MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish

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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited November 2016

    Diana - so sorry to hear this new development. We will be with you.

  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited November 2016

    Oh rear God, you are on my prayers sweetie! I pray they get a handle on how to turn this all around. I cannot imagine your angst.

  • Loral
    Loral Member Posts: 932
    edited November 2016

    Diana....I pray that they are wrong and your body keeps fighting, take care I'm thinking of you always!

  • Loral
    Loral Member Posts: 932
    edited November 2016

    Eli- I hope you are doing well this morning and feeling better! I have a few scars and none of them are pretty, I heard they have trainees closing us up after surgery and pretty isn't there 1st concern....

  • NativeMainer
    NativeMainer Member Posts: 10,462
    edited November 2016

    Elimar--hope you are feeling better today!Sounds like no one was really thinking to do all that to you and then give you horse pills for pain.

    Diana--Oh my goodness.Praying for you.

  • elimar86861
    elimar86861 Member Posts: 7,416
    edited November 2016

    Dianarose, my blue ribbon pie baking queen, I have to hope that some good will come from those two chemos. Keeping you close in my mind and heart.

  • Dianarose
    Dianarose Member Posts: 2,407
    edited November 2016

    The side effects from yesterday's chemo are far more tolerable then the taxol. It really is ironic that they are giving me chemo that lowers my platelets to try to help my platelet problem.

    My daughter the RN is flying in today from California ❤️.

    El- I glad your surgery is behind you and that every day gets better

  • elimar86861
    elimar86861 Member Posts: 7,416
    edited November 2016

    Yes, feeling better today, but I'm sporting a new recovery look.

    You all know how purple the areas around any incision can get, so imagine a purple blob at the base of my neck and then imagine it mingling and seeping down in front in a v-neck pattern. Like I am wearing a bruisy bib. Very silly looking. If you all saw me in a tank top, you would point and laugh.

  • elimar86861
    elimar86861 Member Posts: 7,416
    edited November 2016

    Dianarose, I don't think I ever told you what my favorite pie is...it's raisin pie, served warm. Just as good as mincemeat pie, but only half as snobby. Only as I think about one now am I realizing that it has been YEARS since I have had one. I should make one this Thanksgiving.

  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited November 2016

    That is a weird pattern. I had Frankenstein stitches in black (the Monster really). How is your voice? I still can't yell and it's been more than a dozen years from the first half of my thyroid coming out. Did they go in at the base of your throat for the parathyroid?

  • elimar86861
    elimar86861 Member Posts: 7,416
    edited November 2016

    Barbe, I was extremely hoarse on day one, better yesterday and today sounding almost normal. Could I yell? Not so much yet because all the neck muscles needed to really project are sore, but I think I could get there in a few more days. (Gee, no sons at home to holler at...how ever will I test it out? On my husband? Oh, if you insist!)

    Yep, incision is at the base of my neck, allegedly midline (but looks off-center to me.) I got surgical glue and a steri-strip holding me together.

  • elimar86861
    elimar86861 Member Posts: 7,416
    edited November 2016

    Well, you all practically asked for it, so here's a "before" and a "now" and if you are good, I will grace this thread with an "after" picture once I heal up real nice. Now call me vain if you want to, but my "before" neck looks a good 7-8 years younger than my age. I'm not saying I have no wattle (not pictured,) but I don't have multiple creases. My incision was not "hidden in a crease," it will make me have a new one. Whatever. As long as they closed me properly, I'm pretty good at healing them down next to invisible. Let's wait a few mos. and see if I can live up to that boast.

    imageimage

    (The second pic is yesterday, so the purplish "bib" is hanging down lower today.)

  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited November 2016

    Yes, thanks for the pictures. Good heaven's Eli - picture number one looks like a 25 year old neck. Makes me feel REALLY old. I hope you'll heal as well as I do. I have had 5 basal cell cancers removed from my face, neck & nose and the scars are hard to see if you don't know they are there. And that's without make up!

    By all means - if you can't yell at the paper boy, give it a try with your DH.

  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited November 2016

    Oh wait - can I have a giraffe? That header is great.

  • elimar86861
    elimar86861 Member Posts: 7,416
    edited November 2016

    Thanks MT! That is actual unretouched neck, three days apart. Anyway, I will tell my neck what you said and if that doesn't make it heal up real nice, then I don't know what will!!!!!!!

    p.s. Those giraffes...you know my photos this week have to be all about necks, of course.

  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited November 2016

    My incision was supposed to be in my neck crease but I don't have one either! But I did have horrid black stitches with long threads hanging out. Grossed everyone out...

    Your bruising is unusual. I don't recall bruising...

  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited November 2016

    Looking at your pics again it seems the incision is pretty high. Mine is much lower and a short necklace covers it nicely. Of course I had to get a new white gold one to look good.

  • Loral
    Loral Member Posts: 932
    edited November 2016

    ELI- Thanks for the pics...Your neck is no turkey neck...lucky! I'm sure your scar won't even show.

    Diana- glad you are feeling better today!

  • elimar86861
    elimar86861 Member Posts: 7,416
    edited November 2016

    Hahaha, Loral!!!! This is a dangerous month to have a turkey neck! My "bib" looks yellowish today.

    I can't be the only weird one who kind of marvels at all the color changes a bruise goes thru', or am I?

    Where's Dianarose? Daughter arrive safely? What's the word from the Cancer Center??? Platelets responding????????

  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited November 2016

    I met with some buds from high school 45 years ago. Here's a pic that shows my thyroid scat a bit.

    image

    Just an FYI. The gal in the middle weighs about 98 pounds and has already had a face-lift!!! We are all 58 and I think my extra weight plumes out wrinkles!

  • Dianarose
    Dianarose Member Posts: 2,407
    edited November 2016

    Been a scary week! Went to cancer cancer Wednesday. Platelets and blood work so bad doc said she can't figure it out. Gave me chemo then next day transfusion of two pints. Went back Friday. She said they didn't know how much time I had left. It was all worse. Appears my immune system was attacking itself and committing suiside. Said she could only find 8 other documented cases. Stayed late and did two other types of chemo. Was tough. Went back yesterday and blood work is still a mess but platelets went from 38-43. Not much but right direction. Whatever went crazy was about 3 weeks ago and it was before any chemo. They don't think it was from the cancer. I had the port put in and the biopsy. They think it could have been a medication that was reintroduced to my body such as the bactrim or even the Letrozole. I am trying to hang in there but at the same time was basically told to get my affairs in order.,it's been so emotional 😭. My daughter is here and has been a great help. I go back tomorrow to check blood platelets again and another transfusion. I have never bee back so terrified as I have this past weeek. Hard to fight what we don't know we are fighting. I really need prayers

  • Loral
    Loral Member Posts: 932
    edited November 2016

    Diana...praying that things turn around for you..it is possible that all the new drugs entering in your blood system is causing the drastic changes.

  • Loral
    Loral Member Posts: 932
    edited November 2016

    Eli- I just watched a documentary on PBS about Giraffes...Sweet!

  • elimar86861
    elimar86861 Member Posts: 7,416
    edited November 2016

    Dianarose, You got some extreme good news/bad news going on there. While it is good news that it is not actually the BC running amok, it's not good news that they are so stumped by what is going on with you. Maybe with your platelet count rising, your body is starting to sort it out. You are not mentioning it, but can you eat now or is it still liquid/puree diet? You need some fuel to get your body through this. Glad you have the extra support of your daughter being there with you.

    Barbe, My eyes aren't that great, but your scar is practically invisible. Will hope for the same.

    Have a bunch of errands today. Hunting for a good concealing turtleneck to wear over the now cranberry-colored blotch.

  • Dianarose
    Dianarose Member Posts: 2,407
    edited November 2016

    el- I ate some ribeye last night. Was heavenly! Tiny, tiny pieces of cours

  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited November 2016

    You have been in my prayers every day Diana...it's working so far! Impressed that they'd let you eat meat when you've been on a liquid diet.

    E your scar will fade too though it seems hard to believe now.

  • Lita57
    Lita57 Member Posts: 2,437
    edited November 2016

    Diana - MAJOR prayers your way!!!

    Barbe - You look FABULOUS! I've lost about 38 pounds since Dx, and my wrinkles are REALLY prominent now. That's why I'm sharing my avatar with Thomas the Tank Engine.

    L

  • NativeMainer
    NativeMainer Member Posts: 10,462
    edited November 2016

    Praying for you, Diana.

  • elimar86861
    elimar86861 Member Posts: 7,416
    edited November 2016

    image

    America, the country that gives you a constitutional right to cast your vote in secret ballot fashion yet that still has had the phones ringing 24/7 for the last month with people trying to get you to disclose that information to them. I think that is so hilarious.

  • Loral
    Loral Member Posts: 932
    edited November 2016

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