Ohio Chemo Sisters

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  • sewingnut
    sewingnut Member Posts: 1,129
    edited August 2012

    Paula,

    Glad the link worked. These girls are great!!

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

    Sewingnut thank you for helping me to find this thread. It's great to connect with other Buckeyes!



    I'm being treated at the Stephanie Spielman Comprehensive Breast Center in Columbus. It's a part of the James Cancer Center of OSU. So far, everyone has been wonderful. I love the MO. She's awesome!



    The waiting is so hard, but I should know more after seeing the surgeon tomorrow.



    Blessings

    Paula



    FIGHT LIKE A WARRIOR!!!

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  • Kelloggs
    Kelloggs Member Posts: 965
    edited August 2012

    Soteria - I went to high school with Stephanie and knew her husband Chris.  What a wonderful couple.  He has a book that came out earlier this year, good reading.  It's call "That's Why I'm Here".

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

    Kellogg's I was wondering if any of you fellow Ohioans knew who the spielmans are. She was an awesome lady, and a true warrior! I loved reading about how Chris supported her. The day she was having her shaved the first time, he was supposed to be there, but didn't show up until they were done. When he got home his head was shaved too. When all she could eat was pudding, that's all he ate too. He slept many nights on the floor beside her hospital bed. He was a BC Hero too!

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  • Kelloggs
    Kelloggs Member Posts: 965
    edited August 2012

    Yes Steria205, he still is a BC Hero.  I friended him on Facebook and he still campaigns tirelessly for us....what a man!

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  • Aruba
    Aruba Member Posts: 543
    edited August 2012

    Hi Fellow Buckeyes!  I have just been jumping around..so scared today I guess and found you!  I am not in chemo yet but have huge decision to make.  Had lumpectomy about 4 weeks ago and had to wait for the MO to get back from vacation and my Onco test score.  Met MO today and found out I am in intermediate range of 26 (1-18 no benefit from chemo, 19-30 intermediate and no decision on benefits of chemo, above 31 chemo big benefits).  I have a score of 26 in the gray area.  The MO of course said chemo may benefit and I would get 4 DX of Cytoxin/Taxotore every 3 weeks.  I know many have so much more to go through than me....but if this chemo is only going to reduce my chance of recurrence by 4%, I am freaked out.  So I can opt for chemo then rads or go to just rads.  I have a headache as this all happened this morning then I went to work.  So, just wanted to say hi and maybe I'll be back with you doing chemo in 2 weeks.  My head feels like it is going to explode from info overload and recalling the nurse spending an hour today going over the SE I may have...    anyway, I am up in Cleveland and wanted to say hi to all you brave women.

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  • Kelloggs
    Kelloggs Member Posts: 965
    edited August 2012

    Welcome Aruba!  So sorry you had to join us but we are here to help.  It's a big decision whether or not to do chemo.  I had no choice with Her2 and positive nodes.  All I can tell you is that if you opt for chemo it may not be pleasant but you can do it.  It's not nearly as bad as I thought it would be.  I worked full time during also.  I had 6 tx of Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin.  The description of the possible SE's is scary but alot of people don't get any or are able to completely control them with medication.  Do what you feel is best for you.

    I just moved my daughter back to Cleveland (Little Italy) yesterday so she can start back to college.  She goes to the Cleveland Institute of Art.  I'm up in your part of Ohio quite a bit!

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  • Eileenohio
    Eileenohio Member Posts: 460
    edited October 2012

    Aruba, I agree with Kelly. I too had no choice due to HER 2.  I was terrified about chemo,but I did it and it was not bad at all. I had very few side effects .  I live in Solon,I get my treatments at Seidman Cancer Center in Beachwood. If I can help in anyway please send me a private message.     Sending you many hugs.  Eileen

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  • roadwarrior28
    roadwarrior28 Member Posts: 301
    edited August 2012

    Welcome Aruba and best of luck with your decision. I'm trying to decide between Taxol and Taxotere after AC so I know how difficult these decisions can be. I'm in Cleveland also and drive through little Italy on my way to the clinic :)

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

    Good morning Girls



    I see the surgeon today. I'd be lying if I said I'm not nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. I should know today if we can put surgery off until October, when I'll have real insurance, or if he thinks it's too aggressive to wait.



    My DHs way of dealing with this kind of stuff is to ignore it. He's in denial, but I need his support. I'm praying he will come around once the ball is rolling, so to speak. Thank GOD I have an incredible church family, and good friends to cheer me on. And I have all of you! Thank you,
    each and every one of you.



    Blessings

    Paula



    FIGHT LIKE A WARRIOR!!!

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  • Kelloggs
    Kelloggs Member Posts: 965
    edited August 2012

    Good luck today Paula - let us know how it goes with the surgeon.

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  • Kelloggs
    Kelloggs Member Posts: 965
    edited August 2012

    It seems there are alot of sisters in the Cleveland area....we should plan a little get together some time.  It's so awesome to actually meet the women that we share so much with.  Any interest?

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  • sewingnut
    sewingnut Member Posts: 1,129
    edited August 2012

    I would be interested....

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  • roadwarrior28
    roadwarrior28 Member Posts: 301
    edited August 2012

    Kelloggs I'd love to get together with others in the area. I live on the east side but can go west too

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  • Kelloggs
    Kelloggs Member Posts: 965
    edited August 2012

    Great!  I don't live in Cleveland but I'm up there alot and I'd be happy to meet.  I'll leave it up to you ladies to pick a place and maybe we could meet on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon for lunch or dinner?  Any ideas?

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  • roadwarrior28
    roadwarrior28 Member Posts: 301
    edited August 2012

    How about that bakery/coffee shop in Little Italy? Or we can pick a brunch place - how many people are in Cleveland?

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  • Aruba
    Aruba Member Posts: 543
    edited August 2012

    Hi ladies. Only 4 hours sleep last night as i have this chemo decision to make and am going back and fourth. I dont want to have regrets but having a hard time doing TC for 4% lowering of risk. I wake and immediately feel like i am in a nightmare as bad if not worse than orig dx time. I admire you for being brave and tackling this monster one step at a time. I live in Solon and no matter what i decide would love to join your meet if i can?

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

    I saw the surgeon today. He's fine with waiting until October to do surgery, but, because of the ER+PR+, he wanted to me to go upstairs to see the oncologist to get started on arimidex right away. She was also ok with waiting to do surgery.



    I'm waiting for a social worker to call me with help getting the medicine.



    I also found out, I'm not her2+ like I thought. I had read the pathology report, but didn't go far enough. After final report the her2 was negative. I'm still learning what that is.

    Anyone here who can enlighten me?



    Blessings

    Paula



    FIGHT LIKE A WARRIOR!!!



    Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. Mark 11:24

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  • kidsandlabs
    kidsandlabs Member Posts: 138
    edited August 2012

    Hi Soteria205, I am not far from you. i am in Newark, about 15-20minutes from you.

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  • Lumpynme
    Lumpynme Member Posts: 747
    edited August 2012

    soteria....read this -see if it helps about HER2

    http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/diagnosis/her2.jsp

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

    Kidsandlabs...Hi Neighbor! You really are close to me! How cool!



    Lumpynme thanks for the info. It makes more sense to me now.



    I feel like a big load has been lifted off, just knowing I can wait til October to have surgery, and my SO & MO both think it's safe to wait.



    I had a really good time at church tonight. I have an incredible church family, who pray for me, encourage me, and support me in any way they can.



    Blessings

    Paula



    FIGHT LIKE A WARRIOR!!!

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  • Kelloggs
    Kelloggs Member Posts: 965
    edited August 2012

    Soteria - I'm glad things went well with the SO and MO.  I'm also glad you are not Her2+ and can wait for surgery.  The last thing you need on top of dealing with breast cancer is worries over paying for it!  In the meantime, the drug companies all have programs to help people who are uninsured. Hopefully the social worker can hook you up, but if not, check directly with the drug company.  Having a caring and supportive church family is wonderful!

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  • Kelloggs
    Kelloggs Member Posts: 965
    edited August 2012

    Aruba - how are you today?  Feeling any better about your big decision?  Just remember to listen to your own head and heart.

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  • kidsandlabs
    kidsandlabs Member Posts: 138
    edited August 2012

    Well my echo is tomorrow and my port goes in Monday the 27th.

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  • Aruba
    Aruba Member Posts: 543
    edited August 2012

    Hi all. kidsandlabs, thinking of you through all this..getting things moving ahead is a positive in this war!  Kelloggs, thanks for asking about me!  I am not going to do chemo.  I was not planning on it but the intermediate onco score knocked me for a loop.  I have called the place that did the testing to go over my results with a fine tooth comb.  I have discussed it with my hubby, son (23), daughter (25), brother and father as this could well affect them too.  All come to same conclusion that they will support me whatever I decide but that to go through all that for a 4% reduction in recurrence risk is not worth the possible se long term etc.  I will have to make peace that if this monster does come back, I did the bigger things like rads and AI...and it was meant to be.  Still giving myself a day to be sure and will call the MO tomorrow to head me toward the RO for rads.  I hate this disease in that it is not just a one and done like appendicitis surgery or something and also that the Dr's often can give you stats and odds and universal recomendations but at the end of the day, you are the one to make the decisions on various treatment options.   

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  • Kelloggs
    Kelloggs Member Posts: 965
    edited August 2012

    Aruba - you are right, stats and odds don't mean much with BC...everyone is different.  Since you are Her2 neg and no nodes I think you made a good choice for yourself.  You always have the option for chemo in the future if the beast comes back.  I pray for you that you won't have to deal with it again!

    kidsandlabs - Echo will be a breeze.  Love love love my port....wouldn't have wanted to do chemo without it so good luck on your surgery!

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  • kidsandlabs
    kidsandlabs Member Posts: 138
    edited August 2012

    Got my power port today, everything went fine. My shoulder is a little sore.

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  • sewingnut
    sewingnut Member Posts: 1,129
    edited August 2012

    kidsandlabs,

    You will be sooo happy with your port. Make sure you ask for the EMLA cream. You wont even feel the stick :)

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  • Kelloggs
    Kelloggs Member Posts: 965
    edited August 2012

    love mine!

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  • kidsandlabs
    kidsandlabs Member Posts: 138
    edited August 2012

    I'm sure I will. Thank for the Elma cream advise. I will defiantly ask for it!

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