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

Rpayton · December 2015

Susan: great picture!!! It is nice to start feeling human!

Andrea: good news for your mom and family. Those grandkids are going to have good memories someday!

So I got good news no upper or lower cancers for my GI. But now awaiting lab testing that I might have celiac disease. Crap! I'm Italian and pasta and bread are my life. Trying not to panic until I get results next week. Consoling myself that tea, coffee and chocolate will still be OK. Eeerrrghhh. Wondering if this is result of chemo or developed on it's own. No one has in my family. But then again no one had BC either. Just my luck.

Happy holiday shopping. It is a rare 50 degrees here in northern IL. Doesn't feel like Christmas.

ksusan · December 2015

Thanks. I hope to continue to be cute.

My wife developed gluten intolerance after chemo for Hep C, FWIW. If this should happen to you, I now have extensive knowledge of gluten-free grains, pastas, and breads.

littleblueflowers · December 2015

Yay for no cancer, Renee! Booooo celiac. Hope everyone's holidays are progressing pleasantly. Apart from the fear of death, of course. Weird Uncle Mort, over there in the corner, eating cheesecake. He just won't leave!

gkodad · December 2015

Hi, guys! I haven't checked in for a while, but things are going great. I'm all healed from radiation and had my port out Thursday. Apparently it didn't want to leave, so I'm super sore and have a few staples.. But I'm sure it will be fine when the staples are out. No other doctor's appts for 3 months. That sounds so lovely! No side effects from aromasin that I can determine, although the oncologist wants me to do a prolia shot, so who knows what that will bring.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday. Just give weird Uncle Mort a bottle of wine and leave him alone in the corner by himself.

KBeee · December 2015

GKO, Glad you got the port out and are healed from rads. I hope the port area heals quickly. My MO is thinking of Prolia too because it shows to significantly decrease the risk of bone mets.

Renee, Glad the upper and lower GI are cancer free, but the uncertainty of celiac must be frustrating. I hope it comes back that you don't have that.

3 days until biopsy. I was doing great for the last few days, but my anxiety is ramping up the closer it gets. I am not anxious for the procedure......just the results. I am very, very glad I opted to have it because the more I research, the more I see any scar changes should be biopsied since they can't be reliably interpreted via ultrasound. Glad I am being proactive, no matter what the result. Really, I just want to get off of this roller coaster of uncertainty and move forward either way. I do not enjoy limboland one bit!!! Tomorrow should be a pretty busy day. Monday is not, but I'll try to busy myself and then Tuesday morning will finally arrive. I am pretty sure Tuesday will feel like it has about 240 hours instead of 24...that wait for results, as you all know, will NOT be fun. I did look back at the calendar from 2013 to check how long it took for biopsy results and it was 1 business day. I got that call in the morning, so Wednesday morning will be the time I should hopefully know. I am glad I'll (hopefully) be off the ledge in time for the holidays.

littleblueflowers · December 2015

Hey Karen, still hanging with you until you get your results. Fear sux.

Gko...glad you are feeling good! Yeah, let's just hope Uncle Mort doesn't get drunk and start making speeches!

DizzParkMom · December 2015

If he does, just slip him an ativan. We all got plenty of that on hand. ;-)

littleblueflowers · December 2015

Ativan? Hell, I say we just spike his drink with Ambien and what ever opiods we have laying around lol

Scarlett152 · December 2015

Hi all! Hope everyone is doing well. I know this was addressed a while ago, but how is everyone handling their cancerversary? Mine is next week and this past Friday I attended an annual gift exchange dinner party. I went to this party 3 days after diagnosis last year and the night of my PET scan. I was so overwhelmed Friday about the emotion of the night. Then I had too much wine and started to get angry. I haven't been angry about my cancer for a while, so I'm guessing I've got some real unresolved feeling that I've buried. I guess I feel a bit stuck. I was so tired after chemo finished in July and I have to say I have not been motivated to continue with the self care I did during treatment. I am still doing accupuncture but have not been exercising except for an occasional walk. I went back to work in September and between that and two teenage sons, one in the middle of college applications, I don't seem to manage much more. I feel like e new year will shift my motivation, but I'm not really confident about that. Any advice??

Positive_spirit · December 2015

woohoo for Cambodia and looking good, Ksusan!

Kbeee.. Thinking about you and sending good thoughts your way.

LIttleblue...care to expand on you story. Ok, I am slapping my thighs and about to roll onto the floor.

Hi everyone! Went to a Kenny Rogers concert with my mom and kids!

littleblueflowers · December 2015

you got to know when to hold'em...know when to fold'em....

KBeee · December 2015

Scarlett, I think PTSD is common after what we've endured. I am hoping 2016 brings a new start for all of us.

Positive, the concert looks like fun

melb44 · December 2015

Hi everyone -

I know I have not checked in recently but have been following along. I am scheduled to finish radiation on Friday which I am very excited about. On Friday, I was short of breath and figured that was just a side effect of the radiation. The doctor and nurses were concerned I might have a pulmonary embolism. So they sent me to the ER. After 6 hours and a catscan, I did not have a PE. However, in the catscan the saw something on my T3. My report says this - Sclerotic focus in the anterior superior T3 vertebral body may represent a bone island. However, given the history of breast cancer, bone scan could be obtained to evaluate for metastasis. So I am officially now freaking out. Called my oncologist office this morning and hope to hear back soon.

Have any of you had a bone scan? How long does it take etc.

I was looking forward to trying to put this cancer behind me in the new year and nowreally worried about mets.

littleblueflowers · December 2015

Hi Mel...wow, that's so scary. I'm so sorry! I've never had a bone scan, but I didn't want you to be alone here while you wait. Lots of prayers and good thoughts for good results for you.

Positive_spirit · December 2015

melb44, that is something to worry about. I had a friend who did have a bone scan for a bone island. The oncologist was certain that radiation zapping it would take care of it. There was some discussion about how effective radiation would be and I have to say that the optimism was high. I was quite impressed with easy removal of spots on the bone. And just saying...President Carter's brain cancer was treated...sending my optimism that it comes back clear for you

kbta032803 · December 2015

mel the bone scan is about 30mins but you do have to get a tracer injected before and wait 3 hours to get the actual scan. They ask that you try not to move during it. I got the results the same day. Good luck to you!

bluedog · December 2015

Melb44, when my insurance company would not pay for a pre-treatment PET scan, I had a bone scan and CT scan instead. As I recall, for the bone scan I had to go to the facility and get an injection (radioactive?) and then come back in a few hours for the scan. I don't think the scan itself took very long. Much shorter than an MRI.

KBeee · December 2015

melb, keep us posted. When is the scan?

Biopsy tomorrow. I am guessing I will get no sleep tonight or tomorrow night. Sigh. What a week. I hope to get good news so I can rest easily after that.

AndreaC · December 2015

Melb, that sucks...hopefully it will be nothing to worry about. Crossing my fingers for you.

Crossing my fingers for you too Kbeee. Hey, it's Christmas! You can't have bad news! I'll have a word with Santa.

Andrea

Rpayton · December 2015

melb good luck with scan!!! Let us know. And you are not alone.

Kbeee good luck today and hoping tomorrow brings all OK results and you will celebrate. You are doing all you should and are brave to push for the biopsy.

melb44 · December 2015

Kbeee - Thinking of you with your biopsy today. I am praying for good results for you and an ease to your worry.

Thanks everyone for the comments. You are really the only ones who can understand how I am feeling. I have the bone scan scheduled for 8:30 am tomorrow (wed). Just like you all said you get the tracer and then come back 2-4 hours later for the scan. Depending on what they see my doctor said then they might need to do a biopsy. I am terrified it is Mets. My sister said it can't be cancer can it since I just had 16 rounds of chemo but we all know cancer can be sneaky. It will be amazing Christmas presnet if I get the all clear.

lovlilynne · December 2015

Melisa, that just sucks! I'm sure it is benign, but what a wringer to go through. I'm trying to think of the positive - that you will have had a bone scan to show that you don't have mets, and that's something that a lot of us do not get. You may even get to have another one in 6 months or so just to watch/make sure, and while it may be anxiety provoking, it is also reassuring iykwim - at least when you get the "all clear". I have read that bone mets hurts - iow, you have pain that alerts you to bone mets, and I'm assuming that you haven't been having any pain in your neck/back? If that's the case, I'm really thinking it's just a bone island

Karen, thinking of you and hope your biopsy is drama free and as painless as possible. We are all here waiting with you - please feel free to post as often as you need to. I understand not wanting to share this will your family. When you get the "all clear" (as I know you will), you will be glad that you held off, even though it meant that you had to carry the burden.

Scarlett, I can relate, but I don't have any words of wisdom. I'm just taking it one day at a time. I hope that in the new year I'll be able to put more emphasis on exercise. The weather here in the northeast has been unseasonably warm. My BF and I went for a 3 mile walk on Saturday - something that I used to do regularly and at a 13 min mile pace. On Saturday we were over 16 minute mile - sloooow. And, when I got home, I needed a nap. That's my MO with exercise - it feels like I"m robbing Peter to pay Paul - if I exercise, I don't have the energy for all the rest of things I have to get done. Anyone else have the same experience? Can you tell me that it goes away after a time, I'm thinking that it will, but only if I keep at it, but it's so discouraging to feel this way, and I have so much to do, I can't afford to feel exhausted.

Andrea, how was the holiday party?

Renee - boo on the celiac! I know it's not horrible, but I also have a large part of my diet coming from pasta. I've tried the rice pasta, etc. I guess you'd get used to the taste, but it is not the same.

Lynne

KBeee · December 2015

Melb, I hope the scan shows all clear. I do understand your anxiety. Believe me, I DO!!!

I have told my husband and several friends. I have not told my kids, though they are perceptive and know something's up. I also have not told my parents because my mom's mastectomy is on Thursday. Here's what I posted on Facebook, for anyone no ton there. The biopsy took much longer than I expected; just because they did the whole thing where they make a tiny incision, put the catheter in, etc (core biopsy). I thought it would be poke it and go home (Fine needle aspiration). I was there 90 minutes. She said she got 2 good chunks, so she should have plenty. She did not make any predictions (nor did I ask for any), and just said she'd pray for good results. That was a little disconcerting, but I am guessing she says that to everyone. I should have the results tomorrow, unless they have to do additional staining; then it would be Thursday. Now the real waiting begins.

I did kind of get a worrisome vibe from her, I have to be honest. On the other hand, she knows I was told that they (surgeon, not radiologist) were 99% certain it was scar tissue in February, and were wrong, so I would not anticipate her trying to predict anything or give me any vibe. Trying to prepare for the worst, but hope for the best. What will be, will be, and I'll just have to put one foot in front of the other.

littleblueflowers · December 2015

Praying for clean results, Karen.

Positive_spirit · December 2015

praying for you, kbeeee. May everything come back clear

SpriteB · December 2015

Melb - I had a bone scan before my surgery. The pre-surgery chest X-ray showed bone on bone in my clavicle so I had to have CTscan which showed a "bone island" and they recommended that I get a bone scan because of my Dx. My bone scan took over an hour because they were training a new girl and needed to rescan parts of my body (that freaked me out!!!) My surgeon called within a few hours to tell me the scan was clear and it was just an old injury likely from a car accident in 2008.

Scarlet - I can relate to what you said. I have no motivation. I thought that after treatment I would be in high gear getting myself healthy but I can't make myself exercise more than a couple times a week

SpriteB · December 2015

Melb - I had a bone scan before my surgery. The pre-surgery chest X-ray showed bone on bone in my clavicle so I had to have CTscan which showed a "bone island" and they recommended that I get a bone scan because of my Dx. My bone scan took over an hour because they were training a new girl and needed to rescan parts of my body (that freaked me out!!!) My surgeon called within a few hours to tell me the scan was clear and it was just an old injury likely from a car accident in 2008.

Scarlet - I can relate to what you said. I have no motivation. I thought that after treatment I would be in high gear getting myself healthy but I can't make myself exercise more than a couple times a week and I haven't done anything I promised myself I was going to do like acupuncture and seeing a naturopath. My cancerversary is on 2/2/16 and I'm already thinking about it....a lot. I know I need to start taking care of myself physically and emotionally so I plan on attending a local Breast cancer support group next month and possibly looking into counseling.

Kbee - you continue to be in my prayers. Hoping for nothing but good news.