Starting Chemo April 2009

Amy,

I forgot to say that I am also having the procedure at Columbia Presbyterian.

Geri

Geri, sending you hugs and prayers and holding your hand along with everyone else.

Take care and we look forward to hearing from you very soon.

Hope everyone is ok, sending hugs, Judy x

I hope you are right, Amy. I will also keep checking.

Hi,

Well, it's been a confusing few days - I had the Cardiac Cath done yesterday at Columbia Presbyterian, and the good news was that the large coronary arteries are clean as a whistle.  Everyone was shocked, and I was just relieved...for the moment.  I went home last night, exhausted physically and mentally, and got a call this morning from my cardiologist to come in because he wanted to do another echocardiogram.

They did that this afternoon, and have given me a dignosis of microvascular dysfunction.  Apparently the second echo shows improvement in the motion of the heart wall, but not back to normal and is one of the hallmarks of this disease.  They started me on a nitroglycerine patch this afternoon to see if it will dilate the arteries that are giving me the chest pressure.  So far, so good, but of course I haven't done anything strenuous today either.  They also started me on L-Arginine which is an amino acid that is supposed to reduce the spasm of the arteries.

It was interesting when I read about this disease that it is found almost exclusively in post-menopausal women and they believe a reduction in Estrogen is one of the causes (and of course, not only am I post-menopausal, but I also take Arimidex to stop estrogen production - the "damned if you do, damned if you don't" problem!).

I am better off with this than if I had cardiomyopathy from the Adriamycin/Herceptin, and certainly happy that I am not looking at open heart surgery.  I am hopefull that they can manage this with medications and I can get back to this business of living!

Thank you all so much for your support - what would I do without you all!

Geri

Geri, so so happy to hear from you! Really relieved and pleased that there is no major heart surgery necessary. Are you taking a couple of days now to rest and take it easy? Sending (((hugs)))! Wish I was nearby, I would come round with some soup for you !

Amy, hope all is going well with your launch. Helen how are the babies doing?

Betsy, lovely to hear from you, thank you for your kind words of sympathy. My husband is so sad at the moment and emotionally exhausted. I am just trying to be as supportive as possible. It is very hard. I am also struggling to keep my energy levels up so that I can do the usual juggle of work, house and kids and be there for him. 

I am so happy that you are enjoying your time off, you deserve it.

We are getting busy at home now, the Jewish New Year is next week and we have lots of preparations to make at home. I have started cooking now, but I think we will be keeping it quite low key this year, following our recent loss. Work is going well, but very stressful. Has been a difficult few weeks.

Hugs to everyone, I will come by again soon, Judy xxx

Hi, everyone.  I've been lurking off and on the boards for a little bit - sometimes it's really hard to come back (ever since Lena, just can't seem to post a lot) and some times I feel like I need to.  Plus we've had some other members of the other groups I'm part of who have either been diagnosed with mets (my biggest personal fear) or who have passed, and it's just too hard sometimes.  But, I want you all to know that I have been following along, and after reading about Judy's recent loss (so very sorry for your family's loss) and Geri and the heart issues (so glad so glad that you are okay!!), I thought I would post to you all.

I'm doing okay - though after reading about Geri's heart issues, I must confess that I have been having a definite increase in the irregular heartbeat that has always been a part of my adult life.  I take atenolol when the pounding or fluttering gets too much, and for the past 6 months or so, it's been every day.  If I don't take it, I am not in pain, but that fluttery, can't sometimes catch my breath feeling is too much.  I have mentioned it to both my primary care and my oncologist, who checked me out and said everything is fine.  Sometmes it happens to post-menopausal women.  It's hard to believe that it's only a "normal" part of aging and that maybe, even though I only had 2 chemo sessions, there wasn't a little bit of damage done (because I had such terrible, horrible se's) on top of taking tamoxifen.  But, I have been reassured that there is no problem.  I am going for a cholesteral blood test next week, because my numbers are high (partly due to heredity - I am of Sicilian descent, and we have horrible cholesterol - my mother, sister (who is in great shape) and brother (a body builder) all have it too.)  May need to go on medicine, it will depend on what they see as far as the breakdown.  Otherwise, feeling pretty good.  Working out again, thanks to a donated treadmill, and it makes it easier to get the walk/run in without leaving the house (or the A/C!).

I see many sisters on facebook, that's where I primarily hang out, both socially and for work - I am still working for the medical device company and we have fb presences with both products that we sell, as well as twitter.  I am still traveling a lot going to plastic surgery conferences, which is nice, because I do like to travel, so it gets me across the country frequently.  I think I have been blessed finding this job, because I really enjoy it, and the people I work with (small company) and the products we are making really, truly help people in different ways.  The product I was responsible for launching in July directly helps mastectomy patients and anyone who gets drains and tubes, and that really makes me feel good, knowing that other women can be made more comfortable.

Ladies, I am so happy to see all you moving through your lives, which can be challenging at times, with health and personal issues, and stresses of the world, the day, everything.  Know that I pop on and off and have been following you and am with you.

Hugs to you all.

Michele 

Chelev - so glad to see you here. Does your work ever bring you to Philly or Baltimore? I'd love to drive up (or down) and meet you for a drink or dinner. My work is going more and more towards social marketing - it is so fascinating to me. I tweet, but not very well, lol.

Helen, you are so right about Lena. When I was on a mountaintop during our trip to WA, I had my husband take a photo of me flashing the "L" sign in her honor the way I did on the mountain in Shenandoah last year. I shed a tear for her up there, but surrounded by all that grandeur, I tried to reassure myself that she was somewhere equally beautiful.  I wanted to post the pic for all of you - but it made me too sad.  I decided that the "L" sign was for all of our group, but in my heart I know it is for her most of all. Thank you for reminding  me of the holiday act of kindness. I am going to think about what I can do this year. 

Love to all. It's 9pm and I'm still working. ALL I do is work these days, BUT I have a slight feeling that by the end of next week, things will calm down back to my normal life, which I LOVED. I am NOT WILLING to let working this much be the 'new normal' for me, regardless of the money. Temporarily yes, long term, NOPE. 

Geri, how are you feeling today?

Same to you Judy!! Hope the same for everyone else too!!

Hi all, sorry I have not been by for a few days. We have been celebrating the New Year for two days and I have eaten enough to last me for the rest of the week! We had some quality family time which is always nice, but back to work tomorrow.

Geri, good to hear from you! Glad that you enjoyed the wedding and hope that you are feeling better. Please come by to let us know how you are doing.

Amy, hope work is going well and that you are not working too hard LOL! Remember to take care of yourself.

Sending everyone hugs as always and I will come by again soon, Judy x

Yes, a sweet New Year to ALL of us!

I think I see somewhat of a light at the end of the tunnel with this crazy work schedule. I am slowly catching up and feeling more in control. 

Judy - the media here describes so much tension in Israel about the political situation. Is that really true, day to day, or does life proceed as normal for most people?  It is a crazy world and feels so dangerous at times - both from our own individual personal health issues, and then from this global political stuff that can impact our lives as well. Please know we all love and care so much for you and want you to be SAFE!

Geri -do you feel any different on the heart meds yet? Is the whole scare starting to fade a bit (I hope)?

I took clients on a plant tour today. Driving around 3 men all day. (Not fun.) Anyway, as we left to take them to lunch, the plant owner (woman) was in her own car right in front of us and her car was hit! Right as we sat and watched.  She was not hurt, but it was still very upsetting. At the end of the day, when I dropped the men off, they ALL hugged me. (which is very unusual in a business setting) I think we felt like we bonded in adversity today.

Sometimes you just want to stay in the house and just let the world pass you by. I guess that is how I am feeling tonight, so that is what I shall do. There are tornado watches here, and probably where you are too, Geri. Goodness - stay safe all!

Wow...you ladies have been busy...I think I'm caught up..

Judy...so sorry to hear about your mom in law.....very said to hear but I guess we are all getting to that age right now...with our parents and in laws getting older...my mom and dad are 77 and 79 and still in very good health which I am thankful for and my mother in law is still fine...too mean to die...LOL.

Geri...I was wondering what was going on when you mentioned being so tired...glad to hear that your heart condition can be controlled with meds...I had adriamycin also...and still kind of wonder about it but glad I had it since I was tn and grade 3....not like I really had another choice.

Hey Helen...congrats on the new baby girl!  ..My daughter ended up in the ER a couple of weeks ago due to numbness in her hands and feet and they did a pregnancy test on her but no baby....I was a little disappointed..but whatever....

Amy...you are one busy girl...I loved hearing about yours and Betsy's vacations...we are going to South Carolina in a few weeks and I plan on jogging and walking on the beach for as many miles as I can fit in...it's going to feel sooo good...

Betsy..I've been keeping up on your Ducks...they are doing well!  My Buckeye's are now 3 and 0..hoping for a good season since they are  not allowed to go to a Bowl this year...

Welcome back Lesley! 

Today I feel like a normal person, working steadily but not crazily.   I think the worst may be behind me. What a crazy few months. Lesley you are right. I've never worked at this rate before and I don't like it.  BUT - being paid on production (commission) - AT LEAST I made a whole bunch of money for all the work. I wouldn't want to live like that ongoing, but at least there is a little reward. 

That balloon event sounds lovely. I have only seen photos of them, so pretty. Have never been up in one - seems SCARY to me. Has anyone else ever done so?

The Caribbean vaca sounds PERFECT to me, even though we always end up hiking and exhausting ourselves on vacation.  Sun, sand, warm breezes - sounds like a great way to reconnect. Good for you!

Thanks for asking Amy...my daughter's name is Aimee!  The ER checked her out and said she was hypervenilating.   Then the other night she woke up and couldn't breathe...so I don't know...I think she is stressed...in one year she graduated from college, got married and is now working two jobs.  When I told her that I thought that she was stressed she screamed "I AM NOT STRESSED"........I think she is...She is also on thryroid medicine and she is overweight...(but I can't say anything)...she tried to go for a walk and rolled her ankle...gah...what to do...

And...since I try to keep stress at a minimum in MY life...I try to remain calm and just be there for her...

Hi everyone. Titan, we never stop worrying about our children but when they are adults they don't want to hear from us. 

Amy, sounds like all your hard work was worth it.

Judy, how are you feeling?

Geri, how is it going?

Lesley, the balloon festival sounds like fun.

I had something exciting happen today .... I submitted an article to one of our big daily papers and it was published. Quite amazing. Hopefully I'll be able to do more.