Illinois ladies facing bc
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I always wanted a happy ending... Now I've learned, the hard way, that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it without knowing what's going to happen next. Delicious ambiguity.
-- Gilda Radner0 -
Blackjack - I am so very sorry about your friend. I just can't imagine how hard that must have been for you. I also want to add my congrats for the good news about your thyroid, because good news needs to be cherished.
Mamaq - I think if I was in your position, I would go to a completely different hospital (one of the biggies) and get another opinion. I know you probably feel like you already have too many, but perhaps one more. from an entirely different place will help you to decide.
Laura - Omg, that puppy is such a little sweetheart! I love the pictures.
WendyTY - I don't know what, if any, meds you are on, but my joint pain has been a constant companion ever since I started on the aromatase inhibitors. I had to switch from Aromasin to Femara because I simply couldn't stand the pain anymore. I still have some pain (and crazy stiffness) on the Femara, but it is very liveable - or I'm just getting so used to it. Good luck, and I hope you find the source (and solution!) for your pains soon.
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Blackjack-I am very sorry to hear about the loss of your friend this past weekend. My thoughts and prayers are with you and his family.
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Good evening everyone...Thank you for your thoughts and prayers for me and my friends family. It is hard to believe that he is gone. I know that my up north boating family( friends) will get through this together. As Jackie says to me the water is my calming force and I will be boating again. Wendy...need a beach pic please.
I wrote a really long post and now it is in outer space some where. Oh well maybe my friend wanted to read what I wrote about him lol Just wanted to say thank you to all you wonderful Illinois Ladies and for all your support, kind words and prayers. Hugs to all of you
Off to get jammies on as I am lacking sleep.
BJ
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Blackjack..sorry to hear about your friend. How sad...My thoughts and prayers are with you and his family.
Rita..sounds like you are having a blast...I used to live in Colorado Springs, so I know all those places. They are so beautiful..
Well, I am still hanging in there. This is my off week of chemo and I feel pretty good. I have this darn cold and cough but it isn't too bad. I only have this week and next week of work and then I am at home. We are getting ready to sell our house and possibly move to Lexington, SC. My husband is pretty sure he can telecommute. Just don't know when we will be going since it depends on when we sell our house.
I got copies of my medical records. Looks like back in October my tumor markers were up to 48.Then in April it was 260. It's supposed to be less than 32. So, I guess it was going up for quite awhile..Looks like I have a lot of different spots that have tumors. I have a PET scan on the 4th of June and see the dr on the 11th of June. Hope everything is working.
Well, I am off to bed...
Ginny
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Hi Folks,
I see the last post here was in 07 but wanted to say hi to all my fellow Illinoisians. I live in a podunk town in central Illinois. Don't know if any of you have heard of Farmington?? It wouldn't be at all surprising.
I was diagnosised this year which is 09. I don't know all the tech stuff like the rest of you and now feel very stupid. But it was stage 2 and not feelable at all. Mammogram picked it up otherwise we'd never have known it was there. I had 4 out of 9 nodes involved. I just finished A/C and start T friday for the next 12 weeks. Then on to radiation. My oncologist is Dr. Fishkin if any of you have heard of him. He's very good and I'm so glad.
Well if anybody is monitoring this thread any more I say hi and hope to talk to more of you. Vicky
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Vicky,
I have heard of Farmington! Who hasn't heard of the Spoon River Drive capital of the world???
In fact, I lived in Macomb for many years and taught school in Lewistown for 33 years. Although I was diagnosed after I left that area about 7 years ago, a few of my friends from that area did have Dr. Fishkin, and just like you, they thought he was great!
Welcome to the Illinois thread! This is an awesome group of women who will help you with the rest of your journey. YEA!!!! You're done with the AC! You're getting there!!!
Tell us a little bit more about yourself and your family. I see you're Lorna's grandma. I'm a grandmother, too. I have three little grandsons that I love to spoil every chance I get.
Rita
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Hey gals! Tonight we are in Alamossa, Colorado. We visited the Royal Gorge and took the traina ride through the canyon, as well as walking the bridge. Then we drove over to the Great Sand Dunes but the rain prevented us from hiking on them. We're staying in the area tonight, hoping that the rain will go away and we'll be able to hike the dunes in the morning before heading out for Vegas. We're having lots of fun!
Ginny, I'm glad you got your tumor markers. Be sure to post or call after you get your pet scan results. I'll be sending good vibes and prayers your way! I really enjoyed our dinner the other night.
Blackjack, I'm so sorry to hear about your friend. How utterly horrible! HUGS!
Donna and Buddy, I hope you're doing O.K. Hugs!
Well, I need to get off here. Hugs to all of you!
Rita
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Morning girls,
Where is all this rain coming from. I think we need the sunshine fairies.
Rita...sounds like you are having a wonderful time. Post some pics of your travels.
Jackie...your quotes are always a comfort. You are the best and thank you.
Wendy...beach pic please. need to see the water and can you through in a few cabana boys for me. lol
Laura....Paulie is getting cutie everyday. hugs and kisses for him
Ginny... I hope you are feeling better with your txs. You know they say if you bury St. Joseph upside down you will sell you house faster. Maybe???
Donna / Buddy..how are you girls doing..resting
Julieb...thinking of you as you have that colon thing done. think thin lol
Juliet...ready to start soon at your new job.
Zap... only a few more days and then play time for you.
To everyone else I missed I hope you all are doing well with your txs. Hugs
Well I am off to visit my friend today as the wake is tomorrow. I have lots to do and again thank you all for your prayers. You are all so special to me. Sending you all special hugs.
Remember to be healthy..be happy
BJ
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IORNASGRANDMA2000 Welcome. Youare at the right place. We are all in this together, to help each other. Never feel bad about asking anything. Thats what this is for.
Rita...I hope you are having a blast.
Girls I get to start back today My last AC...Then it will be $ Taxatere.
I got the call yesterday from the Radioligist wanting me to come in for a consult. I need your help here girls. In te begining My surgeon, My plastic surgeon and Oncologist, said absolutely no Rads. Now that i have had this 8 week set back in chemo, My Onc has kept saying he didnt know what he wanted to do yet. Maybe rads. For extra insurance. But if I had a mascetomy and 2 nods removed. What good will it do. I will probably get it in te nodes. But they are gone..right. If there was any cancer let it would be throughout my body somewhere else. Rads are not good to do if its not going to help. Maybe I should go to Northwestern for another opinio. My insurance wont cover it. I hate to go there for nothing if it will really help after all. I know the radiolligist will say yes rads thats how they make their money. Some one guide me here. Will it help. Because if it willl. I definitely want it. I want to do everything I can...... Off I go. thank you again girls for always being there when I need you. Love Buddy/Lefty/Budders
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Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections but instantly set about remedying them-every day begin the task anew. -Saint Francis de Sales
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Buddy...what does your path report tell you. If all your specialists say no rads then why does this rad onc want to see you. I would call and ask why. Second opinions don't hurt and can be very useful. I went for 2 rad consultations and had the shorter version 21 tx and 4 boost. I didn't need chemo so I can't comment on that. Talk with your med onc and see why rads is in your future or if your really need it..
BJ
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Buddy.. I am not versed on radiation as others may be. All i do know is, you don't do it more than once in a lifetime and is used for those who had lumpecotomies? IF a mx is done especially?! Maybe someone else here will have more informative advice. I was told,chemo was to be a preventative measure in case any cancer cells got inside my body. Radiation was NOT an option, since i had a mx.???!!!!Today is your tx day, that is impt to focus on. Maybe just leave the radiation part on the sideline until you get thru this and voice your concerns to your DR.! Thinking of you..
Vicky....Welcome!!! Good you found us. I leave south of neverland..near Indiana, so Farmington only sounds familar!!!I My cancer was also detected by mammo only! You do realize how fortunate we are, as we caught it in a early stage!!! I am in midst of chemo as my cancer got out of the duct and this is a safety measure to insure no cancer cells got loose in the body! }How are you doin with your treamtents? I am on T/C and goin toward my last one in June. Will have 4 total done every three weeks. Good to meet you here!
Laura....how is sweet Paulie doing after his surgery?!
All... feeling very punkish and just tryin to make the best of what i can when i can. This round has been tougher on me and am very tired and cranky. Though, i am goin to try a new banana bread recipe and this one calls for honey which is a recipe good for the blood sugar and not using raw sugar etc. See if i can get to it? Feel useless these days and everything is an effort, hardest part for me!Thanks for all your concern and good thoughts!
Hugs,
Donna
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BlackJack...We are getting a St. Joseph statue. We did that with our last house and it sold fast. It really does work.
Laura...Are there any good racetracks to go to that are not too far away from Bloomington? We really like watching car races but havn't found any good tracks around here.
Now that I won't be working after June 5, I will be able to come to some luncheons up in the Chicago area. I am looking forward to more freedom and less stress.
That's it for now....
Ginny
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lornasgrandma - welcome to a really neat place. Rita started this thread in 2007 and many of the Illinois Ladies ( Illinois ladies are super tough ) just stayed here. Depending on diagnosis, many do go onto some of the other forums/or threads but this has become a HOME and many of the Illinois ladies meet once a month or so for a lunch or dinner. Always a lot of fun. Bj usually sets all of that up. Laura keeps our vital statistics so if you like send her a pm with your diagnosis date, birthday, email addy, phone and address. That way you will be notified when these lovely, fun, rewarding get-togethers take place. That is LauraGTO by the way....and Bj is Blackjack. Anyway hope you will visit here often.
Budders - I can easily see that the radiation Oncologist might say do the rads, but what does your chemo Oncologist say....or your PCP. I just re-read again...some time I am so dense. If you had three doctors saying NO rads absolutely then I would find out out why they gave you that outlook. ----- why they ever felt positive enough to give you that ultimatum.....and if any have changed their minds and why. Their original advice seems to have been quite strongly defining and I would have some reluctance until I was totally certain of the whys to go against that advice. I do realize that only one Dr. is an actual Oncologist....but I'm thinking....when do you ever get three doctors to totally agree on anything. Hope I have not muddied up your thinking more but I probably wouldn't budge much till I got clear, concise answers when three Dr.'s said no.
Ginny - always thinking about you and hoping you do well with your chemo. I am so ( not chemo induced ) forgetful about mentioning those who stay in my heart and prayers....so know you always are. And I think I should not have ended a sentence with are.....but I have to use everything in my power to make sure all know I'm not perfect. Sound plausible for my mistake.
Rita - you sound like you are having an amazing time --- I have always had an idea that teachers and former teachers too....learned to learn in a better way than many of us....which only says I think your powers of curiosity and retention are higher somehow. I'd love to be a fly on the headliner in your car but you would have shoo'ed me out long ago. Let the fun and good times continue.
Donna - sending healing and loving thoughts to you. We will all be glad when you get out of the fog.
Bj - I am sending as much comfort as I can muster for you to share with your friend. You surely will be her earth angel and I'm also sure she will look back feeling peace and contentment with your willingness to share this very larger burden with her.
Got to go have some breakfast and enjoy the southern Illinois sun while it lasts.....rain, rain go away....lets save some of this for some other day.
Hugs Jackie
p.s. big hi to Michele Jennifer and Laura....and Wendy the absent weather forecaster
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I'm trying to catch -up.....
BJ so sorry to hear about your friend....Our thoughts and prayers are with you
Hope this beach helps sooth you!
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Now...
Click Here To Download The Beach Waves Animated Wallpaper" mce_src="Please Note: Animated Wallpapers Are Not Compatible With Windows Vista At This Time.
Click Here To Download The Beach Waves Animated Wallpaper"Maybe this will help, download and watch the waves!
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Now Why did it print that twice????
Buddy you might want to go to the RAD consult. It may just be to give you more information As you know every case is different. I had a mx and snb in 2002 no chemo no rads....In 2006 I had a lumpectomy on the mx site. SOOO chemo and rads was a must in my mind!
Lornasgrandma (vicki) Welcome!! this is the best group of ladies!! Do tell us more about yourself!! You will find there are a lot of us proud grandma's here!!
Ginny hope you are able to deal w/ the se. I don't envy you moving!! I think I'd have to use Jackie's idea and auction off a lot of "stuff" ( DH calls it junk!)
Wendy your late what's up with that?
Laura I LOVE the car pic!! Brings back MANY fond memories I spent many a summer at the drag strip!!
oopss Boss is here back to work!!
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Tdbear...Thank you for the beach and water pics. They are so comforting to me. Water is my calming force as I need it this week. Are you coming to Elgin anytime soon? Let me know for the lunch bunch.
Wendy is MIA....she must have stole my beach chair and ran off with the cabana boys. lol cause she is not posting today.
Hugs to you
BJ
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Ginny - We race at a track in Byron, IL - it's a 1/4 mile track. There's also one in Joliet. Hope you're feeling okay. It would be great if you could join us for lunch.
Lornasgrandma - Welcome!
Buddy - Geesh... another one with a tricky dilemma. Another opinion is a good idea. If I were you, I probably wouldn't. Were the 2 nodes positive? Our dx's are similar... mine was a little worse though. But... because I had the Masts and chemo, I was told the only reason I DID need radiation was because of an unclean margin at my chest wall. So... without that damn margin (it was very small), I could have avoided it. Hope this helps... sorry...
Donna - Sorry you're feeling so crappy! Keep on hanging in there...
I might need to send out the search light for Wendrew our Weather Girl.
Paulie did fine with the surgery. Last night he was groggy and we gave him some pain meds. Today he's back to his old self, chewing on my shoes, biting my toes as I sit here and type this.
Wendrew - we need some sun! Geesh...and cripe! lol Although... it sure is very green out there. So lush and gorgeous.
Jackie - Have you sat on that lovely deck of yours?
MAMAQ - What did you decide?
Everyone - Hi!
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LornasGrandma- Welcome to you! As one of the newbies here, you have come to a great place. I have gotten lots of great advice and many a shoulders to lean on.
Buddy- I would like to help but I do have to much info on the subject. I can tell you that mine didn't say anything about rads and I had 1 pos. node. But going off what Laura said, I did have a good margin. I would want to know what their reasoning is.
Donna- Hope your feeling like your usual self soon. And the banana bread sounds yummy!
Laura- Going with the TCx4. He felt like his original recommendation would be too much. I'm good with this. I want to do everything I can to try to make sure this BEAST goes away. I know that I would always question myself, if I didn't do the chemo.
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Thanks girls. i can see why the surgeon and plastic surgeon said no rads. they worked on me at teh same time doing the mascetomy and tissue expanders. Rads are very hard on tissue expanders. the onc is now saying since i missed so much chemo from teh surgeries he wants me to have it. but my 2 positive nodes were removed, i am so confused. i feel like he wants me to think he is doing somthing to make up for te missed treatments, so he is doing this. Iknow that sounds crazy. maybe i am wrong. i just cant see how i can benefit from rads when there is no tumor to target.
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Evening all....gee, it's nice to be missed! Some stuff going on so have not been on the computer at all...
Blackjack....hope this pic does you some good (sorry, no cabana boys tho!)
Ginny...we all will be waiting for your PET results!
Lefty/Budders....hmmmmm! Good question! Where was your tumor located? If close to chest wall, that's why the extra insurance. It also hits the skin, if your tumor was close to the surface. They didn't take ALL the nodes so hitting them as well - extra insurance! Getting an opinion from a big University cancer center is an excellent idea. I went to Northwestern and saw Dr. Kaklamani for my 2nd opinion (but then I got a 3rd from within the first onc group!). She was very nice...but I was there for 6 hours, just waiting! It was worth it tho.
Vicky....welcome to the little group no one wanted to join! I see where you thought we hadn't posted since 2007...we are already up to page 292! Hopefully you have scrolled down and have seen the page numbers! Tell us a bit about yourself!
Karin....always good to see you! How are the vampires? Mine have been MIA for the past 4 days. Quite nice.....
Rita....you sound like you are having a ball! I agree.....pics please!
Laura....sorry! It is damp and humid with a temp of 67 on my deck right now, very cloudy.
Jennifer....nice to see you!
Donna....so sorry that once again you are not feeling so hot. Hang on....you are almost done!
Jacks....did you grill out? What did you make? The only day we were home this weekend was Monday afternoon and by then it was raining so no grilling on our deck. Hopefully by Friday we can be out there....I have shrimp and one lobster tail in the freezer and some steaks all ready...just waiting for the weather to cooperate.
To everyone else...hope you are doing well tonight. Have a great evening and I will check in tomorrow am with the day's forecast......
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I have lost track with all the posts so if I goof up, be patient. I had the LAST retirement and they gave me a darling Ravinia (that is an outdoor concert park here) picnic table. That is perhaps the best gift to give to me as I love eating outdoors with good friends, good music, and good food.
Donna, hang in there. I truly now recall it all better as you travel through these rough days. Do you many more to endure?
Buddy (I hope I have you right) I am unable to comment on the rads. I was told that they zap stray cancer cells. My tumour was GONE with surgery but they still zapped the breast for stray cancer cells. I am all for zapping stray cancer cells, but I do not know your case and what is best. I would trust the oncologist and what he/she is saying as they get the disease better than anyone in my book. If the oncologist says to do it just to be safe....than do it. The second opinion could help. I do wish you well.
Blackjack I know the waters calm you. I hope you are feeling calm. Please let us know about your friend's family and how they are doing.
Later,
Susan
Ginny, I have a St. Joseph's statue and he was lucky for us once. I have no plans soon to move so I will send my you my St. Joseph's statue if you wish. Yup, we dug it up when we left the sold house. I wonder if that makes him okay for you!
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Ginny....I also have a St. Joseph, in fact - he sits right here in my family room! I will gladly send him off to you. I'm not sure if we are supposed to share him, but what the heck! He's yours, if you need him! You can dig him up after you sell and send him back to me.
I wonder if he likes watching "Young and the Restless" every day with me???????
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Rita, Sounds like you are having a great time. I did not realize you were from Lewistown area. From 1977 to 1991 we lived just outside Havana and one of our sons still lives there We will have to swap stories when we meet for dinner.
Lornas grandma - welcome. I also know where farmington is. I have son living in Havana.
I had my first herceptin today without any chemo. The nurse did not realize I did not need any pre-meds and since I had not done it before I did not know either, so I ended up with zofran and dexamethasone before the herceptin. I guess I will get a little steroid boost, but since I did not take any pills night before or any morning of it should not be much. I have been really tired, but each day gets a little better and most of my counts were in normal range or much closer than they had been. Maybe I will feel a bit more like what used to be normal before we start rads. One of best friends daughters is getting married on the 6th and I would like to be able to enjoy the wedding.
Wishing you all a good week. Annette
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Morning All! It is cloudy and cool, temp 54...my deck is wet again so I assume more rain came thru last night.
Annette......I got benadryl before each Herceptin for a few treatments but then I realized that they ran the H in 30 minutes and just as I was finishing the H the benadryl would kick in and they sent me out to my car...all set...to drive 50 mph home! Yeah. No. So we cut back the benadryl to 1/2 the next time and I had no reaction. Then we tried 1/4 benadryl and I was fine. Then none and I never had a reaction. The benadryl made me much too sleepy to drive. It was fine with the chemo as I was there for 5-6 hours. H caused me virtually no se's so I hope the same for you.
I am wearing a trial pair of those bifocal contacts and the jury is still out for me. I have been wering monovision for almost 15 years - that's one contact the correct rx and the other much less so I can read without "cheaters". I don't know tho if they are any better. BUT.....I have extremely early changes in my L eye - horrors! Cataract!!!!! He said it is so early and barely there...but there! My parents both had them and I am 56 so I am really not concerned at this time, nor is my doc. He also said it could very well be from the chemo/steroids but he said it is stable and it may never get any worse or I may need surgery - but he said that is many years down the road so...whew!!!! So...another thing I didn't know...chemo drugs and cataracts! Oh well....too late now! And the percentage is extremely tiny so I would have done the chemo anyway. I don't think Ihad anywhere near enuf decadron to make a difference. Intersting tho!
OK....bored everyone enough this morning. See what you all missed when the 'puter was upstairs????? Off to the gym - and for those of you who think I am remarkable...I really only go lately everyday as it is the one way I can guarantee that I will do my back exercises for my herniated disk. I slacked off for over 7 months and I really paid the price and thought I was heading for spinal fusion but 3 months later, I am doing pretty good! Plus side of these core exercises is I am losing my "arimidex tummy"!
Have a wonderful day everyone! Hugs to you Blackjack....sad days ahead for you.
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Wendy 13...Young and the Restless..my favorite soap EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!
Getting better, stronger today. day 8, What is working most on me, emotionally, will life be really felt as coming back when the treatments are over? It feels like the trauma of it all, surgery and the 7 mos journey is catching up to me!!I Have been journaling and keeping track of it all. Even with old friends who have not shared in this jounrey for one reason or another, i have no patience to listen as they appear shallow in what they want to chat on. Sounds awful but it is true. See that though I have one more treamtent, there is always the thought, will this REALLY all be over for i feel some fear and apprehension. Right now I am in a coccoon until the treamtents are done, but once i am out, i am not sure why i am almost nervous goin to what they say is your life? My life is gone as i know it and that is the next jounrey and need to surrender this and take it all as a new path.
When will the hair start growing... am still not accepting this and dislike it as I do not feel attractive at all (inside). Have a wedding to go to next week. Have a dress.. but being in the wig, just does not make it. Ok. pity pot is over.My brother calls from AZ yesterday and is shocked that i have lost all my hair.. he is almost moaning in a ohh>>> when will it grow back.. my family has always been about image and this is off the charts especially for him!! Of course , i find it to be humorous as i say,, gee.. i do hope it does grow back!!!! LOLOL..evil Donna appears !!!
Budders...great advice here for your dlilemna and it hopefully will help somewhat!!! It makes sense if the RADS were about a speciifc concern other than missed treatments as an option.How was your treatment.Thinking and praying for you!!!
Have a good day all and sorry i am feeling down, but if it does not come out somehwere with someone listening, i would start talking to my dogs and they are on loverload as it is..lol.
Hugs,
Donna
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Annette - Hope you end up with Wendy's Herceptin path which did not cause her any real problems. Other than some tiredness *maybe* who knows, hopefully you can enjoy that wedding to the fullest. There is probably a forum/thread on Herceptin --- seems to be one for just about anything connected to txs -- but I don't read much outside of this thread.
Donna - someone will probably give you a few **thoughts** too so I need to get off here and get doggies fed. See you all later.
Hugs,
Jackie
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"Square your shoulders to the world, be not the kind to quit.
It's not the load that weighs you down but the way you carry
it."
-- Anonymous0
