Take our poll: Caregivers, what do you find most difficult about caregiving?
Weigh in: What are the best and worst gifts for people with breast cancer?

Illinois ladies facing bc

1…946947949951952…1172

Comments

  • aviva5675
    aviva5675 Member Posts: 836
    edited November 2013


    Happy Thanksgivukah to all my Illinois bc friends...Thanks for your support as Ive been on this journey. Happy and healthy new year to everyone.

  • Timbuktu
    Timbuktu Member Posts: 1,423
    edited November 2013


    Definitely thankful for this site and all of the wonderful people on it. Hearts can touch even if we're not face to face.

  • moonflwr912
    moonflwr912 Member Posts: 5,938
    edited November 2013


    Happy Thanksgiving to all you Flatlands from the Cheese heads up Nort!

  • buddy1
    buddy1 Member Posts: 529
    edited November 2013


    Hello girls, It's been a while since I've been here. I do think of you all often. I see some familiar names still here. I hope everyone is well. I am still going through rough stuff. Have had several more surgeries. The arm ,chest and back pain and lymphademia is at a new pain level, My right breast is starting to swell and is painful at the sternum. My last on my tumor markers were slightly elevated but doc said its normal they fluctuate a little.

  • illinoislady
    illinoislady Member Posts: 39,835
    edited November 2013

    Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies that transcend moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world.

    John Milton

  • illinoislady
    illinoislady Member Posts: 39,835
    edited November 2013

    Hi to anyone here who is new. I'm so glad you found us and I hope we can make your path a little lighter.  There are many ups and downs and all here have found that it just feels better to share some time with those who have been on the same path. 

    Buddy it is wonderful to see you, but wow --- I sure wish things would smooth out for you.  You just keep pushing forward and it is so admirable.  When I read what you say....I just start to feel a little stronger. 

    I have been missing in action for a couple of days here.  I am doing some extra working with a family member while her other members are out of town.  I get there at 8 a.m. and come home between 8:30 p.m. and 10 p.m.  Long days indeed, but very pleasant surroundings and no real work  -- just a little light cooking.  Will work tomorrow and perhaps a few hours on Saturday and then it is back to my regular schedule. 

    I'm tired, but it is a good kind. 

    I hope you all had a really delightful holiday.  I'm just thankful for live.

    Peace and love

    Jackie

  • 2ns_Jenn
    2ns_Jenn Member Posts: 95
    edited November 2013


    Up early today for my exchange surgery. I need to ask my plastic surgeon if he is offering any Black Friday deals. BOGO? Buy the girls, get lipo 50% off?!?


    Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving & Hanukkah!

  • cateyz2
    cateyz2 Member Posts: 253
    edited November 2013


    Id love to hear what his response is???? LOL talk to you this afternoon Jenn!! Happy Squishy Day!!! Its 6:51 so its almost time Winking

  • camillegal
    camillegal Member Posts: 15,711
    edited November 2013

    Jenn good Luck--Let us know how u feel.

  • ritajean
    ritajean Member Posts: 4,042
    edited November 2013


    Oh Buddy....It is so good to hear from you but I wish you weren't having to deal with so much! Hugs, honey. Please come more often and keep us updated.


    Also good to hear from you, smerf! I envy your all your cooking and family as we were alone this year and it's just not as much fun. We took a lovely grave blanket up to my Mom's grave in Sterling, Illinois and then drove through Lyndon, the little town in which I was raised to see their veteran's memorial site. We found my Dad's name engraved on the wall and toured the town that's filled with so many good memories for me. The we went to Rock Island to Jumer's for Thanksgiving buffet, so we managed to fill the day with good things.


    Good luck Jenn!


    I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! I'm off the start some Christmas cards. I always tell myself that I'm cutting down on my cards every year and it seems I always send more that the year before.


    I hope some of you don't wear out the bottoms of your shoes shopping today! For those that are braving the stores....happy bargain hunting.

  • MCbeach
    MCbeach Member Posts: 43
    edited November 2013


    Hi ladies - Happy belated thanksgiving!


    Lago -I 'd love to meet you on one of my trips to Northwestern but my apts are timed so DH doesn't miss too much work taking me and so I can be back in time to meet my kids after school. Maybe once things settle down?


    My recovery is going great. I'm off the pain meds and ibuprofen, just feeling "tight" at times. I had my first big meal yesterday. DH and kids cooked it all. Was very nice.


    Aviva-we are close, I'm in Park Ridge.


    Have a great weekend.

  • camillegal
    camillegal Member Posts: 15,711
    edited November 2013

    McBeach wonderful--u didn't have to do anything--ThumbsUp so u get the rest u need.

    Rita I haven't sent cards out in forever, of course over the yrs I only get a few, maybe that's why???

  • buddy1
    buddy1 Member Posts: 529
    edited November 2013


    Ok, I went to my General, he has no idea whats wrong with me. Wants me to have Xray CBC, EKG, MRI, He said something seems to be putting pressure on my sternum causing the pain. Maybe its LE? He suggested my implant leaking? Unable to get MRI or EKG today. Does anyone know if fluid will show on an Xray if it does happen to be LE? It hurts to take deep breaths Thanks gals.

  • 2ns_Jenn
    2ns_Jenn Member Posts: 95
    edited November 2013


    surgery went well and the pain is tolerable. Unfortunately I scored no Black Friday deals! Winking


    I peeked (I know, I shouldn't have) and they seem small but I will reserve judgement after the unveiling.

  • zap
    zap Member Posts: 1,850
    edited November 2013


    Hi Buddy!


    Could it be? I had pain for awhile and was told the radiation can cause this inflammation. Of course I could be way off, but having experienced this, I felt I should at least bring it up. Zap/Susan

    1. Costochondritis


    Symptoms: This is a condition characterized by inflammation of the junction where your upper ribs and cartilage join. Symptoms include reproducible tenderness each time the joints of your ribs are pressed, chest pain that is aggravated when there is movement and sharp pain at the front of your chest wall. You will also realize that the pain keeps getting worse each time you cough or take a deep breath.


    Treatments: Use conservative local ice or heat to relieve symptoms. Use naproxen (Aleve) or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) for inflammation reduction and avoid unnecessary activities or exercises because they tend to worsen the symptoms.

  • camillegal
    camillegal Member Posts: 15,711
    edited November 2013

    OMG Buddy that sounds like u (what Zap said-BTW Hi Zap) doesn't it? I never heard of that one--my upper rib cage causes me trouble but not as bad as u'rs but mine is from my liver pushing it up, cuz in intestine moved around to the side and pushed my liver towards my ribs. I don't think there is a name for this yet. I guess it could be differen t things, but can't they tell LE just by feeling and looking and measuring or something--I have it but I've heard of a lot of trunkal LE too. But they are treatin g u with care in really taking all the tests--so that's good.

  • buddy1
    buddy1 Member Posts: 529
    edited November 2013


    Zap, Oh my, Its so good to hear from you. I hope all is well with you. I appreciate you helping me out. I seem to forget that is what we are all here for , right? Thanks gals for getting me through all my tough times. I think you may have hit the nail on the head here. It sure sounds like it. Mine is the sternum and over to the right where the dorsi and implant are. Feels like a muscle tear but there is non there. I am going to readup on this. Thank you again so much. Love Buddy

  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 11,653
    edited November 2013


    (((hugs))) buddy. Glad you checked in. If those scans don't show anything they will continue to test but I bet the MRI shows just about everything. Trunkal LE I would think would show swelling without MRI.


    2ns_Jenn Yay squishies

  • smerf
    smerf Member Posts: 476
    edited November 2013

    Hi Buddy,

    Sorry about all your difficulty. Zap has a good idea, and also the truncal LE is something to consider. I believe JanClare has had experience with it, and also Blackjack. You could PM them, because like me, they don't check in here so much anymore. There is a lot of info online for both problems if you google them.

    Hugs,

    Pat

  • illinoislady
    illinoislady Member Posts: 39,835
    edited November 2013

    Gratefulness is the key to a happy life that we hold in our hands, because if we are not grateful then no matter how much we have we will not be happy -- because we will always want to have something else or something more.

    David Stindle-Rast

  • illinoislady
    illinoislady Member Posts: 39,835
    edited November 2013

    Buddy....yes, yes, yes.  Don't forget to check in here when things aren't quite on for you.  There are enough people here ( though I had few issues ) that someone will likely have had the problem or something similar.  I do hope you will find our way to a wonderful sigh of relief soon by getting a good diagnosis and way to treat. 

    I had a wonderful Thanksgiving although I did work long hours every day from Tues. through today.  Off earlier today though.  Now will have to do a marathon to get my house back in order.  It's always something, but I jumped at the chance to get extra work. 

    Just going to kick back tonight though. 

    Loving all the left-overs.  Not being home I didn't cook, but have a wonderful cousin in town who treats me more like a sister and she called my husband to come over to her house with containers............and when he got home.......a whole Thanksgiving dinner including pie.  It doesn't get any better than that.   She also give me the carcass to boil for stock so I can make good food for quite some time.

    Will return tomorrow with a quote.....going back to regular schedule now.  I'm so thankful for all of you and I do hope your holidays were just the best. 

    Rita, I am forever thankful to you for starting this thread and for the loving way you continue to be so caring and supportive. 

    Peace and love

    Jackie

  • illinoislady
    illinoislady Member Posts: 39,835
    edited December 2013

    If you look to others for fulfillment, you will never be fulfilled.  If your happiness depends on money, you will never be happy with yourself.  Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are - when you realize that nothing is lacking  the world belongs to you.

    Lao Tzu

  • katerlyn
    katerlyn Member Posts: 4
    edited December 2013


    Smerf so nice to see you here. I had 3 computer crashes and I lost password information and the email account I was signed into here with....so for now I'm Katerlyn2! Hugs!

  • katerlyn
    katerlyn Member Posts: 4
    edited December 2013


    Latest, probably benign they tell me but my nodules they were watching, well the ultra sound came up with isthmus was 6 mm and now it's 10 mm. so a biopsy is scheduled right before Christmas. Nodules were going down in size, but I've had some high BP days lately! I used to see the digest form all the time but with computer crashes I lost all things like that and was too chemo brain to fix it. I'm off arimidex now. My brain MRI did show chemo effects. Doctor recommended huperzine A.

  • zap
    zap Member Posts: 1,850
    edited December 2013


    Buddy, I stop in every few months. I can never give this place up forever as it means so much to me. BC fears never really leave you; nor do friends who stepped in to comfort a friend so many years ago really leave you. I have been through so many good things and so many sad things, but this place offers information and comfort, and in a sense, it is an anchor that keeps me grounded in good times and in not so good times.


    Stay in touch...even if it takes you weeks, months to get an answer on what is ailing you.


    Zap/Susan

  • katerlyn
    katerlyn Member Posts: 4
    edited December 2013


    Welcome to the group that helps us get through this stuff. As they say the group no one wants to join. smile.

  • katerlyn
    katerlyn Member Posts: 4
    edited December 2013


    Hi Zap! I still have a pile of writing books I never got to you, by now you don't need them. Are you on kindle yet?

  • illinoislady
    illinoislady Member Posts: 39,835
    edited December 2013

    Hi Kater,

    Wow !!!!  Sure good to see you, but sorry to hear about the nodules.  I hope they will be able to maybe give you some medication for that.  How are your kitties coming along.  Mine are all the same in general....fat ans sassy and sometimes even a little pushy.  Love them all though.

    Peace and love

    Jackie

  • mapgirl12
    mapgirl12 Member Posts: 76
    edited December 2013


    Hi! I am scheduled for a lumpectomy on 12/12. I live in Buffalo Grove and work in Lincolnshire. My docs and treatments are out of Glenbrook Hospital (NorthShore University group). I am not really nervous about the cancer or the surgery just about some of the details - compression bra do I need one? What else am I going to need when I am at home? I am looking for some front button up shirts for bed and to leave the house - taking advantage of cyber monday deals since I slept through black friday shopping!


    I am in the middle of an heavy duty clean up…my daughter and husband will be able to keep up the house for a couple of months by themselves.


    Oh one other question…how the heck do you get out of bed the first few days? I had 2 c-sections and I remember needing help to get out of bed for 10 days. I saw there was a "right" way to get out of bed but no other details.


    Any information would be appreciated!


    -Nancy

  • Timbuktu
    Timbuktu Member Posts: 1,423
    edited December 2013


    I had two c sections too and the mastectomy was NOTHING by comparison. Don't know about a lumpectomy but I can't imagine it's worse.


    You will be pleasantly surprised. The mastectomy cuts all of the nerves so you feel very iittle and they don't cut through muscle. There was almost NO pain for me,

Categories

Join Us on Zoom: Upcoming virtual meetups. Read more...
Give your account some personality! Add a profile photo.