CALLING ALL STAGE I SISTERS
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Congratulations, Valerie. Great news.
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Cake, I am sorry you are going through this. And, I am really sorry you have to wait through another weekend. Hope you feel better soon.
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Valerie....Congratulations on your most wonderful news. I guess in BC world Negative is one of the most welcome word. Go shopping with DD and buy something for yourself. You deserve it
Cake... Have your US for your piece of mind. I hope you feel better soon. Did you have your coffee this morning?
Nicole...Our party girl hey we all have to treat ourselves with something. I know I did. I bought myself a camera because didn't have one. Maybe I could bought something more useful like a coat but I decided not to. Hopefully Amazon will deliver it on time.
Maybe you can post a picture with your new hair extensions.!!!!!
Hi Meece. I see you are staying awake at late hours now. Good for you.
Hi Everybody. If you live in a warm climate don't take it for granted, we are freezing in NY.
Good Night Ladies.
Sheila
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Remember I am on the West Coast, 8:45 wasn't that late. I can't believe my early to bed status has been noticed, Sheila!
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K-Mart was selling boxed replicas of the Chrlie Brown Christmas Tree this year.
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Meece.... how are you this morning.?
Remember you said you're in bed at 8:30 and an early riser. OMG it must be still dark there.
There was a request for this picture.!
Now I have to go and find myself.
Good Morning
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I am doing okay. Whatever I had that kept me home on Wednesday, has moved on into my lungs. I came out to the sofa around midnight because my coughing was keeping DH awake. He didn't send me away, I volunteered.
Yes, it is very dark still.
How are you doing?
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Hi,
This is my second time also, first time was DCIS in left Stage 0, had a masctectomy with reconstruction- flap procedure, no radiation or chemo the first time, This time, 6 years later, its tubular carcinoma in right, Stage 1-2 lymph nodes are clear just had another masctectomy on Nov, 9th on right side with reconstruction....unfortunately, an implant this time. Anyone going thru the same thing??? with reconstruction???? I would love to talk/corrrespond with you!!
I am not sure yet about chemo my genetic testing came back negative but I am still waiting to hear if chemo is in my future. If God takes you to it He will get you thru it.
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Yay for Valerie!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CELEBRATE!!!!!!!
Hang in there Cake....the waiting game sucks! I will keep you in my thoughts.
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Seyla, thanks for posting the Charlie Brown Christmas pic!! Brought a huge smile to my face! LOVE THAT SHOW!!
Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!! My hubby and I are going out into the busy crowds to finish our shopping! Best part is going out to dinner after that!! I just LOVE going out and having his total attention! At least most of it!
Ladies..... you all make me smile!!
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Hi Ladies:
I just found this board and I was hoping some of you who have been down this road can give me some advice. 6 years ago at the age of 51 I was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer. I had a colon resection and they did a complete hysterectomy at the time. I underwent radiation and 8 months of chemo with 5FU with leukovorin. I have been colon cancer free since then.
This past October I went for my routein mamo and they called me back for some retakes. After the retakes they said I should go for a biopsy. Well, PS I had a lumpectomy on 11/2/09. It was Stage 1, ER/PR+, HER2-, 1.3cm, clear margins and the sentinal lymph node was negative, I believe the cells are a grade 3. My oncologist said I would need 7 weeks of radiation and 5yrs on Arimidex. They decided to do an onco test and that score came back as a 38, meaning IV chemo. I am so freaked out by that. The thought of going through chemo again is almost unbearable, plus the thought of losing my hair has really sent me into a depression.
I am meeting with my oncologist on 12/17 to discuss the options. She briefly told me there were 2 choices. 4X a week for 2.5 months or 2X a month for 6 months. She did not say what drugs would be used.
I am now 57 and was wondering if chemo would really provide that much of a benefit. Do the benefits outweigh the side effects. Days of vomiting and hair loss do not seem worth it if the percentage does not increase my chances of reoccurrence significantly.
I would greatly appreciate any input from those of you who have been there. :-)
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VegasDiva.....I'm sorry you have to go through this again. I was 53 when was DX, did chemo, radiation and still taking Femara for 5 years. Also had a lumpectomy
What kind of chemo is it that you need 4 times a week? Please find out when you see your DR.
That sounds little too many 4x a week.
Meanwhile we all are here for you. Let us know what the Oncologist said.
Please take care of yourself.
Sheila
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VegasDiva, all I know is chemo drugs are constantly improving. I had Taxotera/Cytoxan every 3 weeks for 4 treatments July 9-Sept 10 '09). Never had nausea, but did have guaranteed hair loss (yup) and major fatigue & energy dropped tremendously by 4th round. The oncs give you drugs to combat almost any type of side-effect. In my experience, all you had to do was ask & most of the time, they asked me! I was 54, now 55. For me, my oncotype score was 42-there was no debate-I just did chemo. I'm much too young not too. It's funny, initially all the docs kept telling me that-you are much to young not to be aggressive; trust me, I don't feel young most of the time, but when I got into that chemo suite, each time, I was the youngest person in the room, by far. Now I'm done with chemo & rads & I'm taking Femara, which I was scared to start, but am having no side effects to speak of. I'm fighting this battle all the way. Joni
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VegasDiva - did she tell you the type of chemo? I have not heard of 4x week chemo, but have heard of 4x month or weekly chemo. With a score of 38 you should be confident that chemo will benefit you, and as Joni said - they have so many ways to help you with side effects.
Joni - how is the weather in So. Oregon? We are having the most beautiful, but cold weather and I have family in the Bay Area - they had SNOW!
It is so nice to be on the stage 1 thread - where everyone seems friendly and helpful!
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Hi, guys! Just checking in!
Seyla...YEP, I decided...I aint givin up coffee till new year, LOL!
I'm staying calm and enjoying my family. Spent more money on Christmas presents today. Shopping always keeps my mind off things.
I bet this UTI is nothing! Hopefully....How is everyone else doing
What plans do you have for Christmas day this year? What did you get your kiddies for Christmas? Today, I bought my 4 kids the Beatles Rock Band bundle for PS3. I think they'll like it! 0 -
I haven't posted in a while, but I've been reading and keeping up with you girls. It's the first thing I do everyday. I cannot tell you what a comfort it has been to find this site. I wish I had found it a month ago. I begin TC treatments next Friday, the 18th. I know some of you might not appreciate this but I just put up a little PINK Christmas tree. I think it will remind me that I need to be strong.
I am truly sorry that some of you are suffering so. I keep telling myself that this, too, shall pass.
btw, my name is Karen and I live in West Texas
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I did alot of cyber shopping, next week DH and I will go do the stocking stuffers
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Had a great day of shopping with my DD. My splurge: I bought myself a Victoria's Secret robe ~ just for little 'ole me. LOL
Taking her & her hubby out for dinner Sunday ~ just because.
I am so grateful to have such a loving family...& so grateful for all of you as well. This is going to be a wonderful Christmas.
{{hugs}}
Valerie
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Valjean, So glad you have a supportive family!!! I do too. Makes me so happy because I know that some don't! By the way, my DH took me to Victoria's Secret tonight and bought me TWO new bras! Best present I could have got!! I will cherish them! HIS idea!!
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Its funny my DD always waited that once a year sale at Victoria Secret. She loves that store.
Now she lives in Honolulu and she is very happy because they just opened the first VS in that area. And I'm very happy also she and her boy friend are coming to NY on 22. Shell stay here for 2 weeks. They moved there 11 months ago.
I'm grateful having a close relationship with both of my daughters.
You Ladies enjoy everything you bought for yourself.
I treated myself with a camera hopefully Amazon will deliver as they promised no later than Dec 22nd. I usually don't buy things for myself but this year I decided to do it.
Good Night Sisters.
Sheila
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Hi Aprilgirl, the phone call was so quick and the oncologist caught me off guard I was a bit flustered. Plus I had just gotten home from the hospital from my yearly colonoscopy so I was still a bit "dazed" from the diprovan/verset/fentenal.
Can any of you ladies tell me how bad the nausea and vomiting is? I'm not good with that. With the 5FU I was a bit tired and basically had major league diarrhea. No hair loss nausea or vomiting. The first time I went through all this I didn't know what to expect so you just go with it day by day. Having been down this road once before I am a bit more scared. I think the losing my hair thing is really freaking me out. I'm not all that good looking to begin with and I don't look good in short hair. My hair currently is about shoulder length. Plus it really sends out a signal to the world that something is wrong with you. Execpt for the month I had to walk around with a pump attached to me, no one ever knew I was sick. People kept saying how great I looked. It really makes it hit home everytime you look in the mirror. People say how uncomfortable the wigs are and can't wait to get home and rip them off their heads.
I think someone asked what my cancer was. It was invasive ductal. After I have my visit with the oncologist on the 17th I will write more.
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Hi Joni, I'm not sure if I am understanding your chemo regimine correctly. You only had 4 total treatments? Treatment then 3 weeks off, treatment,3 weeks off, then twice more?
I have heard so many bad things that the chemo can do to your heart as well. The radiation scares me it is so close to the lungs and heart. I have major damage to my spine now from the radiation to my lower back for the colon cancer. After a CT scan they freaked out and sent me for a PET scan. They thought the cancer had spread to my spine. Turned out to be "just" radiation damage.
Can anyone tell me how "the girls" feel during the radiation. My friend told me her mom's turned black. Is that common? Do they get burnt? My butt was so sore from the radiation I used tons of Aquaphor and lived in the sitz bath.
The 2 weeks after the radiation was finished were the worst when things kept cooking in there. I was in so much pain I actually paged my radiation oncologist on a saturday, the only advice she could give me was to come to the ER because she could not prescribe a narcotic over the phone. I was home alone and had no one to take me and wasn't going to call an ambulance. I took 8 advil and remember just rolling from side to side in the bed crying. On a scale of 1 to 10 that pain was a 15, It was the worst pain I ever had in my life. Can anyone tell me how breast radiation compares?0 -
Hi VegasDiva,
On Friday I completed 23 of 33 radiation treatments. My skin is much darker on the radiated side and starting to turn pink in some places. I am a little sore and definitely very sensitive. Wearing a bra at this point is not comfortable. My energy level is also decreasing. I'm so glad it's the weekend. More than anything, I am beyond itchy. I'm rotating between aquaphor, aloe and calendula lotion. I'm going to get some OTC cortizone for the itching today. I see the doctor on Monday and will ask for prescription Biafine. I still have ten more treatments to go and will let you know how it goes. You can also check out the radiation forum and read the monthly rads posts. So far for me, radiation is tolerable.
Deb
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VegasDiva,
There are a lot of ways to combat the nausea. My Oncloogist prescribed Emend. I took on pill the morning of chemo, and one pill each of the next two day s following tx. I had two days of vomiting in my 21 weeks of treatment. It is very expensive, so make sure your insurance will cover it, back 6 years ago it was around $400 for each set of pills (that was the non-insured price). There is also Zofran and many other antinausea drugs out there. I don't handle nausea well either. One of the two times I "lost" it during treatment is when I couldn't get my Emend before a treatment.
Radiation, for me, was not painful. Uncomfortable, yes, but not painful until the last week of boosts. My breast started "tanning" and the darker discoloration lasted several months. The boost week was tough, Clothing hurt, bras hurt, shower water hurt. My Rad placed a type of plastic on my skin, over the boost markings. It kept the markings on, and also slightly protected my tender skin from the clothing. I blistered a little bit. During rads, when your skin gets dry and itchy, you can use moisturizing lotion, and again if you can get the rx, there is Biafine cream which is amazing! It is made for radiated skin.
I never got the exhaustion I was told would come with rads, but I didn't have time for it. I had to put in my Energizers and keep going, and going, and going.
Best of Luck,
Meece
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Radiation was not painful for me either. Just keep moisturizing like crazy! Everyones skin is different so we all react in our own way. Let us know how you do.
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Makraz, You missed your sunshine window to trade places. We have been having rain this week, with no sunshine. It still isn't too cold, but really muddy. For an area that gets an annual rainfall of about 6.5 inches, we have received almost 1.5 inches since Tuesday.
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WOW!! That's a lot of rain for you! It's nothing for us!! I hope the sun comes back out soon for you. Meanwhile I will take my vitamin D!
Linda
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I have upped my D as well. I have two weeks until my next test. I hope to get it out of the 20s. baby steps.
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Linda.. Dont forget your B12
Good Morning everyone!
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