MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish
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Ok cuz everyone gives me grief for my high calorie snack choices, I thought I would supply the fruit this morning.
Well, at least it looks like fruit. Can I have a venti pumpkin spice latte with that?
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treeskier, do NOT let your doc fool you!!! Even just messing in the nodal area and rearranging the lymph drainage can cause problems. 6 nodes is a LOT. As you saw with Marlegal, LE can show up at any time. Not saying it will, just to be cognizant. I read that 30% of breast cancer patients will develop LE. Some from rads, some surgery - that's a LOT!
Victoria, your heart will tell you what to do. I had a double mast with no recon and am very happy STILL with my decision 3 years later. You CAN have no recon. So you see, there are so many different ways to do this.
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Claire - I have no problem with the high calorie foods - it is virtual you know so NO Calories, No Fat, etc. The fruit does look good though
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I agree with the not messing with the affected arm. My veins are shot on my right from years of giving blood but my mo said positively no blood draws on my left. I don't want to risk the LE, not worth it. They can draw from your hand or even your foot. But then I still have my port. (but only MD Anderson uses it).
Janis, I still have shooting pains, they don't last long either. Both MO and RO said nerves regenerating, blah, blah, blah. And I have that rib pain too if you touch my ribcage. I thought what doesn't kills us, makes us stronger. Don't feel much stronger tho. . . .
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Hi Ladies,
Sherry thanks for that yummy chocolate raspberry cake! And thanks Claire, Jo, Kay, Janis, Elimar, Ellen and Barb, and everyone. I did get a second opinion from a surgeon and I'm glad I did! The second surgeon said I have to do what is comfortable for me, but that we have to go in again in any event (whether 2nd re-exc. or MX) to get a clean margin. It is amazing how surgeons can differ in their communication with patients and their treatment plans. I also went to a PS who said I do not have enough fat for a flap! I am hoping my second opinion PS this week tells me I can do a GAP flap. Has anyone done that? I have thought about no recon. How does it affect what you wear--like in the summer when it is bathing suit weather (Barb are you in Canada--do you have bathing suit weather?).
Ellen, I don't have LE but I have axillary web. The first surgeon said it would go away spontaneously! Well after weeks of excruciating pain and near paralysis I went to a PT who has been stretching my arm for about 6 weeks. I almost have full range of movement now. I also have a LE sleeve for when I fly. I read a new study about how early PT helps women who have had SNB to prevent LE. Go to this website to find a PT in your area: www.lymphnet.org. I was told not to have ANY blood drawn on that arm, and to protect against bug bits, gardening, etc. Bummer since I have like no veins and they always stick me twice!
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Victoria, good for you for being pro-active on your possible LE!!! Caught early it is SO manageable. Make sure your surgery cuts do not go too high in your armpit and back so that tank tops cannot be worn. As for bathing suit weather in Canada, once our igloos melt, we have a VERY short period of time. I don't even wear bathing suits here, but only when I travel.
After my double mast with no recon, I went to a 5-star destination wedding resort for my DD's wedding. I strutted around the pool as if I had the best two out there! I wore a tankini. I cut out the foam inserts and 'shelf' so I just had the top. Worked perfect!! (I wore bottoms, too, by the way!)
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Thanks Barb for adding you did wear the bottoms also. That would have given going topless at a beach a new meaning, lol! And I told my sissys and bros about your what you call clotted cream last night. Lets just say I will keep it g-rated here.
Firepit last night was a blast. I musta ate 2 dozen roasted (burnt to a crisp, yummy) marshmellows. Im glad I didnt get a belly ache. I did miss having the little bro there though. He lives a few hours away and couldnt make it. I need to learn how to do skype on my phone so he can have his pit going while we have ours going to. A good time was had by all.
Have a fun filled Sunday everyone. Since the hubs has been working 12 hr shifts we really havent had much time together, so we are going for a yummy steak dinner today, yahoo. Plus it will be free because I got a gift cert. for Christmas and wasnt able to use it because of chemo so now Im gonna enjoy it! Oh and thanks Clarire for the yummy fruit. Thats my kinda fruit!
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VictoriaB, I had lumpectomy + SNB. I was stretching when my SNB stitches were still in place, very determined not to end up with one side with less range of motion, I was doing great, then got rads treatment and the whole side just kind of tightened all over again, plus more fluid came into the breast area due to rads inflamation. I got 6x PT for edema in chest, tightening in armpit from SNB, and breakingup/softening the scar tissue from surgery. That was at about four mos. out, when rads was finished. I knew to do this, thankfully, from the suggestions on this website. It all helped and I am 98% good on the treatment side now. The missing 2% is that I will still stretch from a door frame almost daily to keep that side just as linber.
Elimar's Door Frame Stretch (for Lumpectomy + SNB)
When I told the PT the first one, she suggested the second. 1) Both hands on the frame in the 12:00 position, letting your body sag down till you feel the stretch in your armpit. 2) Hand in the 10:00 & 2:00 position on the frame and lean forward till you feel the pull. Hold in each position for 3-5 seconds. Do a few times daily at first, then as often as you need to stay limber.
If you are not able to do these positions, you probably need to work with the PT to get to a point where you have the range to do this. Most women with lumpectomy and only a few nodes out should be able to regain their flexibility very close to the pre-surgery state.
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Some of us Texas gals met last weekend in San Antonio. A really nice article was written about us. I can't seem to copy the link so I will just type it here or you can go to facebook and click the link there.
Traveling Pants sisterhood provides support
www.mysanantonio.com
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Just trying to catch up. Hello everyone!
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Thanks Jo for the link. It was great to read about the Texas girls from another perspective.
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I read the article. Thought the reporter did a nice job with it.
Hi, Meece! How's it going?
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Oh, by the way...Early stagers, some anti-oxident news: C & E, may be good; Beta-carotene, lutein, & A, maybe not. Maybe, maybe, maybe.
Antioxidants tied to mixed effects in breast cancer
It's a reminder to not take antioxidents during chemo or rad too.
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That's an interesting article elimar. The maybe stuff does drive me crazy! But I have a friend who keeps insisting that I drink carrot juice everyday...I should tell them what this article said about beta-carotene!
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It scares me how gullible and naive some women can be!!! Why in HECK would someone take an antioxident when they're pouring poison into their system to kill something else?? Makes it all a waste of technology (and money!), doesn't it? I also read recently of women who used the cold caps getting mets to their scalp because that area didn't get the chemo! Why try to change what has taken years to prove? I don't profess to be a doctor, so I listen to their advice. Then I do research if necessary and make an educated decision. Simple really.
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...and what a SLAM against beta-carotene!!!!!!!!!!!
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I'm 4 weeks + 1 day out from my lumpectomy and SNB. My range of motion is fine, but I have numbness in my armpit (try to shave with that feeling!) and a pulling sensation down the inside of my arm. My two incisions are both on the breast, about 1/2 inch apart, so nowhere near the armpit. Still have aching, tingling, little aches and pains, and the incisions and nipple are hypersensitive. So weird!
I take a bunch of supplements, including C, D, & E, but I also take antioxidants. Damned if you do/damned if you don't??
Meeting with genetics and MO tomorrow morning! A month out from surgery and I still don't have a treatment plan, but I'm glad they're being thorough. Keep running into people who tell me that I look great - well, yeah, I'm not doing anything to not feel great!
Happy Birthday to MEEEE! Lol...49 today. Whoo-hoo!
Went for a good run this morning, did some shopping, and heading out to dinner tonight. A good day! joanna
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joanna
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Happy Birthday madpeacock! What a great birthday present to yourself, a good run! I ran today as well, first really "free" feeling run in what feels like ages... I guess I'm finally getting past the anger and disappointment of realizing I'm going to need another surgery. Life is good at this moment, and so I'll take it!
Oh, and I had that pulling sensation in my arm for quite a while after my MX, even with PT twice a week for almost 5 months now.
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Happy birthday Joanna! I hope you have a wonderful, blessed day!0
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happy birthday, hope you got cake!
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Happy Birthday madpeacock! I hope you had a great day!
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Happy Birthday Joanna!!!
Sounds like a great day so far!! Hope you got pampered!!!
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did we get an answer to the mystery pic yet? not feeling great tonight so off to the couch ... just ate too much I think
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What is the mystery pic and who is the lucky winner this week?
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Happy Birthday to you, Madpeacock!
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Happy Birthday Madpeacock! You are also the winner of this week's mystery pic! It is actually the cable from my printer to my PC so you were the closest. I don't have the actual clear picture of it as it is at work.
Have a wonderful week ladies!!!!
Trish
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Wow, miss a day, miss a lot! You gals have been busy. I'm gonna try to catch up.
Claire, my goodness, the treats you post look fabulous. BTW, I love how you tried to pass the sweets as "fruit". Love it!
Happy birthday, and congrats to Madpeacock
The last few days have been my best since mx on 9-7. My DD had her sr. night for band Fri. At one point, didn't think we'd be celebrating that. Ever. The weather's been beautiful here all weekend, and I've tried to spend it outside, and not in my recliner. Still dealing w/numbness and tightness where snb was. Meeting w/PT tomorrow. Hoping that will help.
Wishing all my virtual sisters a wonderful week ahead.
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Wow - tons of birthday wishes AND I guessed the mystery pic! It looked just like the cable running from my Mac to the printer. Thank you so much for everything! I can't eat cake as I am gluten/dairy/egg intolerant (thank you Hashimoto's....) but we went out to eat tonight with close friends and I enjoyed some good food and a tequila sampler - to each his/her own...my friends were joking about putting tequila in my chemo bags - hey, if it works....
Orangemat - I started running again recently after my diagnosis and surgery and not being able to get in the pool. Running is the only time when I feel like I am in control... Hope you can keep it going up to and soon after your upcoming surgery.
We have had beautiful fall weather here the last several days, but the clouds came in today and rain is predicted for the next few. Bleah. But, leaves are starting to change and it really looks like fall now.
Hope you all have a great week. I'm now getting a little nervous about my appointments tomorrow, but still would like to have a plan in place, so ready to get going...
joanna
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