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

Let us know, Fran!

Hi All, I'm going to post this on FB too, so sorry for the duplicate, but just to reach the full audience. I'm wondering how, for those who have neuropathy, it is feeling these days.

I am about a month away from my year anniversary of last chemo. I have heard "it can take up to a year" to resolve so many times that I've put the neuropathy to the back of my mind until the year is up. However, I do not think my neuropathy is miraculously going away in 30 days, I'm resigned to that. But, the last few weeks, I actually feel like my toes are even more numb - tingly - than before. I want to think that this change may be a sign of something happening. OTOH, it could be that due to sleeping in splints every night, the circulation is compromised. Probably 50/50 on that one :-) So, I'm interested in hearing from the rest of you about your current state of neuropathy. (BTW, while the feet - toes and ball - are the worst, I still have finger tip numbness too, oh joy :-)

The rest of this I won't repeat on FB - too long and boring.

I've been pretty busy over the last 3-4 weeks - it's amazing what takes me full days when I'm not working! Part of it is taking advantage and doing things that I couldn't before - like volunteering for field days and year-end BBQ at my daughter's schools. My brother's wedding was 6/4, and we were busy up to and after that. The following week was my birthday - kinda uneventful, but I definitely reflected on what a difference a year makes. I've been doing some job-hunt-related tasks daily, I've applied to a few jobs, but no interviews yet. We leave for our annual vacation to Maine on Saturday, so I figure I am going to hit it hard when we return - there shouldn't be anymore distractions.

Speaking of distractions, I got a ceiling fan for my birthday (thank you hot flashes :-), and in order to install it, DH had to climb into the attic through our closet. The closet that you couldn't even see the floor of. The closet that hasn't had a decent cleaning in, oh, probably 9 years? So, piles of stuff were moved out and into our office - which was ok with me because it definitely was on my to do list. Then the Epilepsy Foundation called and said they were doing a pick up in my town on the 17th, did I want to donate. Hell yeah. So, I have been on a major purge - in addition to the closet, we have a huge 5 drawer dresser in the family room where DH and I had overflow clothes - I went through that, and all my dressers in the bedroom, and I moved on to my linens. I counted everything/itemized and logged it in "it's deductible", and I'm up to $1500 of donations. I have 7 green garbage bags full, a couple of bikes, and a fish tank! The reason I say I have it because the EF didn't pick up my stuff (I guess they couldn't see if from the road), but I had also gotten a call from Big Brother Big Sister, and I signed up for their pick up for tomorrow.

It feels very good to be getting rid of all the stuff. Unfortunately, I did donate a bunch of smaller clothes that I know I won't be able to fit into anytime soon. That sucks, but I told myself that I will lose weight, and then I'll be able to buy new clothes to wear - it just doesn't make sense to hold on to all these items that, by the time I would fit into them again, would be totally out of style.

In between all the purging, job search, and volunteering, I have been trying to keep our pool clean, which is an endless task with all the stuff that has been falling the whole month of June. I've been able to do a little reading for my book club, but I'm looking for suggestions for vacation - anyone read any good books?

Lynne

Lynne, The ceiling fan is MUST for me. That is a great gift!

I have also been purging and trying to take my house back. It is a very slow process but feels so good when done. I start one cabinet, drawer or closet and realize the place I want to move something to also needs to be reorganized. Never ending process.

I'm baking 100 cupcakes right now for our local Relay for Life event tomorrow. A fun Hawaiian theme, Re Lei. We are all wearing Hawaiian shirts and flower leis to go with the theme. Looking forward to being there. And I will be thinking of our group as I do my survivor lap.

Renee! Have an awesome day tomorrow and eat a cupcake for me!

I totally agree with Susan, Heather, that sucks! Anything to do with food issues seems like a major quality of life issue to me. But, of course, if food is making you feel shitty . . . no pun intended.

Renee - YES, that's exactly it - there are so many areas that need to be cleaned and sorted out. I am grateful that I have the time to devote to it right now. I have a bunch of projects that I'd like to do, but I realized that the decluttering has to take priority - when I get a job (notice I didn't say 'if'), I will be happy that I my house is better order (I'm realistic enough to say "better" not "perfect" - it will never be perfect.)

Heather - yes, last year was a different in so many ways. What I remember is when our cottage lost power, and then I had to leave the kids to come home for my treatment. I was in a panic and almost turned around 3x on the way home - just thinking of all the possible tragedies that could occur. So glad that is all over. This year will suck because of my feet. I'm still going to attempt to go on my daily walks with my sisters, but I will have to cut them short/go slow.

Ok, back to packing - my girls just woke up, lazy day - I would have liked to be on the road by now, but another year where that's not happening.

Lynne

Tamari doesn't have wheat. Have you looked at it to see if the ingredients are acceptable?

Cook up some lentils. Set them aside. In a saucepan, saute onion, shallot, scallion, or garlic (or several) in olive oil (or ghee or whatever oil you're permitted). Add the spices you're allowed to add--either go Indian with mustard seed, turmeric, cumin, and similar, or go Euro with oregano, rosemary, and similar. Add a little salt or tamari. Add chunks of whatever protein you're allowed--lean chicken or tofu, for example. Saute until cooked/armed through. Add the lentils and some liquid if needed to get a stew-y consistency. If you're allowed alcohol, add a little dry sherry or red wine. Simmer until you like the consistency. Correct seasonings. Best if you cool it, refrigerate overnight, and re-heat.

Oh, Dizz, so sorry about the food! Yep that really sucks! I can't even imagine trying to eliminate so many things and being so careful. I do think the chemo was harder on our GI systems than the docs realize. I have noticed more problems lately with fresh fruits and veggies when I eat too many uncooked too many days in a row. My stomach does not tolerate. Also large heavy meals give me irritable bowel. Can't eat like I used to and I LOVE food. I love my fruits and veggies. I don't eat meat, never cared for it even as a child, but I do eat fish and eggs. Still the challenge you are going thru what a pain. Hope it gets better and the joints improve. Errrggghhh

Susan, your lentils sound fantastic. Karen, I like the white sauce with beans suggestion too. I do chick peas make my own hummus and add different things to that all the time. It is a staple I eat for lunch frequently. Just had a great kale pesto sauce last week. Basically sub the kale for basil and everything else the same. It was delish! Avocado is also great to experiment with and versatile. I think more and more people are getting on the clean, less processed food. So we can hope options open.

Attended our local cancer society event Sat. Beautiful luminary closing ceremony and reading of names of those who have lost the battle. I truly believe every day must be lived by us fully and positively in their honor.

Dizz, can you eat artichokes? I find them very satisfying (full of fiber and tasty). Wash as many artichokes as will float in a large saucepan of water (they shouldn't touch the bottom when cooking). Trim the points of the big leaves off with kitchen shears, or chop off about 1/5 of the crown, or don't worry about it, as you choose. Fill your saucepan. Add artichokes. Add a little salt and lemon juice. Bring to a low boil and maintain at that level, turning the artichokes a few times so all sides are immersed. Melt some butter or ghee, or heat some good olive oil. This is your dipping sauce. I usually add a little seasoning to it--whatever you're allowed to use (I use salt, black pepper, oregano or dill). Cook artichokes at a low boil until you can pull out a leaf from the 2nd row in easily (LE note: Use gloves and tongs if you need to). Serve with the dip. Don't forget that when you've eaten the edible part of the leaves, you can scrape out the inner, thin leaves and the choke (the fluffy stuff) and eat the heart down to the stem. Boiled artichokes are also good cold with a mayo if you can eat it, or vinegar & oil-based dressing. Artichokes go well with sausage--when my wife was highly restricted, we were able to buy ground sausage meat with no bread. You might be able to find or grind your own and season it with your current spice options.

hi:) haven't been around here in awhile. But I'm freaking out. I've been having armpit and groin area pain. I just had a liver mri yesterday because they saw an 8 mm lesson on my liver in a breast Mri I had done last year. And due to freaking out about chemo n rads last year I'm just now following up on the liver . I'm constantly freaking out about lymph node lumps... I feel like I found one in my groin not sure if I'm just being a nervous nelly or not but the area is sore(slightly painful and achy) and so is my armpit area. I'm getting a second mammo on Tuesday because I'm freaking about that too. Holy cow I'm constantly anxious about it coming back

phew feels good coming from someone else tho... fer sure. I try and calm myself down but it really doesn't work well. The nurse said I could possibly get a call tomorrow about the mri... Which I'm keeping my fingers crossed for.!. I hope your mri is quick and painless:) I'll keep ya posted:) thx:

Stacy so sorry for the worry and stress. Keep us posted. Will be in your pocket and saying a prayer.

Well, my MRI is completed and the report is all good. M/O follow-up...check. P.S....check. Psychologist....check. Tomorrow I'll follow-up with surgeon and then I officially don't have to fly back to Illinois for a whole 6 months!!! Reconstruction is officially as done as it's going you get. I'm still seeing the rheumatologist at home every 2 months...Is everybody else as sick of doctors as I am?

Hanging in there Stacy?

Great news, Dizz!😀

How is everyone doing here? Its pretty quiet! Well, im scheduled for TE installation on Oct. 27. Does anyone have any advice for me? Hope everyone is well!