MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish
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Jo--This is where you need to be to let it all out! Sorry you have to have more tests and more waiting! Most bc gals have a bone scan, it's pretty easy. The CT is fairly easy too. Thanks for updating us. You'll get through this too.
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Jo, Do you have a port? Depending on the type of port you have, sometimes they can put the dye in the port. Can you check? Good luck, I'm praying for you, there holding your hand.
Maureen
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Oh, jo! I'm so sorry you have to go through this now! Please don't feel bad about posting here - we know just what you're feeling and it's horrible!
First I hate the tests, and then I really hate the waiting game! I've never used Xanax in my life before BC, but it has been my friend on several occasions now and it has really worked to get my mind off my worries. I've used it about 3 times now, and poof! Next thing I knew I was watching TV and having a pleasant conversation with my son. I will use Xanax from now on because it absolutely does what it's supposed to.
Hugs and prayers for everything to come out just fine!
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Several posts while I was typing mine....Jo--Do you have any ativan? It helps alot to get through the anxiety that comes with scans. Call your doc tomorrow and ask for some. Esp., since you have such trouble with IV's. It will help you relax. Make sure they know that you have difficult veins--there are things they can do to make it easier. Also--drink lots of fluids tomorrow to plump up your veins. Hang in there---a popular saying on another thread is "you don't have to be brave, you just have to show up!"
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Maureen - I do not have a port - did not have chemo. All my treatments ended almost 2 months ago. I thought all I had to worry about was the Tamoxifen and I am doing well on it.
I do have a little something to take before I go on Thurs. Once the IV part is done, I know I will be fine - it is getting through the IV. I know it sounds ridiculous but years ago when I had to have an IV done it took the stupid nurses 20 times in one session to get it in. That is why I am so scared of them.
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jo---whenever i have scans, the tech/nurses/flobomist whatever asks me which arem, if and whether i am afraid of needles blah blahh blah maybe just a clifornia thang? at this point i offer them solace. my veins have become so rubbery, in my hands wrists and elbow (the usual places) tthat the person doing the doing gets freaked out, fearing that they have caused some disasterous injury. my conclusion? i just tell them beforehand that..... then of course i figgered out that mose techs , take it as a personal challenne :"oh! no! dont worry! im good at that sorta thing" good thing they're there to take care of us. no? ruh roh....conterproductive words.......anyway, just tell them yyeah! trul! listen to the words that are coming out of my mouth! and as always, i wish you an uneventful experience
~ ~ nancy-carol
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Hey Jo maybe we can switch freak outs and it might make it betterfor us both. I start chemo on the 4th and Im scared as heck.
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20 times is quite frankly bull&h*t. Any human being would be frazzled with that many times. Many good suggestions here, drink water, take meds and relax. Let them know you've had negative experiences with the iV so they can take special care. (((((((((((((((((hugs and good luck)))))))))))))))))))) Please let us know how it goes.
Maureen
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Maureen - It know it is but when you are very new in the military, you don't know you have the right to tell a doctor or nurse to stop. You are too scared. When I had to go to radiology before my lump surgery and have 4 dye injections in my nipple for the scans to mark for the SNB, I thought I was going to die. Cried like h##l and when that was over, I slept until I went into surgery. Hopefully, I will sleep when they start the scans. Another reason I am scared - gotta go to the same radiology dept. The people there were really nice and supportive and told me it would hurt and tried their hardest to get me through it. Lots of painful experiences since BC.
Paula - Let's just get it over with and freak out together.
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Sounds like a plan Jo!
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(((Paula))) ♥ (((jo)))
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Jo, I'm thinking of you and praying all will go smoothly. You've been through a lot and have every right to let your emotions out here. You have been so supportive of the rest of us; let others support you now. And as others say, DO let them know about previous problems and your fears. I pray you get caring, gentle people to give you the tests.
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jo, The bone scan I had a few weeks back was easy, peasy. Don't sweat it. Then again, I have no needle aversion and have average sized veins...meaning an average worker only has to poke my vein once. (That doesn't mean I haven't met with a tech or two that stuck me more than once and left me with a nice purple bruise as a testament to their inadequacy.) Hope they don't make a pin cushion out of you!
I haven't had a CT yet. (I think I got a couple as part of the rads process, but not since then.) I dread the amount of radiation involved in a CT. As someone who had the 6 wks. of rads, I am at the point where I even try to get out of a simple plain film xray. Just because.
Why do they have to do both scans? Is CT for soft tissue? Where's NativeMainer?
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Although it seems like only yesterday that this thread got started, we seem to have passed the 8000 posts mark when I wasn't looking! I kinda figured the Middies would have a lot to say.
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sherry, so sad to hear about your (step) dad. hope it all works out for you guys.. enough is enough, but it seems to keep on coming.. cyber hands here to hold, sweetie.. 3jays congrats to you girks for finishing yet another step(rads) ... 3jays0
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Eli, great pic of the northern lights!
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I don't really know were to start, except that I am 44 years old, with 4 grown children, 1 grandchild and one on the way.I have a full time job(for now) and I took care of both my parents until they passed away. I received my biopsy results on Monday, so I am still going through all of the tests. I am having a mri, pet scan, genetic testing, reconstruction/plastic surgeon and last but not least the oncologist. Whooo thats a lot. I am going through being very angry and depressed right now. But the support from you ladies has been great. I can talk to my sisters, but it just feels hard sometimes, I feel like they don't understand. I keep thinking I should be in the prime of my life, all my children are grown, did what I could for my parents(feel guilty still, like I didn't do enough) for them. This is my second time with cancer, the first time was cervical cancer. Trying to be strong for my kids, but it just seems so hard at times. I have read some of these posts, but to many to read, so any advice would be greatly appreciated.
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chrissyb, thanks. Just another I found. I would like to see the night sky in the Southern hemisphere. That would be so disorientingly cool. (Only saw it in a planetarium simulation once.) My other Southern hemisphere interest is to see the toilet water swirl in a clockwise direction. My whole grip on reality could get altered by that!0
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The topper picture is now my desktop at work-love it!
Jo-drink a ton of water that morning. My veins are hard to find & when I drink a butt load of water the techs always say thank you!
I can't flip back but I think it's paula starting chemo soon-girl, I ate ice chips from beginning to end-no mouth sores; took all the drugs they gave me & had no nausea/vomiting; know that you will be wide awake for the 1st day (the day of) & will probably feel Ok the next day, at least that was my experience. So I had treatment day on Thursday, went into work on Friday; gave myself Saturday & Sunday to feel whatever was happening & then my BAD day was usually on Monday; after my 1st treatment, I went to work that 1st Monday (this was July 2009) We are STILL finding boo-boos from that day. The rest of the Mondays I stayed home! I'm not saying it was a breeze because it wasn't & I can still remember how intensley scared I was just prior to my 1st treatment. But I also remember thinking immediately following how much less bad it was than what I had imagined. (Does that even make sense?) Good luck-You Can Do It!
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carol6026, you are welcome here. I was just talking about disorientation and getting a B/C diagnosis can really do that to a person. In a bad way. Let us know your biopsy info. I see you have been on some other threads, and between there and here you can get info. and feedback on many of the procedures that will be part of your cancer treatment. It IS sometimes hard to talk to family members, but they can be helpful especially in the early days of doctor visits when all that info. is coming at you. It is good to take a friend or family member along for support or just an extra set of ears. It's not hard at all to let your feelingsl out here among your B/C sisters, because we definitely "get it."0
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Eph, did you get rid of the meditating dog already? I see I am not the only one with a short attention span (or is it fickleness?) Just messing with you. Actually, when I find those pics, I usually say to myself, "Now, what would look good on Eph's desktop?" Hee-hee!0
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Carol6026-
Welcome...I'm sorry that you have to join us here, but please know that you WILL get the best support, advice, and encouragement from the wonderful ladies on this board.
The beginning of this journey seems to be the most hard, while going through tests and waiting for results. Once you have a plan you start to feel more in control and ready to beat this beast down-- FOR GOOD!
We are here for you....come here as often as you want, anytime you want....ask questions, vent, or do whatever you need to get you to the next step...
One day at a time...sometimes one hour at a time...and yes, sometimes, one minute at a time.
You can do this!
Peace and prayers,
Tori0 -
((Welcome Carol))
Jo ~ Please don't take a break from the boards unless you really feel you need to. We will worry about you, please stay with us. ♥ We are here for you & as Joni has already said, "You can do it!"
((hugs))
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Jo,
I had to have a CT & Bone Scan on the same day last year - what they did for me is they left the needle thingy in the vein so that both techs could access my vein to inject their appropriate dyes/contrast. I had my CT scan first and they did their contrast and when I was done, I walked to nuclear medicine and the tech used it to inject his contrast. I was fortunate I had good techs and good veins. See if you can schedule your scans on the same day and utilize the needle access thingy (I'm not a nurse so I don't know the correct term) for both.
HUGS!!
Trish
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When I got home last night I was overwhelmed and freaking out. Feel a bit better today but still anxious. Thought I had reached a point in this crappy journey and I could move on the better things. Guess not - at least for now. I try to stay so positive about this but some days it is really hard. Anyone else go through this? I am almost 5 mos since dx - am I asking too much too soon?
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Jo, you do know that you DON'T have to stay positive about it, don't you???????
You have the RIGHT to be stressed.
You have the RIGHT to be scared.
You have the RIGHT to cry.
You have the RIGHT to be angry.
Get it? ?Being positive right now serves no end. You don't have to be brave, you just have to show up.
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To paraphrase the great patriot, Thomas Paine: "These are the times that try women's souls."
The seemingly never-ending stream of B/C scares and scans, punctuated by the many F/U office visits, are trying times. Having B/C can physically wear you down. Having B/C can also mentally wear you down. In some ways, that is even worse because the mental state can linger.
I know from what the women here write that many of us are out, after treatment, living our lives, not bowing to cancer every single day. I can also tell that that we are never completely over B/C.
To paraphrase the sages of rap, Run-DMC, "B/C's like that, and that's the way it is."
[Oh yeeaah! That's an exclusive. Where else you gonna find a post that references both Thomas Paine and Run-DMC? Not just any old discussion board.]
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Right on, Barbe!
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barbe1958-thanks for affirming that we don't have to be "ok" all the time, i needed that today.
jo1955-i'm worn out today too. i still have 2 more chemo treatments and i'm so swollen (i have a history of varicose veins too) and can't take my regimen aspirin, my nose won't stop running and this saturday my family talked me into scheduling our annual trip to nyc for a broadway play. i kept telling them this is not the time to do this but they kept insisting that the weekend before my treatments "you do so well..." the tickets have been purchased and there is no backing out.
just feeling crappy today and needed to vent..
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barbe - Thanks for saying that. That makes me feel better. I was feeling so overwhelmed last night that I told my DH that I was going to go to bed, cover up and never come out again. Doing a little better today - have to work so that helps with the distraction.
I get so tired of hearing from people here that I need to grow up and get over this. That doesn't help at all.
Kal - We can feel crappy together - always feel free to vent (((HUGS)))
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