Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
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Carole again,
And did you know she was from Pasadena, CA? Can't imagine where she got her speaking style! The movie made me drag out my copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Made a modified version of Boeuf Bourguinion (sp?). Or stew, as Julie's husband called it. Had to modify the recipe... my husband would have a fit if I poured all that wine in a pot!
Pam
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Alyson.....what great news. Whatever you do can be done without a heavy heart now.
My hubby has had two Tens units and still keeps one by his recliner. He does not have to use it too much, but likes to know it's close at hand for those few times nothing else will do. He also uses an Infrared heating pad. Was in a very bad car accident when he was fairly young ( 20's ) and age seems to aggravate old injuries quite a lot. He was 70 just this past May and though it was long ago w/o that Tens and the exercise I think his back and pain would be far worse.
Welcome Pam......and I got a big kick out of your un-wined recipe. He would have never made it married to Julia, huh ?????
Hugs to all,
Jackie
also loved that movie Steele Magnolias and more Meryl Streep..."Postcards From The Edge" which was the life of Carrie Fisher....and "Out of Africa". these are ones I still watch from time to time.
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Mastering the Art of French Cooking is flying off the shelves. Saw on tv that it's expected to make #1 on the NYT bestseller list! Wonder who Julia's heirs are. I'll have to get out my old copy and cook the beef bourguignon (sp?).
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Alyson,
Awesome news!!!!
Hugs and prayers to you all.
Cindy
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Carol... I have a copy of her book from so many years ago too
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Hope you all have a wonderful day today. A little rain here off and on which will probably give us some humidity back. We have missed it for awhile.
Hugs, Jackie
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I walked 2 mi. this morning! Today I'm planning to stay home for a change. Will even do a little housework.
Happy Friday to all.
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Trying to figure out how to add my oncotype dx ..................can anyone please explain to me how they did it? Thanks
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Thanks anyway........just figured it out
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illinois lady,
DH thinks wine is for drinking... NOT in the stew!
Have you all seen the promos for the Meryl Streep-Jack Nicholson movie that is coming out Christmas Day 2009? Oh, Steve Martin too. Looks terrific.
Pam
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Hi ladies,
I haven't been on here in a while, but wanted to share my 'over surgery' experience.
My hubby has been looking for the guys he was in Vietnam with. Last yr. he found 6 and we had a reunion in KY. This yr., those 6 have found 6 more. This yr., the reunion was here in good 'ole WV. with 12 couples. Next yr., it will be in GA. Anyhow, 6 of us Vietnam wives got together and went WHITE WATER RAFTING! Man, what a thrill! Glad I did it, but don't think I'd do it again! So, this is the first 'dangerous' thing I've done since surgery. Another lady and I (she's an eight yr bc survivor) thought "We came thru bc and bilat mx, with DIEP, how scary can a little rafting be"?
And we survived it! But we lost one lady in the process, but she was back in the raft in about 2 minutes. Life is good!
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I am also an older woman (71), ER/PR- and Her2+. I live in France, and I joined this forum to compare treatments. I opted for a mastectomy, had 6 chemos (3 FEC and 3 taxotere), 25 radiation treatments (inner chain of lymph nodes because of the location of the tumor:" 12:00 o'clock"), 1 year Herceptin (finished end of 04/09).Does any of you feel after-treatment anxiety? My next appointment with the oncologist is in December. I will not get any scans (unless there is a problem ), only a clinical exam, a mammogram of the other breast, a heart test to measure LVEF. What kind of after-care do you get? I would love to hear from you. Anne0
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Welcome, Anne. I'm only 5 wks out from bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction, so I can't offer much information on after treatment care, but some of our other ladies will be able to chime in and tell you their experiences. From reading other discussion forums on this website, I think it is normal to feel anxiety. We're glad you joined us.
This morning I got out the ironing board for the first time since my surgery. The ironing motion didn't cause any discomfort in my chest. Gradually I'm getting back to my normal self.
Hope everyone is enjoying the weekend.
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Hi, Anne...welcome.
I live in UK and I am not too pleased with the aftercare I have had, everything I have had I have had to ask for, nothing offered. No complaints about doctors really, just our system. I think they are overwhelmed with it all. Not had 1 scan in six and a half years ( only a bone density test, which I had to ask for !)...we wait for a problem to happen here, rather than being in at the start of any trouble as soon as it shows up on scans or in tests. That's why we are at the bottom of European league tables on survival.
Be well, you will learn lots here.
Isabella.
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Mikita5, did you raft the New River in WV? My husband and I took a rafting trip on that river (which is actually one of the oldest rivers in the world, despite the name) 25 yrs ago. What a thrill! I remember a moment of panic once the raft was underway as I realized there was no turning back! We had a ball. The trip took all day. At noon our guide stopped us along the shore and we ate a picnic lunch that was provided by the outfitters. The other people in the raft were all college students so we had some vigorous paddlers. My biggest worry was not having my contact lenses washed out of my eyes.
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Good Evening Chooks...
JO, Thanks for asking about me! This past week or so has been crazy. Classes here at the university started the 24th, so the week before, I helped with incoming freshmen (and moms who were suffering pre-separation anxiety) moving into the dorms. Then my classes began on Tuesday, and I started rads on Wednesday--I'm really wiped out.
I posted a couple of times on the Feb. Furies thread, but I was making a list of things I wanted to mention on the Chooks thread--can't find the list and I'm too tired to start over.
Mikita Great to hear from you again!! Sounds like you are bouncing back with zest! I remember how discouraged you seemed a few months ago--you are an inspiration.
Carole Glad you got good news on your oncotype testing!
Rita Hope the back is better and the golf clubs are swinging soon!
Sheila I thought of you last night when I stopped for gas...if those pumps weren't clearly marked, it would be easy to get the wrong one. You always make me laugh with your stories. And Maire is right, Bowser is part of Sha-Na-Na...hadn't thought of that for a loooong time.
Chooks--I know I had more to say, but it's gone now and I'm heading for bed. Hope you all are having a wonderful weekend. Take care....Helen
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Hi, Isabella, thank you for your answer. I also suspect that the reason for the skimpy after-care is economic! My onc told me that treatment (I think what he really meant is: outcome) is the same, whether any recurrence is caught early through scans or later, if there are telltale symptoms. He also used the term "expensive tests" at some time... However, I think I received adequate care so far. The rest is just good luck - cancer is so unpredictable. Anne
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Thank you for your answer, carolehalston - I begged the surgeon to perform a bilateral mastectomy, however he told me he was not allowed to (no sign of disease in the other breast). So, now I still have mammograms (and worries about another cancer).
Jo-5 thank you for the details of your after-care.
There don't seem to be many women my age who are Her2+ and (especially) ER-. Everything I read about this kind of cancer is so scary. Anybody out there who has the same dx?
Anne
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Just stopping in to say hi to everyone. Anne, hope someone will get on here and have some sort of answer/reassurances for you. Sad to say though....it really is a crap-shoot for the most part I think. Many people go by the book, do most everything right and get this disease....others live as they please and for the most part get through with nary a scratch.
That said....I do think we often GET what we fear most although frankly I don't remember being afraid of canser before I got it. Just another part of the imponderables cropping up. A positive attitude certainly helps afterward though I know.....it's a difficult, rocky road that most of us travel and being able to project an image of a healthy body after the rigors of chemo and rads is such a self-supporting thing. I hope you get some answers that will help but too much reading might just add confusion and fear.
Hope you won't be offended but I consider myself a spiritual person and feel that illness and many other life "problems" help define who we really are.....smooth sailing never proves very much, but we see what and who we really are when the chips are down. Not a great answer but only meaning that books, statistics and diagnosis while often helpful and perhaps reassuring to a degree.....are only a guideline. Not one of us really know where the path is leading and have to defer to a sense of faith in having done the best we can with what we had.....then live on knowing that each day is a gift we are given to shine our light out for ourselves and others.
Hope you all have a very wonderful Sunday. Gram, Mikita, Carole, Alyson, Jo, Anlu, Sheila, Patoo and those I haven't called by name....
Hugs, Jackie
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Welcome Anne,
I can give you some imput about my aftercare--although I don't know that I'm technically in "aftercare" as I just started rads last week.
I am triple negative, as JO said. I had a Ilumpectomy on Jan. 5, began chemo Feb. 13--AC x4 (every 3 weeks), then Taxol once a week for 12 weeks--finished chemo on Aug. 3rd. My rads treatments began on Aug. 26 and I'll have 6 weeks of them, including a week of "boosts."
I've not had a scan, other than the CT scan of my chest before the rads started. My onc doesn't order scans unless I have a specific complaint/problem. He says scans result in so many false positives and that the bloodwork checking things like liver functions (and several other factors that I can't recall at the moment) are just as good. When I had my post-chemo appointment with him two weeks ago, he said he wouldn't be seeing me again for 3 months and that lab work would be done at that time. I told him that since I'm triple neg., I'm very anxious andI wasn't satisfied with waiting 3 months for my next appointment. He agreed that I could come back in 6 weeks and have the bloodwork done-- he will review it and call me if there are any problems. Some of the women on the Feb. Furies thread call this "pulling the tumor markers."
His plan is to follow me every 3 months for the first 3 years--my plan is to go in every 6 weeks for lab work. I asked him and the oncology radiologist about Herceptin--my HER score is .4, "normal," but they both said, "No." I'll have my next mammogram in November--one year out from my diagnosis. Since I know the risk involved in trip. neg., I'm trying to find an angle to get approved for a mammo every six months...
It sounds like after care for both of us will be similar--I honestly believe they don't quite know what to do with those of us who are ER-, PR-. There haven't been as many clinical trials specifically for TN as we are a smaller sub group. I keep researching TN, but have to be careful--I agree with JO that attitude is so important, and we have to be careful not to overdo the reading.
I hope this helps some. Good luck to you. Helen
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anlu.
I was 'lucky' if you can call it that! that the surgeon took the time to listen to me.
I felt very strongly that I wanted a bilateral, I just didn't want to be lop sided. He pointed out to me that a bilat was totally un-necessary, but that as I was putting such a strong case forward for being symetrical he would do it ! My bc nurse said she didn't know how I managed it, because it wasn't hospital policy at all.
I feel a lot easier that the 'good' breast was removed, and checked, and was found to be cancer free.
Isabella.
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I had dose dense A/C, every 2 weeks for 4 sessions. Neulasta shot within 48 hours after. Then taxol and herceptin every week for 12 weeks. MRI, Ultrasound, CT, mammogram -- all showed nothing, no tumor, no cancer, nothing dark or suspicious. My tumor was actually 6 cm, but I was originally told 2 cm. ER/PR - , Her 2 +. I was 62 when diagnosed, a widow for over 5 years and retired.
In December 2008 I had a lumpectomy with 1 mm clear margins, but all inside was dead cells. The surgeon did a re excision to get the full 2 mm clear margins. I then had Herceptin every 3 weeks until July 16. My 6 month mammo - 6 months since the one before surgery -- in April and the good side showed a suspicious area. A stereotactic biopsy was done and B9 for cancer, but it was noted there were calcifications.
My first post tx onco visit was last week, with blood work ordered. I am to see the onco every 3 months for a year or so. Mammo in November (one year after the one before surgery). Echocardiogram to check if any residual heart damage from chemo and herceptin. My previous heart scans showed NO changed over the year I was in treatment. Both AC and Herceptin can cause heart damage.
Before BC I had taken Actonel once a week and Evista every day for osteopenia (precursor to osteoporosis) and because both my mom (who is a 47 yrs survivior and 96 yrs old) and my sister (who is 6 yrs younger than I am) have osteoporosis. I stopped taking them once I began chemo but I took calcium an Vit D once I began Herceptin only. A DEXA (bone) scan in April showed no change from previous scans. On Sept 11 I will have an infusion (IV) of Zometa, once a year tx for osteopenia and osteoporosis, instead of taking a pill every day. I can then have dental work done without having to go off pills for a month before and after, or if I should need further biopsies or surgery.
This may be a bit much to absorb, but ask questions and I will try to answer if I can. Each of us deals with different issues, as well as other "health issues". I am also a "believer", but I do not attend church services. I can pray with you, I can pray for you and I do pray for all of cancer's victims to be healed and free from pain. God Bless, Hugs and Smilies, Nancy
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Thank you all so much for taking the time to answer my questions! Since none of my friends has had bc so far, I have had little opportunity to talk to other women, except during treatment at the hospital. I totally agree with you, Isabella, I did not want to be lopsided either, and I have lost faith in mammograms: my cancer was not found during a routine mammogram (no problem, I was told), but I found the lump myself, one and a half year after the last one (we get mammograms every 2 years here). Was it incompetence or do I have a particularly aggressive cancer? I don't really want to know, I have to say. But I wish I was rid of the other breast.
I think you are lucky to get Zometa, Nancy, I have read there are ongoing trials to see if it should be a standard treatment for everybody after bc - it seems to ward off bone mets. I asked my doctor about it, but as long as the results are not in, he does not want to give it to me. I take a calcium and vit. D supplement.
Again, thanks to all of you: Jackie, Jo, Helen, Isabella, Nancy. Anne
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Back to the surgery center tomorrow for a 1-hr procedure to trim a little section of my left incision that hasn't healed properly. At least I won't come home with drains this time, nor should I be in the weak condition that I was in after my BMX 5 wks ago. Still it's unfortunate that I have to take a step backward in my recovery.
My poor mom had me scheduled for chauffeur duty tomorrow and Wed. I hope she can find a substitute.
anlu, my bc tumor was picked up by a mammogram. We have them annually here in the US, and the radiologist compares the current year to the previous year. My tumor was small, at first estimated at 6mm, but it turned out to be 1.2 cm. The ultrasound technician told me they pick up tumors as small as 2mm with today's improved technology. If there's anything good about bc, it's catching it early.
Hope everyone is having a good day.
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Morning all
This will have to be quick as I have to be out shortly. Wrote a long post yesterday then lost it. I had copied it but it wouldn't let be repaste it!!!!.
Anne, where abouts are you. Here in NZ we have 2 yearly mammograms as well. I think that is because it is mostly within the public system. Even though I did it privately it was still only 2 yearly. I know of people who alternate between public and private.
Every one with BC is different and all treatment is different. I cannot complain about the treatment I have had especially in the public system. I have had a scan recently but that was because of the lump I found. Once found then it is treated. I too have been told it makes little difference to treatment or outcome if a recurrence is found early on. And there are a lot of questions being asked about how necessary some of the treatment is for very, very early BC though they do tend to treat most things here fairly agressively. Here lots of things are done or not done because of funding. One thing is you do not get neulasta shots during chemo unless it is absolutely necessary. My blood count went right done but they waited for it to come back naturally, if it hadn't then you would get the shot.
I cannot complain about follow up care. I see the BS, the head onc ( at the hospital clinic) and the rads onc every 6 months now which means I see someone every couple of months and I am two and a half years out. So things are being checked constantly- I have bloods done every three months and a mammogram yearly - I had a single mastectomy.
Asked about Zometa and was told that we would wait until the trails were completed. However I am on the Femara/Arimidex trail so get checks from that as well.
Have lots more to say but have to fly - I am opening up for Playgroup at church.
Hope you all have a lovely day.
Alyson
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Isn't it amazing how different our journeys have been? There are so many different opinions out there about bc that sometimes I wonder what really is right. I must say that there have been many changes since I did the chemo in 2007. That is encouraging and shows progress in the area. My onc also says that he's waiting for final results from the recent Zometa testing before using it with his patients. I think the news on it sounds encouraging!
Alyson, your church playgroup sounds like fun. What a neat project!!!
Just a quick good morning to everybody as I'm getting along better with my back but still have trouble sitting for any period of time without stiffening up. Maybe part of that is just old age, eh???
Everyone have a good day.
Rita
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Jo, google has a few links to answer what Nottingham score is. Overall, it another thing to consider when treating BC.
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Hugs, Jo. I too find myself second guessing things when I read back over scans, reports, tests. My surgeon told me NOT to look up all the words. What keeps me wondering is how there are so many factors with BC, not just "you have it". As we ALL know, it almost takes a medical degree to plow through all the information given to us. WE/you/I did what we did and that is that. Step forward and keep going, slowly, patiently, cautiously. :-) Nancy
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Alyson, I live in France. I don't get as many check-ups for my bc as you do - only every 6 months, and I have not been told about any blood work. What kind of blood tests do you get?
By the way, I lived in Wellington for 5 years (in the eighties) - loved it of course... We were all set to go back to NZ (an exchange with friends in Nelson) when this stupid bc came along. Hopefully, it will happen some other time. Anne
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HI all....not to carry the subject too long....but the Nottingham thing....just sounds like they have several ways of saying the same thing....actually I don't read too much.....just a thing now or then that sounds interesting. All the good things have a reason why they happen to us as well as all the negative things. I try to make that my focus. It is not always easy.....but it does seem to allow me to read things w/o needless worry and upset. I think I am just fortunate that way.
Hope you all have a really nice day.
Hugs, Jackie
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