Class of 2009 - Sisters in the same time frame
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HI LILAH
After chemo i feel like shit and JUST human
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Ahhh as opposed to a princess
I think you did explain this... but having gone through chemo myself my brain can sometimes be like a sieve.Be nice to yourself on chemo day! I always got myself a donut from Dunkin Donuts
It was great because I lost weight on chemo so I could eat what I liked (and I liked so little... )When are you done with chemo JoJo?
Lilah
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This is my last yehhh for me I'm saving all my nice things for after chemo i work with a beautician and so ill be having a facial, manicure and pedicure and my kids bought me a Thai hot oil body massage that goes for one and a half hrs i carnt wait
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OOOOO nice JoJo!
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My experience was similar to Lilah's. I had a stereotactic biopsy, then a lumpectomy a week later, and then a separate surgery a month later to check the sentinel node. The surgeon removed two during the last procedure and they were both clear. My lumpectomy was for a benign finding on he biospy so that's why the nodes weren't checked at that time. It was the "surprise" cancer tumor that warranted the nodes surgery later on.
Sherri
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Yeah and my first lumpectomy did not include SNB because, at the time, they thought I only had DCIS. When the pathology came back as IDC (and margins not clear) I had to have a reexcision and SNB.
Lilah
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Lilah - yes it may not make sense, but that is what he said. The only "good" thing is I only have one incision. My tumor was right on the edge of my breast, almost under my arm, so he took the nodes through the same incision. In fact the tumor was butted against the nodes so technically that margin was not clean which affecting the staging. My underarm is still numb.0
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Ouch, gill.
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Jueannelle-glad to hear rads are going well for you so far! Hope you sail thru them
Michele- Best wishes and warm hugs to you as you look forward to starting rads. Everyone is different and you are a tough lady! I admire anyone that can go shirtless into a Walmart during chemo treatments
I went this morning to the lymphedema clinic and I have to do 9 rounds of physical therapy. 3 times a week for 3 weeks. Also, she wants me to wear a wrap on my arm as opposed to the sleeve I spent $60 on Monday!! I am a little peaved at this, because the wrap will put me back another $50! Oh well, I have deep pockets right? I am feeling really tired today and just worn down. Also, saw my onc today and asked him the bloodwork question. His response was very passe, and said that he doesn't think bloodwork everytime is necessary. But if I start having sypmtoms or he wants to do a draw for another reason, he will. So, my question is, is this acceptable? My DH doesn't like him and has wanted to fire him for a while now. But I don't want to hassle with switching.
Hope everyone else is having a good day!
Hugs!
Jen
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Jen, I only had blood done two days before each chemo...the norm here I guess..
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When I had chemo they always did a quick blood test before letting me have it... they have a machine there where a small amount of blood yields the info they want (like White Blood Count and Red Blood Count).
Lilah
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I get my blood checked the morning of chemo about an hour before my appointment with the oncologist. If all is good with it, I get the treatment. For me, there has been no checking in between treatments. I suppose that's because I get the Neulasta shot and the assumption is it's doing its job in generating neutrophils.
Sherri
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Yeah, I'm guessing since I didn't have chemo, he doesn't see the need for it, which is fine with me. I just have heard some ladies that have blood work done who didn't have chemo, that is why I questioned it. Thanks Ladies!
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Jen -- it's really difficult to start comparing yourself to others. We all have such individual diagnoses and factors. You probably have to decide to either put your trust in this oncologist or, if you have questions about him/her, then shop around for another. That's the bottom line. Not to say there is anything wrong with asking around here... but I'm just thinking that when all is said and done, you can't drive yourself crazy. I recently met a woman in my PS's office who told me she was having radiation (even though she had a double mastectomy) and I have to say it threw me into a bit of a tizzy wondering why I was told that mastectomy means NO radiation. In the end I realized that she is not me (and I am not her) and that I have a very good Oncologist who would certainly have told me if she thought I was in a "grey area" with regard to radiation (which is what this woman I met had been told). It is scary, indeed, the worrying over the question of whether everything is being done... but that is why, in the end, it's choosing your doctor, trusting your doctor, questioning your doctor (certainly) for clarification, etc... and then deciding that you are doing everything you can (and, if you decide you aren't, then DO everything).
Lilah
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Hi all. I was on this thread for a while after it started but since then I have been mostly lurking or posting a little here and there on different threads like recon, etc as I was going through the different stages. I am happy to report that I just passed my one year "cancerversay" in January and I am soooooooooo happy! I have hair again ( I have had it trimmed or "shaped" a few times already), got my implants the middle of December and have moved on to life after BC treatment. I feel like I went through it all in 2009...I got diagnosed in Jan at age 36, did chemo first and had 8 treatments, had bilateral mx (they found IDC in both breasts) with tissue expander recon started, started Tamoxifen, could not metabolize Tamox so I had to have an ooph(total hyster actually), started Femara, had a bone density scan and my bones were either severe osteopenia or osteoporosis in some areas, started on Boniva, in December had my implant exchange. Onc has decided to give me Zometa as well so I had my first infusion a few days ago. Other than the Zometa I was able to fit everything in to 2009. I wanted all surgeries done by the end of the year. I felt that I was diagnosed at the beginning of the year so the least I could get out of it was to not pay a deductible twice! My life has returned to normal or the "new normal" as people call it. I love it. I do not sit around and stress over recurrence and I try not to stress about much. I feel healthier than I have in a long time. My recon'ed boobs are perky if not quite normal looking (they are nippleless-I am going to have tatoos done just havent decided when) and look very good in clothing, bathing suit, etc. Not having to wear a bra is great! I have forgotten most of the pain and have donated most of my scarves, hats, and hated wigs. I just popped in to tell you about my journey through all this crap and to tell those that are still in the middle of it all to hang in there. Life gets so much better. I read through a few of the posts above and I did not have radiation and I had bilateral BC. I had the bilateral mx and was node negative so I was told that meant that I did not need it. I was comfotable with that. If you are in any "grey" areas you can make the decision yourself to have the treatment. Your doctor should go along. There are so many different options to treatment that you have to feel confident that yours is right for your cancer. This website has educated me many times and you all seem to have a great group here. Thanks for listening to my story and best wishes to you all. Don't forget to allow joy and laughter into your life during treatment. This takes away so much that it should not be allowed to take a moment, a day, a year, etc of your life more than it has to. I'm rooting for you all.
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JoJo - Woo Hoo to being done with chemo!!!
Juanelle - glad you are doing well with your rads...#10 that is great!! Only how many more to go?
I hope the rest of you ladies are having a great evening.
I have one more rad and I am sooooo DONE!!!!!!! We'll toast a glass of wine over the net tomorrow when I'm done. lol!
I'm off to watch American Idol in a few.
Hugs to you all
Renee
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Mimi -- Oh I LOVE American Idol. I've watched it religiously since it started what 8 years ago? 9? Wow I don't think I've been in a relationship that long lol.
And woo hoo on last rad!
Nene -- Thanks so much for the post and the cheers! I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and you are standing in it waving at me. I will have my exchange and a lift/reduction in May. I can't wait. Good thing I'll be very busy with work between now and then (so I can think about other things). Good for you for getting through 2009 with such grace!
Lilah
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Hey Lilah, I had bi-lat mastectomy by choice (tumor was on the right side and chose to have the other removed) with the idea that it took me out of the radiation arena. When I woke up from surgery it turned out that my "healthy breast" also had cancer and on the original tumor side I had a bunch of positive nodes. That discovery forced the radiation on the right side and chemo. There is no guarantee that mastectomy means no radiation.
Anyone on this thread thinking about going to the 2nd TaTa Sisterhood in Las Vegas? Last year when they went I was in the throes of treatment and could barely walk. Now that I'm getting my life back, the meet and greet in LV sounds like fun!
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I am definitely going to the LV meet and greet Echo!
I guess that it's the number of nodes then. Since I only had one, radiation wasn't necessary. Thank GOD you did the BMX or you might not have known about the other cancer! I worry about that... since I did only the one. But when I have exchange I will also have reduction and lift, so am comforted by the knowledge that there will be tissue to examine (and a pathology report).
And Echo I am sorry you had to deal with that.
Lilah
PS -- by the time I had my MX I had already had two lumpectomies and the SNB so my doctors knew I only had the one node involved... so yes while there is no guarantee, in my case there was more information known, which is why they told me it was a choice (for me) between lumpectomy/radiation or MX.
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Nene, thank you for coming back and telling your inspiring story...some days it is hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel...it is nice to hear it is not really that far away.
JOJO how did it go?
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Sugar, I hope you got your treatment today..
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TEH YEH YEH FOR JOJO
ALL DONE popped heaps of feel good pills that helped I'm so happy now and so tired as well
PRINCESS JOJO
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WTG JoJo!!!!
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Thanks, ladies, for helping me understand all the differences in how many and how nodes were removed. I kind of feel better about my own situation but those doubts do creep in now and then. Knowledge is power over fear and you all help educate me!!
Nene! What a year you have had! I understand wanting to get in all in during one fiscal cycle. Hope 2010 is your year to rebuild and get strong. Sounds like you have your head going in the right direction.
Lots of doctors don't do routine blood work or tumor markers. Mine does and that suits my personality... can't stand the suspense and would rather have bad info than no info :-) But it is true --- getting an earlier diagnosis of mets does not improve odds or outcome or treatment. That is hard for me to wrap my mind around but everyone says it is so.
Wishing everyone a great day... one day closer to end of treatment... one day added to being with NED!!!
pam
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Thanks Micheleboots - my treatment is this coming Monday (Feb. 8th) and it's my last one. I just want to get it over with but, at the same time, I'm savouring this week of "feeling normal."
JoJo - congratulations on being done chemo!!!!!
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Nene ~ thank you for popping in and sharing your journey with us. It is nice to know there is life again after all of this. My journey is very similar to yours and I look forward to being where you are now.
to everyone else a big hug ~~~
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JOJO, Happy belated Australia day...is that like independence day? How do you celebrate?
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Nene- Thank you so much for popping in and sharing your inspiring story! You are truely amazing and have been thru a lot in one year. Hopefully 2010 is way better for all of us
Renee-Congratulation on your last rad treatment today! You did it!!! Hope you get to feeling better real soon
Lilah-I do realize that every one of us had our own unique situation and every DX is different. It is just hard sometimes to hear people who have similar situations to yours going thru a completely different treatment plan. But that is I guess the difference in the doctors, the patients and their combined beliefs. I am my own best advocate, and if I have a question about the way my doc is treating me I have no problem asking him. Not in a bad way, but by just acting curious. I thank you for your caring and insight, you are a very helpful and knowledgable woman
JoJo-congratulations on finishing chemo! Hope you feel better soon Princess
To everyone else-Hope you are all having a great day!
Hugs
Jen
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Yah Renee, your done
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Hola Hermanas,
I had my first Chemo this past monday and have had some side effects. I have had the intense nausea but only if i dont take the meds every 3-4 hours, vomitting several times, headaches, and achey body, alittle dry mouth and im not constipated. I can only hope it stays this way for the next 5 months but that is only wishful thinking. I know it can get worst and I can deal with it.
thank you all for your support and advice before i started this part of my journey.
Vivian0
