Winter rads 2014-2015

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  • gemmafromlondon
    gemmafromlondon Member Posts: 138
    edited April 2015

    How lovely to be in Nice! Wish I were there though we have actually had a bit of sunshine here in London off and on recently;

    Catching up a bit I noted that some of you had post rads wipe-out. I sailed through surgery and rads but had a bad cough ten days after finishing and have been totally exhausted ever since - about three weeks now. Far too tired to even take a walk and anything in the house has to get done in little steps. Can anyone who suffered a set back post rads give me any idea of how long it lasted ?Any strategies? I am wondering if Letrozole is part of the trouble as I restarted it post rads. I gave it up after surgery until rads were finished. When I was taking it pre surgery I had dreadful knee pain but strangely this time the knee is not a problem- but the damned fatigue sure is!

    Congratulations to all of you who have finished rads and are hopefully back to the new normal.

  • CoyoteNV
    CoyoteNV Member Posts: 575
    edited April 2015

    Booklady1 ~ Hooray and congratulations to you.  It really sounds like you are moving forward in a positive way!  That's truly wonderful. Smiles are coming.

    Gemma ~ Nice, France sounds so exotic and romantic ... and so very far away.  Send us a photo, please... so we can join you. Glad to hear that you are feeling well and having a great holiday in beautiful weather.

    Sadly, I do not do Facebook.  I would love to stay in touch, but I'm social media shy.  BC.org is my first dip into that pool. 

    I painted a couple more doors and the storeroom (formerly utility room) cabinet doors today. One in teal and one in lime green... the cabinets are now teal, coral, and lime green.  I went to the $1 store (we actually have one here) and amazingly their colors for spring are teal, lime green, coral and purple!  I bought some big teal and green storage bins to stack under the cabinets where a washer and dryer would go.  All the cardboard boxes that previously occupied the spot are gone.  This overhaul project started about 6 years ago.  When my father owned the property, he painted everything battleship gray or primer white.   He would be shocked, but I know my mom would love it!  It is so fun to have an entire building that I can do anything I want to it.  So many times we hesitate to paint building parts wild and crazy colors because of a future sale or fearing what someone would think.  I'm loving it!  The point of this?  Just do it!  

    kayfry ~ I measured DeMarcus. He's somewhere between 66" and 68" at the withers, so the 17.5 hands is wrong.  I just took someone's word on that. Thanks for the info.  He's definitely a big guy with a very sweet disposition.  Yesterday a friend's daughter stopped by when DH was mowing the pasture.  She really is a fascinating young woman. She was a trainer / jockey at the track in CA (weighs about 101 pounds all wet) and now raises and trains falcons and hawks.  She wants to work with DeMarcus.  I say yes, yes, yes.  An answer to a prayer.  TY,G.

    Take care all. And again. BookLady - Smiles are coming.


     

  • CoyoteNV
    CoyoteNV Member Posts: 575
    edited April 2015

    This is our list of Winter Warriors as of April 12, 2015 - We are coming to the finish line.  Just look at us! Hooray! 

    October / November Start

    MeneK – Oct 24 ThumbsUp.................... MagicalBean - Oct 28Happy......... Mmtagirl - Nov 3 Happy

    MarieBernice6234 - Nov 4 Happy ... Hope50 - Nov 5 Happy..................  dennyvol - Nov 5 Happy

    CAS4 - Nov 6 Happy........................ Beachbaby65 - Nov 4 Happy.......... CoyoteNV - Nov 10 Happy

    Lush61 - Nov 13 ThumbsUp.................... Rosa54 - Nov 13 ThumbsUp.................  Beachlady28 – Nov 17 Happy

    Nomatterwhat - Nov 17 Happy......... LMVerma  Nov 18 Happy................ katieC12 – Nov 18 Happy

    Lorrilynne - Nov 18 ThumbsUp.............. Gongshow18 - Nov 20 Happy.........Yikes1 - Nov 20 Happy

    Birdgirl11 - Nov 23 Happy.............  Perfectlyimperfect39 - Nov 23 HappySingsing1020 -Happy

    December Start

    Pita119 - Dec 1 Happy.................. SandyLovesLucy - Dec 1Happy......... AnasNana - Dec 1 ThumbsUp

     HockeyCat - Dec 3 Happy......... . CanuckMom Dec 4 Happy................  MeanMomto3 - Dec 4 Happy

    JustJean - Dec 5 Happy...............  runningcello - Dec 9 Happy............... carynbrit - Dec 10 Happy

     ForHisGlory - Dec 10 Happy........ Davida58 - Dec 10 Happy....................SCMom - Dec 11 Happy

    eileenpg - Dec 16 Happy.............. Linzer – Dec 16 Happy....................... WndrWoman - Dec 16 Happy

     sweetbanker - Dec 16 Happy........  labelle - Dec 17 Happy.......................  Slavrich - Dec 27Happy

    InGodshands - Dec 18 Happy....... Catie57 - Dec 18 Happy........................ lilactulip - Dec 18 ThumbsUp

     PoppyK - Dec 29 Happy.............. kpmacmill - Dec 29 Happy....................  Jlynn13 - Dec 29 ThumbsUp

     gretchy - Dec 29  ThumbsUp...............Bellegirl - Dec 30 Happy

    January Start

    reader425 - Jan 2 Happy................ILCMom - Jan 2 ThumbsUp....................... Purrrrana99 - Jan 5 ThumbsUp

    Cath57 - Jan 5 ThumbsUp .................. Professor50 - Jan 5 Happy....................fossf - Jan 7ThumbsUp

    Lulubelle1 - Jan 8 Happy............. lescover - Jan 8 Happy.......................  Nancy6540 - Jan 12 .Happy

    Saltygirl - Jan 12  Happy...............aj103014 - Jan 12 Happy.................... Fionascottie - Jan 13 Happy 

    Magdalene51 - Jan 15  Happy...... quiggy - Jan 19  Happy....................... Annie88 - Jan 19 Happy

    chtease - Jan 19 Happy................ Bippy625 - Jan 20 Happy......................Dacre - Jan 20 Happy

    feelingoverwhelmed - Jan 20 ThumbsUp....KYBLUEEYES - Jan 20 ThumbsUp......Beachbum1023 - Jan 22 Happy

    Cavalier - Jan 22 Happy................ mqt64 - jan 26 Happy........................... Sjacobs146 - Jan 26  Happy

    Windgirl - Jan 28 Happy.................. Hotrodmommy - Jan 29 ThumbsUp

    February Start

    JeniferE - Feb 1 Happy..................  LARock - Feb 2 Happy.............  Chrissie29 - Feb 2 Happy

    gemmafromlondon - Feb 2 Happy.keri71 - Feb 6 ThumbsUp....................  ladyb1234 - Feb 9Happy

    Mm68 - Feb 10 Happy................... CassieCat - Feb 12 Happy............ Texas94 - Feb 16Happy

    Leslie58 - Feb 16 Happy..............  farmerma - Feb 23 Happy............. Dotwithkitties - Feb 23Happy

    SunnySydeUp - Feb 23 Happy.... Allmodestyisgone - Feb 24 Happy.... brandyrose - Feb 26

    Scubawoman - Feb 26 Happy

    Viceroy = Start Date? Finish Date April 13 Happy

    March Start -

    gtlucky - Mar 2 Happy..................... sybilskelton - Mar 2.....................  Kayfry - Mar 4  Happy

    WheelyGirl - March 5 Happy............ Booklady1 - Mar 9 Happy............... Hygeia - Mar 13 Happy

     cbooklvr - March 13 ..................... zjrosenthal Mar 16 ........................Shelleym1 - Mar 16

     Redhead01 - Mar 22 

    Special Sister Warriors and Warriors who stopped for a visit, but for various reasons didn't stick around. No start date determined.  We wish them well.

    Minnielee; surrrana99; Coloradocancermom; Shuf; bjeaneg, knittingPT, Shayne36, KGotThis, ckr1956, funthing42, MaggieCat, intothewoods

    No Rads needed !! Hooray!!

    ThinkingPositive Happy.....................Mary59G Happy

    Happy= Reported Complete

    ThumbsUp = Should be Complete by now.


  • WheelyGirl
    WheelyGirl Member Posts: 181
    edited April 2015

    Windrwoman- have fun in France...I have never really wanted to travel abroad but love to hear adventures from those who have so please share.  I would love to go to Australia one day before I move on to another world.  Truly do love this group and hope will all continue to visit after BC treatment is over.

    Only 4 more boosts and done Whoo Hoo!

  • quiggy
    quiggy Member Posts: 315
    edited April 2015

    Love the beautiful flowers BookLady1.

    Thanks for your encouragment. I will jump in with you!!! I plan to wait until May 1st because I too need to heal (physical/mental) and I'm taking a short holiday the last of April and don't want to chance screwing it up with SEs.

    Arimidex need to wait a couple more weeks.

    I agree, there is an incredible amount of support and positive reinforcement from everyone so I don't feel alone; thank goodness!

    Mqt and Jean are spot on, I need to get on with it.

    Today is another day, we absolutely can do this.

  • cbooklvr
    cbooklvr Member Posts: 66
    edited April 2015

    Coyote NV thanks for keeping me on the list even though I don't start until tomorrow. I had a few delays in treatment. The Winter Warriors have been great source of support and information.

  • CoyoteNV
    CoyoteNV Member Posts: 575
    edited April 2015

    cbooklvr ~ I'm glad I checked the site one more time before shutting down for the night.  I've been thinking about you lately and checked today to see what was up with you. I'm happy to hear from you.  I read on one of your posts on the Spring Sisters site that you might be starting in April.  I'm glad for you that you get a couple weeks jump on that.  The sooner you get started the sooner it is over.  I hope tomorrow goes well and the same for all the days following. 

    G'nite - it's way past my pillow time.

  • kayfry
    kayfry Member Posts: 481
    edited April 2015

    Gemma, I think I was doing pretty well through rads, just a little bit tired near the end, skin SEs annoying but expected and manageable. Today is 2 weeks out for me, and skin is doing much better, after continuing to get a bit worse for the first week or so (also expected, so manageable). What I didn't expect was the virus (I think?) that I caught one week out. It started as what felt like a bad cold, with sore throat, stuffy/runny nose, sneezing, feverishness and body aches, then the next night turned into sudden nausea and vomiting, and the next day or two pretty much feeling wiped out. I'm feeling a lot better now, but still have a cough and still some lingering fatigue. At this point, it's hard to tell what is from rads and what is from whatever else it is that I had, but I think having an illness so soon out of rads seems to magnify the fatigue we might already be feeling. Maybe we're just more susceptible to passing illnesses with our immune systems depleted from rads? I'm trying to move back into normal life, but definitely not quite back up to my normal energy level yet. Pushing myself to stay active and get exercise every day, but also trying to get enough rest and eat well. I'm not on hormonal therapy, so I can't blame anything on that, but I would guess it COULD play a part in your fatigue?

    Coyote, your new color scheme sounds delicious! And DeMarcus is, then, somewhere between 16.2 and 17 hands—quite a nice, strapping fellow. Do you have any pictures of him you could share? That's wonderful that you found such a qualified person to work with him. I'll bet that'll be such fun for you to see what he can do. My Remy is half-Thoroughbred, half Dutch warmblood and 16.3.

    Quiggy, have a wonderful holiday! I'm sure Arimidex can wait.

    cbooklvr, I hope things go well on your first day of rads, and all the way through!

  • WndrWoman
    WndrWoman Member Posts: 333
    edited April 2015

    The water in Nice is amazing - At least three shades of blue and one is the color of Coyote's studio door. The sky is a crisp blue and the sun shimmers with warmth. There is a park with an area the size of half a football filed filled with those water spouts that shoot up from the paving. All ages love to walk through them, trying to stay dry and mostly not succeeding. There are little wooden fishing boats painted every color of the rainbow and enormous yachts with helicopter decks. The outdoor market is a delight and today they were filming Master Chef there on an outdoor terrace. Fascinating.

    Congrats BookLady1 on finishing. You've come a long way!

  • zjrosenthal
    zjrosenthal Member Posts: 2,026
    edited April 2015

    Starting week 5 of 6 today. Next week is boosts. Getting there! Love, Jean

  • Viceroy
    Viceroy Member Posts: 69
    edited April 2015

    Finished rads today! I am excited and depressed and anxious. (I have all the feelings) It is so good to be done and I am looking forward to not having to drive to the appointment every day.

    I have started to get "zingers" at my lumpectomy scar, which the nurse assured me was a good thing. My armpit is sore but my nipple infection cleared up, which is a huge relief.

    Next up: tamoxifen.

  • Beachlady28
    Beachlady28 Member Posts: 54
    edited April 2015
    4/13/15
    Hello to all. Finished rads 1/5/15. Now on Anastrozole. Had surgery 9/29/14. Oncology doc is doing a blood test today to prepare for Reclast shot once a year I think it is,
    for osteopenia. Anyone have the Reclast shot? I am reading about some side effects. Anyone have any SE from it?
    Thanks to all for your replies and have a sunny day.
  • WndrWoman
    WndrWoman Member Posts: 333
    edited April 2015

    viceroy. All these transitions seem to have mixed feelings but you seem to be headed in a good direction. Enjoy not doing the daily grind. Congrats.

  • Beachbum1023
    Beachbum1023 Member Posts: 1,417
    edited April 2015

    Viceroy, Happy Dance for you! And a bottomless basket of hugs, use as needed. Cheryl

  • Hygeia
    Hygeia Member Posts: 50
    edited April 2015

    Gosh, I lost track of the days.  I finished radiation therapy on April 7, saw the RO on April 8, received (and gave) hugs to all, got a thumbs up and came home to Pennsylvania.  I'm enjoying sitting on the back porch reading a good book, listening to music and feeling the sweet- fragranced breeze.

    I did get the radiation sore throat and fatigue and it diminishes day by day.  Day after tomorrow (Wed., 4/15) I begin letrozole and have had the Rx since February.  I too have arthritic joints and hope for maintenance of bone mass and little pain.

    My sister's sister-law, granddaughter (just 26 years old) and I have all been travelling the BC path these past months and each of us has a different type.  I don' t like the term "new normal" and at nearly 66 years have yet to find the old one.

    Madame Coyote, may I have a happy face please?  I can't dance--never learned--so I won't do the happy dance, but I certainly have a triumphant smile on my face.

    Oh, last post I mentioned that my ILC came from my father and few asked how I learned this.  I've seen it several places and notably on a site re what to eat if one has a particular cancer, so for me, that is something I surmised--nothing scientific.  And my RO said that she really didn't know.  But scientifically there is a link between ILC and a father (or uncle or brother) who has had prostate cancer.  Whether that link pertains to me has not been substantiated.  I apologize for making a misleading comment.

    And so dear friends, I wish you continued healing and sweet dreams.

    Cheers,

    Hygeia

  • CoyoteNV
    CoyoteNV Member Posts: 575
    edited April 2015

    Viceroy ~ How did I miss your start up! My bad. Shocked  Congrats to your finish. 

    Hygeia ~ Congratulations to you, too.  As I said earlier on the topic, life is filled with new normal moments.  We re-normalize at most major events, getting married, having babies, babies leaving home for college or their own marriage... all that sort of thing.  It's okay.

    I had to smile when you called me Madame Coyote. There is a standing joke at our house about the studio.  I called it Crazy Coyote's Studio and my husband suggested calling it Coyote Ranch.  Around this part of the country, there are too many "Ranches" such as the Bunny Ranch that refer to establishments that have a "Madame" in charge.  I wonder if the proprietor of the Bunny Ranch was called Madame Bunny?  BTW - although there are animals at the studio, it is not that kind of ranch. :)

  • kayfry
    kayfry Member Posts: 481
    edited April 2015

    IS there a "radiation sore throat"??? Regardless of whether one's treatment area touches or comes near to the throat? Somehow this is new to me.

    My tumor was at 6 o'clock, and the upper edge of my treatment area, as still well marked by the color changes in my skin, is a good 5-6 inches below my throat. And yet, a week out of treatment, I found myself with a sore throat, which I attributed to something else (like a virus). I still have a bit of a cough and some hoarseness.

  • SunnySydeUp
    SunnySydeUp Member Posts: 21
    edited April 2015

    Congrats Dotwithkitties and Viceroy!! You made it! Vice, I share the same ambivalent feelings you do. Grateful for all that is behind me, but anxious about what may (or may not) be in front of me. I'm terrified to start tamoxifen but I'll pop that first pill in about an hour.

    Wheelygirl and zjrosenthal- sprint to that finish line, ladies!!

  • ladyb1234
    ladyb1234 Member Posts: 1,426
    edited April 2015

    Kayfry, my sore throat was due to radiation. But I recieved radiation of the upper clavicle area. My sore throat went away about 2 weeks after final radiation. My RO gave me a prescription mouthwash that had to be refilled every 14 days.

  • WndrWoman
    WndrWoman Member Posts: 333
    edited April 2015

    kayfry. I had a hacky cough even though my throat was well out of the range. Think it is partly because radiation dries you out.

    Hygeia. I asked an MO and he said there is a link between bc and prostate cancer. No other paternal link he knew of.

    We are waiting at the finish line for the rest of Winter Rads. Almost everyone done and smiling.

  • CassieCat
    CassieCat Member Posts: 1,257
    edited April 2015

    Congrats viceroy, beachlady and hygeia!!!

  • kayfry
    kayfry Member Posts: 481
    edited April 2015

    Ladyb and WndrWoman, thanks for clarification on the sore throat thing. I do have the hacky cough now—maybe it's a combination of drying effects of rads but also the dregs of a virus. I didn't have it before I got sick a week out of rads, and that came on fairly suddenly, with symptoms more like flu. It's taking its sweet time to leave, unfortunately. I'm struggling a bit now with fatigue, but hoping within a short time it, too, will resolve.

  • kayfry
    kayfry Member Posts: 481
    edited April 2015

    Yay to viceroy, beachlady, and hygeia!

  • ladyb1234
    ladyb1234 Member Posts: 1,426
    edited April 2015

    I am 4 weeks out of Rads and still just exhausted. Yesterday I was so fatigued I stayed in the bed until after 1:00pm. I excerise at least 30 mins a day. I have to say the fatigue is improvimg but just didnt expect to still be this tried. Any thoughts? Or what are others doing to combat the fatigue. Thanks a bunch

  • WndrWoman
    WndrWoman Member Posts: 333
    edited April 2015

    ladyb1234. That's too bad the fatigue is lingering. Maybe if you do things in little doses - 10 minutes of chores and then 10 minutes seated. It might be helpful to get up for a short while and then go back to bed. Are you managing to eat well and continue fluids. I found I slept 9 or 10 hours for the first couple of weeks after rads, maybe 3 weeks. Your body is telling you what it needs. Just be sure it is not depression which is easy to get after the daily dose of friendly techs.

  • Hygeia
    Hygeia Member Posts: 50
    edited April 2015

    Yippee and thanks for congratulations everyone.  My sore throat is almost gone and this is Day 2 of letrozole and so far have felt nothing out of the ordinary.  Seeing Spring flowers popping up has been a real lift too.

    I'm getting up early to do laundry and tidy up. Today I brushed our four cats and put Frontline on them since Lyme disease is so prevalent here.  Little accomplishments.

    Cheers to all,

    Hygeia

  • kayfry
    kayfry Member Posts: 481
    edited April 2015

    Hygeia, great to hear you're continuing to feel better! Yay! And thanks for the Frontline reminder. It's time for my dogs, too.

  • mqt64
    mqt64 Member Posts: 103
    edited April 2015

    Congrats booklady,viceroy, and Hygeia!! The smiley faces are almost complete.

    Ladyb1234 , I know how the lingering fatigue can be disheartening but this too will pass. The do a little, sit a little plan worked for me. Perhaps we have to adjust our expectations at first. Someone else mentioned the Livestrong program at the YMCA and I found it to be a great program. So, for those with one relatively close it's worth checking out. Kept me out of the winter doldrums. Even on the days it was hard to leave the house I had so much more energy and my mood was better after. They even scheduled my rads around it for me so I was already out of the house on those days. Everyone else there was done with treatment. But that was OK.

    Well, saw my mo yesterday and he's sending me back to the wound clinic for the hole in the incision in my boob. The infection seems better but not gone. Still have a hole. The gift that keeps on giving! At least the NP that I'm seeing was there for the surgery so I can pick her brain. Silver linings!

  • WheelyGirl
    WheelyGirl Member Posts: 181
    edited April 2015

    Coyotenv - I am doing my happy dance and ready for my Smiley face, last rad today! I am partying! No bad side effects from rads... will start Arimidex in a couple of weeks. Good luck to all of those finishing up. Can't wait to see your smiley faces here.

  • mqt64
    mqt64 Member Posts: 103
    edited April 2015

    Congratulations WheelyGirl! Happy dance and hugs for you.

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