MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish
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Do any of you watch Brothers and Sisters on Sunday night....the character Callista Flockart (sp) plays, Kitty, has cancer and she still wears red lipstick, but has not lost her eyebrows.....guess there is only so much the can do with television effects, but her bald head did look quite realistic. I know we talked about shows we used to watch, but do many of you watch tv today? I have a few favorites and Brothers and Sisters is one of them and I also like Gray's Anatomy and whenever I remember I watch Two and 1/2 men....that Charley is such a male chauvanist, but he is sooo funny. I like to watch the reruns and also Seinfield reruns. What is LGFB?
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Look Good Feel Better. A program put on for those facing cancer, typically before your lose your hair, they give advice on different head coverings, make-up etc. You get a kit of make up, some of it is really nice. Not all of them are the same. I got a pretty gold-tone compact that I still carry with me. Sort of reminder of where I was. That mirror has seen me with my old hair, no hair, and my new hair.
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I guess we have the program here, but no one ever told me about it. I found out about wigs at my onco's office. They had pamphlets there from different places that sold wigs, but the one I got which really looked good and no one even thought was a wig came from a beauty shop. I have decided to keep my hair short....never would have cut it this short on my own, but I actually like it.
I am up late tonight. Had my colonoscopy this AM and that stuff they give you before they do it certainly made me get a nice long nap in this afternoon. I woke up with the phone ringing at 5:30 PM, looked at the clock and thought Now who in the H is calling me at 5:30 in the morning.
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Marybe, that's funny. One day after my chemo treatment I drove myself home, one hour away. I went to bed and the phone rang. My friend asked me what I was up to, and I panicked. I looked at the clock, 7:30 and I shouted "I am late for work". She asked why I had to work at night now. I felt as though I had slept the whole night through.
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Way back in this thread, I had written about going to the "LOOK GOOD, FEEL BETTER," too. The program is a part of the ACS, I think. It was on the list of support groups in the Big Cancer Notebook that The Breast Center first gave me. Or just Google it to see if it available in your community. Most of us have probably gone already, but for anyone who has not, it takes only about two hours on one day, and you will receive products like make-up and moisturizers.. You don't need to be on chemo to go either. Believe me, during my rads, I was all about the concealer that came in my gift bag. The blush is good for that radiation pallor too.
All chemo ladies, it never hurts to ASK around at your cancer center, or the nurses in your doctor's office about places to get wigs. My mom's nurses gave her a card for a salon, where the owner (whose MIL had gone thru' chemo) gave FREE synthetic wigs to any cancer patient needing one. This was just an caring individual's salon, not a major organization or anything, so we would not have found it on our own.
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In our area there is an organization called Links for Life.
Today, Links for Life fields over 4,000 calls regarding questions related to breast cancer, provides 240 wigs and 20 bras/prosthesis, arranges for 440 mammograms, 242 ultrasounds and 45 needle biopsies for women under 40 that are uninsured or under-insured. It all started with a mission. . .
I was able to go there and pick out my wigs with surrounded by people who really understood what I was going through, not a public salon or anything like that.
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elimar, love the snowman.
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My latest cancer adventure is going to be to get some physical threrapy. After my SNB surgery, I had a little "cording" tightness in the armpit, but I stretched the heck out of it and it was feeling about normal. However, after radiation (not so much during, but after,) the area seemed to re-tighten. So, I'm going to see if therapy can work that out, plus work on "loosening up" the scar tissue and help to drain the little bit of lymph fluid I seem to have near my lumpectomy area.
I decided to do this because the women on BC.org are writing that it is better to deal with these issues sooner, as they seem to worsen. I'm not having a big problem, but I'll post again on how beneficial the therapy is for me and how long it takes to notice any difference.
P.S. My RIBS hurt on my treated side. Not terrible, but it's a soreness that gradually became more noticeable since the time I finished my rads in Oct. I heard that can last for some months. Who had this happen to them?
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Ok, I have caught up on this thread. You gals have been talking about some very interesting subjects. My DH and I do play Scrabble. Or we use to. I beat him so bad so many times, he will hardly play with me anymore. We love to pay 42 and we use to play bridge, but that was years ago and I am not sure that I could keep up with any of the games anymore.
My DH is a Dear. There are times when I might call him a D*** Head, but not most of the time. We have been married 38 years and had both experienced a bad marriage before we found each other. I have two great children and 2 wonderful grandchildren. I wouldn't want to go back and do anything over. I feel like the lucky one and have been blessed.
Hope everyone has a good day.
Juannelle
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elimar -
I didn't experience the rib soreness or the cording - I didn't even know a SNB could cause cording. Anyway, sorry to hear about that - you're wise to tackle the problem now. I've heard other women complain of rib pain after rads but that's about all I know.
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Oh Meece
Thanks for the laugh, I was visualizing the red hot lipstick and no eyelashes or eyebrows. The lipstick alone would make me feel self-conscious.
Also the "I'm late for work" reminds me of a joke my ex and his siblings played on their youngest brother when he was about 6 or 7. They would wake him up about an hour after he fell asleep and tell him it was time to go to school ! They were horrible .........Elimar,
I didn't have any rads, but I did have physical therapy after my mx. It was during the same time I was getting fills in my tissue expander. I had cord tightening in my arm pit, and discomfort where the tissue expander was. My PT gal was great ! my range of motion improved along with loosening up that cord. It was the best thing I did for myself.
My PT person was upstairs in the clinic I work at, so I knew her casually before. We know each other more personally now obviously ! She gets referrals for all the BC patients Juanelle,
You don't look old enough to be married 38 yrs to the 2nd husband..........or a 1st for that matter.
snow in NE all the schools were closed today and most business' let employees go home by 3:00 pm blizzard conditions tonight more snow and who knows what tomorrow will actually bring. We don't mind we call them Pajama Days ! Good reason to stay in and bake and wrap presents.
Blessings my friends,
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I had cording - pretty much resolved now. That side does tend to get stiff if I'm a slug for a few days. I think part of the armpit is still numb - I can feel it (or NOT feel it) when I put on deodorant, and if I have my arm lying against my side at night, it feels like there is something there but when I touch the area, there are no lumps or anything - just a section without feeling that feels like it's not part of me. Magical. Didn't have any rib soreness, but I'm pretty sure that would be par for the course with that area being zapped...
I like Grey's Anatomy as well - can't believe they crammed all of the holiday season into one show and now will leave us dangling until January 14th. I also love to hate Private Practice. It's SO not realistic, but I can't stop watching it...
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Elimar, I have had rib pain since my radiation, and my oncologist said it can last quiet a while, my lasted about a year, luckily it was intermittent. Hopefully yours will go away quickly.
Paula, I must say I don't miss the crappy NE weather, so if you can make sure it is gone by the 22nd when I come home I would appreciate it LOL!
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I'm almost 3 years out from rads and have to do the stretching every day or I can't move my arm. The rib pain started halfway through rads and has never gone away. The rad onc said both problems are all in my head. The rib pain gradually got worse the first year after rads, now it's a constant ache with occasional sharp stabs. You do have to keep after all those "little" problems.
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Hey, my surgeon doesn't believe in Lymphadema! My PT and I laughed about that this afternoon at my regular appointment......sigh.
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Love it someone in the medical profession who has never experienced what you're going through says it's all in your head!
Aching ribs was not listed as a side effect in my rads info, but obviously it's a fairly common thing. I've seen too many women complain about it on these threads.Rads caused me to have severe muscle spasms in my pectoral muscle which eventually turned into spasms that reach all the way around to my back at times. There are things I just cannot do anymore - for example, I cannot reach back with my arm or I'll get a vicious spasm. My onc was a very sweet woman who told me it's nerve damage, but when I complained that it was getting worse after about a year she said, "Usually that gets better." I got the distinct impression that it was a "all in your head" moment. My surgeon said the muscle spasms have nothing to do with the cancer treatment on that side. REALLY? Funny, I never had a muscle spasm in my life before I had cancer treatment and this is all a coincidence? Right.
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I don't know if just radiation can cause "cording" by itself or whether it is the radiation on top of the scar tissue we get from the surgeries, and if the lymph fluid is another part of it? Ten years ago, I had a surgical biopsy on my left side (B9) approx. where my SNB is on my right side. That left side just healed up and never got the tightness No SNB or rads in that equation though.
desdemona222b, have you tried taking some magnesium for your muscle spasms? It's supposed to help with cramps and spasms.
gcarter, hope things went smoothly with your reconstruction surgery. Let the healing begin!
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I got one of those lymphodema bracelets that someone on these boards told me about. The one you wear in the hospital to prevent them from using your "bum arm". My pre-op nurse was so impressed that she took down the information to see if they could orsder some for the hospital. If the nurse thought it was a good idea, at least there is someone who believes in lymphodema.
Although I had 16 nodes out, I haven't had a full blown case yet. When I was recovering from my lumpectomy, I could hear the fluid sloshing around for weeks. But my arm hasn't been affected.
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OmahaGirl,
You know the weather around here, it could be 50-60 by the week-end !!
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Now for the update. My new girls arrived. The right one weighed in at 300cc. Then came the left. She weighed in at 550cc. She was a little bigger then her sista. Unexpectedly she was supposed to be 450..but they were wrong. I hope that they are not
I was in alot of pain when I woke up but...drugs really helped. I am trying to stay ahead of game ..hopefully no pain soon. I have to admit that the newones are so soft and my ribcage feels the best it ever has. This is a huge plus. Everyone has told me that the exchange should be the easiest part. So far so good. Ever since this journey the positive things have been amazing. The friends and family I have makes me one of the luckiest people, not to mention my friends on this thread are so inspiring. Being included here was one of best positive things in my journey because I belong. I finally can acknowledge my BC without the guilt of only going through 1/3 of what women have endured or are enduring through the journey. I needed all of you.
If there is one thing that I would like to see on our signature is our real names. Its time I am on a first name basis. I will eventually learn the all but, there has got to be an easier way. Any thoughts or in site?
Thanks for the positive welcome, the silly faces, the beautiful pictures, the support and of course the sense of humor. Sense of humor makes me smile and I know how contagious it is.
On halloween this year I thought that I would cut a whole out of my shirt (where i had the mastectomy). Draw a dark line across my scare, attatch the longest eyelashes and on my stomach, draw a side smile. It was a wink...
My husband was not as thrilled but, I made people laugh with the idea. For me laughter is the best medicine. I do try to deliver it because it feels good!Thanks for letting me ramble on and on. This is one of my new side effects from anethesia. I talk and talk. LOL
gina michelene (pitrucelli) carter
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Congratulations on the new arrivals, Gina. Hope your healing goes well. Keep on smiling. Marybe (which by the way is my real name....I am not very creative when it comes to screen names)
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elimar -
No, I didn't know magnesium is good for muscle spasms. I knew potassium helps. Sometimes the spasms settle down and I'm not having that much trouble with them, but at other times it's so bad that I can't even laugh without getting a spasm in pectoral muscle. I will give the magnesium a try.
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Desdemona, I didn't notice what you wrote about muscle spasms until I saw your reply to Elimar....potassium does help and when I found I was unable to eat a dozen bananas, I bought the supplements. Quinine really helps, but doctors do not like to give you a RX for it because as I was told "It has side effects".....I found that to be pretty funny. You can drink Quinine water.
I hate the way doctors just sort of blow off complaints about SEs.....like we are going to forget them after awhile. I am still trying to find out about my edema, but my cardiologist is the only one actually helping me look for a reason even though I am sure it is a residual SE from chemo.
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Desdemona, you could also try a nerve block. I've had them in my neck and spine. They break the spasm patterns and can be pretty effective. I had to have too many for my herniated disks so I just finally got epidurals (for pain). The nerve blocks should work at your level though....
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Hey gcarter, great to hear your update! Is the weight difference on the sides because of the amount of natural tissue that was on each side to start with or why?
Well, you have missed your opportunity for one funny Halloween costume. You probably can still find a 1/2-off Kate Gosselin wig for next year, but if she's old news by then, I'm sure you could re-vamp the look to be Tiger's 100th girlfriend or maybe a terrier.
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Nebraska, you are my BFF now. Thanks for the compliment, but I just turned 60. I didn't feel old until my dx and now I am feeling it, but hopefully when all tx is over, I will get back to feeling younger again.
gina, glad you got the girls and hope all goes well for you. elimar is right when she says you missed the perfect opportunity for the Halloween costume. But I do like the Tiger's 100 girlfriend, the way they are coming out of the wood work, the number could be much higher by next Halloween.
In Texas today, the sun is shinning and it probably will get up to about 55 degrees. It has been misting rain for about 4 days and I thought maybe we woke up in the Twilight Zone and was really in Seattle. No snow so far, but we usually don't get snow, just ice. We Texans do not know how to drive on ice, so most of us just stay at home. No worth the risk.
Sending hugs to everyone,
Juannelle
I am luck and have not had any cording, but of course I haven't started by rads yet, but I still have had not problem with motion of my right arm. They removed 3 nodes, and so far no problems.
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Marybe -
I talked to a pharmicist about potassium supplements several years back, and he said that potassium is very dangerous to use in supplements because too much of it can kill you and he also said concentrating on getting plenty of natural potassium should do the trick. I eat boatloads of bananas but did not know about tonic. Thanks for the tip.
Barbe -
The nerve block you're talking about - is that a permanent fix? Does it also eliminate back pain? I went to an orthopedic surgeon a couple of years ago about my back and he was prepared to give me a shot of steroids there. I ended up getting better and never did get the shot. I've thrown my back out once or twice, but I just deal with it until it's better - someday I'm going to have to deal with the shots, though.
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one-L -
Where is Whitney? I grew up in Texas - mostly Dallas and Lubbock. My dad is from the Waco area (the big city of Mart) and I also lived in San Antonio as an adult.
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desdemona, Whitney is about 30 miles north of Waco. If you exit 35 at Hillsboro and go West, it is about 12 miles. We have lived in Whitney for about 28 years. Long, long time, but it is home now. I was raised out in West Texas in a little town called Lueders, it is about 30 miles North of Abilene, a good place to be from. We go to Waco for entertainment. They have some pretty good movie theaters and lots of places to eat for variety. That is also where the Big Wal Mart is.
Juannelle
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Whitney is apparently not very close to DFW - up here it's a brisk 27 at the moment, headed up to a not-very-warm 40 with wind so it won't feel anywhere near that warm...
The interesting thing to me about when ice is predicted for this area is that although most people stay home, the local news stations send all of their correspondents out to all of the most elevated overpasses so they can try to catch the carnage if we DO get significant ice... kinda morbid.
I lived in Lincoln, Nebraska for four years, and I actually miss the "All Weather, All the Time" thing. It was kind of exciting. This time of year, it might be 60, or it might be 10, and it might be dry and sunny or there might be something wacky like "Thundersleet." It was quite the fun adventure after growing up in Tucson, where the weather is either "too hot" or "perfect." I visited Lincoln a couple of years ago in mid-December, and the low was 14. Invigorating!
It's not just the surgery that's the issue with cording - I think it's the SNB surgery, the tampering with the lymph channels that happens when they root around for the sentinel nodes. Add to that the scar tissue enhancement caused by radiation's effects on skin and healing, and there's your set-up. I had cording BEFORE radiation, though, mostly from post-surgery scar tissue, and it's mostly resolved...
gcarter - welcome to the new heaving alabaster bosom, and congratulations on your escape from the torture of expansion! You're quite amusing on anesthesia!
Coleen (my REAL name)
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