Chemo in Sept 08
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Hi ya'll......
I finally got to go on a much needed vacation to the Smokey Mountains. Last year when I was here....I hadn't been diagnosed yet....but I remember telling my hubby I felt like that was the last time I would be back. I guess deep down I knew something was really wrong with me. HALLELUJAH......I'm back here again. I still am not up to par. Don't feel like doing a lot....but just the beauty here is so peaceful and relaxing to me. The crowd here isn't tho....lol
We are here until Friday.....not sure if we are going straight home or to visit with relatives in Ky. Depends on how we are feeling.
Sorry to hear about Callie....I was hoping she could have her surgery and move on with her treatment.
Spring.....my Tamox is making my legs ache really badly. I know that's what's doing it because they didn't hurt like this until I was on the tamoxifen for about a week or more. They really hurt coming down to TN yesterday. I got out of the car and walked around 3 times.....and it was just a 5 hour trip. I'm terrified of blood clots while taking it.
gotta run.....love you all
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Genia, enjoy the mtns! I wonder if the Tamox side effect will wear off.... Maybe needs some time...?
Jane M, thank you for the post card!!! You are a crack up woman!
Spring...
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I'm glad Callie went home; hospitals are full of bugs. We had our patient units terminally disinfected years ago and that was before MRSA made its way out of the hospital into the communities. I pray her surgery is going well.
I went out Saturday with friends and was it ever a boost for me. I haven't been out with them for a long time and we were so happy to meet again. There is an Ang Lee film festival in town; we chose BrokeBack Mountain at the Walter Reed theater Saturday afternoon. Good food, good movies and good friends = good times all round.
Genia, I'm glad you're getting good care and that your husband can perform the treatment for you at home. Sounds like you are loving the Smokey Mountains....
Happy belated birthday Juli
{{{{{Wink}}}}}
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Genia- I hope you are having a great time. Hopefully it is cooler there than here!!!UGH The humidity is awful and the past couple of days brutal!!!
Mina- glad to hear that you had a good time this weekend.
Calli's surgery was to start today at 1...have not heard if it started on time. Expected to be anywhere from 4-8 hrs. We have not heard anything yet. I will let you guys know when i do.
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I had my CT scan yesterday. I got the reports today. There is a 1.5 cm mass in the left axillary region (right where it has been hurting). Radiologist recommends follow up with PET scan or biopsy to rule out/confirm metasesis or recurrence. I see the med onc on Friday. I get the feeling of deja vu.
DH was in ER all day yesterday. He hasn't been feeling well for a few days. He has Lyme Disease and a UTI. I don't have the heart to tell him.
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Oh Jane....I'm so sorry!!! I am gonna pray REALLY hard that it is nothing. Is that the same side your cancer was on....or the other side?
I love you....wish I could make it ALL go away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Same side. Right where it's been hurting.
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Did they say it could be scar tissue showing up Jane?
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That wasn't one of the choices. It's a lump, they just don't know a lump of what.
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I would say....maybe it's nothing to worry about....but you and I both know that's not the right thing to say. Cause we are gonna worry......I'm right there with you.....in heart and spirit.
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Jane- I pray that this is scar tissue or something else. Sending you hugs and prayers. I am so sorry you are having to deal with this worry!!! Please keep us posted.
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Calli came through the surgery okay. She is in quite a bit of pain (expected) They are now waiting on path results to let them know how well the chemo has worked thus far. Margins were close. Kind of mixed news but she did weather the surgery well. As soon as pain is controlled they will let them come home. Please pray that they will be able to manage it so they can come home and rest.
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Lisa, glad to hear Cali made it through.
Jane Jane Jane. I am so sorry! This is just so not fair... of course will pray for "it is nothing". Will pass on, though, that a friend of mine also had pain in her arm pit area, I believe she had a biopsy.. and it was a regional recurrance, still thought to be curable! BUT, too soon to worry about that for you.... Maybe this is just a pocket of tissue or fluid.
Please let us know as you find out more. Thinking of you....
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Jane - I can't believe you have to wait till Friday to see your onc. I would be living on Ativan if it was me.
Is your hubby doing better? Have you told him yet?Lisa - Poor Calli! If only we could take her pain away.
Thanks Mina! Glad you had a fun night out!
Genia - Smokey Mtns sound wonderful! Hopefully you will return many more times!
Beverly - I will be starting Tamox around the 23rd, when I get back from a week in Montana. So NOT looking forward to the SE's!
I made another appt with a neurologist (I cancelled the other 2 appts) for the 28th. Not that I'm too hopeful. I just want to see a doctor that has heard of my stinging problem.
Hugs
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Jane, still thinking of you..
Jules, I have hot/cold flashes and occasional vaginal discharge, but the SE's, so far, (5 months in nearly) have not been bad!!!
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Good to hear Callie made it through ok.....what part of her body was the tumor located? I don't recall knowing....but I still have chemo brain. We can claim chemo brain for up to a year....so I'm milking it for all it's worth.
Jane....you've been in my heart, mind and prayers all day long. Can't get you off my mind.
Remember....if God leads you to it.....he will bring you THROUGH it! I'm rootin for ya g/f.
To the rest of ya....lotsa hugs and love
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Onc's nurse called me back. I wanted to forego seeing him on Friday and just have him order the PET scan, but she said he wants to see me face to face to discuss the game plan. I don't like that. I did tell DH today, not because I wanted to, but because I felt I probably should. If I have to have the PET scan, he'll have to take (more) time off work to bring me because the closest facility is about an hour away. Part of me wants to think that this is some post-operative thing, but if that were the case, I probably wouldn't have started with new pain/fullness/whatever a few weeks ago. I really hate putting my family through this again. They need a break.
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Oh Jane. This is just weighing on my heart! And besides your family, YOU NEED A BREAK!! I don't like the sounds of "discussing a game plan" -- but do let us know what happens. In the mean time, prayers, hope, prayers, hope, prayers....
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Jane....I know it's hard putting your family through this again (if indeed it is another cancer episode) but you are the one that is actually going through the treatment. I hate for YOU to have to go through this again. Regardless of how hard it is for our families....it's 10 times harder for us. Like me...you are always thinking of the other person. It's time we think about ourselves.......please! My heart just breaks for you.....and as I've said....I wish there was SOMETHING I could do besides be this far away and no way of being there for you. That part just kills me..........
Love you bunches........
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Jane,
What Genia said!!!
Spring.
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Jane- You have been on my mind today too. I'm glad you told DH so he can be there for you. HUGS
Genia- Calli's cancer was in her arm. They cut out about 6" piece of bone, rotator cuff and ligs and replaced it with a donor bone (cadavor) and rotator cuff. She is still in a lot of pain, of course pain meds cause nausea but if they can get the pain contolled she will be allowed to come home to recoup. They got clear margins (thin but clear) and they are now awaiting the path results to see how well the chemo worked on the tumor. Once recovered from surgery and pending paths they will be looking at possibly 6 more ms of chemo after this. While it was a set back the doctor told them the fever last week saved her arm because if she had the surgery and developed staph they would have had to amputate. So there are hidden blessings in fevers.
Jules- I hope that the tamox does not give you SE's and that you do well with it.
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Lisa & Beverly - Thanks! I'm crossing my fingers. I've had enough SE's. I'd like a break this time.
Poor Calli - That is soooo unfair!
Jane - I'm crossing my fingers, toes, elbows, knees, ankles, eyes and anything else that will cross so that all will be well with you!
Genia - Hope the leg pain goes away soon!
hugs!
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Hi Girls,
I am back after a wonderful time with my family. I have put on a few pounds but feel confident it will soon be gone. I have just been catching up with all the posts and am very sorry to hear what a hard time Callie has had and that Jane has big worries on her mind.
Jane, I have heard that cancer is not usually painful, so I am expecting to hear that it is a pocket of something like Spring said. I have also heard of quite a few girls who get lumps showing up on their post treatment tests but most have turned out to be "nothing to worry about" things. Lets keep our fingers crossed. How is your husband doing?
Genia, so glad your arm is feeling better and the swelling has gone down.
My feet have been really hurting during my trip away, some days I could hardely walk at all. As this happened some months ago, then I forgot to tell my oncol, I am assuming it will be gone again soon and won't come back. I am sure loosing some weight will help.
Jane, I love your new photo, you look amazing!
I would like to have a photogaphs of all of you girls. if anyone wants to send me a digital photo of themselves, I will make a little collage of us all and send one back to everyone, what do you say, after all we are a team and need a team photo to look at everyday.
Take care girls,
Singapore Chris x
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Hi girls,
I forgot to tell you, I have a new hairstyle! I went on a boat trip, and it was so windy that my entire head of hair got blown backwards. When I got home, I looked in the mirrow and LOVED IT. I am now blow drying it backwards and everyone is saying how great I look, hubby, children etc. How's that for a natural look.
Love to you all. Singapore Chris x
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Chris - can't wait to see your new hair-do! I emailed a pic to you. 0
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Chris....give me your email addy again and I'll send you a pic. Don't have any new ones cause I'm so fat I don't like my picture taken....lol
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I'm driving myself crazy over-analyzing this thing. If it has been there all the time, why did I just start having pain a few weeks ago? Why is the pain continuing to get worse? I'm thinking maybe the pain is from the "mass" crowding muscles and/or nerves and other tissues and that's why it hurts. It is described as a "stellate mass." Does that mean anything to anybody?
DH says he feels better every day. He has an apt with his PCP at the same time on Friday that I have my apt. with my onc.
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Jane, stellate mass??? I looked up stellate in Websters, and looks like it means a "star shape"??
* Main Entry: stel·late
* Pronunciation: \ˈste-ˌlāt\
* Function: adjective
* Etymology: Latin stella
* Date: 1661: resembling a star (as in shape)
Hang in there Janie. Of course you are over analysing this! You have nothing else to go on... Will you see the Doc tomorrow then? Will be thinking of you.
Chris, Funny about your "blown back" hair do! I've had a few cuts, and keeping it short and curly. The curls are so dang easy. Will send a pic to you... I have to find one!!!
Spring.
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I have to stay off Google..."a stellate mass is the most usual manifestation of invasive carcinoma"...."benign stellate lesions are rare"...."90% of stellate lesions are malignant"..."patients with both a stellate mass and microcalcifications form the highest risk subgroup"(relating to identifying non-palpable lesions)..."tubular carcinoma typically appears as a stellate mass. Inflitrating lobular carcinoma is another of the special types of carcinoma, which may give rise to a distinct stellate mass on imaging."
I see the doctor at 3 PM tomorrow. Of course, tomorrow is Fridayy, so even if he orders a PET scan, it won't be done until next week. DD has planned a big 45th birthday party for me on the 23rd. My boys are even coming up from VA. Happy Birthday to me!!! My question now is, what do I tell them? Do I clue them in individually? Do I sit them all down next Friday and drop the bomb? Do I wait until all the tests come back and then have them pissed because I didn't let them know sooner?
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