August 2010...anyone starting chemo besides me?!
Comments
-
Okay so i am such a freakin nerd LOL i did youtube "andale zumba" and they had this catchy song that said andale a lot LOL and a dance that reseambled that cha-cha (the cha-cha foot movements are quick-quick slow) ANd i think the cha-cha is cuban
Yup total nerd!
0 -
Yes, my mom got her puppy! Ooh my gosh, she is so adorable! I will have to see about attaching a photo somehow. Her name is Pansy and she's 8 weeks old and she's the perfect puppy. She's housebroken already! HRUMPH! It took MY dog two and a half years -took her two days! Puppy's just barely old enough to walk straight and she already goes to the door and asks to go out............she's hardly had any accidents in the house. She's TEENY tiny - only 3 pounds and looks all cocker instead of cockapoo. Think "opening scenes of Lady and the Tramp" and that's what she looks like.
My dog is not happy about her. He's afraid of her...all 3 pounds.... she is just adorable and mom takes her everywhere. Glad that mom will have a couple of days at home this week just to give her some time to get used to being in the house.
My homeschooled kids are on Easter break this week - I'm lovin' it! I'm so happy to have this week just to sort of try to "catch up" on stuff!
0 -
Hi all
My husband contacted the PTA at our school. He said I was overwhelmed and he works alot and that I never like to ask for help. ( My mom's been in the hospital with pneumonia so we really don't have anyone to watch the kids for appts.). Well yesterday our pastor's wife took the kids for a playdate and tonight one of the moms is sending dinner. My neighber emailed me that she got a letter that went out to the parents and that she suggested help getting my son to soccer and tball or maybe picking the kids up. We have a PTA meeting tomorrow and they are making a sign up list. I guess this will be a lesson for me in asking for and accepting help. It's hard to admit, but I was starting to feel like was it worth fighting when I was scared and overwhelmed all the time- and then would feel awful for feeling that way when I looked at my beautiful kids. . Now I see I was just being so hard on myself and angry at myself for being sick. Anyway, wanted to say I appreciate all of your words of support and I hope this helps any of you who are feeling overwhelmed reach out
Carolyn.
0 -
Carolyn I am so glad that your husband contacted the PTA and that is so wonderful that people are offering to help. I hate asking for help too so I understand how you felt. I do have to remind myself sometimes that it is ok to ask for help and it is ok to let some things go! My aunt battled BC ten years ago and one thing she told me when I started treatment is that it is ok to say NO to things and not to feel like I had to do everything!
Texas I'm glad to hear that you have finished rads, it sounds like you are feeling pretty good these days!
Lizzy When is your CT scan with delicious dye happening?
Well today I hit the halfway point on rads - 17 of 34 done! I also saw my rad onc and she said my skin is still looking pretty good. This afternoon I am meeting with my realtor to get my house on the market. I looked at pictures online yesterday of a couple of the other houses in my neighborhood that are for sale and one of them definitely still has a lot of clutter. So I'm hoping that all my hard work will pay off and my house will sell relatively soon!
0 -
jsw - Congrats on getting halfway for rads!!0
-
Good morning chemosabes and radicals-
I hope you all are doing well today!
Texas: "Andale" translates in American slang as "move your ass!" I thought it was a dance but I guess that is what drinking in Mexico will get me! They do a dance move in Zumba called "Andale" so apparently it is a dance step but not an actual dance and I don't think it is Zumba-exclusive! In any event, it is fun!
Ckptry: by virtue of your profession being the one who takes care of the sick, clearly it would not be easy for you to realize you need assistance. I am glad the PTA is chipping in. That is wonderful news. Enjoy it!
JSW: it is today
Congrats on being 1/2 way done! It is so much to keep up with and I am very happy you were able to do it all.Ok, later gators-
0 -
Let us know how it goes today Lizzy!0
-
Well I had a bit of a meltdown in the dr office today before herceptin. My PA (who is fantastic) agrees that the tam is messing with my emotions and thinks it would be good for me to try celexa. I haven't looked it up yet - anyone know about it? Thanks
0 -
Cptry. Take their offer of help. What a great thing for the pta to do. think and revel in the knowledge that you are half way through. That chemo is throwing krap at the cancer and killing it.
Calmytkel makes you want to punch people in the throat. My neighbor came over yesterday and told me I would feel better if I got some sun. This was not five seconds after I explained iwas sitting in the shade because rads make the skin sun sensitive. If you ain t had BC you don t get it I wanted to scream.
Libraylil0 -
Carolyn - I have learned a few things with BC. I too, don't like to accept help, etc. However, my mom pointed out that if you refuse to accept help, or even money when people give it ,that you are robbing them of the blessing of giving/serving/helping. It's still hard for me though. On Saturday I worked all afternoon at the funeral lunch for our pastor's wife. our church catered a big affair for everyone - about 130 people. I washed dishes all afternoon-- it was so wonderful to do something for somebody else, especially someone I loved! It was great to do something for someone ELSE, and sometime you will have the opportunity to do things for these people who are now helping you!
When we went to leave, one of the women insisted that we take a giant deli platter that had gone untouched and lots of the leftover foods. I felt funny doing it, but she pulled me aside and insisted (knowing that we have four kids and finances are tight!) Well, it made life a lot easier for me as I didnt' have to cook dinner once i got home that afternoon!
Point is that you have to accept it when people offer, without guilt. It makes people feel good to help. I was so happy to be able to make a lot of food and help out on Saturday and I know that's how people feel when they're helping me, and helped me through chemo, etc.
RIght now I'm having a tough time because I don't have anyone to "lean" on ----I have God, but I mean people. I get overwhelmed thinking of my dad being gone - and our finances and our future and my husband's work situation and of course, cancer!
Used to be that I could call my mom and she would give me a pep talk and pray with me. But I can't burden her right now - I can't lean on my mom - she's still grieving the loss of my dad. My dad's not here to lean on and my very very dear pastor who is like a grandfather to me just lost his wife of 58 years, so everyone's dealing with their own stuff. My very good friend who went to chemo with me and has been there through it all is having a very bad time - she has a stomach ulcer, is anemic and has multiple health problems. She passed out the other day and had to be admitted to the hospital. I miss her being "there". I'm trying to be there for her - I've offered to cook and such and drive her wherever she wants, but she is relying on her family right now. She doesn't seem to want help --being a very giving person, I think she feels that she doesn't want to burden anyone, and I feel helpless. She's so weak, tired and just not herself. I feel like I'm losing everyone around me (not just to death like my dad, but those who supported me just aren't able right now.) I know for a fact it would make me feel better if she would allow me to help her. In a way it would be therapeutic for me......I know I sound selfish - I guess it is time to be strong and stand on my own. But just the loss of this sort of support network is hard. I think God for giving me himself, and I thank God for my husband and children even though the kids drove me nuts today.
I think when someone is going through something tough, other people feel helpless. Letting them make dinner or whatever is as good for them as it is you.
Anyway, I think maybe when these clouds blow away I'll feel better. I hope - I suddenly feel like I have PMS - like this dark and p*ssed off feeling that hasn't happened since I used to get PMS. I have to try to shake it - I think my hormones are out of whatck. It's been a tough day of dealing with annoying customers and financial difficulties. I'm back on the lyme supplements because of the pain in my ankles, knees and hips and hopefully those will dissipate in the next few days. The glass half full is that my naturopathic doctor knows how to fix these things.
By the way, has anyone had an echo since they finished chemo? I'm scared of what chemo may have done to my heart......after losing my dad so suddenly to a heart attack I think I need to see a cardiologist so I know what's going on..........I read that adriamyacin can cause heart problems years down the road.
0 -
Lizzy- i knew what andale meant
i am fluent in spanish. i had just never heard of a dance called andale LOL i was thinkin- this girl is crazy LOL (said with lots of love for ya!) I am pretty sure its Zumba exclusive, although youtubing zumba videos made me want to try a class! Looks like fun. I can salsa, merigue, cumbia, i think i could try zumba! How'd the appointment go today???
omaz- i do not know about celexa- maybe theres a topic here about it???
lil- people just tune us out i figure, because i too have explained something to someone for them to SECONDS later ask me a question or make a coment that cotradicts what i freaking just said!
0 -
Kel- your mom is a wise woman. People offer cuz they WANT to help.
it does feel funny accepting it when we're so used to doing for ourselves, but it sure is heartwarming to know people are still good in this world!
0 -
Hi ladies. Somehow this thread got taken off my favorites list and I wasn't being notified of new comments. I thought it was weird for our group to be silent for several days!!
Just want to tell Carolyn (and any others having a hard time) to hang in there. You've got a lot on you. Accept all the help you can get and one day you can give it back. Your sister sounds like she is about as clueless as mine. My sister sent me an email the other day telling me she'd been sick all weekend and she thinks it was all because she was worried about me. All my fault, huh? The delete button works wonders.
0 -
I was at a parent/child group that my support centre started last night and one of the topics was about accepting help when offered and how most people really do want to help--and it makes them feel involved and of some use, in an otherwise hard situation. At the group, I met a few other people with children similar ages--we all have cancer and some of the spouses were there also--some are in similar situation to me (where they have just finished treatment) and some are in Stage 4 palliative care. It was amazing to hear how resilient the human spirit is and especially how their kids are handling the diagnosis etc. On our drive home, the kids were chatting about the new kids they met--it will hopefully help them to meet other young kids whose parents also have cancer.
I seem to have an ear infection that won't go away and now on antibiotics...lucky me. Feel like crap for the last few days and don't have any energy.
Lady---I love that comment "the delete button works wonders"!! Love that. So very true--I have used it many times for those crazy comments that people send. When I told someone I had ear infection, they wondered if I need to get that stuff checked out more seriously incase it is cancer again--nice way to put my mind at ease. I just walked away.....honestly, people are strange.
0 -
Carolyn: That is great of the women in the PTA! I know how difficult it is to accept help, but everyone is right....take the offer when you get it. I had some of my daughter's soccer teammates moms bring over some meals while I was doing rads, and it was sooo great not to have to worry about dinner when I got home. And I think it made them feel better too. I am so glad that you got some help, I hope you are feeling better.
Calam: Its hard standing on your own. I know how you feel not wanting to bother others around you who are dealing with their own issues. It feels very lonely though. Maybe a little heart to heart with God alone during this time would make you feel better. Just to get it all out there....I am sure he wouldn't mind. And then, there is always us....we are always here. As for the heart, I did have an echo because I had an abnormal EKG during presurgical testing in December. The chemo did cause a change in my heart rhythm. Something called an inverted T-wave. They did an echo which came back fine and then a stress test, which also looked okay. So, I just have to be followed yearly. The cardiologist said it was nothing I needed to worry about as long as my echo and stress test were normal.
Lizzy: In your honor.... I did the Zumba class today. Boy, I was rotating hips, shaking bootie, riding horsies....all that stuff. Andale...Andale!!! Hope your test went okay today, keep us updated.
JSW: Congrats on the halfway mark!!!! How did the realtor meeting go?
Omaz: Sorry, I don't know anything about Celexa, but I hope it helps you feel a little more even-tempered.
Lady and Carolyn: I know it is probably an awful thing to say, but I am so glad my sister isn't the only jerk around. I use my caller ID to avoid mine!!!!
Texas: I was really good at the merangue tonight!!! It was the only Zumba dance, where I didn't feel like a total spazz!! Funny story about people not listening to us...yesterday I had thawed beef cubes in the sink for a stew I was going to make. Not wanting them to stay out all day, I called home from work and asked my son to put them in the refrigerator. Got up this morning to make the stew....guess where the beef cubes were.....FROZEN IN THE FREEZER! I swear those kids just want to get you off the phone and don't listen to a word you say!!! Needless to say, I woke him up to point out the difference between a freezer and a refrigerator...LOL.
Libralil: Maybe you should have offered to show your neighbor your tan.....radiation tan that is....LOL! Bet that would have left them speechless!
Rachel: That program seems wonderful..very good idea to get the families together so everyone has a counterpart to relate to.
Hope everyone has a great day tomo!!!
Debbi
0 -
Lizzy - How did the test go today?
Debbi - thanks, I hope it helps too. I hate taking meds, really, but maybe I just need to do it for a while until I get used to the tamoxifen. Maybe it will help with the hot flashes.... (c:
0 -
Good evening chemosabes and radicals-
I think I am officially over-reacting to every spot on my body!!!! I went to the dermatologist today (anyone in CT that reads this thread and needs a dermatologist referral, don't hesitate to ask, she is with Yale and is *excellent*) to get a suspicious black mark on my face looked at. I hope I give you all a good laugh....Ms. Facials and high-end skin care over here could not recognize a BLACK HEAD staring at her!!! I was moderately embarrassed! There were a few other things I was there for but that was the funniest!
For those of you who saw "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," you will understand this next one. I have a dark patch of skin below where my right breast used to be and I did not know what it was. I wanted to have that checked out. Well a few weeks ago my friend and her husband were here and he said the brown spot might be Leroy, my brother from another mother (!), and that if he grows some hair, we will give him some dreads!!!! He said just like the aunt in Big Fat Greek with the lump on her neck that contained a tooth and some hair from her unborn sister, he is my "unhatched" brother!!!! The dermatologist got a big kick out of that one!
So I had the brain CT and was pissed because I went to one building after having been told twice, including 2 hours prior when I called to see if I could have breakfast, and sure enough I arrive and had to go to another building...was a little upset! In any case, they said "technically" the scans look great which basically means they took a good pic! I so hated to have that dye in my head but it has to be done. I have a little headache now and will inform you all when I get the results of the scan. I am sooooo hoping and praying all is fine and those weird headaches were ocular.
Tex: how did you become fluent in Spanish? Did you study? Believe it or not, Ms. Japanese-and-Chinese over here did not have such a good time of French and Spanish! I mean I got good grades but I found the gender specific conjugating annoying at best!
That dance move called "Andale" in Zumba is actually part of a Mexican dance. I have done it while in Mexico and am now upset because I want to know what the name of that dance, that includes that Andale step from Zumba, is!!!!!! I know my drunk ass did it...perhaps not well but blame it on the Cabo Wabo!
BTW, if you can salsa, meringue and cumbia, you will LOVE Zumba! You need to get it! The package with the Zumba sticks (sound like marachas-love them!) is $70 at Amazon.
Ladyinbama: I wondered what happened to you! I missed hearing from you and seeing those cute little dogs! Having good times at the lake house? I hope you are doing well.
Rachel: that is a great group that you found especially because the kids can meet other kids similarly situated. I am so happy that you found that group. It really helps the kids not feel socially alone. Plus there are things they will say to their friends and share feelings they are having which they will never share with an adult and/or parent. I am really glad they embraced it as well in talking about the new friends they met. That is good stuff!
Sptmm: with the amount of working out you do, your heart will just fine, woman!!!! No worries at all! Andale, andale!!!! Do they do the andale step in your class? I love the Amazon thing because I have learned everything I need to actually do it in a gym! There is an instructional dvd which is great and I got 2 Zumba sticks, a cardio workout, a toning workout (cardio with very a dab of toning!), a 20 minute dvd and 2 live dvds and have been doing it for 1 month now. I have lost 18 lbs (or lost what I gained over chemo days!) and feel healthier than I have in over a year now.
BTW, using the answering machine to avoid drama whackos is a great idea! I don't care if they are family or not, if they are acting weird about your dx/bc/situation, they must be avoided. The only people I kept around me through this entire thing are those that I laugh with...that is it!
Omaz: your docs know best. Celexa is one of the antidepressants that does not mess with Tamox. From this link: http://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/news/20090601/antidepressants-and-tamoxifen-may-not-mix I found this out: The breast cancer recurrence rate among women taking tamoxifen and the weaker antidepressants Celexa, Lexapro, or Luvox and was similar to that of women taking tamoxifen alone.
I am sure you will feel better. Celexa is in the mild category. This is the problem with antidepressants and tamox: Tamoxifen mixes with a liver enzyme called CYP2D6 in the body to change into the tumor-fighter endoxifen. Many SSRIs block the same enzyme, thus preventing tamoxifen from morphing into its active form. I think you have to be above 20mgs to have it become a real issue anyway. I hope it helps you. Let me know how it goes. I wish you the best. Believe me when I tell you, as I threw my little tantrum about being sent to the wrong building, I reflected on what you have been saying about tamox, hormones and overall bitchiness!
Calamtykel: I can't remember the name of the test now (unbelievable!) that I had right after chemo to check my heart and be sure that it did not go down. I think that test, if the number has gone down substantially, indicates the potential for future heart problems and those that are not showing today. My number went down one point. If you feel better, get an echo. I may have had one and I just don't remember! Nuclear med does the test I am talking about....I know others here know what I am talking about! The box comes close to your face...ugh..I know JSW and Zenith both know what I am talking about...perhaps that dye is having an effect already!
Well, now I guess I am going to drive myself bananas researching the deleterious effects of CT scan dye!
Goodnight all-
0 -
Good evening chemosabes and radicals-
I think I am officially over-reacting to every spot on my body!!!! I went to the dermatologist today (anyone in CT that reads this thread and needs a dermatologist referral, don't hesitate to ask, she is with Yale and is *excellent*) to get a suspicious black mark on my face looked at. I hope I give you all a good laugh....Ms. Facials and high-end skin care over here could not recognize a BLACK HEAD staring at her!!! I was moderately embarrassed! There were a few other things I was there for but that was the funniest!
For those of you who saw "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," you will understand this next one. I have a dark patch of skin below where my right breast used to be and I did not know what it was. I wanted to have that checked out. Well a few weeks ago my friend and her husband were here and he said the brown spot might be Leroy, my brother from another mother (!), and that if he grows some hair, we will give him some dreads!!!! He said just like the aunt in Big Fat Greek with the lump on her neck that contained a tooth and some hair from her unborn sister, he is my "unhatched" brother!!!! The dermatologist got a big kick out of that one!
So I had the brain CT and was pissed because I went to one building after having been told twice, including 2 hours prior when I called to see if I could have breakfast, and sure enough I arrive and had to go to another building...was a little upset! In any case, they said "technically" the scans look great which basically means they took a good pic! I so hated to have that dye in my head but it has to be done. I have a little headache now and will inform you all when I get the results of the scan. I am sooooo hoping and praying all is fine and those weird headaches were ocular.
Tex: how did you become fluent in Spanish? Did you study? Believe it or not, Ms. Japanese-and-Chinese over here did not have such a good time of French and Spanish! I mean I got good grades but I found the gender specific conjugating annoying at best!
That dance move called "Andale" in Zumba is actually part of a Mexican dance. I have done it while in Mexico and am now upset because I want to know what the name of that dance, that includes that Andale step from Zumba, is!!!!!! I know my drunk ass did it...perhaps not well but blame it on the Cabo Wabo!
BTW, if you can salsa, meringue and cumbia, you will LOVE Zumba! You need to get it! The package with the Zumba sticks (sound like marachas-love them!) is $70 at Amazon.
Ladyinbama: I wondered what happened to you! I missed hearing from you and seeing those cute little dogs! Having good times at the lake house? I hope you are doing well.
Rachel: that is a great group that you found especially because the kids can meet other kids similarly situated. I am so happy that you found that group. It really helps the kids not feel socially alone. Plus there are things they will say to their friends and share feelings they are having which they will never share with an adult and/or parent. I am really glad they embraced it as well in talking about the new friends they met. That is good stuff!
Sptmm: with the amount of working out you do, your heart will just fine, woman!!!! No worries at all! Andale, andale!!!! Do they do the andale step in your class? I love the Amazon thing because I have learned everything I need to actually do it in a gym! There is an instructional dvd which is great and I got 2 Zumba sticks, a cardio workout, a toning workout (cardio with very a dab of toning!), a 20 minute dvd and 2 live dvds and have been doing it for 1 month now. I have lost 18 lbs (or lost what I gained over chemo days!) and feel healthier than I have in over a year now.
BTW, using the answering machine to avoid drama whackos is a great idea! I don't care if they are family or not, if they are acting weird about your dx/bc/situation, they must be avoided. The only people I kept around me through this entire thing are those that I laugh with...that is it!
Omaz: your docs know best. Celexa is one of the antidepressants that does not mess with Tamox. From this link: http://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/news/20090601/antidepressants-and-tamoxifen-may-not-mix I found this out: The breast cancer recurrence rate among women taking tamoxifen and the weaker antidepressants Celexa, Lexapro, or Luvox and was similar to that of women taking tamoxifen alone.
I am sure you will feel better. Celexa is in the mild category. This is the problem with antidepressants and tamox: Tamoxifen mixes with a liver enzyme called CYP2D6 in the body to change into the tumor-fighter endoxifen. Many SSRIs block the same enzyme, thus preventing tamoxifen from morphing into its active form. I think you have to be above 20mgs to have it become a real issue anyway. I hope it helps you. Let me know how it goes. I wish you the best. Believe me when I tell you, as I threw my little tantrum about being sent to the wrong building, I reflected on what you have been saying about tamox, hormones and overall bitchiness!
Calamtykel: I can't remember the name of the test now (unbelievable!) that I had right after chemo to check my heart and be sure that it did not go down. I think that test, if the number has gone down substantially, indicates the potential for future heart problems and those that are not showing today. My number went down one point. If you feel better, get an echo. I may have had one and I just don't remember! Nuclear med does the test I am talking about....I know others here know what I am talking about! The box comes close to your face...ugh..I know JSW and Zenith both know what I am talking about...perhaps that dye is having an effect already!
Well, now I guess I am going to drive myself bananas researching the deleterious effects of CT scan dye!
Goodnight all-
0 -
Lizzy - you just snuck in there that you lost 18 pounds ! Wow - congrats!! don't worry about that dye, really, it's gone already.0
-
Lizzy- My dad is 1/2 mexican, but he left when i was 8. I mostly had mexican friends growing up. We'd speak spanish to eachother when i didnt want my mom knowing what i said. (my mom actually is deaf and she reads lips) Funny story because she asked a friend at work what "puta" meant and the next time i used that i got a well deserved slap across the face LOL
My husband's dad is 1st generation american by way of MX and his mom was born and raised in Puerto Rico (thats where his parents met when his dad was stationed over there) Most her family still lives in PR, although a few realatives have moved to NYC and Florida... My my DH is a mixed breed LOL his mom hardly speaks english- 99.9% spanish. My kids speak spanish as well. ALthough not as much as i would like for them to speak it....
I am very guerra (white skinned) but my little sister is DARK, ppl will talk to her in spanish and she HAS NO CLUE! People talk aboutme in spanish think i dont understand.
I took french in HS and couldnt get the whole reading and writing it LOL avec moi is with me and thats all i can really recall LOL
in the pacific northwest where i was born and raised there is a LARGE population of Vietnamese and so OF COURSE i picked up all their dirty words as well LOL-
Sorry for being long winded LOL its midnight and i got a killer headache and thought if i got online for a while i'd get sleepy LOL and i ramble when i am tired!
NIGHT!
PS- i might have not seen a correct representation of the andale dance move on youtube
and i am def not an expert 2 latin dancing! LMBO!0 -
Good vibes for an all clear scan Lizzy.
0 -
Good Morning Everyone!!
Lizzy: Sitting here still laughing at the "unborn twin", that is hysterical!! I loved that movie!! I youtubed Andale and zumba...and yes, we did that one! The music was different but the steps were very similar. 18 lbs......wow...I am impressed. Congrats! I am averaging about 4 lbs a month. I am now 18 lbs from the ideal weight for my height. I'm patient, I will get there soon.
About the dye..one of my favorite expressions in dealing with this whole mess is....It is what it is... the dye is in there and you can't get it back out. It had to be used to protect you from further harm. You are only going to worry yourself sick googling the danger of that dye...so STOP GOOGLING!
Its funny you mention surrounding yourself with people who see the humor even in what we have been through lately. My kids have gotten some really negative comments at times when they have made light-handed comments, or jokes, about some of the side effects of chemo or things that I have been through. It seems that people around them think they should be all somber and depressed, but I handled the whole situation in a lighthearted way with them, so they react the same way. It has made the last year much easier to deal with and, I think, much less distressing to them. Some people, however, just don't get how you can joke about something so serious. I like the people who can see humor in anything. Another favorite phrase..."you can laugh or cry....I choose to laugh".
Thanks for the reassurance about my heart, I have no worries. I trust the doctor. I am now unique...LOL. Another gift from chemo...A "unique" heart rhythm. Funny, we were talking about going to Great Adventure the other day. Now that I have lost almost 40 lbs, I can go on the roller coasters again..I shied away for years because I was afraid that I wouldn't fit in the seat. Anyway my son got a little concerned and said "but mom you might have a heart attack", and I promptly reassured him that the doctor put my heart under stress and it performed very well....so no worries.
Omaz: If you are unhappy with the way you are feeling right now, take the Celexa! Sometimes, like you said, you just need some help for a little while to get over the bump. Think of it like the anti-nausea meds. You took them to get rid of the nausea. You would have survived without them, you just would have felt horrible and been miserable. Celexa is the same thing...you have a side effect that is making you miserable and need some help alleviating it so you can be comfortable. I think people get hung up on antidepressents because they feel they are admitting a defect in themselves or something, some sort of weakness. I have heard that side effects from Tamox will wax and wane and change over time. So, I bet in a couple of months your body will get used to the hormonal state the Tamox puts you in and you can stop taking the Celexa. I hope you feel better soon!!!
Calam: The test Lizzy is talking about is a MUGA scan. It measures heart function. If you are concerned, I would ask your doctor about it.
Rachel: Hope you are feeling better! Those antibiotics usually work fast for an earache.
Texas: Wow, what a colorful family tree!!! You can swear in what, 3/4 different languages!! I was laughing at the story of your mom finding out what you said. Once when oldest son was about 15 he was playing in a soccer game and there were a bunch of Jamaican boys on the other team, talking in their own slang to each other about my son and his teammates. You should have seen the look on their faces when my son turned around and responded to their comments...they were shocked as they never expected that the blond hair/blue eyed "white" boy would ever understand what they were saying. Little did they know he had spent about two weeks with a team of boys from NYC, most of whom were Jamaican, about a month earlier, so he knew exactly what they were saying! Lesson learned....you can't judge a book by its cover....and be really sure the people around you don't speak your language before you insult them...LOL! I hope your headache abated and you got a decent nights sleep.
Lady: How is that lake house? Have you gotten out there at all lately? Up here in the northeast we are still waiting for Spring to arrive (it better hurry up because summer is almost here). Your weather must be better, or at least warmer. When you do get to go, I would love to see a picture of the lake, from the porch...I feel calmer and more peaceful just thinking about that!
I took a "mental health" day from work today. I was hoping the weather would be nicer, but..oh well it has stopped raining at least. My daughter has a very important lacrosse game at 10, so I promised her I would be there. Then I think we will head out to Atlantis Marineworld this afternoon, visit the fish for a couple of hours. Anyway, I hope everyone has a great day!
Debbi
0 -
Cal Yes, as Debbi said one test you can have on your heart is a MUGA (that is the one Lizzy was talking about). They give it regularly when you are on Herceptin so I have had I think 3 of them already and I'm due for another one next month. I also had Adriamycin so between that and the Herceptin they are keeping close watch on my heart. The MUGA measures your ejection fraction, I don't know if it can also tell about your heart rhythm. Anyway, my MUGA scores have actually increased each time (higher scores are better) so I keep joking with my onc that Herceptin is actually making my heart work better! Also about your friend who is sick, I wonder if it might be helpful for both you and her if you had a little talk with her about how much you want to help and how you understand that it is difficult to accept help but that in the end if she could accept it, then it would benefit both of you.
Lady Good to see you back here, I was wondering where you had gone! That is funny that you were not getting the alerts and were wondering why we were so quiet. We are not usually quiet for long around here!
Rachel That is so great that you were able to go to a parent/child group. I think it is a great idea for your kids to be able to meet other kids whose parents have cancer and hopefully that will really help them to feel better about things.
Debbi That is a funny story about your son putting the beef back into the freezer. My husband is the same way, I really think he only listens to at most half of what I say. And good for you for taking a mental health day today - sometimes we need it! The meeting with my realtor went really well yesterday, she thought the house looked great and we did all of the paperwork to get the house listed. So now I'm just waiting to see if people want to come look at it!
Omaz I agree with the others about Celexa. It is a relatively mild antidepressant and if it can help you stay on Tamox and still feel mostly like "yourself" then it is totally worth it. I have worked in the mental health field and one thing that really bothers me is the stigma that people have about mental illness and the medications that treat those illnesses. If a person has diabetes and takes medication to help regulate their blood sugar no one has a problem with that. But if a person is depressed and takes a medication to help regulate the chemicals in their brain, people get all freaked out. To me it is the same thing - sometimes systems in the body get thrown out of whack and the best way to correct that might be medication. OK I will step off my soapbox now.
Lizzy It sounds like you got a clean bill of health from the dermatologist and hopefully you will get one from the CT scan soon too.
Well I am happy to be on the downhill slope of rads now, 18 done only 16 to go! I am also going on a trip just a few days after rads are done so I'm excited to have both the end of rads and a fun trip coming up soon!
0 -
Thanks you guys! I appreciate the support.
Cal - I have had 3 ECHO which are an ultrasound of the heart. It takes about 20 minutes and they just put some goo on you and move the wand around taking measurements. It's really easy. I am also on the herceptin so they do it every 3 months or so.
Lizzy - that was funny about the blackhead...
0 -
Lizzy & Debbi Awesome on thw weight loss!!!! You guys bounce back fast:-) Lizzy I'm glad you got your head Ct and hope they can get the results quickly to ease your mind.
omaz Do whatever you need to feel better. as jsw said you wouldn't think twice about taking diabetic meds or antihypertensives. I know sometimes medical staff encourage us to be "good" patients, but there are side effects and whether you have one or a dozen it's not your fault and they should be addressed.
Carolyn
0 -
Yes, we went out to the lakehouse on Sunday, but I didn't get to have much fun since I can't go out on the boat yet. I have to wait one more week because of my last surgery. But it did my heart good to watch my husband and stepkids ride by the dock and wave at me. They had so much fun! It's hard to get his 16 year old daughter to smile, and she was grinning ear to ear while on the boat!
It's back to clouds and storms again today. We are stuck in a weird weather pattern. About every 3 days we have tornados!
0 -
yup - had an echo before chemo and it was fine. I did have an ekg in the hospital when I was really dizzy that time, but methinks it's time for a cardiologlist to just get a workup, especially with running I should probably have a stress test or something.
From what I read, the actual danger of adriamyacin is heart "failure" which is sorta different from a heart attack I guess? A heart attack is the result of the artery getting clogged I think wheras heart failure is the inability of of the entire muscle to pump blood. I think I have that right - and we're at "risk" for heart failure with the adria- it can be short (days after) or can happen a year or more later.
I hate worrying about stuff. BUT, Gotta say, I picked up more of my "zen" stuff (I was out) from the naturopath and I'm feeling much much better today. This is the stuff he put me on -(link below)--- it pulled me out of my severe anxiety - I am wondering if it would help some of you on tamox who are having anxiety and/or depression.
http://www.drugnatural.com/p/655681?utm_source=GoogleBase&utm_medium=GoogleBase&utm_term=655681
0 -
Good day chemosabes and radicals-
I hope you are all having a wonderful day. I am anxiously awaiting scan results...
Tex: That is hysterical that you were getting over on your mom with your Spanish tongue! That is excellent that you have the kids speaking Spanish. Do you and your DH speak Spanish in the home? I think that is really great that you have the kids learning a very much needed second language. That is just great.Isn't that the funniest when people think you don't understand?! In a related story, I remember being on the 4/5 in NYC and a Japanese couple staring at a map, desperate, and I helped them out in their native tongue. My boyfriend was with me and in Japanese I told them he was an a-hole!!!!! They were giggling that cute little Asian laugh and looking at him! Meanwhile he was desperate to know what I said but was clearly laughing as well as he knew I was up to something! It was hysterical!
I think our socially contentious relations with France turned me off from really focusing on learning it. They hate Americans and are not too nice when we are there. We cannot forget the whole "Freedom Fries" ordeal when their ridiculous government sent like 3 soldiers and a backpack to help us in the Iraq war! Could ya spare it?!
What I found really interesting was the fact that there is a large Vietnamese population in the Pacific Northwest. I had no idea. Isn't it quaint that we all share our profanities?! I am Irish and Italian and the few words I know in Gaelic are not for church use and the same with Italian! I know more proper Italian simply because most recently I chose to start studying it.
That freakin' Andale nonsense is going to haunt me! I wanted to choreograph but my parents thought business was a better, more lucrative pursuit. They were right but there were adult studios in NYC where the classes were all dance just for adults. It was great and I am getting tempted to reach out to one of the old teachers, if I can find her, to find out what the story is with that move! BTW, I looked at about 9 YouTubes and none include that move I am talking about.
Adey: thanks so much. I had it at Yale yesterday and I am only pretty sure it has been read and the results rendered. I called my onc's assistant to have the aprn call me with results. That was at 8:55 this morning. The last time they did this was when that PET scan was showing anomalies. In any case, I am cautiously optimistic!
Sptmm: my feelings exactly! There is no reason to start getting upset and being morose about cancer, if you can avoid it, because it is here and what's done is done. The only things you can change is your attitude toward what happens; you can't change what has happened, however. I think it is great that you set an example to be lighthearted about this whole matter. You really have to laugh. The worst thing you can do is get wound up about something you have no control over. It is easy to get wound up, however, but for me laughter is the best medicine!Enjoy your mental health day!!!!! I hope the game goes well and the weather holds out. I like the Norwalk Maritime Center. I have not been in a while. Truth be known what I really like are the nature shows in the Imax!!! I hope you and your "unique" heart enjoy the aquarium!!!
BTW, I have no idea how the heck I forgot MUGA scan!
Omaz: Sptmm makes a very good point. You could survive without additional meds but quality of life comes into the picture. Surely you can "get by" without celexa but if "getting by" was all you wanted, that might be a solution. Enjoy the Celexa! Make some muffins with it! OMG...you are going to laugh your ass off at this one! I lived in a brownstone and had the second and third floors...it was such a great place. There was a 3rd floor deck and I just loved it. In any case, on the first floor was a tenant who liked to smoke pot...LOTS of pot! Finally I asked him to please either stop it, do it in the back yard, open windows etc... because it was wafting right upstairs. One night I come home and the house wreaked of pot again after I asked him to please stop. He told me he had decided to bake with marijuana as a way to avoid me smelling it!!!!!!! OMG...only a super POT HEAD could come up with that! You had to see him when he opened the door! He said "yeah, I know, it was a bad idea!!!!!" At least your Celexa muffins won't smell...at least I don't think!Ckptry: When I called this morning to get the test results I asked them to call ASAP so either I could stop worrying or start worrying more!
As for bouncing back, not really. My sleep is horrible and my days are a mess because of the lack of sleep. I force myself to workout because I did not like that weight since the dx last year. I have always worked out and just force myself now through the aches and pains. Sadly, and often, I like to nap after I workout. That is totally new. In any case, I started back to workouts about 7 weeks ago and feel better as a result but just wish I had some energy again.
Lady: glad you could smile and your stepdaughter was smiling as well! That is wonderful. Gotta keep those kids smiling...it shows they have hope in their hearts!
Well, I am listening to Pavarotti trying to relax while I wait for these results.
Good day to all-
0 -
Celexa muffins!! Muffins with an attitude. Muffins that make you feel better. With walnuts, and raisens.
0 -
And chocolate chips. Chocolate always makes me feel better.
0
