Any ladies from WISCONSIN??
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Found out I will be getting 5 weeks of rads with possible 6th week boosted. I have Dr. Bethany Anderson. SHe is very young but seems very nice. There isnt any place closer for me to go to, so i will be driving over an hour there and back. Total of 117 miles. What a huge chore and drag ! I dont know how to stay motivated and disciplined enough to do this for so long. I wish they had never got my hopes up by telling me i may only have to do 3 weeks of rads. I wish I had known with that rads was mandatory with a lumpectomy, it might have weighed in my decision as to what procedure I would have. The dr. said that I would still have about a 17% chance of recurrence after doing radiation. That still seems higher to me then it should be considering I had clean margins. and doing rads. I also found out the family members that said I would never have to go to any appts. alone, now arent going to be able to go with me for moral support either. I feel so utterly alone and defeated.
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Hello from another Wisconsin gal! I've been following all of you for a few weeks and now am joining the forum. I commute to work (along with my husband) in Madison but am getting treated at Froedtert=Milwaukee. All the folks there have been excellent. Waiting for pathology report, then will get a plan for chemo.
I used to travel out Hwy 14 toward Richland Center: it's a scenic drive although going every day could get tedious for bluewillowskys doing her radiation. At least it's not winter with snowy/icy roads! Spring has finally sprung...
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Hi, nice to meet all you Wisconsinites!!! I've met Badger already, hi howya doing?
I'm from westcentral Wisconsin. A cheesehead for sure! And a Packer fan!!! I'm about four hours north of the Madison area.
I just started attending a brand new support group in town. YANAS (Your Not Alone Sister) They plan on meeting once a month. I've never been big on attending support groups but is was more pleasant than I was expecting. so I'll see how it goes.
It was 32 degrees last night. I can't wait for warmer spring weather to arrive up here!
Nice to meet all of you!
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yes its gonna be quite tedious, but your right it could be worse weather. I have to use my son's car that doesnt have air conditioning though. So I am hoping for morning treatments before it gets really hot during the day. I am having lots of relationships issues too that are getting to me. Sorry I am coming off as a big downer. I know there are others that have it way worse then me. I just gotta try to remind myself of that i guess.
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Dear Lisa, If I lived closer I would go pick you up - I'm no stranger to hour long commutes. The price of gas does tend to add up however. Crank your radio and don't get pulled over for speeding! Mary
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Lisa - You are certainly entitled to complain and be upset! This whole process sucks! But we'll all get through it because we are strong women and that's what we do! I personally will be seeking out Heath Bar Blizzards on a regular basis to get through (thank goodness for the new mini size!) Kristin
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15andmore - I have read about BCRF and the retreats they put together. I actually looked at one this summer on Madeline Island. Did you go there or to Door County? I don't think I can make it work for this summer but I will certainly keep it in mind for the near future. I don't know much about BCRF except what I've read on their website. I think it a retreat would be an incredibly emotional experience. My husband and I have been to Bayfield and Madeline Island ~~ they couldn't have chosen a more beautiful place! Take care, Gina0
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My dad who will be going some days with me will be missing out on his morning coffee routine with his brother in law. My son is working a different work schedule during my radiation weeks so that I dont have to stay up until 11 am every night and miss sleep having to go to treatment early in the morning. SInce I drop son off at 8:30AM I was thinking maybe thats a blessing in disguise. If I head to meet Dad straight after dropping son off then I would have about half hour to chit chat and have coffee with Dad before heading to Madison. I have not gotten to see him as often since he moved another town farther away. And he is 68 now so I am getting pretty scared about the thought of losing him. So getting to see him 3-5 days a week for the 3 hours of driving and coffee time would be really great.
WHich by the way another blessing is the fact that I am becoming reacquainted with my mom . SHe and I have only spoke maybe 3-4 times in the past 8 years. We had a HUGE falling out. Since I just a few days before my lumpectomy she has been calling me every day . According to the grapevine she has went downhill mentally/emotionally/physically the past 8 years. She only rarely leaves her house and she doesnt drive anymore at all. She is only 62. I am guessing the whole "life is too short to hold a grudge " thing has motivated her to start calling me. Also my aunt/her sister says that when she feels needed she tends to perk up a bit more. I have notcied each day she has called she stays on the phone longer and sounds better.So again, another positive spin on having breast cancer.
I am a really pessimistic person by nature and more so when I am depressed or facing difficult times in my life. I think I really need to take stock of that and try to change it...at least a little bit. I will never be a glass half full all the time and happy go lucky either...but it would not hurt me to be that way at least half the time.
WOW ...I think I accomplished some growth here tonight... YAY ME !
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Good morning! While I would never call BC a gift, for me there were many blessings, some in disguise and some right out there in the open.
My 80-year-old mom is a 30-year survivor and I appreciate her more than ever. Although he was frightened, my DH has been a rock throughout everything and we've grown so much closer. I appreciate being here all the more and have gained a lot of wisdom and perspective - like you said Lisa YAY me LOL. And I'm way more mellow about things.
If I wasn't already in Madison (by 7:15 am) I'd keep you company. I listen to a lot of public radio, and maybe the RC library has books on tape you can listen to in the car driving back & forth.
Had six-month follow-up with onc on Tues and am doing well. I see him again in Nov.
It's time to hit the shower, get dressed, and head out. Have a good day and {{hugs}} to all.
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I'm happy to hear that Lisa is finding encouragement despite circumstances within herself and from others. I am also prone to low moods and have decided to take advantage of the "Quality of Life" service my cancer center provides. There are many caring professionals out there to help us!
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Glad to hear you are on the right health track Badger ! I got a letter saying I meet my Medical ONcologist May 31st. ALso getting an echocardiogram that morning for my mitral valve prolapse in my heart. A couple doctors recently said they could hear the murmur . In the past only my Cardio Dr. could hear it. So I am assuming my leaky valve has worsened some....ggrrrr hopefully it still can be treated with my medication. I really dont want to have some heart surgery with all I am going through right now already. On Friday this week I get a CT SCan and get my tattoos and find out my rad start date. I have several other real tattos so i should be able to handle it. Its the CT scan I am nervous about. MRIs freak me out, I am claustrophobic. But the dr. said a CT scan is a shorter tube so maybe it wont be as bad. She also said it doesnt take as long as an MRI.
On a different note... I had been having trouble finding regular bras that fit me correctly and a woman on another website had suggested I try buying one from Herroom.com. They give really great instructions on how to properly measure yourself. I apprently had measured myself wrong years ago and my size changed over the years and i didnt remeasure properly. Well the bras at this site are kinda pricey, but I ordered one according to their measuring instructions and it came in about 3 days. It fit perfectly ! After I had my lumpectomy it still fit well . I had it on when I developed the hematoma. The ambulance paramdeics asked if they could cut off my new shirt...I said "fine no problem just dont cut up my new $45 bra !" LOL I plan on ordering 2 more as soon as I can afford it. It is the BEST regular brad I have ever had. Makes me highly consider throwing out my sports bra collection. ANyway I highly recommend you ladies check them out
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I'm from the Madison area. Glad this thread caught my eye - it's always very helpful to be able to compare notes on clinics and doctors. Dr. Bethany Anderson is the one I saw, too. (Still making decisions about radiation, lumpectomy is still healing)
I've decided to shorten my work hours until all this is over. So I have a little more leeway in my schedule. It would be fun to get together with Wisconsin people from this site for a coffee klatch once in a while!
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AnneWisc: when did you have your lumpectomy? And yes it would be great to meet up to visit in person sometime.
It seems that the majority of people on here are in the Madison area....so my guess is that would be the most likely place. Does anyone here go to Gilda's Club in Madison? I am thinking of going to the new member meeting this Saturday .
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Hey bluewillowskys, I had my lumpectomy done a week ago today. Why?
That's a good idea about Gilda's Club but I generally get VERY lazy on Saturdays. (I work Mon-Fri.) I have several doctor appointments scheduled next week for follow-up from the lumpectomy. I will not be back on here yet tonight, my head is swimming with too much data and too long online.
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Another piece of good news today. The second mass found via MRI is NOT cancer! Only one lump to deal with next week! I feel like a huge weight has been lifted, although I really want to know what this "mass" is. Path said benign breast tissue. Can't wait to talk to Dr. N on Monday.
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congrats Kristin on the good news! Hope you get your mystery solved Monday.
Lisa, how did the CT scan go today? I looked into Gilda's Club but it's in Middleton which is not convenient given my location and schedule. Too bad, they have some good programs, incl yoga classes and "Look Good, Feel Better." http://www.gildasclubmadison.org/Site/index.aspx
Anne, I would love to get together for coffee or maybe lunch. Anyone else up for that? I work in downtown Madison but live in the rural southwest and commute in Mon-Fri. So it would have to be a weekday.
Mary, what's your commute time, an hour or so? Nice you can ride in with your DH.
Take care ladies ~ {{hugs}} to all
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Oh what good news Kristin ! before i had my surgeries i had a second lump scare myself...it turned out i had misunderstood the doctor...she was just showing me different mammogram views and I thought she said it was a second lump instead it was a second view...i worried myself sick for 4 days for nothing. SO I make sure to bring an extra set of ears to my appts . now.
The CT scan was so simple and quick...i didnt have time to get scared even...waaayyyy better then an MRI. I got my four tattoos also. They gave me a list of lotions, creasm, etc that would help with the skin irritation and I already popped in to walmart and picked up my arsenal of them. I also had 2 women techs which greatly eased my mind. They said i would get a call in 7-10 days telling me when I start my treatment. My guess is the second week of June probably.
Since I will be going into Madison five days a week and scheduling my appts. between 1030 and 11 am...I would be able to meet up with anyone that would like to for coffee or lunch around 11:30am-12pm .
I really had wanted to go to Gilda's new member meeting tomorrow but i didnt realize they closed at 5pm so i missed calling in to register for the meeting
The answering machine said I could leave a message. But I am unsure if that would suffice on such short notice. I dont want to get outta bed at 730am and go all the way there tomorrow and find out I cant get into the meeting...0 -
Lisa, great about the fast CT scan and female techs but bummer about Gilda's. On their website (see link above) is a calendar of events. Looks like there are several new member orientations so maybe you're not totally SOL.
11:30-12:00 would be perfect for my schedule. Shall we think about a Friday in June?
IMO the more the merrier. BC is a tough road but it's easier traveled together. {{hugs}}
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yes a friday in June would work for me...my guess is I will start treatment the second week in June . So June 10 or 17th would be good. On the 17th I have to go myself as my dad will be out of town on a camping trip , but I could always go alone on the 10th too. I have no clue about a meeting place. I am mainly familiar with the west side of town and along University as far in as the UW Hospital. Not sure how much time you would have available to you for the lunch hour or how far you would be able to go and get back in time for work...so just give me some suggestions as I am very flexible on my end
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Hey, BlueWillow, badger - A nice place for coffee near UW Hospital but not right IN it, is Panera Bread on University Ave.
I have arranged my life so that I am working 4 hours a day mid-day, like 10-2, so I really can't take off for the noon hour. All this is subject to change - my boss asked how he could help (me with my cancer struggle) and I said "One word - flexibility."
I meet with my surgeon (who already did my lumpectomy) and a 2nd meet with medical oncologist Monday a.m., my primary care physician Tuesday a.m., and 2nd meet with radiation oncologist, Tuesday p.m. I expect to be overwhelmed by opinions, information, and decisions!
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hey ladies, well it started out rainy, but I just woke up from a nap to a beautiful day!
Got out this morning for a walk in the drizzle, stayed mostly dry wearing a windbreaker and a baseball cap. Now I'm sipping a cup of coffee and thinking about a nice evening stroll.
Anne, that's a good boss, flexibility is a key thing to have. My boss was great too. You do have a lot of appts set up for next week. That may be overwhelming but it could also be good to just get the appts over and done with. If you can't bring someone with you as a second set of ears, consider a portable tape recorder. Even if they explain things in the simplest terms, sometimes your brain just doesn't process it.
I'll send you a PM about maybe getting together some afternoon for coffee. Would prefer to keep personal contact info in PM's instead of posts, which are open to anyone on the web.
Lisa, did you get to Gilda's today?
Hope everyone is having a good weekend. {{hugs}}
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Nope I didnt make it. I didnt want to drive all the way there and not be able to get in because i wasnt registered. I am thinking my next best chance would be the June 1st meeting. It was rainy here and dark until 20 minutes ago. Sun is shining plenty now and its 6:18pm so i guess the rapture didnt happen or else i got left behind...LOL I have been reading all day. I am half way done with the third Twilight book. My best friend is obsessed with them so I thought I would give them a try . Its been quiet all day as son is at work and daughter is with her dad for the day....so its been nice a cozy in my recliner with my book
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LOL oh yeah, I forgot about that... 6 pm has come and gone. So I'm with you, left behind. I should call my mom and see if she's still there. If anyone were to be Raptured away, it'd be her.
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well I did call my mom, she LOL'd... and loved that I called, so we're all OK then. 0
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Kristin, glad to hear that you had some good news!
Lisa, glad to hear that the CT scan/tattoos weren't terrible. I hope your treatments go well.
I, too, looked into Gilda's Club but haven't joined. I work full time so I like to keep my weekends open. They do have wonderful programs and it is a very nice place. I did join Team Survivor. It is open to women with any cancer diagnosis. The emphasis on is fitness and friendship. I'm going to try to do one of their exercise programs this summer.
Have a good week WI ladies, Gina
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Gina: who sponsors TeamSurvivor? I haven't heard of that until now.
Had my pre-op visit this morning - kind of a good news/bad news thing. Good news is no wire placement to help find the tumor prior to surgery. Bad news, chemo is most likely in my future as the tumor is triple neg. Just another piece of info that I'm trying to wrap my head around. Surgery is early Wednesday a.m. Can't wait until that's over!
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kll2: so sorry about the chemo
What type of surgery are you having again? Lumpectomy or mastectomy? My mind has been pretty foggy the past few days and even on a good day my short term memory sucks. I will send you good surgery vibes and thoughts and prayers:)0 -
hey Kristin, sorry about chemo. I can say from experience it sucked but not as much as I had feared. Once you find your start date, join a BCO group starting chemo in the same month. It totally helps to have cyber-friends going through it with you. Best wishes for surgery Weds, I will be thinking of you.
Hope everyone made it through the weekend storms! {{hugs}} to all
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Kristin - I completely agree with badger re chemo and joining a BCO chemo group. Sending positivie, healing thoughts for your surgery on Wed.
TeamSurvivor Madison is part of the national TeamSurvivor. The website has lots of good information www.teamsurvivormadison.org Once you join, you get emails with the different programs. The website gives an overview but it isn't until you join that you see all the specifics. I've seen their brochures at UWCCC. There is no fee to join, no membership fee but you do have to have your dr sign a medical release form for you. I've been to their annual meeting and I would like to try stand up paddling if they offer it again this summer. Some of the programs have costs associated but they are usually at reduced rates and some are free.
Take care, Gina
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hey ladies, staying warm? It's 49 here and I have the heat on. Yikes!
I shouldn't complain, I prefer the cool weather and soon enough it will be HOT.
Kristin, thinking of you and hoping your surgery went well this morning.
Anne, hoping you got thru all those doc appts this week without being too overwhelmed.
Gina, looking forward to lunch and catching up and comparing hair LOL!
Lisa, hope you're healing well and in case I forget, good luck with your Med Onc next week.
Other than Lisa and me, who's up for lunch either the 10th or 17th of June? Both Fridays..
Take care everyone! {{hugs}}
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