Stage 2 Sisters Club

sarahmaude

Make sure you give us the chemo drug you will get. When my 4 doses of Red Devil went to 12, once a week carboplatin and taxol I thought WHAT? Then i settled in with my friends who were also getting chemo and supportive ones and my sister who just knew me and said a day at a time anything is possible. The routine of symptoms came and day 2,3,4 was rougher. Tired. Zofran and a sister pill for nausea kept me from barfing for all 13 weeks. Only once did i, but i think it was the muscle relaxer i also took which tipped the scale. My MO said from the start that all treatments are to kill the cancer. I love the naming you are all using.

Thank you for the update. I hope you can manage symptoms and do it a day at a time sarahmaude.

Chemo is manageable becuase it is not forever.

Years ago I did diving certification. Although I've been a recreational swimmer my whole life, at the time, I'd not done anything to build up to the part of the course that was many laps, maybe a mile of swimming. I can't remember. Anyhow, we could use our flippers, and I set my mind to it and just decided I would pass that part of the certification.

I remember feeling a little tired, but I was able to put my mind into a state of just maintaining my constant steady foot strokes. I had a "frenemy" type coworker who made himself sick, and dropped the course because he didn't finish that element. Of course I finished. I'm thinking of this part of my treatment in that way. I want to finish treatment. Because I have such a huge oncotype number, the advantage I get from chemo is more like 25% than 15%. This treatment isn't optional. I'm starting it feeling well. I've got a whole list of tips and recommendations from this website. I have so much support. I will finish. Now, that doesn't mean I won't have days where I'll measure my time in small strokes. But this elephant will be consumed a bite at a time. And Norman Bates, your seeds are going down!

It's kind of odd how the past 2 1/2 months have changed me. At first, I kind of thought, oh, I'll have surgery and maybe some light radiation. Then I'll be done. Return to baseline. I had no idea what the pathology that I received on 2/17 actually meant. Everyone was soooo positive. Maybe if I'd had a stage 1 grade 1 case I could feel a little more confident in putting this experience behind me, but my tumor was never grade 1. Even if it had been caught at a DCIS stage, the biology was wicked.

I didn't know that lack of nodal involvement wasn't a huge indication of my tumor's aggression. I've learned so much! Now, I know that my life will never be the same. I've also accepted that not the same doesn't mean worse. Yes, my body is damaged, and that's going to get worse. Yes, I've got cancer. But, I've also learned that my friends and family still love me even if I'm damaged. They are supporting me and checking in on me in ways that mean so much. My brother asked what restaurant gift cards the family likes. When I told him, he sent two in dollar quantities that will feed my family twice a week throughout my treatment. Wow. My boss has reiterated that nothing is more important than my health. My daughter is ready to be my cold cap assistant. I'm starting out in much better physical shape than a lot of people who have to travel this road.

That doesn't mean I won't be coming here whining. However, I'm ready to, as Beginagain22 says, "crush it!"

Cathy67, May 4 is a big day for both of us! I'll be thinking about you. Feel free to write to me also. I know how frustrating all the time you've spent in diagnosis and treatment must be. You're moving forward, and sometimes that alone is of comfort. Hugs.

Cyndi

Sweet friend, I’m counting on you! My Stage 2 sisters are part of my survivorship plan. One step at a time.

Oh, I made myself grin today doing the simplest thing. I put all my treatment appointments in my work calendar. I color coded them highlighter yellow, and categorized them in their own group called “Norman Bates.” AKA, die tumor spawn die.

Some Navy Seals had made a daring raid & taken out a terrorist cell right before I started chemo. Since cancers definitely are terrorist cells; I envisioned chemo as Navy Seals hunting them down; superbly trained, deadly, and working for me.

My Navy Seals were heavily armed and VERY handsome!

I say whatever works is what you should do! I ate a lot of mashed potatoes, and Mexican food (very strangely, I craved Jalapenos!).

To all....the fight is on. I love your words, thoughts and knowing that this road is not easy, but there are a whole lot of people with you on the journey.

Thank you beginagain22.

I love finding all the posts like this thread with a reminder to stay strong! A Day at a time, it is possible.

I agree beginagain22.

I had my mammogram on my remaining side, and it is clear. My surgeon is also moving to a hospital with a brand-new cancer center. I told her i will go with her for my other breast. Let her and the plastics doctor finish the second side!! They did a great job. I would suggest anyone to go see her. Dr. Ami Polverini in California. This Doctor is young and full of the most current knowledge on breast cancer. She wants all of us to be survivors. Since i am Brca2, I remain on her WATCH list!!!

I love your elephant phrase too!

SarahMaude,

The science and the medical teams are amazing! So glad to have treatments and options that we do have. I got my first Lupron shot yesterday and today I had “dead arm” felt like a horse kicked me in the shoulder. Glad I will not need another one of those! So glad you made it safely through your first mission soldier, keep up the good work

Beginagain22 and Cathy67, I think it’s amazing how people can have such different side effects on the same medicines. When I got my Pegfilgrastim (Neulatsa) shot, the nurse said only half of people get bone pain. I’m not taking a chance and have switched from Allegra to Zyrtec (which my clinic prefers to Claritin) now.

I hope your arm feels better soon. When I was in grade school, my mom, brothers and I went to South America. We got some extra shots. One was yellow fever. My brothers and I made slings because our arms hurt so much.

I had my second shingles shot last week. It was very sore. The first wasn’t nearly as bad. I also had a little rash. (Which is common.) It was still itchy on Tuesday, but I guess my steroids yesterday zapped that rash away.

Sarahmaude,

Katg,

Thanks for your interesting posts, they help me relax a lot during this dreadful waiting. My surgeon is also a young woman, I don't think she is a BSO, but she does a lot of breast re-construction. I think, breast surgery is not that hard, compared to other organs, but we want a beautiful breast no matter it is mastectomy or lumpectomy.

Just write whatever you want, I will read.

Cathy

xfitmama2, Congratulations on finishing chemo!!! that is certainly worth celebration. Best of luck to you on your next steps. We might end up in radiation around the same time depending on your surgery schedule.