April 2015 Chemo Crew... Starting in April? Please join us!

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  • ThePrincess
    ThePrincess Member Posts: 424
    edited September 2015

    just woke up from a post surgery nap- lumpectomy and snb - he had to take three nodes instead of just one- anyone have that? I'm worried chemo didn't get it all???? It could be dead cancer remnants which would be why he would take them- pathology thurs or Friday - any chance they come back and say I need more chemo?? Is three a lot of nodes???

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  • littleblueflowers
    littleblueflowers Member Posts: 2,000
    edited September 2015

    Princess- Ugh. Waiting on pathology sux giant donkey balls. My surgeon took 16 nodes- 2 were positive. So, I 'd say that taking more is a good thing, cancer wise. He probably wanted to make sure he got it all.

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  • Stephmoen
    Stephmoen Member Posts: 563
    edited September 2015

    just because they take more doesn't mean they all had cancer I had 5 out which surprised me but they were all clustered close together so she took them all..they were initially negative just waiting on the final pathology reports

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  • Positive_spirit
    Positive_spirit Member Posts: 218
    edited September 2015

    Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers as you wait for your pathology reports, ladies. And healing vibes for all those going through surgery, chemo, rads!!!

    As I sit here going over documentation for work, I just burst out crying: Shit!!! I am/was/? a cancer patient!!! Wow! Sometimes, things like that just hit me squarely in the gut.

    But earlier, I saw fall leaves and I thought "GINGERCHI"!!! :)


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  • littleblueflowers
    littleblueflowers Member Posts: 2,000
    edited September 2015

    Positive, its so great that you are feeling that distance, even if it does still hit you like a truck every now and again. I can't wait to get to that place!

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  • Jackbirdie
    Jackbirdie Member Posts: 4,693
    edited September 2015

    Addie- I can do that with a little practice! Haha

    Great song Jen. I'd never heard them before. It's definitely "up your alley" ...compares nicely with other music you've shared.

    Steph, glad your liking how theylook! I got my path back in about 3 business days.

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  • Addie29
    Addie29 Member Posts: 307
    edited September 2015

    Theprincess the sentinel nodes can be anywhere from 1-4 nodes. Mine were 4.

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  • Stephmoen
    Stephmoen Member Posts: 563
    edited September 2015

    I've convinced myself it's bad news because she hasn't called I have an appointment to see my surgeon tomorrow so I will find out then but she said she would call if they came in sooner ugh gonna be a long night

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  • Jackbirdie
    Jackbirdie Member Posts: 4,693
    edited September 2015

    Princess- try not to worry. My understanding, (though I'm not any kind of expert) is that in a SLNB procedure, the purpose is to take the "sentinel" node or nodes, which kind of means first, that the tumor drains to. Sometimes you will have just one sentinel node that lights up blue or ticks with the Geiger counter. Other times, there are multiple, equidistant, if you will, nodes that the tumor drains to. They just take the ones that appear to be sentinel. Or if they are really close together like Steph said. It is rare these days that during a SLNB procedure they take axillary nodes. It might make some difference if you had neoadjuvant chemo, and had physically and clinically identified suspiscous nodes beforehand so this is not gospel. It is not uncommon at all to have two sentinel nodes, and I've seen people with three. It sux donkey balls indeed to wait. We are all waiting with you, holding your hand.

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  • Jackbirdie
    Jackbirdie Member Posts: 4,693
    edited September 2015

    Steph- try not to think that way. It usually is they don't like to talk about these things at all over the phone, regardless of the outcome. Many are busy and don't want to get into question and answer period until you are face to face with them.

    Take a warm bath, an Ativan if you have it, and breathe slowly and deeply. You will get through the night. I'm sending a hug and some mojo. Pharmaceutical grade. Breathe.

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  • bluedog
    bluedog Member Posts: 212
    edited September 2015

    Just got my path report today. I had 3 sentinel nodes, all negative. Woot. Hoping you get the same good news, Princess and Steph.

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  • Jackbirdie
    Jackbirdie Member Posts: 4,693
    edited September 2015

    YAY BLUEDOG!!! Woot Woot indeed! 🎉🎉🎉🎉

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  • ThePrincess
    ThePrincess Member Posts: 424
    edited September 2015

    Katy! Thank you! That's good info!

    Blue dog- yay!!!!!!!!!!

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  • littleblueflowers
    littleblueflowers Member Posts: 2,000
    edited September 2015

    Steph, your path will be good. Fuck it. I'm tired of cautious pronouncements. YOUR PATH WILL BE GOOD!

    Well, my surgeon kicked me to the curb today, with a date 6 mos hence. Actually about the same time last year he was tEllington me I had cancer. March is gonna suuuuuuuuuuuck.

    It's a cold kind of victory when he looks at your radiated side and says "holy crap! When did that happen?" I just gave him a dead look and said "it's a bit uncomfortable".

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  • mamajencoz
    mamajencoz Member Posts: 52
    edited September 2015

    Any one have Any idea about cholesterol? I had mine checked for my annual physical and it's sky high! Wondering if it's a side effect from AC , Taxol, Herceptin? I've NEVER had an issue before now. My good cholesterol was wonderful and my blood pressure is low but good at 99/57... I'm just having a moment.. sorry ladies. Dang chemo crap getting my panties in a bunch

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  • DizzParkMom
    DizzParkMom Member Posts: 316
    edited September 2015

    Gingerchi...So JEALOUS of BED HEAD! Good thing I ordered a Polly Ponytail last week. Looks like I'll be 'wigging' it for the long haul. I ordered the black and red one so that I could at least feel a little 'edgy' and punk!

    By the By....still feeling absolutely miserable...it's day 14 PFC and I usually feel pretty great by now. This time last cycle, I had been to the gym 3 times and walked 3 miles 2 times. This time, I am weak, tired, my muscles ache, my bones ache, my joints ache. My blood pressure is low, my heart rate is high, and I am short of breath doing the smallest of tasks. Called the care manager on Saturday...their advice? Rest and take pain meds. Geeze, you think!!! And since my parents jumped ship for their condo closing in S.C. I am here alone all day with DS. So who is supposed to take care of him while I am hopped up on pain meds and resting? I am so over this. Thanks for all the humor today...keeping me entertained.

    Finally got surgery date reserved... Monday, Oct. 19. We are on the waiting list for a cancellation. Really hope something opens up a week or so sooner. It's so annoying that the way they scheduled our meeting with Surgeon and Plastic Surgeon means 2 separate trips to Illinois. We go back 10/4 to meet with SO, P.S., and MO and get post Chemo MRI (oh joy!) and come home on 10/6. Then, I think we go back 10/15 so that we can get pre-ops done the Friday before Surgery. In between, on 10/8 is when Dermatologist gets his piece of me.

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  • lovlilynne
    lovlilynne Member Posts: 405
    edited September 2015

    Hmm, I have received all my results (from biopsy, path from 1st excision, and path from re-excision) on the phone.

    For excision (lumpectomy), they told me several times and in writing that path would not be available for 5-7 business days - it was 7 business days exactly. The re-excision came back much quicker, like 2 days.

    On my path report, it said there was a surgeon's note that she saw another "hot" node - I thought that meant it looked cancerous, but I asked my RO about it, and she said that if BS had seen a node that looked cancerous, she would have taken it out. I only had 1 node taken out, and it had macrometastases. My RO said that they usually don't do AC/T for just 1 node - that's reserved for 3+ cancerous, but they decided to go hard because of the one. I think you'll be glad to have more data. I go back and forth - I have lower possibility of lymph edema, but it would have been nice to have more nodes (as long as they were negative!).


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  • lovlilynne
    lovlilynne Member Posts: 405
    edited September 2015

    Heather, sorry to hear you are still feeling so poorly. You didn't have to take the Neulasta this time, right? I'm surprised that you are feeling worse! Hope you turn the corner soon.

    Lynne

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  • GingerChi
    GingerChi Member Posts: 252
    edited September 2015

    Positive: Soak in all the gorgeous fall scenery for me! I can't wait to see it in person one day!!!! I hear ya, I still really don't know if I've accepted the reality of being a cancer patient. One the one hand....its everywhere, on the other its like.."who, me??????"

    Congrats bluedog, wonderful news!!!!

    I got my path results at my first post op with the BS a week after BMX. Waiting is the total pits....but don't stress about not hearing yet tho. Every Dr seems to do things their own way..my BS gave me my initial diagnosis over the phone.

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  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 5,109
    edited September 2015

    Dizz park, really hoping you feel better soon.

    Mama Jen, I have not had my cholesterol checked. I will soon when I gave a work physical, but I am slmost afraid to!!!!!

    Steph, Keep us posted on the path results.

    Little blue, I am also sick of this rads stuff, feeling like a turkey at Thanksgiving. I look at that linear accelerator as a medieval yorture device. It'd better be killing any cancer cells left behind. I think what irks me the most is the PA going over side effects saying "you might get a little pink; like a minor sunburn." I knew better from others but I do not know how they can lie and not say that some people will get a minor sunburn and others will have more severe skin effects

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  • GingerChi
    GingerChi Member Posts: 252
    edited September 2015

    Dizz, I hope you're feeling better soon! I wonder if the last one is worse partly because we don't get souped up on more steroids later? I have the most energy on my 3 steroid days now, after the final that will be no more.

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  • Alibeths
    Alibeths Member Posts: 656
    edited September 2015

    waitinf sucks!!!! You will get good news soon. I do have to say rads suck! I'm a week out and wanna shoot myself!!! nobody's prepared me for this pain. I'm sorry and I don't want to discourage anyone but it's bad. I'm peeling and just a mess. I'm going to the to tomorrow to have her take a look. UGH

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  • littleblueflowers
    littleblueflowers Member Posts: 2,000
    edited September 2015

    Jeeze, Kbeee, did your PA really say that? My RO said I'd blister and might bleed, first day I talked to him. I think the truth is somewhere in between..

    Allibeths, sorry you are in such pain! I really feel you...

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  • ksusan
    ksusan Member Posts: 4,505
    edited September 2015

    My cholesterol was up slightly. My PCP got all activated; my oncologist said, "Eh. Steroids."

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  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 5,109
    edited September 2015

    Jen, That is exactly what she said. That is what they tell everyone. All of my friends who have blustered, peeled, etcsaid the same thing... That if they had known, they could have been more mentally prepared for it.

    Alibeths, sorry your pain is so bad. I sure hope you turn the corner soon and start healing more

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  • georgie61
    georgie61 Member Posts: 95
    edited September 2015

    princess,

    I had 4 nodes taken and pathology was all good, so no need to worry about the number. I'll be thinking good thoughts for you.

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  • Alibeths
    Alibeths Member Posts: 656
    edited September 2015

    thanks ladies. ;

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  • Addie29
    Addie29 Member Posts: 307
    edited September 2015

    I don't know if my cholesterol was high during chemo but my blood pressure sure one. One appointment it was 190/100!!! Yea that was nerve wracking. My MO reaction was "Egh sometimes chemo does that" anyway aknce ending chemo it's now in the normal range- thank god because I've taken bp meds before and they make you feel like you're dragging an elephant behind you. I've had a new scary symptom come up. Itchiness. On my feet. Mostly at night. It's worrisome because I worry about cholestasis (although I have no other symptoms) or lymphoma. Just seems slim that it would be that seeing as I just ended chemo 4 weeks ago.


    Seeing all these rads posts makes me thankful I don't have to do rads.

    Congrats bluedog that's awesome news!

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  • GingerChi
    GingerChi Member Posts: 252
    edited September 2015

    Oh gah, rads sound like the worst nightmare of all! I'm sorry that so many of you are going through it!! I still don't know if I will.....consult with RO will be in a few weeks. I've always been freaked at the thought of them, even more so than chemo for some reason.

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  • Addie29
    Addie29 Member Posts: 307
    edited September 2015

    This is after an hour of Zumba. God I look awful but I feel awesome!!!!image

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