CMF Question
Comments
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Rita,
WOW! I would never think that eating M&M's, peanut (they are my favorite, BTW!) would cause so much trouble!!
Hope your test results come in and they are all good!! Please post and let us know!! I'll be thinking of you!!Hugs,
Harley
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Good AM ladies!
Hey Rita, I'm with you, I know that if they had ANY concern at all, they call you at home, they hunt you down....no news is good news!
Hope to hear on Monday that all was perfect!
Re: the ovarian removal bit, Harley, i believe I had heard something along those lines too, but I am glad that Carol is going to ask about it, I think it bears investigation. If anyone can find out, it's Carol! She gets stuff done!
Re: the anti nausea drugs...you know I am just confused...they said "take at the first hint of nausea"...what if I did not have any at all til Friday and I got the tx Tuesday? It wasn't even nausea, just a funky tummy and an aversion to food, kind of like early pregnancy (am I going to "give birth" to the new me? Ho ho) So do I still take them?
I'm kind of scared of the compazine, bec. like an idiot I read the side effects, and you never need to read those things. Did anybody get nausea in the chemo holiday time? Argh.
Harley, I am sorry about your disks, I hope like Carol does, there is a good, non invasive fix for that. No wonder things hurt, what have you been doing that is too heavy for you girl?
Jill, if you pop in, we are all thinking of you and I know you must feel tired and done with all this............you almost are!!!
love to all
annie
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Annie,
yes, it IS good that Carol is going to check into the ovarian removal bit... My surgeon told me that it is still very risky surgery, and they have found that it doesn't really help all that much, since our adrenals also make estrogen... Good to check into it further.
Sorry about your nausea! Yep, I read those patient information inserts, too, and my dr. tells me to stop reading stuff! lol HOW can we be bad, if we are just trying to do the right thing? Maybe there is something else you can take to prevent nausea before it happens, that doesn't have as many potential se's as compazine??
Hope you're feeling better soon!
Hugs,
Harley
P.S. Well, I am not sure about my back, since I think it started at the end of February, but in Mid March, I decided it was time to flip our mattress... dh helped...but, he lifted the mattress, and 'threw' it over to me! It hit me, and I tried to catch it, but couldn't...man, that mattress is HEAVY! so maybe that had something to do with it! I guess we will sleep on that mattress for the rest of my life, without every flipping it over again!!
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Hi Ladies,
Spent yesterday furniture shopping, can't wait to get the new stuff next weekend. Had our friends who we spent time with in the desert at their other home, over for dinner. Always so fun to be with them. Lots of laughs, watched some tivo'd golf, life is good especially when we're with them.
The dh went golfing this morning with our friends, I chose to pass as it was on 39 degrees out. He called from the 3rd hole, saying that he had about an 1/2 of hail stuck to his golf cart wheels, the greens we're white, needless to say, it was 3 holes and done!!! Hey Rita, sound familiar???
Spending a relaxing day at home today, going to do some more snooping at some other sites on the ooph/tamoxifan thing. Figure if I'm taking the effort to chat with some docs I should have some questions answered, just trying to figure out what those questions are!!!
Lastly, talked to a gentleman at work Thurs, his wife happens to be the referal coordinator for my health insurance. He asked the usual how ya doing questions, then asked me if I was getting massage txts. He told me that I should be eligible for 10 massages. News to me, I called his wife today, and yep 10 massages are available with just a co-pay. My co-pay is covered by my dh insurance as my secondary so I'm good to go. Just need to wait for the referal paperwork in the mail, can't wait! I mention this to you all as maybe your insurance has some coverage as well, I would have not had a clue without this gentleman telling me about it. It surprises me that my pt never mentioned massage as an option.
Hope all is well with you all,
Carol
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HI all:
Carol, you sound like you are back to your usual self...good to hear! Too funny about that hubby golfing in the hail....boys, they are good for the soul.
Great idea to snoop around and find out all you can before the dr. appt. Interesting that Harley heard that same "bad idea" stuff about the ooph or whatever...what I cannot understand if they give us estrogen blockers to prevent bc, then if women past menopause have a higher rate of cancer, why is that? They have no estrogen anymore? Also, if my onc wants to "crush" my ovaries with Lupron, then why not just take them out?
It must be risky surgery or something, bec. there seems to be predjudice against it. When I was in the hospital, I spoke to a female dr. who also got that response, and she couldn't understand it either. Good luck this week with everything and I hope it all comes out well for you.
love
annie
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Carol...only true golfers would understand golfing in the hail. I guess I'm not THAT much of a die-hard golfer. Rain I can take though, as long as the lightning stays away.
Annie, you're not going to be using that compazine for life so if I were you, I'd get it out and use it when you need it! In fact, I would take it BEFORE you have any symptoms to keep them away. I usualy took it as directed for four days after my treatment. I started when I left the chemo room. As far as I know, I didn't have any side effects from it and it warded off the nausea. I seldom had any nausea problems after the fourth day. It's funny, though....now I can't stand the smell of Chinese food and I used to love it. It really makes me nauseous. I thought this would go away in time, but it hasn't so far.
Hang in there Harley with your back and just do what you can do without stressing and straining it more. Running the vacuum is one of the worst things you can do if you have a bad back....the perfect excuse to hire a housecleaner!!!! LOL
Hi Jill....hope you're feeling a bit more perky today. The sun is out in Illinois. First I have to head to the dentist. Chemo did a job on my teeth and I think this is my last "correction" problem. My teeth weren't the best BEFORE the chemo and then got progressively worse. Then I am going golfing.........no hail, no rain, and no wind. My golf game will probably really be bad today! LOL
Have a great day gals!
Rita
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Hi ya girls:
Well I am enjoying that "chemo holiday" and back up to speed...can't keep up with carol, tho, enjoy that new furniture lady!
rita, as always you make perfect sense. I'd rather go with someone who has been there and how they got thru than some printed leaflets...thanks for the advice!
My teeth got wrecked from the rads last time...I suppose I can look forward to some revisionary work this time from chemo, eh? oh well, after this, everything is a nuisance, but it does all put it into perspective. i sailed thru that "surprise" root canal and it was three weeks post. mastectomy and all four canals abcessed. It was a big nothing, just alot of keeping my mouth open.
I have teeth that look good, but oh my they don't hold up well!! Very old, big old fillings that got broken. The rads nurses told me that rads would leach cacium from my bones and teeth, so take a supplement and that would help it. I forgot, but now I will!
Good luck, your teeth look gorgeous in your photos, what a pretty smile, so they can't be all that bad! Please let us know when you get your results back, but if they haven't called yet, you can pretty much "no news is good news" I hope. But please let us know, and I am crossing my fingers for you.
Everybody have a beautiful day, the sun is out and harley, take care of that back, lady!
love to all
annie
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Harley, hope that you had a great birthday, hoping you were busy doing something fun throughout the day. Welcome to the "45" club!!!
Pleasant dreams, Carol
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Gosh Harley! I guess I missed the post about your birthday! As usual, I'm late but I sure hope you celebrated in style and had a good one! 45, eh? You're just a young un!
Rita
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Harley, I too, somehow missed that post!
Happy Belated, you young little thing! I hope it was wonderful!
love
annie
Rita: Any news yet? I am sure now that all is just fine and you'll probably have to call them!
love
annie
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Hello ladies, wanted to share my feel good story of the day, I received the following e-mail from my friend who is walking the 3 day. Thought I'd share, as I was pretty touched. So here it is ...
"Things are going well on my end. I'm up over $1500 now. I have to tell you, it's been amazing. I have met so many people that have had breast cancer and/or walked the 3 day at some time in the past few years. One in particular, Pamela, who works at Curves. She had breast cancer about 10 years ago and she and her husband walked the 3 day about 3 years ago. She has been wonderful in giving me pointers and suggestions. She said it was an amazing experience. So, when I talked to her I asked if I made a flyer would Mary & Kim (the owners) hang it up so that I could let others at Curves know what I was doing. She wasn't sure, but the next day I brought in a flyer I had made - I printed my website out, added some tags with my e-mail address, and wrote some notes on it...all on a pink background. Mary and Kim were not there, but Kathy took it and said she would show it to them and they would have to make the final decision. (There is a community flyer bulletin board at Curves now, I was thinking would be a logical spot). Well, (I am making this a really long story, but it is cool)...I came in the next day and went to the bulletin board and it is not there, I'm thinking crap, they must have some policy about not hanging up stuff like this, I checked the other spot by the door...not there...I'm thinking, I'm gonna have to have a chat with Mary and Kim. I did my workout - I worked hard - cuz I was kinda pissed that they didn't hang my thing up. Well, I went back to stretch out and there is an entire bulletin board with pink paper background and my flyer in the middle (nothing else on the bulletin board) then a big heading above it "Help Carol Win Her Fight Against Breast Cancer" and they noted you were a member. I was blown away it was so cool. Just had to tell you! You need to come in and see it.
So as the story goes, I stopped by Curves on my way home from work, havn't been there in some time, had a big hug from one of the gals who I always enjoyed chatting with while working out. I had my camera in the car (had been taking pics of some furniture!!!), thought I'd get a pic of my friends fundraising efforts. It is truly amazing how such a dreaded disease can bring so many together. I'll be making sure that I stop in again to thank the owners for their support.
Off to the dermatologist this morning, getting my yearly checkup, hoping this pesky spot on my nose is nothing, guess I'll find out in a couple hours.
Rita, no news is good news I'm assuming. Going to miss golf again today, forgot and made an engagement to meet with a fellow cancer gal after work. Need to call my partners here ASAP.
Hope all is well with you all today, will check in tonight.
Later, Carol
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Oh Carol........what a neat story! You are indeed "making a difference!" How touching!
I have still not heard about the tumor markers to I'm assuming they are O.K. I was going to call today but I keep putting it off. I guess I think that if I don't think about it, I won't have to deal with it. I know my onc well enough to know that he'd have me back in there in a whip-stitch if he thought something was amiss, so I have quit worrying about it.
Glad that everyone is doing so well. Gotta run...have lots to do in the next couple of hours.
Rita
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Thanks, Carol, Rita, & Annie,
My birthday was just PERFECT! We went out to breakfast with some friends. Then we went to the beach, and the weather was just fantastic! It was sunny, and I only felt cool, when the breeze would pick up, and the sun went behind the clouds. It was so relaxing, just listening to the waves...
Then, we stopped at a little restaurant, and had a snack before going home. DH made dinner, and we had filet mignon, twice baked potatoes and asparagus!! It was delicious!
We may be going to the neighbors tonight...Olga told me that she was going to bake me a cake. I asked her for a recipe to make this cake, 'cause it is JUST really good! But, she told me that she'd make me a cake, whenever I wanted... I think it would be easier to just give me the recipe!! It is a strawberry shortcake, which is my favorite!
My dh bought a bottle of champagne yesterday, and it's still in the fridge, so we just may have to find another reason to celebrate later in the week!!
Carol, I think that is SO NEAT!, about the flyer, in Curves, and how they posted it for you!! Can I contribute to the walk?? Let me know.
I hope your dermatologist appt. went well today.
Glad you are doing ok, Rita!! I am sure also that those tumor markers are just fine, or your dr. would have called you!!
Hope everyone has a wonderful evening and a great day tomorrow!
Love ya,
Harley
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Good AM ladies!
Carol, what a beautiful story and what a great friend you have! My computer doesn't show the photo tho it says photobucket deleted it?
It's probably my computer, but I'd love to see it! Would you please let me know if it shows up on yours?
Rita, I bet you are right. Of course your onc would have you in there already. I do wish the MRI offices would "Red flag" the bc vets as waiting is so very stressful for all, but I think it may be worse for us. You'll prob. hear today everything is AOK.
harley, sounds like a gorgeous bd.........45 doesn't hurt, nor does 50!
Hope everyone is feeling well and enjoy your days.
love to all
Annie
p.s. Jill, hang in there, hoping you are OKxoxo
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p.s.: ladies, this is a MOST embarassing query, but relevant...I know some have mentioned constipation and needing stool softeners...
I am having this issue and the resultant fanny bleeding and cracking..(hha hah no joke)
What did you use for this? There was some vegetable based stuff someone posted about previously.
thanks! Sorry to "go there" but I know you girls have heard this before.
xoxo
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Annie, not sure what happened to the pic, it show on my puter, I guess it was not existent in my Jan 2008 post as well, trying again here .... still having problems, this time with size, got to get to work, should have time to check in tonight, take care all
Carol
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Carol, ... that is a really pretty bulletin board!! Awesome story, too!!
Annie, when I had my colonoscopy, I was so sore from the 'prep' work... YICK!! I wished I had some of those wipes that they sell in the grocery store. I rubbed some Vaseline on, and it seemed to help some. Sorry to hear about your butt problem...it sounds so painful!! Hope you are feeling better soon!!
{HUGS}
Harley
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Hi everyone..well, you may not remember me, but the methotrexate fried my liver seven years ago...but yesterday, it is working better after I have lost 25 pounds ( I can do this because I finished up my arimidex)..
About the butt problem, I always have some diaper rash stuff around for this thing, you know that white stuff....I used that on my kids almost forty years ago..
another CMFer..Lisa
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Hi Lisa, thanks! That is Balmex and I used it on my 19year old and it is great! Thanks!
Oh the joys of CMF, my hubby and i had a big laugh today trying to match my boobs (expander in til fall and dd on the other side) and a silicone "cookie" to make things match. They almost match now but it was great to crack over something together, even this.
Since you had CMF so long ago, I'm glad that you are here now to contribute and I hope you are well with no recurrences.
Thanks for the tip, a blast from the past with my kid!
xox
annie (and her butt)
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...even funnier...I just realized I typed "crack" instead of "crack up"
what a freudian slip!
xox
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Oh Carol, I just saw it, how beautiful and how awesome that they did that for you!
You, as usual, look fabulous hon. Have fun w/new furniture!
love
annie
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Carol,
You are just adorable!! My hair looks...well, I look like a CLOWN!!Hugs,
Harley
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Hi Gals, sitting here in the car waiting for a ferryboat to go back over to the Peninsula. Went to the "big" city (Seattle) for an appt to consult about the hormone/oopherectomy thing.
My first thought at this point is to have my ovaries removed. This would eliminate the possibility of ovarian cancer in the future first off. With my type of cancer (lobular), it has a bit higher chance of metatisizing in the female reproductive organs. Being in a premenopause state, it would ensure that my chemopause I am in right now would stay that way, in turn producing much less estrogen in my body. Tamoxifan can or cannot be taken after having the ovaries removed. There are certainly some pro/cons of tamo. I did like the pro of it helping with cholesteral (never have had great numbers there), the con of vascular disease is not appealing. Alot of the se's are sometimes increased if you are overweight. Thankfully I'm not. The oopherectomy is recommended to be done by an oncology doc, one who really knows what all needs to be removed. Anyway, I have some time to do some more research, I can start with tamo., and then stop for a couple weeks to have a surgery. More to come ...
Harley, sounds like you had a great birthday, I was really hoping that you would hoop it up. Filet mignon, right up my alley!!!
Annie, whats up with the butt ... havn't quite had that problem, but I have had others (to gross to mention!!!). I chatted via a PM with one of the nurses on our Jan 2008 thread, she reiterated that you need to make sure that once your bowels work properly that you keep them working properly. The ol' hole can only take so much of a stretching, that its a muscle like any other, I'm assuming that you have been taking something to keep things working (I highly recommend Miralax), but learn to regulate your dosage, it can be scary if you don't.!!!
Rita, love your attitude, worrying about anything is a waste of energy. Sounds like your as busy as ever.
We're planning on participating in a couples golf tourney Sat., they are usually pretty fun, includes a potluck. Who knows maybe it will be our turn to win a few bucks!!! I havn't swung a club since AZ, it will be much different if it doesn't try out here.
Thanks gals for the nice comments on the poster deal, I have almost commited to actually walking in the 3 day myself. I havn't hit send yet on the sign up, probably will by this evening. It will be a great motivation to keep me moving. I have walked the last couple of nights, doing 3 and 4 miles no problem. I know that doing 20 miles/3 days straight will take a lot more training but I think I can do it. I hear they don't leave you sitting on the street if you poop out!!!
Oops,, getting ready to board the ferry, yak at ya soon my friends,
Carol
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Hiya girls:
Just checking in to see if Rita heard anything...by now, girl you must be good to go. I wouldn't waste any more time on it either, but honestly, you'd think they'd be quicker with this stuff. You'll probably get a little postcard in a month saying all is well. don't you wish the medical community understood how important the results of something like this are to our wellbeing and in a timely fashion.
Carol, wow your energy astounds me during chemo........having consults, buying furniture, walking 3-4 miles...yikes! Way to go there, babe! Don't over do tho, I am the queen of overdoing it so I know whereof I speak. I do think tho that as you and Rita both said, oh, how much better I have felt since I have begun working out again. they said to go easy, but I haven't really. It gives you much, much more energy and a better mental state.
I have heard from two buddies that 30 mile BC trek is grueling, even for long distance runners like they are. Be careful my friend. If you do go, pace and hydrate! They said it was the most uplifting, spiritual, bonding experience they have ever had. One, an english countrywoman blew her ankle ligament out, but the other, a long distance runner, did fine, but said it was very hard at the middle and the end. They did theirs from Bear Mountain State park in New York into NYC, camping along the way in 3 days.
You sure learned a lot today...alot to take in there, but good options to have. Good to know you have options, right?
I had to laugh at your down to earth attitude re: "the butt" as the Ladysman says on SNL. But no, I don't take a thing, and that is probably the problem! Guess I should start!
Harley, good god woman, you SO do not look like a clown. You have a darling short 'do with great curls and the best color. We should all look so good.
You and Carol make a short 'do look really good to me...I am thinking of joining you both there, you are good advertisements.
Everybody stay well and busy and happy...
love you all
annie
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Annie, will be sure to take your advice and not overdo. The 3 day is not until September, so baby steps until then!!! I have had 3 pretty good nights of sleep, thinking that the exercise might have a big part in that.
I can't believe that you havn't taken anything for the big "C" that would be constipation. Although this is a first for me in 45 years, its on the top of my morning routine right now. Looking foward to the day when I can skip it and be back to "normal".
Jill, pop in when you can, been thinking of you.
Off to another doc appt this morning, then to work, will check in tonight, hoping for a great to all,
Carol
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Hello to Carol;
Good luck with the dr. appts.! Sending hugs ( ) and an angel to watch over you that all goes well ^0^
Let us all know how it turns out, but you will be just fine.
xox
annie
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Carol,
Hoping your dr. appts. go well!!
HugsHarley
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Hi My Fellow CMFer's!
My head is kinda in overdrive right now, three doc appt this week.
Number 1 was at the dermatologist, had a red spot on my nose, wanting it looked at as well as the whole body check. The nose is just a blood vessel (yeah, I can deal with that at some other time, cosmetic surgery), but the doc wants to remove a large "freckle" on my back. She said it does not look like melanoma but it is A-typical, so off it shall come. I'm planning on doing that after chemo and before rads start. Scheduled for June 18th if my WBC allows.
Did the doc in Seattle yesterday and my gyn today. Asked her opinion on the ovary removal as well. She spent 70 minutes discussing everything under the sun with me today. I'm sure that she was running late on every other appt today. I value her opinion and she said if she was in my shoes she would go forth with the oophorectomy. Being premenopausal, removing the estrogen producing factory is a good thing, and taking tamoxifen would add a bit more of benefit as well.
I have committed to walking the 3 day in September so I will plan on having surgery hopefully in Oct. What a 12 month period this will have been. Never had a stitch in 44 years and whammo ... making up for being so healthy all those years in one full swoop!!!
Off in a few minutes with a gf to go for a walk, will probably do about 4 miles, then home to have a filet, (thanks Harley, you got my taste buds salivating talking about you bd dinner).
Hope all is well, I need a chance to let my brain rest, alot of info in the last couple of days to take in.
Carol
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Carol,
Glad your dr. appts. went well.I'm with you, I never had a broken bone, or even a tonsillectomy before my bc dx... the nurse at the hospital, before the biopsy, was shocked when I told her, "this is the first time I've been in a hospital, as the patient!"
Now that has ALL changed!
Yes, that was a delicious dinner!!
I wish I could do one of those bc walks, but I can't find one in my area.
Hugs
Harley
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Hi gals!
It sounds like everyone is doing well. I bet you are completely "doctored out", Carol. It's really funny. I have one of those red tiny bumps on my nose, too..........right on the bridge where my sunglasses sit. It sounds like a Fall project for me once the "fun in the sun" is over.
I guess my results came out O.K. I called the office and was told by the nurse that he looked all of last week's test results over this past Monday and made the necessary calls, so I guess I'm good to go until my June trip to the surgeon and for a mammo.
I'm doing the Susan G. Komen walk for the Cure in Peoria, Illinois on the Saturday before Mother's Day. Then our Illinois thread on bc.org will be walking in the Chicago walk in September. Our golf league also has a golfing for the cure day so I get pretty involved in this. We do need that cure!!!! Can't believe you don't have the walks around you, Harley. They're going on everywhere around here.
Well, I'll check back tomorrow. It's been a hectic week! Hang in there gals!
Rita
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