Starting chemo Dec 2007

Hi everyone!  So glad you are all doing so well!  Sorry to hear about your ankle Suz, hope it feels better fast!  WishIwere, Happy Belated Birthday!!!

I need to lose some weight, too.  I'm just not doing very well at it.  I need to exercise more, but by the time I decide to exercise my energy is to low.  Or I'd rather use it for something else.  Cindy, I'll try to get out and walk on Sat too.  I think it's cool that you'll have us with you in a way. 

I have to go in tomorrow for my x ray for radiation, but my left surgical sight is still being a pain.  Once the antibiotics stopped, it got red again.  The good news is it does seem to be shrinking.  I just hope it doesn't slow down anything else.  I so want this all to be done.  My onc is very worried about me because of my "stage 3 thing" so he wants to do extra tests.  Lucky me.  I absolutely do not look forward to that. 

On the bright side, God is in control and He can take all this so I don't have to worry about any of it.  Yay for that!! 

Jeannie, the tatoo thing your son and hubby did....that is so cool and so sweet!  I myself will probably stick to the temporary ones so that if I get sick of it, I can just take it off, but I think if you think you want to live with one forever, go for it!  The only one I'll have to keep is the little dots I guess they give you for rads. 

A couple jokes from my pastor:

What do you call a dog with no legs? 

Ans.  You don't.  He can't come to you anyway.

What do you call a man with no legs in the doorway?

Ans.  Mat

What do you call a man with no legs in the ocean?

ans.  Bob

If three frogs were sitting on a log and one got the notion to jump off, how many are left?

Ans.  Three.  He only took a notion, he didn't jump.

Have a great day!!

Just stopping in to say hello, ladies!  I hope you are all well and enjoying spring!  I am feeling pretty darned good and my energy is coming back.  It is my b-day on Saturday so I started celebrating last night and will continue tonight and tomorrow.  I am now halfway through rads and so far no skin issues, just some pain in rib/breast but hardly more than a slight distraction.  It is so wonderful to be looking at the end of all this getting closer.  Best of luck to you on Sunday, Cindy!

Hugs to all,

Laurita

Hey everybody!

Laura -- I hadn't realized that you two had been apart most of your married life... That will be so exciting for you when gets there... I'm proud for you... you deserve all the best!!!

Amy - I'm sorry you have been having such a terrible time...and hope you are feeling better soon...

Wishiwere... Ditto on the "Go away Medical Crap"... Hopefully not mcuh more of all of this Cancer Crap and we can begin to live our old routine lives again....

Cindy - your page is Great!  and you are just so "Precious" .. with your cheery looking self!   Go Girl!!!    Good Luck on Sunday, and I will be walking w/ ya miles away of course but in my heart right beside all of you girls!!!!

Sal - Hows' the sleep thing going?  Are ya getting any lately?  I sure hope so, and I hope your feeling better soon.

Kate - Have you started your rads yet?  or do you have to have them? I can't keep up ..(chemo brain).....

Hello to Kim and Lori and anyone else I've missed...

Love and Blessings,

Jeannie

Laurita --

Happy B'day to you, Happy B'day to you, Happy B'day dear Laurita!

Happy B'day to you.... (and many more)...!!!!

Have a great day!   

Love and Hugs,

Jeannie

Sal, love the pic.. your sporting the same doo as mine only I have ueneven dark patches scattered throughout the white.

My Computer is 100% caput so I'm in dh's (cold) office. I kinda got used to having my laptop sitting beside me all the times. Not sure if its worth repairing, will find out soon Im sure.

Cindy, got my walking shoes out and will be walking 5km with you tomorrow on the West Coast

Whooo Hooo go Cindy     Much love to ya.

Hope everyone else is well and enjoying spring. Love and Hugs, Suz

Cindy -- That is awesome about Gloria Gaynor!!! How exciting is that?!!?   Good Luck tomorrow!  We'll be there with ya!!!

Sorry I can't post any kind of cute animations (don't know how) but the best of luck and hugs anyway!!!

Jeannie

Just checking in on everyone... happy belated birthday Laurita!!!  How was the Race for the Cure??? not sure how to add photos hope someone else can help you as I sure want to see! 

I hope to do a shorter race here in my area this year.  There is a teacher at my daughter's school that has battled bc twice that organizes one so waiting to hear about that one.  

I am doing well. I too have the wierd hair thing going on.  It is growing but so not all the same, some dark, some white.. some straight some kind of curling.  I don't care though... that is what haircuts and hair color are for!!!!  

I have most of my energy back now, had my surgery just last week and am healing from that well too.  

Thanks for the birthday wishes, ladies!  You gals are a big part of what got me this far and your support will keep me going!  WIW, I was super tired after all the celebrating, and it was completely exacerbated by my inability to sleep last night (maybe 3 hrs), so I am very tired now.  I just hope I can sleep all night tonight.  Fortunately I don't have too much planned this week so I'll be resting up.

It is great to hear everyone is doing so well.  Cindy, can't wait to see the pics!  Gloria Gaynor - very cool...Kimbly, good to hear your surgery is done and you're healing up.  Suz, sorry to hear about your laptop!  I can't imagine.  Mine is always here with me so that when the insomnia hits me (as it has been lately, big time!) I can just surf or work or read or whatever.  Sal, love the pic!  My hair looks a bit darker on top but is quite grey on the sides and I have these two "receding hairline" patches in front on the top left and right hand sides.  Lovely...I hope they'll fill in.  Hair everywhere else is coming in gangbusters.  Will need to shave legs and pluck eyebrows very soon.  Amy, thinking of you and hoping you are busy enjoying life.  Jeannie, yes - I am really looking forward to hubby being here so we can finally spend lots of time together.  I have a long list of projects for him so he'll be busy!  Kate, good luck with everything, sound like you are good and ready to start rads.  I'll have to pop over to the rads board to see if Loriann is hanging out there.

I keep falling asleep while trying to write this, lol. 

I am very excited, I have only 8 more rads tx to go.  So far just a very slight tanned appearance to the little boobie and the skin is ok, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.  I have pain but it is nothing serious.  It is wonderful to know that this will be over in just 11 days!  I think I will draw a happy face on myself for the rads nurses, that will give them a good laugh.  They have been wonderful.

OK I am going to sign off now - take care ladies - keep enjoying life and living it to the fullest!

Hugs

Laura

Cindy, Congradulations!! You look fantastic and wow... whats with all the hair? Thats also a gorgeous pic of you with ds & dd on the beach. It really was an honor to to be taken on your run. Big hugs and a huge thank you! Now you git that steak on bar be and work on getting your counts back up.

Laura, Happy you survived the birthday celebrations and Cinco de Mayo, back to back. Maybe time for a little R&R, you need to be good to you. Way to go on the rads, only 8 more to go!!

My first radiation zapping is tommorrow morning @ 7:45am so guess I'll be up with the birds to try to beat rush hour. Hopefully they will tell me how many treatments I will need. I still dont know.... I think thats really odd that they havent told me yet. Oh well, at least they are starting .

Big hugs out to everyone, am thinking about you. Lots of love, Suz

Oh yeah... Amy... a long time ago, I think you (?) mentioned something to take at night to help with hot flashes ??? Or someone else? I think it was an herbal thing. Or does anyone have suggestions? I know my onc mentioned that there is a pill I can take to help with them if I really need to, but I'd like to try "home remedies" first. Thanks.

Gonna ask him about a prescript for Ambien though. I think that was the sleeping med Amy suggested.

-Sal 

Cindy~  You look marvelous!  My hair is shorter, much more grey and I certainly don't look as youthful as you,   You go girl!  The pics are great!  What a happy bunch, kids and your team!  Thanks for taking us with you!   

Suz!  Hoping all went well today with the rads appt!  Did you hear how many yet?

Kimby!  Rest and hopefully you'll have a quick recovery girl!  Remember to do as they say and take care of yourself!  Don't overdo!

{{Sal}} so sorry you are sleeping well.  No wonder with that pain.  I have a problem with my hips and shoulders, but it's the hips that wake me.  They were happening before arimidex, but seem to have worsen.  I walk like a 90 year old after waking, sitting for any length of time and/or getting up from gardening   HATE that constant pain in the hip!  Have you thought of trying a pain clinic if they can't help with a referral?  Perhaps they could tell you what it's from and who to see?  Or an ortho (is that who does the bone stuff?)  I hope you get relief quick lady!  It's hard to heal when there is pain involved.  Are you taking anything for it?

To the rest!  It's great to hear everyone is doing well.  Hoping those we aren't hearing from, are just busy with their lives or moved on to other threads

Be well my friends!

OK, I made it through #1, it was alright and the techs were very kind. Lathered myself up with aloe & lubriderm as soon as they were done, then put on a cotton t shirt. I'm gonna try to go bra-less as I don't want to irritate the skin with anything tight or elastic. 

I found out I'll be having 16 treatments with 4 boosts so 20 in all. Didn't think I would feel it after just one, but it feels like my L boob just got out of a short session on a suntan bed. Oh well, 1 down 19 to go.

Just got a call from my genetic counselor with the test results.. they were positive, so I do carry the brca1 mutation. It is quite upsetting and of course comes with a whole new set of decisions that I need to make re: surgery's and such.... one day at a time.

Big hug, Love Suz

I logged on here after breaking down at work. I had to throw some rowdy kids out of the library and a couple of them called me some rather crude names. I know they are only kids, and sadly this happens more and more frequently (yes, even at a library), but I think the hormones & lack of sleep are playing havoc with me because I went back to my office and cried. I tried to think of something that would get my mind totally off them and put things into perspective... the forum. When I saw Cindy's pic from the other day, with our names on the t-shirt, and suddenly everything was ok. "I beat BC. The best those little snots can do is throw insults?? Screw them!"

Ok. Onto serious matters...

Sorry about your test results, Suz. I've really been giving the test some thought after you mentioned that you were having it done. My general surgeon strongly recommended it, but I'm not ready to cross that bridge yet. If you make any decisions regarding your results, down the road, let me know. You give me courage.

And congrats on having your first rad tx completed. I hope they are over and done with before you know it.

Back to work.

Hugs,Sal

{{{Sal}}} I'm so sorry you had to deal with those little BRATS!  And yes, I called them BRATS!  DD and I were talking about how when I was in school, if a teacher disciplined you, you dang well better hope the news didn't get to your parents, b/c you'd be grounded there too for what ever you did!  I remember one kid getting his nose busted when a teacher hit him!  Yes, extreme and I don't agree with that.  Then again, I did/do agree with this same teacher dealing with kids who chewed gum in class (imagine such a cruel rule), making the kid stand with his nose pressed against said gum at the blackboard for the remainder of the class.  Can you imagine the hissyfit a parent would make today if their child had to endure such torture for not following rules?  IT's sad the state we allow our children to run wild in! 

Will they be disciplined for the name calling? or any other infractions, as though that isn't enough!   Sad, really sad!

Herceptin is an antibody used to prevent cancer in those with the HER/neu overexpression (positive).

Kimbly~ Whoohoooo on the clear Nodes!  Great words aren't they?  Clear Nodes!  I remember that news and it's the only thing I remember from right after surgery!  Whew!  Congrats!