2012 sisters

2FriedEggs, I'll call the BS and set up an appointment. I haven't had surgery yet.  It does feel, though, like the entire pit next to the boob is swelling.  Honestly, it bothered me the tiniest bit after the fine needles aspiration, but it was a little tender and bruised.  But it's more intense--and it certainly isn't the result of the FNA done almost four weeks ago yesterday.

Will update with more info as I receive it.  Thanks much.

Scorchy,  good idea- I thought for some reason that you had had a sentinel node biopsy . I think throughout all of my  needle core biopsies, lumpectomies, snb then dmx I've gotten to experience one of everything lol- swelling, a hematoma, some kind of vascular thrombosis in the breast, a seroma, armpit cording, then mondors cording. All were mostly just uncomfortable and cleared up pretty much on their own except for a little of the weird numbness at the back of my arm from after my snb. The jury is still out on that one as to whether the nerves are regenerating and it will go away or if I'm stuck with it. Fun fun. Yea give us an update, hope it's just a nothing.

Juneau - I had ac every two week x 4. I felt pretty crappy for the first week but then just when started to feel human I got zapped again:) I think towards the end I got used to managing g se it got better. I did get hand foot syndrome but mostly on my feet so I had a little pain when I walked. I had a scare with doc thinking I could have some blood clots so had to get a CT scan on week three,but it turned out to be nothing. It passes w se and now I have almost forgot about those bad days:) so when you feel crappy just remember it passes:)



Every time I respond to someone's questions about my chemo experience I remember something new that I had forgot about when it came to my SE and those days. I know once I made it through that I was so proud of my strength because I did not think I would be able to do when I first found out. I remember right bf starting, There was a night, I got in my car which is a fast one:) (mid life crisis purchase) and drove that bitch (not the safest moment in my life) I was crying and called my dad and told him I could not do this and I was not going to! I scared my dad and the next day he drove three hours and showed up at my house. I realized at that point I was trying to handle this like I have all things in my adult life, by myself. I was so relieved when he showed up as I needed him. The prior summer, my dad had a hip surgery replacement and due to blockage in arteries,that was missed prior to surgery, he had a massive stroke during surgery. He had to have therapy and another high risk surgery to remove blockage in his neck. Him showing up that day helped me because he understood how scary all this can be. I just need to remember this as my next journey with surgery and rads. I swear my dad has 10 lives and I hope I got those genes too:) You and others doing Chemo will forget the bad days and there is those but I felt they made me on strong SOB! don't forget I walked a half marathon during AC:)



I think I am just so tired of all this and like a lot of us been doing this shit for seven plus months and it pisses me off! I know I will get to plan that trip to Italy but I am getting a little impatient:) I don't know if it was reading all your responses to my post about my upcoming surgery and freaking out but I woke up today after reading those last night and I feel much calmer about Thursday and now just want to get it done with. thank you for sharing and responding! I don't know you personally but I love all of you for helping me get to this point.

I could not do this without all you and your stories/posts.



I hope all of you are having a good day with recoveries and chemo SE! Thanks for just listening and letting me type my feelings and experiences on here. Don't laugh at typos my dam IPad is a pain to type on:)

Thanks Tazzy hoping you are getting along good after ur surgery and those drains come out soon! I have a post op appointment w ps today so I need to keep my head straight so I remember to ask the right ?

Hi ladies......hard to keep up with this active thread but just want to check in and give my well wishes for all of you! You are the most wonderful and courageous women I know.



Paula, you asked about Herceptin being give by injection instead of intravenous ....there is a new study (posted on this site but I don't know how to link it) that indicates it can be given by injection and is proving to be just as effective as by IV. It's not the standard yet, but you might ask your MO about it. Also, until you have your surgery you won't have a complete picture for your treatment, but I know what your concerns are about the " other" breast.

I opted to have the cancerous one removed, but will have the other one removed as well when I have reconstruction. For me, it was a matter of wanting to not have to worry so much about the other one AND getting a symmetry in the reconstruction.

I am HER2+ too, and since my tumor was small, I am not having chemo nor radiation.....so Tamoxifen and later Arimadex along with the MX are my only weapons.

Liefie- I wonder also about lymph edema risks. My BS said don't wear a sleeve flying, the PT said do wear one. Makes me afraid to fly also. Also no hot tubs or baths over 98 degrees says PT, someone else said just leave your arms out of the water. I wonder if this is all anecdotal or urban legend?

I also heard to have a custom sleeve made. I started out so paranoid about lymph edema, now, I am paranoid about the next thing that lies ahead ( rads for me) or cancer recurrence.

Tazzy- nice to see you back from the shed.

Mcook- so glad your dad came. I needed some help after surgery with the drains and just getting clothes on. Zippered tops or buttons to avoid arms lifting over your head until your mobility gets better. I had very little pain when I got home. Thinking good thoughts for your surgery.

Hi ladies,

Been busy working, looking at fast cars and doing things with my kiddos.  sounds like normal life.  I am starting to feel more normal too, just in time to start the next phase of fun and games.  I have my RO appointment tomorrow to plan.  Still need to heal a couple more weeks before we start though. 

Teeball, for me taxol was cakewalk compared to AC.  You can do it.  It sounds scary if you are getting it weekly especially but the side effects were so mild it didnt bother me much.

Juneau, My hair started falling out on day 21 from the first dose.  I buzzed it all then and over the next week the stubble fell like rain.  I didnt lose all of it but probably 90-95%.  My eyebrows didnt fall out completely until just after my last dose of taxol.  They are slowly coming back 8 weeks PFC.  But i still have to draw them on to look right.

Ramols, glad you could get out and just be a mom, doing mom things.  Thats what we are all doing this for right? to be there for our kids?  FU cancer.

Paula, I agree with juneau, if you can get an MRI that should pick up other problem areas.  Hope you can get the insurance thing figured out and move on to just worrying about your treatments.

Liefie, dont let the fear of lymphedema stop you from enjoying life.  I am paranoid about it too.  I am at high risk just like you.  But especially since you havent even had the problem yet don't let it rule your life.  Yes take precautions, but it sounds like it is questionable whether you should even bother with the sleeve.  Go fly!

working today.  10 hour shift.  Then a day off.  All my days off seem to have doctors appointments.  yipee.

I have spent the whole morning on the picture forum reading thru 54 pages of one post from start to finish. I couldn't quit. The girl documented and posted her pictures (over a long period of time) from start to finish and her results are so impressive and encouraging. To top it off she has very successfully re-entered the dating world. I'm not single but I can only imagine the thoughts and insecurities that might go through ones head while in the process of reconstruction. Reading thru her posts and seeing her start to finish recon pics  was more inspiring than any friggin novel I've read or any reassurances I have heard from my PS.  I know several of you had umx and there are a couple of threads that document the surgery to get the girls symetrical with great results. I learned alot on there about the drop and fluff period being alot longer than I thought it was  and realized that after a year or so, so many bc patients breasts are back to looking great and natural and that they are living their lives again maybe in a new state of "normal", but normal none the less. With my upcoming exchange I found it so encouraging.  So as tough as today may be with SE's, hairloss etc , or as discouraged and uncomfortable as you might be with no breasts, uneven breasts, or rock hard expanders,  much much better days lie ahead!

2Fried..... I never even knew there was such a thread.   Thanks for letting us know and sharing, that yes better days lie ahead... we need reminding of that sometimes.  I know that I lose sight of the end result and get caught up in the crap of the moment... when really there is an end and its one we are all walking towards.

Ramols - I know it seems we get so many kudos for being strong that when we cry and weak it seems like a failure. It is our time to show that we are strong by understand the moments we need to let it out and share our feelings that is a moment of compentency not weakness:) I have had to learn not to beat myself up over this (still trying)



Lots of love to all and we are all strong even when we have to show emotions and get frustrated it is not a sign of weakness! Remind me of this too:)

Ramos- do you have any family members who can help you out for a little bit?

Chemo #2 DONE! I'm a quarter of the way done!



2friedeggs... I'd love tO read that link. I'm 30 (ish!) and single and think it might be up my alley. Thanks.

Thank you ladies. I knew I could count on you for some sturdy virtual hugs and propping up. I shed lots of tears and my mother-in-law came over with dinner for me and the boys (since my hubby is out of town still until late tonight) and to give me a bit of a lending hand for the evening. The kiddies are now tucked away in bed - and after some distance from the brunt of my day - I think this nanny crap is all for the best. We hired her in a pinch and she came with more baggage than I need at this point in my life. So we'll find someone new. And thankfully we do have family close by who can pitch in if need be. As my hubby says - we'll get it done and it will be fine. And thank goodness he's the kinda hubby who will pitch in equally to get this done. Might trust his gut rather than mine with this next hire though - I think my gut is a bit off... And as for the oncology schedule - i'm gonna call every day and threaten to come sing kumbaya! Thanks again all for the support. How did ladies deal with BC before the internet???

cindyl - heres to positive thoughts for tomorrow's scan.

jpmom - glad you wrapped up another day of work. Hopefully the kids were good tonight and didn't require too much herding! And I saw an article in the NYT today that porsche just released a brand new boxter and its apparently now the worlds best sports car? Maybe you should go drive that one really fast!

mcook - find your zen place and know that surgery is goood - and you'll be on the other side in the blink of an eye.

To everyone else - giant hugs, minimal SEs, and restful sleep!

Aruba



Wish I could help but when I first found out about having chemo I reach out to others who did the same route I was doing w chemo and rads. I don't know about your doc but when I started to feel signed of neuropathy I stop treatments so it would It not be long term. That was after 8 treatments of taxol when I started to notice the small signs, tingling and having a hard time grasping things so we stopped and I don't have those side effects anymore. I did get some arthritis after chemo but just stiff in am and might be caused from not being as active as bf during my treatments. It is a hard choice but I felt in my situation I had to take my chances. Not sure on what scores mean as far as odds but I know I will try my hardest not to do chemo again:) good luck with your decision. I am doing the same with my decision to do radiation I want more information on what this does for my odds:) frustrating I agree!