~* The Waiting Room *~
Comments
-
Bette - I will be thinking of you, and praying.
0 -
Bette-
I just looked at all of your beautiful wedding pix, I am so happy that you have a wonderful man to support you through a scary time. Once you get answers tomorrow and a plan you will feel better in the mean time we are praying for you.
0 -
may i join you in this thread..
my supraclavicular node was lit up at my initial diagnosis.. After 2 rounds of chemo, radiation and surgery it's still there and worse..
My scan is tomorrow. I know it won't be good... just praying it hasn't spread elsewhere. I'll most likely find out Monday that I'll do a 3rd course of different chemo..
I don't know why I'm waiting - I already know.
Praying for you all and extend my sympathy to those who suffer.
0 -
Bette, PET scans are notorious for false positives. Hopefully that it the case with you, and the areas that showed as possible cancer are actually something much more benign.
0 -
Apple, welcome. Rest a while. Here's hoping that PatMom is right.
Bette, I visited your wedding picture site too. They're beautiful. And so is the title of the thread. Keeping joy in mind is one of the reasons I am 'fortunate one'. In the face of this thug of a disease we need to work to keep the glass half full. I have found out how truly fortunate I am.
0 -
bettelou...I'm angry about all the anxiety that you have going on right now.Pat;sMom is right, PET scans can light up for any reason. I'm so sorry.I hop you can get real answers real fast so you can forget about all this and continue to move forward.Ugh...I feel sick.
Apple, welcome.Praying for you too! Have they talked about possibly removing that lymph node? what chemo were you doing?
0 -
Thank you, 2tzus.
I'm thinking this morning about all the waiting we go through. I have a friend, also going through this. It's like she is on a super fast conveyor belt though treatment. I waited weeks, occasionally 4 or more, between appointments. I wonder if the fast conveyor belt would scare me just as much. My friend is a super fierce warrior who is riding that conveyor belt to victory.
Yes, it is better with someone to wait with. The results will come in. May they be good results for all of you, with as little waiting as possible. Bette and apple, good luck today.
0 -
Positive and encouraging visit to Johns Hopkins today. Things are not as bad as I imagined. I still may be able to get reconstruction in six months. My mammo was clear!
We are staying in Baltimore one more day as the biiopsy may be scheduled tomorrow.
Bette
0 -
Bettelou-I am glad you had a clear mammo. I hope your biopsy is b9. You and your sweet husband deserve many happy and healthy years together!
Apple-I will say a prayer for you. I hope things turn out okay for you.
God Bless both you ladies!
0 -
I will be praying for all of you brave ladies!
0 -
I am entering the waiting room, looking for a good comfy place to sit and wait for a couple of weeks. Quick hx. I am post lumpectomy, mamosite, arimidex times 1year. My 6 month mamo in Dec.was clean. My first MRI (last week) showed two enhancements birad 4c's one in each breast. When they attempted to do a US guided biopsy all they could visualize were cysts one in each breast. So, now I have two MRI guided biopsy's scheduled (7-13 & 7-16)... My BS called me 10 minutes after I left the MRI and said " are you in a place you can talk" and I said I am in a place I can throw up! LOL , I guess it's nerves, worse that last year because I can't sleep and I feel so nauseous....I was told after surgery and rad's that if I took the Arimidex I only had a 1-2% chance of a reoccurance, I am scared and angry and feel like I never get the same answer twice from the experts, and yes I will take some whine with my cheese
.0 -
Sorry you had to join us omahagirl. I too was devastated by a recent recurrance after a year of arimadex, a hx, 6 rounds of chemo and a mx. Quell surprise! I didn't have rads though so I am waiting to start that.
The ladies here are an incredible source of strength and encouragement. Please let us know if there is anything we can do to help your wait be less stressful. HUGS and prayers being sent your way.
Sherry
0 -
Wow!!!! Just caught up on everything here from the past few days! This weekend thing is just the hardest!!! I had my PET scan on Thursday, and because of the holiday, I probably won't know til Monday or Tuesday. I feel like I'm frozen in time til then.
I'm praying for everyone here who is also waiting. It is so hard, especially when you've been through all this and starting over with the waiting again! I keep wondering if I can go through it all again. .. .!!!!
0 -
Nelia---I so know what you mean....the waiting during the weekend. I had a surprise blood test at the radiation tx because I felt dizzy and instead of waiting for the call at home and perhaps never getting the call, I waited in the office for the nurse or doc to see me. It took an hour and a half to get results from the doc for results that take 20 minutes in the lab, but I got to see the doc and he said my bloodwork is fine, I probably am a bit dehydrated because I pushed it too much. I feel better, so I keep going. Of course I expect them to press the dizziness aspect.......CRAP!
0 -
I vote that all results good or bad be given within 1/2 hour of every test! It is a good thing we have each other to wait with because "God love em" no one else can really know that sick feeling that just won't leave you. I do much better knowing what I am dealing with and making a plan to "fix it".
I am ventilating today but isn't this 2009 the 21st Century? Why isn't it like all the old Sci Fi movies and we don't have any diseases on this planet anymore? I obviously need to take a long walk this morning with my puppy. I didn't have any distractions all weekend my husband is out of town for the next few weeks and all of my family is back in Omaha, so I am alone with my fears except for all of you, so thank you.
0 -
Omaha Girl, it just ain't right that you are alone today! Good thing, though, that you have a puppy to walk with. My Buster and I are buds, and he seems to understand how I feel at times. As bad as he is, I just love the guy!
I know what you mean about getting the results right away. I KNOW that they were sitting there watching on the computer and could see right there what was going on. But the techs can't tell you -- it's the "rule!" When I was leaving the scan room, I glanced over at the computer and saw this big circular shape on the screen with a big purply-pink area on the left side lit up. I wondered if that was MY PET scan and what was all lit up like that. I've been on the edge of my nerves all weekend wondering. Can't get that image out of my head!!!!!!
I, too, am much better knowing stuff, making plans, doing something about it, even if it is useless stuff ---- like stocking up on pantry items just in case treatment makes me sick, cleaning up, or even just talking about it with someone. Right now, it's all the "what if's" haunting me!
0 -
Well..tomorrow I have my 3 month check with my onc. I have been having major anxiety for the last 3 weeks about this check, and I'm not sure why? I think it has to do with my 2 year cancerversary comin up in september. I thought things were suppose to get easier mentally as time moves on, but it seems a little difficult. *sigh*
So at 11:00am (Pacific Time) I go for my bloodwork and then see my onc for my physical exam. I also get my Lupron shot AND Zometa infusion. I will bring my 3 year old with me to help with my nervousness. I can't wait for the appointment to be over...I'll check back in afterwards
0 -
Nelia and Lexislove I hope the fear leaves us soon and we can relax for awhile, here's to "Good News" for a change. I have a sneaking suspicion that as far as test's and Dr."s visits go, they will for evermore be scary.
0 -
Hi Girls,
I haven't been on here for a couple of weeks as I have had some major family stuff going on and was getting quite stressed out. Stress does not help with SEs from Femara either. I still have not got my mammogram results - 5 weeks now! I'm hoping that no news is good news. I bumped into my herceptin nurse yesterday and she said she'll get the results for me today while I'm havign my herceptin treatment. To be honest I think they have lost the films and I may end up having another round of films taken. My cancer did not show on the mammogram last year so I have to say I don't have a lot of faith in them anyway, I would have preferred to have ultrasounds done. Oh well, here's to the waiting game. Is it "normal" to just have a mammogram at the one year mark, what else did you ladies get done. To be honest I feel a little let down, like now the big guns have had their shot I am left to just wonder. Every ache and pain brings them their own questions! Last week I had a pain in my lower shoulder which made it realy painful to cough, normally I wonder have brushed it off as a pulled muscle but this time, hell no - for sure I thought it was the big C again, but it went away after a couple of days on pain killers so I guess it was a pulled muscle after all. Aghhhhh!
Got to get some work done. Thinking and praying for everyone visiting here - please let everyones results be good ones!
Gaynor
0 -
Back from my 3 month check....short and sweet. Just the usual, "how you feeling? " any problems" No..and no. My onc wasnt going to exam me untill I had a question regarding a bump on the expander. He says its most likely a duct/glad. I asked hime if he was sure, he laughed and said its not the big"C".
So I had my Lupron,Zometa and picked up more Tamoxifen.So that takes me till October. Glad that appointment is over,
0 -
Glad to hear it was smooth sailing today for you Lexislove.
0 -
lexislove, Fabulous news about your 3 month exam. I hope the waiting room bunch gets a lot more good news. I think OmahaGirl is right, I doubt we'll ever go to one of these appointments without fear. If so, I'm hoping someday it will only be a tiny squeak of fear way, way back in the background.
Gaynori, I'm wondering also about monitoring my remaining breast when nothing showed up on any mammogram. I'm hoping we have something like a sonogram now and then. I'm figuring that the MRI and pet/CT scans have ruled out danger for the year. Please.
Bette, I'm delighted to hear that your mammo was clear. Hope the biopsy is too.
Easy, or at least easier waits to all of you. And above all, good results, and never the "big C".
0 -
Hi All! I don't know if this is where I need to post my question or not. Hey, I don't even know if I have enough info to post, but here goes: Visit with Onc on 7/02. Complained of pain in upper right quadrant of abdomen. Most of the time this is a dull pain, but can sometimes be rather sharp, shooting pain. Blood work has shown progressively elevated Alkaline Phosphatase since December. It is now at 182. Also slightly elevetated Total Protein at 8.3. Sent for a CT Scan, but couldn't get the IV Contrast due to vein issues. Radiologist said there was a small spot on liver (keep in mind there was no other contrast being used besides the stuff you drink)---but he thinks it's "nothing to be concerned about." Haven't talked to Onc since CT, but I am worried about mets to liver. Does anyone have advice? Similar experience? Etc. Thanks so much! Karen
0 -
my empathy to those still anxious.
i had a scan Friday. This is after two rounds of chemo, radiation, a radical modified mastectomy and a brain mets scare. I started my breast cancer journey with cancer in the supraclavicular node. My onc. and I had been feeling a swelling and hardness there, while nearing the end of the 2nd chemo. We feared the worst and expected to start another round of chemo. I have been training my kids to live without me..the ins and outs of day to day living.. cooking, cleaning, laundry, car and lawn maintenance.. It has been hard to be cheerful.when faced with the grim reality of leaving them. i imagined how neck cancer would progress.. first the larynx, then the esophagus, the jugular vein, etc. etc. etc.
but there is no sign of malignancy. I went from the depths of despair to heighth of elation in a split second.. i cried for the first time ever... and haven't stopped. BUT.... I'm beginning to get excited......... .
0 -
apple...I will take that as ultra fabulous news!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
thank you all for your thoughts...
0 -
We are still in the waiting room. The promised biopsy of my lung nodule has not been scheduled. Hopefully we will hear tomorrow after the medical establishment has gotten July 4th out of their systems.
I got out of my waiting in limbo mindset by volunteering to tell Bible stories at Vacation Bible School at our church. The kids were super, and I remembered how to storytell after many years of not doing it. I felt good about myself and my contribution to society after I left.
I will let you know when we are finished waiting for the biopsy. Then we get to wait for the report.
Bette
0 -
apple - Thank goodness you have gotten some good news! I'm praying we will all have tears of joy for new beginnings and happy endings with fears melting away
Bette - What a wonderful way to change your mindset. Kids & the love for God---it doesn't get any better than that
Lexislove - shew, we all know the waiting game is hard and I'm so happy your appt. went well!
0 -
This is one of my favorite quotes and I believe it is excellent advise for those of us riding this crazy rollercoaster of emotions: "Live well, learn plenty, laugh often, love much." Ralph W. Emerson0
-
oh the roller coaster. :live well, learn plenty and laugh often. love much.. great words for us.
0 -
Hi Girls,
I went for my herceptin yesterday and the nurse checked up on my mammogram results as the onc hadn't called, as far as she could see the results were normal, but as I explained to her the mammogram results were "normal" last year too! So now I'll wait till August to see the onc and ask her if I can get an ultrasound to give me some piece of mind (is ther such a thing?). Fortunate1 - you mentioned a PET scan & MRI but I haven't had or been offered either test. I do get regular 3 monthly heart scans while on Herceptin but no full body things - I just hope that everything is OK.
Can anyone answer this question - why do you only get Herceptin for one year? Is it because they feel it looses it's effectiveness after a year or is it supposed to have killed off any HER2NEU poisitive things completely within that time? I asked my chemo/herceptin nurse and she wasn't sure, she said she would look into it and let me know in 3 weeks when I go back for my next round.
Well hope you all have a good day. Glad to hear sone of you finally got the good results you were looking for, and send my prayers for anyone else out there playing the Waiting Game.
Gaynor
0
