Best Of
Re: Bone Mets Thread
July has turned into a scan marathon. Brain MRI on 7/3 and Pet/CT scan on 7/5. The bone met in my skull has gotten a little bigger for the 3rd MRI in a row. Pet Scan shows no other activity except for this lesion too. Saw the RO last week and will start Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). I understand that it is what is used to treat oligometastatic disease. Mask has been made and will start treatments on Monday for 5 sessions.
Glad to be doing it and elimainating that one stubborn lesion. Hope I will go back to NED after this!
Re: June and July 2024 Surgery Support Thread
Hello everyone,
Sending everyone positive thoughts and smooth recoveries. I am scheduled for a bilateral mastectomy and a lymph node targeted auxiliary dissection July 25th. I have debated this decision for months. I am nervous. Thank you all for sharing your experiences.
Re: how about drinking?
What had been a good day has turned to crap for me. I just found out that a dear friend I met when I was going for my Associates Degree has passed.
m0mmyof3
Re: My Husband, My Life, My Love, My Family, My Cancer
Mara you crack me up. I can just see you bopping around the house with your mop slippers and spray to the Star Wars sound track. So cute.
Mel I’m glad your disability went easily. I don’t know why this has become a thing now with stage 4. I do notice that some providers try to minimize what we feel/report with their own take on how we look or our ages. Ridiculous. They do it with my husband bc he’s 74 so they always remark how healthy he looks. But he was poisoned in Vietnam war from the chemical weapons so his injuries are internal.
Irishlove I hope that it’s Booty!!!
I have a pet scan Tuesday.
Mel my insurance wouldn’t cover the “mugard” mouthwash. The pharmacist called and said it’s $79. Per bottle if I order 5 at a time I could get that deal ($400). I declined and got the magic stuff. I’ll try the brand that you suggested and hope it’s covered for the $5. Copay.
Have a good day all.
Tanya
Re: Super scared and depressed
Thank you for the replies and encouragement. I keep reading them over and over because they are helping me to hold it together mentally. I appreciate you all.
Re: For Arimidex (Anastrozole) users, new, past, and ongoing
I’ve been on Anastrozole for 10 years. I’ve gained 40 pounds, lots of joint aches and pains, sometimes my hands don’t work with small objects(clothespins), insomnia, hot flashes, night sweats, trigger finger(had 3 operated on)……but I won’t stop taking it until my doctor feels I’m safe. Honestly, I can deal with all these symptoms if it keeps me alive. They are just annoying.
Re: Super scared and depressed
We're so sorry you find yourself here, @loveislove, we know this is all very scary and overwhelming. The fear and anxiety during the diagnostic process can be incredibly difficult to manage - there's so much you don't know yet, and the unknowns are scary! If you don't already have a therapist or mental health professional who helps you manage your depression and anxiety, please don't hesitate to ask your doctor for a referral. It's so important to keep your mental health a priority, it can be so helpful as you continue down this road with treatment once you have all the information about your diagnosis.
Also, we want to let you know we offer very supportive, moderated Virtual Community Meetups. There are a number of different groups and times, so if you're interested, please check them out here: Virtual Community Meetups.
We're all here for you - you are not alone!
The Mods
Re: Starting Chemo May and June 2024 Support Thread
I have a weird itchy bruise on my hand ever since my last session, this is where the cannula went in. Should I be worried? It’s there two weeks now.
Re: My Husband, My Life, My Love, My Family, My Cancer
Mel- "Burned my biscuits" I have not heard that before!! Love it!!! I am glad you got approved for another year. Yeah, my whole LTD thing was a bunch of sh#$. I am not going to appeal it though. I do not have the money for an attorney, and their insurance company has attorneys (plural, I am sure). I went to my PCP yesterday for my 4-month follow up (he wants me to come in every 4 months). He asked about the LTD. I got him caught up on the saga. He shook his head and said, "why did they ask for my opinion then" and "that was a waste of my time". I agreed that it wasted my MO's time too, and my time. Thankfully, it was a small amount of money each month for the LTD. The SSD is more my concern, as that is what I live on. If it was SSD I would have fought it.
Covid issue- I heard the latest strain is more the stomach illness- nausea and diarrhea. I don't know. My sister and her family went to an indoor July 4 activity with 60 people in attendance and then they got sick- first her husband, then her, then her father-in-law. All over the course of a week. Headaches and diarrhea. Was it Covid?? Who knows. They did not test. But it was over a week, so it doesn't seem like food poisoning or something like that.
I have not had a recent Covid vaccine. I checked my records, and the last time I had the vaccine was Jan 2023 (is that right?!). Then I had Covid December 2023. I did not get a vaccine after I recovered from Covid. I guess I will get a vaccine this Fall, with my flu shot. I have not been masking the last 3 months. I hate to think of putting masks back on with this heat!!! I don't know, I am tired of worrying about it.
Re: My Husband, My Life, My Love, My Family, My Cancer
Good morning all. When the pallative care nurse came here the first time she said (paraphrase) I'm use to taking care of people that look/seem worse than you and then said but you look so good. Wellllll…that burned my biscuits Mel, because we all know sitting on a chair and trying to be hospitable and really not complaining, or not being in a wheelchair can get you those absurd comments. I've already gotten a note on the car about not looking disabled. Candy, you are so sweet but you are gonna have to go gorilla on those people. I don't want it to seem like I'm pushing you, but my concern is it's your money, your health and you deserve the benefit. Plus, if they can get away with denying stage 4 people, they'll continue trying to use that ruse on others.
Illimae, I'm sorry you guys are dealing with covid again. Docs pushing for more vaccines, but pharmacist said don't do it. I can tell you they won't do the jab anywhere but my arms and I have lymphaedema and it makes it much worse. So I had to accept the inital jab in arm and the 2nd. No more for either of us.
Goldensbest, happy birthday to your sweet Bella. Hope mommy gives you extra treats.. Mara, do you have any fish dishes receipes? It would have to be mild seasoning. I'm always hungry and admire your hard work on making meals.
Hi all, in your pockets for scans and life, in general.
I've been up all night. First I just couldn't fall asleep (even with sleep aides) and then I started scrolling the local humane society page of cats. My beloved Booty is still missing. I found a rather poor picture of a cat named Fiona but the picture looks like Booty, but since the cats in a carrier, it's hard to tell for sure. Now I'm waiting for them to open and get my booty over there. I worry about her being euthanized. I had filed a missing report and visited 3 times. Even spoke to the cat people. Fingers crossed it's her. Just gotta stay awake 4 more hours.