CALLING ALL STAGE I SISTERS
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Hi Sheila,
Have a great time!!
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Seyla,
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Sheila, Have a great time!!! I am jealous.....Sue
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Hello Ladies,
In general have had a pretty good week, have been going out and spending money on myself and this is something that I have not done in a few years. I have always been one that does not like to spend money on myself - my husband often is the one left up to having to buy me clothes lol
Any way, had to go to my GP today. A week ago money I had a unexpect fall and really banged my right big toe, and it has remained quite swollen and where I banged it, it has since gotten infected. The GP has prescribed me a topical antibiotic for now. However if the infection does not clear up by the beginning of next week, then I have to go back in back into see him and get another prescription for a cloxacillin (pencillin type of presciption) >> this prescription is an oral precription for those with skin type bacterial infections. I guess that it is taking a long while for this healing process as I am only a few months post chemo.
Right now my husband is a bit upset with me, as I am suppose to give my foot a bit of a rest and I have been going out and about taking advantage of this new energy and tomorrow (Thursday) there is a Health Fair and I so want to go to it and 'am' going to it. He is worried that something will happen, and I told him there will surely be nurses and/or doctors at it and not to worry.
Oh another thing, when I saw my GP, I had mentioned to him 2 weeks ago when my husband and I were out in the community here. I got this chest pain, and it went into my left arm and a little while afterwards even into my left side of face (felt numb and like pins and needles) << that feeling lasted for few hours >>> but the chest pain maybe few minutes.. and the pain in arm probably a few days. (this is not first time I have experienced this - few times over the years). GP also told me that chemo can affect the heart. So he gave me a requisition for a 'Stress Test' (treadmill and more) <<< 1 1/2 hour test then 3 hour break and come back 1 1/2 hour test again at the hospital <<< so makes for a 6 hour day. Husband is now worried that there is something wrong with my heart....
Oh and finally, being I am nearly 7 months post surgery for breast, 3 months post chemo and just over 1 month post RADS GP has sent me for blood work up - so will get this done tomorrow. One of the blood tests is called:
CEA LEVELS >>>> for those that do not know what CEA Leves test is:
http://www.tc-cancer.com/tumormarkers.html
My GP has always been good for looking out for and after me
Charmaine
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Charmaine - glad you have a great GP. I'm so very fortunate to have a really good one, too. Mine requested a screening baseline mammogram "for the file" at 45 even though they don't do them here in Ontario until 50 and I had no risk factors. That baseline mammogram was what got this whole thing started...resulting in a small aggressive triple negative tumour, too small to be felt.
Sherri
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Sherri: What is a 'screening baseline mammogram'?
When I had a mammogram done last year and they saw this tumour last August and also in the breast ultrasound, they wanted to be extra certain and did another type of mammogram of which was called:- Mag View Mammogram... and that is where it was for sure, for sure confirmed that I definitely had breast cancer...
I have been getting mammograms/breast ultrasounds for the past 6 years, least since I was 43 years old, for the simple fact that breast cancer runs high in my family.
Charmaine
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Charmaine...I also get CEA blood Levels and CA27-29 blood work every 4 months
Sheila.
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Sheila: This will be the first time that my GP orders the CEA Levels test...and I did not see any CA27-29 tests on the requisition either, hmmm
Charmaine
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My oncologist orders those tests.
GP orders lipid panels and liver enzymes (which they are not related to BC.)
And not many DR's believe in Tumor Markers test.
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I just make sure that my GP is copied on all the tests I have done, so she can see the results. It is nice to have more than one set of eyes looking at my charts.
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Seyla, when were you leaving????
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Meece I talked to seyla (Sheila) last night and her plane left today, sometime this afternoon. She won't be back for 3 weeks I guess because she told me she wouldn't be back till after the American Idol finale and it's 3 weeks till that I think. (she and I are both big Idol fans).
Renee
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Renee - I'm a big idol fan, too. I also watch Dancing with the Stars and have to record one or the other on Tuesdays!
Charmaine - a screening mammogram is the regular one they do. If all looks good, they don't request diagnostic maganification ones. My first screening mammogram was to provide my GP with a baseline so that when I start regurlar mammograms at age 50, she has something to refer back to for comparison purposes. That was a nice idea but it all went by the wayside when I wound up with breast cancer!
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Sugar77 Thank goodness she sent you for that baseline mammogram! A lot of us would be in a lot worse situation if we hadn't had switched on doctors.
My GP ordered a base line bone density test at 40 and annual mammograms from 40. He said I should be vigilant about BC as it can strike anyone anytime and early detection was important. Am very glad I listened to him! He also said to go to the same place for my mammograms each year so my films were in one place for comparison so that subtle changes might be picked up.
Meece - it is common practice in NZ for all specialists to copy test results to our GPs as they are the ones who hold the complete record of our medical history. They don't hold the actual copies of xrays etc now but all the reports are held on their computer files. My GP got surgery reports, path reports, report from onc, everything so if I have forgotten to ask a specialist for something I can get it from my GP who I have to see every 3 months at the moment just so he can 'check on me' he says, emotionally more than physically now I think - such a concerned man.
Charmaine - My husband got extremely protective of me and worried about things to start with. I have always been super healthy - hardly ever have a cold even - and apart from being terrified at the thought of losing me he was just thrown by the fact that I had this nasty disease - he couldn't help himself. It started to annoy me at one stage but I realised how wonderful it was to be loved so much by him and then I rather enjoyed that he fussed! However it is more than a year since dx and he has returned to 'normal'. I hope that when you are post BC treatment he may be able to relax and mellow out. You are lucky to have a hubby who cares. Am glad to hear you have enjoyed your week and are spending money on yourself. I don't spend much on myself either but when I found out I didn't have to have chemo and lose my hair (I was more upset by that thought than the loss of two breasts - weird?!?! ) I suddenly found myself thinking 'I am not going to have my hair cut in one of the cheap places anymore' so I now go to a swanky hair salon and pay $65 for a shampoo, cut and blow wave and I enjoy every single minute of it!
Lucky Seyla - wish I was going to Hawaii for 3 weeks - going anywhere for three weeks would be good actually! For one reason and another I hadn't been on a proper holiday for 2 years before dx and then last year was a write off too. My hubby is working toward a Canadian holiday and an Alaskan cruise next year for us so I am
for him to get us there. .Nice to catch up with you all
Rae
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Rae - it's the same here in Ontario, Canada...my GP (family doctor) gets copied on all reports and tests done by specialists. Ironically, I saw the surgeon on Nov. 11th for a follow up from my sentinel node biopsy surgery and the results weren't in so he booked me for two weeks later to come back for the results. The very next day, the report came in as a copy to my GP and she phoned me right away telling me the good news that all was clear. Had she not taken the time to do this, I would have had to wait two more weeks to get the results from the surgeon. My GP is wonderful. She's called me at home after my lumpectemy and a night the day the initial path report showed invasive cancer....all when she's been simply copied on the reports.
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My onco has me doing CBC, CMP, CA 15-3 AND CEA every twelve weeks.....What is difference and should I ask for CA 27-29???
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somanywomen
Love your quote - 'there's too much confusion, I can't get no relief" - sums up life with BC doesn't it? I'm 15 months out now and BC still preys on my mind however hard I try to distract myself and tell the 'bad' thoughts to go away - maybe I just need another year or two to adjust.
The only tests my GP orders are for lipids and CBC once every couple of years. I did ask about cancer tests (because my hubby has a terrible family history of prostate cancer and he has an annual blood test as a check) but he said 'there are no reliable tests for BC so it is not worth the stress of false positives after what you have already been through'. It is very freaky though that after all the diagnostic tests that were done at the beginning ie CT scan, MRI, bone scan etc that the only real follow up depends on me - if I feel pain or something unusual I am to go to the doctor because the statistics say that follow up diagnostics don't increase the survival rate if the cancer metastises.
I am beginning to dislike these 'statistics'!!!! It's all very well if you are in the good section of the statistics but who wants to be in the bad section?!Sugar77 - I am so glad your GP is thoughtful - waiting for tests is just horrible and she must have worked that out the old saying 'no news is good news' doesn't quite have the same meaning when you are a patient and so she goes the extra mile to make sure her patients don't have to suffer unnecessarily. My surgeon actually rang as soon as he got the results and he rang the day before surgery to make sure I was ok with everything - a lovely man - I felt I was in very good hands. Ontario, that is on the Eastern side of Canada isn't it? Is it REALLY cold there in the winter? You will be glad summer is on its way I expect?
Rae
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Rae - yes, it's on the east right by the Great Lakes. We are about 1 hour from Niagara Falls.
Somanywomen - I also love your quote. I'm a huge Bob Dylan fan. He's one of my favourite muscians and I've dragged my poor husband (who is not a fan)...to see him in concert many times!
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Hello Ladies!
I have been in this site many times & hv found all sorts of comfort through the years! I am on my last 2mos of arimidex. Its been along journey of ups & downs. Finding my maze through this life of bc just like my new sisters & old sisters are doing now. I was so grateful to of only had stage 1 cancer. But the arimidex has caused me so many side affects throughout almost 5 yrs of my journey. It seems the worst of it is taking place now. I am suffering from deep depression & am on ativan to help ease them up. Its only been like the last month that I hv noticed it being worse. Has anyone been this close to being done with their therepy & are having the same systoms that I am? I have suffered some tragadies in my life in the last five yrs. Of course, I am Mom & problems just don't go away when you come down with bc. Here I am at the last, & I am so tempted to throw the last of it down. Of course I know that I will always wonder what if I hadn't of done that or what can happen if I do. 2 mos, yes 2mos to go & I will be done. If I may be so bold as to give advice on this part, keep talking to ur onc & not let him hv a deaf ear on the subject. Keep at him till he maybe can help you. It can be very dibilitating having deprssion along with trying to battle cancer. Doctors sometimes just look at the mechanics of the disease, & not look to close at the patient & what is happening in her life or how the med makes you feel. Please be persistent!
The medication can also make you very tired. Please tell your husband or your family & friends that if there is anything that they could do for you, especially young mothers, have them to watch your kids while you take a time out for yourself. Be good to yourself bc sisters! You deserve it! Living with this disease can of course be overwhelming in soooo many ways!
I hope that I have helped someone today. My part of this journey is almost over. Of course it will never be completly over, but maybe alittle simpler!
My prays & love go out to each & everyone of you!! Thanks for listening! Jet
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Hi Jet. Not much to say except congrats for staying on and finishing. We know it has not been easy but, guess what, YOU DID IT! Yay. That is helpful to those of us who are just starting or are early in our use of this med. Some of us may not be able to do it to the end because we all react differently but your story gives us incentive to give it our best try.
Hi to all. Happy Mother's Day my sisters.
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Hi ladies - just reached my 50 posts so no 24 hour restrictions now.
Jet -
on getting through your treatment - sounds as though it has been a very hard road for you but as patoo said 'YOU DID IT' - yay. Best wishes for the future.I agree that the emotional recovery can be harder than the physical. And when drugs compound the emotional damage it can be really hard to get out of the black hole. You are absolutely right about having to be proactive about our own care - doctors want to help but we are one of many in their busy lives so we have to make a noise to be noticed.
I am sure you have helped someone today - that is what these boards are about - helping and supporting ourselves whether we join and post or just read from afar.
Rae
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deborye - right back at you!Rae
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Charmaine ~ When is your stress test?
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raeinnz & Sugar.....I was listening to Dylan while driving my 45 min to rad treatments and thought the lyrics also were very apropos for this bc change of life!....
Jetstream, you are right about docs being mechanical, sometimes loosing thier human compassion...I feel like I am on an assembly line just going through the next check point...
My nineteen year old and a friend are flying to San Diego on Mother's Day for about 2 weeks, staying with a relative but will basically being on their own..So Mother's Day will start 2 weeks of worrying for me, I know I have to let him grow up, he works and just finished his first year of college and deserves a nice getaway..For those two weeks, I can be assured that my bc thoughts will be secondary to his adventure....
Wishing you all the peace I see in this photo I took..Sending best wishes from my home to yours....
"Happy Mothers Day"
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Happy Mother's Day to all my BC.org friends!! Hope you all have a great day...
Renee
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Rae: Yes I am lucky to have a husband that cares so very much!
Charmaine
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Valjean: My GP gave me the referral for the 'stress test' and it is up to me to call the hospital to schedule it. I have not done it as of yet? I have plans to call on Monday to maybe schedule it for some time in June... hmmm
Charmaine
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Thanks, Charmaine, I was wondering so I could send you good thoughts when you went.
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY EVERYONE !!
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