May 2013 surgeries

Ann thats awesome that you are handling the tes that well. Great that you are almost filled. Why did they delay your diep?

Ck, spider bites can be serious so I wouldnt blow it off. Im surprised your doctor didnt require you to go in and get it checked out. Hope it gets better and Bugspray is your friend. I live outside with my plants especially now that its 90°. I always forget to put bugspray on too. I should know better.I have had 1 le occurrence that lasted about 3 months before I was able to get it under control.

Hope everyone has a blessed day.

Well I wonder is this a tick bite then? I showed it to the surgeon this past visit..telling him "I know this is not your specialty but I want you to look at this..and NO YOU CAN'T AMPUTATE MY LEG..which he got a big kick out of..I asked him before last surgery was he trying to meet some kind of quota..He looked at it and said.."Oh something bit you"..I assume is spider, but maybe tick? Well, I will try the peroxide.

I know i have thing of off and they said to make sure I wore that as they didn't want any insect bites on "affected arm" because of lymph removal..but, I keep forgetting and its sticky. They also said I needed ..when I could do it..to garden with long sleeve and gloves..I do gloves..but Jeez! the humidity and heat here is awful!  Not sure about long sleeves.

Catey-Was it you that worked for postal service? Are you back at work walking your area? Picking up pkgs? I just thought about that last night and wondered.

Hello lovely ladies,



Sorry I haven't posted in a while. Been busy managing household matters and my 3 kids. I'm a single parent so a lot falls on me. My ex isn't consistent so I'm the center of their universe. One was packing to leave for her summer job, one was getting in from a lacrosse tournament in VA late Sunday night and I needed to drive her to a lacrosse camp early Monday morning and 2 out of our 3 used cars broke down! Also need yo provide a lot of support to my son , who frequently gets jacked around by my ex. And then there's work....



But, I'm handling things as best I can.



Had my second fill on Wednesday and now I've gone from concave to an 11yr old pre-pubescent girl sporting some little breast buds. Whoopie!



I am 6 weeks post op and I am feeling much less discomfort from my bear traps, AKA TEs. My PA said as they continue to fill, that will balance things out in there and that would help continue the discomfort. I can actually lay on my side now a little so I may try sleeping in my own bed tonight. I'm only averaging about 4 hours of tossing and turning sleep and that needs to change.



Chemo #2 was yesterday. My blood count just barely squeezed by the minimum due to last weeks infection but it did so I was very grateful. I am TURBO-hydrating which is so key to flushing it out of your system and reducing side effects.



Honeybunny, same thing happened to me. Was hoping to escape chemo and rads but that sneaky cancer got into one if my 2 lymph nodes. They also opted not to surgically remove any more lymph nodes and will radiate instead. In fact, I read an article on this site that suggested a trend to radiate versus removing more post surgery. If you scroll back a week or do, I posted a bunch of insights I took away from my first chemo treatment.



Ckmoss: honey, you just hang in there, girl, and keep your eyes on the future outcome if a healthy, active you. That arm will be raising up to the sky soon enough.



To the rest of you, keep it flowing forward. We will all get each other over that finish line!



AnnBR: love the sleepover idea!



Best to all. Gentle hugs and warm thoughts.

Ambnh, its good to hear from you. Sorry your ex isnt any help. Bet thats why he is your ex lol.

Hope you continue on path of healing.

AMBNH-1st-I think you are going to have to break down and give us a name..as some of us are having letter diff..lol..I've actually got it down..which is MAJOR for my brain (meds plus perimenopause.lol). 2nd-I think I want to be like you when I grow up!  WOW! You must be something else!! You are handling your busy life..single..and going through chemo and TE fills..my hat goes off to you and I will never complain again. You give us all hope that this is doable! May God grant you continued strength!

Run4-LOl..anytime from 4am forward..Im up and staring at tv..would love conversation!

Catey-I would make sure your arms were ready. You've got a demanding job! I've enjoyed the time off right before I think Im about to go back to work (feeling my best)..then they slam me down for another surgery...at which point, I'm whining about missing my job and normal. IF ALL STAYS ON COURSE..I will be going back Sunday after next.

Ok good day today. I haven't had my hair cut in FOREVER because kept thinking I was going to have it buzzed or shaved for chemo 2 or 3 days after my first treatment...well ya'll know how that's went..and my hair has been looking horrible! So I called and got in at noon today. My mother was out with errands and was only appt she had until next week..so drove myself to her (luckily haven't took meds today). First time I have driven in over 2 weeks...OH MY GOD IT FELT GOOD!!..and she gives these new modern shampoos there ..they last about 20 minutes..she massages your head and puts aromatherapy stuff all in it..your head is all cool and tingly..HEAVEN..then got great cut..then drove myself to the Cookout (fast food burgers. taste charcoal cooked out) got me chili cheeseburger..and came home...I am sooo happy right now..very weak and tired but that all felt so wonderful!!!!  One thing about the big crappy C...it makes you grateful as hell for the things I have never given any thought to.

Sweetpickle-It is. She said that she would not charge once I started chemo and wanted to just come by for that..stimulates growth and all that..all I know..it takes care of any headache at all..plus kills my arm to do it myself.  She runs her thumbs up your neck and whole 9 yards...I try to get my husband to rub my head when I have headache from meds..(theres no icon in here for eye rolling).  

How are you today? Is the pain better?

Annie-Love your name! Mine is Cyndie. Are you doing inplants or Diep?  The drive was great..and I think when I got home and posted about it I was on pure adrenalin..I have crashed now..extremely tired..but still smiling!

Well,ref to names..looks like we are all "coming out of the closet!"..LOL

Wow. You guys are PROLIFIC writers! I've been keeping busy the last couple of days, and when I finally sit down at night, I read a post or two, then crash. My biggest problem with not catching up regularly? It's hard to keep track of who's doing what, and how each of you are doing. Anyway, know that even if you don't hear from me, I'm trying to follow all your activities!



Ann: if I remember correctly, you are having the DIEP done in October? I was lucky enough to be able to do immediate reconstruction. I was sooooo relieved to wake up and find boobs, even if they were swollen, bruised and deformed looking. I knew right away that having boobs meant that the cancer hadn't spread to my nodes. RELIEF. I cose the TRAM flap, mostly because I was told insurance wouldn't cover DIEP. Given my ability to heal quickly, I am confident that I will not regret the TRAM v. DIEP. For what it's worth, my PS said that the DIEP is the "Cadillac" of reconstruction.



Sweetpickle, I have cleavage, too!



Cyndie, my doc ok'd me to drive on Tuesday, so i know how liberated you feel! Of course, I went out Wednesday and Thursday, managed to overdo a bit, am and still chillin in my pjs today at 4:30. Oh, well, it's all good! He also ok'd my return to work next week, but only 10 hours a week. I plan to go in for a few hours on Sunday, then split what's left between Wednesday and Friday.



Annie, you truly are a remarkable woman. Your situation with your ex makes me extra grateful that I have a supportive dh! If you'll like, I can call or text him to let him know that your kids need a little extra from him while you are fighting your battle!



Cyndie, I understand about the hair cut. I haven't colored my hair in weeks. What's the point until I find out if I need chemo? I have a good inch of silvery roots to add to my unfavorable self-image.

Ok, one more post, and I'll stop rambling for a while. I have this CRAZY idea that I couldn't share with anyone except you guys: there is a part of me that WANTS to do chemo. I think I am afraid of not doing everything I can to prevent recurrence. I know it's crazy, and I'll do whatever my onc. suggests, but still I have this feeling that I need to do chemo. How do I resolve this?

Steph01: You need to do what you feel in your gut is the thing to do. Listen to your onco and do your research and pray. I'm sure you will do what is right for you.



My onco has recommended chemo for me even though my nodes were clear. My onco score was borderline high. After much research and reading about all the side effects and other cancers Chemo can cause, I chose not to do it. I also had two relatives that had breast cancer and had the MX and did not have chemo or rads and lived many years and died from something totally different. Hopefully I take after them. Chemo would only give me a 7% improvment in my recurrence so it wasn't worth the side effects for me. And even with that 7% there is no guarantee it won't recur. Had my nodes been involved I would have jumped on it.



My onco said I was technically cancer free so I don't want to destroy my immune system and use up my resources now in case I may need it later. I'm just leaving it in God's hands and moving on.



By the way, since we are sharing names, mine is Cyndy.

Steph-I understand wanting the chemo..I had 2 positive nodes anyway..so no choice..but I want all this out of me. I think though if they had of all been clear..like Cyndy..I probaly wouldn't because, like she said, it is hard on heart, lungs and other organs.  But I do understand..I'm calling it my chemo cleanse!

I, also, just got my sleep caps from that lady on Ebay..they are simple, soft and cute (plus cheap!)..I ordered 4 because you have to handwash. Lisa did you get yours? I'm very pleased with mine.

Janet are you doing ok today? What is the radiation like? Does it take a long time? Does it hurt?

Heather...I've known your name because I could, of course, see your signature..but I swear you will always be Sweetpickle to me!  That user name fits the personality that comes through your post!

I'm good with warm as long as there is a blue ocean involved! Its hot and muggy here

Annie im so sorry I wanted to post first that we should all take a guess at what the letters mean. My guess is " America's Most Beautiful kNowlegeable Hostess" ...... Whatcha think lol.

Steph, I totally get what you are saying. I didnt want chemo because I heard that it didnt have much effect on ILC but they said that because I had the 8 positive nodes with extracapsular invasion is why I had to have it. However, I have done everything. Bmx, axillary dissection, chemo and radiation and I still get that gripping fear that its metastisized. I believe that all that we have been thru gives us some form of ptsd and it just takes time to emotionally heal and put it all behind us. It iswhaf it is and we have to find a way to except it. Oh and I have some bad bone pain and neuropathy from the chemo. They will have a hard time convincing me to do it again. But I wanted you to know those feelings could be there even if you do chemo. Always worrying. Tell your mo that you want to know if chemo could benefit you andtrust his response.

Healing hugs to all



Melanie

Gowith, how many more treatments do you have