesome. My surgery on Tuesday is the ooph/sal, hopefully that's the last surgery I'll ever need
Here's a pic of me Jan 10th, 5 weeks PFC. My hair is already filled in a bit and longer since then, I'll get an updated pic soon. Love you guys!! 

Kristien, Ellen - you two look fabulous!  I see Ellen has a bit of the chemo curls going.  My hair is getting thick and curly - not what it was before - but any hair is a good hair day!

Ellen - good luck with the final surgery - I'll be thinking of you.

Robin

I broke up with my boyfriend of almost 2 years last week. We have known each other for 30 years, we dated when I was 16-17 and reuinted on facebook 3 years ago or so.

Anyways, he's an alcoholic and I figured that out pretty early in our relationship this time around. I was living with him and moved out in April last year, but we kept seeing other exclusively. I moved back in with my mom and sister, coincidentally I was dx with bc a few months later, so staying at my mom's and sister's actually was the best thing for me, as my sister is a hospice nurse for 20+ years, she helps out in so many ways. 

After my dx, I decided I didn't want to make any life changing decisions like leaving him for good, until I was done with all my surgeries and txs. We had a long talk in Aug or Sept and I had started to slowly move back in, he quit drinking for over 3 months, then on Xmas day, he got drunk and his excuse was "it's Xmas" so I moved the stuff I had slowly moved back in, back out LOL not funny, but I have to laugh at this stuff now. Then a few weeks after that I was on the phone with him and he sounded like he had been drinking, but of course he denied it, so I decided I couldn't take the stress of worrying about his drinking, and worrying about me, and I had a good heart to heart with  him last Monday.

He took it pretty well, later that day he called crying saying he was so sorry. And I said "don't be sorry, some things just aren't meant to be". We talk daily but for a few minutes only and we don't say "I love you" anymore, it's hard, but I know it's the right thing.

I just wanted to share....I think having bc and going through the crap we all are going through, made it easier to break off a relationship that I probably would of drug out longer if I wasn't going through this. I started reading a book called "Codependent No More" and have realized that I am a massive enabler, I mean I always knew that, most of my exes are alcoholics or have some major problems or addictions, and recently, most have anxiety problems, so strange I attract this type. But no more.......here's to being single, learning to love myself and may the next guy be normal! LOL

love you guys 

misswim, you mentioned aches and headaches, what do you think that's from? I ache from head to toe, I have this horrible neuoropathy, or maybe it's carpal tunnel syndrome triggered from the chemo?? I don't know but I wish it would go away! I posted about it here: http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/69/topic/781783?page=1#idx_8

I've been on the Tamoxifen for 2-3 weeks now, is it from this??

Another lovely side effect I have is itchy spots, like crazy!

The gift that keeps on giving, it sucks!

Radiation burns--for what it's worth I used Miracle Salve from Beeyoutiful. (They have a website and ship quite promptly. All natural, homeopathic type stuff.). Anyway, I thought it worked great. My skin healed very quickly, and at my post-radiation follow-up with my MO (2 weeks post final rads) she said it barely looked like I had even had radiation.



Kristien...exciting news about the period! I have thought recently how thankful I am that I have had all my children. I know there are women my age (40) who haven't had their children yet, for whatever reason, and I am so glad that that wasn't me. How sad it would be to see that chance slipping away. I wish you all the best in your desire to have kids!



Rabbit...certainly sounds like you made a good, albeit difficult, choice. Good for you!



Two weeks into the Livestrong program and am enjoying it. Finally loaded some recent pics...will try to post soon. Enjoying people's pictures!

misswim, I am now convinced it's carpal tunnel syndrome. I have all the classic text book symptoms. But I do have neuropathy in my feet, all my toes and the pads under my toes are slightly numb, but seem to be getting better with time. I have had severe foot pain, on the soles of my feet, but I don't know if that's neuropathy, plantar fasciitis or arthritis LOL....

hi yooper, I want to join that Livestrong program here but now have to wait til I recover. Can you do swimming while going through rads?

ellenquilt, I am so sorry you are having a rough time through rads. I hope the burns get better soon, when you say you are sick from the rads, is that tiredness or something else? I start rads in a few weeks and was curious what to expect. 

Love you all!  

Greetings all!  I am happy to see that our group is still here.  Hoping all is well, and if not---hopefully on the mend.  I loved seeing your photos.  Rabbit your hair looks like mine. So nice to see the hair coming in.  You all are such beautiful and strong women!!! My hair is coming in as well.  No photos yet.  It is fairly thin, but strangely, it appears to have white tips.  Kind of a light brown color.  So strange and it is sticking up in the middle like a short mohawk.  Grateful it came back.

Recently finished rads.  ellenquilt - I sympathize with you completely.  I am also large breasted and very fair and I got BBQ'ed to the max.  My Rad doc took vacation during my treatments, so my rad tech suggestion was to put on aquaphor and keep coming.  I cried every day as I was so burnt and bleeding.  My scars from the lymph surgeries were inflammed and raw.  I kept asking why they were doing the beam there, instead of my breast.  I kept the schedule and kept going - just to get it done.  I complained and another doc came in to see me and had me do saline washes.  I thought he was out of his mind.  It seemed to help.  It's been like 3 weeks now, and I am healing. 

I saw my plastic surgeon this week for my annual check, and she found something suspicious on my back and biopsied it.  Waiting to hear.  Already had melanoma and multiple surgeries just prior to my Breast DX.  Oh God not again.  Hoping for the best.

Love ya, Deb

So many women are discussing their bra size. I like to say that I am a 38 -A. The scar from my bmx is turning black and splitting open and very raw and pink where it is coming open, like raw meat spilling out. (...and I am a very pale white chick.) The RO gave me some cooling gel packs to put on this area and has asked me to check in with her three days per week for a bit to see if this is going to stabilize. We will probably go without the bolus soon. I was granted some Oxycodone this weekend, so I will use that to rest up and get ready for next week's job interviews.

I have had non-stop colds since starting radiation along with sore throat and ear pain and nose running like a faucet. I was so sick this week from a new cold, that I actually gave in and rescheduled a job interview. My daughter actually said, "Who does that? Who calls in sick to a job interview!!???" I thought the same thing. I will get all rested up and get back to it next week. I have two interviews lined up now, very excited!

Great to see everyone popping in! Photos to come soon! 

Great shot, Rabbit!  Super short haid is soooo in these days!!

J-bug - I am so sorry to hear about the raw scar and all.  You are very strong and brave to weather through all the surgery and healing.  Good luck with the job hunt.

Everyone in this "club" of ours is a trooper to keep on moving forward in spite of everything BC and treatment throws at us!

J-Bug, you are BEAUTIFUL!!!

You, too, Rabbit!

Everyone that has posted a photo is gorgeous!@!! I haven't taken a pic of myself but I am getting tons of compliments on my hair. It would seem that 1/4 inch hair suits me. lol

rabbit: I meant to address your post about leaving your ex. I am sorry that you are going through such a painful experience during all this bc stuff. I dated someone when I was very young who was a recovering drug addict. After we had dated for several years, he got back into it. All the time in the beginning, he was clean as far as I know. I broke up with him, but he was so emotionally manipulative. Every time I checked in with him to see if he was doing better, he wanted to get back together. Then later, he was always telling my friends how I had such a hard time letting him go. I cared about him, but was not willing to be in a relationship anymore. I did not want that rollarcoaster ride. I found that breakup time period and drawing the line to be the toughest part of the experience. I wish you strength through this. Take care!

hi misswim - I'm starting zometa next month.  We did a bone density and I do have osteoporosis, so the med onc thought it was a good idea.  Are you still on metformin?  Sometimes I worry that the meds I'm taking to keep me from dying will kill me , but I guess I have to do everything I can.  Just my personality.