March 2011 chemo-lounge
Comments
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Quick check-in (finally!)
New puppy is keeping me up at night and then I'm driving for rads. Today was 24/33, so the end is in sight. I've had a couple of friends volunteer to drive or ride with me, so that has helped.School starts next Monday for teachers, but I have been working a little bit (1-2 hrs/day) lately. Orientation for new kids is Thursday so have to get schedules ready and send off records to kids who have moved. So not ready to go back. Feel like I did not have a summer.
Hoping you all are well and I will try to get caught up. Best wishes to those facing surgery or recovering. Who else is doing rads right now? I know Kymn just started...think there are a few others. Chemo brain still at work here...
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RELAY FOR LIFE BURNSVILLE, MN. 8/5/11 MY DAUGHTER LINDSAY AND I
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MARCH 2011 CHEMO LOUNGE LUMINARY ON THE TRACK !!!!
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Last rads session this morning - as far as I am concerned I consider that the end of my cancer treatment! The Arimidex and second mastectomy are just preventative.
DH, DD and I are about to celebrate with a glass of champagne
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Terrific photos, Stilts!!!!!
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Great photos Stilts! You look great! Is that a wig? If so, you would never know it. The 11th is getting closer! Yay. 2 more days and the March 2011 chemo lounge will be PFC! We should all celebrate.
Good to hear from you Kristy. I am still off. Never had a summer off before. Absolutely loved having it off. Not sure when I am going back to work, but am sure it will be difficult. Glad rads are going okay.
Congrats Penny! You are done treatment! WooHoo! Must be a great feeling. I want to play a song for you. How about Feeling Stronger Every Day by Chicago.
Feelin' Stronger Every Day lyrics
I do believe in you
And I know you believe in me
Oh yeah
Oh yeah
And now we realize
Love's not all that it's supposed to be
Oh yeah
Oh yeah
And knowing that you would have wanted it this way
I do believe I'm feelin' stronger every day
I know we really tried
Together we had love inside
Oh yeah
Oh yeah
So now the time has come
For both of us to live on the run
Oh yeah
Oh yeah
And knowing that you would have wanted it this way
I do believe I'm feelin' stronger every day
Yeah, yeah, yeah
After what you've meant to me
Ooh baby now
I can make it easily
Yeah, yeah, yeah
I know that we both agree
Best thing to happen to you
The best thing that happened to me
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Feelin' stronger every day
Feelin' stronger every day
Feelin' stronger every day
(You know I'm alright now)
Feelin' stronger every day
(You know I'm alright now)
Feelin' stronger every day
(You know I'm alright now)
Feelin' stronger every day
(You know I'm alright now)
Feelin stronger every day
(You know I'm alright now)
Feelin stronger every day
(You know I'm alright now)
Feelin' stronger every day
(You know I'm alright now)
Feelin stronger every day
(You know I'm alright now)
Feeling stronger every day0 -
Thanks for posting the photo Stilts! You look great!
Kristy-I am still doing rads. I have #18 this morning. Doing ok so far, just really tired. It seems like this week my skin has really gotten red.
Penny-Congratulations for finishing! Enjoy your glass of champagne.
I hope everyone is having a good week so far.
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Here's to Penny !!!! Cheers...a little early here for Happy Hour but who cares ???
Yep...that's me in my wig...ugh !!! So sick of it but at least there's some fuzz underneath !!!
Kay...LOVE Chicago !!!...see them in concert whenever I can...FEELIN STRONGER EVERY DAY IS PERFECT !!!!
Approximately 49 hours to PFC...first appt. with Radiation Oncologist in the morning...
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Today I am 39!!!! I have learned that I need to be very grateful for every year, and I will be proud to announce my age as each year passes by (I hope), even if 39 sounds like I am lying (but not as much a fake-out as 29). I truly hope and pray that there are many more of these birthdays in my future (and all of ours)!
Penny: congrats on finishing rads and finishing treatment. I will be halfway done with rads after today.
Stilts: great photos! I walked in our relay, and nothing breaks my heart more than seeing kids in those purple shirts. Forget what I am going through, kids really don't deserve this. You look fabulous!
kay: almost there. We can't wait to celebrate with you.
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Stilts thank you for thinking of all of us! You look great!
Penny Yeahhhhh for finishing rads! Was it bad? I start nxt. month.
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Stilts loved the pictures brought tears to my eyes thank you for doing that for all of us here at the lounge.
Maxine happy birthday day girl, I just had mine last week and proud to say I am 42. We will all have many more to celebrate.
Penny so great are you the first to finish rads?? I just had number 6 today.27 to go.
Im doing ok life is moving along wish I could talk to you all but have to work
Hugs Kymn
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Wonderful poster Stilts, I think you made us all cry - and don't you look good, who cares if its the wig
Thanks for the song Kay and for everyone's congrats
Happy Birthday Maxine, and for Kymn last week - when we are all old ladies we can maybe start lying again at about 79
I am glad the rads is over but it wasn't bad - I was lucky enough to have it early morning and near where I am currently working so it only took an hour out of my day at the most. My neck/over my colllar bone looks disgusting but is not that painful as long as I keep it greased up and don't let it dry out. Thats the key here ladies - you let normal wounds dry out to heal but burns need to be kept moist. Just keep putting on whatever cream they give you several times a day, even if there is no sign of redness yet. Also keep doing stretches - if you are having Rads to your axilla it all tends to tighten up a bit. Lie on your back and put your arms up over your head, (with or without light weights, and also put your hands behind your head and move your elbows back (check with your phyios if you have a lymphpdema risk - but my philosophy is exercise is good for this). After the stuff we have been through its easy because its local not all of you.
It hilarious how this stuff changes our perception of normal - it now feels normal to lie on a metal plate with your boob out and three little men looking down at you, positioning you to some weird measurement and drawing on you with a green white board marker. - one of them turned round yesterday and said - you are going to miss this in the mornings aren't you - LOL
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Stilts, thank for including me on your luminary. What an honor. By the way, you really do look great, not just saying that. Congratulations on reaching the end of chemo. When I reached the end, I really felt I had accomplished a great goal.
Penny congrats on being through with rads an treatment. I'm so happy for you. Can you believe I haven't started yet? I went for simulation last week and am waiting to hear when I start. The whole process seems as though it is going very slow for me. Thanks for the advice about the stretching and creams. I'm going to try a new prescription cream called X clair. My RO doesn't have a lot or faith that it will help, but she says I can use that or nothing at all. Those are my 2 choices, so I'm going with the X clair.
Happy birthday, MaxineO...and happy belated birthday Kymn. May we all have many more.
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Stilts, add me to the list of grateful (and teary) honorees on the luminaria. What a thoughtful gesture.
And you do look great; i didnt realize it was a wig . But being a fellow wig-wearer (withbsome qctuql growth-yay) i know how tired you must be of wearing it.
Penny, congrats on finishing rads! I have 8 to go. Glad to have someone blazing the trail for the rest of us.
Colodisney, I get very tired too. Had to pull over last week and take a quick nap half way home. Am trying to have friends drive or go with me these few weeks when I can.
Kay-closing down the lounge...can you believe it?! Great song choice too.
So glad for good news for so many this week. Maria, hope the beach is sunny and warm and no one has to do boob patrol- HA!!0 -
I got the best news ever today, my path report showed no signs of cancer! I am so happy! I really feel like I have kicked cancers butt!
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ksmatthews - thats brilliant, so pleased for you
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ksmatthews...WOO HOO!!!!
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My dearest lounge lizards,
I am 2 days post-op and feeling good. Have not needed any pain pills because I am wearing a ON-Q pain ball. She sent me home with a full scrip of Vicodin but don't think I will need it. The last thing I remember before surgery was her making the sign of the cross on my forhead and then kissing the same spot and then I ws asleep. Anesthesia people worked magic and I woke up not only with no nausea but with a roaring appetite. They iinjected three diffent things plus a patch behind my ear.
The drains gross me out-the sooner those are gone the better. breast center came in with a post-op bra that they had stuffed with quilt batting to what looks like a DD. When I pulled the batting out there is no way to waear the thing without stuffung-it would just be abunsh of saggy material.. Beacuse I have a big band size the thing had huge cups. Told her to take it back because it was $85 dollars-they said the place gives them free to BC people. Maybe I can find someone on the site that could use it. That is why I hated bra shopping before. If you are a 40 they just assume you need huge cups. I was a solid B and I looked just fine. Very disappointed with that Not everyone does re-con and we apparently aren't considered much by the high end bra makers.
Food sucked big time-I sent back 3 trays un touched. Cold bad food was a joke. I had a half of a turkey sanwich for the day and a half I was in there. Was totally ignored by nurses unless i called them. I had expected them to stop in like every 2 hours or so.Ran out of water several times. Was freezing to death with 1 little blanket-wish I had come home. They were nice but not much interested in my case at least. Drains were completely filled several times and whn the BS came in on Tuesday she was furious-1 of them had a clot in it and had stopped working. They never stripped the tubes any time while I was there.
All that whining aside the surgery part is good. I have almost full range of motion and very little discomfort. Bandages and pain ball off Friday and shower on sat. The no re-con makes mine way easier I think. She sent both breasts out for biopsy and a piec e of the chest wall. All good clear margins. The thing on the chest wall was just scar tissue. The remaining breast tumor was 2cm but hollow in the middle. The most discomfort I am having is from all the velcro on my ittle vest. Those shape edges are poking me everywhere.
On the way home from the hospitsl yesterday we stopped at my favorite Chinese rest(it was on my PFC crave list)and had a great meal. lso made a quick stop at Lowes and Walgreens. I came hime and took a nap scrambled some eggs for supper watched some TV and went to bed. Got up at 6 today and took a walk, read the paper and now talking to you guys.
Idon;t think it could have gone any better-so glad to have this step behind me and ready to move on to the next.
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Oh Lilylady that is great! Congrats on having surgery behind you and clear margins. Sorry the hospital experience was so bad. That just sux. I can't believe the way they treated you (or rather ignored you). The food I can believe. I'm glad you're home and feeling so good. You go girl! I'm on next Wed., the 17th, for a MX and reconstruction. Hope it goes well. All of a sudden at this late time, people are telling me I should have a double MX. I don't even see the surgeon again until surgery. This is making me crazy, I was all set and resolved, now I'm questioning again.
KSMatthews, congrats to you! That is wonderful news! So happy for you.
Kristy, good to hear from you. How's Gracie? Trained yet? She's so cute, she'd be getting away with all kinds of things at my house.
Have a great day everyone.
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Kay, I made my decision to remove the other breat after a breast MRI showed 4 things in my good boob. The then wanted to ultasound and biopsy. BS said for the rest of my life if they ever found anything that;d what woud happen. I was 95% there anyway about taking it off because of me having no re-con. 1 saggy boob meant waering a bra evertime i left the house. If I went falt I could be falr or wear foobs-just not the DD ones the stupid BS sent over. That was the only time I teared up thru the whole surgery thing. The lady was so proud of what she had created with that dumbass bra- Who in the hell is going out in public with that much quit batting sticking out in front of them? She said theer were no options on the bar. if you waer a 40 band size thia is the vup it comes in. They don;t have a range. I was a 40B before and it looked appropiate for my size.
Anyway-when I decided to lose th other boob my onc was so happy. he said he didn;t want to influence my decision but he really wanted the left one gone also. None of the 4 things they found iin there were cancerous but it still makes me gald it is gone. I can choose going flat ir waering prosthetics. I was very secure in my decision not to re-con mostly because I have other surgeries coming up and it was just too much to deal with.
ksmatthews-another cancer free prson in our lounge.YAAAY!!!! It seems like we have some great healers in here. I am cancer free in 1 place so that's a good start for me!!!
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Thanks for telling me your reasoning Lilylady. My MRI showed nothing in the good breast. I asked all the doctors (PS, BS and onc) and they all recommended just a single MX. The onc told me the only reason to do both would be if I would just have too much anxiety and fret worrying about it. I didn't think I would. She also said that if it does appear in the other breast, they are going to be watching me close and catch it early and it won't be the same long road I've had to go through this time. The BS told me that if the cancer were to come back, it would travel through the blood to an organ or bones or something. She said it would not travel to the other breast, it doesn't travel that way. She said if I were to get cancer in the other breast it would be a new occurence and I have no family history or risk factors. Of course, that didn't help the first time. And the PS said that the reconstruction surgery would be much harder to recover from for a double MX and she wouldn't recommend it. It is my family and friends that are telling me to do both. One friend, a nurse, called the good breast a ticking time bomb with my stats (grade 3 and all).
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thanks everyone, there is hope for all of us!
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Happy birthday Maxine!
Congratulations KSMatthews!! That news makes me so happy for you!
Lilylady-Sorry your hospital stay was so horrible. I'm glad to hear you are recovering nicely and things are going well. You sound very positive!
Kay-I'm in the same position as you. Grade 3, too. I am going to have the other side removed in September. My BS and PS agree, my oncologist does not. He doesn't have to wake up everyday and wonder about it like I do, though. I just don't feel that with my age (36) that I want to deal with it. I really wanted to have it done when I had my first mx but they wouldn't so here I am again almost done with rads and going for another surgery. Not looking forward to it but feels like another step in getting closer to having this process over.
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Stilts - thank you so much for including me in your walk. It means so much to feel that support, even from far away. I also got teary. I don't know how I would have made it without all of your support! I think your wig looks very realistic, and a cute style, too.
Happy, happy birthday Maxine! 39 for the first time, wink, wink.
Penny - yeah you are done! Bubbly all around in the lounge.
KSMathews - you did kick cancer's butt! So happy all is well.
Kristy - puppy is adorable. Is there anything cuter than a puppy? Take maternity leave.
Kay - we all have to make the right decision for ourself. I don't know if you know SueBee from the Jan11 exercise thread, but if I'd known her story before my BMX, I might have considered a uni more. One of the main reasons I did both was that I wanted to have a good cosmetic result. She has gotten a great outcome, very comparable on both sides. With my history of having cervical cancer, family history, and having been watching some calcifications in the "ok" breast, I said take them both. My BS, Onc, and gyn/onc all agreed with that decision, much the same as Lilylady. All that being said, you can always go back and have the other one taken off if there is an issue or preventatively if you can't deal with the anxiety. I don't have any regrets about my decision, and that's where you want to be.
Lilylady - I'm so glad you had a good surgery result. sorry about the hospital experience. I firmly believe that no one should spend the night in the hospital by themselves for all those reasons. You need some one there to be your advocate and go to the nurses' station and be a squeaky wheel. I'm always thankful for "weight loss opportunities", but that sounds disgusting. You are lucky the food didn't make you nauseous - ick. You sound as if you are really recuperating well, I'm so glad that at least this part of your journey is going a little smoother. I want to hear about you kicking someone's butt at the hospital, you are such a sassy one!
Not much new here. It's still hotter than H-E-double toothpicks. We will break the 1980 record for most consecutive days over 100 on Friday, oh boy. My hair is getting pretty long - maybe an inch? I'm still wearing scarves some, but getting ready to ditch them. I have a good friend whose mom was dx'd recently with ovarian cancer. I've been giving her tips and telling my experiences with chemo with her. So many great tips and info from y' all, too. Frozen peas for the nails, cold caps, food, etc. Thanks for being there for me, girls, I appreciate each and every one of you! Hope everyone is feeling well
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HI girls, happy hump day. thanks for all the tips on how to get through radiaiton. I just had number 7 today,feels a bit like a sunburn today but nothing too bad I will keep up with the cream though i am using IMPRUV its derma membrane structure cream and hypoallergenique and non comedogene so hopefully it does the trick. I am feeling a bit tired but so far not needing to nap which is a good thing as they prolly wouldnt appreciaite it if I fell asleep on my desk lol.For those of you that are done Rads now what were the boosts like?? Did they feel more intense or cause more redness?
Have a great day all
kymn
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Kristy - nearly there and hope you are enjoying the new puppy - even wihout the sleep
Lily - good to hear the op went well despite the hospital stay - I HATE the drains but they will be gone soon. I kept putting mine down and walking away without them for the first MX, not sure when I will have the second one yet, but it reassures me that you are happy with your decision. Its brilliant that it was all clear, but like you I don't want endless scans and to always have to wear a prosthesis.
Kay, Colodisneylover, supersally - I think its a personal decision - mine is ILC which is often not picked up on mammogram till much later and does not feel like a lump, so I would endlessly worry if I didn't have the second one off. The BS wants to wait 6 months PFC though
Kymn - I didn't have boosts so I can't help there
Good luck to all doing RADS - it wil soon be done
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Had my first radiation appt. today and everything went well...the RO is young, blonde blue eyed Scandinavian
, trained at Mayo and seems very caring. The Radiation Center is connected to the hospital I work at so that will be very convenient on the days I'm working. They drew all over my chest, did a couple tatoos and sent me for a CAT scan of the area. Have another appt., then start treatments on August 29th. They recommend using only Aquaphor or clear Aloe Vera.I read the discussion on bilateral MX...it was an easy decision for me as I had a "scare" about 10 years ago (I'm 57 now)...biopsy was OK but decided to get a breast reduction which they thought at the time would decrease my risk of BCA significantly and my breast size was causing discomfort. So here I am with BCA !!! Basically I was sick and tired of worrying about my boobs and was happy to get rid of them !!!! (My mother also had BCA and had a bilateral MX...said she never regretted it and she was a long term survivor)
ksmatthews and lily lady:great to hear your good news !!! I thought the drains after my bilateral MX were awful and couldn't wait to have them out....went home from the hospital postop day #1 ...I figured the sooner the better !!!
Big day tomorrow...husband , daughter and close friend will be joining me for Taxol dose 12 of 12..another chapter finished !!!
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Stilts - Hooray - Final chemo celebrations tomorrow!
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Yay Stilts!! Sounds like you're going to bring the party with you. All of us will be there with you in spirit.
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