Starting Chemo March 2015

Glad to hear it's going well, K.

Oh, wonderful!

Breathing a collective sigh of relief here, Bekah. Great news!!!!!

I've been complaining here before how my insurance is not playing nice and keeps denying me an MRI. Back in January my radiologist wanted me to get an MRI in 6 months and here we are, almost a year later. Three specialists, four requests and they kept denying. It's been going on for months and caused me a lot of anguish. My blood pressure has always been low and recently it has been spiking a lot.

On Christmas Eve I got a letter from Aetna - they finally allow an MRI! How about this as a nice Christmas gift?

There was just one more snag in my joy - my deductible is $2,600 (going up again), it's the end of the year and everybody is trying to get all their tests done. I had to beg and plead with three different people and finally they got me in! I'm having an MRI on New Year's Eve. Last year, also on New Year's Eve, I had my biopsy which resulted in my cancer diagnosis. So I'll be very nervous over New Year this time too.

BB- glad you're going to get it done under the wire! Finally! Feeling good the outcome will be positive this time. Wishing you peaceful waiting. Hugs.

Got my first haircut today. It was a huge personal moment. It's still pretty short, but it's cleaned up now. The stylist said I should have enough hair to zigzag my part in about 6 weeks. I also got a Fitbit and switched to a new gym with a trainer today. Once I'm cleared by the PS, my goal is to regain the strength and flexibility that I've lost in my upper body.

I'm still anxious and scared about the future, but I feel like I'm trying hard to move forward with life in 2016.

BB, good work!

Lee, congrats!

Good morning my sisters. I'm having a really rough morning so far and it's only 7:40. My spine hurts really bad today, my tummy is not happy, and I'm exhausted. I usually work M, W, F but this week I did M, T, W because I have Herceptin tomorrow and Fri is a holiday. 3 days in a row just wipes me out

I don't need any replies. I just know that you all understand and I don't want to keep complaining to my DH. I just needed to vent and have a little pity party. Hopefully my pain med will kick in and my tummy will settle. I had them reschedule my routine patients for the morning so I can try to recoup some energy.

Have I mentioned that I hate Tamoxifen LoL?

Bekah

We could take a brief moment to hate on tamoxifen. Most of my joint pain is alleviated by the turmeric and magnesium but I still feel creaky after sitting for awhile. My biggest aggravation right now is the night time hot flashes which, now that the temps outside have dropped, include hot flash followed by sweat followed by freezing cold followed by bundling up followed by hot flash, repeat, repeat. I have a whole system worked out now for keeping track of socks and hoody for multiple costume changes every night. I tell myself each morning that this is helping to keep me healthy despite how it feels. I also tell myself my dating days are likely over. I can't imagine anyone new putting up with those nighttime antics. Even my cat is exasperated by it.

Sharon, there's nothing better than a sleepy camping dog. I prefer to go camping alone with my border collie over human companions! I have to get a sitter for my shaggy dog though because she hates camping. She tries to be a good sport for an hour or two then she just wants to wait it out in the car. She's such a princess.

Did one of the Midwesterners say to PM if we want to be included in the April Chicago caper? If so can someone remind me who so I can throw my name in the hat?

Anybody have exciting NYE plans?

Linda: that was my exact night time regimen for awhile. It's mostly tamed down. I'm getting some hot flashing during the day time now. I dress in layers - something's always flinging on or off.

Bekah: vent away. We get it.

Lee: I feel the same way. Excited to move forward. Whatever is on offer has to be better that 2015 (although I did say that about 2014 & here we are). I want the uncertainty and treatments & recon & all to be over. Normalcy to return - new normalcy, old normalcy, just real life instead of this cancer life.

Sloth: My nighttime ritual is similar but includes me going into the guest room to sleep between 12-2 when DH starts snoring. LOL at your exasperated cat.

Eileen I am up for whenever at Lake Arrowhead. But you know hubby and I go up there anyways a bunch to hike. If we get the rain and snow we are supposed to get, it may be June before the weather is nice enough anyways

Bekah, keep venting.

Sloth, what you need is a woman who's also going through menopause.

Katy, I thought the Harmony Hill retreats looked interesting. Is the one you're going to still open? I was a little unclear on how to register when I looked at their website, but that was earlier this fall and the problem could be my brain, not the site!

I think it is odd that the hot flashes are almost on schedule. I always get one right when I first get in bed. I am getting maybe about 2 or 3 during the night and one or two a day. They really are pretty mild. I think the cold bothers me more. Just getting chills even though I am bundled up. I have this robe that Oprah recommended years ago and it is a synthetic fiber that warms you up very quickly but I can have that thing on me and still be freezing.