August 2010...anyone starting chemo besides me?!
Comments
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zenith - Did you do your second cataract yet? How is the first eye doing?0
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Omaz - yes i had the right eye done Monday and back to work on thursday. first eye is good. I have to wear glasses still and the only ones that work right now are some old aviator glasses my DH had in the 80's. I can't get a new rx for a month so have to go around looking like gloria steinem for awhile.
Hair started coming in the male pattern baldness areas but it is short and I still have to use the wig. Hope to get to bad haircut status soon then i will go wigless....
Now if I can find a solution to the arimidex hot flashes and the post bmx pain! Why can't we have it all?
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Lizzy I had no idea you still had that infection. I had a breast infection in January when I was starting rads. It took two courses of antibiotics to get it gone. I can't imagine what you are going through. So sorry it is lingering on and yes, I can see why you confused it with SE of Chemo.
I have only three Rad boostsd left! Yea, yippee yea.
I had three house cleaners come for three hours anf fifteen moinutes yesterday. I am so glad! The house is so much nicer now and the moving boxes that still need to be opened don't feel so onerous any longer. It was worth every cent. The last time I had cleaners in an occupied house was in 1974. Oooooooo.
My son and his family are here and it is wonderful 7 year old girl and very busy 3 year old boy.
Hope everyone is doing well.
GInger
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Good day girls-
I, too, am having problems with email alerts. When I log on, it still brings me to my last post. As far as the email notification, I shut it off, logged out and in, turned it back on and still nothing. I guess it has been shut-off as part of the "updates!"
Lady: have a nice nap as you totally deserve it! Hope you have a nice weekend at the lake.
Zenith: I hope you are glad to be back to work but your poor, poor dog! I was talking to my vet's assistant about how my cat has gotten used to me being home for a while now and she said I should get another cat before I go back to work so the one I have now will have company!
Gloria Steinem....nice look with your aviator glasses! Best of luck on your next eye surgery.
Ginger: yes, still have that gross infection. It was very bad and is getting a little better, I guess. I am not on antibiotics, however. The idea, I believe, is to force my body, in and of it's own defenses, to get rid of this infection thereby making the area not so welcoming of infection again. Oh well...and the packing goes on until June.
Congratulations on the house cleaners! I hope you have a nice visit with your family.
Have a nice weekend, all0 -
Carolyn - I'm so sorry - it sounds like you're having the same type of symptoms as I did on the tamox!
Really and truly, I have never had a panic attack or anxiety before like that, and it happened around when yours did. I thought I was okay for about 3 weeks and then it hit. I'm fine now that I'm off it. I have a friend who was on it; she got ovarian and uterine cysts on it- had those removed and went on arimidex since she was in menopause at that point. She is on seven different medications now - most of which are for anxiety and depression symptoms. It is REAL - don't let anyone tell you otherwise. My oncologlist denied that my symptoms were tamox related - she told me I needed a psychiatrist. I told her that I know my body - this was not something psychological - it was neuro related - I was a mess! Even my vision was screwed up and the brain fog was beyond real. I don't think I could have added two numbers together if I tried.I refuse to go back on it. They can say what they want and threaten what they want, but I will not do it. I'm sorry you have to be in this boat - I envy those whose bodies can correctly process the medication for its full benefit, and not have side effects.
I also think it may have put me into menopause. After chemo, things started to get back to normal (I had a normal amount of cervical mucus, etc - sorry to be gross, but I never had dryness before, even on chemo.) About a week after I stopped the tamox, the hot flashes got worse and things got really" dry"- that was about six weeks ago and things still aren't back to normal. I think it's kick started menopause, even though I'm only 41 -- actually, that's okay with me since I'm done with having kids and my period was such a nightmare. And menopause means less circulating estrogen.
I hope you are able to have peace with whatever decision you come to - it was VERY hard - it was the hardest thing I had to grapple with through all of this. I'm comfortable now, and for me, I know it was the right one.
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Calamity, if you can't use Tamox or any of theother meds aren't there other ways for you to decrease your estrogen naturally. My Doc mentioned that our own fat makes estrogen and losing some weight helps. Also aren't there foods that you can eliminate too? I don't really know but I think there are things you can do on your own to h elp. I am sorry you had all of those SE from Tamox. I know Chemo nearlty did me in, I still have numb feet and hands. I haven't tried to sew yet. I am a little scared to try yet.
Hugs GInger
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Zumba: for those of you who have tried it and perhaps got frustrated with the complication of the moves, stick with it! Use the instructional disc to learn the moves. It is sooo much fun once you get it!0
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Good Morning Everyone!
I am sooo sorry I have been absent for a little while, life has gotten really busy all of a sudden. Luckily my second job has picked up again, because financially I was not able to meet my monthly expenses, forget about trying to catch up from the financial mess that treatment left! It's spring so my son is in hockey playoffs, and the lacrosse and soccer seasons have begun for both my son and daughter. So, not much free time around here. But that is good, because I am finding that in the midst of this whirlwind I forget about BC for hours at a time! I made sure to get up early this morning so I could check in. I am still managing to get to the gym though Lizzy!! Actually my kids have acused me of being a little obsessive about it, and they aren't totally wrong. I kind of think of it like more "treatment"....exercise helps keep the cancer away and I don't want anymore cancer!!!!
Carolyn: Totally laughed at your hair assessment, but think of it this way....at least you have hair and you can see it standing straight up!! That's a good thing.
Omaz: I am totally with you on the 90-year-old knees. Funny you should mention the toilet, for the first week after starting the exercising I felt the same way. My knees would kill me when I sat down on the toilet, it was totallly too low!!! I still feel a twinge on occasion.
Rachel: Saw your hair pic on FB.....good growth!!! I think you should definitely go topless.. GO FOR IT!! It is very liberating. I was wearing scarves and not a wig, so it was obvious that something was wrong to anyone who saw me, so as soon as I got a decent amount of hair I went topless. They already could tell I didn't have hair, so what was the big deal about them seeing it. How did hockey playoffs go?
Lady: So glad to hear you are feeling okay! Take plenty of naps while you can. I will be praying daily for a positive path report!
Lizzy: Lovin this weather!!! OMG, Friday was beautiful!!!!!!! Great news on that Katey and Katherine going short and blond....I have the short, so I guess all I need is to dye it blonde and I will be fashionably chic!!! Can't wait to tell me girls I am going to be fashionable!! I have taken a couple Zumba classes at the gym and it really is fun, except for the booby shaking. I skip that part...makes me uncomfortable even though medically it is okay...mentally I can't do it. But they say it burns like 800 calories or so, and compared to the other classes, you don't feel like it. So, it is a relatively easy way to burn off some fat. I guess you don't notice the exercise because it is so fun!
Ginger: Great news on the rads....almost done...YAY!!!!!! Have fun with the grandkids this weekend.
Zenith: Congrats on going back to work. It helps return the world back to normal a little, I think. I am sure your dog will adjust in time. Good news on the cataracts! Maybe you will start a new trend with your Gloria Steinam look!!
Sweeney: Missing you..how are you doing? How are those Wonder gobblins doing?
Okay, have to get the day started. Going to the gym, then one hockey and two soccer games today. And an MRI at 8:30 tonight! Hope everyone has a great day!
Debbi
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I have my swimsuit on and am heading to the pool. LE therapist said I could do it if I am very gentle with my arm. Just FYI, the massage for cording (special technique) seems to help make it much less sore. I haven't been to the pool since last MAY!0
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Good day, girls:
I am so happy I am not married or having a live-in man these days as he would be going through hell! I keep this house like a freezer at night, am sleeping with the fan on high, covers on, covers off all night long! I never wanted to get married but I did do a few live-ins, actually did one for 3 years (seemed like eternity!), but am very grateful now not to be in that situation. I find it hard to live with MYSELF with these hot, I don't even know if they are flashes but, spells all night. Although, for the first time in months and months I did sleep nearly 8 hours straight (less 2 bathroom trips!) and this was exciting. Of course it was not without 2 hours of pre-sleep, twisting, turning, turning fan up, heat down etc... it is becoming a ritual! Furthermore, in my Manhattan days, I used to be able to party (meaning drink) myself into no man's land, go home, crash out, wake up hours later without 1 bathroom trip in the night. Now, I have 4 ozs of water and I am up geting rid of it in the night. I asked my gyn about it and she told me not to drink before bed! I was trying to find out if I should be starring in a vesicare commercial!! I really did not need the obvious pointed out. Are any of you having that "small" bladder syndrome post-chemo or is it just that I am 41 now?!
Sptmm: you could not have said it any better: "exercise helps keep the cancer away and I don't want anymore cancer!!!!" You are absolutely correct and keep going to that gym. The "boob shake" is a little awkward. I did work in lower Manhattan and lived in the upper W 80's for a while (worked there longer than lived), and the thing I loved the most was the ecclectic mix of clubs...not like in the alphabet where I could have been entertained by Bridge and Tunnel teens (!) but more the dance clubs. There was a cuban club in midtown that I LOVED! I really enjoyed going to the dance clubs after work, which could be after 9PM some nights, to let loose. There was a group of us that enjoyed doing that. It was not all about picking up men. I really enjoyed the music and dance so I am taking to Zumba! For this reason also, I am no stranger to the "boob shake" but alas I have no boobs to shake anymore! Oh, BTW, the other TE has lost about 75% of it's volume and, as you know, I only have 1, so now I look like I did when I was 11!!
Omaz: enjoy yourself in that pool! I am so proud of you for keeping up with your cording exercises and in noticing a difference! That is such good news. You really don't have to be cording...just keep, albeit moderately, stretching it out. It must feel great to get back in the pool after being out almost a year. Good times, woman!
The latest person I nominate to be on the cruise with Texas toast: SWEENEY! I know she says she went back to work but we have not heard from her in weeks....very suspicious!
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I swam back and forth for 30 minutes. I feel like I have a fat-floaty around my middle! I ran into this woman who works there who I have always thought had great posture and looked very healthy. She was working the front desk and I asked if she did training and she said yes. So I asked if she would work with me and my problems and she said sure so I am going to hook up with her when my arm gets sorted out. As I was leaving I told her about the fat-floaty and she said I looked 'proportionate' but had a bit of weight around the middle and that we could work on that. True, true. It was great to be in the pool. It's outside. They painted the buildings a dark salmon color, the pool is blue and I felt like I was on vacation for a while!0
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Omaz: good for you! I am glad you are going to start training. It is so very beneficial in so many ways. I am going to try to post a pic of me from when I was training and was very, very serious about it. I sometimes say body building but that evokes thoughts of women who might be "juicing" and with veins popping out over their very developed muscles and there is nothing wrong with this, but that was never me. For a long time, however, I took it very seriously and was actually able to freeweight squat 2xs my body weight (at that time a very cut and lean 135 which I actually looked 115-120 b/c of what great shape my muscles were in) so I was squatting 270. That was good for a me then but I don't think I aspire to do that again...perhaps but not definitely. All I want to do is get my nice, muscular infrastructure back and be able to run a few miles...is that so much to ask?!?!?0
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I got in touch with texrose, she said sorry she has't been in touch she is good and has been very busy, she had an aunt visiting all week and busy with radiation. She will try to get on tonight.
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Iowa: ***GREAT NEWS!!!!*** thanks for letting us know! Man, I was getting worried.0
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I finally got back on all my vitamins, especially Glucosamine and chondroitin for the creaky joints. I imagine if Adrimex (sp) gives one painful knees it won't hurt to get going on the Glucosamine and chondroitin now. I do just despise taking lots of pills but I dislike pain more so the pills win.
I am having a blast with the grandkids here. Local grandbaby is teething and is so funny. We were out to eats at Ruby's, a local family friendly place, and Zoe got her shoe in her mouth and nommed away on it. Since she cant walk the shoes have never touched the ground. She was so serious about chewing on her shoe, biting down and then pulling it out of her mouth, it was funny. If you are a grandparent you will better understand how I think this is so amazing.
Welcome sweet springtime we bid thee adieu.
Ginger
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Ginger - there are many many ways to not only decrease circulating estrogen, but natural things that work to prevent estrogen from binding to the cells. Right now my naturopath has me on something called "Total Green" which is a powdered drink made from all organic whole foods- kelp, cruciferous sprouts, spirulina, and more, plus I'm drinking real kale shakes every day and sprouting my own stuff. They found that in studies, women who consumed lots of raw cruciferous vegs or by way of whole powder, they almost universally had a decrease in circulating estrogen. And exercise is another way! Turmeric also binds to the receptors and prevents estrogen from doing so, so I'm on a supplement for that. I'm on coQ10 in a combination with many kinds of seeds and I'm doing a lot of reading on B17 and all its benefits. I'm on Spanish Black Radish which promotes "drainage"- (anywhere, in the breasts, lymph, etc) and two different pancreatic enzyme supplements, as the pancreas is responsible for excreting enzymes that can help fight cancer cells.
So that's where it's at for me. Yes, I'd like to have a medication that would give me another level of protection, but unfortunately it wasn't to be. I'm happy and I feel good though and I'm sleeping like a baby at night with no drugs, which I wasn't able to do on the tamox or the antidepressant (lexapro) they ahd me on. Still having hot flashes, but like I said, this time it's not medication driven - I think it's menopause - unfortunately I think chemo or the tamox did my ovaries in....
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Kel makes some very good points. There is a plethora of information on B17...a very interesting topic.
As for kale, I needed to figure out how I could prepare it/what to do with it! From this site: http://www.eatrundoyoga.com/blog/kale-five-ways/
I found information on a few ideas for preparing kale, as follows (hope it helps someone else as clueless as I was when it comes to kale preparation!) : When you are ready to eat your kale, and I suggest that you eat it soon after bringing it home, first wash the kale and then strip out the stems and rip the leaves into small pieces. Then, here are my five favorite ways to prepare kale:
1. Saute. Saute the leaves in sesame oil and garlic until they are limp and bright, and serve sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds.
2. Roast. Place the DRY leaves in a baking dish and toss with olive oil. Bake in 450 oven for 5-10 minutes until leaves are crispy, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with salt and serve.
3. Soup. Make a soup out of one head of garlic peeled and chopped, one onion chopped, 1 bunch kale de-stemmed and chopped, 2 medium potatoes chopped, 2 carrots diced, any other veggies you like, and 8 cups veggie broth. Saute the garlic and onions first, and then combine everything in a big soup pot. Simmer until potatoes are tender. As an option, add rice vinegar, salt, and / or pepper and season to taste.
4. Smoothie. Make your favorite smoothie, and add in tiny pieces of kale. Start with 1/2 a handful and then add more if you like.
5. Steam. Bring about 1/2 cup of water in a large pot or Dutch Oven to a boil. Add a tablespoon or two of Earth Balance, and your kale. Put the lid on the pot and steam until kale is tender, adding water as necessary. Then season with salt and pepper, lemon juice, olive oil, and / or soy sauce.B17: I have been reading on this topic for a while. Some of the foods where B17 is naturally occurring are:
Barley, bitter almonds (not the sweet almonds commonly available), native (bitter) cassava, chickpeas (garbanzo beans), grass (wheat grass and many other grasses), lentils, flaxseed, millet, and the seeds of various fruits (apple, apricot, blackthorn, cherry, nectarine, peach, plum). Most of these foods have been deleted from the modern diet. To prevent cancer, a maintenance dose of vitamin B17 can be provided by eating several bitter almonds or apricot seeds daily. Also, of note, B17 cannot function without sufficient zinc in the body. Things you need to know!
Bottom line on B17: no matter what the government has decided about B17 supplements (and a docs inability to prescribe it as it is illegal for them to do so) or what you might believe, it would not hurt to get some into your body on a daily basis.
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More info on B17 so you all understand why the govt stopped docs from being able to prescribe it:
Vitamin B17 has long been under debate in America. Banned from research in 1977, it was discovered that this vitamin produces a type of cyanide in the body. According to previous research done, prior to this ban, the cyanide that vitamin B17 produces, only affects cancerous cells. This is due largely in part to the fact that yet another enzyme created by the vitamin protects cells that are non-cancerous, and deactivates the cyanide's affects on healthy cells. It would appear from this research that, in essence, this means that vitamin B17 is truly the only natural cancer killing substance. What Can We Do? Just because it is unlawful to prescribe vitamin B17 here in the United States, that does not mean that there is no way for you to get the amazing benefits of this vitamin in your system.
The above information was derived from: http://www.vitamins-infoexpress.com/Vitamin-B17/Vitamin-B17.php
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kel Thanks for all of the info. I am going to try to stick with the tamoxifen for a few months b/c I've heard people say the side effects can lessen over time. It sounds like you are doing alot to protect yourself. I am also sore form surgery, so I want to see in a few weeks when I can be more active and get out more as the weather gets better if that helps my mood.
Carolyn
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Hi all--Hope all is well. The weather is beautiful now and my kids are very outdoorsy so as soon as the weather changed and the clocks went back---they are playing outside all the time. I start with my personal trainer tomorrow at my support centre--they provide one for 2X weekly--free of charge so I am hoping that it will give me the boost that I need to strengthen my muscles. I am now heading to gym probably 3-5 X per week depending and feel good. My hair is pretty short and I am going without any covering (when weather permits). I find that more people stare now than before...a little disconcerting sometimes.
Debbi--Hockey playoffs are done for my kids--both got knocked out in semis. Tryouts are in a couple of weeks--here hockey seems to never end--to stay on rep competitive team--tryouts are in April--but kids already know if they are on team or not--craziness. My oldest has started football training and my youngest will be starting soccer soon enough. Not sure where my kids got their sporty personalities from!
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Good evening all!!
Omaz: That swim sounds really relaxing...I could use a good tropical vacation. I am glad you were able to get back to doing something you enjoy.
Cal: Sounds like you have a good plan in place. But I have to wonder, how DO you keep track of taking all those supplements?? I have difficulty taking my tamox, iron, and twice daily vitamin D!
Lizzy: I am with you on the peeing issue....I go ALOT these days. A good nights sleep is when I only get up twice during the night to pee. And I can't not drink before bed, because I don't know about anyone else but since I have been taking the Tamoxifen I am VERY THIRSTY...all the time.
Rachel: Sorry about the boys, good that they made it to the playoffs. My son's team lost today, so they are out too. Soccer is our year round sport here, we fill in hockey and lacrosse in the off seasons, but soccer never ends.
Hope everyone is enjoying the nice weather. The guy on the radio mentioned something about a Wintery Mix here....YUCK. NO MORE SNOW!!!!!
Debbi
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Sorry for my absence
Thanks Sue for the call... my DH has until WED off so i wont be able to pop online til then but i will def update on me
(just spring breakin over here LOL)
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Rachel: great that you are going without a hat and your hair is at least short. Good news! Sorry about the kids losing out in the semis but, being in Canada, that must be like an NHL draft! Glad they made it to the semis on that note! Good for you on the gym.
Sptmm: is tamoxifen causing the thirstiness? I am constantly thirsty. I drink only water, seltzer (non-flavored etc..), green tea and milk. I am constantly drinking water now and keep a bottle by my bedside. This cotton mouth is very uncomfortable...reminds me of college when my 2 pot-smoking roommates would cause me to get contact high AND the very awful cotton mouth!
In any case, forgot to ask you about the circus? Was it fun?! Sorry about your son's team losing. Soccer, however, is a great sport. Lacrosse is difficult. I was telling my brother the other day, who played hockey from peewee right through high school, that I never realized how much talent it takes to play hockey and what a tough sport it is, IMO, and lacrosse is second relative to skill. I was just watching a hockey game on ESPN and it dawned on me how much skill is necessary to play that game.
Deb- it is true...snow overnight
I totally forgot to tell you guys about my uncomfortable experience with 2 a-holes (remember I live in Connecticut!) last night! I went out with a baseball cap on and a Baby Phat coat I purchased online, by accident, and it would have cost me too much to return! In any case, it has one of those detach hoods with the fake fur around it and for that reason I thought it would be hide the back of my head and I could wear a baseball cap. Well, these 2 pretentious jokers, in their 40's, must have been liquored up. They were sort of next to me as I was waiting in line at a Mobil station. The guy kept looking at me out of the corner of his eye (I have good peripheral) as I guess he was trying to figure out what was off about me. Of course, someone had to be playing a butt load of lotto to make matters worse. Finally I just took the damn hat off! The woman said "is that the latest fashion?!!!"....not joking! To which I replied "no, but you must be the latest brand of a$$hole!" She was apologetic both for her quaffing and for making fun of my lack of a natural coif! Unbelievable. My lack of hair is of zero concern to me but I guess, for some reason, people must really let their appearance be what defines them. It is really weird how attached they are to their hair and can't believe that someone else would be ok without it, albeit temporarily. My only problem with it is I get cold and I don't like people staring...obviously!
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Lizzy - I find it SO difficult in my heart to not wish chemo upon these kinds of people. It is really unbelievable. I talked to a stage 4 woman at the cancer center one day who said some teenage boys were making fun of her on line at a store. It's really unbelievable - I feel that I wouldn't wish cancer on my worst enemy, but when I hear stories about people making fun of people with cancer, I find it hard not to wish it on them. I remember reading someone on here who has since passed away, got made fun of in a restaurant and she walked up to the table and chewed them out, stating that she hoped they might never have to go thru what she did. I think she made them feel about 1" high because they offered to pay for her dinner and she refused -= wouldn't give them the satisfaction.
It's SO hard for me to feel forgiving towards these kinds of pieces of trash and not wish they would have to feel what we have had to. Carolyn - my nutritionist makes up a sheet every time I go in, with any changes to my protocol, and he writes down the supplements, the numbers and time of day. It hasn't changed in a while so I' ve pretty much memorized it now. I go on Tuesday so we'll see if anything changes from there.
Woke up to snow dumping on us this morning. It was 75 on Friday and we were in shorts -the house was hot. Now it's snowing...........go figure.
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Hiya ladies! I hope everyone is doing well, I had a busy weekend and didn't spend much time on the computer so I just read through everything and got caught up.
Lady I have also noticed that now it just takes me to the top of the page instead of the last post I read. It is annoying, I hope they will fix it. I hope you are feeling well and hopefully you will get an all-clear path report sometime soon.
Lizzy Due to my markings for rads planning I am also having to wear high collared shirts or else show off the bright green X marks on the upper part of my chest. I also don't have enough hair to go hatless so I'm still wearing my knit caps even though it is 80 degrees here now! I do take my hat off in the car and when I'm inside at work the AC is cranked up enough that I'm quite comfortable even with my hat on.
Also as a counter-point to Lizzy's story, I have a nice story from this weekend. I was in a craft store and was wearing my FSU themed knit hat (garnet and gold) and a woman complimented my hat and then asked what kind of treatment I was having. We talked for a few minutes, it turned out that her son, who was a big FSU fan, had a rare form of brain cancer and lost his hair during treatment. She was very nice and even gave me a hug. Unfortunately her son passed away 3 years ago but she was very encouraging and made me feel really good.
Oh and someone asked why my onc seemed surprised about my lack of heart problems related to the herceptin (sorry I forgot who asked and it is not on this page). Anyway, he has told me that in his experience, women have more complaints of heart palpitations and other heart related problems when on the every 3 week herceptin (and herceptin is known to have risks to the heart). So he was just surprised that I haven't been having any trouble with that so far. But then I am also the person whose MUGA scores have been going up throughout treatment, so I guess I'm just a mystery!
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My 2 cents on B17- shouldnt it be OUR choice wether or not we want to take it seeing how our chemo most definatly damaged our healthy cells. The government does allow for some things that knowlingly harm us. (just check the list of potential side effects on ALL medications we're given!)
Funny cuz the gov allows people to drink and smoke which both those things MAY lead to death and can be damaging...
Lizzy- yeah seemed like a bunch of a-holes to me
Kel- i feel the same way
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jsw19- Awesome that your heart is doing well...
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JSW: you might be an enigma relative to those muga scores and lack of palpitations and for this I must say you are the greatest form of an enigma! OMG...isn't it wicked awkward when you are talking to someone who has had cancer in their family and the person is dead?! They don't know what to say...it is so weird. I was talking to this guy the other day and he was saying about how his aunt had bc and, well, um....now she is among the dearly departed. He was stammering and trying to explain she died of other complications etc... It was so awkward. In any case, I am glad you had a nice meeting with a nice person. You are such a sport for still wearing the knit cap. I am not sure if sweating or the stares are worse!
My favorite random cancer exchanges: those with the psychic friends! The "everything will workout just fine" or "you are a survivor (laughable!)" psychic friends or my all time favorite, an intra-family psychic friend: "you are cancer-free; I know it is gone!!!!" I am glad they all know what we and our doctors have no clue about! I am only joking, I know they are trying to be nice and supportive but it is funny nonetheless!
Kel: people are just stupid. Unfortunately I will go through someone like a knife through butter in 2 seconds flat...it is a gift! Remember in "You've Got Mail" when Tom Hanks was saying to Meg Ryan at the buffet (when she realizes he is Joe Fox of the big, bad Fox Books?!) that he has this uncanny ability to say the exact and necessary thing when required (or something to that effect)? Well, this is me and it cuts both ways. They could not apologize enough and I just walked out, leaving them in mid-sentence.
I really don't like a lot of people to know about my having cancer. It makes life easier and for this reason, and not because it is part of my identity, I can't wait until this hair is just long enough to stop the ogling!
Scholarships: I cannot believe this but I have been hunting up scholarships and there are very, very few for adult survivors of bc. I have been all over the web and making calls. As you all know, I am planning to go back to school for nursing and was thinking there should be scholarship funds for me, I would think. I even called the ACS this morning and was told about 2 links on the www and both are pretty much dead ends. All of the funds out there are for kids who's parents have had cancer(s). Don't get me wrong, that is wicked important but nothing for an adult w/bc over the age of 35? My brother was under the impression the government would pay for retraining and/or schooling for cancer victims. I don't think so...I have been researching this on and off for over a month now. Can we get some help!?!?
Did you all see the "breaking news?" Generic Taxotere gets FDA marketing okay...hmmm!
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Lizzy Someone from our church called me when I was first diagnosed. I didn't know her that well but she said she she was thinking of me because her husband had breast cancer. I was a little floored when she later said "when he passed from it"....It's so true about it being awkward, although in this case she really did seem to think she was being supportive.
Carolyn
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