Illinois ladies facing bc
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Jenn,
Mine is the 11th a Thurs at 10:30 at GSH but I think Im going to try and reschedule to Tue the 9th, I currently have a back to work date of the 15th so Id like to have a few days inbetween to see how I feel and have that window in case I need to let my boss know I need to delay as my job is physical, lots of heavy lifting, twisting, turning and repetitive motions.
I did ask him about what he has in mind for me for permanent and he said will discuss that later once Im getting closer to the size I want to be. I already know I want silicon just not sure about round or anatomical.
Looks like I wont get updated picctures on the forum until tomorrow morning, tired and gonna head to my recliner.
Have a great night ladies!
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Catey and jenn I love it that u 2 met--it's great--and u both sound like the same schedule will work for both of u--Good
Joan we were all concerned about u'r hair appoinment LOL Glad u'r home and had u'r hair cut. Feel better
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I don't know if anyone knows where Island Lake is, but my cousin has a home there and at the end of July (this year) they have fireworks on the lake nd we go every year and it wonderful, they're so close (cuz her back yard is the lake) u'r heart feels them and the kids love them and family, friends go it's like our 4th of Juy and we have so much fun. It's great so I'm looking forward to that.
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One of the things that silently falls by the wayside when our busy lives get stretched too thin is hope. Hope is never limited to the unreal. Hope is that process within ourselves that stretches us beyond the ordinary, beyond the possible to the impossible, while at the same time rendering what seemed impossible possible. Hope feeds our soul and our being. It is that immeasurable source of power that comes from beyond ourselves and is not controlled by us. Depriving ourselves of hope confines us to a world grown void of color and surprises. We no longer see the flowers and the rainbows that are there. Hope is not expensive to have. It is very costly to be without.
Anne Wilson Schaef0 -
Joan-buzz cut? You wild thing. Now how about a little pink or blue streak?
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Oh I put some bluestreaks in my hair for a party over the week-end and everyone thought it was cute even my DDs. Next is purple--it all washes out so it's easy to mix or match what u'r wearing too. It's fun.
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Infinite riches are all around you if you will open your mental eyes and behold the treasure house of infinity within you. There is a gold mine within you from which you can extract everything you need to live life gloriously, joyously, and abundantly.
Joseph Murphy0 -
Cami-
Love that you get away to the 'island' for so much fun. I could hear the fireworks in your description and see them over the lake.
And your streaking ;0) Love it!
Diana0 -
Joan: I was so worried about my bone desity test as my mom broke her hips along with other body parts due to osteoporosis. I am relieved as passed it quite nicely and they tell me mu bones actually improved even on arimidex. I honestly am beginning to think that health care is just a luck of the draw.
I went on hormone replacement due to an extremely early menopause and the poor bones history. I blame it for the breasr cancer as I have no history except hormone replacement for so many years (cannot prove that connection). I wonder if I got BC from the hormone replacement but it took great care of my bones
It is all frustrating!Took a long walk in the sun this am as I am not taking those bones for granted. Good luck!
Susan
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Zap my mom was on low dose hormone theorpy. She didn't have it right after menopause but because she has osteoperosis the put her one it for several years… then the year after I was diagnosed they took her off it because of me. She's in her mid 70's and still no breast cancer.
So it might not be that but of course the research does say it increases your risk.
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Please help tonight.
If anyone is on that knows anything about cellulitus, please respond. I need to talk to someone. I'll send you my phone number in a private message if you are willing.
Diana0 -
Feel bad I have not been back checking in on the IL ladies! BMX is next week and I am still catching up at work from my vacation last week. So busy. Too damn busy for cancer that's for sure
Great to hear things are going well cateyz2 - I will be living in that recliner soon too!
So sorry Diana, I do not know anything about celluitus.
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I had cellulitis from a bee sting a few years ago. It was hard to kick! I had two different rounds of oral antibiotics and it still would not go away. I had to go to the hospital and get IV antibiotics to get rid of it. Sorry I can't help much more.
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Diana I don't know much my cousin had it in the ankle.foot needed loads of antibiotics and couldn't wear reg. shoes for a while. And I think it was painful too.That all I know. Soneone will come on and know much more.
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Good luck BoatinGirl! BTW I never liked the recliner. I did use a bunch of pillows in my bed to prop me up. I made kind of a wedge behind my back. As I felt better I would remove pillows
dltnhm I hope you did go to the emergency room. I haven't had cellulitis but as someone with LE I know that I am at risk. You need antibiotics. Joan also is one that has had several bouts with it. Here are a link on cellulitis from the lymphedema site. Be sure to check out all the links in the left navigation bar listed below linky 1:
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Good Morning you beautiful ladies. I looked at the calender today and realized that three years ago today, I learned I had breast cancer. My response was my normal one. ONWARD! Still feel that way. Looking forward towards the good things. My oldest son got married June 1st. I was there to enjoy. Next May 24th, my youngest will be married, and I plan to be there as well. I feel so very blessed that I had this forum when I had questions. So I thank you for being there for me. And although this is not a group I would have wanted to join, there are many worse groups to belong to. lol.
Blessings to you all.
Love, Caryn/Onward
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Thank you BoatinGirl, mdg, camilegal, and lago for your responses.
lago - thanks for your thorough response. The Step Up Speak Out website is amazing and it was the first place I went yesterday. The more I read - the more I was headed to the ER.
But (there's always a but) ;o)
I really also wanted to speak with someone who has had it (had Joan in mind since her quite recent bout with it) or someone who has LE (had you specifically in mind when I sent out my plea last night) and knows the ins and outs of all that goes with it.
I did not go to the ER last night. I did take an antibiotic that I have here at home that was prescribed in the event of an emergency situation while I was traveling.
Sunday I burned my finger with my flat iron. Last night I had a large pink splotchy area that was hot to the touch on my left arm. I also had a small area on my right arm, and a smaller area on my chest near my collar bone. The question for me was that I had had some splotchy areas Monday afternoon (not chest but both arms, but also places on my legs). They weren't warm to the touch and they were gone by the next morning.
I've been ramping up my exercise which has put me outside for long runs (7.5-8 mi) and speed walks (8 mi yesterday) so I started wondering if it was heat rash. I've never had that before. Or was it LE related. I have followed exercise precautions with my left arm but did not wear my sleeve this week.
I know - what was I thinking with increasing my workouts?
So - this morning there are no hot areas. All the small areas are gone and there is just a very small pinkish area on my left arm.
DH has an epidural injection later this morning. Trying to decide if I should just continue with the antibiotic or see my primary today first.
Thanks again for all your help!0 -
Diana.... I have had 4 bouts of cellulitis. If you suspect that you have, go straight to a hospital ER. They will get an IV antibiotic going ASAP. Last week, I unfortunately spent 4 nights in the hospital so they could monitor it. The first antibiotic was not working so they called in an infectious disease doctor who was able to determine that this bout was was caused by a strep bacteria rather than the staph bacteria that has plagued me in the past. I am still on oral a biotic for another 8 days, then back to see the infectious disease doctor again. It can be very difficult to get rid of. This last bout developed within an hour after having a dental cleaning. I am paranoid about bug bites! I go back to LE clinic in a couple weeks for some MLD again.
Rads really increases your risk of developing cellulitis. It is likely that the rads killed any lymph nodes left after surgery and left your skin with long term damage. My Rad ONC is very serious about monitoring all that. I still see her every 6 months and she is one of my favorites, because she still cares.
I got my first Zometa infusion yesterday to treat my osteoporosis. Felt just fine all afternoon and knocked myself out doing some yard work. .....until about 7pm last night. Then every bone in my body started to ache. I couldn't crawl into bed fast enough. Why couldn't I be the one who has no side effects? Stills little achy today, but feeling much better.0 -
Diana... When you notice a pink area that is warm to touch, draw a line around it with a ballpoint pen. If it continues to spread... Head to the ER. It can spread very fast.
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Listen to Joan!
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Congratulations Onward, for marking three years of living life to the fullest!
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Diana I knew Lago and Joan would cover that for u. So if they say go to ER than that's what to do. I never heard of it til recently, so many things to have-so little time to have them all.
I did go to PT the first time yeasterday so I'll be going 2x a week startin July 9th--It was just an eval so alot of questions were asked and did some excercises to see how I moved. I saw the exer. and they are the same as I do for my LE so that was good and of course I have to walk more and that's fine--she asked if I fall much and I said I do fall and she asked what happens and I told her when everyone stops laughing they help me up. I don't think that was the exact answer she was looking for. She said I should keep my mind open for using a walker Hmmm I told her when I'm don I thought I could enter the senior Olympics, at least. Most of the people there were from accidents--I talk alot and people talk back wow gravity can be cruel. I never saw so many accidental people in one place-it was crowded--The therapist I had was very nice and right at the hospital I go to and my Drs. are right down the hall so if I have a heart attack she can get him fast or at least one of his nurses. So that's my new thing happening--I know no big deal just something else.
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Joan -
Since it didn't spread but actually substantially decreased over night is that a good sign? And since I wrote my earlier post this morning, it is just a small spot - and I do mean a spot.
Thanks for the tip on the pen. Read it on SUSO too.
And thanks so much for your help with this. I followed your last bout here (and looked it up) which was really the first reason I wondered if this could be cellulitis.
Hugs.
Diana0 -
Diana... I would keep a close eye on it since you did take some antibiotics. Never can be sure whether it is staph or strep and they require different antibiotics. My LE therapist always evaluates any redness on my arm. I have tender skin and it doesn't take much to have a little red spot. 99% just go away. Once you have had cellulitis, you are always more susceptible to it.
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Hello, Ladies. I'm baa-ck. Or should I say it's back. Damn cancer. I was feeling good for months, even losing weight on my new diet so I could firmly be in the middle of my BMI, rather than precariously near the top. Went to my regular check-up with the BS and had a 5mm mass in the skin of the breast. Surgery has been done, had my first chemo yesterday. Will do TCx4 and then rads and then suppress ovaries and AI since tamoxifen didn't seem to work despite being low oncotype and highly ER+ and PR+.
Cancer seems to want to hang out with me but I don't want to! I'm trying to kick it out of my inner circle, as my son would say!
Diana, Call your doctor today and see if they want to look at you or they may tell you to go to the ER. I had an infection post surgery and its nothing to mess with. You may be improving it with the antibiotics you are taking, but you may not have the correct antibiotic so its important to find that out.
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Thanks again Joan. I'm going to continue with the antibiotic and watch it very closely. I have been fortunate to have 'good' skin (for lack of a better word).
So thankful to you, lago, and all the ladies here.
Diana0 -
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Twohobbies--OMG well now u have 3hobbies with this stupid disease. Really I'm so sorry, right when u start feeling better the haunting of it returns to u. U can not trust this damn disease to stay away or what it ends up doing to u.
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Camille you are right. I was pretty angry because I did what I was told, ate healthy, exercised, lost weight, took my medicine. In the end, sometimes we are not totally in control. I have arrived at a good state of mind that I will do the treatments we know today and continue to eat healthy, exercise, and assume a positive outcome until I know differently.
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Good afternoon ladies!
I can't believe its two months since I've been here...it's been a busy two months.
I have had a colonoscopy, bone density, hearing test, 3 Herceptin treatments and surgery for a bladder sling as well as dr appointments galore.
I do have hearing loss in my left ear and wondering if anyone has experienced that from chemo. I will see and ENT in mid July.
One of my Dr appointments was with a PS at U of C ...he thinks I'm a great candidate for an abdominal flap reconstruction. So I was leaning towards having my right breast removed and having both breasts done with the flap and getting the tummy tuck to boot. I am not a candidate for the expanders due to my radiation.
Then I saw my BS, who turned everything upside down. She suggested I wait. My cancer does not reappear in the other breast but more likely in bone, lymph, brain or lungs and usually within three years (50/50 chance of reoccurrence) so why would I remove a perfectly good organ with sensitivity...and that the surgery would be 9-10hours and what would that do to my body...would my body be weaker if the cancer returns and the recovery was hard on my body. She thought I should consider waiting the three years and then do only the left breast for a 3hr surgery. Those were all valid points for consideration, but I don't want to look in a mirror and see cancer looking back from a big flat scar on my left side.
I am praying about what is right as I take the next six months to get my body in a better shape. Funny thing is if I did the surgery next month like I hoped to the PS said the ab fat knows its ab fat, so if I lost weight I could lose it in the chest I just created! So I want to get in as good of shape as i can so I won't lose the breast-ab fat after surgery.
Has anyone chosen to have only one breast done with the flap surgery and are you happy with that choice? I want to hear any opinions on this decision to help me make the best choice for me. If you chose not to reconstruct, are you happy with that? If you chose to remove a healthy breast with reconstruction how was the recovery?
I understand no one can decide this for me, but the wisdom of so many woman can only help. Dr Song is a great PS and I trust him, but Dr J is a rock star BS and I trust her even more!
I tried to read two months worth, but ended up skimming the comments...welcome to the new ladies and so glad to be back on board!0
