September 2013 Chemo Group

LighthouseLady,

I was surprised at how tired I was during rads too.  It was kind of frustrating because I thought it would be a time where I would feel a lot more rejuvenated.  The good news is that I'm three weeks post-rads and really starting to feel like my old self. 

Going to help out at the Little League Concession stand today.  Go Southern!!   Then going to watch Tom's team play some baseball in Tacoma and do a little shopping.  I might be exhausted by sunset, but I'm going to enjoy the euphoria in the mean time.  ;-)

Hi Ladies. I wanted to find a group that started this BC journey at about the same time as me, and here you all are.  I was dx in Aug 2013, with inflammatory BC.  I had never heard of it.  I like all women. am trained since little girl hood to check for suspicious lumps, but with IBC there often isn't one....the cancer forms in sheets or "nests", and mimics inflammation hence the name. I had a normal mammogram in Oct of 2012, and in June of 2013 I had odd symptoms of itchy breast, swelling and breast pain plus lymph node swelling and pain under my arm that sent me to my general doctor.  I had read on line about IBC, and know it was extremely rare, so I suspected mastitis even though I was 52 at the time, and a long way from breastfeeding or any other breast issues that might start mastitis. My doc who I love suggested we try a round of antibiotics, see if I responded, and if not go for a sonogram as this is the better way to see IBC not mam. The crazy thing is I did respond, this seemed to improve, then came back with a vengeance. I have since learned that as IBC is rare, only 1 to 5 % of all BC, that you may be the only case your general doc has ever had in his practice or ever will. Yay me how did that happen? 

My Oco set a positive tone from the start....he said to not pay attention to dire stats or survival rates, to expect a positive response with treatment and focus on a positive outcome.  I have tried to do that and generally have succeeded  in staying positive. I have been so blessed with great medical tx, great support, powerful prayer warriors on my behalf. I have been SO BLESSED. 

I started chemo end of August 2013, last one Dec 10, Double mx  Jan 2014, 33 rads starting in Feb. and ending last week April 7 2014. So thats me all over. I am so glad to be finished with tx. I have my first followup appt with my oncologist today. I have gone from being in treatment to being a survivor. I am NED. I am still getting used to that. 

I have found this BCO website to be so great, I wish I had found it earlier, but did not, and just grateful that I did find it.

Thanks for reading my story if you have. Felt good to say it all at once. Now on to the day ahead!

Meadow

Hi Meadow.  I wish you had found our little group earlier - we rock!  LOL

I'm sorry you have to be here, but glad you finally stumbled upon us.  I'm glad KJ chimed in - she's the only one of us with IBC I think.  I was on a similar chemo/surgery schedule as you.  I started AC on 8/29 and had my BMX on 1/3.  I just now started rads, though... 5 of 33 done.  Good luck at your follow-up today!

Thank you Lady, Rads can be hard, my radiologist said he finds his patients to be more emotional at this stage of their journey, prob the cumulative effects of all the treatments and worry just get the best of them. I found this to be rather true, even though the treatments are brief compared to the chemo, I was tired afterward. Hang in there and thanks for the sweet welcome

Hi Meadow!

 Glad you found us. Well you know, I am sorry for the reason you had to find us....

audra,

I've been extending invitations to the FB group to just about anyone who has posted here and has been 'seen' at the breastcancer.org site relatively recently.  There are a lot of people who just posted once or twice but seem to lurke (read and not post much).  I'm trying to make sure they feel welcome to join us over at FB too.

Some will prefer to stay here.  That is ok.  I'm going to check in here from time to time, but not as often.  The FB group is much easier to follow the conversations on.

For anyone who is a lurker here, feel free to personal message me that you would like to join the FB group.  Your only qualification requirement is that you have/had cancer.  The only exception I can think of is Art123.  I invited Art and/or his wife to join us too.  :-)

Meadow, I hope you join us on the FB group if you haven't already.

SpecialK, how are you? Hope you are doing well. I am starting to get nervouse about surgery next Tuesday, mastectomy with axillary lymph node dis. So now that my energy is up, I am going around cleaning like crazy, etc. trying to keep my mind off everything. Hubby is taking next week off So thats good. 

Take care

Hi just checking in., had my surgery on tuesday  mastectomy with alnd   All went well i will have pathology repirt in 3 weeks, i guess i'm officially in the uni-boobie club lol. Pain is minimal across the chest, but i am having these wicked sharp pains under my arm that are spontaneous and really take my breath away, i guess its from the nerves being cut. I know that some of the gals on FB saiid it was normal i hope

I dont have rads  start date yet i meet with my BS next tuesday to remove drains.

SpecialK how are you?

Mercedes, glad to hear you are doing ok. I found that light massage under my arm helped with the zings, plus stimulated blood flow helping prevent lymphoma. You know, just rub lightly to stimulate. I also found that when I was able to start the easy post op range of motion exercises that really helped too. Adjusting to the new body takes time, just love yourself, you are getting healthy again. Sounds like you are doing great.

Hello VintageGal!

SpecialK,
Sorry to hear that. :-(

My right side isn't healing very well.  It was the non-cancer side too.  Go figure.  CT showed seromas that I am hoping the surgeon will needle drain more from on Monday.  Stark contrast to the left side that had the cancer, got the tougher part of the surgery, and was crispied with radiation.  It is actually looking great.  Wish the right side looked just like it.  :-(

Kathryn, I'm sorry to hear that. My non cancer side was the one that got all the clots & I needed the reincision & evacuation so the scar is a bit thicker. And that is the side that had a bit of a wave effect when touched but it doesn't appear it developed into a seroma. Go figure...

I hope this gets taken care of for you easily!

Lyn

Sorry to hear that SpecialK and hope you heal quickly. 

Holidays are over and back to work tomorrow.

specialK , I am not a religious person, however, I am praying that you recover quickly from all this crap. Thinking of you

Vintage and Meadow thanks for the consult, I will try the massage, lightly that is, its no wonder that we're not a little nuts after all this, the funny part is that everytime i get zinged, i scream oooouch! And swear too, everyone here is getting used to it now even my dogs 

Have a good Sunday