Winter rads 2014-2015

Sjacobs146 - So happy for your good news. The discomfort is certainly worth the result. You know they were being thorough. Enjoy this great fall weather with an easier mind.

I started LiveStrong this week. I was given a great resource package. Some of it refers to stages in the cancer process I have already been through. Learning the exercise machines and staying motivated to get stronger and more flexible.

Got my pet scan results on Friday. All clear for cancer! Now if they can only find me some help for the severe muscle and joint pain and stiffness. I was actually offered a wheel chair! Did any of you have these subside after finishing herceptin / perjeta? Love, Jean

Yes, it's good to know that cancer is not the cause of the pain. Back to the drawing board! Love, Jean

Jean, Glad to hear about your NED report. Very encouraging. Do you think the Femara could be bringing on joint pain?

I've been following the posts about new aches and pains with interest because I fall in line with all of you. I attributed it to age to a certain degree, but after my 5 month appointment with my oncologist today, I'm not so sure that is the whole of it. I've had several scans over the last few months trying to get a reason for the pain on my bc side on my lower back/side. Because there has been a change in my kidney numbers, they checked that area. They ruled out any internal organ issue. Then my doctor said... "Okay, we've checked out everything and what you are dealing with is post radiation rib inflammation... but we had to be sure it wasn't anything else." I asked if it would go away with time and she said, "Probably not entirely." I've never been big on taking aspirin types of meds, but she put me on a course of Tylenol for a week or so to see if it will get the pain under control. I suspected that it was a rib thing after the first scan, but confirmation from The Doctor always lightens the mental load.

So, Oh yeah! It's part of our new normal!

Thank you for thinking of me PoppyK. The mods must have seen your note and sent me one too. I will pick out some photos for it this weekend. Hope all is well with you!

Farmerma - Great news that all looks well and the mamm went fairly well. I have no plastic surgery experience, but it does seem that recovery from surgery and radiation can take a long time. As much as you want it all done, maybe a breather would be beneficial. So many hard decisions, and they seem to come when one is tired. Good luck.

Hi all my rads sisters. Reading all the most recent posts it came clear to me that no one woman's journey is the same and we all have had continuing challenges. Jean, so glad your scans have come back clean. Coyote, so sorry that the rib pain continues. Farmerma, I totally get the divets/craters left by surgery. It is so hard to know what to do at any given time.

I was having a pity party for a while. After my trip to U of Michigan I just felt frustrated and alone. I was in limbo again. My breast still had 2 holes in it which didn't seem to matter much to anyone except me and my dh. Bless him! I had just put my dog down due to some kind of lymphoma or pleural cancer. (they weren't sure.) He was12 1/2 and I had had him since he was 3 months old. My brother was diagnosed with kidney cancer and I was down for the count. Fast forward about 6 weeks. After multiple discussions and much thought, I had another debriedment and closure. This time there is no nipple left and I have a bit of a crater in the center. I am 2 weeks out and so far the incision is holding. That now is my chief concern. My outlook has improved and reading the recent posts I realize that we are all continuing the journey. It's good to see that some are taking advantage of the Livestrong program.

Be grateful for the small things. Hold your family close. My brother is NED. For those who remember my nephew with Hodgkins, he had a recurrence, did chemotherapy and stem cell transplant and now has had another recurrence. The doctors told him just to live his life as best he can. He is not a candidate for more treatment for a year. He signed up to play baseball!

I am blessed. Marge

Marge - I am going to borrow a phrase used over on the July 2014 Chemo Posts when referring to Hers2. I think it applies to 99% of us. "It is a marathon, not a sprint." I was HERS2- (along with ER & PR) but I recognize the feeling as appropriate. Don't let it get you down.

Jana

Marge - Thanks for the reply and the suggested things to think about. My PS said that. Necrosis resolves itself about 80% of the time. I figured those were pretty good odds. I'm going to wait it out for another 4 months, trying to do a little more massage to the area and see how it goes. If I can avoid another surgery it's worth waiting it out. It's uncomfortable, but definitely not what I would call painful (not compared to pain I had after the 2 surgeries anyway.

I'll keep you posted on the progress. Thanks again for the reply

Marge-- I haven't heard of that before but I will definitely look into it. Thanks

Jean--Sounds absolutely normal to me. Last time I saw my oncologist, I mentioned that I got shooting pains from time to time. She brushed it off and said I'd be telling her that 5 years from now. While that wasn't all that wonderful to hear, at least I know it's nothing unusual. As I posted a few weeks ago, I have a large area that is hard which is apparently fat necrosis (dead tissue) that will, hopefully, be absorbed on its own. I also sometimes can't sleep on my side because of the soreness near where the lymph nodes were removed. I guess it's all part of our new "normal". As much as we'd like to be the way we were before dx, we're forever changed. So, you're certainly not alone.

Jean, the area under my collar bone is also very sensitive to the touch (not necessarily painful). The best I can describe is that it feels slightly bruised. I have no hardness except the incision scar which is hard and slightly painful when I massage it. I think these things are probably normal.

You too Coyote! I'm especially thankful for all of the ladies I've met on BCO, and for hair!

Happy Thanksgiving to all. Grateful to realize all the small daily things to be grateful for as well as the bigger blessing of family and friends including everyone on this discussion group.

Enjoy your hair sjacobs!