Calling all TNs
Comments
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Happy Birthday, Cocker. Enjoy, enjoy and enloy somemore!
Dear Bak, I have been in your shoes before. Quite awhile ago I posted a comment totally unrelated to BC and then another poster responded to it in a not so nice tone. I felt pretty burned by what was said to me so I took a few days away to cool off. I decided to just ignore it. Not easy to do, I know. But I would hate to see you leave us. BUT....if you decide that a little time away is what you need, just remember the door is always open to jump back in. I did.
Luv, thinking of you.
Jan, good luck tomorrow
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Annie - Happy Birthday! Hope you have a fabulous day.
Jan - I hope your surgery goes smoothly. I'll be thinking of you. When you feel up to it, let us know how you are.
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Happy Birthday, Annie! Hope you have a fabulous day!
Thanks, Navymom and anyone I might have missed. It was a tiring day at hospice, mom is hanging in there - she still has decent color and her kidneys are still functioning. My kids were all there today along with my sister and her husband. She's one strong lady!
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Annie - Happy Birthday to you!. Hoop it up! How was the cake conference? I ate some sinful chocolate cake today (like a pig going to slaughter).
Bak - Holding the door open for you. Come in when you are ready.
Thanks for all the warm wishes for my surgery. I'm ok with everything except the fear they might find "something." I've been cooking up a storm for the freezer since DH only knows how to cook eggs. He makes up for it when I need comfort, even in the bathroom in the middle of the night.
See you all soon, Jan
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Oh yes, My PCP prescribed Metformin for me at my request. He says "they" have known for a long time that it has anti-cancer components. I wanted to ask why he hasn't brought it up before, but I bit my tongue. I'll start taking it after my recovery so I don't get post-surgery and new drug reactions mixed up.
Jan
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Michelle: you said your Mum was one strong lady... well I'd say the apple dont fall far from the tree.
Hugs xxx
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Annie - A HUGE "Happy Birthday" to you!!! xoxox
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Bak, my darling. We have to tell it as it is - we don't want to hear it but we have to know it. Eveyone around me kept sugar coating and smothering me. I needed the reality of the situation to help me move forward.
We need people like you.
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I had 12 jugs of hard cider in my cellar and was told by my wife to empty the contents down the sink, or else!! So I said I would.
I pulled the cork from the first jug and poured the contents down the sink, with the exception of one glass, which I drank. I pulled the cork from the second jug and did likewise, with the exception of one glass, which I drank. I then pulled the cork from the third jug and poured the cider down the sink, with the exception of one glass, which I drank.
I pulled the cork from the fourth sink and poured the jug down the glass, which I drank. I pulled the cork from the next jug and drank all but one sink of it, throwing the rest down the glass. I pulled the sink from the next glass and poured the cork from the jug. Then I corked the sink with the glass, jugged the drink and drank the pour.
When I had everything emptied, I steadied the house with one hand, counted the jugs, corks and glasses and sinks with the other, which were 29, and as the house came by, I counted them again and finally had all houses in one jug, which I drank.
I am not under the alcofluence of incohol as some thinkle peep I am, nor are I half so think as they drunk I am, but I fool so feelish I don’t know who is me, and the frunder I stand here the longer I get.
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Bernie - as you know, I am very new to the journey of cancer, and I have lots of questions. What kind of surgery did you have? Did you get radiation as well as the chemo? Was chemo really awful or was it manageable? How did you cope with the hair loss? I have so many questions.
Please - any one else who wants to join in the conversation - feel free - the more input I get the better. Thanks in advance everyone!!
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Hi adagio. I had a lumpectomy, then chemo then rads.
Chemo for me was manageable, it really does effect everyone so differently. Can't emphasis enough - REST. Take the pills for any side effects. Taste in mouth disgusting - really had to change what I was eating and drinking. Didn't care about healthy just ate what I wanted.
I wasn't overly bothered about the hair loss (and you lose it from everywhere) because I had to have all my teeth out -LOL - due to severe infections which was delaying the start of Chemo.
Rads is very tiring but that's more to do with the daily visits.
DO NOT read every scare story on the internet.
Be prepared for insensitive remarks from friends and family.
Accept all the help you can get - my neighbour filled my freezer with cooked meals - every week.
Sod the housework
Retain a sense of humour at all times, if that fails - kill something
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Thank you everyone for the birthday wishes. I had a great day with my old feller and my family all here for dinner. It's a darn nuisance really cause every time I look in the mirror I see more and more wrinkles. I'm sure chemo put them there (I don't think they were there before!!)
Jan thinking of you for your surgery tomorrow. They won't find anything and you will be fine. Have you burned those bra's yet.
Luv thinking of you and your mum and hoping she is peaceful and free of pain.
Adagio a little bit to add. I had left breast mastectomy, then chemo then, then rads.
Take your nausea pills whether you need them or not. Drink lots and lots of water to flush out the toxins. Eat plenty of prunes to keep stools soft in case of constipation. Eat lots of water melon which is very refreshing. Don't worry about diet, eat anything you fancy. Rest as much as possible but add some exercise into the mix such as gentle walking every day. If you shave your head have a number one as my wig lady told me that if you shave to the skin you can get infections, not sure if she's right but didn't do it just in case. Chemo is doable and you will get through it. Rads for me was literally a walk in the park, no redness, no tiredness, no nothing, except weight loss due to the food they were serving at the place I was staying. Definitely sod the houework that will always be there as Bernie says and yes keep a sense of humour because it does get you through. Good luck and just go with the flow you will be fine.
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Posting a most interesting article I found in another thread. I have never found an article published showing these stats before - and I have looked through the years:
http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSN1248209720080812?irpc=932
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Happy Birthday, Annie!
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LRM216 - thanks for that article. I am going to share it on another thread... someone was mentioning that she asked that exact question
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Lrm - thanks for the link. Why couldn't I have won the lottery instead
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Bernie - I know what you mean about scary articles on the internet!! I really have to try and stay away from reading them. Thanks for all the great advice - I have made mental note of them especially the insensitive remarks.
cocker spaniel - that's a great idea about the shaved head.
Did either of you get a wig? I just can't imagine not having a head of hair!!
Also, getting advise on foods to eat is extremely useful.
I saw the surgeon today and it is chemo first for me. The good news is that she said no more surgery at this time because she has gone right to the chest wall and there is nowhere else to go. So at least I don't have to go under the knife again at this time!
Thanks for all the feedback.
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Saw the breast surgeon today - 3 weeks after surgery - and she said that she doesn't need to see me again - I was surprized. It is good in a way, but yet I read about other women having follow ups with their breast surgeon.
Thoughts?
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Karen:
You're gonna win - the big cancer lottery - this time around, I feel it for sure!
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LRM thanks for the article. That gave me more reassurance than anything else I have read.
Karen I don't know about the cancer lottery but I wouldn't mind winning the other one. I buy a ticket every week but it never comes my way. My old feller says you gotta be in to win but all I seem to do is contribute to somebody else winning it. Oh well, guess thats the least of my worries.
Adagio re the wig. I bought one but hated it. It wasn't anywhere near my color and I was always afraid it would blow off in the wind. It looked like a boufant style and although my friend who is a hairdresser trimmed it there is only so much you can cut off. The actual bandanas made me feel more like a cancer victim than anything so I have found cute hats the best. I brought so many in the markets and shops and have all the colors now for my outfits. If you look around there are some really pretty, nice, inexpensive ones about.
Re the hair. I think this is one of the hardest things for us to go through when we have cancer. My hair started to come out in big wisps about two weeks after chemo started and my head was hot itchy and painful. One day when getting out of the shower, on the towel I had all these wispy lumps that looked like a spider web. My electric towel rail is by an open window so after chucking the towel on the floor and stomping all over it (I hate spiders) I found it was my hair. So to take control of the situation I arranged for my hairdresser to come and give me a number one. We all laughed, there was no teary bits and I didn't look half as bad as I suspected I would. It was very empowering choosing my own time to take have it cut off.
Yep steer away from the Internet. I scared myself silly reading all the things on there. And re food I kept away from all spicy and strong flavoured food because I got a bit of heartburn and although Losec helped me there I'm not a spicy food eater anyway.
You will find what suits you and what doesn't but all in all I had a good appetite right the way through and water melon was a godsend to me. Just remember to drink at least 2 litres of fluid a day, not an easy task but just keep sipping it often and you soon get through the 2 litres.
Other ladies will no doubt come on here and let you know what worked for them and what didn't. Every bit of information will help you decide what is working for you and what isn't.
Sending warm wishes to Hope, Dawn, Tazzy, Jan and anyone else going through treatment. We will get there in the end. Annie
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Be wary of Dr.Google... oh my when I was first dx'd I scared the crap out of myself. Was actually amazed I was still alive. Now I email my docs office and let them explain it to me.
adagio: I saw my BS about 3 weeks after surgery and he said 'see you in a year'. I do have 3 monthly meets with my MO and now weekly meets with the RO whilst on rads.
Rads are a royal pain in the arse. It really is like Groundhog Day. I thought this would be the easy part and physically it is. Mentally and emotionally I am done - least for today. I am just in a funk. Saturday night we were invited to our neighbours for a surprise birthday party. Normally I'd be loving it. I spent 2 hours there and was exhausted and just fed up so came home
Enough of the pity party.. off to make dinner.Hugs to you all xxx
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Jan - I am thinking of you. Please let us know when you are back.
Happy Birthday Annie
I go for my fourth chemo treatment on Wednesday. My fingers & toenails hurt so much.:(
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great news today, went for a mammogram and a sonogram and if it wasnt for the markers the doctor couldn't tell where the mass was. He said " even if I wanted to give you a biopsie, I would not know where to start" It's gone ladies! All gone.
I'm so damm happy! Now I focus on Friday, big day, bmx and ovaries. I'm scared but I can do this.
Life is good,life is grand and I can do anything, we can do anything.0 -
funnygirl... woo hoo!
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HURRAY Funnygirl. SO happy for you. Go get em girl in surgery.
Thinking of you Jan
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LRM, so, according to this article, 31% of stages I, II and III in total will have a recurrence. 9I'm assuming we are talking about getting to stage IV and not a local recurrence?) Thirty per cent is a number often quoted on these discussion boards. As TNs, we know that, generally speaking, we are more likely to recur earlier than later. While it is interesting to see the breakdown of percentages by stages, it still adds up to a whopping 31% and that is not taking into consideration the ones who start off at stage IV. So 31% seems to be a somewhat conservative figure. Not to try to put a damper on people, I don't find much that is encouraging from the article. The BEST information was that more aggressive tumors seem to recur less - and as TNs, we mostly have aggressive tumors.
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My MO told me TN tumours are "front loaded," i.e., if they are going to recur, they'll do so sooner than later.
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Funnygirl wonderful news for you. You will be fine on Friday and you CAN do this. Go out and buy a lucky lotto ticket and see what happens. Great news.
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Funnygirl- Yippee!! Wonderful and fantastic news!!!" Woo HOO!!,
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