Calling all TNs
Comments
-
Thank you so much!! I'm soooo nervous!! I actually am wondering how they use my port since its all covered in stari strips...do they poke through it?? Anyone know?
0 -
jenjen - talk to your oncologist. He/she may be willing to reduce the dose for you to help prevent the pain. That's what mine did - but I was paranoid about neuropathy in the feet so when I had tingling I suggested that I was going to quit because of quality of life and she reduced my dose to 75%. It made a huge difference. Then again you may not feel comfortable with a reduced dose - I was totally fine with it. Living with sore feet is no fun.
0 -
Keke, you are going to be glad you have the port. THey poke in/access from the top. I also found the numbing creme they give you doesn't make that much of a difference. I had some complications during the chemo and was so happy to have that port in. It'll save your veins being poked over and over. It's a little pinch when they access it. Some nurses are much better than others. I'm reluctant to have mine out and am going to keep it in until a little while after I am done with rads. YOu can keep them for a long time. Some people do and others want them out right away. I was awake when they put mine in. I wonder why they knocked you out for that seems overkill and that sick feeling afterward is no fun.
0 -
oh and does "Twilight Sedation" mean you are sparkly vampire?
0 -
Keke I was put under anaesthetic when I had my port put in but when they took it out only had a local and didn't feel anything except a little sting with the injection.
When I went for chemo they gave me an Emla patch to put on an hour beforehand and there was no pain at all just a little thud when the needle went in but its only a small needle and you shouldn't get any pain.
Hope this helps a little bit.
0 -
Like many others I was put under for port installation. Don't know about a tube down my throat though. Don't think so. And deportation was with a local, no big deal. For chemo, I didn't have any numbing cream etc. The nurse just said deep breath and the needle was in. Just a pinprick.
0 -
Hopex3,
Re pains: I am ten weeks PFC and I still have achy legs from taxol. I asked my onc when that might go away and she said "a few months." I also have numbness in my feet, but I am not counting that as pain. I hope that goes away, too.0 -
Hi All.
Reading this certainly brings up memories of our losses of Susie, LJ and Mary last March. I have been trying to give myself a break from this board just to see if my mind would settle a little but the reality is this is such a supportive, tight loving group I am back to say hello to all.
Titan congratulations on 4 years out. I remember when it was 3 so that means time does fly in some ways.
To all the newbies, I found this my lifeline during chemo and radiation. I still don't know from when you count NED but my chemo stopped on 9/9/2011 so I guess I am 18 months out and my big goal right now is to eat a healthier diet and lose some weight.
I have my follow up with the oncologist in May as well as my mammo but I am going to try not to think of it too much.
Some good news is that I am in exhibitions of my paintings this summer in Poland and in Italy so we are going to be away for 2 1/2 weeks so we can go to one of the openings. I am madly painting away and feeling cheery about it.
Love to all.
0 -
Hi Painting good to see you posting again. What a wonderful trip you will have for your paintings. No wonder you are feeling cheery. Fantastic news.
0 -
To hopefully make you all laugh and forget your treatment and side effects just for a minute
0 -
Painting - Woo Hoo on the exhibits! How exciting.
Annie - good one & thanks for the card!0 -
Jenjenl, my oncologist & research RN suggested that I take L-glutamine for peripheral neuropathy. You might want to ask your dr to see if that might help you.
Anyone: is there a place on this site that I can learn all the abbreviations that are being used?
Thank You0 -
0
-
Finished chemo on June 19th, 2012 - that's the date I will be using for my "cancerversary". Just had 2nd f/u with oncologist and everything is still ok. Whew! See him again in 4 months. Had a mammo in November and will be arranging to have an MRI (which I will pay for myself) 6 months after (i.e. end of May) as I don't trust mammos to find TNBC early enough.
Got a lot of nice compliments on my new look - full head of white, curly hair - used to be a dyed brunette with extremely straight hair. I've heard the curls might not stay past a year or so.
Welcome to all the newbies - sorry you have to be here but there is so much helpful information and support here, it makes the journey so much more tolerable. Good luck and hoping for minimal SE's.
To the "veteran" members - Hope everything is going well and you're living life to the fullest!
Doreen
0 -
Doreen,
How long did it take for your hair to grow back? I finished Chemo Jan 9th. I only have about 1/4 inch. I finished all treatment March 15th. Congratulations to you also for finishing up. It has been a hard year as I am sure you will agree. Hugs..Marianne
0 -
Marianne,
I don't really remember but I have pictures taken 5 months after and I definitely have enough hair that I didn't need to wear a wig - so, sometime before December. You will be there soon, hang in there. BTW, did you lose your eyebrows or eyelashes yet? I think mine got quite thin (didn't lose them entirely) around the time my hair started to grow back in. Luckily they come back much quicker.
I noticed in your signature that you were diagnosed the same day that I finished my last chemo - sort of like I passed the baton to you to run with. It has been a hard year but I have certainly been lucky with how things went - hope the same is true for you.
Good Luck, Doreen
0 -
Wishing all of my wonderful, kind, loving, supportive ladies a wonderful Easter. May you have lots of fun, laughter and love. Annie
0 -
I just love the hairdryer to melt him with lol
0 -
Hi Doreen,
Thanks for the info. I have lost my lashes and eyebrows three times. The last time I lost them was seven weeks after A/C. I was shocked that it happened so long after Chemo. I still have side effects from Chemo (last one was 1/9/13.)
Still have Fatigue, shortness of breath, bone pain and upset stomach at times. Is this unusual? Finished Rads two weeks ago and dealing with Radiation burns now. This had been some Journey..
0 -
Thank you, Annie, for the laugh! I think it might actually get warm here again today but we have had another two weeks of a cold snap in Tennessee.
Marianne, I still have shortness of breath at time and I am more than two years out from diagnosis. I also had rib pain on and off until about two months ago - it may come back again but seems to be resolving. I'm not sure if it was from chemo, surgery, or rads. I just had a clean xray about a month ago and got my CA 27 tumor marker results yesterday and was thrilled that they are the lowest they have been - 13! At one time, during treatment with neoadjuvant chemo, they were 38.
0 -
Good one Annie.
A beautiful weekend forecast for the sunny Okanagan - cant wait 4 days off... bliss !
Wishing everyone minimal SE's, hugs and finding their happy.
0 -
Christina,
Congratulations on your tests. It must have been a great relief to you. I finished all treatment in March. Don't see the MO now till June. She hasn't ordered any follow up tests. She said do to having a great response from Chemo, that means I am NED. Don't know if I totally agree with that. Will ask her to follow up with something when I see her next. I get really anxious now with every little pain I get.
0 -
Marianne...I finished chemo the end of December. I too have bone pains that come and go. Sometimes even in my finger tips just like when I Was on taxol. I'm very tired after work and some days short of breath. It scares me..I don't want to have this ugly fear all the time so I try to push it all aside. But it's hard! So I totally get what you mean.
0 -
Hello ladies!
I've been quiet the last few days but am following posts and prayers are going out to all of you, along with good ju-ju and happy thoughts!
Enjoy the holiday weekend and stay blessed with this little gift called life!
xoxo...0 -
One for my beloved Titan
0 -
Inspirational story of a young woman who lost both breasts at 32 and, 3 years later, has been diagnosed with Stage 4 bone cancer. She wants all breast cancer victims to know they are BEAUTIFUL:
http://thebreastcancersite.greatergood.com/clickToGive/bcs/article/The-Light-That-Shines398
I pray that all stage 4 people will go into remission and will get to live long and happy lives.
Doreen
0 -
DorMac what a beautiful story. With or without breasts she was simply gorgeous. If love can keep you going then I hope she lives more more years yet because she was very much loved.
0 -
@[502531326475302:274:Gage Cooper]™" width="280" height="373" />0 -
DorMac --that is a beautiful video. A little hard to watch in places. I loved the part about the wig. I was getting ready for church Sunday (only the 2nd time I had felt like going since starting chemo) and put on my wig. My husband said, "take it off and put on a scarf. I'm used to you in scarves and hats. You look pretty in them." The other time I had gone, he told me he would go with me even if I wanted to go bald. Bless him!
I only have 2 more chemo (Taxol) treatments to go -- can't wait for April 11th when I can say goodbye to the chemo ward! MO said they woud set up an appointment with RO after my last treatment and that I would see him every 3 months for 2 years. I can't wait to start getting back to a more normal life. I'm ready to get back to exercising and hiking. I love to go hiking and take pictures and I can't wait to get that camera back in my backpack. We missed getting to go on our usual fall trip to the Smokies for my birthday. I don't want to miss spring photo opportunities.
I'm going to be participating in my first Relay for Life event at the end of April. My company is sponsoring a team for the first time ever. We've raised almost $4,000 already which I think is good for our first time and since we've only been fundraising for a month. It will be two weeks after my last treatment, so I hope I'm up to an all nighter. I'm hope I can make it through the survivor's lap. I tear up every time I think about doing it. My sister who is a 5 year BC survivor is going to walk it with me. I'm also hoping my two brothers who are also cancer survivors will also walk it with us. My other three sisters will be there cheering us on. And, we will also be walking in memory of our dear brother who died 3 years ago with lung cancer (and also had bladder cancer). Out of 8 siblings, five of us with cancer. Genetic or environmental? Who knows? My MO thinks we should do some genetic testing. My other sisters are worried now that two of us have been diagnosed with breast cancer. My sister was ER+, PR+, HER2- though.
I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend with few SE's.
0 -
DorMac....Loved the video. What a beautiful girl. I too loved the part about the wig. Last night I was at a staff party and a few people walked me to the door and they wanted to see my head. I took off my wig which has been bugging me so much, and they were all in awe. They said don't wear that thing anymore. But I work in a middle school and I don't want to freak out the kids. I don't know though ifi can go all the way to mid June with a wig. Anyways, I felt so liberated in taking that off and threw it in the backseat of my car. Opened up the sunroof and drove home loving the feeling of "head freedom" .
0
