CALLING ALL STAGE I SISTERS
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Valjean- BE EMOTIONAL! all good my dear...better out than in and yes, I know what you mean..you want an expert to say it will be ok....they see so many of us ...it is comforting somehow...
Thanks ladies for being iwth me at my oncology appointment today...I waited almost 2 hours but I don't actually mind..I figure if he is spending time where it needs to be spent, with people who need him to spend it, then I am ok waiting..and he spent time with me too. Essentially, he said he has not seen a case like mine inthe 3 years he has been an oncologist...that going on Arimidex only increase my chances of not getting BC again by 4% but my odds are already excellent (in the 85% range)...I reminded him that 1/9 women in Nova Scotia get BC and I happen to be one of the 'one's...random but there you go...and that neither of us, nor the surgeon or radiologist thought I was a heart attack candidate either but to please give me his opinion so I can weight it with mine.
In the end, we decided together that I would try it for 4-6 weeks...by then if I was to have side effects, they would have happened. His wonderful nurse will call me in 4-6 weeks to check in on me...he is ordering a bone scan so I will have a base line and he has given me a prescription for calcium since my blue cross insurance will cover 75% of it. He said it was entirely up to me..my chances are already excellent....but it is 4%....and to see if the pros outweigh the cons...I will give it a try...but I didn't bring the prescription up today...enough change this week...will do it tomorrow when i can talk to the pharmacist
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Stage1, I am in the southern end of the SJ Valley. DH flew up to your neck of the woods Monday. He flew up and returned in a 6 hour period. If he had made the drive, it would have been a 4 hour drive each way. Annette, I am about 4 1/2 hours North of San Diego, but if I had time off, I would drive!
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Good Night
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((Sheila)) Good morning!
Off to work I go and it is NOT hi ho. I hate my job.
Hope everyone has a great day.
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Good Morning Sheila and all you wonderful ladies.
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Barbara nothing like hating your job. Been there done that and it sucks. HOpe you can have a great day despite the job.
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Sheila - let me say that picture is exactly where I would love to be...(((HUGS)))
Barbara - I'm sorry you are unhappy in your job on top of everything else we deal with. Hang in there!
Good morning Jo and all my other Stage One sisters!!!
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Well, I'm happy to say I love my job & today is the 1st day of my 15th year here. My boss & I have been through a lot together: the implosion of my marriage, the death of his wife/my friend in 2007, breast cancer in '09, his fierce foot infection in '10 (he's diabetic & almost had to have amputation, but instead we ended up with a carpool schedule taking him to appts, bariatric chamber, etc) , and our merger earlier this year with a big firm. Good thing we still like each other. There are only 2 other people in the office besides us & thank the Lord we all get along, for the most part.
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It sure suks when you hate your job!!!!!!!!((((((((((((Barbara)))))))))))) hugggggs.0
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Eph congrats on 15 years and you still like your boss. I have a real gym of a guy for a boss as well. Would hate to have gone through treatment working with an ahole. I still have surgery to go next march and he just rolls with the flow. I know I am very lucky.
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Sorry, sheila, it was a bone density.
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Yes Barbara it does suck when you hate your job, just got through doing that and quitting that! Hopefully I will get something that I love and work with someone that has my back, at least that is what I'm trying for right now. I pray that you can get the same thing to.
Sheila that picture makes me want to be at the beach... I love it so! Winter, summer, spring or fall anytime will do at all...
My other favorite place is the mountains of Tennessee in the fall... WOW!!! no place like it 0 -
Thanks, Renee and all. I am praying that the right thing will come along. Meanwhile...IT'S THE WEEKEND!! Waa Hoo! Off to see DH's band play in the park in St Pete Beach on the Intracoastal waterway. Will post pix if I get any good ones.
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Thanks for the good thoughts today. PS didn't write off the lump as scar tissue and he didn't seem overly concerned. He's hoping it's an area of inflammation around a stitched area that will diminish with time and healing. Will go back in November and if it's the same or larger will likely head back to the BS and/or get an ultrasound or MRI.
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pocket hopping....Sandee- your onc sounds like a good one...any doc is a good one who is open to us as individuals not statistics:)
I got really emotional at my "well-woman" check up- cried like a baby...all those memories flooding back from last year when the doc said "you are good to go-just make sure you get that mammogram...." The cool thing is my regular doc is such a goodheart...we talked about everything that has gone on this year and she made me feel great (which was no small thing as I was smearing my maekup all over my face wiping off the tears). So I just need the bloodwork (have to fast for that)- and the et the results from it all....obviously no mammo...ahem. Next up is the PS this week for a boob fat graft check- then the onc for my 90 day checkup (since I refused the AIs) and then finish the year at the BS for a breast exam. It looks like all i have left to do on chest is get the tattoos once the incisions are completely healed from last months fat grafting. I want it all in the rear view mirror....
Barb- so sorry you are hating work- I get like that sometimes- yet at other times I truly love it...just hopeyou find what is right for you- that is where I am at now- to have what is right for me no matter if I am in same job or another- in fact- I am applying that to life in general
Tina-your doc sounds on target- if he was overyly concerned you would have had an ultrasound or mri already...
love you all
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Annette (((HUGS))) girlfriend. I knew I was in your pocket for a reason. I know the tears come much easier these days and that is alright. BC is such an emotional journey for all of us. Looks to me like you really kicked BC's ass and you are moving on. Way to go!!
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Annette- sounds like you needed the cry my friend...think I will be making an appointment with my GP this week too to talk about the arimidex, get a flu shot and soe perspective....I have loved my job for 19 years and still love it..this week anyhow....but am also feeling VERY detached from things lately...hoping it is the cold. Sending you hugs Anette
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Jo-it is ALL about kickin BC ass:) I can't wait to see ya again buddy-
Sandee....I get it with the detachment...it is very odd and unlike me but it seems I just disconnect-but that might not be such a bad thing coming from someone who has a tendency to go the opposite way and be too connected-if that makes sense...hugs back at ya
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Annette, good news - glad to hear! Was surprised you see your MD every 3 mo for the Al's check. Mine didn't want to see me for a year... think she's upset that I'm not listening to her and not taking the Al's I'm doing DIM. Not sure what she expects since I had such a bad reaction to them. Rad Onc on the other hand is a gem!
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annettek - I had my annual GYN appointment last week and I got rather emotional at my appointment as well. I hadn't spoken to her since she called me last December to see how I was doing after getting my biopsy results - she was taken a bit by surprise to find out that I hadn't heard yet and she ended up being the lucky one to break the news (my BS called just a little while later).
So, she wanted to get caught up at my appointment and the tears did flow a bit recounting the year's events. She let me get it all out and gave me a big hug at the end. She also gave me some different options for dealing with the side effects of Arimidex. She's a keeper for sure!
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Hey Guys! Checking in after awhile. Found out I have cellulitis, yippee! The things we have to deal with!
On a better note, I just signed up to go to college and get my degree!! I'm going for cellular biology...and I'm going to study cancer particularly. Oh, and I turn forty in a couple weeks.
Cancer changes things! Not always in a bad way!
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Cake- boo on the cellulitis BUT WOO HOO on going for your dream:)) And cake is always a very good thing.
Samsue- my onc was VERY ticked I wouldn't take the AIs after a bad reaction but she has a good heart and insists on seeing me every three months to monitor (blood work, exam).
Tina- my reg doc is not happy either that I don't take the arimidex but she gets why. Then she went on to admit that she HAS to tell me I need to take it since it is the best that medicine has to offer right now (AIs in general). It is such a damn relief to just be honest with these folks instead of playing games..
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Annette - I can't take any of the AIs so I do take Tamoxifen. And no, I will not switch and try them again in a few years. It is either I do Tamox for the entire 5 years or I go off the medicine all together. Heck, I'm easy - LOL
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Annette so glad you got a good cry in
Cake woohoo on going to college. Good luck with that.
My MO appt went well, the blood work is fine and I'll get my tumor markers and Vit D back next week but I feel sure they are fine as well. We talked alot about my breast pain and he ordered PT for me and then if that does not help he wants me to try accupunture.. So I will give it a try. We talked about my BMX and he would rather me not do it but all my other doctors say do it. But I have already decided I am doing it and I told him so. He just does not want to see me go through such a big surgery and would rather me get scanned every 6 months for life and try to deal with the pain. I said no thanks I am not having a great quality of life for such a small cancer. this was suppose to be surgery, treatment and go on with life and that is not how it has turned out. Not to mention the cost of the yearly MRI's which I told him I could not afford to do so I asked for an US instead. I feel OK with this since I am going to have my breast removed anyway in 6 months. I'm thinking surely I won't get another cancer in the next 6 months. I get frustrated with every doctor having their opionion about what to do but then I have to remind myself that with all that information I can make better decisions for myself. I am doing so much better at listening to my inner voice and following what it says to do.
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Sherryc - I'm all for listening to that inner voice. Before BC I would never have imagined that I would choose mastectomy over lumpectomy or bilateral surgery over unilateral. As you said though, once we get all our information sometimes our gut just gives us the "right" answer. I'm not happy about any of it, but I've never regretted my decision to have the bilateral surgery. Best wishes!!!0
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At the beg.when i told the onco she was fine with t.after the thrd visit i notced a change like she was rushng me out.now im thinking sure she is not gettin any kick back from the ALs.im sure that iis why they push the damn ALs.when i told my internist she just raised her eyebrows.
I will not take the ALs.if she makes me feel like she is rushng me out im gonna change oncos.as far as im concerned its all about the $$$$$.i betta quit whle m ahead.
barbara---i feel your pain...I hated my job.that really suks.i did not want to retred but if i ddnt i would be n jail right now.
Annette-Jo and the rest of my sistas.huggggggs K
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Granny I have come to believe there are many good docs out there and if we don't like the way they make us feel we can find another one. Life is too short. I fired my first MO. First time I have every fired a Dr and it felt great to be in control. You or ducky said before they are people just like us and put the pants on one leg at a time.
Tina, thanks I feel good about my decision just wish I could do it now and not have to wait 6 more months. But I know the waiting will be better because my radiated boob will have more time to heal and I will have gained the weight that I need.
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Ah Sherry, that is a question many have asked of me (the majority of which never having had bc) why on earth did you get a bilateral mastectomy for such a small cancer? Well, as Tina said, listening to my heart. I had actually made my mind up years before diagnosis. It had randomly crossed my mind over the years and I said, no matter what, that is what I would do. Never dreaming I would have that choice to make. I battled off questions in that month between diagnosis last October and the BMX in November. It was the only part of this journey I did not question. And I do not question today. That's just for me, nobody else. I actually had someone say to me "Would you cut off your foot if you had ingrown toenail" That was nice. I said "Not the same as cancer, ingrown toenails never killed anyone that I know of. But I would cut off the nail:)" In the end, it is such a personal choice and what is odd, after the fact, every single medical professional I have dealt with, including those who tried to talk me out of it, agreed with my decision. Which is even more odd. Since there was nothing beyond some dense tissue in my left breast. I would never question aloud another woman's choice in her treatment. A coupld of weeks ago when I was already in a funk, I got news that a friend from high school had passed away. From BC. She chose no treatment at all. And lived for several years, perhaps five in total. Was she wrong? I can't say for her. For some think me a fool for passing on the AIs/tamox after my experience and just going with nutritionals. Am I wrong? Who can really say? None of us really know.
I mourned her passing deeply despite the fact we never quite saw eye to eye on a lot of things but I respected her on many levels for her free spirit earth mother floatiness who did a lot of good work for battered women and their children back in Michigan. It was and is sad when another loses her life.
OK< enough of the sad-I hope everyone has a great Sunday:) I cleaned my closets yesterday HOLY GEEZ- what a packratty slob I have been:) I open the doors to them now and then close it and peek back in again to make sure I am not dreaming. And that was just surface level organizing- now I gotta put everything where it should be in a better order. One corner of our lives at a time:)
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Some of us Texas gals got together last weekend in San Antonio - spent the day with ChrissyB. A reporter met with us and wrote a nice article. I can not get it to copy/paste so I will just type it here or you can go to facebook and click on the link there. I do have it on my page or you can find it on the newsfeed.
Traveling Pants Sisterhood provides support
www.mysanantonio.com
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Jo, what a great article! Loved reading about you guys and the pants. I think that would be one of my choices for donations so the pants can be sent to others... it's more of a cure in my opinion.
I had an app't with my PCP last week and I asked him for a name of a PS - trying to get an opinion on doing some reconstructive surgery. My PCP's mother was diagnosed the same time I was and she went to the PS he recommended. I had lump, but having so many issues - Sherry I understand where you're coming from.... the pain is always there. Would like to find a PS that does DIEP in my area but haven't found anyone. Other concern taking time off from work - that's a real problem!
Annette, I was asked (actually I volunteered the info) from my life coach about shoes.... we were discussing needs and wants.... anyway I said I had 40 pairs of shoes and thought that was a lot. Well, I got home and counted how many I had - YIKES - I've got nearly 55 that I could actually see (others were probably in the garage or under the coffee table in the family room. So, now I'm going to go thru them and see what I really need and what could be tossed!
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