Single life after a mastectomy
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E, I found that shampoo on amazon. I have spent a fortune on numerous products but this shampoo is quite reasonable, less than $5, so I will give it a go. thanks for the heads up. I use to have such pretty hair and it was my best feature. I wish I looked and felt like I did before BC.
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not broken I am glad you found it .I honestly feel it leaves my hair supper clean the lady in the video I watch said that it helps dry skull and convince with the spirine it promotes new grows tonight I ll take a picture of the new grows on me with only 12 days of use and also I watch my hair every 2 days so I think is a miracle lol
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E, my hair was destroyed from chemo and likely further compromised by the blockers. I wish I had my thick wavy hair back but it is lost. The best I can do now is hopefully hold onto what I have. If I could go back I would not do chemo and I am going to do one more year of Femara and then likely stop. I am sick of all these chemicals. If my outside is noticeably changing I have to wonder what is going on with my insides.
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not broken I agree with you that is how I felt when I finished chemo and rads so I refused the tamoxifen is been 5 years and no recurrence that I know of but I am sure I was able to gain my body somewhat back due to been drug free.I admire you all for taking the drugs you ladies endure way more SE than me. So I got news today. The secretary finally called me to give me a date . My surgery is January 08th so there another 6 weeks to wait since no one canceled but I am glad at least there is a date.
I also wanted to share that I reach out to the woman who interview me to say hi and to say I will be away on holiday in case they need to reach me to pls do so on my personal #.
She asked me when I will be back from my holiday and I told her the second week of Jan cuz I don't want to say janb02 now since I ll be away in Jan but she wish me a happy holiday and told me she ll keep me posted . So no news basically they git busy and put on hold the process once again. So no nice I am so depressed tmw I have a meeting in wish my team is to listen to our managers say that we are useless that we need to come up with a plan in order to improve . Imagine I ll have to listen to that garbage and be silent I honestly feel so down.
Anyway wanted to show you my new hair grows.
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so my issue is always on the sides hope u can see all the new hair is like 1" long now
Growing super fast filling in the space I had there
So I cant never part my hair on the side cuz it was gone now I see is coming back lol
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Hi ladies- back and settling in from my time away. Time in Texas was fun, but tiring. I went to a few fun venues including the Dallas Arboretum (wonderful gardens) and Perot Museum of Science and Nature (minerals and fossil). I am getting rested up upon my return and expect to be on the run starting tomorrow.
E- I am glad you have a date for your surgery. It will help you to plan better with your employer for the time off to get this taken care of. Are you going on holiday over the holidays? It would be good to feel more rested before you head in to surgery. Not always possible, but best for your body if you can. Fingers crossed this will make things better for you and you can secure that great new job.
JustBent- I think my hair is thinner on the AIs and work with my stylist to try to layer my fine hair to look thicker. She is a miracle worker with my hair and makes it look much thicker than it is. There are stylists around that work with cancer patients, I wonder if you can get the name of one through a local cancer agency resource? Shampoo sounds like a great start to the process though.
June- are you still out there too? How was your holiday?
Hoping everyone else here is doing okay. Almost December now.
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jazzy - Hi...i am around. nothing exciting to share....so just lurking....
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Some pics of the Dallas Arboretum gardens on the gardening thread, page 96.
https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/7/topics/...
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hey June, Jazz and E.
E, your hair grows fast! Mine is the same length as yours but you cut yours quite a bit awhile back. I too have those balding spots on the temples. It was very bad when on Arimidex but grew back quite a bit when I changed meds but my temples now are like yours. I will need to wait til I have enough of an order on Amazon to get the free shipping unless I can find that shampoo locally. I wonder if putting aspirin in a different brand of shampoo would work. Do you know what the aspirin is suppose to do?
I have a couple busy days coming up but busy is good. Take good care my friends. Jazz, I will check out your picks tomorrow. Bedtime here.
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hi friends
Notbroken I will search on the aspirine thing I am not sure what it does lol but I found the shampoo at a local store here called winners and I heard in usa is very easy to find so look for it at your local stores and also at the healthy or so claim places lol I thought exactly like you lol I was saying in my head if I don't find I ll add aspirine to my regular shampoo ha ha ha
I ll search and let u know if I find anything
Jazz yes I am off 2 weeks starting on Dec 09 I wish someone had cancelled and I could be in sooner cuz I could not change my vacation days so I ll be off on sick leave as per my employer they won't know till a week before. They don't need to know any details as long as my dr.prof I am in for a surgery and need to be off. Which is the case. You guys know how I have been pushing for an earlier date but nothing is there yet. I am so tired tonight I just took a pill and turned on my new aroma therapy difuser
Night night
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E- well with you being on vacation for a couple weeks in December, you will be in good position if a cancellation does come up. That being said, you are going to get a nice break from that crazy place soon. I am glad you have time off before hand to get well rested up. You are having this done via laproscope, correct? I had something similar ten years ago and the recovery is relatively quick. December 9th is right around the corner, given today is the first of December.
When is your accounting final?
I am getting more settled from the time away and heading to a dexa scan this am to check on my bone health. I had my last one two years ago after doing the Prolia shots for a year to be sure they were helping. And they were, I was still osteopenic but just slightly as I was when I began the AI treatment. This will tell me if I need one more shot in January, which I will push for anyways as I am still in AI treatment through March of next year. That is when I officially hit my five years.
Wishing everyone a good weekend!
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Jazz, I am osteopenic and there was some progression with this last scan but my MO did not want to treat it. She also does not use it preventively for bone mets. She is conservative with her meds and she says there are SEs to every drug, but makes me crazy that different drs do things so differently. In my naivety I assumed medicine was cook cutter or cook book but now I know it is very subjective and all the more reason to choose your doctors wisely.
E, did you ever hear from that guy that asked you over for dinner? Are you two in communication?
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Good evening ladies- getting back to center after coming back from my travels and much to do this December. I got back to the pool twice this week (including today) and also went to the spa yesterday for a much needed massage. My neck was bothering me this week and better now but not perfect yet.
Bent- so my dexa scan was on line the end of Friday and my femur heads are looking pretty good (they were not good last time) but the spine score has me pretty firmly in the mid range of osteoporosis. Not a surprise as I shrunk by 1/4 inch this past year. I came in to this slightly osteopenic and had a mother with osteoporosis at the end of her life who had many issues, including a broken hip and with my femur head thinning on the AIs, we were not going to take any chances. I think whether you get bone building drugs or not really depends on a lot of things. My MO did not think I needed them initially, but after he saw the degradation after being on them 18 months and with the family history, he offered the Prolia. I know women here who take Zometa or Prolia for bone health and many don't take anything. I agree the less drugs, the better if you can.
I do think this January will be the last shot I get to get me through as I come off them in 3 1/2 months. Count down.....
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Jazz, I am embarrassed to say that I don't know much about my latest scan. There was a time that I was far more proactive but as time has gone on and my medical history became more complicated I just started to turn things over to the doctors. When I was responsible for my mother I read and challenged everything with her but when it came to me I was "Eh.... ok, whatever you think". I know the worst of my osteopenia is in my hips and neck and did progress from 2 years ago which I thought at an alarming rate but when MO said I was still ok and she would watch I was ok with that.
This month I have a scan, a few dr appointments and need my routine blood work plus my hormone levels checked. (I will be interested in knowing my hormone results), AND I am over due on the dentist my eye doctor. These days these appointments seem endless and I am conservative in my doctoring!
I don't sleep much and am exhausted tonight but am afraid if I go to sleep now I was be awake at 3 am and ready to start my day. I will try to hang in a bit longer.
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Bent- see if they have a copy of your report and find out when you are due for the next one. I think they only pay for them every two years?
I meant to say my spine is osteopenic not osteoporatic. But do think I will be a candidate for the final shot.
I am going to the endocrinology CNP this coming friday and then will be done with doctoring until late January when I see my MO CNP. It is endless.
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Jazz, I just got the dexa done abut five months ago. I have the report somewhere but all these tests make my head spin and bottom line is that the MO said I am ok for now. My PCP probably got a copy also so next time I go in I will get their thoughts for a second opinion.
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hi ladies. Sorey I was no around till now. I has been feeling very much down. My sister continues to struggle back home and well my dear sister Carmen who was our xmast spirit has been in my mind so much. Very time I turn and see xmast decorations is just sadness deep sadness and I am not able to shake it off.
My final exam is on Dec 13 th and I am glad I am off so I ll be able to study every day starting Saturday for the final. I won't take accounting till May next year . I just need a break is been so hard and I want to finish the garden design certificate which the last course is in march.
I spoke to the lady who interview me and she know I am going to be on holiday so that is still hope. I wish someone cancels and I am able to get the surgery done before Jan 02 but so far it does not look like it.
Jazz my mom too had the bone issues.
In my case only 1 scan was done and then nothing after so who knows.
So many things have change in our lives
I send you all a big hug
Ll post some more at the end of the week when I am off from hell.
I mean work lol
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So frustrated. I have at least 8 hours invested in one crappy job application and between computer issues, running to my son for help, no drop downs, unable to accept my download of resume, no last name of an old supervisor never mind an email address and the joke is that it was a sh*t ass job and everyone I worked with including supervisors, managers and coworkers were fired or left after I was gone, and I never had their email from the start. I dug thru papers and found an old work schedule but again they don't work there anymore, AND HR will only release the dates I worked but nothing else as managers and supervisors are not allowed to give feedback anyway. I have no idea the exact dates I worked, nor left, only the month and so I lied and made up a random date for the computer to accept my application and then made up emails addresses for the supervisors, but every step I had to certify the info I gave was valid and true. I called HR to see how to proceed twice yesterday and again today so I finally winged it and punched in random info or lies. Just when I thought I was done after 2 days screwing with this, the app started asking mental health issues and what would I do in a given situation. At this point I am so pissy and angry and have no patience for any hypothetical co worker situation or anyone else. I will revisit it again but this week I have much to do and best blow this off for now. Can you believe two days for a single application? This world is too complicated for me and even my tech savy kid struggled with this bull and trying to figure out why nothing would work.
I am getting food stamps again and Medicaid, and this job would actually jeopardize all that and end up costing me a few thousands so maybe I am better off where I am? I am sad and cranky and had hopes of having a purpose but I don't fit into the computer's boxes of normalcy.
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Bent- I have applied for some contract work on line and the whole process is ridiculous. The few FT jobs I have explored have been worse. I will say they ask a lot of information these days about things I have no ability to provide like former managers wear abouts and how to reach them. That comes with a long work history. I have a couple key people for references for more recent work and usually that will suffice, but sometimes it does not.
I also have found those assessment things are very common these days. Many orgs are doing those now in advance to try to get a sense if a person is a good fit. it also saves them time with the interview questions. Questions about mental health issues and how you would respond must be related to the type of org you are applying too. I usually am asked how I deal with "difficult people" and well, it depends on the flavor of difficult.
One of my friends here who works for one of the national labs tried here to hire me for something in her area this summer, and I was very interested and I had to spend all day building a 5 page resume of everything I had ever done, plus various scientific publications and more recent technology presentations I have done. She came back and then told me she could not hire me for her area, because I did not have a security clearance (always been a problem in the past but willing to get one and no reason why I would not?) My resume floated around there for months and several other areas are really interested in me, but apparently there are funding issues right now with releasing money for new programs due to all the things going on in DC. I told my friend should anyone want to talk to me in the future, happy to come in but back burner-ed it for the time being. It would be a nice way to finish out my career professionally, but not hopeful at this time.....
Then there is this healthcare consulting group that keeps coming after me and all their recruiters are very green and end up lecturing me about not having good enough experience for things or that my resume is not long enough. Eye roll! I usually ask them how they would like me to taylor the resume? I like being lectured by the young ones. Anyways, the bottom line is this woman cannot get me any interviews anyways. They have wasted my time twice now. My new partnering firm whom I have a contract in place with and whom I spoke to today is close on some awards and await with baited breath. Moving towards that as they get me and they will be a great partnering firm to work with.
Perhaps this is a good time to get your resume updated and to try to fill those gaps as best you can. Do you have an old hard copy resume anywhere with the dates of your work? In most cases, people only want 10 years back. I am seeing more jobs around so keep looking and know the process is not an easy one. You are not alone friend.
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on that note. I got the rejection letter today
I did not get the job . Also learned the dame dr does no have any surgery in dicember wow it must be nice. So no cancelation will happen my date is a firm date now Jan 02 2018 and I will no have a new job waiting but the shit bullies will be glad to make me paid for been off sick.
I am very depressed now.
Trying to do homework now and trying to focus on getting the accounting class out of the way
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Oh E, so sorry to hear about the job. We were all pulling for you and know how desperately you want and need to get out of your current situation. I know you and you will not give up and I admire you greatly for that spirit and determination. I am so easily frustrated these days and prone to temper tampers which is so not my nature but sadly has become a norm. That therapist I saw briefly a while back had said I had classic PTSD symptoms but I had thought when life settled and my life improved the PTSD issues would resolve on their own. Recently I thought a job would help with my anxiety about money issues and be therapeutic as a whole, but seeing how mad I was over the stupid application I wonder if I am mentally healthy enough to deal with angry and reactive patients. The job I applied for would take great patience and empathy on my part. Ugh.... now I am confused just when I thought I had a plan. I saw in my email just now that my application had been mailed and accepted and I had to chuckle because I never even finished it. Go figure.
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Oh and E, I am sorry about the surgery date. Hang in and soon enough it will be behind you. I know you are not feeling well and the waiting is not easy though. Also how is your sister doing? Did she get those needed meds? If so are they helping?
June, Lily, Artista, are you guys out there?
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HR contacted me in regards to my application and the issues I had in completing it. She thought the problems were associated with doing it on a tablet which could be likely as I have had problems when filing my income tax and the programs were not meant to run on one. She deleted all my mistruths that I faked to get the dang thing to accept. As to the personal assessment, the program is timed so since I walked away to cook dinner I was timed out so she sent me a link and I will need do that. At least I got an explanation and I am not completely incompetent and stupid, but dang, all that time for one lousy application.
Morning was kinda busy but now just some wash, shower and a quick errand so today is relatively quiet, but going forward and thru the holidays it is very busy. I honestly don't know how you guys manage it all.
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wow Notbroken when it rain it pores lol or what ever the saying is. So got a call and the surgery will be done now on Dec 13th the secretary lyi to me by saying there was no surgery during December. And I guess she felt bad cuz she first called to say Dec 20th we have a cancelation then call me 1 hour later to say de 13th so I said yes. And now I am screw cuz my final exam is on Dec 13th so I emailed the teacher to allow me to take the exam tmw night or next day or friday or Monday. He didn't say no but only said he needed to find out what is best option available so here I am trying to study all night . I plan to call in sick tmw to try to study at the library all day in case he says I must take the exam tmw night. So ya I am streseed I don't think I ll pass cuz is so much to try to review all in 24 hours my plan was to study 4 days in a row now figures.
My sister is in bad shape. Medicine did not arrived so my wonderful sister from Europe decided to travel to my home land for 7 days to bring the medicine herself she will arrive on Dec 12.
My family won't know about my surgery I will let them know after I am ok
The last thing I need is to worry them with my drama.
Girls I so need a break.
Me too I have been thinking of Arista and also simplicity and June
Hope all ok
No broken I ll be up most of the night I ll prepare coffee now and well wish me luck my brain is no very much ok with all I need to review
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I just saw a paper that says that if u can't do the exam on the date you must ask for approvals and also pay a fee. So I give up I will try to talk to the office at school tmw and hoping they agree to let me take the exam tmw. I am so tired and brain no working so I will go to sleep and tmw I ll go to school and ll study at the library till 7pm to see if I am able to take the exam no sure how I ll do I feel my brain is no retaining it hurts to waist the $ I pay for this course I will try my best
G night all
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E, I hope you can take your exam. Will you be taking more classes or are you going to take a break after this.
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Notbroken: i did take couple of months off after the surgery....it's very difficult to ease in back to the 9 to 5 routine....and good luck w the job application. hope things will work out for you.
E - i am so sorry about the job....and how's the exam, can you change it??
Jazzy, BB - how are you??
i am same old.....
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June- busy week here. Getting a couple contract details in place for the new year. I think 2018 will be busy and productive for me. Also chugging through doing some Xmas cards and other holiday stuff.
I had a great dinner with a fellow consultant colleague last night. We have not seen each other in 4 years, and good to see her. She is much younger than me, her parents are my age and like having younger friends around.
I met an 80 year old man once who was so youthful and asked him what his secret was to longevity and he said "always keep people who are younger around you, whether it children, friends, professional colleagues or a lover." Ha ha, with that I think I need a cabana boy!
E- I am not really understanding why you cannot take your exam during the planned final date?
It is cold here and it snowed up north. Heading out for some things I must do.....
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hi friends. JAZZ lol I soled you the dr. Changed the date on me again and my surgery is Dec 13th so the same date as my final exam. So far no response from the school I am so disappointed I want to do the exam on monday and they said most likely I must wait to take it in April I hate this university how is that fair?
Anyway tmw I ll call again and push to see if they let me but doesn't look like it.
Jazz I am glad there was yet one more cancelation and I ll be under the knife next wed
I am so stressed but glad is coming soon.
Jazz how is your sister and partner? I saw the fire in California is like they won't get a break first the storm now this . I am so sorry
Not broken June arista hope your relatives are not in California.
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E- oh okay, the surgery date is the day of the final. I understand now. I think you said they had another date in December that was offered too, is there any chance you can move the surgery to that other date after your test or that is gone now?
I know you want to get this surgery done. Schools are not very good about being flexible about tests. Bad timing all the way around.
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