Starting chemo Dec 2007

swollen lumpy thingy??? Kate, do you mean in your breast?

Laura, in case I missed it, ( I think I posted @ it), hope you had a very happy birthday!

cortisone cream?  Did they tell you to use that?  I'm surprised if they did, b/c that thins the skin and most times, they say to stay 'out of the sun' while using it even the 1% stuff.  It's one of those photosensitives or what ever they call it.  You can burn easily with it.  Are you using it where you are getting rads?

{{{Suz}}} hope things improve with the rads   So sorry you're having problems. As for the sun, be very careful. I heard you can actually get a sunburn through cloth, so be really careful dear!  Maybe call a derm office and ask what they recommend for keeping it covered and free of sun exposure?  Not sure what they would say, but I know there is a material that's better than others for keeping you safe from the rays.  Good luck and let us know what you find out!

Everyone else, have a great Mothers day weekend!  Hoping to see my mother this weekend sometime!   Enjoy the warmer weather too!

WIW, Yes, the hydrocortisone cream (Cortaid) was recommended by the oncologist...it is the 1% stuff.  Interesting...looks like I need to do a search and see if anyone else is using it!!  It really helps the itching anyway! LOL

Isn't today beautiful?  It was warmer here than first forecasted. 

Hope everyone has a great Mother's Day tomorrow!!  Lori

Well, just be careful.  They say with cortizone you are more apt to sunburn.  I was using on my head when I had that rash after the 1st 3 chemo's each time and my derm said not too.  It thins the skin.  I have 5% for my hands for that rash from chemo after the 4th on the palms.  I pokes literal holes in my palm reaching in the d/w to put away forks the the other day!  I mean, it bled even.  I use my hands a lot for everything (not a painted lady at all), so I was surprised at how easy it was to open the skin with a light poke of a fork no less.

Just be careful, b/c you will be a higher risk of sunburn there.

Happy Mothers Day!!!

Well, all of you Michigan Gals ... my son is on his way to Grand Rapids Michigan as we speak...it is about a 12-13 hour drive... he has been promoted to play baseball (minor league) for the West Michigan Whitecaps... He is scheduled to pitch his first game on Tuesday in Fort Wayne. (not sure the name of the Fort Wayne team).... I talked to him a little bit ago and he said it has been raining and cool all day driving up.  When he left home this morning it was sunny, humid and 80 degrees.. Talk about a Shock to his system...  He is excited though, and will be staying with a Host Family in Grand Rapids...So that is how I've spent my mothers day (worrying about the son, he's 19)...

How have all of you been?   Hope everyone is feeling better and stronger w/ each passing day... I know I am!!!

I hope everyone has a WONDERFUL Mothers Day!!!

Love and Blessings,

Jeannie

Hello ladies, it seems like forever since I've even had time to read, let alone post!  I've been very busy with work and house projects - starting to fill holes and paint walls.

And a belated Happy Mothers Day to all of us moms!

Sal, I am glad to hear that you had a good visit with the oncologist and that something will be done to investigate the pain.  There is so much that you have had to deal with, it's no wonder your moods might be swinging.  Don't you worry about whining - that's what we're here for!

Amy, I can totally identify with the house struggles.  I am battling a house full of junk and have managed to get rid of some of it.  On my birthday my son and his buddies took some old sofas that weren't even saleable and the old dishwasher, an old microwave, toaster oven, easy chair, to the dump.  It was SO good to get rid of that stuff!  But I STILL have tons of stuff to get rid of.  Does this stuff multiply in the dark in the basement, or what????

Suz, I am sorry to hear about the positive genetic result. I know you are strong and can deal with this as you have with everything else.  I wish I could come up with a solution for sun protection!

Kimbly, very happy to hear about node negative - I remember when I was just waking up from surgery and that was all I cared about - it was SUCH a relief when the surgeon came by and told me the nodes were negative!  Congratulations!

Kate, glad you are doing well with rads.  It is such a relief not to feel completely run over like with chemo!

Loriann - Glad the cortisone helped with the itching!  I've seen quite a few ladies getting that and it is very effective.  The grey hair!   I, too, will need to do something about this grey when my hair gets a bit longer.  I had started colouring my hair about 8 years ago, as soon as just a few greys started showing up, so I had no idea actually how much grey there was in my hair.  Well, now I can see it is quite a lot and I'll have to do something about that.  It is only about ½" long so I'll hang on a bit longer.

WIW - I cracked up reading your laundry suggestion on the "I can't get my act together and don't know why" thread!  It sounds like a great idea!

Jeaniebell - glad to hear you are doing well, and the news of your son's big move!

I want to thank all you ladies for the birthday wishes - it was fun but exhausting.  I keep trying to do too much and that fatigue thing happens.  At first when chemo finished, after about a month I found my energy levels were really getting good.  This continued, but with radiation finally last week the fatigue from the radiation started to hit me.  It is ok if I am working from home and can be physically fairly relaxed, but if I go to the office and then the hospital, on the bus/train hauling my heaving backpack with my laptop in it, I feel pretty wiped out by the time I get home.  Regardless, my general sense of well-being is hugely improved since chemo ended, and I am feeling quite good.

One thing that has happened to me the last few weeks is that I have developed this pain in my hip/back.  I had a similar pain a couple of years ago in one hip and it was the beginning of arthritis in the sacro-iliac joint.  I had taken glucosamine faithfully and after a year or so that pain was completely gone.  So I don't know if this is arthritis or what, but it is....well...a pain.  Also, I think I now have arthritis in my hands.  I didn't get any of the chemo that usually causes bone/joint pain (no taxol/taxane and I am not on tamoxifen), but when I wake up in the morning all the joints in my hands ache and they are stiff.  I am just generally feeling all of a sudden....old!  My grandmother had terrible arthritis and my mom also suffers a lot with it.  Anyway, I'm not too worried about these aches and pains as they are not stopping me from doing anything yet.  I will definitely start back with the glucosamine after rads finish.

I have also had trouble sleeping - I have no idea why, but some nights I drift off to sleep then wake up after an hour, and then I'm up until 4 or 5 am.  This is hugely frustrating, but the last few days I've exhausted myself so much during the day with all the stuff I'm doing that I have been sleeping through the night.  Maybe that's the answer!  lol

I am in my LAST WEEK of rads!  Friday will be my last day and I will definitely be drawing a happy face on my boob to give the nurses a laugh.  They have been great!  Rads has been a breeze after chemo.  I have been fortunate to have no burning, just a bit of a tan and the nipple is tender and a couple of small itchy spots.  Tomorrow thru Friday are the boosts to the scar area, so I'm not anticipating any significant reaction at this point.  What a relief!  I've used calendula cream (when I've got around to it) and castor oil a couple of times, and aloe vera a couple of times.  I just try to make sure I give the boob lots of air as that seems to help.

Hubby is waiting for his papers to exit Cuba and busy wrapping up loose ends, which will take some time, so I think it will be June when he gets here.  I still can't believe it.  That will be the best thing to happen this year!

Well, I need to get some sleep.  Big hugs to all you wonderful ladies, and I hope the positive results keep rolling in, and the aches and pains and SE and hot flashes keep going away!

Hope everyone enjoyed their Mother's Day.  We didn't do anything much as here in SE Michigan it was rainy and just plain old miserable.  Mostly I played Mario Cart with my kids on our new Wii and read.  My mom was on holiday and my mil lives in Florida so no commitments that way this year. 

Laurita glad to hear your radiation is almost complete!!!! I hear you about the hair. My hair is growing in thickish but so much gray UGH.  As soon as it covers my scalp and is maybe an inch long I will probably color it.  It is about 1/2 or so now with a few longer strands that drive me bonkers and I trim to make even LOL.  Sorry about the pain you are experiencing.  No fun at all!  I am on tamox. and herceptin right now and nothing so far so keeping my fingers crossed.  I know you said you don't have these meds so though.  Congrats on your dh's progress with leaving Cuba!  that will be nice finally! 

Jeannie, Yes Michigan has been cool and rainy a few days.  Grand Rapids is about 3 hours west of me.  Good luck to your son!  My kids are 16 and 13.  I have one more year before my son goes off to college.  I keep telling him he doesn't 'have' to go away to school if he doesn't want to. I think I handle my cancer better than the thought of  him leaving home!  

 Well wishes to those I didn't mention...

Hey Amy... thanks for the link. I went right over to it. I wish they would explain what they mean by "discontinuation syndrome".... I know that the literature that the pharmacy gave with the medication did heavily emphasize that you can't just wake up one day and stop taking it, but I wonder if there is more to it than that. Blah. Now I'm wonderin'. Egads.

Well I've been on it for a week now. The multiple hot flashes have simmered down to occasional warm flashes with only one or two hot ones a day, so I'm pleased about that... except for having trouble staying asleep for a long chunk of time, I am getting some sleep now. I was a little freaked out about the "don't just stop the meds" literature, though, and asked my doctor if I could stay on this lower dosage... I was supposed to start taking a larger dose tomorrow... I figured that since the flashes have simmered down a bit, the low dose is all I need. The only thing I need to figure out now is how I know when to ask my dr about going off of it... a couple months, a year? But one thing at a time.

Laura, sorry to hear about your pain issues, but very glad that your last rad tx is THIS WEEK!! Congratulations!!

Jeannie, great news about your son. Wow-- he's gonna be famous I'll bet!!!

Wishiwere, I'm on Tamoxifen. So far it hasn't been bad. Just the hot flashes. But I did read quite a bit about ladies that have had pain problems while on it. I guess I beat 'em to the punch and got my pain problems early

I'm having a pretty good week so far. Aches not going away, but I am getting used to them and can ignore them better (if that makes sense). The hair is slowly starting to get thicker, but is sure taking it's time growing longer, he he he. I bought a box of hair coloring and it is standing at-the-ready on my bed stand... probably will have to wait another month, realistically. But I'm in no big rush.

Gotta scoot. Hope everyone has a marvelous day.

-Sal 

Loriann - enjoy your holiday!  I have never been to Vegas but it is one of my preferred destinations post cancer!  I am not a gambler but have heard even if you aren't it is a wonderful place to visit. 

How is everyone's hair coming?  I am so impatient!!  It is coming but slower than I thought it might.  

How is everyone's new normal?   I am having a hard time with it, waivering between old normal and new .. ugh.. I will get there though.  

I am 2.5 weeks post surgery and doing well. Had one fill last week and will have another tomorrow.  100cc at a time.  It wasn't so terribly painful just felt really wierd.  My PS is wonderful.  I saw him in the grocery store yesterday and he hugged me!  He is just such a nice man, so caring etc.. In fact all my doctors have been this way.  I feel blessed in this department for sure.  

For those of  you with kids.. how did they deal with your cancer?  Did they talk to you about it much ?  My kids are 16 and 13 so not little but never really ask me alot of questions.  It is probably because they have none as we are so open with them.  I do notice alot more attention paid to me as far as "mom are you alright' though.  

I am so glad Spring is finally here and gardening time has begun.  

Well wishes to all !!!!  

ugh....just lost my post, first time I didn't take my own advice and put it in Word first

Sal, I'm glad you are getting some relief from the hot flashes and that sleep is stabilizing for you.  It's amazing what a difference that makes.  When will you get the expanders out?  Your poor little bod has gone through SO MUCH!  I sincerely hope things continue to work their way back to normal.  You too, Amy!

Loriann, good to know things are on track for finishing rads soon.  Those boosts can be quite a bit stronger and it was only after them that I noticed any changes to my skin.  Make sure you keep using that cream!  You will be in great shape for Vegas and that will be a great celebration of getting your life back.

Kimbly, glad to know you're getting filled up and have a great PS - this makes the world of difference.  My kids are 20 and 22 and they have been ok with things as I've been pretty strong and open with them and they seem to have taken things in stride.

People keep asking me if they do tests/scans to ensure the beast is completely gone from your body.  Do they do this?  Have any of you had this done?  I didn't and basically the plan is just to get back into regular checkups/mammograms afterwards and hope for the best.  I think because my cancer was not anywhere else other than the tumor they assume it is gone after the lumpectomy, chemo and rads.  I wish people would stop asking me this stuff.

Rads finished last Friday.  Yesterday I had a very small amount of superficial skin breakdown in the fold under the breast.  I also look tanned and spotty, which is pretty much normal for rads.  Other than that it all went very well and I'm glad to have it done.

Hair - shaved my legs on the weekend for the first time, as I was out in a sundress and realized there was quite a crop going on, lol.  My eyebrows now need plucking as well.  The head hair continues to fill in nice and salt and pepper  but better than none!

I am super fatigued this week, more than ever.  It's like the rads have had a delayed reaction.  I wake up feeling tired.  I am really looking forward to recuperating from this and having energy back, as I'm trying to tackle projects around the house and it's hard getting much done at this pace.

My hands are really bad.  I'm going to have to see the dr. about this in case it's rheumatoid, because for that you need more than just pain relief.  I can live with the pain, but some things are just really hard to do and once the pain gets to a certain level (as it is in my thumb joints) you basically can't force them to work.  Between this and the fatigue I am feeling like a very old woman.  Whine.......

We just had our long weekend here.  The weather was super fabulous and it was great to feel the sun shine on my balditude.  I, too, have been enjoying garden therapy with my mom.  The cherries and apples are blooming, the tulips etc. are just finishing, and the lilacs will be out very soon.  I got my garage cleaned out (it was FILTHY!!!).  I'm trying to get some stuff out of the way so when hubby gets here it's not all hard work and we can have some R&R together.

I hope you all enjoy your long weekend!  Vanquish those aches and pains and sleep well and enjoy life!  Hugs to all!

Laura

Hi gals !

Hair check, thick and very wavy in back, length about the same. Used second box of color this week, now back to blond with white hight lights. I too am having to shave once again, everywhere! My face/side burn area is super peach fuzzy! And, you know who came back....you got it, I am once again buying tampax! I was really hoping that my period was over, but I am just "going with the flow" , so to speak! No way to predict what is around the corner on our road to complete recovery. I should have known something was up when my hot flashes started becoming less frequent !Laurita, I am not scheduled for a PET scan, but have an MRI scheduled for August, only cause I pushed onc for one. Pretty much for piece of mind. Mammos scheduled for September 08, one year after original shit hit the fan. BTW, I was dxed with Rheumatoid Arthritis three years ago, and take meds for it, and it is pretty much under control. Started in my thumbs like you mentioned. Going to see Mom and Bro this weekend in Rehoboth Beach Delaware. Wishing you all the GLORIOUS weekend. xo cld

WiW- I should have done the witchcraft trick, but I GLADLY ( at the time ) gave my vast supply away! Good thinkin on your part! Its kinda like when you give all your pregnancy clothes away, that's when you are unexpectedly expecting! LOL ! Safe travels to all!