Post Chemo Spa & Shape Up

Happy November 1, Ladies!

Mary - I agree - get those ovaries out! Peace of mind and life! Vajayjay! omg, I had to read it twice- hilarious. Thanks for laugh and a new word to try out on my friends - when we're having our girl talks of course. Flex time sounds wonderful - having a long weekend. I hope that works out for you. Let us know about your ooph decision.

We have a camper up near Lake Erie, we leave it there year round and visit on the weekends. It's 30' has a br in the front, kitchen in the center, bathroom at the end and a screen room where we enjoy sitting in the evenings. Luxury camping, not really roughing it. It's too much trouble to haul it around with the limited time we have. We'd much rather spend our vacations at the beach beach (ocean).

Mizzy - your cat story sounds so familiar. While I am deathly allergic to kitties, while I was growing up we had many many strays. I loved them to death. They would bring us all kinds of things, mice, squirrels, moles onto the deck and leave them or play with them. I would try to intervene in this and set the poor prey free.

I love Phoenix/Scottsdale as well. So beautiful and full of life.

Cathy - your Tai Chi classes sound very interesting. Please let us know what you learn about your uterus tomorrow.

Casey -Good luck with your onc appt on Friday. My 6-month appt is November 21. Part of me doesn't even want to go, not that I am afraid, but what can they do. Feel this, feel that, ask some questions.

Please let me know how you like the Rosetta Stone.

Dottie - Have a wonderful time in AZ. Sounds lovely. I need a vacation. I am with you; I find the Russian culture fascinating, but would much rather visit tropical destinations. How was the movie? We went to see "Gone Baby Gone" last week. Good movie, although dark and depressing. I had read the book, so knew what to expect, but my husband very much enjoyed it.

Hi Carol. Hope you are well.

Went to the gym on Tuesday night and did some weight work - machines and a short run. Weights: Legs are fine - did some ham curls, leg extensions; now upper body, well that's another story, I had to put the weight on 25 lbs on the lat pull down machine. Maybe has something to do with bilateral mast. ?

Raye

Great to hear from all of you..

 Carol, very sorry to hear that you may have to undergo a hysterectomy..what we have to go through!  Will it never end! 

Thomcat, I know you've been busy, but don't forgot your one of us!!  The Tai Chi sounds really cool.  I think I'd enjoy that, and anything that boosts your immunity, I'm all for that.  You know, will all the news about how ineffective some of these poisons are that they made us take, I'm ready to look around more and try some of the nontraditional approaches!!

Carol, loved your Sweet Sixteen picture.  Your daughter is glamorous and looks very self-confident, and it is so nice to have sisters close to you as yours are.  I hope you keep us up to date on your vacation.  More pictures would be great!

Raye...well we have something in common.  Last fall we bought a very inexpensive and old popup camper after a horrible weekend sleeping in a tent (I felt like I was sleeping in the bottom of a shower stall).  It goes back to the 70s, but I had a great time updating it.  Recovered all the brown plaid cushions with a sexy leopard skin velour. It has running water, a stove, and is as cozy as can be. We just love it!! Whenever we go anywhere I feel like I'm on a safari.  We've only taken it out once since its maiden voyage.

On Painting...though the occupation listed on my tax return is "fulltime artist" I don't paint anymore.  Before chemo I painted watercolors, cats and landscapes. I am basically representational, but in some sense all art is abstract (sorry, I'm no fan of Jackson Pollack's). I ended up painting lots of cats because that is what sold.  I was about to transition to oils when I was dx'd, and treatment interfered.  Now I am literally back to the drawing boards, drawing nudes, and loving it!  It's very liberating, and I am very much enjoying the freedom and forgiving quality of charcoal on newsprint.  Sometime I'll get back to painting, but I think I want to focus on portraits...in charcoal and oil.  Hoping there's some money there.

Well, I'm not quite done, but I'm going to post this before I lose it...will catch up later.

Mizzy 

forgive my typos - my fingers are still shaking from the down payment on the hair.

Raye

Raye, I would love to see a picture of the extensions.  I wonder how long it takes to put them in? Remember the Bo Derek braids?  I had them done when i was a teenager and it took 7 hours to put them it! 

Mizzy, Love the camper - it really looks cute.

Mary, I like the weights too although I am sporadic lately with my workouts.  I worry about lymphedema too but I feel like exercise is the best way to keep it at bay.  I am flying to St. Thomas on Sunday and I am so worried about that.  I am worried about the expanders at the security check in (has anyone ever been stopped?) and my arm when we fly. I have a sleeve which I will wear.  I'm sure it will be okay but I guess I am a worrier sometimes too. Have a great week everyone!

Hi everyone!

My appt went OK today.  The dr says he thinks it's just a fibroid but the ultrasound results will be in Mon/Tues.  Thanks for the concern and I'll keep you posted.

Mary - Let's have a competition in worrying.  I think that's all I do.  There for a while I thought I was over it but the past couple of weeks have been plaguing me.  I have a close friend who is doing chemo now and her sentinel node was positive, therefore, she had the axillary dissection.  She told me she had read somewhere that you need to be careful with the amount of weight you lift because it could trigger lymphedema.....I'd research it.

Carol - Have fun on your trip.  Sounds like fun.

Dotti - Have fun on your trip, also.

Raye - You always look so cute in your avatar!  Can't wait to see the hair extensions.

Mizsissy - The camper looks fun.  This is a great time of year to go camping.  Have you and your hubby been anywhere?  Interesting comments on the hair.  I'm wondering how long my curls will last.  Mine are very much like my hair prior to the birth of my son.  After he was born my hair straightened out a bit.  I'm going for a trim this week.

Casey - Spanish sounds like fun!

Everybody have a good weekend!

Cathy

OMG Ladies!!!!

Carol,

I am sorry that you need to have a hysterectomy; let us know when the surgery is scheduled.  I will check out your daughter's pic when I sign off of this thread. A Cadillac Escalade! Please make sure she is careful! 

Are your sisters okay?

St. Thomas is wonderful.  I had a step sister who used to live there... we had fun diving and sialing to St. Johns.

I think with the sleeve you will do fine.

Raye,

I'm here at my brother's house, just telling him how beautiful (in and out!) you are. ( He is a fellow at UVA; prostate cancer research but due to family history very interested in BC and I am very proud of him.) I look forward to seeing you with your hair extensions.

My father-in-law used to run charters out of P something Bay.  Barry and I spent a fun weekend there when we were dating.  I remember this Italian joint with the best meat sauce ever!

Mizzy,

I have to say that although I appreciate representational art (Man, that attention to detail is like that of a surgeon!), my heart lies with the more abstract. I love Picasso and Braque (sp?).  I never really appreciated them until I went to an exhibit in London and was able to see how they progressed from representational art to cubism.  Then I went to Madrid and was just in awe of the Picasso's and Miro's!  

We settled on Pollack for the painting because, well, it's fun to fling paint at a canvas, glass of wine in one hand, brush in the other.

Cathy,

Hang in there sweetie!

Mary,

Don't worry about the weight lifting. The most recent literature does not find a relationship between lifting weight and lymphedema.  Just progress at a reasonable rate of speed.  You may be over fatiguing the arm. The first sign of lymphedema tends to be tightness difficulty removing rings, although a sense of heaviness is not unheard of.  If you are concerned, get fitted for a sleeve and wear it when you lift, do strenuous house work or travel.  I am not a lymphedema expert but I do treat women with lymphedema using what is called complete decongestive therapy and weight lifting is always a part of the treatment plan.

Dottie,

First class!

That is one of the things I plan on doing before I die!

Have fun!

I saw the oncologist yesterday.

Can I just say I love my doctor?

We spoke about medical issues for about 8 minutes;, him winning a kayak, how much he loved my hair and how he lost 23# and is wondering about losing more for 22 minutes.

He drew blood and had me get a chest x-ray. I asked him about the latter; he said it should be a once a year thing.

We talked about the hot flashes and the insommnia. Because I have the heterozygote form of a very common blood clotting disorder he recommended switching from Tamoxifen to Reloxefine (Evista).  I spoke with my brother about that; the STAR study was done with women at increased risk for developing BC; not those who already had it... he said his colleagues in the BC world are highly optomistic about it.  In the meanwhile he said take a two week hiatus from the Tamoxifen before starting Evista.  He also said that because I was stage IB that ultimately I could always chose to not do hormone therapy and I would only be at a slightly elevated risk for developing metatstatic disease.

I have to say that sort of freaked me out.

I kind of have been on  the surgery, chemo, tamoxifen and I never deal with cancer again to the what if I quit and what if it happens....

and then I look at you ladies and I get a great deal of strength.

Buenas noches!

Hasta pronto.          

Good Morning Ladies.

Mary - god, sometimes I just don't think. Talking about EXTENSIONS while you are struggling with your hair. I am so sorry. But let me tell you this - you are beautiful.And what a bod.  I believe that weight lifting is actually good for lymphodema. I had similar concerns even about running, worried that the fluid accumulation would cause lympodema. Guess it's one of those things we will always be fortunate enough to have to worry about. GRR.

Carol - have a great time in St. Thomas. Have wonderful for you. Sunshine, relaxation - you certainly deserve it.

How fun that you had the Bo Derek braids. Did they hurt? My hair stylist tells me it will take 4 -5  hours to put them in. Not a weave, I guess they use little bonders (for lack of a better word) and use heat to bond the new hair to your own hair. He assures me that they will not damage my hair and I've been going to the same guy for years, so I trust his judgement.

Cathy - so glad your appt went well. Always something isn't it. I try to keep these worries in the back of my head, but something they just pop out.

Dottie - you must be in sunny AZ now. I hope you enjoyed your first class flight and are having a relaxing time (hopefully still sleeping in this am). Have a great time and tell us all about it when you get back.

Casey - thanks! Put-in-Bay, it's on a small island called South Bass on Lake Erie. Very fun place. Quite a party place; I like Kelley's Island better- still fun, but less "spring breakish."

Your onc sounds wonderful. So nice to have a great rapport with your docs - makes the appts so much more bearable. My onc said the same about the chest Xray - once a year. Ugh. I hate those types of tests.  I am not the most knowledgeable about the medicines taken for ER or PR positive ladies, but do you think he would allow you to remain on the tamox until you start the other just for piece of mind? Is the Evista a hormone suppressant?

Mizzy - I look at your camper picture and just want to crawl into that cozy bed and look at the foliage outside. So relaxing! I understand your feelings about the ER status. Us Trip negs don't get the best prognosis either, but there are so many studies and so many contradicts the others, it's hard to keep track of what's what. I guess trip negs react well to chemo, but that could change with the next study. Very frustrating try to find answers.

Have a great Monday all.

Raye

Maybe we should all take photos of our current hair and submit them to my friend Debby for suggestions?!!!! She says she knows a lot about chemo hair.  I'm covering my face for my photo.

Mary - I love your avatar! You look simply fabulous!!!

Raye

Buenas Noches ladies.

I am still studying Spanish and although I don't know anything useful yet, I love it!  Spanish feels wonderful in my mouth!

Mary!

You look wonderful!  I agree with Mizzy; you are a tiny woman.  I'm glad your'e still enjoying the sports circuit. My biggest problem is that I get bored with all my workouts eventually.

 I went for a nice bike ride today.  It was a little chilly but it sure beat being inside at work.  Tomorrow I am going to ride to Harker's Island.  I think the round trip is around 30 miles; not a long distance from Atlantic Beach but when you factor in the wind a short distance can kick your ass!  

Raye,

What made you decide against hair extensions?  I have to say that although my onc liked my hair, I am a bit frustrated with it.  It is so much finer then my original hair and without a little "product " and hairspray tends to lie flat and limp with these goofy curls at the end. 

Lake Erie is the first place I really fished.  I mostly caught sheephead, Barry mostly caught walleye.  He said if I put my book down I might actually feel the bite of a walleye.  I have since learned that he's right.  Different species have a different bite and a different fight.  I guess somewhere along the line he created a fisherwoman of me! 

Missy,

Where in WV was your friend's shop?

So my hot flashes have not abated although I have not taken Tamoxifen for a week. It makes me wonder if my hormones are not quite as low as I thought. 

Have a great weekend ladies.

Casey 

Hi Debby!

Did WVU win Friday night?

I haven't been to Morgantown in years. I tend to drive by at 70+mph on my way to Pittsburgh's strip district two or three times a year but if it's cool with you I will PM you next time I am headed in that direction (I'm almost out of Parmegiano-Reggiano and I am a cheese snob although I can't spell) and see if we can't meet for a drink on my way home.  I usually travel there with my friend Catherine and she is a hoot.

Take care.

Casey

Hi ladies:

I've been rather quiet on the message board this week because I've been painting my LR.  It was a project I started prior to dx and am FINALLY getting around to it.  DH is going to help me finish today.

Welcome to our thread Puppy.  I recognize your username as I used to frequent another humor thread where you posted.  I loved the humor!!!!! 

The weather in SW FL is absolutely divine now.  The humidity has finally disappeared and I can get outside to do some things.  All you ladies who live up north have to stay in all winter and here we have to stay inside all summer.  I've been walking with a friend almost everyday and have set up my work out bench in the garage to do free weights for my arms.  I'm contemplating putting my membership on hold at the "Y" because I don't plan on water aerobics during the winter and walking on the treadmill is such a bore.  I'm hoping I can stay motivated enough to walk and exercise at home while it's on hold.

The latest on my appt last week is that I have a fibroid and the dr doesn't recommend doing anything about it since I'm not symptomatic.

Casey - do you live in NC?  I noticed you said something about Atlantic Beach.  I'm a native from the mtns, Asheville. 

Have a good weekend.  I have to get to painting!

Cathy

Puppy...so sweet of you to post over here.  We've all got some very serious hair issues.  I keep trying to get up the courage to take a picture of mine but I'm just too vain to show the world how bad it looks.   Chemo was not too kind too my skin either. We really need your help!!!  Do you know anything about Botox?  

My hair is about 3 inches long on top and 1 1/2 inches on the sides (LOL Marygla about how we should put our heads together!!!).  I'm practically bald at the temples.  I've spent a few sessions trying to comb it...the bangs are starting to curl down instead of up.  That's good I guess.  I can get it looking good from the front, but the back and sides look strange...it tends to curl into clumps and leave bare spots.  So after 20 minutes of getting nowhere I usually just grab a turban to be done with it!  

Maybe I'm just enjoying the ease of wearing a turban and not having to bother with my hair.  My hair was never that great to start with...

On another note..how did everyone enjoy the weekend (DH is a fed, so we get all the holidays!).   Haven't been outside to see a movie in ages but we saw Michael Clayton last night.   Terrific!!!  Great suspense & performances and we enjoyed every minute.  First time I've walked out of a moving looking forward to seeing it again.

Cathy..so nice to see you again...we've missed you.  What color did you paint?

Oops...gotta go, DH is home & I'm holding up cocktail hour!!!

xxxxoooo Mizsissy 

Carol, Welcome Back.  Where are your pictures!!  Your vacation sounds wonderful.

Just to get you up-to-date, I was wondering if hair extensions were really a good idea, so I asked Puppy--who I speak to quite often--and she said Absolutely NOT!  I did mention this to Raye, and she got together with Puppy and decided not to do them and got all her money back.  That's when we decided that we really need Puppy to step in and help us...let me tell you girls, we are fortunate to have such a lovely lady among us!  She's also got special connections upstairs LOL...

Dottie, how was Phoenix?  I missed your post!

For those of you who are shy about posting pix on the forum, we have a private document set up in Google, and Raye, Carol, Mary, Cathy, Puppy, and myself are all collaborators, which means we can all go in, update stats, add or subtract photos, etc.  So that's a place to post pictures.  Maybe I should also set up a special Hair Page.   Casey and Dottie, I need you to PM me your email addresses so I can set you up, or you can just PM me your stats & photos if you prefer. 

One week from today:  CHECK IN for progress reports, weight, stats, hair pix!!  Then we'll set goals for spring!!! 

Mizsissy 

Hi everyone:

I've been sooooo busy since the holidays are upon us.  I've been painting my living room - a bright lime green and I'm fauxing one wall that is my "dining room".  It's actually a living/dining room combo.  I was trying to get finished prior to the arrival of our new puppy today but I still have one wall to do (vaulted ceilings)  plus the final faux finish.  Hope it won't be another year and a half before I get around to it!  lol. 

Our family is sooooo excited because we're getting a labradoodle pup today.  We have waited a LONG time for him because we were scheduled to get one 9/06 but I was dx with the big "c" 8/06.  We decided to put getting a new pup on hold.  So, we decided to move forward with all the plans that had been on hold.

I'm still walking in the a.m. with my friend.  Yesterday, I lifted free weights for arm exercises.  My friend is applying for a job so I'll lose my walking buddy when she goes to work.  I hope I can keep myself motivated.  I think I can.  If exercise helps prevent recurrence, I'm all for it.

Take care everyone and I'll try to post a pix of new pup (he doesn't have a name yet) when I get one.

Cathy