Class of 2009 - Sisters in the same time frame
Comments
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Hang in there Renee. Waiting can be so freakin hard. Do not ever hesitate to come on here and express yourself 100%. Speaking for myself I have found myself here several times feeling low and getting great support like I couldn't find anywhere else. There is something about sharing with your sisters that can be very calming.
Got you on my prayer list tomorrow.
I say go for the Xanax, beer and massage! Calgon take me AWAY!!!((((((HUGS)))))
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First of all Happy Mother's Day to all of you wonderful ladies!
Sugar... All I know is 3 months ago I wasn't anemic and to my knowledge I've never been, but who knows stranger things could happen. Anyway, I am trying to stay positive and blame it on the tamoxifen. But if it is the Tamoxifen, then what am I going to take for my BC? I am wondering if I can continue to take it if it is killing my blood cells and stopping my bone marrow from making platelets? My guess will be NO. So that will put us to another drug which I did not want to take because Arimidex or Femara have other BAD side effects, the worst one being severe Osteoporosis, and I was already having bad side effects from the Tamoxifen. I guess I will have to wait and maybe go see my Med Onc before August.
Renee
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Hey all, it has been a while since I last posted on here - but I do read daily. I had recently had my 1st post mammogram and tried not to get pre-worried! It is really hard not to get worked up about these things as I am sure you all know. Went in for the mammogram and the tech said everything looked great (and it was not really all that painful - I still have a rather tender right breast). I got a call from my Dr's office last monday to say that I needed to go in to have a diagnostic Mag view done, but it was unclear on the report which side they were talking about. You can imagine how THAT went over with me! I was told that they were squeezing (no pun intended) me in on Friday (7th) and that it was the left breast they were concerned about. I then got a call from the tech herself to tell me that she did not believe that it was anything to worry about, but because I had already had a diagnosis of BC on the right, they didn't want to take any chances! SO now I don't know whether to be relieved or continue freaking out!!! lol I did go in last Friday and had it done and the reason they squeezed me in on Friday is because the actual Radiologist that reads the films was going to be there (small hospital). He DID read the film while I waited and I have now been pronounced ALL CLEAR for another year!!! I will actually get to see the report from my GP tomorrow.
I think that no matter what, we will always be on high alert on every little thing that can or is happening inside of us. So I have decided to really try not to worry until I KNOW that I should be worried..... so far this isn't going well,
but I really want to TRY to enjoy each day worry-free. As I say this, in the back of my mind I am STILL wondering what my GP will actually tell me tomorrow! Renee - try to enjoy the rest of the week-end. You have had a rough time lately and deserve to feel at peace for a while! I know what kind of stress you are under with your own health issues and your extended family issues (My FIL passed away 2 weeks ago and the family decided to have him directly cremated and not go through the funeral home and I got stuck with all the arrangements and paperwork!). Just remember to take the time for you!! Find something you really enjoy to keep your mind off of things. I started playing the word games on this site to get my mind off my own problems and like I said I lurk!! It is always nice to know that you are not alone in your situation. So I guess I must thank you all here for keeping me sane and my mind off of my own problems for a while!!
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! You are ALL wonderful women and help so many out - even though you may not even know it!
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Happy Mother's Day too all the moms on here.
I saw my surgeon this past week and he was pleased with my progress and thought I finally looked better. He still can't believe how hard of a time I had with chemo. I also had my port flushed this week. My infusion nurse did it and gave me a great big hug. I have started back having some high blood pressure readings so she told my to see my GP. I went on Friday and saw the NP because my Dr. is out of town for two weeks. She was great. She gave me refills for everything plus some that they did not prescribe. She was also willing to try my on Lyrica for my neuropthay. So far I have slept the past two night without any pain. Unfortunately I didn't make it to church this morning because I was so dizzy. I will have to take it much earlier than bed time if I need to be some where early. Anyway...some good news for me for a change!!!
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Renee, I know it is hard, but try not to let your mind go to the dark side....stay calm and know that all your sistas are here for you...
Mary, sorry about your FIL, take care of yourself and family.
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HI ALL
RENEE i wish i could give you a big cuddle right now ,fear of the unknowing is the worse but try not to give to much of yourself to the worry
MARY LOUISE
Hi there good to have a chat, yeah for a clear mamo keep them up !!!
ABBY
yeah for you, keep on that same path, good news
MICHELLE
Like the head shot your hair looks wonderful lots of massaging that helps
Ihad a fabulous mothers day, my son bought me a gold necklace and he picked it out himself so i was really worried but i just love it its a very fine gold chain with a small love heart pendant on it with diamond dust on the heart ohhhhh its very pretty, hope you mothers were very spoilt
JOJO
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Renee - how is everything going? Thinking about you.
Michele - great hair! Go, girl!
Abby - glad you are getting sleep. It is amazing what a little shut-eye can do to repair the mind, body, and spirit.
Pam - thanks for the words about those of us without children on Mother's day. We are nurturers by nature, aren't we? I got a sweet card from my nephew that was to his special aunt on Mother's Day. Ooooh, he's such a sweet kid.
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Until I adopted, I dreaded Mother's Day. But I always bought myself something along with a card & signed it from my animal children that were there at the time! Now that my DD is almost 16, I'm actually getting things that are nice to have (this year-a half hour massage to the gal I go to once in a blue moon. I was stunned!); much nicer than macaroni necklaces!
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Renee,
Thinking of you on this difficult day. Hope all turns out good.
pam
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Renee- Thining of you and praying for you. Hope all goes well.
Michele- Love the new avitar! Your heair looks great!
I hope all of you had a wonderful Mothers Day. I had a very nice relaxing day. I did yard work in the morning with my kids and hubby. Then had my mom and dad over for dinner. My dad still isn't 100% but he is doing much better. And the best part is, we made is thru this weekend with no trips to the ER!!!! YAY!!!
Hugs to you all
Jen
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Jen, glad to hear it was an ER free weekend.
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ER free, just like Thursday nights !!! <sniff> Congrats Jen on staying uninstitutionalized
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Hi Pam, Jen, and Mary and everyone else!! I went in to the rad onc's office this morning and they redrew my CA 27-29, it should be back on Weds. I will post the results as soon as I know. I did find out my results from December, the last time I had it drawn, was less than 12 and it has to be below 38 for a normal. O.k. now to the Platelets being low... the rad onc said he is not worried, that the levels tend to fluctuate up and down (of course he didn't talk to me himself he had the nurse tell me). I will feel much better when the CA27-29 results are in and if they are in normal range then I will know that it is most likely due to the meds. They want to recheck my blood levels in a month, so I will go back in and get it done. However, when I was able to actually see what my hematocrit and hemoglobin was and compare it to the normal levels they were just a few tenths low. So nothing major to worry about there...I'm not anemic!! Now just gotta get those platelets up.
Renee
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Prayers answered Renee!!! So what do they do to raise those platelets?
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That is great news Renee! I am very happy for you
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glad things went well Renne.
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Hooray, Renee!
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Great news Renee!
Sherri
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Renee, brathing easy now for you....but still sending big hugs.
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Lisa (Pauldingmom) there isn't anything they can do other than a transfusion to get your platelet count up and according to my sis who is an R.N. and a friend of mine's brother who is a doc, they don't even worry until platelet's drop under a 100,000. Can you believe that? I got one of my cancer markers back today...my CEA was 1.5 and normal 0 - 3.0. So I am withing normal range. I will have my CA 27-29 back tomorrow or I'm suppose to. Will feel better when that comes in.
Renee
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Sounds like all is well Renee -- yay!
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I need advice for my seven year old daughter. The last few weeks she has brought up many times that she doesn't want me to die. I am assuming since I have been going to school for a few activities somebody has said something to her. We never mentioned but once that Mommy could die from this cancer and that was when she got so upset over my reactions to chemo. She cried for me not to go and we told her that if I didn't get the treatments then Mommy might not live long.
She told me over the weekend that she didn't want me to die while she was young. Breaks my heart to hear. Then in Church she made a little journal note book and gave it to me. I just opened it earlier and she had written this on the first page. I love you Mom. I hope you don't die.
What do I say or do to help her realize I am here for now. I don't know how much longer I will live but I feel that the cancer is gone and will just have to wait and see when the next scans come along. Being stage 3, and doing rads improves my chances, and I was lucky it was only in one lymph node and the grade of the tumor was only a two. That all helps my odds. But how do I get it across to a 7 year old.
Thanks for any advice.
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Abby -- how heartbreaking. I don't have children so can't imagine what it must be like... still as a child of a mother I know I'd want to be told that mommy is doing everything possible to fight the cancer and determined to beat it. For now, it seems to me, that is all she should be thinking about. (God knows I could be wrong... but she is looking for reassurance from you that you don't want to die either).
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KittyDog - is there a cancer support center near where you live? I ask because there is a center called "Wellspring" (www.wellspring.ca) here in Canada that provides support programs for cancer patients and their families. They offer a children education program. Here's link that describes the program. I know you don't live in Canada but you might take a look at this program and see if there is something like that offered in SC. I have a 10-year-old daughter and have utilized many of the wonderful services at Wellspring.
http://wellspring.ca/halton-peel/programs/group-programs/childrens-and-parents-support-groups.html
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Agree with Sugar and Lilah, Reassure her that you are feeling great and that no one plans to die. Instead of allowing her to focus on death I would suggest helping her focus on living. 7 is still pretty young.
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Kitty, I know it is hard putting on a happy face and staying positive for our kids...You could see if there are any books to help her understand...I remember when we told our kids, my daughter, aged ten was quite upset. Then I reminded her of people that we know who have had breast cancer and are doing great many years later..I think it helped her a lot...perhaps tell her about people that she knows who are living past cancer. Like sugar we have a group that meets that is for the kids of cancer patients...we never did go as we didn't feel the need...good luck.
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KITTY
I'm sure you'll find the right way to deal with your daughter, but it is a very positive sign that she is voicing her concerns some kids bottle it up or they don't know how to voice their concerns .
Had a visit to my onco today and he wants me to have my mamo and ultra sound in 3 mnths and now on to Tamoxifen ,i found out 2 things today, that for me Tamoxifen will be more effective then chemo by 5% and i also asked him ,so what am i now cancer free or in remission which has had me a bit baffled ,he said im cancer FREE , HE EXPLAINED THAT I WOULD BE IN REMISSION IF LYMPH GLANDS WERE INVOLVED( oops caps were on sorry ) so yeh i think i was listening properly , hmmmm knowing me i wasn't ,has any one else asked what is the difference between cancer free and remission
JOJO
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Thank you all. I talked with my insurance nurse and she gave me a web site that will send you so stuff and a bear. She also mentioned having our Pastor talk with her and if we needed it our insurance will cover the cost of seeing a psycologist.
I have not asked that questioned JoJo but I see my Oncologist next week. I am sure I will be going on something at that time to since I was Er and Pr positive. I will try to remember to ask that question.
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My ONC likes to say I'm cancer free even though I did have one node... maybe it's semantics?
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Kittydog- My heart goes out to you. I hope you can find some resoursed near your home that you can utilize to help you and your family thru this. Like Sugar I have a facility near me called Living Well, that is a resource center to council patients and families. Actually, my monthly BC meeting is coming up this Monday. I have found it very useful and have made many friends, just like on here. My kids and hubby never felt the need to use it. Since I was stage I everyone delt with it just fine I guess, except for me! But I am glad my kids took it well. I had asked my younest son who is 10, if he had any questions or concerns about my having breast cancer right after we had told the kids and he looked at me and said " Mom, I know you will be fine, a lot of women get this and beat it, you'll be fine" I was pleasantly surprised by his answer, he was a lot stronger than I thought. It is great that your daughter is reaching out to you and voicing her concerns. All you can do is concentrate on the positives. Sending hugs to you!
JOJO- My onc has told me I am cancer free, I also nad no lymph node involvement. I don't know if there is a difference between that and remission or not. If anyone finds out, let us know.
I don't go back to my onc until the 26th of May. It is a follow up from being off Tamoxifen. The dizzy spells are gone completely. But I don't think the Tamox was the culprit. I think I either lost too much blood with my period or I had some weird freaky virus. But I think if the Tamox was to blame I would have gotten that SE a lot sooner than 4 months in. Other than that I am doing good. Only 22 days until my walk! I am getting nervous. I want you all to know that I am going to list all of your names somewhere on me on the walk and I will carry you all with me on that journey. I am walking for all of us!
Hugs
Jen
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