In shock

Just a quick fly-by to report that I had my final recon surgery today. I'm back home already. Just a little tired, grumpy and miserable after the anaesthesia, but actually feeling pretty good. No pain anywhere, but will only get to see the results later this week when bandages come off.

A good evening to you all! I will be going to bed shortly to sleep it off.

Morwenna - sorry to hear re: your Mom, glad you are going over - not easy but not something you will regret

Adagio - also sorry to hear about your sister - sending hugs

Liefie - you sound like all went well, hope some rest and a little bit of time get rid of the tiredness and grumpiness. Gentle hugs

Have not been posting for a bit. Fatigue issue not getting better for me and have increased to full time hours for work - not a good combination. I'm going to take at least one vacation day a week for a bit and see if I can't get on top of this. I have lots of banked vacation time to draw from. 

Today I had fasting labwork, echocardiogram, treadmill stress test and chest x-ray. The cardiologist will review with me next Wednesday, know that I aced the bloodwork so it is not a hemoglobin issue. 

Take care everyone

Hi Ladies,

I have been MIA a little. The eyes are healed enough that the stitches have been removed and I go back in a month for a look see. Things look good, but still have a little yellow left from the bruising.

Adagio…sorry to hear about your sister. I do hope you have some special time while your visit with her.

Websister…What a bummer to be tired with no understanding as to why. I also hope there will be improvement for you soon.

Mo…you are so fortunate to have your mom live to experience the joys of all her children. Neither my mom or dad, saw me graduate college or marry, etc. So give her your love while you are with her. She is a wonderful gift.

Now that my eyes have cleared up, I plan to do more sewing today. Spring has arrived; the temperature yesterday was in the high 80's. Nihahi, send that snow down here and we will melt it for you!

Liefie…glad to hear you are recovering well from the last surgery. WE ARE WARRIORS ! 

Getting closer to the big day….and our trip across the country to Oregon. Please, anyone that wants to enjoy the Oregon Coast, plan to come for a visit. I am soooo excited.

Have a wonderful day…everyone.

Jenifer

momof2 - good to hear that you are healing so well. You must be getting so excited 

Nihahi - good to hear from you, we are supposed to be getting some good weather - here's hoping

I will meet with the cardiologist next Wednesday a.m. to review test results, then meet with breast cancer Dr. The following Monday afternoon. 

My 4 year old grandson made my day yesterday - he phoned full of news - after each piece of news he would say 'aaannnnd' (in a long drawn out way) and then proceed with the next piece of news His two year old brother was a man of fewer words but he did manage 'Hi Gamma' and apparently hugged the phone 

Take care everyone

It has been very quiet here this week - hope everyone is doing well

My plastic surgeon's office called today and I am booked for an appointment to discuss reconstruction on May 30th - progress! 

I also see the cardiologist tomorrow morning for my test results from last week

Beautiful day here today - 20 degrees C.

Take care everyone

Glad to see we are not letting this blog shutdown. I have been busy sewing! 

Last night we were coming back from the grocery store…Suddenly the truck in our lane started throwing sparks all over the highway…we moved into the left lane just in time to have a leaf blower fly pass our windshield. Then what appeared to be a vehicle came at us with no lights on…missing our car by inches. As it turned out it was a truck pulling a trailer of 2 riding lawnmowers and landscaping equipment at > 65 mph or > 100 kph and the trailer became detached from the pickup truck. I literally thought we were going to be killed…all this equipment coming at us. But literally seconds can mean the difference between life and a serious injury.

I was pretty shook up…it would have been the second freak accident in 3 months where our car was totaled. So I am counting my blessings today and hugging my husband and dogs. Other than that I am doing GREAT!!!

Hope all is well with everyone! Spring is in the air….

Love,

Jenifer

I am glad you are there, too, Morwenna.  This is time spent with your Mum that you will treasure the rest of your life.   So glad she hung on for you to get there!  (((Hugs)))

Mom-glad you are safe....incidents like that tend to spark a little (or a LOT) of PTSD in me.......I hope you are doing better now.  Scary, for sure!

Just a drive by, as my time is getting more and more swallowed up by my 97 year old mother........just takes her almost the whole day to eat three meals.......     I am compensating by walking between 8-11 miles each day...just to clear my head!

Love and (((hugs))) to all!

PS:  Websister-great news on the recon appt.!  Hope there is more good news on cardio.......

Movie and Morwenna.....my heart just goes out to both of you! Different scenarios....both very tough with no really "joyful" endings. Hugs and prayers to you both.

websister...sounds like a good news/not so good news situation, eh? I'm glad nothing was found that is cause for alarm, but so frustrated for you that no solution was found either. I don't know if it's the same thing as chemo fatigue syndrome, but I had about a year post final chemo, of my blood counts dropping and recovering, almost on schedule with what they did throughout chemo. My onc at the time called it chemo rebound, and said my body just was trying to learn to adjust to "no chemo". Don't know if he was just trying to cover the fact he didn't know what was happening to me, but, it took a good long while for things to level out, before I could start to truly "recover". Part-time work and little naps sound very wise to me....hope things get easier for you, knowing everything seems to be "healthy". Hang in there.

I got my 2012 tax refund from the IRS yesterday.....guess it means I have "risen from the dead"!!!! Ah, spring, it's a good time to be alive - again!

hugs to all.

hi ,

So glad you are all still here. . I was popping on every day and getting in a panic as it was so quiet. Did a few posts and they vanished   Got right pxxxxd of and just kept reading and hoping. We have to keep  thread going !! 

Liefie, glad surgery went well, how lovely you are pleased with it.

Adagio, thoughts with you and your sister. ((( hugs )))

Morwenna, knew you would be glad you came, hope all is peaceful. Which part of England are you ?

Websister, best wishes for your results next week. As Nihahi says they sometimes don't know why we feel like a sack of sxxt. I did read somewhere that the fatigue lasts as long as the treatments took. I am approx one year since them and only just stopped the daily nap and can do a fair bit more, still not back to break dancing but hey ho LOL.love the pics on F/b of your grandchildren! they are such a joy aren't they! hugging the phone sooo cute?Enjoy those vac days and have yourself a pamper or just have fun, batteries will re charge very soon.

Mom, glad your eye all healed, mine is still improving thank heavens may take another two weeks before really clear sight happens. I was just really unlucky. Optician reckons other eye pretty clear so now not having other one done.The Gods have you in their sight re the almost accident phew !! That was scarey.

Nihahi, On your last procedure you will be in my thoughts.hope all goes well and you bounce back. Resurrection via tax office gave me a giggle, they are all idiots in these places.

Movie, my mad yank, you are a wonderful Daughter to your Mom and don't you forget it !! My kids would just keep me in the shed and throw in the odd crust.DH off on his five mile walk he is loving it. Hope I can get him to 11, he is much better as far as mood goes ,and tummy going down so looking quite sleek.Best thing he ever did.

Today we are jet washing the back deck, planting some desert like plants in the front garden as front of house quite dry even when it rains. 

I am so excited as having an Easter egg hunt a week on Sunday so got to get everywhere ready.GD has been making paper chains to hang from everywhere out there. She has decided if it rains they are being hung all over the house HELP.

Love to all x

momof2 - I am so impressed at how much you are doing for your daughter's wedding!!! I have two daughters getting married a month apart, and while I am plenty involved, I just can't see myself doing the centrepieces so close to the actual day - I would find it way too stressful, and that is something I definitely try to avoid these days. When is the wedding? It must be very soon! I am sure it will turn out to be a wonderful day. I honestly think getting married these days is a lot more complicated than it used to be!!!! 

Edi - good news that you don't need the other eye done, and glad to hear that the surgery eyeis doing better! An Easter egg hunt sounds great for the little ones - hopefully the weather will be nice! DH walking 5 miles a day is very impressive.

Liefie - hope you are continuing to do well after the surgery.

Websister - take it easy - part time work sounds ideal considering your fatigue.

Movie and Morwenna - both your Moms are so fortunate  to have you in their very senior years. My Mom died when she was only 54 years old due to a brain hemorrhage!

Nihahi -  glad spring has arrived in Alberta - enjoy!

The news about my sister is that they now have her at home on a morphine patch which is controlling her pain very well - I talked to her a few days ago, and she is cheerful and comfortable. They are considering some form of chemo to shrink the tumours in her liver because it is pusing on her lung and causing her shortness of breath - not sure if she will go for that or not.

Since my falls a couple of months ago, I have some residual swelling around the torso, so I went for lymphatic drainage yesterday - it was very interesting - very gentle, and it did seem to get things moving. I am getting quite discouraged about my arm which is still very painful  - had it re x-rayed and now doctor wants a bone scan to rule out 'anything else'. You know where my mind goes when that is said - so trying to not stress!

Off to a funeral today of a dear friend who was diagnosed after me - will be a difficult day.

Jennie - so sorry you feel so bad. My thoughts and prayers are with you! 

hugs, jennie.....I don't remember there being a rule you could only post "happy thoughts"!!! Hang in there, we're still your pocket people. I'm so sorry you are struggling with the hormonal. Have you discussed with your doc that the se's are likely going to bring you to chosing to stopping the regime? That might get his attention. If not, of course we support whatever choice you have to make, to have a QUALITY life. I know it's hard, really, I do...but could you build a minimum of 30 minutes per day of exercise into your life??? Doesn't have to be sweat till you drop, lung busting stuff....a 30 minute walk, easy bike ride, those kind of things. Being active and living a healthy lifestyle might just give you the same benefit as the tamo...and help you feel much better overall. fyi....I know that even thinking of being active at this point sounds like I have suggested you climb Mt. Everest, blindfolded, walking backwards and carrying half of Ohio on your back....but I also know, that the first step is the hardest, after that....you just keep telling yourself...one more step....then, again, one more step....you CAN do it!

momof2.....making the runner can BE the last thing you have to do, if you MAKE it the last thing....You've done a lot under difficult times to give your daughter a lovely wedding. Now it's up to her to decide to enjoy it. I like hubby's support of you. What a HORRIBLE experience on the road. So thankful you are OK!!!!!

edi.....just love you...how's the volunteer stuff going?

hugs to one and all.

Spending the day out in the mountains....what the H**L....it's winter outside again!!! AAARRGGHHHH!!!!!!!

Hi everybody,

Have been m i a for a while, just busy with life, and moving on after the last recon surgery. My PS did an amazing job, and the girls are now the same size and height again for the first time since the mastectomy in Feb. 2012. It feels really good. Sutures will come out on Wednesday, and I went back to the gym today no problem. Just stayed away from arm and chest exercises.

Jennie, so sorry to hear you are having such a struggle on Tamoxifen, and I can understand why you are considering dropping it. The others have given good advice, but in the end you're the one making the decision - all the best to you! 

Nihahi, good wishes to you for a speedy recovery! In comparison to the DIEP flap surgery, this last surgery was a piece of cake. I never even needed a single painkiller.

Websister, sorrry you did not get clearer answers re the fatique, but so happy to hear you will be going to Mexico - sounds wonderful! It took me a full 18 - 20 months to feel back to normal again PFC, and I only had 4 chemo's. You had way more with the Herceptin, so maybe it is just taking longer? Glad you could cut back on the work hours.

Edi, I'm so impressed with your DH. Walking is such good exercise. I've been slacking a little lately, but will get back into it again. No more excuses here - weather is good, and it is getting warmer by the day.

Adagio, you've been having such a tough time! Hopefully your tests will be all good, and the arm/shoulder will get better. Two weddings a month apart - your house must be buzzing! Agree with you that weddings seem so much more complicated these days, and so much more expensive . . .

Jenifer, you are a hardworking woman making all those drapes - wow! Yes, I still remember my DD, and how confused she was about some wedding decisions, going round and round . . . And then on the wedding day you'll wonder why you've stressed so much over so many insignificant particulars that everybody promptly forgets afterwards - LOL.

Morwenna and Movie, all the best to you! This is so hard. I know how it feels to have such a frail parent. My sister tells me that my mom have deteriorated so much since I've seen her in December, and then she was bad already. Every time the phone rings, I expect it to be bad news from S.A. Such is life, and we can't change it. I'm just grateful for the wonderful and blessed life that my mom had. She does not recognize anybody, and does not really react to anything anymore. 

We're going to Edmonton for Easter. Can't wait to hold little Emily, and visit with my two boys and DIL too.

This is my first post. I had biopsy on lump & lymph node 4/15, got the dx yesterday, both are cancerous. MRI scheduled for Monday morning, appointment with the surgeon on 5/6. Still numb, still in semi-denial, but I know I have an excellent medical team and that helps.

Been spot-reading this thread...

magdalene, hugs going out to you. Nihahi is an inspiration and @ 22 years out such a ray of hope for us.

Keep on here help and support will surround you. I am almost two years out and felt as you do now at DX it does get easier when you start the treatments you just focus on the future.

Happy Easter to you all. X