MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish

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  • justmejanis
    justmejanis Member Posts: 1,847
    edited March 2012

    luvmygoats, welcome!  Sorry we had to meet like this.  Like it or not, we are all here for each other.  We will be here cheering you on as you progress.  Let us know when yoou find out about chemo/rads.  Most of us here are at the "been there, done that" and we are certainly happy to walk you through it.  This is a fantastic group of women.  Strong, loving, supportive...and funny as hell!  Oh...there is a Cheetos thing here.  Helps to be a groupie of the orange crunchies!  :)

    dinarose, a fear is a fear and nobody can really explain a lot of the things that frighten us.  I am terrified to fly.  I understand how you feel about general anesthesia.  Could you ask your doctor to prescribe something to help ease your discomfort?   Most will give you a script for something just to take the edge off for awhile.  If you are really scared, a little chemical intervention will help.  Soft hugs.  I know everything will be okay.  We'll all be there hon.  :)

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  • elimar86861
    elimar86861 Member Posts: 7,416
    edited March 2012
    Welcome, luvmygoats!  Your BS or the MO can send the tissue off for Oncotype testing.  It was unlikely that I would need chemo either, but I wanted the test done just to feel sure.  Well, I ended up getting the lowest intermediate score (18) which wasn't as clear cut as I would have liked, but the MO told me my additional benefit with chemo was only 2-3%.  Unless you show a 5% benefit (or have mitigating circumstances) they usually won't recommend it.  We used to have a goat-luvr here, but she wandered away (I guess that stands to reason) but we do have a mule-luvr who still pops in from time to time.  I generally go for the household pets myself, but I'd make an exception for the Geico pig (on t.v.)
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  • lisamarie68
    lisamarie68 Member Posts: 1,235
    edited March 2012

    Dianarose , me too its getting put to sleep that I fear everytime ... I am with you .. you will be in my thoughts and prayers .... at least u have ur date , Hope to have mine this week after my appointments. 

    Momine, awww I will pray for ur surgery too .. Last year when I had my cervial cancer , I wanted a hysterectomy so I didnt have to worry and my Gyno surgerysaid No :( so they took a big part of my cervix out but thank god Ive been cancer free from that ...

    All the stuff we deal with UGH !!! hope all is going good with all today  :)

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  • Momine
    Momine Member Posts: 7,859
    edited March 2012

    Thanks for the good thoughts and wishes. I will have Da Vinci surgery and should only be in the hospital 2-3 days.



    Diana, awake for lumpectomy would not be for me. I was awake for my dd's c-section birth, and I did NOT have a good time, lol.

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited March 2012

    Hi Ladies, Today I finally getting my drain out. I do have a question: will the doc stitch the hole?? Just want to be prepared, as I have no clue!1

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  • elimar86861
    elimar86861 Member Posts: 7,416
    edited March 2012
    Lory48,  No you won't get any stitches.  In fact, if you had one or two holding the incision closed while the balloon was in place, they will be taken out before the balloon removal.  You will feel the "tugging" but getting it taken out is not actually painful.  You will be so happy to have that out, and the hole closes up in just a couple days of normal healing.
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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited March 2012

    Awesome!!! Thanks El.. doing thehappy dance

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  • Dianarose
    Dianarose Member Posts: 2,407
    edited March 2012

    Hi Everyone- I have a friend who had a biopsy about a month ago and it was B-9. She said she is going for a follow up mammogram at the end of the week. I asked her why would they be doing another mammogram so soon and she said he wanted to do another one after she was all healed from her biopsy. I have never heard of this, have any of you? I told her she needs to get a copy of her path report. It just doesn't seem right to me, but maybe I am wrong.

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  • lisamarie68
    lisamarie68 Member Posts: 1,235
    edited March 2012

    Dianerose , sounds weird to me as well .. Maybe like me in the beginning they did not tell her all of the results .. or maybe there were calcs and they want to see .. wow I would also ask for a path report ... Hugs 

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  • justmejanis
    justmejanis Member Posts: 1,847
    edited March 2012

    Yesterday it was 60 degrees here which was so nice.  DH and I spent hours working on the "island" out front.  We moved here 1.5 years ago, house was a foreclosure so needed a TON of work.  The island is nicely framed out with brick pavers, but just full of junk.  Big overgrown shrubs, never pruned, and a couple small cherry trees and other junk.  All an overgrown mess.  So we spent hours pruning and trimming and hauling out one tree branch by branch.  It felt wonderful to be outside in the sun.  I raked, dug, hauled huge section of tree limbs off.  A lot of work but it is nice now and cleared out to plant our flower and herb garden.  Well, last night my breast, underarm were very swollen and sore.  Rut Roh.  So when I went to LE therapy today I got a bit of a lecture.  I am not supposed to do all that with LE.  Especially since the LE is on my right side and I was real swollen today.  She did remark that this breast is very red and warm to the touch.  She thinks something else is going on besides the LE.  I guess that is why I am on the Trental.  I don't know, it is all confusing.  I just know I am frustrated at being more or less grounded.  She said right now my muscle cells just cannot heal themselves.  No more hard work for me.  I am so tired of having to limit my activity.  :(

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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited March 2012

    Dinarose:  Did she have another mammogram right after the biopsy?  I had 3 ULS biopsies and wire "clips" were placed for markers.  They did a mammogram immediately after to make sure all the clips were visable & in the right place - even before the lab results.  Maybe they're checking clips?

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited March 2012

    Janis, as I was reading your post I was preparing a response in my head that started out about you doing too much!! You will get used to favouring your right side, bummer!! Mine is on my left, non-dominat side so it's a bit easier to not carry suitcases or groceries in that arm. I don't even carry a purse in that hand! A habit you will learn. You can't vacuum either, if that's any consolation!!

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited March 2012

    Drain is out.. what a relief. .

    Janis, yesterday was glorious!!! I know it's hard favoring our dominant side, but it's something that must be done to continue the healing. I too am right handed and LOVE gardening..after tomorrows storm I plan on getting my raised beds ready for plants.. guess I will work with my left hand more. I have an advantage as I was a left handed baby..Mom MADE me right handed. I am able to do more with my left hand than most. Hugs to you girl..baby steps!!

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  • LovesChristmas-Barb
    LovesChristmas-Barb Member Posts: 706
    edited March 2012

    Momine...I'll be praying for you on Thursday. I had my DaVince hyst/ooph in December. Have you found hystersisters.com? They were great for the weeks after my surgery...lots of good info there just like here.

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  • Momine
    Momine Member Posts: 7,859
    edited March 2012

    Thanks Barb, I will look for the site. What was your recovery like?

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  • Dianarose
    Dianarose Member Posts: 2,407
    edited March 2012

    http://www.wcsh6.com/life/community/health/buddy_checks/default.aspx

    This was on the news this morning. One dose of radiation at the same time of lumpectomy.

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  • LovesChristmas-Barb
    LovesChristmas-Barb Member Posts: 706
    edited March 2012

    Momine....I came home the same day as my surgery and those first three days were the worst. I left the house for the first time on the sixth day but just for a short while. By day ten I was able to do more but still tired out easily. My doctor had told me I could go back to work after two weeks, but I definitely would not have done well at that point because I was still needing an early afternoon nap and my tummy would swell up if I was on my feet too much. The experiences of the women on hystersisters were so diverse...some women were bouncing back to normal in just a few days. Others took weeks.  Lots of people would have a good day and then be wiped out the next. By two months out, I could say that if it hadn't been for the effects of instant menopause and arimidex, I would have been feeling great.

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  • elimar86861
    elimar86861 Member Posts: 7,416
    edited March 2012
    D-rose,  Could not get the newcast to load.  I wonder how much they give in just one dose?
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  • Momine
    Momine Member Posts: 7,859
    edited March 2012

    Thanks Barb, good to know.

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  • justmejanis
    justmejanis Member Posts: 1,847
    edited March 2012

    Barbe, I can always trust you for a tongue lashing!  :).  I knew i was overdoing it, but it felt so good to be out in that sunshine.  Okay now i know better.  I promise i will be good.

    Lory good idea to protect that right side.  She told me to avoid any strenuous activity on the right side, period.  I am just going to switch to the left for some chores and hope I can work that way.  I really paid for my busy day!  Still that sun was wonderful and gave me spring fever.  Today is colder so will confine my activities to things indoors.

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  • cajmi
    cajmi Member Posts: 80
    edited March 2012

    Justmejanis,

    Oh, I'm so jealous of your weather!!!  It is supposed to get to 47 this afternoon, and I am really excited to go out and walk.  I would love to get out and garden!  I'm worried that with the mild winter we've had, Spring is going to to really yucky:<  Is that a normal temp for Idaho this time of year, or was that a nice little teaser?

    I'm sorry to hear that it caused you difficulty with your LE.  I tend to also do to much too soon.  We did have one nice day last week and I walked a 20 minute mile.  I was really excited, and I was tired, but not too bad.  Today I'm gonna try for 2 miles and see how it goes.  I have about 3 weeks before I will probably start back to work, so trying to increase stamina.  I have a pretty busy job which doesn't allow for much rest in my 12 hours, so we'll see how it goes.

    I hope you have morre great weather and at least can get out and enjoy the sun on your face!!!

     Carolyn 

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  • elimar86861
    elimar86861 Member Posts: 7,416
    edited March 2012

                                                     

    Uh-oh!  Weather talk.  Look, we all have it.  Every day.  But on this thread, I have asked if we can just ignore that social convention of making small talk about the weather.  Believe me, we have so many small things to talk about here already, as well as one BIG thing...B/C, so unless a twister tears your roof off or transports you to Oz, let's not get into what I call "weather reports."

    I'm not directing that request at anyone in particular.  One size fits all.

    lisamarie68,  Let us know what your PS said today.  It was too muffled down in the pocket for me to hear, plus I was busy enjoying a delightful Spring cupcake.  We saved you one too.

                                               

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  • KittyGirl2011
    KittyGirl2011 Member Posts: 537
    edited March 2012
    Hugs to All today,  Dianarose that is an exciting development to have mammosite radiation during surgery!  Hope the trials are done soon and it becomes part of regular treatment.  Hope you are doing well and ready for your surgery.  Janis, naughty girl!  Enjoy the sun and warmth from a lawn chair!  The garden can wait.  Your health and well being is much more important to me .  OOPS, just the mom in me coming out.  Really hope for your healing dear.  Best wishes to all this week!  Kitty
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  • Sherryc
    Sherryc Member Posts: 5,938
    edited March 2012

    Thanks all for the pocket party and the food sure was good.  Although I do think everything goes with cheetos.  Had my pre-op appt and got all my nice instructions for pre and post op.  Had my blookwork and EKG done and was able to get the hospital registration out of the way.  That was nice as I live over an hour away from the hospital.  Nurse called and my potassium is low so she called in something for that.  Glad everything else was OK.

    Momine will be in your pocket Thursday for your hysterectomy.

    Dianarose-good luck on your March 15th surgery date.  Hope all goes well

    Luvmygoats welcome this is a great place for support and to ask questions.  Someone can usually help.

    Lory so glad you got your drain out.

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  • lrw333
    lrw333 Member Posts: 215
    edited March 2012

    Hi everyone. I was wondering if anyone has had any problems with Tamoxifen messing up your liver?  Any info I would appreciate ...

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  • Dianarose
    Dianarose Member Posts: 2,407
    edited March 2012

    Elimar, I found another site that explains it better. What else is great about this is it leaves you the option for another lumpectomy if you have recurrance and still don't want a mastectomy. I like having choices.

    http://www.cancercenter.com/breast-cancer/iort.cfm

    My BS was the first surgeon to do mammosite in both Maine and NH. I would volunteer to be the first one for her for this.

    Kittygirl- I am very nervous about my surgery, but I know all things pass and I am looking forward to putting it all behind me. I told my boss the dates I would be out of work and he asked me if I could figure out a way to do all my baking while I was at the cancer center. He's so funny.

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  • elimar86861
    elimar86861 Member Posts: 7,416
    edited March 2012

    lrw333,  here's a thread about Fatty Liver and Tamoxifen.  I want to read more on this also.

    Dianarose,   thank you.  Probably too late for me since I had radiation already BUT maybe they will find that this is something that could still be used if I ever grow a another lump in the same breast?  Maybe it will prove to be an option that way also.  I do not think my Cancer Center had this machine. I don't think it is "new" but it is not available everywhere.  Seems like it would be good on the left to avoid the heart (depending on location of the lump.)

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited March 2012
    Janis, IF you really MUST do something with your right arm that will give you JOY and HAPPINESS and eternal gratefulness, then make sure you do your MLDN (drainage massage) as soon as you finish. It heps move the lymph along at least, but won't guarantee you don't still swell. Put it this way; you can stay only as bad as you are now and never get worse OR you can play with Mother Nature and end up having to wear a sleeve and gauntlet for the rest of your life. It's truly your decision, not ours.....Sealed
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  • lrw333
    lrw333 Member Posts: 215
    edited March 2012

    Thank you Elimar.  I appreciate it....    Hugs

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  • jo1955
    jo1955 Member Posts: 8,543
    edited March 2012

    Eli - If you are referring to having the one time rad tx at the same time as lumpectomy - it is not an option if you have a recurrance in the same breast.  Once you have radiation - you can not have it again on the same side.  

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