TRIPLE POSITIVE GROUP
Comments
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Pbrain, a suggestion from my onc nurse: eat something on the even hour, and drink something on the odd, even if you don't feel like it. Small things like a piece of cheese, toast,or things like that. And congrats on starting, you ate now one tx closer to the end!
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Congratulations on having the first chemo under your belt, Pbrain!
I just remembered - I planted some bulbs at the beginning of the summer and they never came up. My big thing is succulents and I watered them all the day before the surgery. Gardening is one of my zen activities.
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TonLee - our support group is women only, and only women that have or had cancer can attend, it doesn't matter what kind. No one else can come without permission of everyone in the group. Sometimes we'll have speakers, then we can invite family or friends, but that's all. It makes a big difference, it's our safe space to talk with other survivors, and though we haven't all had breast cancer, you can still learn alot from each other.
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Ah, thanks guys. Moon and Omaz, thanks for the advice. I really drink a ton of water on a regular basis, so I probably can't do the drink every one hour. But I do have a tendency to eat only few times a day and I'll push myself to do the every other hour approach, even if it is small. Good advice! So far, no weird taste. When does that start?
Sol, good advice on the gloves too. I'm a commando gardener if there ever was one, and I love growing roses with mean thorns. I have tons and tons, of them and I'm planting bulbs amongst them. I have rose gloves that go up to my elbow, so if I'm kicking it live and able to get out there, I will wear them tomorrow. We are supposed to be in the 60's up here so I know it is pretty much my last chance. Dang, I'm so used to being the queen of white cells. I was the kid who always ate the gum ball that fell on the grocery store floor.
Oh, and Lee A, plant daffies. No creature wants to eat those. Every year I plant mini irises in the fall--bulbs are cheap, so I buy a bunch on eBay. I think I'm just feeding the chipmunks because I might get 3 new ones from buying 50 bulbs. But chipmunks are just too cute, so hey, ok. I decided (actually right before my diagnosis) that I really wasn't going to live forever, so I finally bought the daffie bulbs that produce white flowers with pink centers. I have always lusted for those things, so I have to get them in the ground. I'm with you, gardening is my zen. I love it!
Ok, hitting the sack. That Benadryl was exactly what I needed. I think I'll sleep like a bum tonight. After last night and being wide awake at 4:30, I'm going to need it!
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Hi soltantio - I guess I'm feeling okay. I just ate and have the arnica under my tongue. I was surprised by how windy/cool it was when we left the hospital.
Glad you're feeling so much better this evening!!! Good advice to Pbrain on the dirt/gloves. I was much more mindful of that Tuesday than I usually am. Probably shouldn't have been repotting but knew it would be a while until I could get to it.
You must be soooooo happy to have the chemo part over with!!!0 -
Sleep well, Pbrain!!!
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I'm sure everyone is sleeping but I try to catch up when I can the only problem is I forget who said whst--so if I get all confused don't mind me.It's not becuz I forget u, ot's cuz I forget who said what.
But I do remember the groupies hahaha so funny to me it makes me think of going to an AA meeting saying I know someone who's an alcoholic so..... they'd throw me out in a minute.
And Lee I'm glad u'r home, it's always nice to be home.
And Pbrain one down--use u'r energy and when u feel like relaxing make sure u do
Sol I hope u'r doing OK
And I would like to make a suggestion (I never do actually, cuz u all know I know nothing) but try to make some of u'r water the vitamin water --It's not much but it's actually better for u especially now when u need to be hydrated and electrolytes need to be reinforced too. Just a suggestion, It's not one of the commandents like Thou shall not kill---witch u will feel like sometimes.
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Pbrain glad you're doing OK. I remember my first feeling like I was in a haze but that was from the zycam. It took me 2 weeks to get used to it. That stuff always spaces me out. I did an aerobic work out for 70 minutes after my 1st chemo. I only do 50 now but of course I also do strength training. Couldn't do strength training for a while do to BMX. Remember drink lots of de-caffeinated, non salty fluids. Yes soup counts
Forever so glad it was a cyst as I predicted. Guess my crystal ball was working that day.
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LeeA,
You walked out of the hospital after mastectomy and into your garden to plant bulbs? And you 've been questionning your resilience ..mental or otherwise?
Jenn404 r u ok?
Pbrain..5 to go! Not everyone gets the taste issues. I did and it would be about day 3 through 7.0 -
Thank you everyone. I also realized I am not getting out a lot and hence....even tho living in Florida, it a lot of Vitamin D. I am waiting to see what MO wants to do.. I can't remember what med my primary said, but, but it will ultimately be my MO say. I am noting what everyone is saying, so when I speak to my MO, we can figure something out. Today is a little better. I am going to try and get out today, get some fresh air and sunlight. The weather is perfect for a walk. And I am feeling stronger each day after treatment. Sorry I've been such a downer and self focused. This is not my normal self. And it's a comfort to know that I have you all who understand.
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When you're in the midst of treatment , you MUST be self focused. You have lots of important decisions to make and side effects to monitor.
When you're further down the road, you can use all that troubles you now to help others.
I'm not advocating any treatments but I believe some mo's actually prescribe anidepressants to help with hot flashes.
I found exericise a huge mood booster .0 -
Exercise makes and made a huge difference for me too. Some days toward the end of chemo it was just a shuffle around the yard but I still shuffled. Getting outside and moving was such a help.
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Hi Ashla-yes, I am ok! Well, as good as it gets. I have crazy headaches right now that make it hard to concentrate. So I have not been emailing as much.
I went to the dr and they removed my bandages yesterday. The ones under my foobs. Swelling in left breast is so so bad. Nurse says you always have one good child and one bad...stitches burn! Yikes! So hard to get up out of bed on my own.
Trying to learn how to strip the tubes. Not doing so great. I am afraid one has clotted. Gotta keep trying.
The kids are having a really hard time understanding why I am not picking them up as usual.
Makes me sad.
Forever-incase I didn't already say. I am so relieved for you.
Ms tori- it is so hard. I agree. It does pass. But do whatever you need to in order to take care of yourself.
Cami- you are a funny lady! I wish we all lived closer. I would love to meet you and all the other ladies.
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Jennifer404 If I wasn't in the shape I was pre bmx (strong abs) I would have never been able to get out of bed. I had nodes on both sides. I find that rolling a little to the side as you get up will work but you'll have to wait till the drains are gone to do that. I never could do the drains with all the node removal. My DH was so good about that.
Ms Tori I was diagnosed with low D just before breast cancer diagnosis. I was single digits. My PCP and I resolved it but my onc wanted to test me again just to make sure.
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Jennifer - A nurse showed me a trick that she used with patients - as you are getting up put your hand behind your neck and support your head. It does seem to help even if you are doing it for yourself.
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Jenn....
Aww ....So, so sad that you have to through this while you take care of two wee ones!0 -
Good Morning ladies---I hope u all feel a little bit better--It's amazing to me how 24 hrs can make a difference. If u'r on chemo, it's a crapshoot how u will feel but don't feel bad mentally cuz it acts differently on all of us.
And never feel like u'r complaining or tslk to much about it--that's why everyone tells u things to maybe help and u come first now cuz this can be maddening, I tell u maddening, I told u LOL.
U'll have lots of questions along the way and this is a wonderful place to be. I don't call it a jouney--I call it well unprintable words except for Life interrupted. Not original I know, but that's how I felt.
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And Jenn I couldn't reember who wrote it but I felt so bad when u said u couldn't pick up u'r babies--that's so sad that really hit me. I'm sorry.
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cami - I don't call it a journey either. I haven't found the right word, but journey isn't it.
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Good morning everyone -
ashla, I repotted plants the day before my surgery. I can barely do anything three days after.0 -
Omaz maybe cuz we think of that word as an adventure that is fun or exciting LOL
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Journey*? Meh. I think of it more as an odyssey -
Merriman Webster:
Odyssey: a long wandering or voyage usually marked by many changes of fortune
*yeah, I know that's what it's commonly referred to but I can't type the word "journey" (in this context) without putting quotation marks around it.
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Jennifer - I feel so bad for everyone going through this but I can't imagine going through it with little ones. My first scare came when my son was about two. The second was when he was 15. He's now 25. Long-distance hugs for you and your kids.
MsTori - the vitamin d is so important. I've recently read about women doing 15 minutes a day of bare-breasted sunning (not for those of us who have had surgeries, though!)0 -
My vitamin D was super low too when I was diagnosed. Now my PCP is keeping me at high normal, but in order to do that, even in the summer here, I've had to take 5000 IU's daily. Don't take that amount unless your doc tells you too, mine monitors my levels to keep me in a certain range, so that I don't get too much D.
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I wish my doctor had tested my Vitamin D level at the very beginning. I don't think it's been tested yet but I'm going to request they do so at the next blood draw - whenever that is.
My husband's levels were very low during his bout with dermatomyositis. They put him on a high dosage of pharmaceutical grade Vitamin D2 (I don't know what the difference is but that's what they prescribed).
I typically take 2000 to 4000 IU daily of Vitamin D3 and have been doing so for the last 2-3 years.
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Ms Tori, I am on your chemo regime and my MO ok'd my fish oil and my vitamin D. I don't take D in the summer and I hover in the normal range at ~30. But in the winter, I know I dip low because even if I'm outside, we have no sun! So I start about now to supplement and it seems to keep the blues away for me. I had an NP suggest it to me a few years ago and I looked up studies on PubMed for vitamin D and SAD disease (seasonal affective disorder) and it really seems to help in the clinical trials I saw. They were small, but had statistically sound results.
Cami, got it, I'll buy some vitamin water. So far no nausea, but food tastes salty. Yuck. Wondering if that is psychosomatic. My boss had my same treatment and she said everything but cranraspberry juice tasted salty.
And everyone, please complain and ask questions. That's why we all come here and also to feel the connections with one another. Never apologize unless you turn into a raging lunatic and call us all turd muffins or something.
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WOW. Busy thread this Saturday...
For those that don't like to call this whole thing a "journey" or a "battle" - I hate both of those and so I have been referring to it as "experience". As in: "making my way through this cancer experience."
When someone has to speak at my funeral, hopefully in the far distant future when I've died at the grand old age of ~98 during a nap after enjoying a little ... with my husband, they hopefully will just say that "Jenn went through a breast cancer experience..."
My thinking:
I am not battling this cancer because that would be battling my own body. And I'm not much into masculine metaphors.
I am not journeying through this cancer because I like travelling, but I don't like this.
😊 Jenn0 -
Jen404, practical note: stripping drains - if you have those little alcohol wipes, those are the best. Otherwise moisten a small washcloth or paper towel with alcohol. Then use it to strip the drain tubing. I can tell you it works so much better! And makes it easier! You won't believe it. Make sure one hand is holding the tubing near your skin where it comes out. Then make sure the tube is between the wet pad or cloth, squeeze, and strip it. I had a nurse teach me, and the next time I was in the hospital, I taught two new nurses how to do it! Give it a go and let us know if it worked for you.
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PBrain, I'm sorry if this was asked and answered already, but I can't keep up with this thread! I saw you mentioned taking fish oil. I'm having a hard time finding a brand that doesn't contain soy. Can you suggest a brand? Also, is there a standard dosage I should be looking for? My vitamin regimine is getting pretty long (and expensive), but I do want to add the fish oil. Thanks for any suggestions!
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Sol - thanks, I will check it out. Between vitamins and my vow never to scrimp again on my hair when I need high lights, or shoes or an outfit I want but don't need, I will have to get a second job. haha.
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shore - I take Krill oil, no soy that I can determine. I take Schiff Mega Red. I take it mainly because it is a much smaller capsule than traditional fish oil and I only have to take one per day.
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