Australian Sisters
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L
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Carol - so glad your u/s was clear and yay for the last chemo xoxo
Chrissy - as if you don't have enough on your plate without having to cope with your granddaughter as well (((hugs)))) girl - and hoping your sister will get a treatment plan soon xoxo
Annette good to hear from you
I had my treatment on Thursday, this one didn't go quite as well, after three attempts and a blown vein we got there. I'd had diarrhea that day, and despite drinking heaps of water before I went in, it obviously wasn't enough. But only two more treatments to go.
I've decided to have my port out under just a local. It will only take five minutes apparently, and I've read up on how others have coped with the local and it doesn't seem too bad, so rather than all the stuffing about having either a general (which I don't do well with) or twilight surgery and the added expense, I'm going to be brave with my BFF with me holding my hand. It'll be some time next month.
After a pretty awful week last week with se's so far I've had some good days - it usually starts going downhill from today, but at the moment I'm feeling ok.
Trish
xoxo
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Hello Trish and others. You are nearly finished your chemo, but sounds as though it has been a rough ride. I bet you are looking forward to finishing. I'm sure you'll be fine getting it out without GA or similar.
I am 4 weeks out from UMX. I was told that team meeting had come out in favour of just AI for me - no chemo or radiotherapy. When I went to Oncologist she gave me the option of Chemo, which I declined. It would have increased my overall survival rate by 5%. My tumour was only 30% Er+ and I had Ki67 of 20( I think) so I guess that's why chemo was suggested. Hope I haven't been rash but she seemed to think I had made a reasonable decision.
I am using the Amoena prosthesis which I like. I feel comfortable wearing it, but am lazy and leave it in the bra and it is very heavy to put on.
Hope everyone is doing OK
Hoping for rain
Gerri
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Wow Annette! That's fantastic!! Good to see you again.......it's been ages! I don't envy you having to do that clean out. .......sorting stuff is such a pain!
Take care and stay in touch......we love hearing from you.
How are all you other girls doing? Hopefully doing well and enjoying the weekend.
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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How is Alyson doing? I think about her a lot. I do about all of you and before long another day goes by. Aly was having terrible back pain last time I heard From her. Anyway am stuffed. Been sweeping garage out. Gosh what a job, my feet are aching. Oh we'll better go. Take care. Will look in more often. Love to all.
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Hello Annette! So lovely to hear from you and see the photos 😄
Chrissy, you've got a lot going along right now...my niece Raelene committed suicide about 15 years ago and her sister ODed on opioids a few months ago.... I send (((hugs))) as what else can be said?
Trish, have you finished treatment now? Sending (((hugs)))
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Tammy - two more to go! One this Thursday and then next week and done!! Can't wait
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Woo hoo Trish!
My brother is in ICU after a subarachnoid haemorrhage... Now the waiting game....
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Oh gosh Tammy. Hope he will be ok. Sorry to hear that. Big hugs. Xxxxx thinking of you.
L
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Annette, thank you..
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hi all
Results from last oncologist appt are good! abdomen scan and bloods came back good oncologist was really surprised actually
He doesnt want to see me for three months
One thing he said was he wants me to consider having my ovaries out. Would be one less drug in my system. Have always wanted to have kids though so im struggling with the decision
I dont have to decide straight away I can keep having the zoladex for say six months if I cant make a decision before then.
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Oh Tammy, I'm so sorry to hear about your brother. Keeping my fingers crossed that he recovers and gets out of ICU quickly. Sending ((((((hugs)))))).
Mel, good news on your scans, really encouraging for you. Sorry you need to make the hard decision, perhaps some councilling may give you a better direction so the decision is not so difficult.
Still waiting while the docs decide what treatment for my sister......very frustrating for her in particular but we all get that.
I've been flat out trying to get things organized for the housefull I will have next weekend. Thank goodness for freezers! That's where my baking for our fund raising stall will end up once it is completed tomorrow as there will be no time next week to even contemplate doing it then.
Fibally head to the city on Tuesday to see the Gynae so I will know then if I need to prepare for a hysterectomy. I'll keep you all in the loop.
Take it easy all and enjoy the long weekend.
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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hi chrissy
yeah i will definetly talk about it with my councillor when I see her next. hope your gyno appt goes ok
good to know you are feeling ok after your chemo trish
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Hi all
I saw the Oncologist today and will need to go back in a month and have another CT in about a month as well. I also am starting work again next Wednesday.
I'm not happy with Coles as I have arranged to do 4 hours a day for 2 weeks then fulltime. They have changed my fulltime hours and I'm meant to work EVERY weekend. I got upset and said that I'm not going to work every weekend especially Sunday's as I will never get any family time. You go through cancer and they still treat you like crap, I'm just disappointed in there attitude and I've worked there for nearly 10 years !!!
Hope that everyone is ok
Carol
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Tammy, I'm so sorry to hear about your brother (((hugs)))
Mel - councillers do help - good to hear from you.
Chrissy - how did your appointment go? How's your sister?
Carol - well that just sucks, sometimes employers have no friggin idea ((hugs))
Well girls - I did my final chemo yesterday! Yay! I wasn't well enough yesterday to celebrate, and still have another week of crappy ses to get through, but I'm feeling pretty excited today (steroids from yesterday are kicking in).
It's been a pretty horrible six months. I'm going to have my leaking port removed at the end of May under a local anaesthetic, I don't do well with generals, and it's how most of the ports are removed in the US so I'm comfortable with that decision. The place I was working at when all this happened want me back, so I've set the wheels in motion to take up the position sometime in June (mid to late) for three days a week. So it's all looking positive from here.
I'm a happy girl today lol
Trish
xoxo
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Trish, great news!! You deserve something special
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Tammy, good wishes for your brother.
Yay Trish
Chrissie hopefully some answers soon for your sister.
I went to the breast surgeon yesterday. Chrissy as always you are on the ball. It was cellulitis in my BC breast. Now I have extensive oedema and thickening, so have to see a LE specialist
If only it meant I could say I can't do housework....Hugs to all x
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That's great Trish
Have a good weekend all. Hugs Donna.
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hey all Im doing ok at the moment. Still deciding what to do about my ovaries.
Mood has been a bit better than the last week when I was sitll processing the news about my ovaries and what the implications may be. Trying to enjoy each day as it comes
Great news about finishing your chemo Trish!!!!!!!!!!!!! wohoo!
Ive had cellulitis in my arm I cant imagine how it would be in your breast kyliet
hope you can get it under control.0 -
Hi all,
My surgery is on Wednesday. I decided to have a bilateral mastectomy after the MRI found a suspicious lump in the left breast (i.e. the good one). My radiologist tried his best to find it and biopsy but it was too small to see on ultrasound.
This past week has been a flurry of activity - finishing up work to take leave for a few weeks, shopping for things we think we will need, cooking up a storm to have frozen nutritious food on hand and just generally getting ready.
I finally feel like after months of no forward movement in treating this asshole cancer, that it is starting. I'm relieved and terrified at the same time.
I will let you all know how I go once the dust has settled.
Hope everybody out there is doing well and please know - I read every single message posted to this board, and think about you all
xo
C
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Thinking of you and hoping everything goes smoothly on Wednesday Ausbear. Hugs Donna.
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Ausbear.. Thinking of you for Wednesday..
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I just posted this over in the May 2016 surgery board but thought I should update my Aussie sisters xoxoxo
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My experience so far has been pretty easy. My surgery started around 4 pm on Wednesday 4 May and I was up in the ward at around 8.30 pm, sitting up and talking my head off. I got out of bed a few hours later and tried to pee, but had the same issue of being "pee-stipated". It took a few goes but I got there in the end (I was mostly trying to avoid a catheter).
The next morning I was dying for a shower and to brush my teeth. After I did that, I ate and had a stream of visitors, including the physiotherapist who took me on a walk around the ward. I went home the following day.
The first night in hospital I had fentanyl (?) on demand which was switched out for tramadol, lyrica (a neuropathic drug) and another drug which I can't remember the name of. All three opiates twice a day. Talk about a drug haze. I am also on antibiotics whilst the 2 drains are still in.
Going home was awesome. All the prep we did paid off and I have had a pretty good time since being home. I have been sleeping in our bed, with just an extra pillow for a few days to elevate me a bit and now on my normal pillow. I can reach most things and have been more and more mobile every day. I managed to take a long walk along the beach the day after I got home and have been doing long walks with my hound ever since. I have been taking a nap every day as I keep waking up at around 1.30 am needing to pee and then I can't get back to sleep again. I am reducing the drugs slowly, just taking tramadol now and I should be off them by the end of the weekend.
The drains are a pain in the ass, I hate them just hanging around, and the exit point in my sides are tender after 10 days. The output is almost low enough for them to come out - maybe tomorrow.
My surgical dressing was removed yesterday and the incision looks clean, with no weird bits anywhere. I am pretty lucky I guess. I have been calling it Frankenchest as it is pretty bumpy and lumpy with all the swelling but it is getting better every day. I have a lot of numbness at the surgical incision and in my armpits, but feeling is returning slowly and in random places. It feels VERY strange and I have had some phantom nipple sensations which weirded me out a bit.
I got the surgical biopsy result yesterday and there is no node involvement. I cried tears of happiness with that news. I can skip radiation now. Chemo and Herceptin are going to start once I have been referred to the Oncology department.
Overall, I feel pretty good, and to be honest, much better than I expected. I think I should be able to start swimming next weekend which I am really looking forward to.
Clair xoxo
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Wow Clare! So good to hear how your surgery went and how well you are recovering. Your movements are great by the way just try not to push too far yet. Oh yeah, those drains sure are a pain.......I know you can't wait to get them out and feel the sweet relief!
I've been busy as per usual.....lol......like when am I not? My sister has finally had her surgical biopsy and is scheduled for a PET Scan on Monday. We are hoping that she will have a difinitive diagnosis by the end of the week so she can get some treatment started.
In amongst all that I have been studying. Just doing a couple of courses on Open Learning. One is on 'Food as medicine' run by Monash Uni and the other is 'Understanding Depression, Anxiety and CBT ' run by University of Reading invtge UK. I have just one week to go on the first and eight more on the second. They are both really interesting.
Trish, how are you doing lovely? And you too Carol, how are you?
Well hubby is home so time for a coffee.
Take it easy all!
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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Claire, great result 👍🏻
Chrissy, are these on-line courses? They sound interesting!
Did anyone see Catalyst this week about cancer and exercise? Food for thought.
Trish and Carol, I hope all is well
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Tammy yes, they are both online courses and are very interesting. I'm glad I enrolled.
I didn't see Catalyst, what was the gist of the story?
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Hi all
Yes I watched Catalyst and it was about doing exercise while having chemo which is meant to help.
I've been back at work this last fortnight and have been getting a very sore back because I'm on checkouts all the time. Have been doing 4 hour shifts but I start fulltime on Tuesday. The pay I got was great after the measly amount I got from centrelink.
On Monday I am getting my port flushed which has to get done about every 6 weeks, then Thursday I'm having a CT scan. Then the Thursday after I see the Oncologist again. I'm noy sure what will happen after that.
Ausbear you sound like you are doing well.
Carol
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Yay Carol!! Great that you are back at work! Maybe your back has been sore due to the fact your muscles are a bit weak after all your treatment. See if you can talk to a physio about some exercises that you can do to strengthen them at home.
I'm so pleased that you are doing so well overall.
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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Hello everyone
I'm going good! I'm two and a half weeks out from chemo now, and feeling better each day. Still tired, and my appetite isn't really back to normal yet, but that's not a bad thing lol.
I spent the weekend with my friend Jacqui in Wollongong and we had a great time. We didn't really do anything, but it was wonderful to spend the time together.
I can't remember if I mentioned I had a nerve die in one of my teeth during chemo. I had that fixed, but the tooth has now cracked in half and has to come out. I'm having that done next week - I'll be over three weeks out from chemo then and my onc wanted me to wait that amount of time, so not looking forward to that. At the end of next week I'll have my port removed as it doesn't work anymore. It'll be done under a local rather than general - I don't do well with surgery, so this seemed an easier way to do it and a lot of the girls in the US seem to have it done that way.
Carol - glad to hear you are back at work, I hear you on the sore back. I'm going back to my rehab trainer tomorrow to start some strengthening exercises. I'm hoping to go back to work mid to late June.
Claire great to hear from you. I feel for you with the drains. I had them for my first mx but this time my bs did a new technique, and I didn't have any drains at all - that was a pleasant surprise. I had to have fluid drained twice, but that was all.
I watched the Catalyst show and it was really interesting - I don't know that I could have done it during chemo though - I was so sick with the AC I almost couldn't leave the house.
So all's good with me, and feeling better each day.
Trish
xoxo
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