Radiation recovery
Comments
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I am very glad to hear good news among us.
Kate, I am glad you are having a sense of relief from the swelling. Did you make it to the Donut Shop? Today is national Donut Day and I thought of you when I got a free donut. Am sending hugs, prayers and positive thoughts your way. Sadly, I also thought about you when the news story broke today about the violence in your area.
SAB, I think it is great that you did not remember your 2 year mark...it shows that life is somewhat normal and that you are doing so well. Here's to continued good health.
Josie, I'm glad you are getting through the dental work. I started a few years ago then stopped with BC...am kind of afraid of doing all that work, but it must be done eventually. I will start to get more rest after next week...then I only have to get up early 2 days a week, and will have lots of home time.Susannah, great news about DH. I was told to come back in a year (August) and I am not sure I want to repeat so soon. It must be a feeling of relief for you. I hope you are safe and dry in the rains.
Runfree, I think your new MO has the right idea....think positively; don't anticipate SEs; and keep doing the things you want to do. I think you will do OK.
Gigi, have a good week end with your fundraising efforts. If you are saying that a cure is possible, that is very good news.
Bunkie, Mainegrl, Janis, April, Lemon, and anyone I forgot, I hope you are doing well today.
Happy week end...Joan
J
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Joan, sorry to hear that about your boss.Ive worked in jobs where office politics like that would take place.Thats just wrong.I could tell you some stories....
At least your MO gives you an exam.Mine talks to me and makes sure I understand the prodical on what is next in my treatment,but she doesnt seem to be hands on.I wasnt too impressed in how she hid her pregnancy from her pts and her staff .And then left everyone scrambling to reschedule and such.Who does that?I felt cheated as a patient and was stuck with her colleage who could have cared less if I took Tamoxofin or not and rushed in and out.Why do they do so darned much bloodwork? I dont even know if they have ordered it until I get to the check out.Thats not right.
Hope it dries out soon for you.My sister lives in Conneticut and she probably getting wet.
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Sew......((((hugs)))) Im so sorry.Thats a hard situation.Im sorry that they didnt have a living will in place for him.
I will pray for him and you and your family.Your recent post wasnt there when I replied last or I would have been responding sooner.
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MostlySew, this is terrible news about your brother. What an awful thing. I am shocked that they'd ask for a decision about the ventilator without explaining the significance and possible harm it could do. At least they're not pushing a snap decision now. Can the kidneys be brought back? I never realized CPR could be so violent that it would break someone's ribs. How dreadful! I hope, somehow, the situation improves, and I wish you strength and courage.
Joan, do you think your department chair remembered that your job went to someone else 9 years ago, and he's trying (fractionally) to compensate now? I hope your area isn't too hard hit by this storm.
Susannah, I was so pleased to read about your husband's negative biopsy! That must have been a huge whole-body exhale!
Kate, did you have your fun day today? Is your leg still doing well? I also was thinking of you today with the awful attack in Santa Monica. I work on a college campus so those events always scare me a lot.
Mainegirl, I meant to say before that I'm so glad your skin is improving. Phew!
SAB, ditto what others said--it's wonderful that you forgot your anniversary! That's a milestone all by itself. I hope to get there one day. I have my bottle of Tamoxifen now and I'm starting it tomorrow. The insert about the side effects scared me all over again, but I've read some more message boards today that made me feel better. And I won't know until I try. Bottoms up!
I'm sorry about these bad experiences with MOs. I certainly would have LOTS lots of continuing complaints if I'd stayed with my first guy. In a way it's an asset that he was SO bad, AND that nobody's anywhere nearby, because it sent me on a wide hunt for someone really good. She was the first of my ongoing doctors that I actually chose. Josie, I'm glad your teeth are feeling better, but I agree that your MO should have been open about her pregnancy! And her colleague sounds really bad! What are they looking for in the blood work? I had a CBC and some other blood work before my surgery this winter, but nothing since by anyone. Hmmm....
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Sew, I also did not read your post until after I posted....this is so unfortunate but it happens a lot. There is never a good time or right time for letting go. I believe that the outcome will most likely take care of itself...it is just so so sad.
I am glad you are keeping in touch.
Your SiL shouldn't be hard on herself...it is very frightening.
Hugs, prayers and strength for what the day brings.0 -
I am posting now, and will go back and read all the posts. A lot of action in Santa Monica today. I missed most of it. I heard the helicopers, and I heard the beginning of the story regarding shootings at Santa Monica college. Then I had to leave and go to have my hair flat ironed, and then meet my friend at 3:30. I wasn't feeling great today, and we had cloudy skies, so instead of going to malibu I chose something closer, and we went to Venice. So I missed most of the action. On the way home we tried to drive near Santa Monica College, but the police had the streets roped off.
In spite of feeling queazy I had fun with my friend at a happy hour. Then we went to dinner, and did a little shopping at an electic store on Abbott Kinney. I hadn't seen my friend since before I started chemo, so it was great to catch up. On June 28, three days after my birthday we are going to celebrate in Malibu.
I still feel crummy tonight, because constipation makes me feel queazy. After my 5 hour treatment I get very constipated. I am taking Miralax and Colace, so I should be ok in a day or two when the chemo wears off some more. Thank God my leg is still improving.
xoxo,
Kate
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Sew, I am so very sorry to hear about your brother's condition. My prayers are with you and your family.
Hugs,
Kate
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Sew very sad news about your brothers condition. We went through a similar sequence of events with my mother. We followed my mothers health care directive. When we saw that her organs were failing and she would likely not regain consciousness, we had to let her go. It is the hardest decision any of us has had to make. Praying for all of you.
Susannah, breathing sighs of relief for your DH.
We walk tomorrow for those who can't. They do roll though. It is always a fun day, and the blessing is the big family group that always turns out. Have a great weekend everyone!0 -
Sab, Joan and Runfree, thank goodness I am a distance from the Santa Monica college area where all the shootings took place. I did hear all the helicopters, and I did see a number of police cars, and fire trucks, and ambulances headed in that direction. As mentioned earlier my friend and I drove near the college on our way home tonight, but the police had all the streets roped off. Thank you so much for being concerned about my safety.
xoxo,
kate
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Hi Joan,
Thanks for reminding me that it was national donut day. I knew about it, because Kelly had a sign up in the donut shop, but I did not go there today. I may have to weazel my free donut tomorrow lol.
xoxo,
Kate
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josie, I've read on some of these threads that women stagger their visits with BS, MO, RO, gyn, seeing one of them every three or four months simply so they can have regular breast exams, and that's going to be my plan. Could you ask your MO for an exam? Even better, could you go shopping for a patient centered doc? Your group seem to be all about themselves, not their patients; you deserve better. Any provider who sets up a computer so his back has to be to the patient would drive me absolutely wild. How can he tell or care how you are feeling if he can't see you when you answer those questions? Where I am treated, all the computers are set up so eye contact works. The most recent patient opinion survey I received had questions about how you feel about the doc using a computer, so they must be trying to figure out how to make their technology seem more warm and fuzzy.
About those blood tests--do they post the results on a secure website you can log into? Or send them to you ? Or discuss them with you?
Very happy about the awesome new teeth!
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Sew, I was so sorry to read about your dear brother's COPD and all the suffering he and your family are going through. His medical issues are so complex, and he is so fragile, it is overwhelming. It does seem that medical staff don't give families the whole picture often times. I think you are doing a great service to all of us to remind us to have this conversation with our families-if my systems are failing, do I want to be DNR and DNI (do not incubate)? It must be so painful for you and your SIL to have to make these decisions now. Perhaps you can discuss palliative care with the staff? Please know I am thinking of you.
Joan, yes, lots of rain here. Sorry your work issues are not resolved-all that and itching too, life is sometimes not kind. I am hoping you get some relief soon.
Gigi, Joan, RunFree and everyone who commented on my dh's good results, thank-you!
Kate, sorry about the constipation, as always you are keeping your chin up-way to go kiddo. Xoxoxo0 -
Intubate, not incubate, sorry.
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Oh, gosh, yes. Everyone needs to know that CPR is not nicey-nice like it appears on TV, and properly done, there are likely going to be broken ribs. They also are required, once started, to continue pumping away until directed by (whomever--I'm pretty unclear on this) to stop. Also, this may vary by state, but sometimes you need a DNH (do not hospitalize). My aunt's caretaker was in the ambulance waving the DNR at the EMT's who just continued pumping away. Once 911 was called, they were required to do CPR until they arrived at the hospital, where the DNR came into play. Please, everyone, research this for your family and friends.
I'm so very, very, sorry your brother and you and your family have been going through this. The decision clearly needed to be made quickly, and, of course, with the information available, it was the right decision. Please do not anyone have regrets--we all make decisions all the time based on our knowledge bank. Remember what we've all been through just gathering the information we needed to decide between lumpectomy and mastectomy, or single mastectomy and double, and all the rest. Please all be at peace with this--all we can ever do is our best.
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Brookside actually it was Joan who said her Mo was sitting with her back facing her at the PC.
Mine actually faces me and never really gets on the laptop .
She interviews me but like I said never has even asked me to sit on the exam table.
Kate I'm so glad your ok.I was worried when I heard that on the news about the shootings.And we hadn't heard from you all day so I m glad your ok.0 -
Josie,
So sweet of you to be concerned about my safety. Thank God I am ok. The college is in a neighborhood about 12 blocks from the 99 cent store I go to. God was watching over me that I wasn't there yesterday. The lady that cleans for me takes me there and carries my groderies. She was here yesterday, but we are not going till Tuesday.
Suzannah, Thank you so much for your support. Constipation is one of the worst side effects from chemo, but you are right I am thinking positive, and getting through this. The rest of the month will be better for me with only 30 minute chemo treatments and a week off YEAH! Best news yet is that my leg continues to improve, and I am beyond grateful about that. It is the first positive thing regarding my health in months.
xoxo,
Kate
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Status still the same here, but wanted to take a few moments to respond before heading out to hospital again. first, thanks everyone for your caring thoughts, they do mean alot and I thank you.
Run Free...yes, apparently his kidneys could heal themselves but only if his breathing gets better and that's his whole problem. So, in some sense dialysis makes sense, it's just I believe doubtful if his lungs will ever be able to fully support his body at this point. Tough decisions ahead.
Susannah (great news about your DH's test results, huge sigh of relief) and Brookside (great about the teeth Brookside)...thanks for the additional input on the DNR. Actually my 94 year old Mom led a campaign yesterday in the senior living home she's now in and got all the people to look at and file new DNR forms at the home. she filled one out in January when she moved in, but at that time while she didn't want life saving measures, she did want CPR. She's now changed it to read no cpr. She's always been an activist even since graduating cum laude from UC Berkeley in 1940. This is very hard on her though as you might well imagine, but it was a good way to spend the day....if she remembers she did it!
Josie, do you see your Primary Care doctor? I still see him for my yearly exams, basic blood work like thyroid and choloresterol all those normal things. And, the only reason my MO started all these blood tests on me is that last Oct I got that very strange whole body allergic reaction. He ran the blood test out of curiosity/confusion and since getting over the allergy, he was probably going to only run them till I was back up to "normal". I really think my latest low counts was just a bloop, or the sore throat I'd had for 10 days, and when I go back the 21st it will all be normal and we'll go back to no blood tests and 6 month visits. At least, that's my plan....
Kate, glad your leg is getting better. Funny how those Doc's are frequently right! Do take it easy today though, after your night on the town last night, and the extra walking I suppose you might have a little set back but with extra care today and your fighting spirit I'm sure you'll be back at the donut shop this afternoon. I even broke down and bought myself a donut on the way to the hospital the other morning.....haven't had one in a long time.
Joan...what ever you do....do NOT sit in your bosses office scratching! Do hope it's better. Have you figured out what you're going to do with your extra time this summer?
Sab...did we get an ocean kayak report? And, tell all now....just how many pieces of cheese cake did you eat? Happy belated birthday, btw........
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Sorry for lumping together the worst of everybody's doctors, and so glad they're not as I imagined.. Actually, I really am interested in why an MO would not offer a breast exam. Perhaps they feel we've been through enough already? Maybe it's because they are about the whole system, not just the breast? I've been assuming I would have a breast exam from everyone, including perhaps the window washer, and would really, really like that (maybe not the window washer, but what the heck--an opinion is an opinion, no?), as I am so new to this and apparently so lousy at identifying problematic lumps.
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Kate, I am so excited for you.
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Hi Kate,
I thought about you immediately when I saw the horrible news about the shootings at Santa Monica college. Those poor people.
I am SO glad you are okay!
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Sew,
Thank you so much for your support. So sorry thabout your brother, and all that you are going through. Must be so hard for your poor mother. Glad you were able to enjoy a donut.
Love,
Kate
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Brookside, Thank you so much for your support
Sciencegal how nice of you to be concerned about my safety. A terrible tragedy, some maniac just shooting randomnly at people.
xoxo,
kate
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EVERYBODY has done a breast exam on me. No window washers yet, but my BS, RO several times, all three MOs. I get nervous every time they poke around my breast and my lymph nodes, because everything especially in the breast feels funny to me, but apparently they know the difference between good lumps and bad lumps. I have not gotten any blood work since January, though, and aside from an early chest x-ray, no attention to the rest of my body. I asked my new MO how everybody knows not to worry about my liver or bones. She said it's because I only had radiactive stuff uptaken in one node and that node had only a micromet, so they feel confident it hasn't traveled. And I did have a breast MRI, which I guess would have shown cancer in other nodes if it were there. I'm seeing my gyn on Monday so I'm sure he'll be thorough. However, I learned pretty fast in this process that he doesn't know that much about BC. For instance, he said that my aunt's BC didn't raise my risk because she's on my father's side, and my new MO said that's flat wrong. (However, her BC was DCIS, which doesn't tally in risk assessments, so I've been told by two MOs.) He had better be attentive to gyn side effects I may get from Tamoxifen. I took my first pill today. The sky did not fall, and it even stopped raining.
Also, I sent out invitations to my thank-you party! It's going to be next Saturday. I'm going to clean like a dervish until then, and whatever doesn't get done, so be it.
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Sew, my heart goes out to you and your family.
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RunFree, i also asked about the rest of my body. My MO listed about 75 comforting things he knows from my presurgical testing. MRI and lung Xray speak for themselves. He poked and prodded my abdomen. The blood tests indicate that liver and bones and blood are all behaving normally. There were other perfectly normal bodily processes those tests revealed, but I don't remember any of them. I did ask him for a hip xray so I could find out if I had arthritis and keep an eye on it once I was on arimidex. The xray came back with a note that indeed it was mild arthritis and that there was no indication of bone or soft tissue mass. I guess once you've had cancer, all your tests are flagged. Good to know!
How great that you've scheduled your party! Do remember to save some energy for celebrating--no Cinderella-like turning into a pumpkin at midnight--As an academic, you have an obligation to pull an all-nighter!
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Sew - That is awful. I have lung Sarcoid which is similar to COPD and my lungs are compromised. I would not want the stuff he had done to revive him because it does crack the ribs etc. Oh that is awful. I feel so darned bad for you and SIL. Hard decisions to make and there is never a clear cut answer.
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Oh Sew, how heartbreaking. I am so sorry for everyone and can imagine the stress you are under. Your poor SIL really has so much to deal with. My mother went quickly with lung cancer, diagnosed just days before she passed. We knew her wishes very well and to this day I feel like we put her to sleep, seriously. I am still ambivilent about the whole situations. She was an RN and always said she never, ever wanted to be on life support. Her doctor told us that we would have to make a decision fairly quickly as she was on a ventilater and could not stay on it much longer. We had two choices, to either do the surgical procedure to insert the breathing tube, or just take her off the vent and see what happens. She was unable to talk but we asked her. When we asked her about the surgery she shook her head NO NO NO NO NO. I asked her if she understood what it meant if she refused it, and she nodded yes over and over. This was so tough. Her doctor told us that someone from resperitory therapy would remove her tube, and they would increase her morphine and valium so there would be no discomfort. This was strange.....we selected a time to do it. Saturday at 6:00 PM. She has a ton of friends and many had asked for private time with her. I stayed all night Friday in the hospital just talking to her as she slept peacefully. Saturday she had a lot of visitors in and out so I left the room to give them privacy. My youngest son, Adam, had flown in from Montana where he was in school. He spent quite awhile in her room, and came out sobbing. He told me he forgot to tell her that he made the Dean's List! I told him she knew. When the time came we all made a circle around her bed, holding hands and talking softly to her. My sister, also an RN, was watching the monitors which were silent. Very softly she said "she's gone" and I said "where"? Everyone actually laughed. Her passing was very peaceful.
My DH has emphysema/COPD so all of this scares me so much. He goes to the VA here and they are awful. Terrible. It is so scary.
I did not mean to go on and on about my stories Sew. I know what a terribly painful time this is for all of you. I am so very sorry, and I hope with all my heart you all find peace soon. I am so sorry Sew. I wish i could just give you a giant hug. Consider it sent anyway, okay? Much peace and love to you and your family. I am always here if you need to talk. Take care please. I lit a candle for him.
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Runfree16-please tell me how tamoxifen makes you feel. I start on it next week when I'm done with rads.
Hugs
Michele0 -
Wow, as always I am behind. Love relaxing and reading everyones posts.
I am with you Gigi, I am chicken and havent been taking my tami. I am waiting to see how my US come out on ovaries, etc before I try again. On the ILC thread there is someone taking a Natural Tamoxifen with no SEs.. Waiting for more info, this really appeals to me.
Kate- all smiles when I read your swelling is officially going away!! All the prayer and your great jacket filled with love worked!! I agree with Cindy, a little fun, alot of REST!!
Josie- Sorry your teeth are giving you pain, I know its one of the worst there is. I had braces at 41! For the 2nd time, why I chose to torture myself I am not sure now. The tops are perfect the lower I am not as happy with, guess what?? I no longer care! All that money and who cares anymore.. crazy. Your gums will toughen up quickly as will your whole mouth, getting from A to B is hard. Soft food, I am sure you look beautiful.
I would LOVE to do a get togethor. Kate when do you come to Chicago again? BUNKIE- your in Michigan..where? I am near Cleveland, very close. Amy who hasnt been here in awhile is in MI also. Josie in St Louis also close.. many in NY and CA. hmmm...
I need some prayer for my sweet Terrier Toby. Had to take him to the VET ER last night, he was screaming in pain, he wouldnt stop, it was horrible. He has severe arthritis and bone spurs. He is now drugged up and can only use his hind legs and left front to walk, he is 10. They also told us he has a enlarged heart with a murmur and he needs to get on heart meds to slow down progression. We are devestated, he is our baby. Though my BC he never left my side, so now I am laying with him. She said he has the mind of a 2 yr old and the body of a 70 yr old, hes always been very active, crazy active and all the years of this has taken a toll. Thanks in advance, I cant imagine him not being here with us.
My underarm SNB area is so swollen and just plain hurts! Its lumpy and ugly. I am now out of my "vice" the pain pills. I liked knowing I had one if needed, theyre gone.
Sew- lots of prayers coming to you, sorry to hear of your brother. So sorry for your SIL.
I know long post, I had alot to say and I still havent read the final page yet.
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Lemon as an animal lover I can feel your pain. I am so, so sorry about the crisis with Toby. Poor sweet angel! My son and DIl recently lost their baby and are still trying to cope with the loss. I can tell how much Toby means to you. We are the same way with our two, they are like children to us. I hope that the meds help him and he recovers from this. You are spoiling him which I know he will enjoy. I will hold him close in my heart and send tons and tons of healing prayers his way. I am thinking of you both, and sending plenty of healing hugs as well. Give him a soft kiss from me please!
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