Calling all TNs
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PT/CT Scan tomorrow. It was a year ago yesterday that the Dr. told me I had cancer. I am a different person from back then. I have learned to tell people no for I am no longer able to do everything people ask of me, but I still feel guilty when I do it. All in all this has been a pretty quick year. I have met so many people this past year and have made many new friends, Thank you all for all your prayers and support. Wish me luck tomorrow.
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Guygirl: I hope your scans are clear and you get to dance another year with NED! My one year anniversary was pretty emotional. Be extra gentle with yourself. Hugs!
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GuyGirl - I'm keeping everything crossed that your scans are clear! I know I am a different person now too. I find I have little tolerance for mean, bad-spirited people. I have removed several from my life over the past 9 months, and while my circle has closed a bit, I am the better for it. Saying "no" is important - you have to take care of YOU so you can be better for THEM. Hugs.
Spent a great day putting my garden boxes together - lots of work! I have two 4x4 veggie boxes, had to get the sod up, level it out, put down mulch around them, mix the dirt, then fill them. Whew! But I should have some awesome veggies to show for it down the road. And all organic I'm proud to say! I'm having my broccoli tonight :-).
Put an offer in on a car - not the green one, too many mechanical issues - but this one is white, and pretty much in mint condition. If all goes well, I'll have it by week's end.
Hope everyone has a great Sunday! Grilling some fish tonight, yum!
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Suze: Glad you found an even better car and that was great advice about cutting out the people who are not there for you!!!
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Hi, I am new to the discussion boards. I decided to post on here since I seem to be Triple Negative. I did not learn of this term from my oncologist. I learned of it when I went to a free excercise class for cancer patients called Fit to Fight. There I was asked from one of the other cancer pts what cancer I had. She told me she was the same and called it triple negative. I had done some studying out of the booklets I was given by Oncologist, so knew I was ER-Neg and Her-2 Neg. So I am assuming I am PR- neg. I plan on calling my oncologist or my cancer care coordinater tomorrow to talk more about my pathology report since I have been getting more information online about TN. If anyone wants to give my any information on what other questions I could ask to be more informed I would appreciate it. .
I am 56 years old. I had a lumpectomy on May 9th and sentinel node biopsy. I am starting Chemo on June 16. No idea what drugs I will be getting. I will be having a ECKO done tomorrow and I will get a port placement on June 13. The chemo is every 3 weeks for 6 sessions and then radiation after it is done. There is more info on myself on my biography.
I am blessed to find this website. What I have read so far has helped me understand more.
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Hi Loislee! My oncs never came out and said I was Tn either...I figured it out from here...Everytime I tried to discuss tn with them..well they never acted like it was a big deal...It was like..here is what we are going to do for you..we are giving you the strongest chemo available..we are going to try to kill any cancer cells that may be floating around...they have never given me an expiration date...no they have not ever said that I'm good to go..but for now I think they are cautiously optimistic..
Just the other day the ONC said "you are two years out from surgery"...I'm still trying to figure out he was surprised at this or not..afraid to ask!
MJB..I don't think my path report said anything about basal cell type.. It said that 20% of the total tumor was in situ..and focal cancerization of lobules was noted...which is pretty much Greek to me.
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Oh..and Guygirl! Good luck tomorrow with your scans! Can't tell you not to freak because we all do.....One year out..that is a good thing but very emotional...you are remembering what you happened to you one year ago...try to focus that THIS year..you will not be having surgery, chemo, lose your hair, rads etc...nope..you are not the same person..you have changed..we all have...
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Titan-I had a similar experience my GYN who is the one that figured out the quote Hemotoma was actually breast cancer was shocked when she saw my name on the chart, she didn't thnk I would still be alive not only that but the fact that I was NED and didn't look sick.
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Thank you everyone for your advice and forgive me if I miss someone.
LoisLee, welcome. I'm a newbie and these women have been more informative and helpful than my doctors!
Hypeskate- What is "NED"
Rella- You've been fighting this battle for 9 years? Now I AM scared shitless, lol. I admire your strength. I'm gonna give my onc. a chance, but we've already got 2 strikes (Not giving me any preparetory material for chemo, not telling me the supplements I should be taking). Forearmed is forewarned, I'll make sure to be proactive.
Babs, thank you. That's what really spooked me was that the onc. said there wouldn't even be any testing of tumor size prior to surgery. (I may get a MRI, but only if I stay in the study). I'm wondering if she meant she doesn't test, but the surgeon takes over and orders her own preferred tests?
Suze, thank you too. I'm going to try not to knee jerk, but it's MY life, and I'm going to do what a girl's gotta do. :-)
MJB - I have the same situation. My larger tumor is deep below the nipple and can't be palpated. Even though both tumors have the same type CA and sub-type (If I understand them correctly) the deeper tumor is denser and they believe it's some kind of lymph node, which makes me nervous. If in fact it's some type of mis-placed lymph node, and it's closer to the chest wall, I want to know that it's being watched.
Riley, thank you....but you just plain depressed the shit outta me, lol. My one luxury in life is mani-pedi's!
GuyGirl- You're in my prayers today and thank you for telling me the year goes quickly.
I hope to emerge from this challenge a stronger, fitter, better person. I hear what people were saying about having both trouble saying no, and having to evaluate friendships. My friend's have told me that for the first time in my life I have to think differently.....it has to be about what I need, I have to put myself first. (Easier said than done when you care for a frail elderly Mom). I've already started learning to say no. One friend got sliced out of my life several months before I even found out about this. It is the first time I've cut a friend out of my life in over 30 years! It was truly distressing, but it had to be done, and they were warned repeatedly it would happen. (When I drew the last line in the sand, this friend told me I'd never stop being their friend. I told them they didn't really know me as well as they thought, even after all these years Now they believe me!) I'm also receiving unexpected blessings. The phone call that finally made me sit down and sob was a shock. My ex-husband and I haven't spoken in 5 years (we have no children, and there was no reason for us to interact, it was not a friendly divorce.) Two weeks after I was diagnosed, there was a message on my answering machine from him, telling me how sorry he was, that he had gone to church to pray for me, and to call him if I needed anything. It took him tremendous courage to make that phone call, and I called him to thank him. We had a long conversation, with healing on both sides. These challenges really make you take a look at what's important in life!
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Kathyrnn- NED means No Evidence of Disease0
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Hi Ladies, Hope you all had good weekend. I am exhasted from mine, I had company all weekend and my DH birthday party and then I tried to get some garndening and laundry done yesterday whew I am so tired. Figured i needed to get some stuff caught up as I am back in the chair for #5 on thursday. Its so frustrating you just start to feel like your self again and the bamn you get another dose. sigh, well just going to take it one treatment at a time. When I am done this one I will finally be able to say I only have one to go.
Hugs Girls
Welcome to the newbies looking forward to getting to know you
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@Kymn only one more to go after this one. I took 6 rounds of TC and it wasn't the most pleasant thing on earth to do, but I got through it.
I find myself getting back into the swing of things more and more each week. I was out all weekend girls night out on Friday, a wedding on Saturday, and the park w/ the kids on Sunday. I didn't get TIRED the whole weekend and that right there was an ACCOMPLISHMENT!
I am 2 months from my 1 yr. cancer/versary SCARED but thankful.
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Kymn, glad to hear from you. I had #6 on Friday (delayed a week so I could go on son's HS music trip to Vancouver/Seattle). Trmt was fine, Saturday was fine (got Neulasta 1/2 dose around 5pm) and them BAM! Saturday night I was exhausted, Sunday achy, and cried all day for no reason. That is the first time that depression has really set in with the other SE's. Woke up this morning with a sore throat and that scared me, but no temp. Nurse said maybe post-nasal drip, so went back to bed with heat pack on my forehead. Am going to attempt a shower and see I can get on top of this. I decided that part of my depression is being done with chemo-I don't know how else to explain it. I still have rads coming up in a few weeks but haven't met with RO yet. I'm just plain scared still.
But I am slogging through and trying to do what I have to do to beat this and I know you are doing the same. One tired foot in front of the other.
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@Huskerkkc You are correct I was depressed the most when tx ended but it does get better. I just felt like a ticking time bomb. You should visit the hair, hair and more hair thread. The ladies offer great advice. Happy hair growing.
Funny story: I had groan pain last week and you couldn't tell me I was going to die come to find out that my underwears were tooooo tight. I put on my dream panties that didin't quite fit yet. Btwn post chemo brain and trying to move on w/ my life I figured I could fit them.
I cried and laugh all at the same time. Don't tell anyone ladies it's a secret btwn US!!
<------These were all my emotions0 -
Hi Kristy, cant remember if I responded to you on one of the other boards we are one together but I feel so bad for you getting the damn SE of depression. Unfortunetly I have gotten that one every time except number 1. Number 2 and 3 I was crying solid for about 4 days. for treatment 4 it was only 2 so I guess Doxetaxol was easier in that regards but still the depression is sooo hard to get through and I just want everyone to leave me the F alone I dont want to talk on phone or the boards or anything its just awful. I hate how these damn drugs can just take over your brain . Its unfair enough that cancer got to invaid my body.
Anyhow I do hope you are reaching your way out of the fog today. Hugs Kymn
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Massive scanxiety - abdominal CT in the AM. Ugh.
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TY!
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Suze- Will be thinking of you....................Hugs. xx0
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Suze....prayers for you.
Fighter, (yes, I AM a blond), how do I find the hair, hair and more hair thread?
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Hi Everyone,
Having a rough couple of days, depressed. Usually doesn't last.
Prayers and hugs ((hugs)) to you Suze
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Under: Chemotheraphy Before, During and After or click the index form and scroll along until you see someone posting in that particular chat. That's how I discovered it.
Suze35 you rock!! Sending you good vibes!!!!
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You guys are awesome, thank you! I took some Ativan, and have mellowed out a bit. I will wash, rinse, repeat until necessary
.I have managed to get my Vitamin D up to 42 (started at 19) - yay! I take 4000 of D3/day, my doctor still wants to see another 20 points, but it is going in the right direction. Not sure it matters, but hey, it's something!
Bought a car today - should have it by Friday. Here are some pictures from the dealer's website, I'll be sure to put one up of me in my new baby when she arrives:
http://www.classicauto-showplace.com/node/8110
Rella - I'm sorry you are having some rough days. The ups and downs are so darn UP and so darn DOWN. I had a mini-breakdown Saturday night. I am living on such a knife's edge, it is hard to cope sometimes - I know you can understand. I hope you are doing better soon.
Kathrynn - you're hair will be back before you know it! Mine started regrowing when I switched to Taxol, I went "topless" about a month after surgery. It needs a cut, but I will likely loose it with my next chemo, so not gonna bother.
Kymn - The depression sucks. Boy do I remember that. I didn't do much posting, I was just lost in my own little world. I feel bad, because I didn't even want to deal with my kids. I am so grateful my mother was able to fill in. But it thankfully passed, and I'm hoping it stays away during my next round. Go easy on yourself, it is a rough time, there is no right or wrong way to do things.
Heidi - that looks just like my best friend's cat, and she loves to stare at the fish too, lol. Loves it!
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Suze35, what a great car! You are gonna have fun!!!!!
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Suze- WOW!!! Nice car........0
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This is HORRIBLE!!! Today has not been good at all. Did any of you have eye issues along with everything else? I am just not handling this well at all. I thought I would be able to do this but I am not so sure. Neck pain, stomach pain, nausea and being off balance and then the lovely dizziness that makes the nausea worse. How long did you all go before seeing improvements. My surgical area needs to be drained again and that is only adding to the mess, because I can't go get it drained due to nausea and diarrhea. There is no way I could have gone anywhere today. Tips to help please. The meds they give me for the nausea makes me more nauseous (sp). I just over all feel weird and don't know how to even explain what I feel besides horrible and weird.
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Are you doing AC? I did have some eye issues my first round, but it went away when I ate so probably blood sugar related. AC was hard for me the first 3-4 days, then I would just feel exhausted due to low WBCs, and would struggle to even eat. I would rebound by day 8 or so.
Tips - water, water, more water! I hated plain water, so drank selzer, it went down much easier. I also scheduled appointments for a bag of fluids at the end of my first week. That really helped. The aches, pains, flu-like stuff is likely Neulasta SE's. You can start taking Claritin the night before and keep taking it for a few days, that can help with those symptoms.
Be sure to keep calories coming in - I found a decent chocolate protein drink that I mixed with lots of water, that helped me a lot.
Sometimes the steroids are causing symptoms...see if you can reduce your post-chemo day doses. And don't be afraid to push for more nausea drugs. Ativan worked fantastic for me, Compazine not so much.
Even so, I struggled with AC. I got through it by sleeping as much as I could. Taxol was much better.
Hang in there, it is terrible, but worth it in the end.0 -
Hey ladies going through chemo...you WILL finish..YOU WILL!!!...
Seriously..I thought I would never be done and looked enviously on the ladies that were done.,,I was so freaking jealous of them..they were DONE..
Soon enough..you guys will be done too..and looking back and helping others..really, really, really.
Hang in there ok?????
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Chemo sucks but if it can get every last cancer cell you just have to go through it. Talk to your Onc as what I was told is I shouldn't have nausea, shouldn't have pain and if I did maybe I needed a different medication so don't be afraid to ask and drink lots of water. We did it, we survived and thrived and so can you! Big hugs!!!
Suze: I am hoping you get a clean scan and that car OMG she's a beauty and I am soooo jealous! This time next year you will be driving around with the top down and your hair in the breeze. Congratulations!!
fighter: Your underwear did all that huh??!! Lol! Ain't life grand?
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Heidi: Great picture!!!
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