Starting Chemo in May 07

ps Cindy.....been there, done that! Sorry girl.......copy and paste baby! Did I say I'm getting soft booobies tomorrow???????!!!!!!

Dang girls...you all are a riot talking about your soft boobies!!  That's a riot...  I almost fell off my chair laughing at those posts.

Traci- hope everything went well...  Can't wait to hear from you....

Cindy- I've had posts that have disappeared...but not lately thankfully.  Sometimes it doesn't pay to highlight and right click and save the extra long posts just in case....  (Of coure, hind sight is 20/20, right??)

Hope everyone else is hanging in there...

Virginia

Hi everyone

I haven't posted in a while.  Done chemo and radiation (4 weeks ago).  It seems like a hit a wall in the last week.  I was gradually working up to doing more work in the house and going out once a day to shop or whatever.... I got so tired that I had about 1 week where I could not sleep.  The doctor wanted me to take celexa and it gave me chest pain.  I started to have naps again during the day and having to take it easy again.  If I get too run down, the fatigue gives me such anxiety and almost panic attacks.  Since I started resting again those symptoms are going away.  Any of you having difficulties getting over the fatigue.  I do yoga every day and walk for 30 minutes as well.

  prayers out to all of you and hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving

K IM

Hey girlies,,,,,,,,,,,,,

omg Traci,,,,,,,,,,,,uuuuuuuuuuu crack me up.  I am so glad to see you in good spirits and glad you got your new boobies.  lol

Virginia, Liz, Amya, LeeAnne (where has she been lately??), Lorain, CindyK, CindyM.. glad to see that all you ladies are doing so well.  Kim,,,,,,I dont think I have ever seen your post here,,,,but welcome and nice to meet you.  Wow,,,,,,we sure have all been thru a lot huh?  But the worst is behind us.  Yeah for us.  And for those of you not finished with chemo and rads yet,,,,,,,hang in there babes,,,,,,,,there is light at the end of the tunnel,,,,,trust me on that one.

Ok,,,,,,,,,,soooooooooo,,,,,,the day before Thanksgiving we had a water leak in the kitchen.  Get this,,,,,it was actually the ice maker attached to the frig that leaked.  Wellllllllllllllll  needless to say,,,,,,,,it went into the walls and into the bathroom wall too.  So for about a week now we have been dealing with plumbers, dry up crew, contractors and of course,,,,,,the best of the best,,,,,,,the insurance company.  Such a pain in da azz they are.  Friday we have another company coming out to give us an estimate on the repairs.  Good lord,,,,,,does the fun ever stop?  lmao  O well,,,,we just do what we gotta do. 

Had a nice Thanksgiving,,,,,,,,,,I said a lil prayer to the family,,,,,and of course I cried like a frickin baby.  I just have so much to be thankful for this year.  My daughter had a baby,,,,,,,,,what a cutie and such a wonderful blessed addition to this family.......I thanked my family for being there for me every step of the way.  They have been so loving, supportive and such an encouragement for me to keep on truckin.  And of course all my friends too,,,,,,,and all you ladies here.  What a blessing it was to be able to come here to chat and vent when things seemed like they were never going to get better.  But they did,,,,,,,,and each and everyone one of us are proof, right?

I hope that Mandy comes back to us.  I know it can get a little depressing sometimes coming here and reading things,,,,,especially at the beginning of chemo when things just seemed so gloomy.  At least I felt like that sometimes,,,,,,but soon realized that we were all in the same boat and had so much to share with each other.  That we were not alone.

Trying to get into the holiday shopping spirit.  I just am at a loss as to what to get my children this year.  They really dont want or have a need for anything,,,,,,so this year may be a nice simple one.  They say they want "world peace" and I said,,,,,,,,good luck on that one my children.  lol  But we can always dream and wish right?  I want nothing this year,,,,,,,I have everything I could ever ask for,,,,,,,,,my family and their love........I'm a simple gal.  Ok,,,,,,,,I'm not gonna lie,,,maybe a trip around the world would be cool,,,,,,,,I dream big,,,,,what can I say.

Well,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I have blabbed on and on,,,,,,,sorry ladies.

Have a great week,,,,,,,,,and take care of yourselves,,,,,,,and soooooooo glad you are all doing so well.  Refreshing I must say.

Cindy

Hey girls!

Glad my embarrassment (sp?) made y'all laugh!!!

Cindy, your prayer made me cry!!

Amy, I'm so glad your rad burn is fading but boy, that is scary about your heart. Isn't what you are describing about your heart waking you up called something? Sleep ap....a ....something?? It seems to me that they ask me if I have that at every pre-op appt. I hope you get that in check fast. That would scare me too.

Thanks for the visual of you getting up naked and doing something! LOL!!!

I could have sworn I posted on this thread last night.....pain pills.....

I got a little scared last night when I looked in the mirror at like 11 pm and saw my right bandage was almost completely stained with blood (not coming all the way through the bandage but you could see it) and there was only one little spot on the left.

I almost went to the ER but didn't.   Just got back from my Dr's appt this morning and he said no big deal. He ripped (felt like it) the old bandage off and put on a new one. Although, I just looked in the mirror and there is already a spot of blood I can see.

I am suppose to keep these bandages on until Saturday. I have to sponge bathe until then. After my shower on Saturday, antibiotic ointment and news bandages.  

I have this special bra I have to where all the time except when I am in the shower, for 3-5 weeks. It actually feels pretty good, even though it is tight, in that it offers support.  

I feel pretty good considering...pain pills help. Sorry if I slur my words!!!

Hugs, girls!

Traci

ok ladies,,,,,,,,,,,,this will be brief..................buttttttttttttttttttt (no pun intended there Virginia)

I was thinking of getting my two sisters and my daughter and of course myself,,,,,,,,a breast cancer ornament for their tree.  Whatcha think?  Or is that just too darn corny?  There is a website you can go to and get all sorts of stuff,,,,,,,,,

Amanda,,,,,,,,Thank you for thinking I dont look old enough to be a granny,,,,,,,,,,,,but ooooooooooo I ammmmmmmmmm.   lol  He is 10 months old,,,,,,,,,,I babysit him on Wed, Thur, and Friday.  I took him to the mall today and we looked at the big tree with the train running thru it,,,,,,,,,,his eyes were as big as saucers.........soooo cute.

And now I'm tired,,,,,,,,,,,,,time for beddy bye.  We have another dude coming over tomorrow for another estimate on the repairs that need to be done to the kitchen and bathroom.  Yippeeeeeeeeeeee

Nite ladies,,,,,,,,,,,,

Cindy

Virginia...your hair doen't look like a rooster!  It isn't very gray either!  Mine's quite gray, but definitely growing it quickly!  It's pretty flat to my head, though.

Traci...I'm interested in how you're feeling?!  How long did you have tissue expanders in?  Or did you?  I can't remember when you had surgery.   I didn't know we'd have to wear a special bra for 3-5 weeks.  Do they appear to be what you expected?  I'm sooo excited to have my exchange...but won't until June.  Oh well...it's really not that far away!

Cindy...are you done with rads now?  Did it go OK?  How's your hair doing?  Have your brows and lashes grown back?

Amy..sorry about your rad burn.  How uncomfortable!  I'm noticing my skin getting darker, but that's all so far...I have a bilat with tissue expanders...so nothing hangs down or rubs!  Everything is hard as a rock!  I've finished 18 rads...15 to go!!!!!

We're flying to southern Mississippi for Christmas and I'm getting excited.  My daughter and hubby just built a gorgeous new home in Pass Christian...can't move in until January, but it'll be almost done!  Can't wait to see it and enjoy some warm weather!

Happy holidays...Lorain 

Hey How's everyone doing?  Sorry I havent' posted in a while.  I'm starting to feel really good and I'm sooo excited about getting my expanders out a week from tomorrow!

I hope you're all doing good and feeling better.  Welcome to new MtnMama.  

I got some weird news today.  My onc sent me to radiation oncologist even though my breast surgeon said I wouldn't need radiation.  Of course, this guy say I need rads!  Ugh!!!  The problem is that I had neo-adjuvant chemo and  then mastectomy and I did so well that they don't know how bad I was before I got the chemo.  So they're taking my case to tumor board on Thursday.  I'm hoping that will generate some discussion and help me make my decision.  I really don't want to do this but I know it could be a good thing for me.  I feel like I'm cured already and don't want to do anymore treatment.  I'm ready to go on with my life.  Besides the fact that it will probably cause problems with the implants.

So Traci how are you doing? 

Virginia, your hair is really coming in huh?  Cool.  Mine is so thin, I'd be super jazzed even if my hair came in and did weird things. 

I don't suppose anyone else had neoadjuvant chemo, then mastectomy, then rads???  I can't remember if anyone did.

OK.  I'm off to work.  I had two doc appointments today so I'm burning the midnight oil tonight. 

Lorain, why didn't they put the implants in first?  My PS says I should have the implants put in before rads, otherwise I would have to wait a year.

Traci, I am sorry you're having a bad time.  I know how easy it is to get into a funk like this. 

It may take time for your implants to drop into place.  I talked to my PS today and he said that they will drop into a more natural position in 2 or 3 weeks.  So don't fret too much yet.  Your body will get  more used to them I think.

I hope you cheer up and feel better tomorrow.

Love ya. 

Liz, why do they want you to have rads? I was told rads would only be needed (in addition to mastectomy) if the tumor was over 5 cm. I read your stats and it looked like you had two tumors, but even combined, they weren't over 5 cm.

Or were the sizes in your stats how big the tumors were at surgery? For some reason, I thought yours melted away to nothing pre-surgery but maybe I'm confusing your situation with someone else.

What are they going to radiate? You've had a double mast, right? I'm seriously peeved on your behalf. I hope the tumor board can shed some light on this, and give you a good recommendation.

--CindyMN

Liz, I chose mastectomy over lumpectomy to avoid radiation, so I'm with you on wanting to avoid those side-effects. I have been very aggressive in my treatment, but (if I were you) I don't think I'd do radiation unless they could explain things better to me.

The explanation you've gotten sounds pretty dumb to me. They have these thresholds for a reason, to weigh the benefits vs the risks. I'm at the Mayo Clinic and my docs told me I'd only need radiation (after mastectomy) if my tumor was over 5 cm.

I don't know that lymph nodes even entered into the equation. This whole situation raises red flags for me. I think they're trying to cover their butts and railroad you into an unnecessary treatment.

BTW, I finished my weekly Taxol/Carboplatin at the end of August. My hair is *slowly* growing back. <grin>

--CindyMN

My aunt died this morning from complications of lung cancer and bone mets. She was in her 60s. 

I blogged about it here--> iamthebulldog.blogspot.com.

Liz - Sooo sorry about your aunt.  60 is so young.  And to have fought 2 cancer battles!  In regards to our discussion about implants...my ps does the tissue expanders, then radiation, then 4-6 mos later, the exchange.  He says radiation can damage the implants...even harden them some.  So far all is going well.  As far as radiation, it's really not a big deal...my skin is fine, since I don't have skin against skin.  I bet they're concerned that you may have had more nodes if they had tested before chemo.  Rads will assure you that all cancer cells are gone.  I'll be interested in what they say is the reason.

Traci - I'm so sorry for you and the friend you made.  As Mtn mama said each case is individual.  Just because you're a triple neg. doesn't mean anything.  Sorry about your implants, but I agree with Liz...they'll improve with time.  Are they just too small or do you not like the shape?  I'm praying for you.

Thinking of all of you...Lorain 

Hey girlies,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I hope you are all well.  Seems like there are a few that are in a funk,,,,,,,,,need to snap out of it girls.  Just know that we are all thinking of you and sending positive vibes, ok?  And just trust your docs.

Traci,,,,,,I'm sorry to hear about your friend.  I truly am.

Lorain,,,,,,,,,yeah, Im done with rads,  I finished a few weeks ago and am all healed up now.

The hair is coming back,,,,,,,,,it is filling in more now,,,,,,,,,but wished it was longer.  Its probably about 1/2 in long,,,,,,,,,not long enough to even consider going topless.  lol  Eyelashes are coming back,,,,,,,,still a little short but they are coming in.  Never lost the eyebrows.  Underarm hair is very sparse,,,,,,which is just fine with meeeeeeeee.  Leg hair came in like a damn forrest.  And the hair wayyyyyyy down there is coming in too,,,,,,,,bummer.  lol

Still dealing with getting the kitchen and bathroom back in order from the water leak.  I am wanting to get my christmas decorations up and get a tree,,,,,,but the house just seems to be in such a dissaray at the moment.  Hopefully within the next two weeks my house will be back to normal.  Been such a pain in the rear though.

Other than that,,,,,,,nothing to new and exciting goin on.  Babysitting my grandson,,,,,,,,omg he is such a cutie.  We take naps in the afternoon together..........he's sooooooo cuddly.

Hope you all stay well,,,,,,,,,,,and get yourselves out of the dulldrums.  Christmas is coming and we need to be in a cheerful mood. 

Take care all,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,have a good rest of the week.

Cindy