2010 Sisters
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I have been on Caringbridge since day one. A friend told me about the site and it is simple and free to use. It's nice to update everyone with one email and not have to repeat the "news" 50 times. It is really helpful to receive messages especially when you can't sleep!
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Hello Sisters:
Just got the report from my SNB and it could have been worse. Just 1 node involved. None would of been nice but it was only a small amount found in 1/4. I just came from seeing my nurse/practitioner and he agrees it was found in the "nick of time". He said that would put me at stage 3, I can live with that I just want to get on with my chemo treatment now. I see my surgeon tomorrow and I hope thats it for surgery, it better be!
Rachel- I asked him about the rib pain and he named 2 things it could be without being related to cancer. Just thought I'd share that with you.
Travelgal Good Luck tomorrow!
Cathy
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Hi! I was just diagnosed with IDC last week. I have really been pushing and have had a second opinion as of yesterday . Both doctors have recommended the lumpectomy followed by radiation for 6 weeks. At the time of the lumpectomy they will do a sentinel node biopsy. I am scheduled for surgery at M Sloan Kettering CC on Sept. 13th. The doctor said I will need to take arimodex for 5 years. We won't know about chemo yet. Sisters, am I talking English??????? Do we get a decoder ring with this? All of these grades, letters and numbers add to the coldness of the process.I guess I'm just new to all of this material. My best wishes to all of you who are sharing of yourselves and helping each other.I hope I can help others as well. Bless you.
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Hi Cathy---What were the 2 things? Strangely, my rib pain seems to be better but I have a lower back ache which my husband thinks is from me sitting in weird positions when on the computer typing. Hopefully he is right. Keep fingers crossed for Monday. I don't know when I will get my results back--I did see on this site that someone got results right away--I don't think that happens in Canada so I am guessing a couple of days and will hear from Oncologist.
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Gran7 - welcome to the group, you are making complete sense. Did you get a pathology report from the biopsy?
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Gran7 welcome, you will learn all about these grades and letters. It does take time and you need to educate yourself as we all have had to do to understand this. If you still don't understand just ask here and someone will know the answer to whatever you do not understand. Your doctors and onco nurse will also explain anything you don't understand. Don't be afraid to ask. Knowledge will empower you.
Rachel - The first thing he thinks it is (because of the location) is called costochondritis. He said it is under the ribs at the "2 floating ribs" -between these ribs is (forget what he called it) but this area can get "inflammed" by hurting it (by doing something as easy as a cough or bending the wrong way). As it gets inflammed it gets swollen and pain intensifies as a sharp jabbing pain. That sounds just like what mine is. Mine is not as bad as it was the first 3 days (prior to surgery). So it is very likely it is healing as he said it will do in time. The other thing that can cause this pain is Diverticulosis which is little nodules that grow outside of the bowel. This is quite common and can cause pain when "pinched". I hope you can understand my passed on explanation as I'm no doctor!
Cathy
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hello everyone
as usual a mixed bag.good news mixed with bad.we are 3/4 through the year and look at all the people who have been diag.with bc.it just makes me wonder about life in general.bc is supposed to be the great eye opener..so do we look this animal straight in the eye and say HELL YEA WE WILL BEAT YOU?????? you bet we will.
good luck to everyone who are going for tests,surgery etc.you are all in my heart and prayers
stay strong my sistas.there is a safety in numbers.lets have a group hugggggggggggg
can you feel it.God bless
K
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we can feel it granny - huggggggggggggs back and ty
Cathy
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gran7-You sound quite knowledgeable already. Good for you! You are going to be amazed at how much medical stuff you learn. These are great and generous ladies. Just ask away as you have questions. And you will! I'm sure you are in good hands at Sloan Kettering and your team there will help you understand things too.
grannydukes- Did you get your pathology report figured out? HUGS right back at you!
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Cathy and Gran7 and GD and all the sistas in need of hugs, ((((HUGS)))) from Barb. On the road and not around much but thinking and praying for all of you.
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Gran7, Welcome to the group, so sorry to meet you here, but here you will find lots of prayers, hugs, information and support. Feel free to ask anything and someone that has been there or is going through it will be there to help.
I am continually amazed at all the support there is here with all the sisters. Do not be hesitant to ask you oncologist anything or tell them even the smallest concern or pain. You may think is it insignificant but it may be a clue for better treatment.
We are all pulling for you.
I had some sort of good news today! I may not have to have the rads, I will know for sure on the 7th. Keeping my fingers crossed. After my surgery on the 2nd I will start on pamidronate added to the Femara and then chemo. Pain from the liver biopsy is subsiding a little more today and I can almost breath normally. Wish I could share tonight's bowl of ice cream with all of you.
Joy and blessings
Amy Jo
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Amy Jo - There ya go - already jumping in and giving comfort. What a lady! Hugs! Glad things are a bit better for you today.
BarbaraA - Has anyone told you lately your a very nice lady? Hugs back, and thank you.
Cathy
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yes i figured out the path report its all the rest of the shit i cant figure....i will...for sure
has anyone ever told all of you how much we are blessed to have each other?
im telling you now....I luv ya all...a lot.God bless my sistas
hugggggggggggs
K
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Good luck Travelgal. I'll be thinking of you too. God Bless.
Hugs to all you sisters out there!
Paula
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Prayers to you Travelgal that surgery goes smoothly and that you recovery quickly with little to no pain...
hugs from Oklahoma and God bless,
Tori
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Good evening girls!
Thank you all for your support and prayers. I just kept asking God for His peace while I was there and I did feel it. The port placement procedure went well. You will not believe this, but the doc's name that put the port in is Dr. Drinkwine - I am not kidding!! I did take an Ativan at home, and later got two doses of Fentanyl in my IV, but I was still pretty alert and not very sedated. Because of my sleep apnea they didn't want me to get too loopy and fall asleep. The nausea did go away though, so at least I wasn't afraid I was going to puke while I was on the table.
I did feel quite a bit of pushing and tugging, and in one spot on the side of my neck it was pretty uncomfortable, I think it was while he was threading the catheter tube through the vein. I'm still sore, and the tegaderm tape they put over the two incisions feels really tight, but I can change that tomorrow. I think it'll be a 2 percocet night to try to sleep well.I am reading a lot of stress and angst on here tonight. It is to be expected, and we will endure.
AND I AM SO THANKFUL FOR EACH OF YOU - having this circle of friends to share with has been an enormous help.
Blessing to all of you for a restful slumber!
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Thanks for starting this thread.
I find out Monday if I'm to be allowed in a 100 person Stage II Trial at MD Anderson in Houston, TX. I will find out if I will be taking Anastazole, Exemestane or Letrozole to shrink the tumor for 16-18 weeks before surgery. Or I will be taking regular Chemo with or without Radiation or having an immediate Mastecomy and Reconstructive surgery.
My last visit with my Oncologist was on July 20th when I was given my diagnosis. I don't mind admitting this last month has been a lllllllllllooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnggggggggg month. I don't consider myself the most patient person in normal circumstances, and ladies ain't nuthin' 'bout none of this comes close to bein' normal does it?
So, as my daughter says, that old saying about the 'big girl panties' is really demeaning, what other saying can we come up with to cheer ourselves up when we get down. Because I know me and I know that I'm gonna feel sorry for myself sooner or later and I want to be ready for it when it hits me.
So be thinking about it and let me know what you can come up with. All the caring and thoughtfullness I've been reading on this thread has to have something really good just waiting for me, I know it!
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Hi Mac -
I'm a country music fan, so how about COWGIRL UP!
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Good morning girls-
MrsNice I hope you got some rest and are not in too much pain.
A little good news I received my reports on my bone scan, ct and echo. All are clean. The echo came back with a little valve trouble that I will have to have looked at in the future after cancer.
I will be on AC / T for my chemo treatment, radiation and hormone therapy. Is anyone else going this route. Not sure if I mentioned this before, but I will have 4 rounds of each every two weeks for 16 weeks.
One more question, I had my lumpectomy on Aug 6th - almost 3 weeks ago. I have a huge dark "bruise" that really hasn't changed color and is so tender to the touch still. Am I rushing this? I still feel better wearing a soft bra at night for some support and I'm only a b-cup. I thought I would be better by now.
I hope this isn't too much information...it's so hard to talk about this to friends and family who aren't going through it. They want to help, but I feel like I'm being a burden.
I should be getting up and getting ready for work, but I think instead I'm going to see if i can get some sleep I was up again at 3 even after taking Ambien. Amazing how powerful the mind is!
I want to thank each and everyone of you for being so open and loving. I pray for the day we are all healed and well. One day we can chat about vacations, our families and everything and anything but BC!
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Hey jag, My re-excision was 5/20 and I still have a hematoma at the incision. It is still tender and my doc told me it could take even more time to resolve. I hear you about the screwed up sleep pattern. Last night I actually got 8 hours but the night before I was in bed at 9, up at 1:30. I even DREAM about breast cancer. My onc said I would be 'back to normal' after a year. A. How could he know that and B. What is normal?
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HI All
Rather then just single one gal out I say good luck all around to everyone,whether you are going into surgery, treatment or just having a lousy day.
Having all of you to "talk" to has helped me so with all this.
My family was devastated when I was diagnosed and now that my surgery is done and it takes so long for treatment to be started, even a plan made up,things just go back to normal.I feel alone sometimes. The cards,calls and even just a simple how are you just stops.People don't realize now is the time we need it most.
Anyway ,you are making that a little easier for me.:)
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inthepink49 -- Yeah, I think when friends and family get over the shock of the diagnosis and realize you are still around, it kind of goes back to normal for them. I got a ton of messages and cards when i was first diagnosed, and that has faded to a trickle. On my caringbridge site, I used to get 15-20 messages for every update. Now I get 1 or 2. We have to remember to ask for help when we need it though. (Well, I definitely do. Because when people aren't offering to do stuff, I get shy about asking.)
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Hi ITP,
Yes, I've noticed everything stops, too. But then it starts back for a little while when the chemo starts, but then they forget again.
I actually had a friend tell me yesterday, "With all this stress I'm living under (her husband and kids), and I just can't get away from it, I'm afraid I might actually develop a disease from all this!"
I couldn't take it any more (she had just finished telling me how her biggest problem is that she is too empathetic), so I said, "Lisa, I have a disease." Like, who the f*** do you think you're talking to? Yes, they forget so fast. That's why I'm also glad we have these boards. Honestly, we really are the only ones who understand each other.
Of course, I forgive them all because they don't know the cloud that we live under now. And I tell myself they're doing the best they can. And then I come here!
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mac5- If you don't like big girl panties, we can always remember what John Wayne said, "Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway". So, SADDLE UP Tex, it's going to be a bumpy ride, but you can hold on! We all can!
jag- Congratulations on all the good test results. When you said "valve problem", I am assuming your are talking about heart valve? My Onc didn't want to use AC for my chemo because it has the possibility of heart damage (I can't remember details, maybe someone else can chime in). I would definitely do a little research if you already have something going on with your heart. There are alternatives to AC+T. We actually have very similar diagnosis I think. My Onc wanted to use TC on me. I opted for a "milder" chemo of CMF as my Oncotype score indicated chemo would not really change my outcome much. About your bruising. It has only been 2-3 weeks. I remember sleeping with a bra for a while (and a pillow under boob to support). Anyone headed for surgery, USE THE ICE, it really helps with healing and bruising and pain.
inthepink- I think my well-wishing friends have dwindled, not that they don't care. I think it is like "donor fatique", there is only so much healthy friends can deal with. Truthfully, all this medical talk is truly boring....except for us. Thank God we have each other! Come and talk to us any time!
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Good morning!
Okay, well it's afternoon in SoCal but I just got up an hour ago - 2 percocets zonked me. So let me just say about the port thing - I really thought it would be no big deal, but I am a wimp so I should've anticipated it being a little more challenging for me than for others. I'm still sore on my lower neck area and the port site is tender to the touch. I'll have to see if things feel better later when I change the bandages and get the damn tegaderm tape off - my skin hates that stuff and I usually lose a layer in the process.
Barbara - my therapist told me once that "normal" is not reality. There is "functional" and "dysfunctional". Still, I'd like to redefine my normal as soon as possible!
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Good morning Mrs Nice. I am so happy to hear you got some rest. It makes all the difference doesn't it! I DO like Cowgirl Up, but you see, my first husband thought he was a Bull Rider....soooo that close a reminder of Rodeo is hard (even after 30 years!)
But! Designer Mom struck a chord with Saddle Up! It says exactly what I was talking about. I may feel sorry for myself, but I still have to do it, regardless. So I might as well just get the saddle blanket on the horse and get on with it. Right? How does everyone else feel about it? Any other suggestions?
Thanks for the encouragement. The wait is making be really edgy. My husband would really like some relief I think.
Mrs. Nice, I think your therapist is right on the money.....what is 'normal' except a setting on a washing machine? It means so many different things to so many people, it has to be what you define for yourself. Only you know what it is for you, but you certainly know what it is for you!
This feels so much like having you all in my kitchen for coffee. Thank you!
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Hi Ladies: Wow I'm gone a day and it takes me a while to catch up on all the posts. Went back to see my surgeon today and I guess my doctors office isn't much better reading those path reports than I am. She said she removed 5 nodes 1 being positive for cancer. I was told yesterday 1/4. Whats one node among friends? Just that it proves those things are hard to read for the average Joe. No wonder Granny was having fun with it and someone else wanted a decoder.
Reading some of what you ladies are experiencing - dreaming of cancer, defining normal, dealing with procedures (with a lil help of some good drugs), feeling down at times, etc. etc. I think its a bag of tricks thats kind of shook up in a bag and dealt out to us like a deck of cards. Here's your hand today now play it. They are the emotions and feelings of most all BC patients. We are in this together - dealing with the hand life has dealt to us. We gather here, we unite here and we support and share here. Yes its so good to have each other and not walk this walk alone.
Thanks Ladies,
Cathy
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Hi everyone. Thanks for the coffee, Mac5
I go for my "final" check-up with my BC tomorrow. He wanted to see me after I was done with Rad's. I've been done since the middle of July but with all the other app't I finally get a chance to see him. I'm going to ask him about the hematoma that seems to still be at the incision and also about arm pain. It was really bad last night. I tried to do a lymph drain technique but that didn't help much. Strange how the lymph can kick up so unexpected. I think sometimes it's when I'm more stressed at work or stressed in general...
Did go to the acupuncturist again today. I'm feeling much better tonight and more relaxed. Should I say balanced? Anyway it's helping me.
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You are very welcome Tryn2staycalm. Right now I'm serving Hazelnut creamer. Maybe French Vanilla tomorrow.
My Sister-in-law is currently undergoing treatment right now also. She's finished up Radiation, and it waiting to heal up to have Reconstruction surgery. She is on Arimedex, and is having terrible joint paint and horrible lymphedema. Anyone have any suggestions I can pass along to her?
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Good morning. Yesterday was my second round of chemo. It went well and now, of course, I feel poorly. Did not really sleep much, up every hour or so with either nausea or heartburn or headache. I know this is short lived, but it is totally yucky while it is here.
Mrs. Nice I had some real discomfort with my port and still after 4+ weeks find it to be tender at times. It works amazingly for the chemo infusions and you will be very glad you have it. I am still mindful of how I sleep (not ony my surgery side, and now, not on my port side - sheesh)!
Sending you all great big, yet gentle, hugs and thinking of all of in your inidivudal situations and how traumatic and surreal this can all feel and be.
take good care and just breathe. . .
Teklya
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