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

2 more herceptins to go and deportation end of March. Such a weird feeling of panic hit me last night about being at the end and then not seeing my MO for six months. Seems like so long to go before getting checked again. But I also had a good survivorship session and shouldn't feel panicked but do. Normal. This last Herceptin had me really sick about 2 hrs after. Nurse thought it was maybe a stomach bug since I have not had any problems before.

Everyone is doing awesome! This is our year to take back life!!! We will never be the same or look at anything the same way again but we made it to the other side and doing OK. Thank you for this group and all the sharing. It has given me so much hope, laughter and made life brighter. Everyone here has so much talent and I love reading about your experiences in life.

Finished my last day on the job in the billing bitch department and Monday back as a medical assistant in oncology! My coworkers today sent me off with flowers, hugs, cards and a food fest. One said I'm going to miss just the calming sound of your voice as you brave those people that call screaming at you about their medical bill. You are so good at explaining to them and calming them down. Ha! If only she realized how I'd like to scream back but I'm too professional for that and also understand that patients vent and show their worst to the poor billing workers. My dream to get back to clinical work and I'm so excited. I even have my first patient request. An old patient from my previous clinic found out I'm going into oncology and she herself now has stage IV cervical cancer. She was thrilled and told my coworker she has three treatments next week and is requesting me as she misses me from the old office and wants to catch up. A nice feeling!

Dizz let us know what you find out. And what a creepy, rude man to confront your son like that!

Littleblue keep us posted on that half marathon. Will be thinking of you! I'm lucky to just get in the elliptical between cracking my books and studying for my upcoming exam. After that I need to take my body back. Baby steps...

Renee, congrats again on the new job! I get where you are at with all the survivor dread. You are right. This is the year to take back the rest of our lives!!!

Hooray, Renee!

Positive- so sorry about the being hormonal and dealing with a period. It always did make me crazy, before I even had this mess to deal with.

Try to surf the wave, and keep reminding yourself that it's not you, it's the hormones. They magnify and distort everything. Sending you a warm hug. I hope in a couple of days this storm too will have passed.

Unfortunately, we do come in Tomorrow. We fly into Milwakee in the afternoon. Fingers and Toes all crossed our flight doesn't get cancelled or delayed. It's only anout a 50 minute drive down to the hospital campus (in good weather) so hope it won't be too scary of a drive. The drivers are all experienced going back and forth in all kinds of weather, so we'll be in good hands. I saw that there should be highs in the 50's this weekend, so maybe we will be bringing some AZ warmth. We'll try to leave it behind when we go. At home, it's going to be 90 degrees on Wednesday. Normal for this time of year is 70's.

Dizz, we will be surgery sisters this week! I go in Thursday as well. Sending positive thoughts for putting this all behind us!! Well, at least the surgery part ...

Good luck with surgery Scarlett. Hope everything goes smoothly.

Littleblue...laid off, laid off? WTH?

Littleblue - laid off? Grrrrrrr.... Oh, let me at them!!!! Just let me at them!!! I am beyond annoyed about this! Stupid, freaking, idiot people! I had my own batch of such people today. Sending you a big hug. Anything I can do? Why didn't I win the lottery?

Jen- so sorry about the work situation. But very glad to hear the mole biopsy was clear! Yay!

Good news on the mole and sucky news on work

Is you husband working now?

So sorry littleblue, being laid off is awful. Glad your mole was nothing. I have very moley skin and have had them removed, some biopsies...it's never anything serious. But my dad died of melanoma so I have to be vigilant.

Good luck in finding another job.

Andrea

Finished with my pre-ops. Original plan was to get the guided wire dealy in the morning before surgery like the do during lumpectomy, but radiology thinks the lump may be smaller than the wire. P. Surgeon thinks he will just be able to remove it without wire since it is so close to skin. He is 100% not concerned that it is anything to worry about (i.e. recurrence), but agrees that taking it out and knowing exactly what it is is necessary. Likely suspects are granuloma, something to do with cartilage that was removed during diep to make room for transplanted vessel, oddly presented scar tissue (beadlike) or fat necrosis that has hardened . So far, 2 radiologists, 2 u/s techs, 1 pcp, and 1 plastic surgeon can't i.d. what it is based on feel or u/s, so I feel better that I didn't have a clue.

Jpint pain...suspects are a) hormonal/ menopausal, b) allergy to food group or supplement that my body suddenly doesn't agree with, c) muscle atrophy from treatment (could also help explain pelvic pain and constipation ). Osteoarthritis in every joint in my body or auto-immune reaction is the least popular suspect.

I'm getting a vitamin c infusion tonight to combat lingering fatigue and give me a boost going into surgery. Being back on the infusion floor for a 3 hour infusion is making me have a ptsd reaction. I am all tense and sweaty. The smell is nauseating. Maybe this was a bad idea.

Dizz- thinking of you. I can imagine you are having a flashback. But it sounds like you're in good hands. 🙏🏼

I've been in my room about 2 hours now. Boy time flies in these hours after surgery as anesthesia eases up. Dr. Told dh he thinks the trouble maker was a cyst that may have been in the tissue that was transfered from DIEP. Biopsy will confirm in a couple days. I feel pretty good. Lunch is on the way. I'm just beginning to feel some aches in the area they injected with fat. Donor areas staying quiet for now. Thank you all for being in my pocket today and over the last 5 weeks. So much support. Heather