The Hermit Club

Just Hot Mocha for me

I would like to see that. Not really, I hope You are

doing well and ready for the holiday.

May You find Your present in the heart of the ones

You love.

Hermits- waking up to snow this morning. Not much on the ground but expected to get a few inches here today. The forcasted rain but when I left work last night, it had the raw cold in the air that felt like snow. And here it is.....

Teka- I really love hot drinks with booze in them. My favorite is coffee with some Bailey's Irish creme.

Footprints- I love what you shared above, finding your present in the hearts of ones you love. I hope you are doing okay, and know this time of the year is not an easy one for you.

Lili- I am sorry you are feeling so stressed, and having to move. Your comments do suggest a deep depression that is just so common with any serious illness. I talk to many women on these threads who have suffered deep depression, PTSD, etc. post treatment. The fact you are trying, caring,and wanting to feel better means you ARE trying to cope and find your way through this.

If moving gives you some peace and quiet, it may be one step that you are doing to create a better environment for yourself. I think all of us are a lot less tolerant of the junk that goes on around us in the world. I almost said something I should not have to my client yesterday, but caught myself. Fortunately, I am not on site there today.

Hugs sister and find yourself some counseling or other type of help to get through this. We are here for you too.

Thinking of our Bippy today too, who is having her surgery.

How is our Mags doing?

Just relaxing now that I got the chores of the day out of my way!

Mags- good to hear from you and hope you hear from the RO soon.

I am glad that you are going to try to go to the party tonight. My hot flashes have been worse lately. I dress in layers these days.

Mags,

that reminds me of last year during the summer when hubby and I went to my 20 year class reunion. It was freakin' hot that week and I initially wore my wig. Took the dang thing off halfway through the night as it was so hot. Not one of my classmates that were there cared I was bald, because they knew what I was going through.

Hope that you have a good time tonight.

Got a call from rads clinic, going tomorrow for "practice session". Finally.

Mags- wishing you a good visit tomorrow. Let us know how things go for you?

Ducky- the SEs that we all deal with are so different around the AIs. Glad you are spared the hot flashes. I can deal with them easier than other things I have gone through on this ride.

Mags, I will be thinking of you tomorrow. Although I do not always remember names and/or specifics, the women here are in my thoughts. I think someone is in surgery today ... Am hoping all went well.

Sally......LOL......I did not like either, and did most myself.......my kids did what they coul

Ducky- I have been on the AIs two years this coming March. I just had a bone density test and results have increasing bone loss, which I am very concerned about, despite doing CA and Vitamin D, and regular exercise including weights. I am loosing 5% per year and very concerned I will hit the line with osteoporosis before I am done with the 5 year protocol. Got several bc related apts in January, and going to be discussing in every direction I go. Taking these meds for a very early/low re-occurrence risk bc at the expense of my bones seems like it may not be a good idea. I have a decision ahead of me.

Blondie- hey girlfriend, you feeling better from the shingles yet?

It is our Bippy that has surgery yesterday. I look forward to hearing from her when she is back home and recovered.

Jazzy......I have the bone lost too.....will get another Dexa in April.....there are so many reasons to go off this medicine, but the one good one was "LIFE", but what good is life without quality.

I get more bone loss, fall, and break a hip at 79, we all know how that can end up.....so you have a decision to make.......and really........do we have any "true proof" that these AI's stop recurrence or lessen it that much........

Do I want Mets.....hell no, but I also could not handle all the SE's.....I would have welcomed a "hot flash"........instead of all the other problems.......glad I didn't get that one too........

This disease turned me from a woman who never stopped, was always ready to run, party, dance, drive 5 hours from Philly to Pittsburgh and 5 hours back for 4 years to watch my grandson play college football........

Hope for the best is all I can do......if I try the Arimidex next....which is in the cabinett....all 30 of them......and the SE's come back......I am done for good.......no more AI's.............one SE or even 2, but all of them................NO, not gonna go down that path again.....................

Ducky- I have been taking anastrozole (arimidex) for almost two years, and did have a rough six months to start, but when I went to see my MO last fall, we agreed to take a vacation from it and go back on and see if it was better. I have done better since, but still have issues with stiff feet, hot flashes and sometimes find myself getting emotional for no reason (been a bit short tempered at work this week, but that could also just be my frustration with the client site). I have noticed more fuzzy brain with time too.

I think there is 10 years of clinical data around the arimidex products, but others are newer as I understand it. I don't think there is enough history to know if they really work. Like you, I don't want mets or the rest that could follow with that, but more than anything, quality of life is what matters to me.

I hope you will do better on the new meds. but will understand if you don't continue to take them. Many women don't finish them due to the heavy SEs. I told my doc I would give it a try, but if it worked more against me than for me, I would reconsider.

We all face these hard decisions as we go along. Thankful for BCO to have a place to talk about these things.

good morning girls I'm back home

Surgery went very well, and all my caregivers were excellent. I got home yesterday about noon and began experiencing excruciating pain after we changed bandages. Figured out we needed a lot of gauze and more stabilization around the drain site incision. My poor husband, I had to subject him to seeing me and all my stapled glory. He's incredible though, and asked me how long do I think I could've hid it? We cried. Then things improved immensely once he got me fixed up.

I'm having a lot of pain there because the doctor said there was much scar tissue from dead cancer which is good but he really had to do a lot. No surprises visually, but waiting for final pathology. I'm taking all my pain pills on schedule.

My insurance pays for about five days of home health, so I'm anxious for her to get here this morning and help us with drains. The drains are simple but I can't handle them alone because I can't really use my right arm or hand right now. Again my wonderful husband got me through. He's a champion drain emptier!

My next big project will be to take a shower today. Other than that I'm just taking it easy and not doing too much as I do not want to setback myself.