Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!

Dear Ayr:  My oncotype test results took approximately 5 weeks to come back.  It should not have taken that long.  The waiting was so stressful.  Good luck.

Dear Kaneli:  I had whole breast radiation but I have heard good things in my breast cancer support group regarding the type of radiation that you will be having.  Good luck.

Dear Peggy:  It sounds like you will be able to sell your house quickly and easily.  Hopefully, you will get your price.  I hope that you have more notice next time.

Dear Molly:  I hope that your son feels better.

Dear Melclarity:  You and your children are beautiful.

Dear MLP:  Talk to your MO to see if you can garden with precautions.  Your examples were hilarious.  I laughed really hard. 

Dear HH:  Sorry that you had such a hard time with your finger.  That is terrible.

Dear Moondust:  You will get through chemo.  Keep thinking positive thoughts.  It helps.

Hello to everyone else.

614, it would be wonderful if my house would sell quickly. But it would totally mess up my plans for my DH's memorial service Memorial Day weekend. It would be better if I were still living here for it. HOWEVER, I want to sell and move so I'll work it out if I move sooner than June.

HUGS!

Happy Hammer, your massage sounds delicious. I had massage about once a month from the time I was diagnosed until I finished chemo. It was part of taking care of myself and worth every single penny. I would love to have a massage right now! Hopefully my chest with improve soon, so I can lay on my stomach. Right now, I can't even lay on my side without discomfort.

I did notice something nice today. My left side is softening up, enough to have a little booblet when I smush the side fat/swelling toward the middle. The seroma has a small opening in the skin so it should be able to drain. Hopefully, it will be better on Friday. The right side is continuing to improve. The opening is still wide, too wide to close with stitches, but the depth is better. I'll probably have the wound vac for at least another 10-14 days. As long as I get it out before my San Diego trip, I'll be happy.

Did I mention that I started driving yesterday? I wore myself out and my upper chest is very tender. But I proved that I could do it, at least locally. I'll be returning to work next week--I'm a community health nurse and part of my job is doing home visits all over the state. My DH has graciously decided to chauffeur me around a couple days a week. Several of my home visits are 75-100 miles away and there is no way I'm going to be able to drive that distance any time soon.

Oh, and our dinner and a movie was wonderful. The gift card was for $25, so we only spent $7.50 on dinner. We went to see "Eddie the Eagle". What an uplifting movie! It's not a complicated movie, but if you just want to have a nice afternoon with some popcorn, it's pretty pleasing.

Thank you, Happy, and everyone else who has sent out good wishes. I promise you, I can feel them.

I drove 4 hours to stand in 15 degree weather last night to watch my middle play lacrosse. And it was all worth it! Now the 4 hour drive back... The team all wore pink ribbons on their cleats for me! I tested up;) We won and dd got 4 goals and 2 assists for me

I have a question for those of you who have had mx without reconstruction, would you wear a knitted fake boob? They are supposed to go inside a bra.

IamMags, Glad you're doing so well with your lumpy. Make sure to get enough rest and stay on top of the pain. Use lots of ice!

HUGS!

How's your son, Molly?

MLP - Beautiful pictures!

MLP - How wonderful!!! Lovely pic!! Glad you made it, and how gorgeous the pink ribbons!

Iammags - Id ask your MO too about your gardening, as I said I hadnt heard of it before, my MO or medical staff at Oncology never mentioned it was an issue either. Always variances definitely, I think no matter what through Chemo, you absolutely are susceptible to infections from anywhere and any environment, being immune compromised, having said that...my Medical Team said I was fine to work with special needs kids, even sick ones, as chance of infection can happen anywhere, I was no more liable in that environment...which surprised me and they were actually right. I cannot explain how but I had no fevers or no infections at all through Chemo as rough and sick as I was. Have to be guided by your MO more than anyone. Everybodys experiences are very very different.

Molly - Hope you're ok, sometimes you hit a slide down, and as quickly the slide up. I find when I get like that, Im down about everything in general and around me, but when I sit with myself and really think about it and ask myself why I feel that way, I get to the core, and its usually something deep within, but its a good thing, because I can then acknowledge it, validate the feeling then let it go, and find tomorrow is a new day. Feel better.

Thank you, Mel. Very wise words. I suspect it is related to visiting my mom for her birthday yesterday. End stage Alzheimers. It is very, very sad.

Molly, that IS rough. You seem to be losing your mother before she's gone. A very helpless feeling. Here are some extra hugs: HUG HUG HUG HUG HUG

HUGS!

Mel- beautiful pictures of you and your kids;)

Molly- so sorry to hear about your mom. And hopefully your son gets better. It seems like it's been over a week? They say the new strain of flu is aweful. Hugs;)

Has anyone been informed about the Zika virus by their oncologist? Or Lyme? They say that Lyme will be out in full force up here and the southern states will see the Zika carrying mosquitos soon, starting in Florida. I'm debating my trip to see my daughters lax tournament in 2 weeks in Fla. they have reported cases in Florida but due to it being sexually transmitted!!! Whaaaattt? The guys travelled to Puerto Rico, got bit and come back and had fun. Scary times.

Ayr1016 - this reply is a few hours late (boy oh boy this thread moves fast!). But to answer your question about OncotypeDX results, I got mine just EIGHT DAYS after my MO submitted the request. She told me it would probably be at least 7-10 business days AFTER the lab got my tumor block (lab is in Redwood City, CA - I live in southern CA). And of course, insurance would have to approve it first. I don't know how or why it moved so fast, but I'm glad it did. (The score was 20 - not what I hoped but I'm dealing with that).

Anyway, if you haven't already done so, I suggest you bird-dog this thing -starting with making sure your insurance approved the test, then making sure your lab/hospital sent the sample to Genomic Health, etc. You should have had those results long ago!

Dear Melclarity:  I worked at a school for children with Autism. I worked with elementary school age children.  You have to be aware every second of the day and anything can happen at any time with the children.  It is fun and rewarding to work with the kids but it is exhausting and draining.  It seems that the doctors would not have wanted you to be around the students during your chemo tx because kids don't wash their hands and some of the behaviors are not sanitary.  I'm glad that you did not get sick.

I am glad that I could make you laugh.  I try to laugh as much as possible.  It is good for the soul.  I always try to make my students laugh. 

Dear MLP:  You and your daughter are beautiful.

Dear SunnyOne:  Good luck with your decision regarding your oncotype score.  The gray area is tricky and stressful.

Dear Poodles:  I don't see how you can go back to work so soon.  I am glad that you are feeling better and that your dh can help you.  It must have felt great to be able to drive again.  Here's to a speedy recovery.

Dear MLP:  I hope that your son gets better soon.  Sorry about your mom.