For those starting chemo in June

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  • PJB
    PJB Member Posts: 2,615
    edited October 2007

    Hey, girls, just wanted to pop in and tell you everything is fine with Mom. They got her old films, did another mammo and declared that nothing has changed. Wish they'd have looked at her old films, say, before they got us all worried. But much relief today.

  • janie44
    janie44 Member Posts: 1,460
    edited October 2007

    Wonderfule news PJ!  So glad you have something good amid all the bad you have had lately.  Hope you celebrate tonight!

    NL.  Get better.

    Mary,  yep.  I am pretty settled in and used to everything.  Much more to take care of though.  What was I thinking?  I do like it though.

  • mary1220
    mary1220 Member Posts: 1,246
    edited October 2007

    Good News P.J.!!!! Hope you can relax and catch your breath. N.L. bring out the insulated undies!!! I have been wearing my thermal shirts for 2 days now. I think it is going to get up in the 70's over the wk. end. I am cold when it is 80. Janie, I am glad you are settled in and glad you are really happy with your house. I better get so you all sleep well and N.L. if you wake up in the bathroom, it's time to consider investing in depends. Have a great night girls, Mary

  • PJB
    PJB Member Posts: 2,615
    edited October 2007

    Well, girls, my port is out. Crossing my fingers and more that it's not like last time, when I had to get a new one put in just months after. Oddly, the surgeon asked me if I'd had more rads after my mastectomy (now over two years ago). I questioningly said no. She said she thought I should see them again since she wasn't sure they'd radiated axilla and supraclavical area. I said, why doesn't she just call them and find out before making me schlep down there and have another appt? Sheesh. So, I guess that's hanging out there....



    Paula

  • janie44
    janie44 Member Posts: 1,460
    edited October 2007

    Paula, I forgot you still had your port!!!  I remember the details now though.  I wish you were not left up in the air, but you answered a question for me.  I had seven positive nodes.  Two were wrapped around the supraclav.  Although the surgeon said he got clear margins I always wondered how he got all of those 2, or if indeed he did.  Hopefully, the rads zapped anything left, or perhaps the Hercepin got it.  I had always wondered if they had permeated the vein, but I guess if that had happened, the cells would have been in my bloodstream and I would not be here wondering about it.

    Anyway, I DO hope and pray they got everything and don't leave you hanging long.

    Mary and NL,  the older you get, the more time you spend in the bathroom, especially during the night.  One of my offices at work is so far away from the bathroom that by the time I go and come back, I need to go again.

    Later ladies,

    It's football day tomorrow

  • NancyLee13
    NancyLee13 Member Posts: 496
    edited October 2007
    Hey, back from the frozen north.  Took my pickup up and got my couch home finally.  I don't have it in the house yet.  Got home too late to call anyone to help me and that's not a one-woman job.  I probably shouldn't even help at all with my back, but we shall see.  PJ--my surgeon said that I was finally graduating from chemo the day I got my port out.  It's a relief, isn't it?   Hey, did you see Jeff win for the second week in a row yesterday?  Life is GreatLaughingSmilesSmileNancyLee Laughing

  • janie44
    janie44 Member Posts: 1,460
    edited October 2007

    Hey all,

    NL, I do not watch the cars go round and round much, BUT I did see Jeff win!  As did my TN Vols and several others.  It was a winning weekend!

    Hey Mary,  How did you do?

    PJ, Think "No Port, not ever again."

    I sort of wanted to hang onto mine and Mayo was wishy washy about it, but my local onc. said it was time for it come out, and now I am glad I got rid of it ..... a good while ago .... I finished Herceptin in November of 05.  Can you believe it?  WOW!

    Janie Smile 

  • PJB
    PJB Member Posts: 2,615
    edited October 2007

    Yeah, Janie, I think two is plenty of ports to have for a lifetime.... Wow, almost two years since you kicked Herceptin. Yea, us!



  • mary1220
    mary1220 Member Posts: 1,246
    edited October 2007

    Hey Girls, glad everyone is port free and still here. We may be a little tattered but we are here. Well, we faired pretty much even. The attendance was down. The story of our life. We are going to another one this wk. end on the other side of the state and it is a scenic drive too. Well, hubby decided to get an eaasy-up tent for crafting outta the trash and fix it because we were going to buy another one(10ft. by 10ft.) because he has decided we need to expand. Now that means paying double space rent and he wants a little pull behind trailer. You can't fix those but he could or so he thought! He finally decided it is cheaper and less painful to just buy one. Yea, he spent $25.00 and for another $75.00 we can get a brand new one with sides and he got hit by a piece of metal on the head(because I moved quickly thank God). He is such a penny pincher. He fought that thing all day just to prove me wrong when I said "It Can't Be Fixed". Where did I find him? He is soo much like his mother in his old age and thats just plain bad. Well, You little portless girls, I have to get clothes out of the dryer because this is the 3rd. time they have tumbled to get the wrinkles out cause I forget they are in there. Better get. Have a great day. Hugs, Mary

  • janie44
    janie44 Member Posts: 1,460
    edited October 2007

    Hey again,

    Mary, you can't live with em, you can't live without em.  On second thought, I HAVE lived without em for over two decades so maybe one can after all.  Hmmmm.

    Been swamped at work.  Worked all weekend.  Getting behind there, getting behind here.  Getting behind everywhere.  Maybe I could write a country song.

    Hope all you ladies are fine and dandy.

    Hugs,  JanieSmile

  • mary1220
    mary1220 Member Posts: 1,246
    edited October 2007
    Janie girlfriend, hope the behind your getting is good looking and has moneyLaughing. Goodnight and big hugs girls. Mary 
  • mary1220
    mary1220 Member Posts: 1,246
    edited October 2007

    AHHHH, whats with the Edit thingy? Is that my last name? O.K. Mary Edit

  • shrink
    shrink Member Posts: 936
    edited October 2007

    I posted this on the other June thread but wanted to let you all know:

    Some good news for me today, Ladies.

    I just came back from Taxol #3 and am scheduled for Taxol #4 in three weeks, November.  The tumor board at the hospital is convinced that I should finish with Taxol since I have IBC along with DCIS, ILC and IDC.  They want to throw everything at it.  Anyway, the stuff is working.  The onc could not even find the tumor today.  It was originally 6 cm.  I'm happy.  He said, "I'm amazed.  I'm very, very encouraged."  Squeezing an ounce of hope from this guy is like trying to get blood from a stone.  In general, the hospital is not changing treatment for anyone unless their tumors are getting bigger.  They want to see more studies.  My tumor was ER+ and HER2-. According to the latest study (last week) Taxol was found to be ineffective with this type of tumor.  You never know.

    [Edit]

  • mary1220
    mary1220 Member Posts: 1,246
    edited October 2007

    Hi Girls, Good for you Shrink. I am happy for you. We are on the road again tomorrow afternoon. That sounds like a country song huh? I will check in later. Janie, did you get any nasty weather? It just missed us but some close areas got hit good. Batten down the hatches. Oh; I am not going nuts but the post above the post that said my last name is Edit had after my name Edit and then when I checked in later it was gone. You had to be there I guess. I really am not nuts, well; not completely. Hugs, Mary 

  • janie44
    janie44 Member Posts: 1,460
    edited October 2007

    Shrink,

    That is fantastic news.  Thanks for sharing.  It is so good to hear some good news.  We have lost so many on this board in just a few weeks time, Shelli, Stacey, Flea, and now Kelly.  We WILL triumph over this disease some day soon.

    Mary, it just rained a little bit here today.  Supposed to get thunder showers tomorrow.  I wish it would rain buckets.  We are having a drought.  The Atlanta channels keep saying that the Lake Lanier water supply will be depleted by February if it does not rain and rain BIG.  Legislatures met on the Capitol steps today to pray for rain.  It is getting serious.  We are under a very strict ban ... absolutely no watering outside.  There are huge fines for those who do not comply. 

    Good luck with your weekend selling.  I am off next week for intersession.  I plan to go to NC for a seminar and visit a friend while I am there.

    Have a great weekend ladies.

    Janei (I always do that.  My name should have been Janei instead of Janie ... then I would not have to correct the typo countless times.)

  • PJB
    PJB Member Posts: 2,615
    edited October 2007

    Hi girls,



    Shrink, that's wonderful news. Hope the good news keeps on coming.



    Janie, boy, you guys sure are in a pinch over there. I've been reading about it. I hope you get buckets of rain, too. What do you girls think? Global warming or just hinky weather?



    Mary, hope the sales go great this weekend.



    Can you believe it's supposed to be 49 here in the morning? It was about 90 this afternoon.... Weird. But it'll feel good (for the few hours it's actually cool).



    Later, girls,

    Paula

  • janie44
    janie44 Member Posts: 1,460
    edited October 2007

    Don't know Paula.  Al may be onto to something.  At least the Nobel people think so.  Seriously, it is all scary when you think about it ... maybe not so much for our generations as the next few..... but if GA does not get rain and lots of it soon..... it may be upon us very quickly.

  • janie44
    janie44 Member Posts: 1,460
    edited October 2007

    Hey ladies,    I am getting ready to hit the road.  Do not know my what the computer situation will be.  May be off of here for a few days.  Hold down the fort.  Hugs,  Janie

  • mary1220
    mary1220 Member Posts: 1,246
    edited October 2007

    Hey girls, We are home and don't have another show until the first wk. end in Nov. and that one is 20 miles away so we can come home at night. Hope everyone is fine. Janie, how was the trip? N.L. are you feeling better? P.J. whats new? I get to wait 2 months on my thyroid surgery and get another sono then decide what to do. I am happy about that but it probably won't get better but I am crossing my fingers. I can get my skin cancer removed again Fri. and look into my teeth so I may be on an up swing to feel better. I had an apt. for my teeth but cancelled and haven't gotten back with them. I will, I have to get my denture made first. Well, we did pretty good last wk. end and we were at an Indian trading post which was neat. It is pretty on the west side of Il. It is hilly and lots of deer hunters! I gotta get but I shall return. Hugs, Mary

  • janie44
    janie44 Member Posts: 1,460
    edited October 2007

    I'm back -- like the little girl in the horror movie that I never saw.

    Mary,  tell me about your skin cancer.  I need to call about some strange things appearing on my forehead .... one rather large brown cyst-like thingee that is changing and growing.  A red spot showed up beside it and is turning brown and several white raised spots under those.  I do not know whether to call the onc, the dermatologist, or the surgeon, the ps, or someone else. 

    Just got in not that long ago.  Had a pretty good trip.  Will check in later.

    JF

  • mary1220
    mary1220 Member Posts: 1,246
    edited October 2007

    Janie, I have squamous cell. It is the middle skin cancer and can spread but takes a while. Mine is like a blister that itches off and on and peels then looks o.k. a while and starts peeling again. I had a big spot on my shoulder like 8 years ago. I have one on my neck that had been burned 4 times and it keeps coming back so that needs burned again. I also have a spot on my cheek that could scar so I hope we do something that doesn't scar. It is a couple little white bumps that get flaky off and on. There are basil cell that is sun damage and pre cancer sorta then there is squamous cell then Melanoma and thats the bad one. You should go to a dermatologist because I had my G.M. Dr. treating me for allergy for 16 months and they had to cut a big hole to the bone on my shoulder. She can reconize places you can't even see. I had my Onky look at my neck while in treatment(because I thought it had come back) and he said he didn't know what it was for sure to see my Derm. and she knew right away. She walks around with her freezer gun in hand. Get it checked girlfriend. Glad your back. Hope it was a good trip. Hi to P.J. and N.L. Oh, I saw on the news tonight that Drs. are reconizing that cancer pts. need more than chemo treatment to fight cancer. They have to cope with the anxiety, lasting pain from treatment and fears of living with cancer. DUH!  Hugs, Mary

  • janie44
    janie44 Member Posts: 1,460
    edited October 2007

    Thanks Mary.  Whatever mine are, they are ugly and I want rid of them.  Fortunately, they are somewhat hidden by what little bit of hair I have. 

    This week has flown by.  Cannot believe I am getting ready to go back Monday already.  Oh well, Thanksgiving is not far away.

    Later ladies,

    Janie Smile

  • NancyLee13
    NancyLee13 Member Posts: 496
    edited October 2007

    Hi right back at ya--I'm home from seeing my doctor and changing my medication and spending the night in a motel up there because it got too late to drive home after I left the clinic & when I did drive home this afternoon--I saw no less than 11 poor deer lying dead on the roads...mostly the reason I chose to stay the night other than the fatigue...I just didn't feel like deer dodging all the way home.  I have NO IDEA why this turned gray instead of black...what did I hit???  Okay, so they started me last month on this stuff that's supposed to make my neuropathy better & this is what it has done...my feet no longer burn and my toes don't hurt like HE_ _ , but my toes are buzzy numb and the fingers are another story...I'll be holding something and then I just drop it because I don't feel how tightly I'm holding it!!  So it seems I can't win..the feet are better and the hands are weird...it isn't a good thing to do when you pick up and rock babies for a living??  We are trying to get the medication adjusted so that it works equally for the hands and feet..hope it works because I like not having my feet feel like fire ants are chewing the toes off!!  So, I'll bet you are sick of reading about my problems...My aunt had skin cancer that she had to periodically have burned off her nose and forehead...you gotta watch that sun..hope you all are having a good weekend--Janie, I googled that author of the book/movie you e-mailed me about and you're right--he is England's prominant athiest....hmmmm...during the BC days of stuck in the house with low blood counts..a friend gave me that book to read...I went out and found it on my bookshelves just now and maybe I'll give it a whirl tonight and see what it's about...when she gave it to me I didn't feel much like reading a fairy tale which is what it says on the blurb that the book is...a fantasy/fairy tale???  Who knows...thanks for the heads up anyways....Gotta go unpack and start a load of laundry..Bye for now..Life is GoodSmileSmilesSmileNancyLee

  • mary1220
    mary1220 Member Posts: 1,246
    edited October 2007

    Hey Girls, Well I went to a new Derm. because mine is gone and I really like him. He bio-ed. my neck and froze(burnt) my cheek and said if it comes back we bio. it. If the neck is the squamous then they take a chunk out like my shoulder. These spots don't look like anything just a little white pimple and the squamous cell fingers out under the skin so get checked. N.L. I have been given neurontin for my neuropathy in hands and feet and I can't take it. I have the exact problem with my hands. I drop things and really have no grip. My feet are getting numb now too and I trip a lot. They tell me it will get worse. I was on 300 m.g.s of neurontin and I was so tired and it just didn't really do any good. The pain was no better either so I just take darvocet or vidodin when I need it and cope with the rest. Hope you find something that helps. I think when I wound up in the hosp. during treatment because my counts went way too low and they had to cut back on my chemo meds. it messed up my whole nerves and muscles. I don't know, maybe not. I don't like to hold anything fragile. Well; I have grandkids and hubby has spiders on string all over the house and a pig mask and he is bothering the grandkids. The 5 year old is hollering that his grandpa is annoying him so I better go. Hi to P.J. too. Hugs you scardy little pumpkins, Mary

  • PJB
    PJB Member Posts: 2,615
    edited October 2007

    Hi girls,



    Mary, things sound like they're a little crazy at your house. And it sounds like hubby is behind most of the craziness.



    Not much up here. It's the best weather of the year, so it's a good time to hang around outside.





    Hugs to all,

    PJ

  • janie44
    janie44 Member Posts: 1,460
    edited October 2007

    Hey All,

    Hope you ladies get the feeling back soon and keep it.  Knock on wood, I do not have much of that any more.  My lymphedema and Parkinson's shakes keep me busy enough though.  My meds is due now so I am shaking, rattling and rolling, but since it makes me sleepy, I am holding off until I go to bed.  So that tapping you keep hearing .... it is my hand thumping against the keys.

    Well, this world series is about boring.  Would like to see competition.  Looks like it is going to be a 4-0 sweep.

    Later Ladies,

    J

  • mary1220
    mary1220 Member Posts: 1,246
    edited October 2007

    Hey Janie, so far my right hand hasn't gotten real bad yet. Some days it shakes pretty good and some not bad. I cleaned the house really good today, I am really tired. Hubby asked who was going to come visit us and I said I hope no one because I don't feel like cleaning up after them. Oh my God, he has sworn he will never leave the toilet seat up again on me. He got up in the middle of the night with a touch of stomach flu and he had left the seat up and he hit the water and he said it was awful. He said why didn't you ever tell me it was that bad. I said I doubt you would have listened. He appologized all over the place for leaving it up all these years. Really he was pretty good about putting it down most the time. It hurt his back.  Maybe that should be a pre nup. The man has to sit with the seat up in the dark. Did I tell yas that already? Musta or thought about it, I have no clue anymore. Well girls, I really hate to see the nice weather go. We had frost this a.m. but then it warmed up this afternoon. Gotta get girls, it is sweet snack time. Later, Hugs, Mary

  • PJB
    PJB Member Posts: 2,615
    edited October 2007

    Mary, Janie, sorry to hear you guys have got the shakes. That has to be very frustrating.



    Just got done with Nathan's most excellent Halloween costume yet. He's a giant iPod. I'll try to send pics. He's very excited.



    Mary, I know just how it is with that seat up thing. Luckily, these boys here are trained pretty well.



    Later,

    PJ

  • janie44
    janie44 Member Posts: 1,460
    edited November 2007

    Surprised HAPPY HALLOWEEN LADIES !!!!!!

    I had the most goblins I have had in years, maybe ever....probably over 100.  A new way of trick or treating ..... several were driven around by the parent ..... in a golf cart !!!!!!  Others came in groups loaded in the back of a pick-up truck.

    Had a very busy day today. 

    Hope everyone feels well today/night. 

    Talk with you later,

    JF

  • PJB
    PJB Member Posts: 2,615
    edited November 2007

    Oh, Janie, I just blogged on that whole topic. It really chaps me to see people doing that, especially if you're out walking with kids.



    We had a fun time. Check out Nathan's costume: go to wacotrib.com and click on the "momblog." They're desperate for people to do it, so they recruited me. Ha. We'll see how long they want me around.







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