Alice, Hanoria and Sue

Jackie,

I used to check this site daily, then every few days, then only now and again. I think that people have gotten on with their lives, and they are no longer very interested in this e-group. And that's OK. Getting on is vital and we all are doing it -- just in different ways.

My kids keep me busy. My son (with new bipolar diagnosis) is better. He's on medication, and has simmered down -- no fists through the walls in months now. I wish I knew more about his bio family (he's my adopted son) -- I know nothing at all about his genetics, or what issues he may have to face in the future. Poor guy.
Schools here don't start yet. He has a week of school activities before the actual start of school, so Monday he starts his "pre" week. It will be interesting to see how it goes.

I had first mammo. Didn't go as badly as I thought. They didn't see anything definite -- probably just scar tissue. so I go back in 6 months for next one. Breast is finally more "normal" shaped. Not caved in.

I was on Femara and started having joint issues that were getting tough, so I switch to Arimidex. It's only been a couple months, but so far so good.

Tell me about the liver stuff with Tamox. I'll have to look up and see if liver involvement is also a side effect of Arimidex.

Hanoria

Hi everyone,

I'm been doing okay.  I had a follow up on my left sided breast and rib pain, had a bone scan which turned out normal thank God. My rad onc feels it's scar tissue and should get better over time.  I've been doing more strecthing and massage to the area on my own, it's painful, but I think it's helping.

I rasied over $3200 for my Avon breast cancer walk which took place Columbus day weekend in NYC, but was unable to do the walk.  Believe it or not, I stubbed my left toe, didn't break it, but tore the ligaments!  I'm in a special shoe, limping around.  My sister and her sister in law did the walk, it was very hot in NYC, 90 degree's, they said it was very tough, but made it. They said it was a wonderful experience, worthwhile, but hard.  I was very down about not being able to do the walk after all my efforts, but I did raise the money for the cause, have to remind myself of that!

I hope everyone is doing well.  I don't go on the site as much anymore, especially since it changed, found it hard at first to navigate through it.  It's a good sign I think that everyone is going on more with their lives. This site and all your support through my cancer experience has been a terrific help!

Take care, Alice

Kelly, Hanoria, Alice,

Hey, there.  Still hot and dry here in Alabama.  We are in desperate need of rain. 

Alice, sorry you weren't able to walk at the Avon Walk, but you did the important part by raising the money.  Hope your toe gets better soon.  Glad that bone scan turned out okay too. 

Hanoria, I imagine that school has started back now.  Hope all is going well there.  How are you doing on the arimidex?  Have you started physical therapy?

Kelly, I'm sure staying away from bc.org is healthier than you think. I don't come here as often as I used to.  Some of the posts get a bit snippy and I don't thin this is the place for that kind of stuff.  I  am glad your family is doing well.  As far as voices of mammosite goes, I have done an interview with a magazine and have had a few contacts, a couple were for phone contact which I had to decline because I have issues with my voice and people can't understand what I am saying over the phone.  I also have health issues that kep me from doing much, so don't know about staying on there either.  I think they expect more from us than I am able to commit to. 

Sounds like all of us have had issues with scar tissue.  I still get alot of pain at times at my incision site.  Breast surgeon said that it could last a couple of years.  I have also had elevated liver enzymes and so have to go to med onc. once a month for blood tests and if they stay elevated this next month, he wants to take me off tamoxifen.  Don't know what other options will be yet.

Hope you are all having a nice fall,

Jackie

Dear Hanoria,

      So sorry to hear of all your troubles.  I may have mine, that's for sure, but at least I'm not dealing with kid issues, that can be rough for a healthy parent!

       I've had some very tough times with my kids, especially one son, the middle one.  He's been in and out of hospitals over the past seven years for depression, attempted sucide and heroin drug addiction.  I'm very happy to say that next month, he'll be clean for a year!  He's stable on his meds, has a job and living independently.  He just got his license back a few weeks ago, things are good.  He works on an estate in Virginia, lives and works on the property. It took a long time, but he's okay now, still take it one day at a time. So.........I know how hard it is on a parent when your child is hurting, and you've got a few to worry about.  My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Sorry to hear about your wrist and foot problems.  It seems as if it will never end sometimes, that's a lot to handle.  I'm still fighting problems in my treated breast; breast pain, rib pain, stiffness, a lump where the mammosite radiation catheter was, just in general stiffness and soreness.  My last full mammogram was clear in October, and I'm thankful for that, but my quality of life sucks because of the constant pain.  My surgeon feels the lump is scar tissue, damage and changes from the radiation, along with some seroma and hopes it will get better with time. She says she has with some patients aspirate the fluid, but it always comes back.  It's been slowly getting worse! If it doesn't get better, her offer is to remove my breast and do reconstruction.  She explained that trying to remove the affected area is not so simple.  She needs to remove all the radiated damaged tissue and get to healthy tissue so it would heal and I wouldn't be left with a wound that won't heal.  My breasts are small and she feels I quess that they're wouldn't be much left after she was finished!  Talked about a flap from the back to reconstruct.  Of course I'm not looking for more surgery, so I'm looking into other options.  I'm sheduled for a cat scan of the chest to see if that sheds any light onto the problem. I don't know what other options I have, but I'm not rushing into anything right now.

I wish you the best with your surgeries. I hope your Thanksgiving was good...me....I worked, but that means I have off for Christmas.

Take care, Alice

Well, ladies, it's been about a year for most of us.  My biopsy anniversary is one yr tommorw (being "the day after Christmas" makes it an easy date to remember).  My dexa scan shows an increase in osteopenia, so I'll start some IV treatments in January.  Mammogram came back benign (what a lovely word to hear!).

My bipolar son has been out of psych hospitals for about 2 weeks now.  After the first week back at his regular school, he was suspended for a week (fireworks in the classroom.  sigh)  Hope springs eternal that he will choose to change his behavior.

My 10 y/o is off the heart monitor.  It took 3 months, but they finally determined that the cardiac issues are coincidental to gastric reflux issues.  If heart symptoms reappear, she goes back to pediatric heart doc, and she'll be put back on the monitor.  Unfortunately she broke her foot (playing tag), and is a non weight-bearing case.  She uses a wheelchair outside the house, and crutches inside the house.  Poor kid.

Husband stepped on something and broke his left foot, and has to wear a special boot.  At least he can drive, though. 

Dec  1 I had wrist surg, Dec 14 I had surg on both feet, and Dec 24 I had re-do surg on both feet (the pins didn't hold the bones in place).  Not being able to drive is a killer.

I am soooooo ready for that little black cloud over my house to blow away.

The docs can't be sure, but they all think it is suspicious that after I was on the Femara for a few months, I suddenly developed joint issues.  4 joints were hit within a few weeks of each other, and they were all joints that had been previously damaged in the last 50 years.  One doc said that the med attacked the "weak" joints in my body.  After I changed to Arimidex, 1 joint simmered down, 1 is very slowly backing down (with physical therapy help), and 2 joints have had surg.  To my mind, increasing my chances of not having the cancer come back is worth it.

We have a lot to be thankful for, ladies.  We are here, we had appropriate diagnosis, we have treatments available, and we are smart enough to pursue what we need to pursue.  Even though our situations are all different, we are still the winners in this.

I wish everyone a happy, healthy new year, and if you see a little black cloud in the sky, keep blowing it away.

Hanoria