2010 Sisters
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Hi sistas,
Happy New Year to All!!!!
And yesterday I had my final chemo! Hurray I made it. Now just give me 2 weeks to get over the SE's associated with Taxotere and then soon I'll be on to Radiation. Glad I made it this far and I would love to thank all girls who were here for me. Thank YOU!!
Cathy
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YEAH CATHY!!!!!!!!!!!! So happy for you! Happy New Year! Good Riddance to 2010!
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Abluedragon, I took two days off and scheduled my surgery for a Thurs AM. That way if I had to stay overnight at the hospital I could. By Mon morning I went to work but wore sweaters or jackets so I could tuck a ice pack under my arm. Really needed it and it helped with the pain. I couldn't take more than tylenol/advil at work but at night to sleep I took the heavier meds. The BC had to drain the area 4 times and each time that would help with the pain and swelling.
Shelly, good luck with the MRI my rad onc order one for me along with the mamo. I was hoping just to do the MRI but he wanted a full spectrum dig. with the mamo. I am very grateful he is taking charge of my BC tests.
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Oh Shelley - The waiting around on this stuff is the worst. I also wondered what the biopsy did to my lump because I could feel a lot of weird sensations that were not there before and of course your mind wants to mess with you. As bad as this sucks, you are hanging in there and moving forward to see what's going on. Have you heard that even if we get diagnosed with Stage 0, it needs to come out? That is what one of the radiologists told me. I don't think they follow up with radiation and all that, but it sounds like they want the lump out. I suppose we would be going nuts if they just wanted to leave it there and check back. Thinking positive thoughts for you! It takes a lot of courage to face these appointments, but we just have to go.
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Thank you everyone for the incredibly helpful information about what to expect with the upcoming lumpectomy/SNB and how soon I can expect the final pathology and staging. I'm feeling much better about it! Also, thanks to the members who responded to my various questions about my triple positive diagnosis and whether I should expect chemo and what the normal timeframe is from surgery to when you begin treatment. I'm beginning to get my head around all of this so that I can anticipate what is coming...I honestly don't know what I would do without the wealth of information here-you are an amazing group!!!
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Happy New Year to all. Hope this coming year is a great one for everyone.
((((Hugs))) and blessings to all!
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Cathy - Congrats on finishing chemo. Have a relaxing weekend
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Cathy, congratulations!
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Cathy--woohoo on finishing chemo what a way to celebrate the New Year!!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE
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shelley - I'm hoping your doctor is just being over cautious, as he says. Hopefully you will get an "all clear" report soon. I definitely understand the dentist appointment thing. I had a long-standing dentist appointment the day after I was diagnosed. I ended up boo hooing in the dentist chair. Thank goodness I adore my dentist and we have known each other for a long time! All these pent-up emotions do come out sideways, don't they?
Cathy- You did it! You did it! I'm doing the happy dance.....and I know you are too (even if it is only from a horizontal position on the couch)!
Happy New Year, all my friends. It's going to be 1-1-11!
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Thank you everyone, yes R& R for the start of 2011. Enjoy all.
Cathy
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YAY {{{{CATHY}}}} big HUGS for you!! So glad you made it. May 2011 be a WAY better year for all of us!
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Shelly - sorry for your very bad day. Glad you came here to vent. It is good to know that there is a place we can express whatever we are feeling or whatever is happening in our lives. Praying that tomorrow is betther for you.
I have had a very tiring day keeping up with 5 grandchildren most of the morning then everyone going out to eat then running some last minute errands before the new year.
HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone. Praying that 2011 brings good news for all of us.
Joy and blessings, Amy Jo
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Aaargh! I'm sitting here teary eyed. These BC emotions sure do come out sideways. We are invited to a party. While getting ready, the water from the bathroom sink kept coming up the bathtub drain (along with years of pond scum), After plunging and trying all kinds of nonsense, I finally went to find the super (who is supposed to take care of emergencies even on weekends). He very rudely told me it was his day off. My sweet, lovely porter said he would come and snake the drain. My super stopped him and told him he could only go in an hour. This super is such a jerk. He does nothing, ever (other than to comb his pony tail). I guess I am upset because some people are so mean-spirited, won't do anything but the bare minimum. Then there are others who have little and extend themselves so much. Maybe it's the new year that has me thinking. Anyway, I made these fabulous, totally healthy coconut flake, dark chocolate, almond flour, bon bons to take to the party. My son LOVES them. I'm not going to tell him they are actually antioxidant, low glycemic index, healthy food! I sent DH and my son to the party. I'll join them later if I can get the plumbing resolved. Happy 1-1-11 everyone. I'm having fun playing with that. One won one!0
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DesignerMom, The bon bons sound like they would be great. Can I ask for the recipe? I'm alsways looking for something that my family will like that's good for them.
I hear you about drain issues. My DD has such thick hair, and when she lived with us the drain was getting plugged all the time. It sure can be a pain. In my case DH was who took care of it, but so often only after it effected him.
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DesignerMom - So sorry your day is starting out crummy. I would grab the super's ponytail and drag his butt to the stopped up drain. How dare he make you cry. I want to slap him. Some people just care about themselves. You have every right to be upset but at the same time my heart goes out to you. I really hope you can make the party and have a good time.
((((HUGS))))
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I've read two posts already that say something about the Canadian Protocol for rads - what is that exactly? I am Canadian and have never heard of that. I just saw the chemo onc last week and no chemo for me - YAY!. Started Tamoxifen last week (so far so good), and see the rad onc on Weds. next week to find out my rad schedule. I'm just realy curious about this Canadian Protocol as I like to have as much info as I can when going into an appt.
I'm also curious about the Oncotype test, as most of the ladies on this forum seem to have this as routine. When I aked my onc about it last week, he said that it is not standard here, unless I want to pay $1200 for it, or if I was part of a clinical trial I might get the Oncotype test. Any other Canadians get this same response, or might it just be in my particular city?
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The Canadian protocol is 16 tx at a higher dose and is very common in CAN. Less so here in the USA but I got my rad onc to do it for me, as I told him I needed to get back to work (I travel a lot).
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BarbaraA - thanks for the info. I guess I'll have to ask about that next week. My surgeon told me I'd be going for 5 weeks (5 x 5 days/wk = 25 tx), + boosts. But what I'm finding out is that what the docs say and what actually ends up happening aren't necessarily the same thing around here.
Any concerns about heart and lungs with left breast being radiated? I've read some stuff about that too, but wondering if those fears might be somewhat exaggerated.
Also curious about tattoos - - did any of you refuse tattoos? My tumor is fairly high at 11:00 or 12:00 on left breast and I'm pretty sure that if I get a tattoo there, it's gonna show if I wear clothing with any kind of a neckline. I know that sounds vain and stupid, considering everything else that we all have to go through, but just wondered if there was any way to avoid it.
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Pennythoughts - I had rads on the left side and did not have any problems. I had the same concerns but my rad onc showed me where the beam would be focused and how they would miss the heart and lung with the planning they do. With rad machines used today, the beam goes across the top of the beast instead of straight down. This causes less damage to vital organs, if any.
There have been others who has refused tattoos. I had 3 tattoos and they were one on each of my sides and the 3rd in the middle of my breasts below at the bra line. Wait and see where they will be located and tell your rad onc about your concerns. Sometimes they can use alternate locations or just use markers throughout rads. The tattoos are really small and mine are hard to find - they look like tiny freckles.
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Cathy-- CONGRATS on finishing chemo!! it's an awesome feeling to be done!!
Shelley--sorry about your bad news! Hope it turns out to be nothing!
Desingermom--Hope you day has improved and you made it to the party!
pennythoughts--I had rads on the left side (33 tx). My rad onc spent a lot of time answering my questions about SEs and damage. (I had rads last year for colon cancer and had a horrible experience with it--this time I wanted to know every possible thing that could happen!) I was told that with the machines they use now there would be very little, if any, damage to the heart and lungs. A tiny bit of scar tissue is possible on both (more likely on the lungs), but such a small amount that I will never notice. It might, however, show up someday on a scan of the lungs. I had the clavicle nodes radiated, and that is the most likely spot to have some lung damage, as they shoot that beam straight through. There is, of course, a small chance of developing cancer there too, from the radiation. Like Jo1955 said, the tatts are tiny dots that look like freckles, and I've heard that others have refused them. They can use a marker, then cover the dots with a clear plastic circle to make them last longer. They did that to cover the dots for my boosts. Look for a thread of those starting rads in Jan 2011--I'm part iof the Oct 2010 group
I have another MUGA scan on Thursday, to see if my heart function has improved since I started the blood pressure med. I have not had to miss any Herceptin yet, and I hope I don't! I find out the results, and have my next infusion on Wed. teh 12th.
I'm sooooo excited to leave 2010 behind!! Hope everyone is enjoying the holiday, and may you all have a healthy, blessed New Year!!
Tina
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Shelley: Hang in there lady. Prayers are going up for you.
Cathy: Congrats on finishing chemo.
Happy New Year everybody!
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Hi ladies. Thanks for listening to me vent. The rude Super finally had to come up himself as the porter couldn't get a pipe loose. He was even shirtier than before and ended up breaking a pipe. However, they did finally get the drain clear and will deal with the broken pipe on Monday. And yes, I would like to yank his ponytail off, then it would match his bald head. What's with that hair style anyway! I did take a wh*&%res bath "wash as low as you can, as high as you can, as fast as you can" and made it to the party. My natural, healthy bon bons were a huge hit. Nobody could believe they were healthy. One of the ladies on the natural girls thread came up with it. Here's the recipe for anyone who wants it.
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes, 1/4 cup organic dark chocolate cocoa powder, dash of sea salt, 1 tsp. spirulina (I didn't have any so left it out), 1 cup almond flour, 1 tsp. vanilla, 1 tsp cinnamon, enough coconut oil to make dry ingredients adhere (sort of crumbly), agave syrup to taste (I used very little as coconut and almond flour are sweet). Drop on parchment paper and chill in fridge for 15 minutes. I made them a bit fancier for the party by taking a round measuring spoon, placing a toasted almond sliver in the spoon, then scooping the cookie mix, packing it against the side of bowl and plopping it into a tiny cupcake paper.
For anyone who thought coconut oil is not healthy for the heart (like I did), that thinking has all been reversed. They say it is actually healthy oil as long as it is unrefined, virgin coconut oil. By the way it is an amazing skin moisturizer too!
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Pennythoughts - Glad you found the ladies of 2010! So sorry for the reason you're joining this group but big welcome and (((hugs))) to you.
I have similar stats as you and went thru the 33 rads w/5 boosts. They did the tatoos and they're like other say, just small dots. I can't find the one in the center of the breast but the other two are about 5" above the hips. They're used to set up the equipment as markers so they're really important. They also marked around the nipple with a black marker then put tape over it. Not sure what that was all about. My onc office used the newer machines also.
Check some of the sites that have a heading of "Started Rads.... " I was very grateful for all the information the ladies shared. I used aloe and some others used emu oil for the skin irritation. I put the aloe on 4-5 times a day to help with the redness.
Oh, and now when someone says they have tatoo's I just smile and say Yea, so do I..... they just don't know where or what kind!
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samsue - When I got my tattoos it hurt like crazy - I don't have a lot of "meat" on my sides and it felt like they were putting the needles in my rib bones. I was convinced after that, that those who have lots of tattoos must love pain and they are crazy. I wouldn't get a tattoo just for the heck of it, I am too much of a chicken.0
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Polly-- my last chemo is Tues 1/04. Before I started chemo I had this schedule of fills... 5/28 - 50,6/25 - 50, 7/02 - 50, 7/14 - 75, 7/19 - 50, 9/17 - 35. 5/28 was the day of my bmx and the space in between July and September was due to a hefty burn on my left breast that delayed everything. I've rcvd 310 and complete is 450. I hope to start pumping up this month. FU! That's from the movie Fired Up. But for me it means fill up and I found it hilarious that it was the shorthand used in the appointment book! (c:
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Jo, I don't have a lot of "meat" either, it's just "loose skin"..... 0
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Pennythoughts - you might be too low risk for your doctors to order the Oncotype DX. I wasn't really suppose to have it because my tumor was less than one cm. They say it was designed for those with a tumor one cm and larger. I know someone who got billed for hers (insurance said it wasn't necessary) and the cost was $4000. Last I knew she was still fighting it because her doctors ordered it. She was just going along with what they recommended and no additional costs were ever mentioned.
My tats are so little I can't even find them. They sting but it is just a tiny pin prick. Watch what you wear when you do your set up for rads and when you get ready for your boost. They write on you with markers that don't always wash off very well so you may get ink on your top or have pen lines showing through a light colored top.
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hello and happy new year
New Jersey is still recovering from the snow.ha.
just wanted to wish everyone good health and a dx of NED forever.God Bless all of us.
hugggggs
k
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Hi all,
Shelley - I just wanted to let you know that radiation can produce false positives on follow-up mammograms. Nearly everyone who went through radiation at the same time I did ended up with BIRADS 3 or worse ratings at the first mammogram. It's nerve-wracking, to say the least. Your doctor is doing the right thing by following up. Sending you positive wishes for benign results!
Karen
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