MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish
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Hahahahahahahahahahahaha...Ha...Ha...HA! Half-asses!
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Here is a little eye candy (fits into any diet) I wanted to post last week but hadn't figured out how yet
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Question ladies- Do you count your cancerversary from dx or from the surgery that gave you clear margins?
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Well, I haven't worn that fuschia shirt since about Aug, but today I feel like the far right gal!
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Ceez, I count mine from the day of DX as there was only seven days between DX and surgery. It doesn't really matter, it's a personal coice.
Mmmmm I think you can just see me at the back on the right.....maybe.
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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Wow....took my team 5 weeks. Felt like forever.
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Noodle love the eye candy and love that movie too! I could watch it over and over.
I count mine at the time the cancer was removed. Like Chrissy says its just a personal choice.
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Hi Ladies,
I have a question--3 weeks out from the BMX and I have done only online shopping for the holidays, mostly for the kids. I am just not up to going out, walking, driving yet. Now, each day, a new email comes in from a class mom, etc. etc. asking for grab bag gifts, help with parties, etc. and the whole host of other holiday activities that we all do. I am so wiped, I am actually dreading each new phone call and email. How do you all explain or respond (sometimes to people who do not know about the bc) or politely decline invitations to help, etc.?
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Victoria - how you handle it is kind of a personal thing. I usually LOVED to do all of that helping with holiday activities stuff, so I was bummed when I missed out on some things dealing with treatments a couple of years ago. On the other hand, I have a friend who was generally overcommited to all of that "helping at the school" stuff, and she was unapologetic about using her cancer to make a break from it. She said, "If you're dealt the cancer card, you should play it."
If you don't feel up to doing these things and you don't want to explain why, you can just be vague - most people won't force details out of you. Sometimes, doing a bit of these kinds of things can be a nice distraction, if you enjoy it and you get energy from helping out in this way. If it sucks the energy out of you on a normal day OR your doctors have cautioned you about staying away from germs, don't feel guilty: this is a time when you have to focus on yourself and do things to help yourself heal and move forward. If that process includes skipping out on all of the holiday overkill this year, so be it. Sometimes it seems like a few of us do it all - don't feel guilty about sharing the "fun" this year if you need to. I did try to get my husband to do some of the things I usually did; let's just say he has other strengths.
I tended to tell people about the bc if it was going to prevent me from doing something. Everyone understands that it's a huge game changer. But in addition, I wanted to tell people to (1) help dispell myths such as "I don't have to worry about breast cancer because it's not in my family, and (2) I got such great help from the aforementioned friend who was diagnosed a year before me that I want to make sure someone else has the opportunity to use me as a source of help.
Just wanted to let you all know that yesterday I celebrated a Tamoxiversary: I completed three fun-filled years of Tamoxification, and tonight's dosing will begin the first of my two remaining years. Please, no celebrations. Tamoxifen is not particularly helpful with my libido, so partially clothed men aren't much of a treat. Also, if I have too much sugar or high-fat food or alcohol, I have to endure a festival of flashing. Most of my side effects have moderated, which may be good or bad; I feel better, but does this mean my body is secretly accessing estrogen it has hidden somewhere? I don't like Tamoxifen, but I DO like having something I can take that feels protective.
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Victoria I find honesty is the best policy. However if you do not want to share the BC, you might just have to be vague and explain that you are "under the weather" and just not able to help this time around. I do not think you need to go into a long detailed explanation no matter what you choose to tell them. Simply put....you would love to help out, but are unable this time but please ask again next year. I think most people will understand this.
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Victoria I found it helpful to just say I had bc and was not up to it. I live in a small town so many people already knew. But you have to do what feels best to you.
Also I count my cancerversay as the day I had surgery to remove the ugle beast.
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Doing a happy dance! The cardiologist was happy with all my blood tests! Two tests measured the health of the heart and those were good! And my cholesterol was128 and my triglycerides 92. Even though my total cholesterol was 148 in April, she didn't like it because the good cholesterol was only 28. Now my good cholesterol went up to 40 and my total came down to 128. And my triglcerides were 258 in April, but they should have told me to fast for that and the didn't, so I am not sure how much that affected it. F#%> oatmeal! I am sticking with cheerios and fish oil pills! The last time I had cholesterol checked before April was by my OB just after I had a baby and it was just about 200, so I think fixing up my diet has done wonders. And my triglycerides were high back then too, but I don't remember what they were. Now I just have to stick with it and not go back to my old ways.
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Victoria I am a straight up front kind of person. But when it came to me having BC I really tried to keep it on the down low. Im not real big on being the center of attention. After awhile it got out so I just went with the flow. People who care about you and know what your going thru will instead understand that right now your main focus to you. Even during this time of year. I know my church family was very understanding and if I wanted to do something I came to them. They all knew how treatment was affecting me so they let me make the call on how much I was up for. At first I felt guilty but then one day I realized I am in a fight for my life right now and put my needs up front. I know this kinda sounds selfish but after treatments and such I was able to get beck into the swing of things. This is just my experence. I hope it all works out for you.
Congrats Kay, doing mental cartwheels for you!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Way to go Kay!
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Kleenex, Happy Tamoxiversary, in a non-event kind of way!
kay, So glad you got good news from the cardiologist. Did not want to think of you heading into the holidays with a "heavy heart." (Shameless lameness!)
VictoriaB, Agree about playing the cancer card without any guilt, or just stating vague "health issues" where it is just hard for you to be getting out to stores. Sometimes they don't need the physical help of more moms, but just more to share the costs so you might still be able to help by donating a few $$ to the cause. A lot of times a mom, who is going to the store anyway, can easily pick up an additional something "from you" if you ask.
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Yay for the good news Kay!!0
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I saw my RO today and now I have a question about the first mammogram after diagnosis. I thought a repeat mammogram was done at 6 months from time of diagnosis or surgery. If so, that would be this month or next. I had the mammograms in June and the cancer officially diagnosed July 1st. So today my RO said he would schedule my next Mammogram. He said 6-9 months from the end of radiation, so that puts me at April-June. This seems a little far off to me, but maybe I am wrong? For some reason I though most everyone has it 6 months after cancer is detected. Any thoughts? His nurse called and scheduled it for June 11th. I am, once again, confused!
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Janis, your question is quite timely for me. I saw my BS today, my four-month post-op appointment (all was good, yay!) and I asked her about future mammograms. She asked when my last one was; that was February, the one that led to the biopsy and my eventual DX. So she said my next one would be in February as well, meaning that I was still on the annual plan. I was a bit surprised about that, thinking I'd have to go more often. Live and learn, I guess.
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Kay congrats that is great news.
As far as mammo's I think all Dr's are a little different. I am on the very 6 month plan because I am at high risk for local recurrance. I had my first mammo 7 months after surgery and that put me at 3 most post rads. After that every 6 months until my BMX then no more for me thanks goodness. I'm tired of finding lumps and having surgery.
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My RO scheduled a mammogram for February, 12 months after my last one, the one leading through this journey, but it is only 3 months after finishing rads and six months after a pre surgery MRI. I guess the question will be when will the mammogram after that be scheduled. I don't think my risk for local recurrence is particularly high, I am probably more at risk distant metastases.
Thanks for the well wishes. Now hopefully the echo in a couple of weeks will show my heart is back to where it was. Fingers crossed.0 -
janis, I guess it can vary. I'd have to look it up, but I think it was about 3 mos. after rads. They do want the swelling to be down (and so do you when they put you in their squisher!) My first mammo f/u was just the treatment side, then I had both sides done when the one year mark rolled around.0
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Claire, I had that same nurse in October at a new Gyn office. She then had the nerve to tell me that the Dr. is insisting that every patient over 40 have a mammogram. I procedeeded to let this person know that there would be NO mammogram until the tissue expanders were replaced with implants and probably not even then. I will willingly have an ultrasound or an mri, but even being an x-ray tech, I do not see any sense in doing mammograms on an area with no breast tissue left in it.
Becca
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Claire, I had that same nurse in October at a new Gyn office. She then had the nerve to tell me that the Dr. is insisting that every patient over 40 have a mammogram. I procedeeded to let this person know that there would be NO mammogram until the tissue expanders were replaced with implants and probably not even then. I will willingly have an ultrasound or an mri, but even being an x-ray tech, I do not see any sense in doing mammograms on an area with no breast tissue left in it.
Becca
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Hooray...
good news Kay!!0 -
Great news Kay, one less worry on your plate!!
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Good news Kay
The mamo I had yesterday was clear as far as the "quick look" the radiologist did. The tech was the same I've had before so she knew that I would like to have the results ASAP so she had me wait in the exam room while she had the radiologist look at the computer. This was my 6 mo for the bilat. I went in July for an MRI (bilat) and only the BC side was checked when I did the mamo. So, until I go for my RO app't in two weeks... I'll just think the best!
Oh, and the sticky buns were divine!
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Oh, and I'm the one to the left of the stripey dress wearing the dark suit, white shell... the hips look about right....
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Once again, I've fallen way behind in the postings. I don't have the energy to play catch up. Congrats Kay on the great report from your cardiologist.0
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I think I'm with Janis and Barbe in the bathroom--and I swear we aren't smoking or skipping class!! I don't own a suit and my sensible shoes are all tennis shoes.
besides I'm more comfortable on the beach than at work
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Oh I love those suits!! Really I do!! I would so wear on. No have to shave the bikini line, no bumps, yahoo!!! Somehow I think you gals are up to no good in the john. I remeber what went on in there back in the day, hee hee hee. That is if I showed up for school. Oh the wild days of my youth. Thank goodness I have cooled down!
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