Class of 2009 - Sisters in the same time frame
Comments
-
Good evening ladies.
somanywomen, I have not had any trouble with my SNB or the lumpectomy site. My SNB never did hurt at all, it healed very fast and when I had the drain in after the surgery never got more than a few ccs of liquid a day. My lumpectomy incision came open after a couple of days and I had to keep it taped to keep it together. This went on for several weeks and slowly closed. The top of the incision is almost completely gone, but the part that came open is wide, but time will make it less noticeable. But my nude sun bathing days are over anyway, so it doesn't really bother me. lol Hope your problems clear up soon.
michele, congrats again for completing rads. I have been working so much overtime in the last two weeks, I am ready for some rest this weekend. It won't take long to get your strength back and you will be back in full force soon.
pam, get some rest this weekend, glad you had a good lunch with girl pals.
jojo, you are an amazing lady. My cousin went to lots of my doctors appointments and treatments and we always went shopping and out to eat. It is good to have someone.
alicia, hope all is going well with you and you are getting stronger every day.
sherri, I have just about decided I am ready to go without the wigs and scarves. I have been taking it off at work and no one has run away in shock and awe. Most know that I have been under going treatment and I don't think it will be such a big deal. I just have to get brave.
Have a good weekend Jen, Renee, Carollynn, Carol and Psalm121.
I know I am going to have a great weekend. I am keeping my grandson tomorrow, my granddaughter, DS and DIL are coming to visit and I don't have to work. That amounts to a great weekend.
Juannelle
0 -
Juannelle, have a great weekend you deserve a wonderfu weekend.
Michele congrats it is a wonderful feeling not to have to go back every day. Good vibes on your mammo.
JoJo massage sounds heavenly.
Sugar hope your Rads goes smoothly.
Have great weekend, I am continuing to rest but will go out for dinner and play cards with friends tonight. I found a turtle neck that looks good and does not irritate my incision so it wil be fun and I will not have to worry about people looking at it.!! Hope the weather warsm up again so I can get outside.
0 -
Michelle - hurray for you! I'm right behind you, I'll finish on Monday. The anticipation is killing me!
JoJo - two hour massage ? I'm jealous! The boosts are concentrated to the area of the incision. The machine is placed very close to my breast, it reminds me of the dental x-ray machine. One zap (about 20-30 seconds), and I'm done.
0 -
Pam ~ the exchange surgery is it ~ except for minor in office nips in about 3 months. Providing all settles well with this pair I have !!!
Michele ~ CONGRATS on finishing RADS!
C2will ~ you are almost there as well woo HOO !
JOJO ~ your massage sounds wonderful, glad you had such a nice day. You deserve IT !
Juanelle ~ I am now wearing a hat ~ my hair is like a new baby's hair. Coverage still not 100 percent but I can pinch it with my fingers. Almost ready to go topless, once it needs a brush I figure.
Jen, Caolyn, Sherri and everyone else have a good day !!
Alicia
0 -
Alicia,
Topless! That is to show off the new hair, right? :-) I know you are so pleased for life to be getting back to normal. It's a long haul but you have made it. 2009 has been a bard year. And some of us are still in the middle of it in 2010. Hoping things are looking up for all of us.
pam
0 -
JOJO,
I meant to comment on the boost. In my case ( I had IMRT ) I had 8 boosts. The angle of the machine was different but not closer to my skin. Supposedly it targets the tumor bed more precisely but I had new skin irritation in areas not effected before, like in my armpit. I've asked my rad onc twice if they treated the nodes in my underarm but he never gives a straight answer. Also, the irritation seemed cumulative while some say it gets better. I guess everyone is different. But, no matter, it is nearly over at that point and that is a good thing!
Envious of your massage!
pam
0 -
Good morning ladies!
C2will-Glad to hear you are almost done with rads!! Hooray for you!!!
Pam- I hear you about babying the splinter injury. I am a little frantic right now, this morning I got a little scratch on the back of my LE hand from my sons fingernail. It is very faint, but I am afraid anything will make this worse. It didn't really break the skin, there was no bleeding, so I am hoping for the best. I will just be very diligent with it, and keep it clean.
Alicia-Great news that you don't have to have anymore surgeries, and that your hair is coming back in. Take care and go topless and braless, because you can!!
Juanelle-Hope you have a great weekend with your family around you!
JoJo, Michele, Carolyn, Renee and Sherri, and anyone else I missed, hope you all have a great day!
Hugs
Jen
0 -
Well, today was the big day. I got up this morning and just couldn't face wearing the wig, so I went bare and it was not big deal. Only a few people seemed to notice and it was bad at all. So I think I am done with the wigs and scarves. I do have hair it just isn't very long.
It was a great day having the grand children here. They are both so sweet and they both keep me on my toes.
I hope everyone has a great weekend planned. Maybe the weather will cooperate and we can all enjoy some outside time.
Juannelle
0 -
Juanelle - good for you! That must be so liberating feeling comfortable enough to go topless. Enjoy your grandkids this weekend.
Alicia - sounds like you'll be next to go topless!
I'm still follicly challenged so I'll have to live vicariously through you ladies for the next couple of months.
Have a nice evening.
Sherri
0 -
Michelle - Congrats on completing rads!!! Happy Dance...
!!! How's your other leaky problem? Any news from the doctors on that yet?Somanywomen - glad to have you on board. Hope you problem with your SNB clears up.
Renee
0 -
Hope everyone has a good weekend!
pam
0 -
I am wondering if any of you ladies have had problems getting your insurance companies to pay for the follow up mammo's every 3 or 6 months? I have had some problems getting my insurance companies to pay for the ones I had done back in October of last year for follow ups to my original yearly one for clarification.
Thanks
Renee0 -
Renee, my docs didn't have me do any in-between mammos, but I would think that it should be just a matter of coding--surely the insurance person in the doc's office can code the follow-up mammo in some way to where it's follow-up treatment, not a new procedure.
0 -
HI LADIES
Not much going on with me had 5 hrs at work and got a really bad cut on my thump with the cut throat razor so Jen we will have to be a bit more careful ah , just going to chill out this weekend we have a bit festival in my town tomorrow and d/h has taken the day of so we might wonder around down there but i hate the fact that there will be lots of people not to keen on crowds
JUANELLE
IM sooo proud of you sister ,going top less feels great ah , enjoy your family .
PAM Thanks that helps, clears my mind a bit more the unknown can do all sorts of things to your mind .
HAVE A HAPPY WEEKEND LADIES
JOJO
0 -
To all of you who have had lumpectomey's, How do you handle the smaller breast? My right one is now a lot smaller than the other one, I notice it when I wear a tee shirt plus my bras don't fit that well. Thanks for your help.
0 -
carollyn, For years I had collected those vintage pretty sweet feminine soft hankies, finally have a use for them..Well they are kept now in my bra drawer where I choose one daily and place over my scar area...seems to fill my dent perfect...
Renee, I will have first follow-up mammo soon and will let you know about any ins issues...Right now I am fighting the 30 office visit charges on each of my rads, mind you this is not towards my deductible and I only say my Rad doc two times in those 30 visits...About my hard irritating area at SNB scar, I am going to see if I can get a referral to a Breast Cancer Surgeon in Orlando area....about an hour away from me.....
0 -
Hi ladies, been MIA for several days, but I have caught up with everyone's posts finally and it seems like we're all hanging in there, for better or for worse. I just finished rads #10 yesterday, no real se's other than a little fatigue. I can handle that so far!
My mother was so sweet, she gave me a gift certificate for a one hour massage for my birthday last week! Not as good as a 2 hour massage like JoJo's, but it's just wonderful since I haven't had a massage since...heck, I don't know when! Now, I just need to find the time to go get it done...
Guess what, I'm going SKYDIVING today! I'm so excited! I was supposed to go last week but it was rescheduled due to poor weather. Today is supposed to be gorgeous, sunny and warm (in the 80's). I'm excited yet a little nervous. It was another birthday gift, this from my husband. I've always wanted to do this, and since I made it through most of my cancer treatments, I decided there's no time like the present!
I just want you all to know how grateful I am for each of you. I don't think I could make it through this without you!
Blessings to all,
Shelby
0 -
Holy Cow Shelby! Have fun and be safe skydiving! That should be a very huge adreniline (sp?) rush! And Happy Birthday to you also!
Renee- I have already had my first follow up mammo, and didn't have any insurance issues. I hope you can get things cleared up if you are having trouble with that.
Hope everyone has a great weekend! I am off to to a training walk today, hope to get a good amount of walking in.
Hugs
Jen
0 -
Jojo, I am soooooo jealous of your two hour massage....aaahhh. i can feel the stress melting away...Yes indeed kidnap that girl.
Alicia, are you going double topless...that would be quite a site I am sure...people wouldn't know where to look. I know for me people would run away in fear if I were to do that with my deep fried monoboob.
Pam, thinking of you...sending out hugs and prayers.
Mimi, thanks for asking about my boobie. I have a mamo on tuesday.
Sugar, live life on the edge and run free and topless,.....it feels great.
I worked four days this week. mostly half days as I had rads every afternoon. I started out with my head covered, but then I had to take it off. I thought I would melt away. Ah it was so nice. I didn't notice anyone give me a second look. In face I only had one customer comment, and she had cancer as well. She finished her rads the day before me. We had a great chat.
later sexy babes...
don't forget to turn out your lights for earth day..
0 -
Hello everyone,
Today is my birthday, I'm now 34 ! All I can think about is "I'm 34 and am alive, yeah!".
2009 was a shiteous (shitty+hideous) year that I want to forget ! Being 33 sucked! Anyone else felt that way on their birthday ? How did you celebrate yours while undergoing treatment?
I hope you all have a great weekend.
0 -
HI Everyone! Great weekend
Shelby... what a terrific name for a Texas girl! Now, I suppose you will tell us you are actually from Minnesota! My friend did a parachute jump for her birthday and loved it. Kind of reminds me of the movie Phoenix and Griffin... the original with Peter Falk and Jill Claiburgh, not the remake. You will have to tell us all about it.
Renee, my insurance paid for repeat mammogram in September 09 (diagnostic one was done 2-09) but by September I had met my major medical deductible so they were paying 100% of everything anyway. So I just had a repeat mammogram a week ago and now I have not met my deductible but historically mammograms were covered without regard to ded. But I don't know if I am limited to once a year? The hospital, which is pretty on top of what I am going to have to pay - deductible, co-pay, or not covered - did not ask for payment so I am holding my breath to see if i get a bill or not. If and when I get an EOB I'll let you know. I have BC/BS btw.
Carolyn, I have the opposite problem. My op'd breast has been larger ever since surgery, swelling the doctor said. Radiation seemed to have little effect although my rad onc said it might cause the breast to get smaller.It didn't. I am now a full year post op and almost 10 months post radiation. So I think this is how it will be. I would not care - bigger or smaller - if they were the same. It helps to pull the smaller breast's bra strap tighter so that side is higher... gives a more even appearance. And if I am wearing something very clingy, I have a thin old shoulder pad that I put in my bra under the smaller breast to push it up and that balances me very well. I knew there would be a use for all those old shoulder pads I saved!
Beautiful spring day... gotta go work in the garden before lunch. :-)
pam
0 -
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARION!!!
2009 was a bad year for sure. I wonder if there was some warning on the chinese calendar if we had known to look. But we all made it through.
I hate this for you young women. NO FAIR! Wish it was just an old ladies' disease. Hope 2010 is a better year and wishing you good health and great happiness.
pam
0 -
Somanywomen and Pam thanks for the ideas
Shelby you go girl hope you have a great time, let us know how it goes.
Marion congrats whatever you do do what you want have fun and celebrate.
Renee good luck, my frst mammo was a few weeks ago so will let you know so far I have not heard of any issues but I will fight it if there are.
Michele hope you have a noce weekend break from Rads
0 -
Marion - happy birthday! If all goes as planned I won't be in treatment on this coming brithday and I didn't know about it on my last birthday. I finish rads on April 20th and will celebrate my 46th birthday on April 26th.
Michele - your comment made me laugh. To take off my wig at this point would be much more than living on the edge. Trust me, the world's not ready to see it yet. A couple of months will be a different story.
Renee - in Ontario, Canada, our medical costs are covered by the government. For the stage of my cancer, I will qualify for one mammogram per year. Interesting to note: mammogram screening in Ontario does not start until age 50. My family doctor requested a baseline "for the file" at 45. Had she not done that, this wouldn't have been caught until later. And, given that it was the aggressive triple negative kind, I'm so fortunate I got a mammogram early.
Carolyn - I haven't noticed much of a difference between my breasts. However, now that I'm undergoing rads, the "bad boob" is a bit swollen and therefore is a smidge larger...nothing anybody would really notice, though.
My lights be will off tonight...we always celebrate Earth Hour at my house!
Sherri
0 -
Marion, Happy Birthday...hope you have a great day, and a super stressless year...
I was diagnosed the day after my birthday last year...Happy F*&$^#$g Birthday...This year will be better.
0 -
You guys have GOT to go skydiving, what an amazing, life-affirming experience! I had an absolutely fabulous time! And I didn't think about cancer the whole way down - I think that's a first for me since I was diagnosed. If just for that, I'm grateful!
Blessings,
Shelby
0 -
Was it because skydiving is more terrifying than breast cancer? :-)
Seriously, it sounds fabulous! And you are a brave soul. This is going to be a hard birthday to top.
pam
0 -
Shelby ~ you are awesome !!!! I am glad you had such a wonderful experience. Hubby has done it twice, I don't have the nerve.
Marion ~ Happy Birthday !!! Do something special for YOU ~
Michele ~ If I went double topless it would NOT be a good thing ~ trust me.
I am 10 days post my exchange and in pain running a slight fever. grrrrrrrrr
0 -
Love shiteous! That definitely describes 2009 @ my house.
Shelby-I am so jealous! Skydiving is on my bucket list, but so far I haven't had the wherewithal to getter done!
My bad boob is smaller, & bra cup doesn't fit quite right but to date I've ignored it. I like the shoulder pad remedy, I may give that a try.
Joni
0 -
Marion - Happy Birthday! Here's to a great 2010!
Shelby - I went skydiving when I was 21 - which was 34 years ago (geez - time flies!) I still remember the feeling, but wouldn't think of repeating it.
I'm still waiting to see when my bad boob settles down from rads, with one boost remaining.
Happy weekend everyone.
0
