Starting Chemo in May 07

Lar- That sound pretty excessive...the rads onc wanting to see you every 3 months for TWO years??  For what, exactly??  I never even went back to my rad onc for a follow up visit after finishing rads...  Canceled it at the last minute...said I was too sick on chemo.    (Sort of true). 

I only saw my surgeon once --- two weeks after my surgery for the post-op appointment.

I saw my medical onc every other visit during chemo (1x / month).  Now I see her every 4 months...see my onc nurse every 3 weeks, but that's only b/c I am on Herceptin.

Sounds like your docs are a little overkill...but I might be the opposite extreme.  (Don't get me wrong, I LOVED my breast surgeon and my rad onc....but don't feel it's necessary to see them if I'm seeing a medical onc regularly...)  Maybe you could ask your med oncs opinion...if he/she thinks it's necessary for you to follow up with the other docs...

Just my slant...not that it means anything...

V 

I finished radiation in December and the rad onc said he needed to see me in Jan.  Then I was doing great so he said 6 mos...after I do my exchange.  But he said if I ever have any concerns to call up immediately.  They have a 24 hr. hot line for questions.  My lady surgeon said she'd be doing the breast area exams for the next 4 years.  I still need to see the med onc every three mos.  Isn't it strange how they all do things differently?  I suppose it depends on how how bodies respond to treatment, also.

Thinking of everyone...Lorain 

Good morning everybody!

I'm ready to kill my roommate. Will somebody please buy my house???

"

lol

Cindy CA so happy to hear about your grandson! You too Lorraine. I can't wait 'til my grandneice starts walking. She's only 4 1/2 months old so, we've got awhile but, she is really starting to get a personality.

Vir, sorry about the ups and downs with your dad. Do you take sleeping pills? I was complaining to my PCP about being tired all the time and she practically ordered me to take sleeping pills for a week to give my body some rest. I've been waking up 5-7 times every night with hot flashes. I go right back to sleep (after about 5 minutes that it takes to cool back down) but she said that interruption is not good. So, last night was my third night of sleeping thru (just wake up once) and I really do feel better already. I hope you get some rest girl. Your body needs it now, more than ever.

Liz, congrats on 3 wks left!! So happy for you girl. That's like day after tomorrow!!

Lar, It's funny to me that your docs are like that! Mine are the opposite. All my docs except my pcp blew me off to my regular oncologist! He does want to see me every three months. I asked him about the scan and he said in 6 months. He said that the insurance co's don't like paying for them. He said in the mean time, just really listen to my body. Great, now every time I feel anything I think cancer. I push it back though.

Hi Amanda! I've seen you on some other threads and it's always so nice to see your o.k.

Cindy KS, You sound as positive as ever girl. I looked for you on the Trip Neg thread but didn't find you. I didn't look at every one though. I haven't been on as much either. I'm busting my ass daily trying to make some sales and I've been so tired that I'm not on the computer at night like I normally would be.

Hugs everybody. I hope everybody has a good day. Specially you KS!!

Traci

I've started a step aerobics class.  We do mild arm weights.  Do you think I should worry about that?  I've also been walking several miles a day 3 times a week.  It feels great!  What do you think?  Do any of you have scars where your ports were?  Mine looks pretty bad and won't come out for another year.

Lorain 

Amanda! Your blog! (Is that what that is?) : - )

I was gonna post a new thread about my hair. Your story about that made me laugh! Have you found anything to straighten it? Mine is wild. I hate it.

Hi Lorain, My port scar is very visiable and very itchy. Oh well, at least the port is out!!

Hugs girl,

Traci

Hi Girls,

What a roller coaster...  Dad was out of the hospital and in a rehab, but got a mild case of pneumonia and an infection, so he's back in the hospital...  Sigh...

I had my MRI last Monday and the results were clear...or whatever you say when it shows nothing...  I have to have a mammo in 8 months (to bring me to 1 year) and another MRI in 1 year.  This is at the reco of the Breast Center.  My onc might have different ideas...I see her on Weds of next week.

Traci- I am taking your advice (or your docs advice) and I am going to take an Ambien every night for a week...  Tonight will be night #3.  I am exhausted...and I am now coming down with a head cold.  Not good.  Did you sell your house yet??  Tough market, eh?

Amanda- when do you count the "cancerversay"?  On the day of diagnosis??  How is your lymphodema?  How is your mom?

CindyMN- Your comments RE your sideburns sticking up by your glasses made me laugh!!  I have that problem too...hence I end up wearing my contacts ALL the time instead of the glasses.  Although, I have found that if you put the glasses on high above your ears and slide the temples down, you don't get the Bozo look.  LOL  Pommade or hair gel is the best.  I glop it in my hair...it's a lifesaver. 

I give all of you credit for getting your hair cut.  I think mine started growing before all of yours, and you all have gotten trims.  I consider mine "too short" to get a trim!  I bet it would look better if it was shaped up, but I just can't manage to do it...

Lorain- good for you for exercising...  I can't even bring myself to think about exercising...I just hate it with a passion...

Lar- don't feel bad about cancelling or challenging follow-up appointments.  You have to be your own advocate.  Hope that whatever you decide you are at peace with it... 

I never had a port....I was freaked out at the idea of having anything "permanent."  Most of my infusions have been in the back of my hand, and my veins are so sore and scarred.  It's awful.  Now I wonder why I didn't just go for the port...  Oh well...Herceptin will end in 6 more months...so about 8 or 10 more IV's. 

Liz- you've been quiet...and we haven't heard from Mandy or LeeAnne in ages.  Guess they are busy running around with their lives.  I don't get to post nearly as often as I used to.  I work all day (posting here now) and then go to the hospital after work and by the time I get home I am so exhausted I just collapse on the couch...

Oye...

Hugs to all of you...I do think of everyone often.

On a bright note, I did book my next cruise today...3/27/09!  How crazy is that????  More tha one year away!!  LOL  Anyone wanna come??   

VAK

Traci, yep, that was my blog.  The hair DOES make me laugh, every morning.  small confession - I'm loathe to wash it (eew, I know, I know) because when I do it turns out really poofy and curly.  my peeps say that I just need to get good product and embrace the curliness!  lol.  long curly locks would be great, but frankly, the longer it gets the curlier it gets and so it doesn't seem longer.

and Vir, I haven't braved the hair dresser yet but pretty soon I'm going to insist that someone trim it!!  Good for you with the Ambien, that will make a big difference.  And way to go with booking a cruise!

So, on my end, I'm going to the local Komen conference and I got another retreat scholarship, this time for a place close to home!  Yay.  So my cancerversary will be spent on retreat in a beautiful place

Liz, way to go going out without a scarf or hat!  Is your new hair super soft?  Mine was for a long time....  Are you almost done with rads?

Lorain, way to go on the exercise!  It's springlike here, so I dug out the pedometer and have started walking.....those 20 pounds (EEEEKS) from rads have done a # on my joints.....

and femara starts next week.  Anyone else taking femara? 

Vir - Do you book your cruises online or a travel agency?  I've never been on one.  What line is your favorite?  Where will you be going next time?  Glad you're on Ambien temporarily.  It should help.  Sorry about your dad.

 Liz - Nice to hear from you...and good for you going without a scarf!  I haven't worn my wig since Christmas...don't even think about it anymore, but people I haven't seen for a while don't even recognize me!  I've never had short hair.  It sure is easy and never in my eyes!  I hate the curl but if I blow dry it, it's not as curly...just poofy!!!!  But I use some product and it's OK!

Amanda - I just had my cancerversary Feb. 22nd.   I actually wasn't diagnosed with cancer positively until March 9th, but Feb is when it was first suspected...so I'm counting that as C-day. The retreat sounds great!  And much needed after our year.  Although I feel much better that I did before I think.  Really great!

I keep trimming the back of my hair so the sides and top can catch up.  It definitely makes it look more neat, plus my hairdresser says it actually makes it grow faster and thicken up a bit.

I do the elementary school yearbook so I've been working like crazy on it.  I take all the pictures and put it together online.  It's actually quite fun and the kids love to have their pics taken.  Almost done...then I can start ordering library books and materials for next year!  It actually is fun also.

CindyMN - Bet you're excited about that exchange!  I just can hardly wait!  Will be anxious to hear how it goes and what you think!  I'm halfway nervous because I so want it to turn out great! 

Traci...I think your just a beautiful gal...and it's always fun to hear from you.  Are you still thinking about moving?   

I'm taking Arimidex only...I'm older that ya'll!

Love...Lorain 

THE LITTLE RASCALS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you! GAWD...........

Traci - someone from the boards here called YOUR WORK!!?  To say what?!  WTH?!!! feel free to respond in our yahoo group...

xoxo 

Amanda,

Happy cancerversary!

You and LeeAnne had mexican food? I wanna go!

 Traci

Hi everyone,

Wow sorry it's been so long since I posted.  I think I only turned my computer on once last week.  I've been busy but also feeling lousy.  The Avistin causes nose bleeds and the Gemzar causes my plateletts to drop.  I had to drive 40 minutes one way every day last week to get a Nuemega shot to boost the plateletts.  They finally started coming back up.  Not sure what the carboplatin is doing, lol.

I have a CT scan tomorrow to see how this cocktail (wish it were a nice alcoholic cocktail) is affecting the liver tumors.  I'll have chemo again on Thursday.  I will be sure and get on here and post the results from the CT.

I could have stayed with friends last week and not had to make the drive but I sleep better at home and my house is quieter and I can sleep.  I was suppose to work but I was so tired in the evenings that I had them find someone else to cover.  Not a problem as it was spring break and lots of people were around.

FRIDAY IT WILL BE OFFICIAL.  I'LL BE A GRANDMA!!!!!!  I'm almost as excited as the kids.  I'll post pics of the baby on the yahoo site when I get them. (ummm or when I get the time). This is gonna be a crazy week.  CT on Monday, dr. appt for mom-to-be Tuesday, Taking a friend to KC (2 hour drive) for a follow up appt Wed, Chemo Thursday, BABY Friday, and My neice is getting married on Saturday.   Sunday I will either sleep all day or be visiting the baby.  Gee can you guess which one it will be.  LOL

Glad to hear everyone is doing well, my hair is growing back as well.  I've got about 1/4 inch but its thin and grey, I was hoping it would not be all grey but it is.  I'm just glad there is a little coming back, now if the eyebrows and lashes would return as well I'd be happy.

My  cancerversary was this week.  It was spring break last year when I found my first lump.  April 3rd was diagnosis day.  Not sure which one to count as I cannot remember the exact date I found the lump.

Well I'm heading to bed.  Have to get up early in the morning to go for the CT.  I'll check in again soon I promise. LOL

Hope everyone had a great Easter with family and friends.

Big {{{{{{{{{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}}}}}}}} to all.

CindyKS

Wow we must all be really busy.

I had good reports on my CT scan.  The tumors have all shrunk.  WOOOHOOOO  I'm kicking these mets butt.

I'm changing my avatar to a pic of the baby.  She was born Friday, March 28, 2008 at 4 pm.  Sayde Leigh  and she weighed 6 lbs 11oz and 19in tall.  Mom wasnt progressing so dr. broke her water and they put in the internal monitors.  As soon as they got them in they noticed babies heart rate had dropped to like 55.  So they did an emergency C-Section.  Mom and baby are both fine.  Just scared us big time.  I was sure Chris was gonna pass out or something but he did well.  We had to wear the white suits, masks, booties and hats.  We both looked so cute.  No pics of me all dressed up but have a pretty funny one of my son.  The suit almost didnt fit him.  About 15-20 minutes after she was born, I started feeling faint and sick.  I think after chemo on Thursday there was just to much excitement to fast and the come down was way to fast.  I did alot of sitting after that but was still there for Sayde's bath and bottle and all the other firsts.  LOL nothing would have stopped me.

Anyway just wanted to update.

Hope everyone is doing OK.

{{{HUGS}}}}

CindyKS

Hi, everyone!  Congratulations, CindyKS, on being a Grandma...but most of all on the great news about the tumors shrinking!!!!!  Praise God!  It makes the bad days worth it!  Your granddaughter is a doll and I love her name!  So glad everyone is fine. 

CindySC - I'm your age if you remember, and I'm agree with you on the estrogen and hot flashes.  I told the doc the hot flashes were worse than the chemo...almost.  He just says I'll have to deal with it.  BUT...he did tell me to try Effexor.  He told me it only works for about 10% of us, but I wanted to try. I went on it in September or October and I think it took until after Christmas for me to notice a big difference.  But now I hardly ever have them...and they were killing me also!  It's much improved now but I think it takes some time.  I take mine once a day in the morning so I get the full effect all day at school (work).  I hope you see an improvement also.  Would love to see some pics of your remodeled kitchen...what a big job!  I'm planning to decorate our basement family room and clean out my storage room this summer.  We bought some new furniture, now I'm ready to make it sizzle!  I'll have to get my creative juices running!  I do love this type of thing though.

I miss everyone.  Hope you're all doing well.  What about your dad, Vir?  Have you found a new job, LeeAnne?  Traci...is all well with you?  I plan to be in Pensacola, FL this summer for a while, visiting grandkids and daughter-in-law.  I love the beach!!!!  Hoping I can wear a swimsuit after my final surgery...implants May 30th!!!!  Even though I'm 56 I'm still pretty thin and LOVE to swim!  I told my ps...just make sure I can wear a swimsuit!  

I saw a piece on CNN tonight about a ps who was on drugs and had an alcohol problem.  Well, he did surgery on women with breast cancer ...mainly reconstruction after mastectomy...using stomach tissue.  WOW!  I couldn't believe some of the butchering they showed that he was responsible for!!!  I felt very fortunate. 

I'm doing great!  My dumb hair is about 3 inches long and curly as all get out!  And I hate curls!!!  I was a teen in the hippie sixies!  Long, straight hair!  Oh well...at least it's hair.  I blow it dry and try to plaster it straight!  People say they like it, but I think it's because it's on my head and not theirs!!  Ha! 

Thinking of you all as we entering a beautiful and renewing time of the year...spring!  Love to you all...Lorain 

Hi Everyone!

Love the baby pic, CindyKS.  And keep kicking those mets' butts!!!

Lorain,  I hope you'll be happy with your reconstruction. I like mine more every day.  Even after the radiation they still look and feel fine.  Hope it stays this way.  I would definitely wear a bathing suit and I've found some great tanks with the little shelf bras. No need for full support anymore!  It's awesome.  My wardrobe is really going to change now.

Cindy/Lorain, I am on Effexor too. My onc is very skeptical about it, but i think my hot flashes have been subsiding.  It's less than a month so far, so maybe it'll get better like Lorain was saying happened to her.  My onc & gyno also said I could get my period back and maybe that is why they're getting better.  But they're not gone yet!

I started Jenny Craig last week.  I just can't stand my body right now and I need the sense of control that I get from the portion-control.  i want my old body back.

Who's taking Tamoxifen?  I just started up again now that my radiation is finished.  I think I'm feeling achey and I hope it's not the Tamoxifen that's doing it.  I'm feeling a bit swollen too.  Maybe my body will adjust but I am a little nervous about it.  I'm ready to feel good again.