May 2013 surgeries

Heather-Rock hard stomach?  So you have abs of steel now?  They do promise a "new tight stomach"!  I can say for me to get that I will be a triple EEE up top!  I am sooo glad you got to sleep.  And understand the bed..I had been sleeping jacked up on 10 pillows for awhile.

Lisa- Love your picture and your wig!! ..and OMG I laughed so hard at your Hair today.gone tomorrow! I snorted!!  I read to my husband and he lol! I love your attitude!

I was looking through my pics and I realized I have no pics of me by myself. I'll have to get my husband to take one. Probably will do in my new wig..as hairstylist cut my hair real short..and honestly, I hate it.  I keep trying to think ..soon I will be wishing it!  

Oh and Lisa..I have no illusions that my head will look cute bald.  I saw myself in the shower cap before surgery..no makeup and all..horrendous.

Hope all of ya'll had great Fourth!  They are cranking up fireworks now around us...this usually means no sleep tonight. I'm wishing for rain....LOL..no, not yet...by about 10 I will be..

Finally made it home. Had a good time watching the kids swim and being with the family. The food was good too.



Lisa your hair looks great!!



I had a tummy tuck about 10 years ago and it's still flat at that spot, but Lord have I put it on every where else! I could give everyone on this site EEE foobs and still have enough for me!!

Heather, good for you.  Glad you made it to the pool.  I don't give a crap what anyone thinks either.  CK, honestly, I'm 5'8" and never thought I was cute and petite enough to get away with short to no hair.  I'm just not cute like that.  But I've gotten used to it and don't mind at all.  I'd rather have hair, but it's not as horrible as I thought it would be.

Hey Run4Us, just want you to know that I'm thinking about you and sending you warm thoughts as you have chemo #2.



I showered out my crew cut about 4 days after my second chemo. I have a wig but have preferred scarves and head caps because its cooler.



I know what you mean about people knowing you are sick if you wear head accessories. At first it bothered me when people would cast sympathetic looks my way at the supermarket or at work, etc.



But then I decided that I was ok with that. I remember always doing the same when I would see women who were obviously going through chemo. But recently I've noticed that those looks are usually always followed by an authentic smile, and I take that as a sign that a stranger is sending me a little support in that smile so I'm ok with that now.



You're gonna rock chemo #2! Just think, by this time tomorrow night you'll have another one under your belt!



Rest up and hydrate. I'll be thinking of you tomorrow.

Yes Run, praying for you to have an uneventful day tomorrow.  

Heather, I remember being brought in and put on the table for the scan.  I don't remember anything else afterwards.  My husband was with me outside the room (the room with the scan was on one side of the hallway, the other side of the hallway was the prep room you went to once you were ready - they gave me my anti-nausea med there and showed me the port and explained how it was going in).  He wasn't allowed to come into the procedure with me but was waiting for me when I got back.

I wish I could sleep tomorrow, but I have rads at 10:45.  My good friend is off of work tomorrow and said she'd go with me then we could go get some lunch.  

Get some good sleep.  Heading that way myself.  Night!

You girls made my night!  I decided to check in before I head off to bed and I saw all your messages wishing me well.  Thank you!! I needed a little pep talk tonight before bed. :-)

Annie.... What a nice way to think of the glances people give us.... looks of support!  That's how I'm going to think of it.  I bought a couple of scarves from the place that I bought my wig but they didn't have a very good selection.  Did you find some on line?  If so could you pass along the website?  Thanks!!

I want to thank all of you for your support.  I think it's wonderful how we are all there for eachother.  I never thought I would feel so close to people that I have never met....but I do!  I love you ladies.

Tomorrow night I will be 25% done with chemo!!

Good Morning...am dragging some this morning...as people on next road shot fireworks until 3am. Those loud whistling ones. 2 weeks of rain and not one drop last night..sighh

Lisa-My thoughts are with you today during your chemo!  Good luck on it going easy! Theres a website where they send you a free one. Its a group out of Washington. It says it takes a bit to get them..but I got mine within 2 weeks. Mine is very pretty, silk, black and white (you get to put down choices) and appears to be good quality.  They also send a get well type card and all of them hand sign it with well wishes..I loved the card. I'll try to find the website..or Janet, didnt you get one from them ? Do you still have website?

Melissa-Good luck with the port going easy and here's to no memory. I asked the anesth could he put me out ..which he did..but I am big wimp.  I looked up stampede parade..as I hadnt heard of it..It looks like great fun! I love Clydesdale horses!

Annie-I love what you said about the glances! I've not had a problem with anyone knowing I have this..hell, its not herpes..but had just told my mom that I thought wearing scarf was like a big "I have cancer"sign..but the more I think about it..the only people I seem to care who would think that is people I don't know that are out and about..and why should I care about people I don't know.  I know one thing amazes me about this whole process..is things I cared about in the beginning..dont bother me now..I can see my mind set changing as I  go along..Its like I get to "whatever". So probaly thats how I will be with scarves. I have some but those , at this time, are for home.

Janet-Good luck on rads!! Have fun with your friends! I hope your party went well last night.

Steph-You still sleeping off those 12 drinks? You didn't set your drain on fire did you???  Didn't think the hose was a fuse?lol

Heather-I hope you had another great sleep. I'm going to start researching the whole Diep/reconstruction thing this weekend so I will have questions when I call them Monday. I tell you..if it wasn't for the outcome sounding like such a good thing..this whole recliner thing with you for 3 weeks and pain pills..has about scared me...but I did know that it was like that..I guess "watching" someone go through it.  I am overjoyed that you got to get out by the pool..its such a major thing when you can get out and quit staring at same walls! Helps the mood stay positive!

Annie, Melanie, Casey-I hope all is well and you had a wonderful 4th.

Happy Friday Everyone! :-)



Lisa- Thinking about you today and hoping chemo goes smoothly for you!



Melissa- Speedy recovery and hope all goes well with your port. It will make chemo much easier for you!



Janet- Enjoy time with your friends and hope rads are gentle on you.



Cyndie- It pobably sounds worse than it really is. Im more uncomfortable than in pain most of the time. The. first two weeks are the hardest but after that its totally managble. I know that everyday out from surgery is another day closer to healing. I was even up and about this morning easier than yesterday. Also, I had MSX and reconstruction at the same time which is a lot of surgery to recover from.



Chimneymae- Have fun at the beach!



Im not doing much today, just hanging out. DH and I will be traveling up to our house tomorrow to start moving things down. Pray I can make the two hour drive with minimal problems. We only plan to spend the night and head back down here in Sunday. Dear Lord its been a month since Ive seen my own house! LOL

LOL Cyndie! My BS wanted to do the cancer side first, send it off to pathology and see if I needed rads because that would delay reconstuction for a bit. Since my pathology came bqck clean I was clear to do the other side with rcon. My BS felt that doing them sepeately would reduce chances of infection because you are doing less surfice area at one time. Also, you would have to wait for both sides to heal before you could do rads if they were needed. Hopefully that all makes sense, lol, Im loopy tired this morning.

Ck: you welcome to come and down and join us. We'll be back Wednesday. My son and his wife have a place down there for the week so we'll be going for a few days.



Does anybody have TEs that are sitting on top of their chest. I feel like my foobs are up to my chin. Hope is doesn't stay like that.

Hi Chinneymae. Yes, I have TEs that are feeling very similar. I'm finding it gets easier with each fill. They stay more in place as the saline starts to balance everything out in there. That's what my PS told me. I'm finding them more tolerable after each fill. I hope it continues bc I have to wait 6 months after my rads end before I can have the reconstruction surgery. The skin has to have the time to heal.



Today ladies I exercised. I did a 40 minute sculpting/toning DVD and even though I couldn't use my little 5 lb weights the whole time and I had to stop and rest several times, I finished it. It felt good to do a normal thing. Screw you, Cancer, I'm taking control of my body back!



Now, nap time. Zzzzzzz

Annie and Janet....all I can say to both of you is WOW...Im amazed at your stamina!

I went to Walmart..got all my fruits/veggies for this Dr Oz green drink. I think..though who knows..I told ya'll that right after my first surgery I bought a fusion juicer. I was stuck in here watching tv and got wrapped up in infomercial..also, once told I had cancer..felt like grazing the yard to get green in my diet...well, that..of course..has kinda worn off over the months..fusion juicer still in box..lol...I HAVE used the power bullit thing that came with and have been making protein yogurt shakes..mainly to ward off an infection (u know) because of these billions of mg's of antibiotics...that has worked well!  Anyway, tomorrow..I am going to drink my OZ shake..kale, cucumber, pineapple, orange, lemon, lime,parsley, carrots..I think thats all...I might could sneak a chocolate chip cookie in..none would be the wiser..ha ha.

One other happy tip: On the way home, I turned on radio and Im not sure if you know it but the Gloria Estevan song, "Turn the Beat Around"came on..I was singing (ok some may say  howling) at the top of my lungs..I did not realize..haven't listened to music or sang (except Janet putting that Winehouse song in my head for hours..sigh) since all this happened.  And that is a happy feel good song! So heres the link if ya'll want to sing!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcW4HnLJL58

Cyndie, I'm interested in hearing how the juicer drink tastes. I'm researching nutrition and am thinking about a juicer. Good for you for getting all those healthy things.



Ladies, we are all taking steps in the right direction!



Talk to you all soon.

WOOHOOO Annie, good for you!

CK, I sang "Ring of Fire" to my RO today while she was checking my markings on the table.    Plus, before my last zap each time, the table is turned 90 degrees for a different angle, and I always sing "It's a small world" because it's like riding a ride at Disney World.

Returned the 3 camisoles I bought in April and ordered them in larger sizes.  I don't know why I let that girl in April talk me into size 12.  Even without boobs I'm not a size 12.  Picked up a few little things at The Christmas Tree shop, and got some corn on the cob, watermelon, peaches, steak tips, and sparkling lemonade at Tom Leonards.  Going to save the steak tips to make tomorrow night, but corn is on the stove now and it smells good.