Calling all TNs
Comments
-
Congrats mccrimmon, onwards and upwards
0 -
Congrats McCrimmon!! I too wonder when the fear subsides.
0 -
With respect to the fear, I think everyone's different, but I found that it took me a year out from treatment before easing into a new mormal. Still, any little symptom causes my mind to go there, but I trust this too will resolve in another year or two - lol.
0 -
Yes, I do agree the Holidays can be a rough time. I can say that I am more upbeat than last year.
TNBCRuth-I just tallied up my time since DX (16 months), and I guess I am almost pass the scary part, but I just can't seem to shake the FEAR though.
0 -
Ladies, when are you supposed to start counting. From date of DX or end of treatment?
0 -
I always count from the date of surgery (Sept. 15, 2010). That's when I feel it was truly out of me. Fighter and I were diagnosed on the same day- so I say I am 15 months out!
0 -
Mccrimmon- some people count from surgery, others from end of treatment. I don't think there's any hard and fast rule. Whatever "floats your boat" I think
0 -
I just got done reading about blood types. I am A possitive. It said people with that are A possitive are more likely to get cancer then other blood types. So I was wondering how many of ya'll are A possitive?
0 -
RJ70 - I'm B negative.
0 -
I'm A positive here
0 -
Ladies..the fear of mets/reocurrence really does get better...it does!....I had a little pain in my neck today and of course my mind..went there...the pain is gone.
I dunno...it's hard...you dont want to freak out about every little thing..at the same time....it's very easy to let your mind go to that dark place....
I just think to myself..how do you really feel...do you feel tired, are you losing weight, do you feel a lump anywhere...are you short of breath?
Then...the pain either goes away or I forget about it...I figure if I have a symptom that persists..then I will do something about it...
until then..I'm out there having fun, working..and enjoying my DS who just came home from college today!
0 -
Mccrimmon324...congrats to you....it is an important day. I finished November 14th and no longer am applying lotion or feeling discomfort. Awesome that you are done.
Linda...I can't imagine what you are going through. I do hope you can find a little relief from the pain in your memories and family. I am thinking of you.
Luah...I find I almost have more fear now that I am done with treatment. I think I just worked so hard to get through it and now the emotional piece is hitting me. I just read the article about Christmas in Positives about Negatives and I feel it described me except that I have never had any jealousy or animosity toward anyone who has not had breast cancer. But I have no desire to celebrate and I think I should be wanting to. I also have no deisre to shop for presents. I hope I manage something before it gets too late...
Titan it is great to hear that it does get better..it is a good reminder.
Suze, I do hope you are up for traveling for the holidays. Sounds like you are making a good choice to get your treatment through your knowledgeable and accessible oncologist.
Yes, anything we can do to pull something together to fund raise for Laura is one way we stay a strong family.
Still packing...hope to move by the 22nd. All these little snags and I am feeling very nostalgic about leaving our home whre we raised our children. Plus I am not looking forward to my commute...but after BC I think I should be able to manage a little frustration due to a long drive.
Feeling a lack of energy...thought I had it back but am wondering if people find some days they have it and some days they don't.
Well I have to find a way to post a picture of my crazy 3 year old kitty. All those wonderful pets make me smile.
0 -
A positive here.
0 -
I have no idea what blood type I am, I'm going to have to ask the dr. my next visit.
0 -
McCrimmon - big congrats on being done with rads! How did your skin hold up during treatment? I've done 9 of 30 and I'm hoping it's not going to get too bad.
0 -
I'm O+, and count from the date of my diagnosis, so I'm almost 2 years out. And I still worry; yesterday, I found a soft lump on my arm. It feels a bit like a mosquito bite, only deeper, but I haven't been bitten and it's not reddened. Yippee, something else to worry about. I see my primary doc Dec. 30, so if it's still there, I'll ask her about it then.
0 -
I'm O- and I count from the date of my surgery. It was on that day that, for all I know, my cancer was all taken out. So I'm 10 months out.
0 -
O positive here!
Riley...I have a couple of lumps too..they move around...I think they are pieces of fat!
0 -
TifJ- Am I counting too fast??? On the 30th we will be 16 months out right?? I am pre-claiming the future.
I have no idea what my blood type is?? Interesting though. Will check and see.
I think worrying is just apart of us now. I try and deal with things the best I can. Getting my energy back and social life has helped, but there is always that thought in the back of my head.
Going to a Jazz spot with some co-workers this weekend; its stuff like this that keeps me going.
0 -
I was wondering if it was a remnant from a bruise I've forgotten about. I bruise easily and I'm clumsy, so half the time when I see a bruise, I can't remember what I did, such as rounding the corner into a room too fast and whacking my arm or hand on the door jamb. Or rounding the corner of the bed too close and whacking my leg on the foot board. Or smacking myself in the head with a cabinet door. Honestly, I'm that clumsy.0
-
painting - I felt the same way once treatment was done, anxious and helpless. It does get better though.
I think counting from diagnosis or surgery dates (if you have surgery first) is pretty common. I am 26 months out from surgery. Counting off months to 3-year milestone!
B positive here.
0 -
LuvRVing,
I held up pretty well with Radiation, I was really scared that my breast would really burn up given I'm so pale. I've got one nasty burnt & peeling spot on my side next to my breast and just this morning I've noticed my breast is pretty red from the boosts, I've been using Aquaphor and aloe, not pretty to look at but not too uncomfortable or painfull. I figured if we can get thru chemo, radiation should be a breeze.
I think I'm going to count from date of surgery, it was only 2 weeks after diagnosis anyway.
Riley, you sound like me, I am that clumsy also!
0 -
Fighter- you're not counting too fast!! I count from my surgery date (Sept. 15) rather than our diagnosis date- that's why I say only 15 months! Maybe I should count from diagnosis- 16 months does sound better than 15!!
RJ70- I am A-.
0 -
I was diagnosed Feb 22nd. surgery March 7th so i just say March.
O+
0 -
mccrimmon324, it's so bad, it's funny. My Dad used to joke that he should have named me Grace.0
-
I have only really just begun so I am not counting yet. I do however countdown to when I am done with chemo and start rads.
I am B negative
Maggie
0 -
Maggie, When I first found this forum alot of the women told me chemo would be over before I knew it. I thought they were all crazy! I had my last radiation treatment yesterday and I can't believe how fast the time went! It's so hard to believe that it been almost 2 months since my last chemo and I actually have hair again, something I swore would take forever!
Just take it one day at a time and before you know it you'll be waiting for your hair to sprout.
0 -
I know this is long but it is worth taking a look. It is from the newletter...POSITIVES ABOUT NEGATIVES:
Version:1.0 StartHTML:0000000149 EndHTML:0000008197 StartFragment:0000000199 EndFragment:0000008163 StartSelection:0000000199 EndSelection:0000008163
Although I don't fully feel like this and I don't have any animosity for
anyone who does not have breast cancer and never thought about it, I do find
that I have no desire whatsoever to shop or celebrate the holiday. It seems
to me that there has been so much change in my life that all I want to do is
hold on to what I have and try to move forward...shopping, celebrating,
singing, all those things just seem meaningless this year....funny..it's the
first Christmas I have not looked forward to....and I have not bought
anything.....hope the kids won't be too disappointed....don't even think I
will make pierogi...the food I have always loved to cook.
So here is the article....
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, croons Andy Williams over the
store’s loud speaker.
Really? I think. I’m sure the retailer wants me to agree
with Andy, which might mean I’ll toss some more goodies into my cart. But
I am not convinced. Buying stuff does not equal happiness, nor does
piped-in music mean all is wonderful. I leave the store empty handed and
head to the lake for a walk. My post-cancer self is sort of like that—she
finds less appeal in acquiring stuff and is much more eager to spend time
in nature, getting exercise and some psychological balance. I like this
change—I wish I had made it without having to go through surgery, chemo,
radiation, and fearing for my life. I’ve learned that contentment is not
for sale at the mall or on the Internet, but discontent surely is. And it
is all ramped up during the holidays. In most cases, the holidays can’t
stand up to their own hype. We, in general, expect too much of the
season—family togetherness, a beautiful snowy landscape, peace, joy,
exquisite decorations, and fancy cookies. Our own living, breathing
Hallmark card—a pretty tall order under the best of circumstances. But
when you’re dealing with breast cancer, the season of forced glee can be a
heavy burden. The sadness of what a diagnosis means, the fear for our
future, worry about our kids, anxiety about what treatment will do to our
bodies, terror about whether or not we can beat this disease, anger that we
got sick in the first place—it can be a pretty potent stew of emotions on
any given day. And we’re often simply sick and tired and not physically
up to our usual, let alone somebody else’s expectation of holiday-level
wonderful. My first post-diagnosis Christmas came when my hair was a thin
layer of fuzz and my energy was stuck at slug level. I was still at the
point where I resented every woman I saw who did not have breast cancer, so
I was a little raw physically and emotionally. The only thing I really
wanted that year was normalcy, which I tried to achieve by making myself at
least look somewhat like the old me. I was tired of wearing wigs, so I
opted for a snazzy silk scarf for a family celebration at our home. Hair
equaled ordinary to me, so I wanted to show off my new stubby growth. But,
for the life of me, I cannot tie a scarf like a grown-up, so that little
number kept falling down my forehead or slipping lopsidedly over one ear
and then another. I looked like a drunken pirate. I considered ducking into
my bedroom and throwing on a wig. But, ultimately I decided that this is
the way I looked at this point in my life, and my family loved me despite
that fact. Or, maybe, even because of it. This should be a season of
love, a time for you to rebuild your health, which may be the only gift
your family and friends want. Some thoughts on making the season more
enjoyable for you: Manage Expectations. What do you need from the
holidays this year? Rest? Peace and quiet? Or lots of company? Talk
this over with friends and family and determine what you can and can’t
do—and realize it’s OK for this year to be different. I found that
decorating the house perked me up, but I still left quite a few ornaments
in the basement because I simply ran out of energy. Nobody noticed.
Avoid Holiday Pitfalls. Caffeine and alcohol can take us even farther into
the doldrums. Both are plentiful during the holidays and both are harmful
for our physical recovery. I generally follow a diet heavy on complex
carbs—grains, vegetable, and fruits—supported with cheese, yogurt, fish,
and shellfish. I use the Mediterranean diet as a model, but reduce the
amount of wine it suggests because of the link between breast cancer and
alcohol. Keep Active. Walk, do yoga, swim, dance—anything that keeps your
body active can help calm your mind. If you feel sadness descending, or you
are getting anxious, get up and do whatever you can handle: walk to the
mailbox, put on a yoga DVD, or hang up the Christmas wreath. Any activity
will do. A friend of mine started taking piano lessons during treatment,
bought herself an inexpensive keyboard, and hit the ivories when she
started feeling low. She now plays pretty darn well. Enjoy Nature.
Spending time outdoors can increase your energy and reduce your anxiety. I
actually enjoy bundling up in a warm coat, hat, scarf, mittens, a boots,
and going out into the wintry air. Too much hot inside air can be
stifling. Fresh air is invigorating for body and mind. Honor Your
Emotions. I was sad and angry that first year, grieving my former life.
Pretending otherwise would have been denying my own reality. Bottled
emotions, like liquor, get stronger with age. And denying them just gives
them more power over you. Your body, mind and spirit have been through a
huge change, especially if you have already started treatment, and that can
turn your emotions inside out. Check BCO’s overview of treatment side
effects, which includes anxiety, depression, and fatigue. Talk it Out. If
the holidays are making you especially low, find a wise friend, counselor,
minister, or anybody you can trust and sit down and talk about how you
feel. Sometimes simply expressing yourself is the first step toward
feeling better. Know the Difference Between Sadness and Depression.
Sadness is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign you are human. Yet, if
you are so sad you don’t feel like doing anything or seeing anybody, and if
it’s not getting any better, you might be depressed. Check BCO’s analysis
of the difference between sadness and depression. Depression requires
professional help. But before you take any additional medications, check
with your oncologist, to make sure those drugs will not interfere with your
treatment, especially if you are on tamoxifen. Laugh. Watch funny
movies, hang around friends who make you laugh, do anything that can tickly
your funny bone. Even try laughing yoga. The act of laughing itself can
reduce stress. I come from a funny family in oh so many ways, but mainly
we just enjoy laughing. I know that helped my recovery greatly. And if
you’re going to look like a drunken pirate in your Christmas pictures, you
sure should be able to chuckle about it.0 -
Mcrimmon and Riley, add me to your group, lol. My Dad used to joke also that we "should have named her Grace" till I looked up my middle name (Ann)'and found out it meant grace and wisdom. Told him he blew it on both counts! O+
0 -
funny, my middle name is Ann. Just thinking of all the goofy clumsy things I've done. I remember as child during a field trip I actually walked straight into telephone poll and gave myself a big lump on the head and was laughed at for a good while.
0
