Radiation recovery
Comments
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Josie, if you can't see your MO until July (Rats, rats, and tripple drat!), maybe your PCP can sneak you in? Or maybe if you telephone or email your onc with your questions you will be able to at least get some answers, if not from him, then from whomever is covering his patients? You are so patient--the wait would drive me nuts!
RunFree, on the other hand, how brilliant is it that you are meeting your onc just as your itching needs a looking over!
Kate, my vote is for 25 pounds, and 25 times. Both. I can just see you sexy secretary-ing away, upright in your recliner, with your leg propped up nice and high, and with an IV drip the size of a Volkswagon.
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Good morning everyone!
Kate, I am crossing fingers and toes that you continue to feel fine this week with minimal SEs. I know it was a long day for you yesterday but now you are one treatment closer to relief for your leg!
Josie, This might sound too new-age but meditation, herbal teas and even aromatherapy before bed can help with sleep issues. Take care of yourself.
Joan, I continue to worry about you. I'm hoping to read a post soon saying that you have seen a provider.
Gigi, I love minestrone, yum! I have started leaving out the pasta, and use veggie broth instead of chicken so it is entirely guilt free and one of the foods I can eat until I drop!
Dd the younger is causing me lots of anxiety right now. She is struggling to complete her school year. It is frustrating to watch a kid with such high IQ and test scores unable to complete relatively easy tasks...and I am unable to help her in any meaningful way. I just started reading "Ito in Autismland: Climbing out of Autism's silent prison." I need to be reminded to back off and be more accepting of her outcomes.
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Ido, not Ito
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Kate hope you are having a good day today. One more big treatment down! And you took it alert and on top of everything and discussing fashion and fun topics. Good for you. The best piece of advice an old friend gave me was get to know your caregivers as people and be sure to discuss day to day matters with them. It makes your time so much more pleasant. He is so right!
I made the minestrone with vegetable broth. I finely chopped zucchini, carrot, onion, green beans, celery and garlic. I sautéed all of that in olive oil for about 8 minutes. I added two quarts of veggie broth, two cans of Italian style diced tomatoes, oregano to taste, basil to taste, salt and pepper. You can also used dried mixed Italian spice (about 2 TBSP). I add kidney beans and whole wheat macaroni (a little). You could use cannelloni beans too. I just simmer all of that until the veggies and pasta are tender. No guilt, and no indigestion.
I finished rads 21 months ago. Once in awhile my radiated breast still itches, tingles or aches. It goes away these days as quickly as it appears. For the first year, it was sore and tender on a regular basis.0 -
Suzannah, Josie, and Runfree thank you so much for your support.
Josie I am so sorry you are having breast pain.
Runfree thank you for the info about LE therapy I will look into it.
OMG I went to bed at 11 and got up at 10 this morning, AND i feel rested. Absolutely no sign of nausea yet.
xsoxo,
Kate
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Cindy, Janis, and Brookside thank you so much for your support.
Cindy we can have birthday week. You on the 22nd and me on the 25th. Janis are you up to baking againJanis we do go back along waty. Quit4e a journey. I wish it were during better times.
Borookside I got a kick out of how you visualized my last chemo treatment.
xoxo,
Kate
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Sab and Gigil thank you so much for your support.
Gigil we must have finished rads at the same time. I finished Sept. 2011
xoxo,
Kate
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Kate - You sound great. So glad you are not nauseated. I have Carrot Cake here for you.....with creme cheese frosting.
I only have one thing to say. Chocolate, coconut, butter, almond balls.
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Gigi that sounds delicious and definitely puts me in the mood for soup for dinner.
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OMG Bunkie! Carrot cake with creme cheese frosting is one of my favorites Yum! Wish I was there.
Today I am going for a fill and a pedi. I bought a new peach color that I am hoping will look well with my salmon skirt. Then of course I will go to the donut shop.No carrot cake there, but they do have a strawberry cake donut that I love.
xoxo,
kate
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GiGil - That soup sounds good. Can not believe it does not cause indigestion. It is cool here today. I think I have some 15 bean soup frozen. Time to get it out.
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SAB. I made enough to reheat for today. I made steel cut oats with cinnamon and apples for breakfast. That sticks to the old ribs too! Food covered for today. Add in some fresh fruit and we are golden.
Kate we did finish at the same time along with Janis and Merilee who started this thread. Where is she now? How long since we have heard from her? SAB and Sew have been here a long time too!Dx 5/6/2011, IDC, 2cm, Stage IIa, Grade 3, 0/3 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2-</0 -
Hi Gigil,
My guess is that Merilee quit posting about 6 months after this thread was started. Yes Janis, Sab, and Sew have been here a long time. So has Joan and Elizabeth. Janis we haven't heard from Elizabeth in a long time, have you?
xoxo,
kate
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Thought I remembered Joan as well from awhile back. Yes, Elisabeth and BFF.
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Gigi, do you cut up fresh apples into the cooking oats or add them after?
I'm off to the market to get soup fixins. It is pretty cool here today, in the low 70s, but ready to soar into the 90s this weekend so today is my only soup window I think.
Yes, I'm an oldie (but a goodie?) Well, an oldie in any case. I think we talked about moving or restarting a thread a while ago but everyone is here, so why?
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SAB, I cut up fresh apples and leave the skins on for more fiber. I wash them thoroughly first. I am reheating soup here today too. Nice to have the cooking done for the day. As long as they don't tell us our thread is too long we are good, right?
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GiGiL thank you for the recipe! I love making soup and I love trying new things. It looks great. I also love oatmeal in any form, so now I'm inspired about that too.
Kate it seems as if you are doing great today!
Bunkie, I am so in harmony with your choices of baked goods.
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Kate I finished rads shortly after you. October 2011. I do talk to Elizabeth. I was overjoyed last October when she and her sweet DH came and spent one night with us. She is such a sweet and gentle soul, and so generous and funny too. The minute we hugged hello I knew we would be lifelong friends. I made a large roast beef dinner and of course....cake balls. Also some marzipan and a blueberry/lemon cheesecake. Talk about sugar highs! We had a wonderful visit. She does a lot of volunteer work and is currently tied up in a large project. She just gives and gives. She does so much for so many who need help. She belongs to a cancer support group and provides rides for some people and often takes them to doctor appointments. She is busy but we keep in touch.
SAB I am so sorry for all of the struggles with your daughter. It is never easy and I know how hard you try to help her. Both of my sons have very high IQ's as well. They both graduated from HS and college with honors, but my oldest has struggled with depression for so many years. It is sad to see him give up. Long story and I won't go there. Just know I am with you in spirit Sweetie. Gentle hugs to you.
Gigil the soup sounds divine. I have no problem making meatless meals. We often do, but I am not the slighjtest bit disciplined like so many of you gals are. I am bad! I have tried hard to watch my food and some days are just better than others. My baking is a huge problem. I love baking for others, but there is always some left for us. When Russ came to visit over Memorial Day we made a batch of marzipan and it did not last long. So we made a second batch for him to take back with him. I know that didn't last long.
Ladies I wonder if anyone has experienced anything like this. When I was about halfway through rads I was doing a few things outside, nothing strenuous. I got very sharp chest pain and pressure, it came on suddenly. I had no difficulty breathing but I can say I was fairly panicked as the pain got worse. Finally I broke down and asked DH to take me to the ER. It was a very scary pain. At the ER they did an EKG and blood gases all kinds of stuff. Everything was normal. I was there several hours and they weren't very sure of a diagnosis. The best guess was that I had a flair up of Costcochondritis. They thought it was from the rads. They released me with really no follow up. Told me if it happened again juist to lie down and try to do deep breaths for calming purposes. It did happen again ten days later. Same type and location of pain. I rode it out at home. I laid down and tried to stay calm and just wait for it to pass. I had a lot of very sharp pain on the right side, which is my BC side. I stayed calm and waited it out. Eventually it went away. It stayed gone until recently. I had a bad 'attack' about ten days ago, it woke me up about 3:00 AM. Very scary pain and I tried as always to stay calm and still. I was so uncomfortable and could not find much relief. I did prop myself up on my dorm pillow. It scared me as usual. I was trying so hard to be quiet but at one point Chuck asked me while half asleep if I was okay. I said no. He went right to sleep. That was unusual. I timed this one and it lasted over two hours. I did chew up 5 baby aspirin and it seemed to help a little. I have no idea what this is. It happened again a few days ago, and today I had a long and bad episode. Almost went to the ER but it finally settled down again. Still, it was a good two hours again. I am losing all my happy thoughts because it scares me when it happens. I am not sure what it is. Now it seems to be happening more frequently. I can't keep doing this you know? Every episode scares me. So, I called my primary provider and go an appointment to see her on June 17th. I am also having trouble now with urinne leakage. I take medication for it, but I still have problems. I hate bringing this out in the open. The urine thing is so bad that I actually wet my pants. I hate being so graphic but it is what it is. I also have wet the bed twice recently. Oh my gosh ladies, I know I can tell you this but it is so embarrassing. I had that surgery last year through the vagina where they had to repair a colon prolapse. My bladder has been acting up since. I will not go back to that surgeon as I think he messed something up. I don't know. Hoping Kara will be able to refer me to the doctors I may need to see. I am really upset about both of these issues and wondered if anyone has experienced any similar problem.
That is why I love it here, no judging. I have not talked about these problems but I feel the need to here, among people I really trust. Please let me know if you have experienced this. I am so curious. The chest pain is flat out creepy. The other is emotionally so so hard to cope with. I will not spend the rest of my life wearing diapers!
Thank you all for listening and understanding. I am really hurting.
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Janis, how scary for you! I had pain during and a bit after rads that was somewhat similar to what you are describing, but not nearly as severe. My ro always denied any symptoms were caused by rads, and used to say in the unlikely event it was the rads it would go away. Yours does seem like it's caused by the rads, but I am hoping it is a harmless and temporary after effect. Maybe you should go back and see ro? The urine leakage I don't know about, have you seen a urologist? Sme of the others are sure to have some thoughts. Janis, thankyounfor sharing your colonoscopy experience with me, it gave me some reassurance.
RunFree, good suggestion re meditation. I wish I were better at it too, but no time like the present to start practicing. I'll give it a go.0 -
Janis, as you swallowed five baby aspirin, I know you're concerned that it might be angina. Probably not, but you won't be sure until you have it properly checked out. That ER doc never meant you to try to relax over and over. If it happens when your hubby is around, even if it is the middle of the night, he deserves to be able to don his shiny armor, mount his white horse, and cart you off to the ER. Your primary, like all docs, saves up a bit of time each and every day for acute or worrisome issues (fevers, sore throats, turned ankles, mysterious sharp pains). Please call his receptionist and ask to me seen tomorrow--she'll be in trouble if he finds out she didn't bring you in right away.
We're all here for you, and so is the medical system.
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Janis, on the other subject, please see a urogynecologist or urologist who does a lot of these surgeries, maybe even the one you saw originally. What you are experiencing is a not unusual side effect, which may be very fixable. I had pretty much the same surgery, which resulted in a leak. I had my six-week checkup on a Thursday, was back in the OR on Monday. It was an easy fix. I didn't even need general anesthesia. If you want details, please PM me.
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Hi Janis. I remember reading that we who have had rads can get this kind of pain, and it said guaranteed you will think you are having a heart attack. It sounds chronic in nature, at this point. Where exactly is the pain! Is it mid chest, or to the side? It may be that you will have to do different things to eliminate inflammation. I had a similar incident when I was a young woman. I lifted my 3 year old child in frigid weather, and got a sudden chest pain. Off to the ER and told I had costochondritis. I was also told I had an unnatural amount of calcification along my sternum for a young woman. Two years ago, I was diagnosed with bc in that exact spot. That is away from the subject, but very curious! At our age, chest pain equals immediate attention.
As for the leakage, if you recently had a surgery in that general area, there seems to be some sphincter trouble, or damage to muscles or nerves. It definitely needs to be thoroughly evaluated. This type of complication is common with the kind of surgery you had. I have some prolapse issues and haven't had leakage, but frequent UTI's. I have been doing kegels to try to alleviate the problem. That, and tons of cranberry and probiotics. Hope you get some answers soon.0 -
Janis
I am not sure where you pain is but I am having some episodes of weird pain. Almost like something is around me, tight I seem to be breathing fine but I dont feel like I am. I cant really describe it, its just happens every once in a while. I assumed it was from the rads. I will need to look up costochondritis as I have never heard of that. All I know is its painful and scary, please if your worried go and see someone, dont take any chances. My rads side aches when I sleep on it. I started doing some working out and my left upper arm to the shoulder is swollen and tender to the touch. I didnt do anything today as I dont want it to get worse. I think my torso even swelled as my bra was digging into me at the band and made indents in my shoulder. UGH... Ive had enough of this BC crap!
The leakage I dont have but my BF does, she has a procedure and its better. She cant laugh, sneeze etc but other than that she is alot better now. Sorry you are going though that.
Kate- glad you made it good though this last TX.
I agree I want the coconut with chocolate balls..mmmm
Cold here in Northern Ohio, Where is our Summer? Back to winter pajamas already, 60s in day, 40s at night, this is crap too!
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Lemon same here in Minnesota. Brrrr! I have even had my fireplace on a couple of times.
Next week it will probably be 90 something!0 -
Janis, I have had chest pains here and there, but never lasting for such a stretch of time. Does your doctor know how frequent and how long the pain is? I just don't think you should mess around...leakage is inconvenient and sometimes embarrassing but chest pain is debilitating and can be dangerous. Please make note of your attacks so that you can be very specific when you see him/her. I know that you are ready for the doctor visits to be over, but the ladies are right...you don't need the anxiety of seeing if it is a heart attack every time! While you are there I'm sure your doctor can recommend a next step for leakage too.
Thank you for your kindness regarding dd. I know you have had your trials, as have some of the other ladies here, and that you understand. This is my younger dd...thank heavens the older one seems to have finally pulled it together, at least for right now. Moms are always waiting for the other shoe to drop I guess.
Gigi, OK, I'm going to make soup right now. Adding cabbage to the mix.
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Runfree thank you so much for your support.
Janis I remember when Elizabeth came to see you, and what a good time you had. I am so sorry that you are experiencing chest pains again. Shouldn't you get a cardioloigist? I hope you can get this taken care of asap.
xoxo,
Kate
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Hi Lemon,
Sorry that you are in pain. So sorry too that it aches when you sleep. I hope you are feeling better soon.
When Janis is feeling better I am sure she will make you cocunut with chocolate balls. Not my favorite. I hate cocunut, and I don't like chocolate lol. That is why Janis always makes me lemon balls.
Thank you so much for your support.
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Lemon and Gigil you need to visit me in Santa Monia It is 70, sunny and beautiful here today.
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Janis get to the doc soon!! If nothing else it will give you peace of mind even if they don't find anything.How is your pulse when this occurs?
Brookside I'm not sure if I will go in early to see him or not.But I just caught myself reading up on Inflammatory BC on this website.Just something that crossed my mind .I know I just had Rads and Its probably Rads related but it's worrisome.I guess part of me just thinks he will see it and just deny it looks swollen.But he is a good doc and listens.
It was back to normal size and feeling good for a while.I don't feel like I over did it even with the graduation party.
SAB I know what your going through.My sister has Very high functioning kids that have very high IQ.
Her oldest daughter went to 3 different colleges until she 'realized she just couldn't do it.She was actually depressed.The doc's put her on meds but she didn't like the way they made her feel.
She finished her studies and then graduated.She is now a graduate student in NY.She did something very out of character last spring.She decided to hike the Applacian trail from beginning to end.She left and was gone all spring and summer.She met a young man from Australia and th ed y finished the trail together.She is very serious with him now and actually flew straight out to Australia from NY to be with him for the summer.She spent her Christmas break in Australia too(first trip)
She missed all the holidays last year .I say she is breaking away from mamas purse strings.She has always been so quiet and never left her side as a child.Such a different girl now.0 -
No time or energy to post much, big family issues occupying my life right now...but here goes...
Yep, I've been on the thread since just a bout the start. Didn't we have Macatac too, way back when? I'm always fearful that Merilee has succumbed to more cancer because toward the end of her posting, I think she'd had a reoccurrence. So sad, she always was so supportive
Runfree et. al. I think those sharp pains, and the itches occur because your breast continues to heal. There has been considerable damage to the cells deep in the breast and its trying to heal itself. The itchiness is a good sign, I always figured. The take your breath away sharp pains are harder to bear, but don't last as long. Those seem to be the nerve endings reconnecting and coming to life.
Janis, I've always had the same sort of rib/chest pains as you've had during rads which i'm sure you remember. Mine actually started as a teenager and were diagnosed as an inflammation in the nerve endings in the torso. I've had a few episodes since rads finished, and I'm certain over my life time that this whole thing kicks in when I'm run down and stressed. That said, I think it's time for your doc to get a chance to diagnose this. It's too severe to just think "relax" .... You do need to have it looked at. As for the leakage, I'm also suffering from that, and think that the AI is contributing to it. I haven't had any surgery. I have decided I'm going to have to discuss it with my PCP at my yearly exam, much as I don't want to. I'm hoping for a non-surgical fix. I'm thinking the AI dried us out so much we no longer have control. I'm not great at doing kegels either and should be.
Sab...happy belated birthday. Sorry your dd the younger is struggling right now...
Off now, more family issues.......0
