MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish
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Elimar I bet they used a small wine glass with only 2 to 4 oz.. you know they aren't going to let us drink 8 oz of anything besides water LOL
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I'm not much of a wine drinker, but could slosh some down to save my skin. The article is pretty clear that you have to really just keep to that one glass limit to get the beneficial effect. I don't even know what a standard wine glass holds. Let's just say the subject never came up in my pop-wine-from-a-bottle youth. That brings me to what vintage would be required? Will I need a corkscrew, or will twist-off do?
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elimar,
seems they should have been more specific .................
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Hi! Found this thread and have been lurking for a little while- but want to introduce myself. First, elimar, I think that twist off will do!
I'm a 44 year old with four children ages 23-8 and just came home from a volleyball game! I found a lump that went away in early Feb. Returned at the beginning of March and got mammo 2 days later with (+) lump confirmed by US. Bx was, obviously, positive for BC. Underwent bilateral mastectomy on 3/27/09 and started chemo (TAC x 6) 5/29/09. Have worked thru chemo except days off after tx (F-Tues or Wed). Been on hold since last tx 2/2 port infection.Was hoping to complete chemo prior to the start of the school year/flu season/but......have had an interruption. Appreciate the wine tip re: radiation 'cause I'll eventually get there and definitely want to do whatever I can to minimize any skin issues! Maybe I should start now for prophylaxis.
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Hi Ladies, Just stopped by to say its been a longggggg week.
Have more test and Dr appt next week, I do have an enlarged
heart the test lady told me, I need to know whats going on. God
bless you all, Need to go and take a pain med. God loves you and
so do I. To all that need it I am praying for you, Hot flashes , Debbie
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Who Hoo never thought we would get an endorsement for the red vino.Drink up ladies.
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Good Morning Ladies !
Welcome Indomitable 1 (wow that's a mouthful) good to have ya !
mum! amazing picture !! I love it........... Is it #10 today ? or have I lost count ?
footprintsangel, we love ya ! glad this lonnnng week is over, you relax and try to have a peaceful day
I am hoping for a GREAT Friday for everyone,
Blessings,
Paula
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With alcohol, a "glass" of wine would be 4 oz.....slow down! See how two glasses (8 oz) increases the toxicity.
{{{{{ Footprints }}}}}
NIkki, I, too, was an "inconclusive" and had to test further. Glad they did, as years ago I was an inconclusive on another tumour in my body and they did a "wait and see" for 6 months! I think the extra long waiting is worse....
I still say, this is hell. We are in hell on earth. This is as bad as it gets. We must have done something pretty bad in our other life to end up here, but if we learn the lesson this time, guess where we get to go?
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My sources are saying 5 glasses to a 750 ml bottle of wine or 5 ounces each. If I was having morning radiation would have to make sangria with lots of fruit! Heck, add some club soda and make it a full 8 ounces total. Do you drive youself there?
Cheers! Casey
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I'm thinking the wine in a BOX is perfect for this - just keep it in the car. Although for the morning rads, the fruit-enhanced sangria certainly sounds healthful.
I love the "smiley" drinking wine, but the image of the red wine sloshing off into space triggers some stress - it's that mom thing - who is going to clean that up?
After my Wednesday night in the sauna of 81 degrees in my bedroom, last night my husband and I cranked up the portable A/C unit AND the main house unit was running (but at 78). We got the bedroom down to a blissful 69 degrees! I slept very well. I noticed that I was a touch sweaty when the alarm went off, and I'm intrigued by the idea that perhaps I had a hot flash or two but slept through them. I'm going to be SO much friendlier today
Turns out that there was a "test/reset" button on the plug for the A/C unit. All I had to do was push "reset," and it worked in the outlet it was plugged into. Never crossed my mind at 2 am...
Deborye, is your "slogan" from Galaxy Quest? "Never Give Up - Never Surrender."
You shall be avenged!
Coleen
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LOL, that's where I got it. Loved that movie.
I thought it fit. We shall never give up nor surrender.
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Hi all,
I am preparing for my first oncology meeting since I finished treatment in May. I am on femara and lupron- with normal side effects of joint stiffness-but I find that exercise really helps... I have a list of about 20 questions--plus I want her to do a breast exam since that is how my bc was picked up originally. I am going to ask about the bone density drug--not sure how I feel about taking another drug-- are there any other questions that I should be thinking about..... what kinds of things have you asked?
Carol
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That was beautifully said.....I fight the fight to. Believe it or not with a smile
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Love the can't drink wine yes drink wine, I guess it is like all else if you read enough and wait long enough everything will end up either "good" for you or "bad" for you!!! My Rads Onc told me to try a glass of wine in the evening to help me sleep but unfortunalty during Rads which was done last week , I found that any alcohol compounded the fatigue and tiredness. Now that I am done have been tr enjoying a small glass 3 ounces with dinner a few nights a week. I make my own Concord, and fruit wine, black rapsberry, red raspberry, rhubarb, currant, apricot and find I can still only enjoy a small glass anything else makes me feel YUCKY!! I do really like the idea behind the glass of wine before though, my onc may have agreed!!! He thinks I read too much and says you have to have quality and all things in moderation are fine. Like his philosophy and try to adapt it. I add 7-up to the wine to have the fuller glass too on my fruit wines, makes me ffel like I am drinking more!!!!!
Well the burns I recived under the breast are doing well, Elimar hang in there it wil be done before you know it, hope you don't have any skin issues like me but if you do know that they are short lived and heal quickly. Still fighting a bit of fatigue hour drive to work, 5 hours there and back home again wear me right out. Today worked from home for 4 hours and picked blackberries. Better go can them before we go out to dinner for our Anniversary which is 9/8.
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I agree with you about the "wink" thing....I had a very hard time looking at myself especially in the beginning and to to hell with anyone else who wanted to look....time has eased it somewhat...I am 50...I think I am the youngest in my chemo sessions (only one so far) and seem to be the youngest with my radiology oncologist who won't get me for about 6 more months. I am returning to work next week which should help me get off "myself" somewhat. It just doesn't affect us, it affects everyone around us and that doesn't become apparent until some emotional breakdown from whatever side it comes from. I am trying to be positive and am looking forward to whatever God has in store for me.....I ran a long time from him and now he has regained my attention...unfortunately, with cancer!
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I agree with you about God getting my attention with this cancer. But he has been my rock through all this. I found out on May 31, 2008 that I had cancer. Quite a blow, as you all know. I did TAC x 6 last summer, then had a bmx with TEs in December, and then did radiation which ended mid-March. For me the chemo was the worst by far. I don't know what I would have done without my DH. Having him to lean on and depend on was everything. I feel for everyone that finds there way to these boards. I don't post very often, but have gained so much insight and strength by reading. Thanks to all that share their stories. It's feels so good to know you're not alone. Keep up the fight!
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I think the red wine thing is because red grapes carry antioxidents...antioxidents fight free radicals which are what rads produce...that's why the tell you not to take antioxidents until you are done with rads. But with the wine a little may actually block just enough to help...HMMM wish i had known that theory then. OR maybe we can find someone to come up with a study that pina coladas or something like that helps treat this stuff too!!!
I don't think that any of deserve this journey we are on. I don't know why we were chosen to walk it but we are here and we are doing our best to learn more, help each other and to learn how to cope together. I still haven't learned the lesson yet....can someone let me sneak a peek on their exam?????
Onco seemed pleased with everything. Said all the bloodwork was fine and I go back again in Dec. He did send me for a chest x-ray. Says he wants to do one every six months.
I hope all of you have a great holiday weekend.
Hugs to all and a welcome to all the new girls.
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Wow, I just spent the last two hours reading all 11 pages! What a great board, Love it!!
My history - I'm a young 58 year old who is about ready to retire from teaching public school after 35 years. My 28 year old daughter has become a teacher too and live about 3 hours away. My DH of 22 years is also a teacher and has three more years till retirment. My plan was to reinvent myself and try something else after retirement.
The last 9 years have been hard for my DH and I, One of my brothers was dx with pancreatic cancer and survived 2 years. Shortly after his death my DM-in-law was dx with BC. We were very close and I took her to all her appointments and stayed in the hospital with her when she needed surgery. After a five year fight, she passed away quietly at age 83. Less than a year later my other brother was dx with prostate cancer, did seeds, was OK for a year then dx with lung cancer. He died about a year and a half ago. While all this was going on, My Mother was living alone, four hours away and wasn't doing well. several times a year I would have to rush down to her for medical issues. Finally after she received a pacemaker in 9/07 she was willing to move in with us. I packed her up, sold her apartment and created a suite for her in our house. It was great having her even with the falls, broken bones and the onset of dementia. She passed away this past January of bile duct cancer.
My DH and I took a Cruise in June to focus on the positive in our lives. It was wonderful until the end when I lost my balance, slipped and broke a bone in my foot. I have been off the foot all summer and am still in a cast for another few days. (using a wheelchair at work). I figured it was a good time to get my annual mammogram. Mammo gram led to steriostatic bio. which led to a dx of DCIS on July 31. which led to an MRI that confirmed the DCIS and found "something suspicious" in the other breast.
I am scheduled for a BMX with reconstruction on 10/20.
I think I really needed to write this down, thanks all for being my sounding board.
( I'll try for humor in my next posting)
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Somuch, we understand where your screen name comes from after that story. Welcome. Good thing you started to read from the beginning, otherwise you might have mistaken us for the "winos with cancer" thread. Well, that article had everybody talking for sure.
Wanted to catch up on the new posts today; but now I'm sleepy. Nighty, night to all.0 -
Somuch,
Welcome ! there is no requirement on the # of posting that are humorous and not. We kinda fly by the seat of our pants so to speak
) When we need to complain and wHine we do and everyone understands. Then sometimes ya just gotta laugh to keep from crying. You really have lost alot of people close to you in the past few years, that really is sad. Hang in there, we're here for you.elimar,
you always get a laugh out of me ! "winos with cancer thread" Thanks ! Hope you get a good nights rest.
Good night Ladies, Hope everyone has a great week-end
Blessings all around,
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Well good evening all of you wonderful ladies!
I had the MRI-guided biopsy today. Originally, they wanted to wait until Sept 16th, I said sooner the better. I didn't realize that the introducer was so much bigger. I am sore as hel-. Well at least it is over. Doctor said I would have results by Wednesday. Long weekend...
I am a huge "winer", I was thrilled when I heard about the red wine study. A standard serving of red wine is four ounces of 120 ml.
I live within 30 miles of the fires...ashes on our cars every morning. Air quality has been awful. The silver lining to this is that all of my biopsies have been in Newport Beach which is not near the fires and the beach view has been very relaxing. The only bummer is that I realized that this is a holiday weekend and I won't be able to use the pool. We plan on taking our 3 yr old to Disneyland on Tuesday...I hope it is less smoky and cooler by then. Hopefully, I will be up for it.
Thanks for all your well wishing...I can only wonder what's next...I see the Oncologist on the 10th.
I got really excited this morning when I realized it is less than 3 weeks until the first day of Autumn.
I am jealous of any of you that get to see the Autumn leaves change. Not much of that here. 30 miles of so east of LA.
Blessings,
NIKKI
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Hi all...Hey Susan_...sorry about your daughter...terrible to have to put up with that along with her other problems.
Kleenex...I really enjoyed our winter here in Aust. It was a mild winter..just perfect. We had such a hot summer. Our hottest day here in Melbourne was 46degrees Celcius which is a whopping 114.8 in your language ( I just checked on a fahrenheit/celcius converter..lol) Just unbearable and we had terrible bush fires....it was like a furnace outside.
As for drinking....I love it! We usually have a couple og glasses of wine with dinner...whatever makes you feel good!!
hugs
jezza
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I kind of made a deal with God the night before my surgery, so I don't drink alcohol anymore. Not in a "recovering alcoholic" kind of way (NOT!) as I toasted both kids at their weddings, just a health choice. I also found over the years that as the alcohol relaxed me, my Fibromyalgia became a LOT more painful. A wicked, slippery slope indeed. More wine please?
Sandy you win on this page for the most painful past 9 years. What a load you have carried!
Okay, I gotta say it. I'm sitting here feeling like I didn't even have cancer! I took "the easy" way out and had a double mast right at the start. So, no chemo, no rads and no hormonals (I don't qualify). So except for the fact that I have a totally flat chest, I'm not "enduring" through this journey, just walking casually along....la de dah! I know we talked about this on an earlier page, but it hits me every once in a while. I think the mast was the EASY way, where as people around me were horrified it had "come to that". So, I guess my point is...now don't y'all jump on me!...why don't more of you have the mast at the beginning and save yourself from the horrid treatments? Ouch! Don't be mean, I'm only asking!
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Hi
Good thread! I was 44 when i found out. ( 1 week before my 45th b-day) I went through it all. surgery, chemo, rads and now tamoxifen! Bless you all.0 -
Barbe
that is an interesting question. My surgeon, and alot of others, don't recommend mastectomies--especially if they think they can get clear margins and there is no node activity--- the recurrence rates are not much different for lumpectomies vs. mastectomies.... I actually never considered a mastectomy--- I like my breasts and was hoping to keep them--- yes, the treatments were challenging, but I wouldn't describe them as horrid. I tolerated chemo well and radiation too---I know that is not the case for everyone. I think these are very personal decisions, either way. I do have to say, now that it is over, it is impossible to see that I ever had breast surgery--my scar is underneath my breast and the surgeon did a masterful job so there is almost no size difference. I am very happy about that. I also think I learned alot about myself and other during the treatment phase and I am grateful to have had those lessons---
When I had my follow up in January with my surgeon, she said " you would never have been a candidate for a mastectomy" and I agreed with her. Again, purely personal decision-but most of the people I know who have had bc (and there seem to be a growing number) have had lumpectomies.... breast preservation seems to be a goal of many of the surgeons in our area (Boston).
Sounds like you made a decision that was best for you.... as did I. And we both will hopefully be around a good long time!!!
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Great answer mom. I guess it's just that I had had 3 previous lumpectomies to remove what ended up being cysts, then a breast reduction to get GORGEOUS breasts and then the cancer on the left side right over my heart and lung - 6 o'clock on the chest wall. I didn't want to compromise my lung or heart so it was a no-brainer really. Didn't want recon (more surgery!) so did a bilat as it was the right side that they first thought the cancer was in!
I had told my surgeon before the excisional biopsy that if it was cancer I wanted a bilat. He had to run it by the tumour board because if it was too extreme, they wouldn't allow it. They thought it was a good plan. He also said that is what he would have wanted his wife to do (but maybe they all say that).
Like you say, all personal decisions, but if my surgeon wouldn't have gone to the tumour board on my behalf I would have found a surgeon that would. Just felt like too much of a slot machine odds thing going on over the years....one lemon, two lemons...........uh, a cherry! One lemon.....two lemons.....three lemons! Plus at 51 I was emotionally done with the breast thing, they were never really good to me until I had the reduction anyway. Then after that they didn't even feel like mine...too "manufactured".
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Sandy-I agree, what a rough few years you've had. Welcome to the group.
Barbe- I had bilateral mastectomies even prior to getting the full pathology report back. One of my best friends lost her battle against BC at age 39. When I was told that my bx was positive for BC, there was no question in my mind that I wanted mastectomy. As my cup size was 40H, there was no way I could see a PS matching the other side. , And rather than undergoing reduction on the opposite side in the future, I opted to get the other possible offender removed.
Pathology came back triple negative...so I'm really glad they're gone AND I'm having the full monty as far as tx (chemo, rads)-although on hold currently secondary to recent port infxn/removal.
It is a personal decision. I have to admit, my BS tried to talk me into lumpectomy and rad onc into mammosite as well as chemo given my "young" age (44) but my Onc said later that she would have gone the same route (she's also the same age with children near my younger kids ages). I would have wanted the Rads, too even if node negative. I had only the sentinel node positive but it's enuff to convince the Rad Onc to proceed. We debated the benefit in pts with
nodes but I found an article showing benefit in this population as well.0 -
elimar- I prefer to think of myself as an occasional "whino" ! (see my Interrupted Chemo thread)
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Personally, I love the "winos with cancer" - wish I'd thought of that
. Actually my GP suggested a glass of wine rather than xanex to relax and help me sleep. But now that I'm back to work after sitting all summer no problem sleeping and if I cant sleep, one glass of "whine" won't make it... maybe half a bottle
... Thanks for all the support, it helps especially that no rads or chemo are expected. I was feeling a little guilty thinking look what all these other women had to go through, I'm getting off easy, why am I complaining? Well I do believe just be dx w/BC is enough for some whine, I wasn't sure how the rest of you felt, now I feel part of a very special group.
I decided on a BMX because I heard enough horror stories of finding more BC during surgery than expected and BC in the breast that was supposedly OK. Possible multiple surgeries do not sound like fun. The MRI showed something suspicious in the good breast so "Out damn spot" and take both foobs with you!"
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