Western New York Area
Comments
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Welcome Meg... check out the thread re. micro fat grafting... PS about 5 hours from you doing some cool stuff... she does all three types of breast recon.
Thanks Karen... hugs to you too.
Bevin... she graduated from HS. We adopted her when she was 9 and it has been a real ride... I am hopeful she will go on for more education of some type, but accomplishment is such a rare experience I never expect too much. Right now she is being kicked out of where she lives right now... and is heading to visit her biological sister for the summer with the plan of coming back to go to college... I hope she does. She is still in survival mode and she sabatoges her own life constantly.
Kindone... happy dance... happy dance re. TMs!!!! Let us know how the nipples come out.
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Kindone, TM neg!!!!!!!!! Congratulations!!!!! Yes, let us know how the nips come out. Boy, only on this thread can one be so graphic and no one takes offense.
Maureen
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Kindone, so, so happy for you, today is just a fine day for us, hope nipple tats go well, yeah kindone!!
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Yaaay Kindone! Glad to hear you got good results! We'll celebrate next time :-)
Welcome, Meg! I also had a large area of DCIS plus3 mm. tumor hidden inside, but through much research and many opinions decided on a lumpectomy and radiation. It was such a tough decision and understand why you would want to go the BMX way. Can't give you advice about reconstruction, but I am 42, so can give moral support :-) Good luck finding your way through all the decisions. We are here if you need us!
Susan
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Kindone how was the tatoo? I am implant obsessed now as I finally decided to go the expander/ implant route...I scheduled my surg for July 1st, can't come soon enough... waiting as we had a get away planned for the kids the weekend of the 25th to celebrate school being over and it will be my last wild weekend for a while. Finally got a little good news, my BRAC test came back neg.... such a load off my mind, was worried about my daughter.
SusanHG thanks for the support, it is such a hard choice, I am not a candidate for radiation because of the Hodgkin's... so basically I would have been relying on large clear margins with a lumpectomy which would have left me misshappen anyway... just got a report from the path at Sloan who went over my slides and now they say there "might" be evidence of microinvasion.... freaking me out, but it does make me more and more sure of the BMX... I can't take waiting on pathology reports, by far it is the worst part for me.
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Good choice Meg. I wouldn't feel too good about not having radiation either. I am 2 1/2 weeks Post-Rads and watch my Incredible Shrinking Boob diminish daily
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Dear SusanHG, isn't that just the most incredibly tormenting thing to watch. I for one was completely unprepared for it. The RO mentioned it as a possibility not a for sure result, you are the third person in a month I have met who had it happen. I, too, had a lumpectomy and rads and now Arimidex. The difference in size is so obvious I had to be fitted for a bra at a mastectomy boutique, it is the ugliest bra I have ever seen, it does make me look even in clothes. It, the size difference and the color, is a daily reminder of the fact that I have BC, though I am NED now and try not to dwell on it. I am thinkin about having a breast reduction on the L side to balance them out, at least then I will not need to wear such ugly bras. MegM, I can well understand your decision to pursue a BMX, interesting that the doctors at Sloan are stepping back frm their initial decision. I am so glad you found support on this thread. Karen p.s. the waiting is truly intolerable, it was the worst part of the process for me and I think I speak for all of us here.
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Oh, my. I am thrilled to have found this thread! I am from Lakeview, just south of Buffalo. I was treated at Roswell, also. I would love to get in touch with others in the Buffalo area. I haven't joined any support groups since my diagnosis, and have no one close to me who has been diagnosed. Please let me know if you get together! Tammy
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HI Meg HI Tammy, welcome to our thread. The team did get together, I missed it due to my childs meet but am excited about the next time.
Meg- I didnt have a mastectomy - I had lumpectomy and rads. skipped chemo and am also 46 so close in age and can definately offer moral support but not any experience with your planned surgery. I definately did not want mastectomy as I was more afraid of additional surgery and more radical surgery so I went the other route. For me that was the right decision. My tumor is below at 6:00 and close to chest wall so the indent is not seen. I have a pretty good coesmetic outcome, just a smaller rt boob! Skipping chemo- wish I hadn't done that. Good luck -with the PS, I know many women are really happy and I believe there is a thread around here about reconstruction.
hi Tammy - I live in the amherst area - as you know- everthing in Buffalo is 20 mins away, so we're not too far away. .. ha. I was also treated at Roswell and my Onco is in Williamsville.
Hope everyone is well. Talk soon.
Bevin
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Tammy, you are very welcome here. We have a great group of women. We met for lunch once. We plan another get together this summer. We would love to have you. I live in South Buffalo.
Meg, the tattoo went well, not painful at all. They look pretty good as far is I can see (bandages still on) but I looked. The color looks very natural.
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Hi Tammy (coming to terms), I am so glad you have found us, we are always thrilled to have a new member in our group. We post fairly regularly, I know others will be by to greet you. While I live in Batavia now, I grew up in Buffalo and had an aunt who lived in Lakeview. Many of our members are or did have treatment at Roswell, my mom did years and years ago by the famously talented Dr. Namota, my godmother did also. Starbeauty and I are treated in Rochester since it is a little closer than Buffalo. We use this thread for everything: support, information, a shoulder, and to share our lives. You found a great support group to join. We met in early June and had a wonderful time, are planning another get together in late July. Feel free to join in any and all posts, if you read back through the threads, you can see the amount of feeling we all have for each other. It will also give you an idea of all of us and our families. Glad to have you join us. Karen
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Welcome Meg and Tammy, Sorry you had to join the club but so happy you found us. This is a great group of women and we all "get it".
Meg: Good luck with the mx. I know you'll get through this and we'll hold your hand all the way. Enjoy your post school trip and remember, it's all uphill from here.
Tammy, The support you will find on this thread is amazing, best support group around. Looking to get together the last weekend in July if everyone is free. If not, we'll try for August or Sept.
Everyone, last week of July sound good?
Maureen
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Hi Maureen, sounds great to me, I'll be back from seeing Sherry in N.C. on the 23rd. Maybe we'll get another summer meeting in. How is it being back to work? Karen
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HI Meg and Tammy,
Welcome to the group. Not the BC group, but the WNY group. I had a bmx three years ago w/ immediate reconstruction. The expanders were a little tight and uncomfortable but liveable. The exchange surgery was the best. The implants are so much softer. I still feel tight around the chest, but it is not that bad. I also had nipple reconstruction and I am happy with the results. If you have any questions please PM me and I will be happy to answer them.
AS you know my friend passed away last wwek from BC. The funeral was very rough for me. I ran into my ex husband and was very replused by him. I really hate to say that, but I do not know how else to explain my feelings towards him. He seemed to make the day about him and I was not very pleased. Okay enough about that.
On Saturday, I did the Komen 5k and actually ran it. My time was 38.50 minutes. This was my goal this year to run the race and I MADE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My team Pink n Perky aslo raised $1,585.00. I also ran into Susan and her family at the race. She has a lovely family. Susan it was great to see you.
So now that I ran the 5k and thinking that, I reached my goal and will not have to do it next year, well guess again. My team mates have decided that we will all run next year. I really think they want to kill me. LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kindone, glad the tattos went well.
Hope everyone is doing well. Have a nice day.
Hugs, Cheryl
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Hi Tammy, welcome to our great group! I was treated at Roswell (I am 2 1/2 weeks post-rads, so just finished) and love it there! Actually, didn't want to finish rads because loved going in to talk to everyone Weird, I know.
Karen-Sorry that you are having trouble with bras and such. I hope it won't get too much worse for me. Right now, I have a sink hole at my lumpectomy site (upper outer quadrant) and will definitely need to buy a smaller bra. One of my swimsuits shows the size difference because the top is much looser in that area. I had a huge chunk taken out. It was around 9x5x3 cm! Not sure if I would have a reduction unless it is absolutely noticeable.
Cheryl-You go girl! that is my goal for next year. I am going to SLOWLY work my way up to running if my spine doc allows it. It was great to see you!
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Maureen-Have my 25th high school reunion of the 30th. I think it starts at 5 pm? Lunch would be fine for me either day.
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Hi All, Thinking Saturday July 30th. Any suggestions where?
Doing okay, really tired right now. Just got home from grocery shopping, work, etc...and got roped into hosting co-workers from one of our affiliates next week. Not too bad, only one day but added stress just getting back to work. Then take them to airport on Tues. in rush hour traffic
etc. etc. etc...Oh well, welcome back to work. Heymoose, SO PROUD OF YOU and Susan, you girls are great. Are you doing the walk in Sept. in East Aurora?
Kindone, so happy the tatoos went well.
Hey Karen, miss you.
Hi Starbeauty, bevin, meg, tammy, Laura,,,,did I miss anyone?
Have a great evening ladies, going to watch my DVR soaps, (A Y&R and Bold & Beautiful fan)!!! on the couch.
Love,
Maureen
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Dear Cheryl, way to go girl, that is a wonderful achievement. Sorry the funeral was made even more difficult by the presence of your ex husband, just remember that was one of the reasons he is an ex. hugs Karen
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Dear Cheryl, way to go girl, that is a wonderful achievement. Sorry the funeral was made even more difficult by the presence of your ex husband, just remember that was one of the reasons he is an ex. hugs Karen Hi Maureen, I was typing while you were posting lol. Quiet day today, but our group is growing, that is so exciting, we will have even more women to match faces to screen names to real names. How to keep the mind nimble! Yesterday was my 5 month quit date for smoking, am using just 4 pieces of nicorette gum, it is now available at Walmart (OTC), in cinnamon burst and it is a burst. Hope you are still lurking on the thread, and doubly wish you take it easy with work, you have a lot on your plate. Did stopping the Arimidex make the se cease? hugs, Karen
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Hey Karen, Stopped the AI and the digestive issues cleared within days. They're keeping me off of the med for two full weeks. Start again this wed. I have weird issues going on, hip pain, clavicle pain, etc...and I'm really anxious, wonder if this is the AI still in system? don't know. Yes, still lurking on the ss thread. Trying to cut down and doing okay....the best that I can.
Getting ready for DS senior prom next week. The group rented a bus limo (good) and will be going to prom, Niagara Falls, etc... but it all starts here, so after co-worker thing, I'll have 24 kids plus parents on a Thurs. so today I'll be cleaning, shopping for food, getting flowers for DS "friend" and finish cleaning from the garage sale stuff. Anything that didn't sell is off to the Goodwill. My sister says, ooh you're gonna give that away? If she wants it, she can take it. I'm sick of the accumulated stuff, beds, books, ice and roller blade skates, tea sets, too many vases to count, lamps etc.... in the back of my mind, I'm thinking if I get sick again I wont' have the energy to get rid of all this stuff so doing it now. It has occurred to me some women don't do well with bc, I don't want to be one of them however at S3, have to wonder? I'm in a bit of a funk today, on the downside of the bc crap I think. Oh well, onto a better mood.
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BTW, had two thoughts for lunch:
Siena (main near Harlem)
Harry's Harbour Grill (downtown, I think Ontario St. right off the 190)
Not sure either has Sat. Lunch hrs. I'll call today and let everyone know. These are two of the places we take out of town coworkers for visit, might be pricey ($20-30.00 range?) or want more casual like Friday's, Applebee's type place?
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Hi Maureen! don't mind the price. I'm willing to pay more for good food. Harry's would be great on the water! Let us know if these are open.
Hope you are feeling better today. I know I was a depressed yesterday as well. I have so many back problems going on and yesterday I was convinced it was cancer, even though it's been going on for 2 1/2 years! Must have been something in the air yesterday
Take care all and hope everyone is feeling ok
Susan
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Maureen, if you ever need someone to talk to, vent with, or just a shoulder to cry on or person to laugh with, my phone number is 876-0844. Hate those moments myself and wish I could share them with my family, but don't want to bring them into my "hell" along with me.
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Hi Maureen and Susan, sounds like a really busy day to me, I think you are very wise to pack off all the "stuff" to Goodwill. I did that when I moved back home from Va., never missed any of it. I am less impressed with accumulating stuff as I get older I think, I used to have so many collections going at the same time. Always at yard sales getting more stuff, no more. As my DGD gets older I am beginning to pass on to her the "good" jewelry that neither DD or I wear, she loves to go through my jewelry case and ask what year she gets whatever, I can remember DD doing the same with my mother and her dad's mom. If we could, I.d be grateful if we can keep the driving time down for starbeauty and I, is there anywhere else on Transit that is good and that is a little pricey for me, retirement is grand but it comes with a fixed income I'm afraid. There is a bar and grill diagonally across from the Bison Pub, I think it is called Branigans or Brewers. It is in the strip mall that Country Buffet is in, as you are looking at that mall it is the farthest to the right. Or anywhere else in that area would be fine, the 30th works out great. Funny how those funky moods come on, sometimes there is nothing to pin it to, I think BC stays constant in the back of our brains. Could I ask all of you to say a prayer for my friend Sherry, she is getting biopsy results on Tues. afternoon. They saw areas of concern on her mammo and did two biopsies. Hope everyone is enjoying their summer, we have had beautiful weather, sending out a hug to both of you, starbeauty, kindone, heymoose, Laura, bevin and all our new members who have joined us, Tammy, and meg. hugs, Karen
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Hi Ladies,
Susan, you are so very sweet. Thank you for the support. Know the dark thoughts are crazy but I can't get by them sometimes. Worked through it for now. I know what you mean about not bringing your family into that place. My DH is really good at seeing the mood though. He gets upset which upsets me. I so want him to be happy with or without me, he deserves that happiness. He's a wonderful man and I thank God everyday that we have each other.
Karen, I understand the drive issue. How does Olive Garden sound? They built a brand new one right on Transit road across from the Eastern Hill Mall. Prices are usually reasonable too. Or the red mill in on Main. I'll call those places to confirm lunch hours. I absolutely will say a prayer for your friend Sherry and B9 results. I don't want any other woman to hear those words, they stab through your heart and change you forever.
So here's my news, sent DS announcements to out of town guests and they are trying to arrange a trip all the way from Kentucky!!! All 13 of them most likely will stay with us. Needless to say, life is going to get really busy. The good news, both are teachers (principal and music teacher) and have a catering business on the side. My BIL will absolutely make the cake. My DS would love that!! His cakes are known throughout the state of KY. Told him many times he should quit work and do the catering business full time. One wedding cake he made was 5 cakes, two were ice skating rinks for a winter wedding, they are delicious too!! Love them to death, nicest people you'd ever want to meet. Yep, it's gonna be busy. They want to get away from the bad weather too. I might ask for vacation time too, work will love that!! Still lurking on the no smoking thread and have begun the decent. Something I need to do for myself.
Time for bed, thinking I'll rest with Prince Ativan tonight
Love,
Maureen
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Dear Maureen, I think you should take time off to enjoy your relatives, your time off before wasn't a vacation at all. BIL's cakes sound fatastic, it sounds like a wonderful graduation party with the whole family to celebrate together. Red Mill Inn sounds like fun, I've seen it but never eatten there. Congrats on beginning the descent on smoking,are you going to use any of the nicotine aids when the time comes, I seem to remember DD used the e cig, my DD is using the nicorette gum and doing well, I know the kids are thrilled. DGD threw out all the ashtrays to celebrate. hugs, Karen
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Hi Ladies, How is eveyone? Busy I see. Maureen you have your hands full.
Hay moosse, congratuations on your run. You go girl!!
Karen, said prayers for Sherry Of course, we don't want anyone in our shoes,
Today was Ava's Christening, it was great beautiful day and she looked like a little angel in her dress. Anywhere we go for lunch is good with me. I am free on the 30th, so it works for me.
As far as the tattoos go they look good and are healing well. My probable is the pressure put on my implant when doing the tattoo let me feeling bruised. It's very sensitive to the touch, just like when I just had my implant put in. I guess it will just take time for it to heal. It it my radiated side so I am such that has alot to do with it.
Hope all is good with you all.
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Hey everyone, things are crazy here with the school year wrapping up... my youngest "graduated" from pre-k last week... I can't believe I have no more preschoolers (I am gonna be a wreck when they are off to college instead of off to Kindergarten
)I saw a mention of Ativan on here.. I am starting to think I am going to need some anti-anxiety meds either right before my surg. date or for the time after when I am waiting for my path results.... I can feel the tension starting to build up already... but I have never taken any of those types of meds and just wondered how good they work?
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MegM, they work quite well, I use klonipin which is also an anti-anxiety drug, as is Xanax. I use it in combination with talk therapy with a LCSW, who I see once a month now. I am his only patient with BC, but he is a regular reader of bc.org., familiarizing himself with the challenges of BC. Many threads say to get a therapist with experience with BC, but I already had a relationship with him and was more comfortable talking to him. Many women use just the medication itself for it's anti-anxiety properties. Hugs from one who was in your shoes with the anxiety creeping up, Karen
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Hi Meg, I also had help during my initial diagnosis days. I took xanax and it really helped me to sleep . My mind would just whirl and not quiet down. I think I didnt sleep for 2 weeks straight. Once I asked, the doctors for help and shared my anxious feelings and lack of sleep they were more than happy to give me Xanax and ambien. The Doctors are used to people feeling anxious with this diagnosis and all the decisions that go with it. And honestly - there is no reason to have to feel that way and not take treatment if you need it.
I was a bit afraid about taking those meds too, but found I didnt have any bad reactions. I was just able to sleep and I was not constantly going over things in my head. I was relaxed, but it doesn't give you a "high" feeling, a super tired feeling and nor did I notice I felt any different. It wasn't until I was finally able to sleep that I realized it was even working.
I also found I walked and that allowed my mind to look at the world around me rather than think about my cancer diagnosis.
Now, being 1 year out from diagnosis , I dont take Xanax but do take a mild antidepressent. Its to relieve the hot flashes I get and it helps a ton. Its a really low dose (37.5mg) so doesnt really help at that level if you're depressed, but it does help hotflashes!!
Maureen you are the busiest person I know. I wish I had some of your energy!!
Betty - congrats on the christening. You'll nee to bring pictures to lunch. I love that name Ava- so so pretty!
On lunch at this point, I am good for the 30th too.
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