CALLING ALL STAGE I SISTERS
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VegasDiva..I'm glad you have the treatment schedule. Once you have that, mentally you feel much better and start your second part of your journey. and you will be fine.
You are right on the schedule. Good Luck my sister.
Hugs
Sheila
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deborye, I love the picture of your bird feeder. Aren't they fun to watch. My kitties love to watch the birds too. I have 3 Maine Coons and a Siamese.
I have an aunt that lives in Haverhill, MA.
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VegasDiva-remember wigs aren't the only way to go; you can go commando (topless), with scarfs and headwraps, caps, hats, they even have hats with hair built into them. I got a wig from the American Cancer Society, but I never, ever used it. Taking it back to them after the holidays. T/C is what a lot of us had. It's tolerable, not all the time, but most of the time. And the Neulasta shot was never a problem for me; I had it each time, the next day, in the stomach. No pain, no problems after. I thank God I live now when all these medical miracles exist. And I thank all those who went before me in the trials to get us to this point, and those in trials now helping the future. Merry Christmas everyone.
Joni
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I love cats. I lost mine to diabetes's 5 yrs ago he was 14 yrs old and just can't seem to get the feeling to look for another kitten. I will only have male cats, of course when they are old enough, snip snip. All the female cats I had were skittish and dumb, especially my calico I had her name was BAM BAM.
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When I was little I had a male Burmeese that allowed me to dress him and stroll him in my baby buggy. later, I had a female calico and she was a sweet tempered baby. She slept on my bed every night, and gave our dog baths. I think it has to do with the individual cats, or personal preference.
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VegasDiva,
I had the same treatment -- except I had 6 rounds.of TC. The steriod will make you really "energetic" -- for me, I felt like I was jumping out of my skin ---- after a few rounds, I started taking ativan 0.5mg every 8 hours through my treatment weekend -- Thursday thru Sunday. Helped me to be able to sleep -- and be less anxious -- and it helps with stomach upset. I used Zofran too -- infusion on the day of chemo,, then a pill every six hours til Sunday night.- I never vomited and only felt a little queasy -- but I think that had to do with anxiety as much as chemo.
Everyone has a different side effect experience -- keep a log of everything you experience -- let your onc know -- if you have a chemo nurse, get her number/email - she is your direct line to your onc -- - call her between appts if you are having any problems/questions/concerns -- she will get you the help you need,
Under the Chemotherapy thread, there is a thread re: Taxotere and Cytoxin --- it was my Christmas read last year -- I was so happy to have found it -- told me everything I needed to know to prepare. Also look for a post for others starting chemo in Dec /Jan -- your cohort of ladies going through chemo at the same time --- my group provided so much support and reassurance through that time -- it is a must.
re wigs: a reputable wig salon should be able to find a wig that fits you/your style. The place I went had two stylists, each picked a wig based on my look -- Out of the 300+ wigs in the store, I only tried on those two -my 20 year old son picked between the two. It was perfect....the "hair" I always wanted. I hope you find something that works for you. it takes a little while to get used to wearing it. I wore buffs (from REI), and scarves and knit hats, too. Didn't go "topless", as it cold here in the Winter...even indoors.
Radiation was easy, other than the daily routine. Again, there will be a nurse there too, who will help with any skin issues. Luckily, I had none.
Take care of yourself -- rest when you need to and let people help you -- if they offer, tell them what is helpful .... i had a friend bring me chicken rice soup every chemo -- it was the best -- just what I needed the week after chemo. Another brought me sherbet and fruit bars -- also good.
You can do this!!
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Sue-61......... Know exactly what you mean as our news stations do the same thing with the weather often making it way more than it is. Then when there is a hurricane brewing it is even worse.....even though it may be hundreds and hundreds of miles from here and not even looking like it is coming this way.
Pat
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Sue-61 ~ Don't you just love the LLBean stuff?!
Roseann ~ What wonderful news! YAY! Merry Christmas to you!!!
deborye ~ How do you post those pictures? Are you pulling them from one of those picture websites, like when I upload to Wal-Mart? Can I transfer them from there to here? I swear sometimes I get all the birds in the neighborhood when I put out the black oil sunflower seeds! lol
Merry Christmas everyone!
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Good morning all from chilly New England! We didn't get as much snow as the crazy weathermen predicted, and I have a lovely family in my neighborhood who does my shoveling for me. They don't charge me nearly enough! My driveway abuts my neighbor's so the snow can only be shoveled to the left of my house......lots of back breaking work. So I am happy to shell out some bucks when it snows or I would probably be found slumped over in my front yard.
Thanks to all who know how to attach nice pictures. It remains a mystery to me!
Sue
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I'm not stage 1 but I hope you don't mind me popping in here to give a shout out to all the beautiful women here who walked with me through our journey as the Triple J's back in July.
Hope all of you have a happy holiday and a very merry Christmas!
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PauldingMom What a nice surprise to see you. We will make you an Honorary Member of this thread the way you helped me and the Triple J's. I hope you and your mother are doing fine.
Please come and visit anytime you want my friend.
Hugs
Sheila
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I my name is Susan I think I am stage 1 the doctor didn't tell me. But I am going to have my beast off in Jan. I an going to my Doctor for my second visit to pick a date for sugary. After they take my breast off they told my i will not have to get radiation or chemo. Has anyone heard of not having any of these treatments not done
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Cargiver: I am so sorry to hear that you have been diagnosed with bc but you have found a great website with a wealth of information available to you. The women on here will offer support and really understand what you are going through. I am not sure how your MD already knows that you do not need chemo or radiation. I am not saying that to scare you. I would think that if that is the case that you are stage 1. Ask your doctor for a copy of your pathology report. It will have your stage on it as well as other important information in determining your treatment plan. Have you had your lymph nodes checked? Lymph nodes are biopsied to determine if any of the cancer cells have left the breast. The biopsy can be done either in a separate operation or at the same time as your mastectomy. That info is usually needed to totally rule out the need for radiation. I was diagnosed in August after having an excisional biopsy. They did not know it was cancer until the path report came back. My margins were not clear so and it was either have lumpectomy reexcision followed by radiation or have mastectomy and hopefully no rads. I had clear nodes so I did not have to have rads. My surgeon did my sentinel lymph node biopsy a few weeks before my bilateral mastectomy. I opted to have bilateral because I have an extremely strong family history and after genetic testing they said I should seriously consider bilat because I was high risk for cancer in the other breast. I did not have to have chemo. So, in response to your question, there are those women that do not have to have rads or chemo. I am taking tamoxifen(pills) though. I hope I have not overwhelmed you with info. Please feel free to ask any questions that you have. Someone here will be able to answer. Take care. TCK0
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Hi Caregiver,
I was also diagnosed with cancer on November 2nd, and I decided to have bilateral mastectomy because I didn't want to have radiotherapy and so much screening afterwards, and the anxiety of constantly thinking of another cancer or recurrence.
Yes, it is possible for you not to have any treatment depending on the final diagnose. For me, I know at this point (from the biopsy results) that my tumor is .4mm, ER/PR+, HER2-, grade 2. This puts me at stage 1, but only during surgery and pathology report is when they'll have the final picture and full diagnose! So, I'm hoping for the best and no lymph nodes involvement! My Dr is 98% sure that diagnose will not change. They didn't want me to go with bilateral mastectomy because I am at a very early stage and they found it to be unnecessary, but my decision was very personal as I have had family history with BC and long painful fibrocystic history, and as I mentioned, the anxiety of another lump and so much screening would put me over the edge...
I will be having TE's (tissue Expander) plus final implants 3-4 months later, and the final touch will be the nipple+areola recon in 6-8 months.
Please keep in touch! We can exchange information of our progress. I wish the all best to you and also good luck with your surgery! Happy Holiday! Erika
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I have been newly diagnosed as recent as last week, stage 1, they plan to do a lumpsecromy dec 31. I am apprehensive no cancer in my family history, but they told me women my age group i am 64 do have a chance of getting cancer.
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Cargiver
They told me right away what my options were in treating. I have never heard of them not doing anything. everything I have ever read suggust you do some kind of therepy
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Catlover, welcome. Sorry to hear that you are going through this. Cancer really abides by no set rules. Age and history are not always a factor. I was 40 with no family history.
Your surgeon is probably going to wait for the pathology report from your lumpectomy to see what type of cancer, node involvment, what stage and grade. All these things amke a difference as to what treatment you will recieve.
Best wishes for surgery next week. I will be praying for you.
Meece
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I have just joinmed hope i get to know people here.
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Thank You very Much Meece for the welcome
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You will get to know alot of people here. While you are going through your "entry" time with your limited posts, spend time checking out other threads that might fit you.
Meece
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Hi, all!
Hugs to catlover123!!!!!!
20 inches of snow!!! We were in the center. I shoveled 3 hours, then finally my neighbor's landscapers finished our driveway....for $60. I am SO going to buy a snowblower!!!
Plows JUST plowed my street...two days later. My friend from Minnesota who moved here a few years ago is laughing at me...she said this is just a sprinkle, and went out Christmas caroling, ha ha!
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catlover, Welcome to our group. Make yourself nice and comfortable.
I'm also the first one in my family to get BC. I had a lumpectomy.
I will be thinking of you on New Years Eve. Best wishes.
Keep us updated. Like Meece said you are limited 4 posts in 24 hours until you reach 50 posts.
PM anybody you wish there is no limit on that.
Sheila
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Welcome cargiver....Sorry you are here but glad you found this thread. Women here are very caring and helpful. Keep us updated with your surgery date.Take one step at a time.
Good Luck to you.
Sheila
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Hi everybody, I don't post very often, but I read everyday all the posts. I do want to post tonight because the ladies here are the only ones that really understand how I feel and what a mile stone for me this is. Tomorrow, Tuesday Dec. 22, I have my last radiation treatment! Yea!. I can't believe I made it to the end. When I started I felt I would never finish and now I wonder where the time went. I had no skin issues until this last week when I finally started to burn and I think that caused me to feel wiped out, but that is ok, because I know what tomorrow will bring!!!!
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Hi Catlover123. I will be thinking of you on Dec 31, as that is the day I will have my first chemo treatment. I had my lumpectomy on Nov 2nd. It was much easier than I thought it was going to be. My tumor was at 12 o'clock. When my surgeon went in to get the sentinal lymph node she realized that if she made my incision a little bigger she could get it that way rather than taking my nipple off. I have 1 incision about 3" long running vertically between my breast and armpit.
I took some percoset the first 2 days then just needed some advil. I wore my tube top for about 3 weeks. Now I can go bra less again when get home from work. Yeah. That was the only part I hated, wearing the tube top or sports bra 24/7 for a couple of weeks.
Good luck. Hugs to all my sista's out there.
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Sunnyfornow, You have a reason to celebrate tomorrow night. Your celebration will probably be to rest up for the upcoming holiday weekend. Then you can really kick up your heels. Congratulations!
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Meece, that you for the congrats! I do feel good about this. I never doubted I would be ok, but darn I didn't really think how long it would all take. I am glad I decided not to do chemo and went just with radiation. Now I am on to Femara and the fun that will bring. Thanks again.
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sunnyfornow,
Time does fly even when you are not having fun. I can't believe it has been 29 months since my rads. I traveled 30 minutes each way to the radiation center for 33 treatments. I would love to get rid of the tattoo that is at the beginning of my cleavage, looks like a damn blackhead. YUCK!
Welcome all you other newbies. This is the place 2
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Hello ladies,
Just getting caught up on posts... wanted to share in the celebration for sunnyfornow! Milestones mean so much in our process... WOO HOO!
I am excited to report my back issues have susided! Thank goodness, I was starting to let my "brain" go there.. you know that "really" dark place! Anyway, back to normal now!
Where is cake, how are you feeling?
Deb- You really know how to add those cute features to your posts!
Meece and Sheila- Hello ladies, feels like it has been a few days! Sheila, did I read your daughter is coming to town?!? When?
Okay, seriously, I am done shopping, so I said to my hubby! My gifts are pouring from under the tree... honestly, I can say I"M DONE! Everything is wrapped all the while working full time! Multi tasking at its best... steam cleaned carpets tonight and just finished a wonderful candy cane cosmopolitan- YUMMY!
Cheers ladies!
Nicole
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I had six tatoos, after five years, I only have three that are still visible, but you can not recognize what they are. They look like itty bitty moles, not blackheads thsnkfully.
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