Starting Chemo July 2012

Okay, Susan, you've aroused my curiosity. What is a lymphoscintigraphy? The word suggests that it has to do with the lymphatic system and the test produces an image. Is that anywhere close to what it really is?

Hi Ladies - had my last herceptin - Yahoo!!!!

SusanHG123- don't stress, it is a much less painful than a local at the dentist!!! The injection is subcutaneous so stings slightly, but after what we have been through it is a walk in the park.

Sentinel means "Guardian" ie you sentinel node is the doorkeeper to your lymphatic chain. Unfortunately lymph doesn't travel in a straight line, so it is difficult to see which are the first nodes your tumour drain to. There are several lymphatic chains they may drain into.

They inject the isotope in the affected quadrant of the breast. It take several hours for the nodes to pick up the isotope, so they do it a few hours before your operation. When you are in theatre they have a small pen- like geiger counter device, and this picks up the radioactive reading from your sentinel node. Whilst you are in theatre they will also inject methalin blue. This drains almost instantly to your sentinel node. Between the blue colour, and the radioactive reading, they have a good idea of your guardian node. As you do not have a tumour that they know of in that breast, they may give several injections to cover all the quadrants. I am guessing however that they will probably just check the axillary chain of nodes. Not long to go now until your operation. Thinking of you.

SusanHG.. yes, I see it! I see very old scotch in your future!  ~smile~  Keep us updated with your surgery and know I'm sending you lots of good wishes.

And guess what? My hair is growing again! Oh ya, baby, like a weed.   Okay, like a weed compared to before. I think credit to the supplements (mentioned earlier, prescribed by integrative health doctor) and also to being a month finished herceptin.  So, am on the upswing, but definately researching alternative, (traditional and other) to tamoxifen.

Maddie, SusanHG.. how's your hair?

Everyone who has finished active treatments, how's your life... do you feel like you are getting back to your usual life? or creating something new? or in a processing, healing stage?  I'm curious! 

Hugs to all

Checking in also.  I vowed that I would make more time for friendships when the treatments were over, but, guess what?...I reverted back to my old ways which mean I am at the gym 2 mornings a week and out on the trails at the state park for 5 to 7 miles another morning. I have time for the friends who stuck with me and cared, but am not going out of my way for others.

Hair..WOW, it sure is nice to have some, I get occasoinal compliments on my "new hair-cut".  I haven't had it cut! It's about 1 and 1/2  inches long. don't have to blow-dry it, don't have to use a curling iron (or straightening iron), can ride in the convertible without tying it up and fussing with it. Want to bet if I'm anxious for it to grow more? Not at all!  (And I'm very glad to have eyebrows again.)

Good wishes to all still going through treatments. Nat

Amen to the hair comments!  Mine was soooooooo straight before chemo and it's come back with a little bit of wave and one spot near the nape of my neck that curls.  It's taken some getting use to and I'm still not sure if I am.  Last week I went for my first REAL hair cut (had a teeny trim done to even out after it started coming back--that didn't count) and it looks much healthier now.  I didn't realize how dead the ends were.  I'm trying to wear it longer than I did before chemo and I'm not sure if I like all this fussing around.  I wouldn't mind going back to that cute pixie cut I had

This week I saw my oncologist for my 1st 6 month checkup.  Has anyone else who is finished with treatment done this yet?  I find it a complete and utter waste of time!  I have to see my GP every 6 months because I'm on other types of medication so they do a complete blood workup, BP, listen to the lungs and all that other good stuff.  You know... the same stuff my MO did on Tuesday.  Except for the blood work.  I had my GP fax the results to their office in the hopes I wouldn't have to get stuck.  It worked and I felt like I won the lottery because I didn't have to have a blood draw!  So that's my question.... If I have to see my GP every 6 months and they do the exact same thing as an MO, then why do I have to see them both?  Can't one of them just fax a report to the other one?  

I am still seeing the whole crew-surgeon (have 2nd mastectomy this week), RO for continued F/U; MO to discuss how to finish herceptin, cardiologist due to decreasing ejection fraction, and rarely medical person. Will be glad to narrow the group.

Hair. Mine fell out 3, yes 3 times this year. The normal 1st time beginning @ day 13-went for shave @ day 16. Then after my first surgery when I went back on Taxol. Had about 1-1/2". gone. Then grew out as a color of Curella DeVille-black and white. Had never had a black hair on my body. Natural was a reddish blond. About a month later all the black fell out-was about 1 1/2" long. Had a light rinse to the natural color-some fell out to a male pattern baldness. Rest quit growing. Am now faded to a pale rust.  Arm hair mostly gone. Leg hair and l underarm growing. R-where dissected not growing. Eyebrows thinning again, lashes come and go. Top of my head sticks up like a mohawk. Sides curly. Back has 2 "cow licks" on alternate sides of top back. All new. My hairdresser said we will try for a bit of a "normal" color after surgery.

Other than that.....

Oh---to feel sexy again! Something about having NO hormones. 

Will post after surgery. For some reason am having anxiety. And no reason. Last surgery was easy-had a pain pump ball and no pain and a scopalamine patch to help with nausea. Was quite simple actually. My breasts never defined me other than when breast feeding my 4 and I never was one to flaunt the cleavage. But this is proving difficult. 

Had 2nd mastectomy. Patho back today-breast tissue, 2 sentinel nodes and 9 additional nodes--all CLEAR!! Best news I have had since June 25, 2012! Pain pump ball keeping suture line pain free. Have edema around my port-that hurts. Did not know that crepitus (the edema that feels like you are popping packing material under your skin) hurt. Another update for my health science students. Have 2 drains instead of 1-but not a problem--especially with clean and clear pathology. This has been the first true good news in the entire year.    

Hope our other members are well-and just avoiding any mention of the big C.

Love to all

s  

Congratulations, Susan on your good news! What a relief!

Thank you ladies. Received final pathology report yesterday-with clear margins, clear everywhere, and another statement of crappy tissue. Well--am fresh out of breasts to remove-so do not think that will be an issue . 

My first one was easy peasy. Took very few drugs if any. Not the case this time. Am on my way to "camp" if I keep taking drugs in this manner. This darn surgery hurts! Ball was removed Sunday night and suture line started raising the nasty pain receptors Monday. The pain I live with daily started in competition as to who could raise the higher. Will be a week tomorrow so am hoping will start doing the downward dance. And my energy level will start to increase. AND I will quit whining!

Love to each on a cloudy morning in southeastern NM. No Aliens noted.

susan

Thank you Maddie. I am taking drugs. Went to my neighborhood pharmacist yesterday (I don't use the big chain guys--have a wonderful small pharmacist who still delivers!) and turned into "one of those people" and cried in the pharmacy. He spoke to surgeon and oncologist and now am on a better protocol. At least have a handle on the pain. Am so surprised at the level of pain since the 1st was almost pain free. I see the surgeon Monday to remove drains. I will drive from Roswell to Albuquerque (my house to her office 3.5 hours), see her (20 minutes), drive back (3.5 hours). Asked of someone local could do it, explained that almost everyone I know has some sort of initials after their name, would text photos, whatever. Nope. Should not complain. Very fond of my surgeon. And can do a Whole Foods and Trader Joe's run (pack a cooler and buy ice). Go to Barnes and Noble-i still prefer real books to my reader, dash through a couple of stores, and head back. 

My intent is to work all day starting Tuesday. Will be pleased with 3/4th of the day, and fine with 1/2 day. Saw the cardiiologist today. He is punting me back to the oncologist UNLESS my next MUGA or shows further decrease then will be punted back to him. See my oncologist next week to schedule the MUGA and discuss Herceptin.

Off to bed I go. Still get tired so very easy. Dog sitting a big old lug of a golden who weighs about 100lbs. Adding to my almost 13 year severely delayed lab mix who weighs about 80 and my 6 year old obese English lab with thyroid disease who tips the scales at 107 not--makes for a mighty big pile of dogs! All 3 are rescue and very beloved. 

Much love,

s

Hi Susan,

Hope you drain is out by now and that you are feeling less pain. Hate those drains!! I had 3 for my mastectomy, and I wouldn't stop bleeding. After 4 days they were getting too heavy to pick up to go to the toilet. I was getting warfarin everyday to prevent clots, and I said to the nurse - "I'll never stop bleeding if you keep giving me that, doesn't make sense to try to stop the bleeding and still give me an anti coagulant " She said it was a fine balancing act, but I think the warfarin was winning!!!

Your dogs sound lovely. I love Labs. Let us know how your MUGA scan went.

Sleep well

Now that I am done with Breast Cancer treatment, I am finding out if I have MS. New year, new disease. I have been to the ER twice and because they couldn't figure it out, they told me it all was in my head, that I was faking it. I looked up muscle disorders and MS came up and it fit 95% of everything going on. I had a MRI and had to spots of white matter and I had two really bad episodes. I have more testing to do. Doctors can be so irritating.

I went the the oncologist today and asked about my MRI, and I have 2 white matter spots 3mm and 4mm in my right frontal lob of my brain.That's what is causing all of my troubles, I think. At least I know I don't have a brain tumor or a stroke. Life is never a dull moment.

Live2Laugh2 - thrilled to hear it is not MS. What are the 2 white matter spots they have picked up?

Susan - I am sorry to hear you are bruised from the drain removal. How is the pain you were experiencing? I hope it has eased off a bit. The talk with your MO sounded tough, but it isn't over 'til the fat lady sings as they say in the classics. I never knew until a few years ago it was talking about the state of Texas. They have removed a lot of your lymph nodes, and if they did a good job it may not have spread any futher. Will keep hoping and praying for a good result for you. You have been so courageous sticking out so many taxotere treatments- more than any of the others in our group -that I am sure it will have killed the suckers stone dead. Big Hugs!!