Class of 2009 - Sisters in the same time frame
Comments
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Aw Abby sorry to hear about your journey so far! You are welcome here of course... and hope you are doing better now that the MX is behind you. Good luck with the rads.
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KittyDog,
You have surely had a bad six months. Radiation should be easy compared to what you have been through! Wishing good things in the rest of 2010 for you.
pam
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Thank you all for the warm welcome.
Chemo did work on the tumor. When the report came back from the mastectomy, the tumor was 5cm with clean margins and only one lymph node. Chemo left me with a bad case of neuropathy. Anybody else have numbness all the way up to their thighs. My feet and fingers hurt but thankfully the leg part does not. I also have lost all my fingernails now but three and they are in the process. I am very overweight and I am thankful to say that I lost 40 pounds thanks to chemo. I am trying hard not to gain it back.
I am healing slowly from the mastectomy. So far no arm swelling but just so tender with pulling pains under the arm. I am not doing reconstruction at this time because their is not a Dr. in my area that does it on patients having to have radiation. Frankly it doesn't bother me to be flat chested after being big boobed all my life. I wish they would have taken the other one.
Look forward to getting to know everybody else.
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Abby , welcome to our little group...sounds like you are a tough one...we are a great support group.. and look forward to getting to know you.
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Abby, I have a friend who was in a wheelchair after chemo because of neuropathy. They told her she would not walk again. Her foot dropped when she lifted her leg to walk. Well, they were wrong. Within a year she was feeling fine.
This is the part of the program where you get to rest and take good care of your self. Your body will decide to start repairing again when the coast is clear.
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Thank you everyone for the good wishes for my trip ! I will get some sun for everyone ~
Abby ~ Welcome to our group, sorry you had to join us but we are a fine bunch ! So sorry to hear of your journey the past few months. But glad to hear things are winding down a bit. Many of the girls here are doing or finished up radiation and are a wealth of knowledge. Hang tough!
Hugs,
Alicia
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Hi, Abby, nice to meet you....
and welcome.....If you can find Bio-Freeze gel at either a chiropractic office or pharmacy it really has helped me with the neuropathy in my feet. It never got bad in my hands, feet were really bad especially at night. It comes in a tube and also a roll-on container. If you can't find any where you live, pm me your address and I will mail it to you. This honestly has been a miracle for me, my feet burned and hurt so bad I was miserable. On some of the other threads here, some have also recommended capsaicin ointment/creme....I tried that and it did not help, made my feet really feel worse.
Alicia, so sorry to hear about your hairdresser....so tragic and hard to comprehend when someone so close is gone in such a manner.
Pam, I too am known to a lot of people as quiet....until you get to know me! My true friends know how rascally I can be! My sense of humor has been a definite plus for me, escpecially at my own expense.
Jen, my dear.....praying for your dad and husband both to be well. Do be careful of yourself, as we all should, MRSA is an antibiotic resistant infection and has to be treated very aggressively. My brother-in-law had surgery on his knee last month and ended up with it. My DH had gone to visit him in the hospital and was there when the doctor informed them of it. This was right after my exchange surgery and he was totally scared to come near me that night even though he'd washed his hands a dozen times and had taken a shower!
Went to see my Onc yesterday and got my 1st mammogram since bc dx.....mammogram was negative and had a very good checkup. Onc rx-ed Celexa for me to help with the hot flashes, which are so bad even the mammo-tech asked me if I was okay because I was so hot & clammy! Sure hope this helps, I'm getting really tired during the day at work because of not sleeping due to waking up....(cover on/cover off) Onc said Tamoxifen affects women my age that are pre-menopausal worse than either younger or older women because my ovaries are in the process of changing......kinda made sense then, but as I type this, I'm not so sure (I'm 45). Still no periods since 1st chemo Nov 09.
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Thank You for the advice Psalm121. I found it on Amazon and at this point anything is worth a try. I need to sleep at night. Hope to get it next week.
Magob...thanks for the encouragement. I am still able to walk just slow and wobbly, so I started using a cain.
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Hi Abby and Welcome to our humble abode!
Sounds like you have really been through a tough time the last 6 months. I'm glad things are starting to dwindle down for you with radiation now about to start. You sound like a very strong woman and will do exceedingly well with rads I'm sure. I finished rads up Feb. 4th, and many of the other ladies have recently finished up or they are finishing now. If you have questions just ask away. Take Care of yourself that's the number one thing. JoJo - Congrats you are almost done...Woo Hoo!!!
Alicia - Have fun on your trip and soak up some rays for me... I love the beach it's my all time fav place to go!!!
Michelle - I hope you feel better soon so you can go visit you grandmother this weekend.
Psalm121 - I hope those hot flashes subside for you with that Celexa. Those things are terrible!!! I went through that last summer and it's unbearable.
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Renee:
Yes, indeed, I sure hope it helps too! I have taken Celexa before, after my Daddy passed away in 1997 and had good results with it. Onc also said maybe Effexor, but I said no thanks to that as I've read so many women's experiences with it I was afraid of it. We've had some 80 degree weather here already and the A/C was not working at work....boy-oh, I thought either some clothes or the wiggie was gonna have to go!! Is your Daddy still doing well and taking care of himself?
Michele: I'm blaming chem-brain, as I meant to wish you to feel better in my earlier post and to have a wonderful visit with your Grandmother. I've been lucky so far, I've only had one sickness so far since going back to work 3 months ago....oh, no, I just jinxed myself!
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Hi Abby - I think we've met on the December chemo thread. Glad to hear you're done chemo and sorry to hear you've had such a rough go of it. You'll love this thread...the ladies are wonderful!
Sherri
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HI ALL
ABBY
Welcom to you girl ,you do sound like a good tough cookie ,im just about done with rads last one tomorow and like so many ladies ,will say "its a walk in the park next to chemo" so the worst is behind you now , so start smiling honey !
MICHELLE
Don't know if you have Glen 20 were you are, its spray that kills germs, i spray that in the home whenever someone gets sick and it seems to help heaps and you seem to get better a lot faster hope you get to give your grand mother a big big cuddle
ALICIA
Love your new pic wow have such a wonderful time away have loads of fun and rest .
Tomorrow is it for me ill be all done with rads, to celebrate I'll take myself down the beach ,write a letter to cancer, thanking it for making me realize all the wonders my life has in it, and so many more great things to come and all the other blessings it has given me , say GOODBY to it , roll up the letter put it into a bottle seal it up and throw it off the rocks and into the water and watch it go away and never see it again yeh yeh yeh for jojo
Thanks all of you for your support through it all some of you have been with me from the begining and i love you guys heaps oh and im also going to pop a little pill my onco gave me for anxiety a bit befor rads ,that will be the best part of my day lolo
JOJO
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JOJO ~ today is your big DAY ! Done with RADS ~woo HOO. Love your writing of a letter and throwing off the message in a bottle. A great idea. YOU DID IT !!!!!!!!
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Great idea, Jojo! Happy last radiation to you.
Psalm - we are kindred spirits. I am 47, and the hot flashes have been NUCLEAR. Not at all like the ones from chemo. Tamoxifen flashes could be a solution to the energy crisis. If they could harness the heat coming from us, they could power the world - I'M CERTAIN!
Covers OFF. Covers ON. Covers OFF... The next thing will be a shoulder injury from all of this repetitive motion!
Girls, I finally contacted my Onc's office to talk over the percentages and statistics for Tamox - and she's out of town! Doh! Maybe it's for the best. No one can really tell me what to do - I have to decide if I can live with this. I am scheduled to increase the dose in 5 days.
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Magob -- ugh sorry you're suffering... it does suck that no one can tell you what to do (even my own MOM wouldn't tell me whether to have an MX or another lumpectomy when I was faced with that choice). People don't want the responsibility I guess. You have to follow your gut.
Alicia - have a wonderful trip!
JoJo -- WOOOOOOOHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! You are done. It gets better from here.
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Been away for several days - I've been REALLY busy with my teaching apprenticeship! I'm getting tired of writing lesson plans. Yet, I can't wait to get a job and start teaching my OWN class! The kids I'm working with are great, and I'm having a good time, it's just a lot of work since I don't have previous years' lesson plans to fall back on.
To those going on trips, enjoy yourselves! You deserve it!
Jojo, you always have the best ideas on dealing with this in a positive way.
Jen, I'm sorry that your family keeps having these health crises. I officially declare your family EXEMPT from any further health issues! (If only I had some real authority in the matter...)
To everyone else, even though I haven't been around very much, I do think of this group often and smile!
Blessings,
Shelby
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JOJO: Oh, I love it! I instantly got a mental picture of you standing, poised and ready to toss your "message in a bottle" into the sea. Yay, for you, my dear!!! Just know that as you are doing so, you have all our spirits (across the world!!) supporting you and celebrating with you!
Shelby: Good to hear from you! I so admire people going to school and improving themselves, admire it, but it's not enough to motivate ME to do it!! Algebra scares the crap outta me, so no way am I going back to school!!
Magob/Mary: Love the "kindred spirits" idea.....very touching and perfectly describes how I feel as well. You always know just the right thing to say...such a gift! I told my girlfriends, if I could just conjure up a hot-flash when I needed it that would be great!! And you're right, they're more like spontaneous combustion with the Tamoxifen!!! Whew!!
I am 3 weeks, post-exchange surgery today (a uni---the right) and now get to wear real bras!!! My PS doesn't want me wearing underwires so I went to Belk's dept store and got some Vanity Fair/Body Superior Support/Wirefree. It's very comfortable and has really good side support and the band gives good support, too, even without the underwire! It's soooo nice to be in a real bra again and makes my 45 year old boob look much more even with my 3 week old one!! Ha!! It's just the simple things, that make me happy!!
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Jojo, I see you more of a Mermaid than a Princess, now....I love your idea. Congrats on completing your rads...you did it sista...I remember when you wanted to quit chemo...so long ago. I was praying you would stick with it. Now look at you completing rads...so proud. Big soft hugs for you today.
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JoJo-Congtasulations sista!! I am so happy for you that you are done. I love the idea of writing a letter to cancer and telling it Goodbye! Good for you!
Shelby-Thank you for the kind words. My dad and hubby are both doing well. I am just hoping to get thru this next weekend without a trip to the ER! Good luck to you on your job!
Michele- Hope you are feeling better and that you got to visit with your grandma. Is it right that I read you haven't seen her in 10 years? I hope you have a great visit with her.
Alicia-Hope you have a great trip. Be sure to tell us all about it so we can be jealous of you
Welcome Abby to our little group! We are so sorry that you have to join us, but we are glad you found us
YOu seem like a real tough lady and you have been thru a lot. I sure hope you find the comfort and support that you need here with us.Love all of you ladies!
]Jen
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DONE ,FINISHED GONE
YAH ,had such a lovely day Sam took the day of to be with me through to the very end what a man i have lol ,had breaky at a great cafe then on to rads crying all the way , i just couldn't stop the tears , the rads team had an idea of what they would of been in for today from me ,and yep i threw my self in their arms crying then after my zap they had to peel my arms of the machine , and they wouldnt give me an extra zap to reassure me (how insensitive ) then they had to just about tip the bed over to get me off of it i personally think they were glad to see the back of me i said my good bys to all of them then we went to my grand daughters 2 nd b/day party come home them when the sun whent down took our alcohol and my letter to cancer went out to the bridge had a drink and a chat about our journey shoved the letter in the bottle gave it to Sam and he threw it so far out into the water it should be in Canada by now lol i feel so darn good now it has made it seem easer to be able to move on
MICHELE YEH IT HAS BEEN A HARD ROAD BUT COMPARED TO SOME PEOPLE IT WAS NOTHING IM THINKING AT THE MOMENT ITS just thinking OH SHIT CAP LOCKS AGAIN SORRYthat i might do one day a month volunteering in the chemo ward i dont know as i said it is just a thought right now
JOJO
well Sam has made dinner tonight and its now on the table yah for my husband and all my B/C friends
JOJO
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Congrats Jo Jo! You are amazing! Love you
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Happy Mother's Day to all of us! Women are always mothering someone so even if you don't have children, young or grown, hope everyone has a great and special weekend!
pam
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Hoping you all have the most wonderful mother's day ever. I however got some not so great news, the blood test for my cancer marker vial was marked wrong, so the lab didn't run it. I've got to go Monday and have it redrawn. Also, my CBC was abnormal. My hematocrit was 11.6 and my hemoglobin was 32.6 and it was 37, 3 months ago. Also, my Platelet count has dropped from 232 down to 124 in the same amount of time. All my labs were done in Feb. and were normal. I started the Tamoxifen at the end of Feb and now my labs are down. I am praying that it the cause of the drop. The nurse from the radiation oncologist office is who called with the results and I haven't spoken with the doctor. The nurse said he hadn't looked at the results and she didn't know what made the platelets drop. I came home and googled it to find out the Tamox could cause it. The first thing I thought of was my Hodgkins is back or bone mets, of course I cried. I have just been down. I'm sorry I just don't mean to bring anyone down. I am just very concerned and I don't know anything and it's Friday evening, the doctor is closed and I can't find anything out till I go for follow up blood work on Monday.
Renee
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Renee, Breath 1st and foremost. The drugs we are all taking can do wild & wooly things to our bodies & minds. Try to do things this weekend to take your mind away-funny movies, the races (you are the NASCAR fanatic aren't you?) and when you feel depressed, sad or insane, breath big, deep in & out breaths and then do vent posting here. We can take it! Joni
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Thanks Joni! Yeah I guess we will be watching the All star race!! You all may hear me crying alot on here this weekend. Renee 0
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Renee:
Please don't apologize for sharing with us....that's what we're all here for....emotional and loving support! We all share a bond and wherever that takes us we are all in this together. If it weren't for you girls, I just don't know what I'd do, I rely heavily on you for support, understanding and unconditional love....my day is not complete until I have checked in on my BCO friends. My heart goes out to you and already I know there are many prayers being whispered on your behalf. Love to you and gentle hugs
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Oh Renee - isn't it just madening to be hit with another thing to worry about!!! Try to stay away from it over the weekend - you don't know what is going on and until you go back on Monday nothing can be sorted out - My DH can be really annoying while trying to be as supportive as possible (and I do appreciate his wonderful support) but when something happens to trip me up he always says ' Don't panic until you know if you have something to panic about!' so I guess he's right really - deep breaths, try to relax, enjoy your weekend and face Monday calmly and with strength (we'll be behind you all the way - that's what the thread is called - sisters in the same time frame!!!)
((((((((((((((((((HUGS)))))))))))))))))))))))
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Dear Renee,
You have had so much stress lately.... let's hope that is throwing a monkey wrench in things and life just needs to calm down a bit! Try to not think the worst, easier said than done! If you've got anything to relax you... like xanax, beer, or a good massage... try it. Make your family aware of how anxious you are and let them pamper you. You deserve it. And we are all in your corner. We'll all be here this weekend to listen.
pam
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Thanks so much Pam. You all have been so great over the last few weeks, with everything that happened to my dad and now waiting on the results of my tests and to hear from my doctor. My DH has been so busy trying to put new brakes on his car today till haven't even told him. I hope he is more supportive than he has been about things in the past.
Renee
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Hi Renee - could these lower levels be indicating that you are anemic? My mother has just had low blood counts too and it is iron deficiency. If you're up to Googling, you might want to see if iron could be the culprit. I know it's hard not to let your mind go to a dark place; however, if you can...please try to think that it might be something like low iron or due to the Tamoxifen.
Have a wonderful Mother's Day ladies!
Sherri
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