September 2013 Chemo Group

SpecialK, Thanks for posting about the scar products.  I'm going to look into them.

Knightzoo and KJ, great car pics!  My hair growth is about the same as yours, Knightzoo.

VintageGal, I wish you the best with your surgery.  I'll be thinking of you tomorrow.

VintageGal, good luck tomorrow!  Best wishes on an easy and fast recovery. Keep us posted. 

Cheryl, I picked BMX over lumpectomy. I had the worst luck with MRIs. Three false positives since this saga started. Really didn't want to keep that trend going. Add to that the other reasons people have listed. Good luck with your decision. 

Kbeee, let me know how the experiment goes. You're a better sport than I am.  

Viji, We all have our crying spells.  You have been through so much! I hope your day improved after that! Sometimes we just need to let the sadness and frustration out! 

Cheryl, I chose an Mx for similar reasons as you! I am small chested and once the tumor was removed, there wouldn't be much left of my boob!  I also hoped to avoid radiation, but in the end I needed an ALND which may not have been the "easier" choice.  I couldn't bear to lose both of my breasts at once and didn't want to endure more surgeries for reconstruction..but sometimes I'm not so sure about this uni-boob lifestyle!  Choices, choices...we all do our best to make the best ones with the information and feelings we have at the time!

knightzoo - yes, I had surgery on Fri. Implants out, new mesh sewn in, pocket work both sides, implants back in. I have two skin splits in the left problem side so currently doing nothing much - antibiotic, hibiclens, silvadene,  telfa dressing, and a lot of quiet. Much improved aesthetic, but other than fat grafting I have to be done now - skin is too thin in that spot. Babyruth is from Atlanta. 

Simple - hope the scar stuff works

Vintage - good luck!

Art - sorry you and Nat are dealing with a new issue. I am aware of someone else who posts on BCO that has dealth with this, and the blood thinners, if you want me to connect you.

Vintage, I will keep you in my prayers.

Art, like Kbee said, so sorry you have to deal with another problem but it's a good thing they found it early.

SpecialK, I hope you feel better soon.

LHL, hope the toothache diminishes soon.

Kbee congrats on almost finishing reconstruction.

Ladies, I hope you are all doing well. Think about each and everyone of you all the time. I would be in the nut house without you.

Special K & Kbee, it would be great if you could put me in touch.

Cougar: one of the risks if tamoxifen is blood clots.

Best wishes to all.

Art, thanks for the update.  Happy to hear about clean nodes and that you were so on top of the blood clot.  Sorry you were in the dark and frustrated for so long.  And best of luck sorting out what's next.

SpecialK, wishing you an easy recovery.

My MO sent me for a spinal xray yesterday because this pain in my spine still hasn't gone away.  Waiting for the results.  I hate waiting for results.

Just popping in for a quick second. I think I pretty much got caught up reading last night but didn't have time to post. I was thinking about scar treatment (my birthday is in 2 weeks and that is all I am asking for if anyone wants to buy me something lol) Anyway, I checked out the links that SpecialK (I think?) posted and did another search and found a really good deal for the silicone scar sheets. They are $2 cheaper than the link that SpecialK posted for some reason, even though they are from the same site. There is also an auto re-order option which says that it knocks off an additional 10% and free shipping on all future orders. Just wanted to pass it along! I am desperately behind on homework and need to get stuff done for my baby's 4th birthday on Saturday, but I will pop back and check in with you all soon! Healthy, happy, healing vibes sent to every one of you! 

http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=414081&catid=287261&aid=338666&aparam=414081

Vintagegal, I hope things went well for you yesterday and that you didn't have to wait long for your surgery.  It's nice having the first time slot.  There's a lot less chance for unexpected waiting.  Thinking of you.  ((gentle hugs)).

Mama, glad to hear about the boobs!  I don't know how you have time for everything you are doing.  Homework, raising a family, new love life.  Just post when you can.

SpecialK,  I'm glad to hear you aren't in a lot of pain.  I was surprised how much it hurt to have my implants and capsules taken out as part of my LX and ALND.  It's four weeks later and my chest is still very tender and sensitive.  Maybe since they put implants back in, it doesn't hurt as much.  Anyway, I wish you the best with your healing and skin splits.

Betterday,  when is your spine x-ray?  I hope you get the results soon...waiting around for them is for the birds.

KJ, I'll miss all your witty  IMRT phrases when you get done with rads.

Cougar, you reminded me that I need to make a dentist appointment.  I just recently moved so I have to find a new dentist.  I'm not looking forward to that first visit after chemo either.

Art, I hope Nat's recovery from the clot goes smoothly and no more unexpected complications.  You two have been through enough already.

KBeee, whoo hoo! on getting your last surgery date set.  I have often been very grateful to have been sick and bald over the winter time instead of the summer so I can really relate to you being happy it will still be cool while you are wearing the sponges.  

Running, I think making treatment decisions with cancer is one of the hardest things.  I agree that we each make the best decisions we can with the information that we have.  

Yesterday, I saw my local RO for the first time.  He gave me the choice of  getting my  level three nodes in my armpit radiated or not as part of my plan.  It's unclear whether I should do this because apparently the "rule of thumb" is that if you have 4 or more nodes involved at the time of diagnosis you get it done.  Since I had neoadjuvant therapy, I don't know how many nodes were initially involved.  It's a rough decision for me because I like to bicycle ride long distances and getting my level three nodes radiated will increase my risk of LE.  On the other hand, since I don't have a targeted therapy to fall back on, I feel like I need to take advantage of the treatment options I have.  I have a week to decide.  I think I'll email my MO at Vanderbilt and see if she has an opinion.

Simplelife,  Hooray for more hair!  I am with you on the coloring gray out as soon as possible.  I am hoping to do that in the next few weeks.  We'll see.

Mama, Glad to hear about the boobs.  It is nice when you have enough fills to have a chest again.  I hope things continue to go well with your man.

SpecialK, Glad to hear you are not in my pain.  I hope things continue to heal well.

Betterday, Praying for good news on the spine xrays.

Art, I sent you a PM with my friend's e-mail address.

KJ, We might have to continue the IMRTs after you're finished...or come up with a new acronym.  They've been very entertaining!

Cougar, Hope the dentist appointment goes well.  I go next month.  It is not on my "things I'm looking forward to" list.

Alfranco, How are you doing????

It is Friday, which means I will take another selfie today, and probably update my profile picture with it later.  16 weeks PFC for me. Taking my weekly pictures helps me see a little progress here and there on top.

Running, Cougar and Betterday, thanks for the input, I am a little nervous about the MRI on Monday, just hope I don't have any surprises, apparently I have one tumor or mass left from chemo, doc says we want to make sure its not active meaning growing and Betterday now that I know what you experienced I'm hoping that this MRI will be accurate. I will keep u guys posted. 

Another thing my BS said I would need rads due to the positive nodes,even after mastectomy, on the breast and on the neck, anyone have the neck rads? Why? I was so stressed that day I didn't ask him why the neck, however, I am seeing my onco on Tuesday so can ask him also. 

Running- uniboob lifestyle couldn't stop laughing, I did have some funny images of me swimming in the warm waters of Madeira Beach, FL in June and my prosthesis slipping out of my bathing suit and floating away scaring people!!!!LoL, OK I am now losing it.......

SPecial K, hope everything is well with you at least you have that Florida sun to help with that recovery, yuk still stuck in sow here, but planning that Fla vaca in June after all is done

my RO said, if I recall correctly, the nodes under your arm drain to the neck/collarbone nodes and that's why they hit them. I'm getting treated chest, underarm and neck. He also consulted with Dr Recht at Harvard to be sure he was right in recommending rads after my complete response and he said yes, due to the aggressive tumor (basically TN) and node involvement. 

Mercedes,  Once, about a month after mx, I was biking with my kids and another family. I was complaining about the feeling of the prosthesis on my scar, and my frind said, "Take it off". So I reached in and took it out and threw the beanbag at the kids! After the shock, we all laughed and tgrew it around!!!! 

My hair is THICK and grey and sticking up like a chia pet....4 months PFC!

kj, after he says you were a miracle he orders another scan!

We met with BS, went over pathology. She said we should see RO to determine if we need radiation. She said margins were "close"

I'm emailing MO Monday to see if she could set up tumor board because I feel like we are not getting enough guidance. I told her based on info I read, bmx with no positive lymph nodes has 6% chance of recurrence within 5 years with no radiation. I also read that implants after rads has like 30% failure rate. Why endure 6 weeks of rads with side effects to have an increased failure rate on another procedure you have to do. I wouldn't do it. But we need more info.

Nat gets first fill Tuesday along with sonogram for her clot. She's doing much better, says her leg feels normal now. Only 4 more injections.

Simplelife and Kbeee - I want to color my hair ASAP, too. I was about 20% gray before all this mess started, now it's coming in at least 50% gray. Blah. Even though she's beautiful, I don't want Jamie Lee Curtis hair when I'm only 41! LOL

Kbeee - I take a selfie every 2 weeks so I can see progress. I saw a HUGE difference from week 10 to week 12, but not so much between 12 and this week (14).

KJ - I'll have to see what they say next week about my rads... maybe we can come up with something to use to make up acronyms. Only five more for you, right??? Miracle patient - how awesome is that?!

Running - WOW you have a lot of hair! I'm so jealous! Only two weeks ahead of me and your hair is twice as long. You look great!!!

Art - I hope you and Nat get to talk to the right person to help you make the best decision possible. I will say that the one thing my PS told me is that life is more important than the breast. He's all about ending up with a good result, but doing whatever is necessary to get 100% healthy is the goal, regardless of what it does to my breast (or future breast).

I went roller blading today! I wasn't going to because I am pretty sore on the left side where he filled more than the other yesterday. I was afraid if I fell and tried to catch myself on my left side it would be excruciating. I did great, though. We go to the family life center at a local church - skating for as long as you want for $2/person. We met two friends and their kids and had the place to ourselves! Can't beat that.

Then we went to lunch together. My daughter had a (horse) riding lesson this afternoon, and then softball practice tonight. <yawn>

Here I am yesterday, 14 weeks pfc:

On a sad note, my friend with Stage IV ovarian cancer that I visited a few weeks ago went yesterday to plan her funeral.  How horrible is that???  I know she doesn't want her husband and parents to have to do all of that once she's gone, but I can't imagine going into a funeral home at the age of 38 to pick out your own casket and plan your service.  God.  I HATE CANCER!!!!!!!!!!

Just to cheer me up, here's a pic of my sweet girl riding today: