Connecticut Girls
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Karebear76-Welcome to our thread! Glad to have you here but so sorry it's under these circumstances. We are all here to support you and just lend an ear if that's what you need. How wonderful you talked to your father and Grandma after all this time! What a great story about getting the gift cards!! Such a nice blessing this time of year and I'm sure that made you smile and feel blessed.
Rreynolds-nice to meet you too! I had a BMX and reconstruction and I feel lucky because I know so many women have endured so much more in the way of additional treatment. I think regardless of how much or little treatment or surgery we had we are all sisters in this struggle and we understand and support each other.
Emme-glad your getting settled. I'm sorry your feeling so tired. I'm about two months out from exchange and I feel pretty good. I get tired though and I think it's just this time of year and the fact that I never stop moving. I hope you can get some rest.
Claire-yup, reconstruction is not one of the pleasant things in life!
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Hi Roseann!
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Hi Roseann and Karebear - I'm in Avon and am currently undergoing reconstruction after Mastectomy.
Sweetie: yes, I'm excited about the upcoming date. I feel like it will be here in no time with December being such a busy month. Wow - I'm expanded to the same as you. It just does not look that big, and I have the natural side to compare it to. Whippetmom told me that the gummies are sized in grams, not cc's so I'll have to wait till next week to see how large he thinks it will be. Definitly a gummy, I think the shape will work with the other side best.
Emme - good luck with everything - I'm not tired now, but I was after the MX..........don't know how the exchange will leave me feeling yet. Surgery is always exausting on a body.
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Heebie-yes the time will fly. I agree with you, I think the gummy will suit you very nicely. He is very skilled with putting them in and you are in very good hands. I know what your saying about the sizing. When I was expanded to 400cc I looked huge! Everyone was getting 500-600 and I looked so big at 400. My friend just had her exchange and she is shorter than me and only got 400cc HP rounds and I'm 450cc and she looks huge compared to me! She looks like 500-550. She wanted to be about my size, but it's amazing how different implant sizes look on everyone's frame. Her Dr also did her exchange a lot different than mine. She is in a lot of pain and he did a lot stuff with her skin and she had all kinds of cuts across her chest. My exchange seemed so easy with very mild discomfort if any. By the way how's the Tamoxifen going? Did you start taking it? How's your new oncologist?
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Sweetie: I hope I have an easy exchange, too. How long were you restricted from movement and lifting after the exchange?
I started the Tamox the begining of November and then I started having stomach problems so I stopped taking every medicine (excepet the ones for my reflux) and supplements for 2 weeks and then started taking just the Tamoxifin again. It has been a week and a half and so far I'm doing ok. I will start adding my other meds and vitamins back slowly one at a time. Maybe the interaction of some pill with the tamoxifin was causing it - or maybe something different.
The new Oncoligist was fine. She completely agreed with the treatment plan I wanted and did not suggest any extra tests or procedures. I'm happy I switched.
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Sweetie2040 - okay today, thanks for asking. Monday/Tuesday were not good. Monday I went in and the PA took one look at the scars on my right and said "hmmmm". So she started peeling scabs off to see what was going on and it was like a seam ripped open and she said they'd have to put off the fills AGAIN. Then she went to ge tthe surgeon to see what he thought. He looked and said he could see the alloderm (that freaked me out) and it was holding, so just to give me 25ccs on each side so that we didn't lose the skin elasticity. And to keep putting on the Aquafor and hopefully the seam would start to heal itself back up and come back in a week (unless the Alloderm broke, then to call him - uh, yeah!!). On Tuesday I was in tears on and off all day it hurt so much. I'm sure it was just muscle spasms. I already have a nerve issue with muscle spasms and when one goes, all the other ones want to keep it company, so my whole back was spasming too. I had to take my son to to the doctor and pick up my daughter from swim team and every time I got in the car I started crying because the cold would make me shiver and the pain would start, and turning the wheel was horrible. My daughter (13yo) has never seen me cry. She didn't know what to do; she was telling the other kids to be quiet and asking if she could help me drive. It was sweet. But if I react like that to 25ccs, I'm scared what's going to happen when they put in more. So I'm going to ask about muscle relaxers. As soon as I got home from the last drive, I took a Vicodin and a Valium and layed down. And that was the first full night's sleep I got in the last 2 weeks. But then I look at the rest of you who've had to endure radiation and chemo to boot, and I feel like a wimp, so I'm trying to get out of my funk and be thankful that my pathology report was clear, and just get through it.
Claire82 - I keep forgetting we live in the same town. We've probably walked past each other and didn't even know it!
Roseann - I know one other person in Guilford who has BC. She's early 40s, just started her second round of chemo, but she's not on these boards (as far as I know).
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I am headed in for my biopsy at 1 today. I am very nervous. I will keep you posted as I can.
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Heebie-I don't remember what he said about restrictions but it seems I was back to normal pretty quick. Of course you want to be careful and not lifting heavy things at all and limit harsh movements. It seems your doing pretty good on Tamox. It could be the other things did interfere with you starting it, but if that's the worst of it, not bad! I have no SE and my periods are the same. I heard they can get lighter and even stop, I wished that would happen! I see my oncol in Jan. I'm glad you like your new Dr.
kjbrown-aww hon, your post was choking me up. I feel for you..it seems your having a hard time, sending you big hugs. Hey and don't feel bad ant think your being a wimp, your not! You've been through a lot and this a hard process and we all deal with things differently. I think your doing great. Compare what you are going through to a woman who never had to deal with BC, now you see what a big deal it really is! Hang in there it will get better, I promise.I had an issue where my stitches opened up after my MX too. They do have to watch that. I used Aquafor too as the Bacatracin made me red and irritated. Hopefully you won't need a lot of fills. I only needed three.
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I'm staying small, so hopefully I don't need that many fills either. And mine was prophylactic (ADH, family history, 70% risk and didn't tolerate Tamoxifen at all) so I feel like I'm "lucky" to only have this surgery (well, lumpectomy earlier this summer, but you know what I mean). I guess that's what makes me feel wimpy. I'm allergic to Bacitracin and Neosporin, so Aquafor was the only other option I had (that could be your issue as well; apparently it's not as rare as I once thought it was!). I did a lot of research beforehand and I read a lot of stories about prophylactic surgeries and I just thought I'd bounce back quickly and unfortunately it didn't work out that way so far (I was allergic to the antibiotic - Keflex - that they put me on at the hospital as well). I'm just trying to get through it, since there's no way around it. Had a funk. Trying to look on the bright side. But thank you Sweetie2040 for the encouraging words.
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kjbrown92-I just want to tell you I think you are incredibly brave! You had a hard choice to make and you were very proactive in your decision. I had a friend who had to make similar choice as you. She went six years being poked,prodded and tested and finally she had enough and had a BMX. She now feels peaceful and that she can move on with her life. These are hard choices. I know what you mean about feeling "lucky". I like to say I feel grateful for making it through this knowing it could always be worse, Some of us do have setbacks on this journey but hopefully nothing that can't be fixed. I'm looking at a possible revision and I had a wound after my BMX that wouldn't close and I had to have one of my TE replaced, but we get through it. Keep hanging in there!
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Hi guys,
Kerri- so glad to hear of your good fortune right now. That's wonderful.
I'm sitting with stents in my nose after having to deal with a severly deviated septum. But I do want to meet with all of you again sometime this winter.
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Kerri, I think I wasn't clear in earlier post. I'm referring to the gifts from the pastor. i'm not happy about any of the down stuff you're dealing with right now.
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I understood what you meant!!
Thank you. I have been so blessed through this trial already. Today I had to rest after the biopsy and had shifts of ladies taking care of my kids and the house so I didn't have to do anything. 0 -
Karebear76-hope you are doing well and resting. It's so good you have so help with the home and kids. Thoughts and prayers sent your way.
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Dr. Update: Dr. White called and he said that the MRI pretty much confirms what he had said it was but it also confirmed that there is NOTHING in the left side!!!!!! Also it showed something in my lymph node and it is about 2.7cm but they couldn't really tell how big the tumor was in my breast. It is def. 1.5cm but there is a lot of area that they can't tell if it is tumor or just swelling.
Monday morning I am to call the Breast Center and get my appts for the Oncologist and the PET scan. He also said that the course of action will be chemo and then surgery.0 -
Hi all + newbies:
Having my exchange on the left on Tuesday. New foob for Christmas. I hope you all are well. I freaked myself out with some annoying back pain, but it seems to be all soft tissue, but boy can something like that throw you for a loop! I hope someday to get past the "every headache is a brain tumor" phase....I think Elizabeth Kubler Ross should add that to her stages. One of my friends was just diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer at 43...that freaked me out too, plus the Elizabeth Edwards thing. Just makes me appreciate this crazy life even more. Hope you are all having a safe and happy holiday season. Some of us are going to the Elbow Room in West Hartford on the 29th if anyone wants to join us.
Mimi
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Just reading through and noticed your comments on back pain. I too am having back pain and immediately freaked out that my cancer was back, only this time in my bones or some other crazy place. I am just finishing treatment and already worried about reoccurance. I worry that every headache, bump or ache is something bad. It just made me feel better to know that I am not alone in these feelings and hopefully tell you the same. Best of luck to you!
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good news and bad news karebear - keep us updated
mimi that sounds fun - what time? - i think i have a mammogram at 6 pm - might be good to go out afterward lol
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Hi,
I just found this thread. Wish I had found it earlier considering some of you met in Haddam. I live in East Haddam.
It sounds as if some of you have had problems with tamoxifen. I just stopped taking it a couple of weeks ago. What are you doing instead of tamoxifen to stop estrogen? I'm doing my best to avoid it in the environment but don't know if that is good enough. It's quite difficult as it's on paper receipts and now I've found it's on money too.
Am planning to see a naturopath oncologist to find out other options but would like to hear what others are doing.
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I wasn't estrogen positive - so no need for it.
Welcome to the CT thread!
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Kerri hugs glad you have some help right now.
green- did tamox then switched to ai's not a big problem for me. Most se's went away with exercise and getting back into better shape (which still has a long way to go.)
Funny that almost everyone is in the middle of the state. oh well. enjoy on the 29th.
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I got a call from my dr. this evening. He said that the path report confirmed that I do have breast cancer and that it is in my lymph nodes. He said that it means it isn't an early stage. We won't know all the details until later this week when the rest of the results are in. I am doing ok. It is what we expected, I just can't even figure out how it wasn't there a couple of months ago and now I have it in a more advanced stage. Cancer SUCKS! But God will get me through this and give me the strength I need to beat this.
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karebear76-I'm sorry to hear that your path report confirmed what you didn't want to hear. Please know we are all here for you to support you in any way we can. I know it can be scary but the are many good treatments that are very specific to your type of BC. Yes I agree cancer does suck, big time!!, but your also right God will get you through this and give your strength. I got my DX this Jan and I was shocked. It came out of nowhere but as I look back and think about all I went through and that I am still here I feel very grateful and hopeful for the future. Take one day at a time and listen to your heart and get all the support your need...your going to be fine. Big hugs sent to you.
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Hi Karebear:
I too went from no cancer to DCIS at my first biopsy to stage IIIa by the time I was done with my surgery. I felt like it was raining shoes on my head for a while. I was triple positive so I was able to do lots of chemo plus tamoxifen plus herceptin, and radiation, so while it was locally advanced, it was really treatable. Today, just about a year and a half later, I did my exchange, so now I have a new "foob" for the holidays!! Keep your chin up and just keep plugging along and you will make it through.
Mimi
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Karebear: We are all here for you. Please vent all you want. We all did!
Mimi - what time on the 29th? Anyone else here going?
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Thank you ladies! I am not sure how I feel about it being more advanced than I thought it was. I guess I just figure we are going to fight harder to get rid of it!!!
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CT GAL HERE!!
UGH...Confused. Mixed messages. One month ago it was an annual mammogram that showed something "new"....
Follow up mammo and ultrasound suggested the same thing (Bi_RADS 4)
Off for ultrasound guided biopsy. Was a no go since they could not find the "suspious area" in the latest ultrasound ...More mammography on the same day sometimes showed it, sometimes not. Bi_RADS 0....recommended MRI
FF to today and MRI...yea something "new" from past mammos...
off to surgeon to consult on surgical biop...
WTF?!!?!?!
MIXED MESSAGES!!! It's there, it's not there, it's there, it's not there...
Hard on the nerves
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Where did you guys have all your imaging done??
Started in Wethersfield, then Glastonbury, Farmington, back to Glastonbury.
Off to Hartford Hos to talk w/surgeon now
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Marie; I am so sorry for all the mixed messages. ((HUGS)). I had my ultrasound, mammo and biopsy in Enfield and I am going through the Breast Center that is associated with St. Francis. I have dr. White and he is EXCELLENT!! His bedside manner is amazing and he is well studied and does a lot of research. I really like him. A couple of ladies that have had other surgeries have gone thru him also and they both liked him. I hope you can get some answers soon.
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Hi Marie:
I used Jefferson radiology and Hartford Hospital for my surgeons. I had Dr. Lee but she is no longer with the group and Dr. Delucia is my plastic surgeon. I started with DCIS and ended up with Stage IIIA. The one thing I learned is nothing is certain until they get in there and see what they've got. Be prepared for the unexpected, but know that there are many treatment options and lots of great people to lean on. Welcome to our little world where none of us wanted to be, but all of us are.
Mimi
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