Starting Chemo March 2015

Options
1…959698100101…390

Comments

  • IndyGal35
    IndyGal35 Member Posts: 340
    edited April 2015

    I love those too, Bekah.

    I didn't realize they were packed full of soy either. :( It's funny how I see ORGANIC and just assume it's the best choice for me

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • molly1976
    molly1976 Member Posts: 403
    edited April 2015

    Bekah, my MO says tofu is fine! (that said, I haven't been eating it lately, either....)

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • rleepac
    rleepac Member Posts: 755
    edited April 2015

    I don't think they really know if the phytoestrogens in soy play the same role as estrogen but I thought I was playing it safe by avoiding soy (bye bye soy lattes that taste so much better than regular ones).

    I still don't really know. But it's like saying 'if you play with THAT type of fire, you MIGHT get burned'. Most of us would avoid ALL fires just to be safe right?

    Bekah

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Italychick
    Italychick Member Posts: 2,343
    edited April 2015

    Ironically, I have always avoided soy products because of the potential for estrogen products to be tied to breast cancer and also worries about GMO products. My tumor was estrogen negative. Go figure. So I guess I can eat your tofu and drink the soy lattes for you.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • rleepac
    rleepac Member Posts: 755
    edited April 2015

    I never sought out tofu or purposely tried to eat it 'cause I think it's kinda gross stuff. But man I miss my soy lattes!

    Please Teresa...drink one for me and make some good 'mmmmmm' noises when you do!

    Bekah

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Trvler
    Trvler Member Posts: 3,159
    edited April 2015

    Thanks for the good thoughts, everyone. It DOES seem to feel better today.

    Bekah: I had eaten a cereal with flax in it every day for about 2 years and had convinced myself that caused my cancer. Nutritionist says flax is fine. Don't beat yourself up.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • wpmoon
    wpmoon Member Posts: 270
    edited April 2015

    I brought up my food concerns to my MO and he disregarded it, saying that there's not special diet that they think helps. I'm triple positive, but my ER+ is only mild, 1-5%, so I guess I shouldn't be worried about soy? All I've been eating is a crap junk food, because that's all that sounds appealing. Thanks steroids! Not loving the 10 lbs that I've gained...

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Italychick
    Italychick Member Posts: 2,343
    edited April 2015

    I'm not even convinced that food matters that much. My mom is hugely overweight, like 150 pounds overweight, eats complete crap (I'm talking she is eating potato chips and a Hershey's with Almonds candy bar right before bed), is an adult onset diabetic, has lumpy breasts, etc. I eat organic, am slightly overweight, and exercise a ton. So I get breast cancer. Her? Nope. Not that I would wish it on anybody, but I get to see my genetics in action by looking at my mom. So I guess I blame my dad? Lol.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Trvler
    Trvler Member Posts: 3,159
    edited April 2015

    I am with you, Italy. My sister is the same way. I am not perfect. But compared to her I am.

    That Emperor of all Maladies docu attributed it to something called an oncogene. I guess it's like a switch that gets flipped in some of us but not all. I didn't watch much of it after that part. It was too hard.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Italychick
    Italychick Member Posts: 2,343
    edited April 2015

    Yeah Trvler, I didn't watch it either. I am just hoping that whatever condition existed that caused the switch to get flipped on was a one shot deal. Like an injury or something that created damaged tissue that became cancer cells. At least that is what I keep telling myself. I don't really think they know crap to be honest. Everything is theory, etc.

    I tease my little brother Nik who lives in Chicago that I probably did this to myself from the days we used to run behind the mosquito fogger truck growing up in Illinois. I mean, it could be as random as that. Who knows?

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Jackbirdie
    Jackbirdie Member Posts: 4,693
    edited April 2015

    Bekah- what a rude awakening today! So sorry and hope you find a deeee-lish new daily lunch to enjoy.

    Nomnom nom

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • eheinrich
    eheinrich Member Posts: 792
    edited April 2015

    Most cancers have nothing to do with inherited genes (with exceptions like BRACA+ breast cancer). Most are due to mutations in genes beginning in a particular cell. Basically genes code for creating specific proteins. Many of these proteins serve in cell communication. In order for anything to happen in our bodies cells communicate with each other in a highly regulated manner. Signals within and between cells are usually very tightly regulated such that cell growth and division only happens when conditions are right & when necessary. There are 2 types of genes that come into play with cancer: tumor suppressor genes and oncogenes. A cell which develops a mutation in one of these genes can stop being regulated and begin dividing just because. If an oncogene develops a mutation which turns that gene on (by on I mean always on), the cell will keep receiving signals to divide or grow. Mutations in tumor suppressor genes can turn off different genes that keep cells from dividing unless specific conditions are met - so the cell is not getting signals to keep it from growing/dividing.

    That's the short version of oncogenes.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Jackbirdie
    Jackbirdie Member Posts: 4,693
    edited April 2015

    everybody- I've been trying for a couple hours now to put this the right away, to honor my friend.

    You might remember my friend Derith, who had her double 6 weeks before me. She helped me be brave. She loved me as I am. I speak in the past tense now because she succumbed to breast cancer, yesterday early morning, peacefully, in her sleep.

    Her greatest fear was pain, and having her loved ones see her suffer from it. I am eternally grateful she was spared that. She lived a long, good life. She was kind to animals and rescued hundreds. She was also kind, but a bit sterner, to children, who didn't know their multiplication tables and only knew writing as "texting".

    She was an Englishwoman, born in Argentina, who drove big trucks in Italy during WWII. There was never an end to the stories. She knew her own mind like no other woman I've ever met.

    I was informed this morning that there will be no services, which is what she wanted. Or didn't want, actually.

    We had plans this coming Friday. She wanted me to bring Jack to sit in her lap as he did once when she last visited here. So unlike the young terrier he is, my splendid gent sat still in her lap for an hour.

    This is my eulogy to her. My family never knew her. I met her at a dog park and a friendship bloomed on a foundation of love for animals and Scottish shortbread. I will miss her so.


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Italychick
    Italychick Member Posts: 2,343
    edited April 2015

    Katy, so sorry, what a blow. Was she a Stage IV or something? If she had surgery in October, seems crazy for her to pass in April. And terribly scary for the rest of us to hear somebody went from surgery to death in six months.


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Jackbirdie
    Jackbirdie Member Posts: 4,693
    edited April 2015

    Yes, surely it was a blow.

    When she had her surgery, it was after she'd ignored a lump shed noticed in the Spring.

    A friend had already bought her a ticket to Switzerland and she refused to put the trip off. (Typical but tragic English thrift.)She was in her late 80's, and felt even if it was something bad, she didn't want to miss the trip of a lifetime.

    She forced herself to forget about it while on the trip. When she got home, she felt around for it and couldn't feel it. Sneaky fucker. So she delayed some more. When she felt it again it was huge and she went right away and they did surgery right away. November 3rd. It was over 5 cm and every lymph node he went to was filled with it. He finally just stopped and told her he couldn't get it all.

    She sailed through recovery. She was always a very healthy woman, vegetarian, non drinker, Non-smoker. She declined any treatment because of her age, and she knew whatever time she had (and I'm sure she thought she had more than 6 months) she didn't want to spend it being sick from treatment. At that time she felt fine.

    In February she started complaining of arthritic pain. Her GP assured her it had nothing to do with her cancer. I knew better. Her Dr. gave her that information based on no testing whatsoever. It got worse, a neice came to visit from England to see Oregon, and instead they took her to the ER the first day they arrived.

    Her CT scans lit up the room. She was again offered mini rads to the specific bone lesions. Again she declined. I never disagreed with her decisions. She went on hospice immediately then and had nothing but great things to say about how comfortable they made her feel. Morphine made her sick so she ended up with steroids and Aleve somehow giving her the best result for her pain.

    Her situation was very different from all of hers here, and should not alarm us. The lesson for me is for me to know my own mind, to make my peace with death, and then get on with living. She did that every day of her life.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Angiel
    Angiel Member Posts: 223
    edited April 2015

    Oh Katy, I am so sorry to hear this. She sounded like a wonderful lady who accomplished much in her time here. Hugs to you.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Italychick
    Italychick Member Posts: 2,343
    edited April 2015

    So sad and so sorry you lost your friend. But at least she got to live into her late 80s and it sounds like she went out on her own terms. I had a great-aunt in her late 80s make a similar decision to just enjoy whatever was left and not go through all the trauma of stuff. I think she lived to be 94. I hope to be her!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Trvler
    Trvler Member Posts: 3,159
    edited April 2015

    I am sorry, Katy.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Trvler
    Trvler Member Posts: 3,159
    edited April 2015

    Eheinrich: So interesting! Thanks.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • SueH58
    SueH58 Member Posts: 632
    edited April 2015

    I wonder if the MO's freelance as meteorologists on weekends!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • rleepac
    rleepac Member Posts: 755
    edited April 2015

    Katy, your eulogy gave me goosebumps and it was beautiful. She sounds like she was a lovely woman and reading the rest of the story, I'd probably have made the same decisions she did. Another angel in heaven. R.I.P. Darith!

    Bekah

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • SueH58
    SueH58 Member Posts: 632
    edited April 2015

    Gee, my attempt at a humorous post appears very inapporpriate, sandwiched (sorry!) between Katy's devastating news. Didn't mean it that way, Katy. I, too, am so sorry for your loss!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Jackbirdie
    Jackbirdie Member Posts: 4,693
    edited April 2015

    Sue- never any worries here. Humor is an exceedingly important and healthy part of life. Quite honestly, Derith would have laughed her ass off at your joke! Too good and too true! She wouldn't want us to tiptoe around. She loved jokes and loved to laugh.

    And I just put a half bottle of very good champs on ice to toast this marvelous woman tonight.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • greenae
    greenae Member Posts: 540
    edited April 2015

    katy

    I am so sorry for your loss. Your friend sounds asif she led anexciting and fulfilling life, and stayed in charge til the end. May she rest inpeace and live forever in your heart.

    Love

    Arlene

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • greenae
    greenae Member Posts: 540
    edited April 2015

    rleepac

    Thought this may interest u and let u enjoy your lunch

    http://m.cancer.org/cancer/news/expertvoices/post/...

    I have read this in a few articles

    Arlene

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Meme117
    Meme117 Member Posts: 194
    edited April 2015

    Katy so sorry about your dear friend. I would have loved to have heard some of those stories. May she be in peace.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • rleepac
    rleepac Member Posts: 755
    edited April 2015

    Thanks Arlene...makes me feel a little better :)

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • ninjamary
    ninjamary Member Posts: 306
    edited April 2015

    Katy I'm so sorry about your friend. She sounded like a fun lady.

    Trvler - Keep us posted on your heart. Hopefully it's just your doctor being very diligent

    Indygal - Why am I not surprised about that conversation?

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • DavisD
    DavisD Member Posts: 338
    edited April 2015

    Heading out for spa day. Mixed emotions but one step closer to being done with chemo.

    Katy I have to say this lovely lady was so very fortunate to have met a friend like you so late in life. I'm very sorry for your loss but happy you were blessed with this friendship.

    Have a good day everybody
     

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Meme117
    Meme117 Member Posts: 194
    edited April 2015

    Chin up Diane we are all here for you!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories