Best Of
Re: how about drinking?
Two weeks ago, the Aspens were already turning colors.
Carole - it's the first day of fall everywhere according to the calendar. Tuesday will be chilly and possibly rainy in Denver then warming back up to low 80s.
Spent the day baking today - 1 batch of challah - made rolls - sweet top with cinnamon and sugar, marble cake, mandel bread to bring to a friend (similar to biscotti) - I make my great aunt's recipe - the best ever and an apple kugel. I"m going to work from home tomorrow as I have 3 zoom meetings/training and the last one ends at 4. Rosh Hashanna starts tomorrow night and is Tuesday and Wednesday. Tomorrow night I grilling a turkey breast, smoked turkey necks from the freezer for DH, purple sweet potatoes, carrots and the apple kugel. We are going to friends for lunch after synagogue on Wednesday. Tuesday meals are at home.
My DD#1 and granddaughter arrive in 2 weeks for 11 days. The wedding is in 3 months and 10 days - not that I'm counting.
Kim - it's a tad chilly by you, both inside and outside. Carole - when do you head back to LA?
Sandy - how's the house coming along? Do you have a move in date yet.
Re: What to expect?
My tumor was ER+ PR+ HER2-, so I didn't get chemo. Here was my experience:
Night before, NPO after midnight—so I had a great steak dinner before going to Kol Nidre service for Yom Kippur.
Morning of, arrive at hospital 7am, change into gown, get radioactive seed implanted (some patients get a wire), then tracer injected and wait for it to "take." Back to pre-op roomette with family. 11 am, meet with anesthesiologist, who takes another set of vitals, notes that I asked for a pediatric airway (I am a singer, so want to protect vocal cords when intubated). Noon, ENT comes in to give me a Zantac (checked my chart to see I have reflux). 12:30, find out surgeon is running behind and can take me at 1:30. At 1:30 I am wheeled into the OR. Next thing I know I am back in my roomette and the surgeon comes in and says "no surprises, it all went well, tumor size was 1.3 cm, and 4 nodes taken—2 sentinels, 2 "hangers-on" that couldn't be separated."
(I'd been warned by the nurse-navigator that due to my breast size I might be sent home in a large ACE wrap because they might not have had a large enough surgical bra. But they were able to squeeze me into a size XL high-back post-surgical "posture" bra).
It was 3pm. Nurse comes in with juice, bagel & schmear—it's still Yom Kippur but I figured there were extenuating circumstances to break my fast before sunset. 4:30 I am walked (!) to my car and driven home, where we ordered out for pizza. I slept downstairs in the living room, wearing a button-up PJ top & shorts. Took one Norco. (Was prescribed 3 days worth).
Day 2, discovered I could dress myself and brush my hair just fine, Couldn't shower yet, so sponge-bathed. Sister (flew in from VA to take care of me) was shocked to see me fully dressed and waiting outside on the porch. We went to a local Southern restaurant (she drove), where I had an Arnold Palmer because no alcohol while on pain meds—but I stopped them, with plain Tylenol taking care of mild pain. As I was drifting off to sleep, noticed upper body stiffness and soreness setting in. Googled, and came up with "scoline syndrome:" just after general anesthesia, they inject succinylcholine (powerful muscle relaxant) to ensure the patient lies perfectly still—but just before the upper body relaxes it has an extremely powerful muscle contraction.
Day 3, I portal-messaged the nurse-navigator who confirmed the scoline syndrome, and assured me the soreness would wear off in a couple of days. My BFF came over for another pizza—and an Edible Arrangement was delivered. Had some sparkling rosé.
Day 4, sis & I walked to the grocery (she carried the bags) and supplemented the leftover pizza with a good salad. Soreness mostly worn off. Path report came in—clean margins, all nodes negative.
Day 5, we walked to brunch, then to the beach (we live 4 blocks away). Then sis had to drive back to the airport for the flight home. That night, I drove to dinner.
Day 6 got my hair trimmed, washed & blow-dried. Held off on getting roots done and straightening treatment till I knew whether I'd need chemo (and thus all those chemical services would be wasted). Took a shower (protecting the incision sites with cling wrap).
Day 10, my son loaded the car with my guitar & dulcimer, and I drove 90 miles to Rockford for a gig—where my singing partner (who drove down from Madison, WI) & the venue owner unloaded the car and set up. For 2 glorious hours I forgot I had cancer. Had late dinner and drove back home—husband & son unloaded the car. Was able to wear soft-cup front close bras.
Day 14, met with surgeon and medical onc., found out the tumor would be tested via OncotypeDX to determine whether I'd get chemo. Med. onc. said the only reason for the test was that the size (>1 cm) put me in a "gray area." Also got genetic testing for BRCA mutations, as I'm Ashkenazi. So next day got my roots & straightening done.
Day 21, Oncotype DX came back—16, so no chemo. And no mutations. Met with radiation onc. for mapping. He removed the last of the stubborn Steri-Strips on the sentinel node biopsy incision site. Could finally shower. "unwrapped." Began wearing underwire bras,
Day 22, that incision popped open—surgeon's partner sutured it closed, saying the weight of my breast (still large despite lumpectomy) had pulled it open. Back to wearing front-close "leisure bras."
Day 29, sutures removed and I drove to Iowa City for a folk music conference. By then I was back in my regular underwire bras.
One week later, began the first of my 16 sessions of high-dose radiation targeted to the tumor bed (as opposed to the usual 35 sessions of whole-breast), because my age (almost 65) made me eligible for the new protocol (my rad onc was part of the study). Had some mild redness but no real skin disturbances. Nowadays that protocol is fairly common for postmenopausal patients with my type of tumor (known as "Luminal A").
2 weeks after last session, took a Mediterranean cruise, started Letrozole upon my return. Stayed on Letrozole 6-1/3 years.
I did have some mild cording & lymphedema (specialist classified it as "subclinical") for which I got PT and learned how to do manual lymphatic drainage massage. For the first 3 years post-op, I wore compression sleeve & gauntlet whenever I flew, drove to high altitudes (>2000 ft), took fast skyscraper elevators, did housework, gardened or played guitar outdoors in warm weather. My lymphedema specialist discharged me and said I could ditch the compression wear.
(Your mileage may vary).
chisandy
Re: What to expect?
I had a mastectomy, not lumpectomy- so I can’t advise you on that. Search the threads & you should be able to find some good information on what to expect afterwards.
I had chemo before my surgery & thankfully did not have many side effects. I found it helpful to drink lots of water, eat as healthy as possible and go for a walk every day. The walk made me feel better physically & emotionally & helped me sleep better at night. Listen to your body & rest when needed.
I had radiation & honestly felt that wasn’t too bad. I read some tips on here to start putting aquafor or calendula cream on your chest for 2 weeks before radiation & felt that helped my skin. My radiation doctors office gave me a prescription cream to use once a day that they had great success with for helping prevent skin irritation, so I had a little redness & that was it.
I was able to drive after both chemo & radiation. At my first chemo treatment they did want someone to drive me in case I had any type of reaction.
ann5631
Re: My Husband, My Life, My Love, My Family, My Cancer
OK, cooked up the ground beef, added rest of beans as well. I also added a package of the KD cheese and a lot of taco seasoning, sitting on the burner now. Once it comes out, I will see if it needs more seasoning added. No way I will eat it all so it will last a couple of meals, I will see.
EDIT I put some queso and the KD powder with taco seasoning and some shred cheese. Added queso and some sour cream with a few tortilla chips. Although I did not spoon out a ton of food from the pan, I filled up quickly so added the leftovers from lunch and put the rest from the pan into another container, it was very good and I enjoyed it. At least the cooked portions have got another 4 days from today to be eaten up.
Re: My Husband, My Life, My Love, My Family, My Cancer
Glad I could give people a chuckle, that lego comment just came to me, always good to have a laugh.
I was absent yesterday, sorry about that. My body thought I needed to stay up all night, dumb so spent yesterday snoozing through out the day. Got to bed last night and slept decently.
Nothing much happening today. Got some laundry on this morning. I have been using the odour blaster oxi as well, I like how the laundry smells. Only takes 1/8th tsp worth as well. Same with soap, really does not take too much to clean. Have to do up some dishes in order to get some beef cooking, it has been uncooked in fridge for maybe 3 days, I do not want it to spoil. Cooking it up will reset the timer that it can be food safe.
Also planning to do some walking on the spot, did my bed exercises already, bridge pose, does same thing as squats, ankles with rotations, both ways and pointing feet toward me and away from me. 10 of each one. Finally sucked my gut in and brought both legs from straight to bent knees at chest, 10 of those. Realized I forgot my bed ladder, pulled my big butt up to sitting. Have to watch that one, the ladder could be a tripping hazard if I do not watch.
I have no idea what I want for a meal. I will have the beef cooked first, put in a container in fridge later. Getting rid of frozen stuff by putting into the magic bullet with some eggs. Just have to thaw them first. Whip whatever I want up with eggs, probably some beef and beans, add sour cream to them. Frozen peppers would be fine. Add some of the KD cheese powder and taco and put the mix into muffin pans filled to about half and bake at 375 for a bit in the breville. I am getting rid of a butter that was destroyed back when the fridge door did not stay shut and the plant butter I do not like. Plant butter has an off putting taste that is not good to me. I will be able to order walmart stuff today, mostly the frozen pasta I enjoy. Got between 10 and 15 dollars in gift cards to come off so that is good.
I found out where the stank came from. I used a sock to catch the lint but did not account for a stanky smell. When I took off the sock, the drain got clogged so pulled out the wet dry shop vac, will vacuum it all out and clean the sock in a mesh bag in the smallest washer. I am not concerned about the stuff that clogged the tub, be easy enough to vacuum it out and put some really hot water down the drain.
EDIT, shop vac did its job so drain is clear. I will use mesh bags for washing stuff in as well to keep lint down to a minimum. The drain hose is dirty and not sure how to get it clean but I will not worry about it for now. Just need to give the tub a good clean. At least laundry got done. Bigger mesh bags coming tomorrow.
Enough talking from me, going to do up the ground beef, use taco seasoning to season it and figure it all out from there. Have a good day, in pockets for all who need it.
Re: I say YES. YOU say NO....Numero Tre! Enjoy!
“All life is a circle. The atom is a circle, orbits are circles, the earth, moon, and sun are circles. The seasons are circles. The cycle of life is a circle: baby, youth, adult, elder. The sun gives life to the earth who feeds life to the trees whose seeds fall to the earth to grow new trees. We need to practice seeing the cycles that the Great Spirit gave us because this will help us more in our understanding of how things operate. We need to respect these cycles and live in harmony with them.”
― Rolling Thunder
betrayal
Re: Are you currently (or have you been) in a Clinical Trial?
Oh, CBL, everything you were doing was completely reasonable! I'm impressed you even thought to measure O2 levels, I probably would have thought maybe it was heart problems. With respect to trials, I thought pneumonitis history was most a problem for immunotherapy trials in particular? And anyway with all you are going through right now surely you wouldn't want a trial, we all will be very interested to see what your MO recommends..
Re: how about drinking?
Been a it busy here. My aunt let me raid her garden for more tomatoes. So I have been canning. So far I have put up 4 quart jars and two pints on top of what i froze previous and still have more to do. And at the rate its going, i may be getting more yet!
m0mmyof3
Re: STEAM ROOM FOR ANGER
I am terrified of needles too! You would think after cancer and the surgeries and all been though over the years would not so scared but sure are! Can faint when getting blood draws even and have to go in the recliner chair they have in the lab instead so my head is down some. You would think cancer patients would get over it but not all us do. I am still a good patient though and do what docs tell me to.
My mom lives in a senior building and even though vax not everyone is and if she is out of her apartment even to go get her mail or do her laundry she masks up. they have already had cases of the new COVID in t he building and she makes us aware before we go over there to see her if someone has been infected there since they are all notified and we stay away.
Re: How are people with liver mets doing?
@dulcea - Thanks very much for sharing all of this, and I am so glad you found some kind of specialist. Please keep us posted on how things go. It does sound like an uncommon and confusing situation. I also know what you mean about Dr. Google. They say not to do it, not to rely on it, etc., but I do find it very helpful at times, so I am not one who will stop looking on the internet about these things. (My previous oncologist implored me to "stay off the internet!", something I could/would never do. My current oncologist works with me, and we discuss things whenever I mention anything I've read online.) Good luck with your Monday appointment scheduling!