TRIPLE POSITIVE GROUP
Comments
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Hey GeeWhiz: My insurance company nurse mentioned the Clariton too and said if I have the Neulasta to make sure I take Claritin!
KrisKat: Your hubby's nickname for you is cute. Big wishes this is the end of the bad luck!
Finally, I can move my shoulder and arm from the darn port! I hear it gets better quickly!
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HI Arlene,
It does get better! I was so uncomfortable moving my head or just about anything right after getting my port. The 4 day mark was the winner. From there on out I hardly noticed it. Well, other than accidentally touching it or bumping it. It still creeps me out but it doesn't hurt.
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Thanks Nora. Funny, my daughter was just talking to me about the port and I said the same thing, "I really don't want to think about it as it creeps me out".
So by Monday (1st chemo), I should be good.
Odd that they use glue versus stitches.
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They used glue on mine too.
Mine sticks out A LOT! When I was telling my mom how horrible it looks and how much it sticks out (she lives out of state and hadn't seen it) she was trying to make me feel better and telling me, "Oh I'm sure it's not as bad as you say, youre just self conscious" When she finally visited me last month I said, "Ok Mom dont BS me I know this looks creepy and it sticks out!" She had this weird look on her face and said, "Ok you got me"
We both started laughing.
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Nora: You must have a power port too. My friend had a regular port and she said you couldn't even see hers but this one really sticks out!
The nurse from the hospital called to ask me how I was doing and I told her I could tell the surgeon isn't a plastic surgeon by the looks of the ragged wound and stitches and she cracked up and that's when I found out it is glue.
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I feel silly. I dont know if it's a power port or not. My Mom had a port when she had BC 9 years ago. She said her port looked nothing like mine in fact she could barely see hers.
My mom has ended up being a voice of reason for me. She has been keeping me strong and we have developed an incredible relationship through all of this. Before it was just the Mother/Daughter relationship. This has brought us closer on a different level. She currently just found out she has salivary gland cancer and is going to have to have radiation. She had a pet scan yesterday to see if perhaps her cancer is elsewhere. We are keeping our finger's crossed! I feel incredibly guilty, I have figured it out on my own that she knew something was wrong but was dealing in her own way with my diagnosis and was procrastinating on her own health.
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I wouldn't know about the port either except my oncologist told me to have a power port and I think (just speculation on my part) that it is a power port. My friend down in AZ said you could barely see hers and it wasn't a power port. My chest is now majorly bruised.
I'm so sorry to hear about your Mother and pray for the best for her. Don't feel guilty - I know easy for me to say!
I bet the caps are working just fine too!
Arlene
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Arlene I was surprised to have glue after lumpectomy and not the oldfrankenstein stitches.The result is so much better!libraylil
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So with your port can you see the tube that goes up to your neck? Mine is visible
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I can feel mine. Like a little curve of tubing near the colarbone.
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I'm going to take a picture of mine and post it on here soon
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Mine is so icky right now that I don't look at it much. Today is so much better. All I know is that it really protrudes from my skin!
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Hi,
I'm stage 4 and am usually on the other board, but I'm triple positive as well and read all your posts... I have asked docs on several occasions and asked on this forum, but no one seems to be able give me an answer I can understand(it's probably me!!!)
What impact does Pr+ have on a the situation..heard it is a good thing, well as far as anything about breast cancer is good!!!
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I had the same question. I am apparently 40% positive for Estrogen, but 90% for Progesteren. Is that a bad thing?
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Good question!
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RE the ER/PR, I have no idea what my percentages are so all I know is that my oncologist says being ER/PR + is a good thing since they have medicine to treat it. I'll ask the NP tomorrow if the percentages make a difference and see what she says.
Arlene
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Since we were talking about ports....here's my baby
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I have a "kiddy" port. It's not a power port. The surgeon said I was so small framed I needed a juvenile port.
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nora_az - Holy Crap! I don't think I have ever seen anyone else's port but my own - mine is virtually invisible compared to yours.
TonLee - Yay, yay, yay!!!!! So happy for you! Here is to mild SE's for your last tx.
libraylil - After my BMX last Nov I had a subsequent complete node dissection and they glued that 4 inch incision closed too! I was quite suprised and a little nervous because I am allergic to adhesive! I had no problems and in time I think it will be an OK scar. It is visible if I wear a tank style top or bathing suit, but hopefully it will fade. I can't really figure out the bathing suit thing with only one TE right now anyway!
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Lago...I wish I had a smaller port! I didn't know they could've given me a kiddy one like!
Special K....I know it really sticks out!! I had to laugh when my mom was wanting to make it sound as if I was being self conscious by making it seem as though it wasn't that obvious (before she saw it) but she couldn't bring herself to tell a huge lie once I showed her. At least I only have it till November!
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Wow, Nora, it does appear big but I don't think mine is much smaller but I'm still so bruised and swollen that it is tough to tell.
A kid's port sounds like a great idea!
On another note, my cold caps arrived today and I can see why folks lose their hair at the base because the caps don't seem to go down far enough to cover the hairline. They seem to fit nicely other than that but now they are in the freezer getting all nice and cold.
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Well, I actually did it! I got my port in last night. For whatever reason, I was more stressed out going in for that surgery than I was for the actual mastectomy. Maybe because I was afraid I would have to experience it firsthand. They put me completely under, thank goodness, so I didn't experience anything but sleep. I don't think I could have handled being awake and aware for that. Plus I hate fentanyl, and I think that's what they usually give to put you in that twilight woozy state.
I don't have the courage to really look at the port yet, but from what I can see, there is no tubing visible leading up from it like you have, Nora. That's really shocking! I wonder why your tubing is showing and nobody else has that? Can you cover it with your clothing, or does it show with a regular top?
Oh, and how long did people need to take pain meds after the surgery? They sent me home with Vicodin which makes me loopy. Fortunately, the port only hurts when I move so I might be okay with just Tylenol.
I ordered my cold caps yesterday. How long did they take to arrive, Arlene?
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I posted this as a new discussion on the chemo board, but few people actually responded:
Fasting to Reduce Chemo Side Effects
http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/69/topic/766523
It's fascinating research, and if my oncologists will let me, I think I am going to try it.
I would love to get some thoughts from you gals. I start four rounds of A/C chemo at the end of next week.0 -
Arlene - Are you planning to ice your fingers and toes too? Between the cap, fingers, toes and ice chips that I had in my mouth I would start to shiver. A cup of tea or coffee afterward really helped.0
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Wildlass
Yes, most all of my tops show a bit of the tubing. Last weekend my husband informed me I may be going to a fancy business business dinner which I would have to wear a dress to. I haven't dressed up since before this all started. I went to my closet and was trying on my dresses to see which one I wanted to wear. First of all I was bald which didnt help how I was looking in the mirror. Then EVERY THING I could possibly wear not only showed the tubing but the port as well. I looked at myself in the mirror and tried so hard to stay positive and feel good. I must admit it was hard.
I honestly dont care what people say about the tubing or port when I dress everyday. I dont care if they stare too much. But when I wanted to dress up and look good and look normal. Dang, that was hard.
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Nora - Maybe treat yourself to a new outfit?0
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nora - I too had to go to a military dinner after I had cut my hair super short (which turned out ok) but I had one TE removed so I had a mismatched chest. All of my formal wear was too scoop necked so I just bought a high-necked black jersey dress with a bunch of draping accross the front. It was nice and something I could wear later. I wore dressy jewelry and shoes to make it look more formal. I still obsessed all night and kept asking my DH if I was "even" so after a while he just laughed at me whenever I would look at him! I was really glad I went though because the speaker was hilarious and I realized I had not laughed that hard since my diagnosis.
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Nora: Not that you're going to be in a wedding, but check out the "mother of the bride" dresses here: http://www.lightinthebox.com/wholesale-Special-Occasion-Dresses_c2048
Many have tasteful matching jackets that would most likely cover your port. The reviews on these dresses are great. I would buy one in a heartbeat!
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These dresses would cover a port!
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Windlass,
I couldn't access the fasting article. But I had similar ideas until I met with two diff. Onc. nutritionists (after spending 5 days in the hospital).
I wouldn't recommend fasting. Chemo is killing rapidly dividing cells, including healthy ones. If you deprive your body of protein (the building block of cell regeneration) your body will start "eating itself" and become weak.
Your body repairs itself like a triage situation, the most important stuff first. Since the GI tract is hit hard with TCH, it moves to repair those damaged cells. If you don't have protein in your stomach, it will take protein from other places in your body. YOUR MUSCLES!! And once you start losing muscle mass, you gain weight, and have all kinds of other issues (bones, strength, etc).
It may sound like a good idea in theory, but when you walk it all the way out...it is not a good plan. The last thing your body needs right now is more stress. Help it out. Feed it so it can do what it is designed to do.
That's my 2 cents....lol
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