MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish
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Yum, all those lunch suggestions sound delicious!
barsco - hope you are feeling alright after your dentist appointment! My brother had to have a tooth pulled and he said it was the stuff of nightmares, haha. But, he is a GUY...
Elimar - I've been struggling with dry mouth for years! It mostly shows up when I'm sleeping. I've tried everything on the market and none of it has worked for me. Once I bought this product that sticks to the roof of your mouth and you use it when you're sleeping. I put that thing in and immediately wanted it OUT! It drove me crazy, and naturally the adhesive worked really well! There were about 8-10 in the box - I tried to give them away but no one would take them, lol. They were awful. My big solution after all this trial and error is a glass of water by the bed and when I wake up with dry mouth I sip some water and hold it in my mouth a few minutes to remoisturize everything.
E - Has your doctor said anything about your weight loss? It seems to me he would be agreeable to you quitting now. I don't know how much they expect us to suffer on chemo - until just before you collapse? Maybe you look too healthy - maybe you should go in Wednesday with white powder on your face and purple eyeshadow circles under your eyes.
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Eli, I ate a lot of salsa during chemo as well. I would make salsa and guac, then eat it on a piece of steamed, white, bland fish.
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Well, I made it through without a hint of a problem. Thanks for the PP and all of the goodies. Did you gals get a look at that dentist? (not my regular) If I was about 25 yrs younger, I might have had to make a midnight (fake) sos call to him. What a cutie! I was a little hesitant at his being so young, but he started the process and within about a minute he said "there, that's done" I was soooo thankful. Didn't hear any of that awful grinding noise or feel a thing.
Eli - It is so frustrating being hungry but not being able to eat the foods you want and that you know do taste good. I haven't lost my taste buds and there are so many foods that I would love to sink my teeth into but with continued nausea, fullness, and lack of appetite, it is a challenge. Wishing you best of luck on making a decision regarding your last two chemos. I would also think that your dr might have concern over your weight loss. How can ones body effectively heal when one is literally fading away?
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Elimar- It's been a while since I have posted, but I have checked in occasionally and followed some of the happenings. With your recent chemo experience you sound like my mom did just before she said "no more." Eating was a challenge for her, too. I would try to creatively come up with things that I thought sounded good, but usually failed miserably. She would try to force whatever I put in front of her down, but I could tell she wasn't enjoying it. Except for carrot cake. And lemon cake. She liked those. But her weight and therefore her energy kept slipping. It was beyond funny to me when, one day, she said "Sangria! I want Sangria!" and on another "Oysters on the half shell!" Of course, when presented with them, they too didn't hit the spot.
You seem to have a good grasp on what you (mentally) and your body can take. It does sound like you are about at the wall. I understand the combat going on in your brain about chemo, and hope you can get peace soon with whatever you decide to do. You've been through so much. Virtual hugs and a wish for serenity are sent your way.
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Aw Staysane - what a sweet post to our sister Elimar. You express yourself so well. Thank you.
Elimar - I echo what everyone else has said. You know your limit best. You must be only a wisp of your usual self. Love you.
Barsco - glad the tooth removal went well and eye candy for extra measure. WooHoo!
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Not only is Staynsane's post poignantly on point, I'm lovin' the new avatar. Wish avatars were bigger (that's for the moderators) so we could see things better.
Barsco, all dentists & doctors look like babies to me now & I'm only 59 which is the new 39 right? But happy he got the job done. Dentist visits, even just cleanings, are my biggest stressor now that DD has her license (almost 3 years now, but the trauma has been long lived) and I don't have to drive with her.
Eli-do whatcha gotta do girl! We are with you 100%!
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Thanks everyone for the vote of confidence in my decision making abilities. I wish I did have more confidence making the decisions, but they are more like informed guesses and then just flying by the seat of my pants. These decisions are hard and they may or may not be life or death decisions. I want so badly to be a two-time cancer destroyer and if fighting spirit and positive outlook were all there was to it, my cancer would be history. But it's way more complex and then throw in some statistics on top of that and it becomes more questions than answers. I am really calling on my gut instincts too, to guide me; but I can't say as those have been spot on in the past. I know I won't even decide until the Sunday night or Mon. (chemo) morning, so I have two weeks to deliberate. With a big road trip move to get my son out to grad. school, I'm shoving all this to the vack burner until then.
Barsco, That is great that you got thru' the dental extraction without trauma. Thank goodness! Now rinse with salt water and heal up that gaping tooth hole, girlie!
Staynsane, Missed you! And I do love that new avatar, so bring it around more often.
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You all know most of this by now, but here, in a nutshell, is an overview of oncology motivations.
Read or listen. No mention of ACS or Komen, strangely enough. Or perhaps it is not so strange.
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Luv, Eph, Eli- Thanks for remembering me! I changed my avatar to be less recognizable because I posted pics on the picture forum. Which kind of brought me back here. I haven't heard of anyone relocating their NAC (the one I so desperately fought to save with my NSM) and ending up with what looked like two, due to an unexpected skin graft! I feel better now; the unwanted graft is not red and areola-looking anymore, and when I saw my PS on Monday he told me his plan to remove it. I didn't think it would be possible. It will involve probably three in-office procedures over time to finish this, and likely one more outpatient under general anesthesia, but my sense of calm now tells me I really didn't like what I looked like and now I have hope. Again. That someday this will be behind me.
Loral- Love the pic and statement! If/when either of my girls has a baby girl, I'm going to try to remember that one!
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staynsane, You have stumped me with NAC...what is that? Nipple something? We missed the whole middle part here. Why did you end up getting an unexpected skin graft? Sorry to hear the process is something that will be long and drawn out, hopefully your patience will mot be tested too much getting to the end point. (I'm not too good on patience and I'm always looking to speed theprovess along, but sometimes you just can't.) Keep us informed on your results (and anything in between.)
Dashing off to get off my pump (and I wish that five minute procedure didn't involve waiting in two waiting areas, and the whole thing taking over half an hour!)
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Eli - I googled "NAC breast" and got hit with nipple-areola complex which is what I suspect Staysane means. At least make sense to me. LOL.
Well, I need y'all for a pocket partay tomorrow. The awful time of 7:30 is when I report for injection for a bone scan. Then something like 3 hours later for the scan. I'm still having pain/swelling with this mouthful sternoclavicular costocondritis. CT was unremarkable but since I did not speak up saying why not do bone scan instead I get more fun. At least I'm down to my 20% now. Don't know what I'm going to do with myself at that hour of the morning. Sleep in the lobby? Starbucks? I was supposed to go Friday a week but they found a cancellation tomorrow. I think I'm read to get it over with.
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I'll be in the biggest pocket Luv. Since it's so early, I'll bring lots of coffee.
SnS, good to see you. Well, almost see you that is! Sorry you need those procedures, but sending tons of positive energy and prayers that things turn out perfectly. Hugs hon.0 -
Luvmygoats-I'll be there with breakfast
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That's exactly what I do when I get my bone scans. After my injection I head to a nearby Starbucks with my IPad until scan time.Try to relax when your in the machine.once I even fell asleep during one.🙀
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Luvmygoat,
That waiting for the injection to take for a bone scan is a pain. I had one on my foot years ago because they couldn't figure out which little bone was broken (like it really mattered. I wore a boot no matter what bone broke), but I went out shopping for a few hours. Ask them if there is somewhere you can go take a nap...hehehehehe
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Eph, Luv, Marlegal- Luv nailed it. NAC or "nipple areola complex" is used often for us girls with NSMs (nipple sparing mastectomies). The acronyms we learn as we navigate this process! After my exchange and reduction/lift was behind me, it started to bother me that my left NAC (so much easier to abbreviate!) was way off to the left. My hubby liked that when we were in bed it was always winking at him (I sleep to his right) but he also made comments. It became a constant reminder that things had changed, and I decided to change it. My PS relocated my NAC to a much improved position, which left a hole where it originally was. He used the skin that he cut out for the new position to fill the old hole. This was not discussed with me beforehand; he said he would tighten up the skin and scar line. At no time did he mention a skin graft.
When bandages were removed after surgery, it looked like I had two areolas on lefty! The unwanted graft has since lost the red color post surgery and looks like a patch on my breast. I could probably live with it, but when my PS told me his plans to remove it I was relieved and am hopeful for the outcome I originally expected. Call me vain, but I had a NS procedure to achieve what I thought would be a better outcome. I've heard of women saying "save the nips" and I'm into "saving the NAC!"
Luv- I hope your scan went off without a hitch and you got in some good resting, reading, shopping or whatever!
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Well, that's done and over with. Easypeasy for the injection. Parked in my onco's parking lot after, drank a bottle of water and read for a bit. Then in search of BR. Off to Starbucks and thanks Barsco I had a yummy iced chai tea. Sat outside and watched traffic. Back to BR and then off to waste time at Mexican grocery. Back to scan center where the recept. forgot me after I checked in oh yeah and went to BR again after another 1/2 bottle of water - TMI I know. The tech who came to check that scan looked adequate asked more pointed questions that I had already answered which, of course, set off my dark side alarm. Tried on shoes but just not into it so went to Trader Joes - where Ta-Da I only spent $8.00 then home to local grocery. No result for at least 24 hours but tomorow being Friday I don't expect anything until Mon. possibly Tues. I do have to go back to FW on Wed for BS appt.
Thanks for the pocket party. Loral thanks for breakfast. I can highly recommend the iced chai tea at Starbucks so much I bought some green chai at the Mexican grocery (well it's Stash tea pretty mainstream). I need a nap; alarm went off at 5:50.
Staysane - I just can't imagine why you don't want 3 nips. I'm so glad PS is going to return you to 2 only and both pointed in the proper direction.
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Luv, glad things went rather smoothly. Hoping for boring results next week. I just might have to try the iced chai as a treat next month when I see doc (pass a Starbucks on way back to my office). Sounds really good.
Side note, I wake to alarm 5 days a week at 5:40 still
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Luv, If only someone was paying for all the time we put in at the scans and OVs, we'd all be rolling in the dough. (Haha! Not literally, like D-rose is!) So, after that long day, time to kick back and wait for the good news to roll in.
Mar, The birds are barely up by then! Ai-yi-yi!
SnS, I got the picture now. Yes, you certainly need but two areolas. I hope the PS can work his magic so that the skin graft area can look less obvious and you get a good cosmetic outcome. I KNOW what you mean, no need to look at a reminder of your B/C saga, and it is a bit easier to put it in the past when not seeing it in the mirror every day.
Loral, Mmmm. Those croissants were good!
I am just a little pre-occupied with my son's cross country move to grad school. The travel dates keep changing. I may fall behind with my BCO reading this week.
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I was preoccupied with my daughter's move to college 50 miles away. Wouldn't know how to handle cross country. How the heck do you pack for a permanent yet temporary housing and transporting all of it? Best of luck to your son and to you, too. You may need Staysane's moniker b4 it's all over.
Thanks for the well wishes.
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Goats, my kid went off to college in another country 3 years ago. The dorms were arranged when she registered, so she knew there was a room waiting for her. I paid the dorm bill from here, online. The kitchen at the dorms had basic stuff like plates and pots. For bedding, I ordered a "student starter package" online for her. She went off by herself lugging a giant suitcase. She was fine. We had offered to go along, but she preferred going solo.
They only had dorms the first year, so the second year she organized some roommates and they rented a house. This year (her last year there), they are moving again, which she and her boyfriend organized together. We pay though
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My son's college stopped doing graduate housing in 2012.
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Both our daughters went to college about 90 minutes from our home...far enough to board, close enough we could drive there if necessary. I truly took it as a sign of a job well done that we raised them to be independent - we basically never went except for opening, closing, and homecoming! Neither my hub nor I did the away college thing (I didn't do college at all) so I was really proud of our girls for adapting to that experience. I wish wonderful experiences for all of you whose children are embarking on that now
Eli, your son has done lots of travelling already, hasn't he? I seem to remember keeping him in my prayers for other trips, no?Happy Weekend buds. We're going to dd's tomorrow for some time with grandson. Otherwise known as the cutest, most advanced, happiest, most wonderful 10 month old to ever grace the earth! I'm sure none of you have ever thought that of your grands
Hugs and love.
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Being very contemplative (is that a word?) tonight. This is from my FB post, and it talks about you wonderful women, so here it is.
A bit of self-indulgence. It's officially August 24, which means it's officially 8 yrs since I heard the words no one wants to hear. While I hope to never hear those words again, I can't think of anything in the past 8 yrs that I'd trade. I hope I've learned to be a bit more compassionate, more willing to give others the benefit of the doubt, more willing to think that maybe the other person is going through something I know nothing about. I have some wonderful friends for more than 40 yrs who knew just what I needed during my treatment year and I cherish and love them. Luckily, I know they know that - because we tell each other. I've made friends with people going through a similar journey that I would not have met otherwise. I can't tag them all because the thought of missing even one would kill me. (Ha, ironic, huh?) To all my BCO sistahs, whether from Chat or from Boards, know that you carried me when I needed it; cheered me up, raised me up, and made me laugh my a** off when called for too. My family, I hope and pray, already knows that I love them more than many people ever dream of. I am a blessed woman and I do not ever take that for granted. Thanks for the platform
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Congrats Marlegal..have fun today....
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marlegal - LIKE
You have some wonderful people in your life. Happy for you! And also hope that you NEVER have to hear those words again. Enjoy your day!0 -
just beautiful marlegal....very well done! and congrats on 8 years. i have been debating about post something on fb....maybe when i go out for my chemo treatments God bless you and all my sisters here.
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