MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish
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Antibiotics are not my friend. I am allergic to most and the others give me a yeast infection. This is not going to be a fun ride, but I am already on the train so I can't get off now. I don't have a DH so I will be doing this myself. I will get through it with the help of all of you. My depression has improved since I found you guys. I was feeling so alone before. I was wondering about the pain associated with mammosite. I had some burning the first round with the other radiation, but I used aloe straight from the fridge each day and it help. That side hurts more now even though it's been over 7 yrs.
I am jealous of all of you who can plant your gardens already. We are supposed to get a foot of snowman poop tomorrow.Yuk!!
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Dianarose, I had the mammosite rads and it all went very smoothly. The balloon catheter was inserted on a Friday and I started rads on that next week. Get a front closure sports bra (got mine at Walmart) and it will work well for holding the catheter and bandage after each treatment. I also used baby wipes to clean for that week and only took a sit bath as needed. The catheter came out with no pain or problems. Healing went well. Be sure to get the information on massage of the site after healing so you can work on the reduction and breakup of the scar tissue from the balloon. I did all this and have not had any problems since. The balloon was filled with 60ml of saline water (the max). Going twice a day for one week you really feel pampered and the hard part was loosing that awesome feeling after treatment was done.
Anyway, it was the best decision I made with the doc and so glad it worked out. I really hope it works out for you too. Congrats on the B9 results too! Kitty
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Lisamarie:
Congrats on quiting smoking. It's the hardest thing to do but you will be so grateful that you did. I smoked for 30+ years and quite 10 years ago. It's so nice not to worry if you'll be caught out and no cigs, does your breath or clothes stink, can you find someplace to smoke - oh well you know all the ins and outs. For a long time I would sniff people "fresh" smoke but now I can't stand it and can smell it before I see the person.
Just hang in there and take it a minute at a time, you can do it!
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Who ever mentioned being alone above, never fear! Those of us with DH's sometimes feel alone too. My DH has 3 brain tumours and an upcoming surgery for kidney cancer. Last night we sat on the couch side by side with only a tray for tea between us. I gently trimmed and filed my toenails and then topped up the nail polish on all 10 toes. My side of the couch stretches to a chaise, so my antics were spread out for an extra 3 feet.
Anyway, about 5 minutes later, my DH jumps up and says I smell something burning. I had him check the oven as we had a pizza in there (I ate salad only, of course) and I figured he'd left the plastic wrap or the cardboard bottom on. He went back and forth a couple of times but swore the smell was stronger near the stairs. I asked again what kind of smell and he said not burning, more like a nail polish remover smell (I hadn't used remover, just polish)!!!! Duh!!
I was able to inform him that I had just given myself a mini-pedi right in front of him and hadn't he noticed? Nope, he says, he was just looking forward at the TV.
So you see, some of us live alone even though there is an extra body in house...sigh.
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Thanks Kitty, it makes me feel good about my decision. What was your pain level and how long does each treatment take?
Elimar- You are a very strong lady. A great inspiration.
Sherry- I love gardening. I am going to start my little green house next month. I do a lot of canning. It tastes so much better. One of my sons is tapping his maple trees right now. He loves to cook and grows a big garden too. This year we are going to try to grow pop corn.
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((((Barbe))))
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Barbe...hugs.. having a DH that sometimes is in his own world.. but for the most part is my Rock
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thanks girls .. day 4 and going strong without cigs ..
now cooking a pepper steak dinner .. yum .. then off to a AA meeting and hoping the night will go smooth .. had a walk today before the rains came so the fresh air helped .. nice day off .. back to work tomorrow ... ur all great to me Hugs and prayers 0 -
Hey what with all the 3's in the pic Eli or is that just the design?
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Paula66, That is a female skydive team "leaping" into a formation. I guess the outer part does look like '3's (or in other orientations 'M's or 'W's or Greek Sigmas) but I think they were just going for SWIRLY.
If anyone has counted the total women in that shot, let me know. I haven't yet, but it must be over 100!
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Gotcha ya. Just wasnt for sure if that was what was going on or if it was 3's or patterns.
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Over one hundred women braver than I am. I used to want to do that at least once in my life, but all the other hesitations aside, I don't think I would like that jerk of my parachute opening. My whiplashed neck says no; and I also feel like even the impact on a regular landing would tear my ACL or something. I'll have to get my middle-aged thrills some other way!
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Sky diving is on my bucket list. I worry about that initial yank too, which is why I haven't done bungee jumping either. I know my spine would just split in two!! So, last number on the bucket list is some form of throwing myself off something safe into something with potential pain. Kind of like going to work....
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Good Morning to all my wonderful friends .. wishing everyone a good day ..sending posotive vibes... Big HUGS !!! I am off to work but will pop in here and there !
I don't have a bucket list, maybe I need to consider starting one
I don't think I would sky dive that just may give me a heart attack lol ... Good Day
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Dianarose - I had no pain after the surgery for the catheter insertion and no pain during treatment. Just some pinching discomfort when I moved or twisted wrong and it pulled on the catheter. The doc put two stitches in above and below the catheter insertion site and that really helped to keep it in place without problems. I'm a total wimp when it comes to pain so for me to say no pain is the real truth! If you want to PM me with any questions I'd be happy to get back to you. Kitty0
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I'll add my two cents worth on the Mammosite/Contura process. Insertion was no problem and while they warned me that nothing was final until they did the CT scan to make sure the balloon was placed properly in the cavity, it turned out fine. I too wore a sports bra to keep the "tail" from moving around between treatments. I slept in it too and had no pain. My tail wrapped around to my back because of the tumor location (outer left side), but sleeping was not a problem. Removal went quickly and essentially painlessly.
My only problem was fluid leakage. I leaked the whole time the catheter was in and once it was removed I REALLY leaked. If I leaned on that side the wrong way, I gushed liquid. Yeah, ew.. I had it out on a Friday and had to go back on Monday to get bandages retaped so the hole would start to close. That was problem #2 - the hole took FOREVER to close. I finished in October and the final pinhole did not completely close over until JANUARY. But, that's just me.
I hope I never have to do it again, but if given a choice, I would if I had to.
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Thanks KittyGirl and madpeacock. I feel much better about this now. My cancer is very deep and close to my breast bone so I was worried about it. I have a high pain tolerance, but get grossed out easily. My daughter is an ER Nurse. I don't know how she does it.
KittyGirl- I sent you a PM.
Madpeacock-why did they take 4 nodes if the first one was clean. My bs said she would take one and send it right down to the lab before she took anymore. I am so nervous about that part. Also, I see that your Oncotype # is 8, what does that mean?
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madp, I sounds like you developed a seroma in the cavity, and the constant drainage prevented the healing. As bad as that is, if it had closed, the seromas can cause pain and pressure to the point where they have to be aspirated (which is usually more a relief than painful, I've read.) My balloon was only in there a few days, but healed over within days after having it out.
Question (and I am asking on behalf of Dianarose): Did you have balloon placement at surgery time, or separately some days afterward? Wondering if one is more likely to lead to seroma than the other.
Barbe, LOL! Bungee jumping? My spine would crack like a whip, I'm afraid.
seabeal, welcome! Have you had your surgery yet? Lumpectomy? There is a lot to take in at the beginning, but we are here for questions, and hugs if you need them.
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I have no idea what it is everyone is talking about , Is this something I will be going through with the PBMX .??? im nervous not knowing what is ahead of me ...luv and hugs to u all.. I pray for everyone hoping things get better
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dianarose: If I understood correctly, they usually take the sentinel node - the one the contrast hits first - and then the next few in line to be sure all is clear. The number can vary from surgeon to surgeon, I guess depending on their feelings about your particular situation. I had the contrast injection right before surgery and I remember waking up in recovery to someone telling me that the nodes were negative.
Also, the Oncotype is a test for ER+, node negative, early stage cancers to determine if chemo would be effective against your type of tumor or not. My score is 8, which is very low, and means that my tumor would get very little, if any, benefit versus the SEs of chemo.
eli: Oh heck yeah, I have a seroma. I still have it as of my mammo and ultrasound a couple of weeks ago. My surgery was 9/8 but my catheter was not placed until mid-October which was right at the end of the "window" of time for when it can be done. We were waiting on BRCA testing and the Oncotype to be done, another long story, so that is the reason for the delay. I also had my HER2 retested in that time and apparently flipped to negative instead of the positive from the initial bx, so that changed plans as well.
I still have doubts about the whole HER2 thing. Hope that doesn't come back to bite me...
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It is getting really old to have hot flashes all the time and neausea. At least I know the neausea will hopefully be gone when I finish this anitfungal med in a couple of months. And I changed my prilosec to taking with the one that causes the neausea, not working so far. ugh
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aww Sherry feel better ... I take Zofran for nausea and it helps just makes me sleepy
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Sherry- what is the nausea from? It all sounds horrible. I hope it gets better for you soon.
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Dinarose-my immune system took a plunge during rads and I ended up with toenail fungus. My foot doctor said that my immune system just could not fight it off plus I am terrible with leaving my toenail polish on way too long. But gee no one told me to watch out for that. I started taking a Chinese herb Astragalus that seems to be helping my immune system but I am taking Lamisil for the toenail fungus and it keeps me neauseated. I have to take it for three month and I have been on it about 3 weeks so far. I hope I can last, I really want to get a pedicure and paint my toe nails with spring coming up but no can do right now.
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Elimar: I had a core biopsy 2/14 after my routine mammo found "significant" changes from my previous one. It came back positive for IDC, ER+, PR+ and HER2- approx 1.9cm. Thats about all I know at this time. Saw the surgeon and he ordered breast MRI (done Frid) and did the brain and body CT today. Have another appointment with surgeon on Mon to go over results and most likely sched lumpectomy. The first week was a total downer and this week its been more of an emotional rollercoaster, fine one minute in a dark place the next. I think as I get each procedure and test completed I feel calmer knowing its getting closer to getting this thing out of me. Found this place the day I was dx and been hanging out reading and trying to get to know everyone. It has been a life saver especially since my husband is in major denial and won't talk about it or addresses it like a bout of flu. Thank heavens for BCO and my daughter who has been my rock.0
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seabeal, Yes, the beginning in very mind-blowing. As you gain information, and then as you move through treatment (and feel you are DOING something) it does get a little better. I did not find this site til after my surgery, but it helped a lot during radiation and onward. Like you, I had MRI before surgery, but not the other scans. Let us know how you do with all your scans. Hope the news is good. With a lumpectomy, they will also probably want to check a lymph node or three (as madpeacock wrote.) The number really depends on how many nodes show that first uptake of dye or radioactive tracer (and they can use either or both.) The max. number of sentinel nodes I have seen has been 7, but usually it's just a few.0
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The continuing tales of the gift that keeps on giving...
I don't know how many of you get your cholesterol checked or how often, but I get mine yearly. My triglycerides were high last year and have gone up. Tamoxifen may very well be a part of that. (To be fair, menopause seems to cause elevation as well.) Maybe I binge ate a bag o' Cheetos before testing, but I doubt it. Anyway, I did not fast before the blood test, so I want to get a fasting retest soon to be sure of the numbers. Why do I suspect the Tamox.?
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Some inspiration--I took my ex-husbands grandmother for a lumpectomy many yrs ago. Her surgery was at 9am and she was back in my car by noon. She had radiation and took what she called her cancer pills for 5 yrs. I never found out anything about her type or stage because she did not want to talk about it. Somehow she fell through the cracks and never even got as much as a single mammogram for over 10 yrs. This lady was and still is a tough cookie. She is a true survivor and just had her birthday. She is now 101 with no recurrance.
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Wow Dianarose!!!
She should be our poster Grandma!!!
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Elimar-when I had high cholesterol I ate Honey nut cheeio's for about 3 months and it went down by over 15 pts.
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