Radiation recovery
Comments
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RunFree, sorry to hear your itching is back.Hope you get your papers graded soon so you can enjoy the weather.
Kate glad to hear your doing ok and didn't have to see the GI doc today.
GIGIL, glad Cole is doing better and your Father too.I'm happy to hear your sister and you got some much needed time to talk.
I just found out they are giving me Wedsday off since they are moving the BMD machine.
So I will I guess enjoy my 3 days off in a row.Problem is I have to use my PTO hours for that day if I want to be paid.Isn't that sad they couldn't let me come in and work on my stuff elsewhere instead of my office.And also she could of let me know before now.
I plan on trying to accomplish something around here.My son has a appointment with his counselor again tomorrow.And mine is for Thursday so on days when I have appointments that kind of messes up my routine at home so I don't get too much done.0 -
Josie, you may or may not accomplish anything today. If not, that's fine--your office has knocked you off your schedule and maybe you just need to lounge around with your feet up and meditate on your dream job. Well, not necessarily your dream job, just one where they treat the employees with respect. I can't wait to hear that you've found somewhere wonderful to work.0
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Thanks Brookside, I do need to find anouther job sooner than later.0 -
Whew,just read through...
SAB, thanks for checking in. I know it's hard to keep up while working. I committed to my not-quite-perfect bag :-D
I got the photo online.
Kate, your walking plans sounded wonderful. You followed your instincts with the appointment, and with all you've been through, you must feel somewhat relieved. Keep doing research...you may find a doctor who can help you your way.
Runfree, more itching...??? is it better overall? I hope that you, as I do, notice annoying things less when engrossed in work.
Brookside, my processing issues are growing worse again...I added the statin [after 5 months off], to my A.I. only 3 days/wk. and immediately I felt the brain skips. Today I could not pull words out of the air fast enough. It seems to be drug induced - I cannot claim a rads hangover - been over 20 months.
Josie, sounds like your job is interested in what works for them. How are you supposed to pass on a pleasant attitude to your patients? Grrrrrrrr
PS - I lost 9-10 lbs. this summer; gained back 3/4. I've been craving carbs since I traveled and ate on the road. I am also self-soothing since DD & family moved away. Am having a hard time of it some days.
Saturday, DH & I went to pumpkin farm without a kid...also had lunch and wine...got pies on the way back...is there a food theme here? Nice day...by Sunday I missed my kids so badly I called 5 of 6 and texted 1. Two called back Sunday, and 2 Monday.
Pet peeve!!! IRS is "closed" but returns must be filed and bills must be paid. I have a pending audit closure where I owe nothing (they said)...but got a threatening bill with a dealine next week. What to do? I can't call. No answer.
Bunkie, that reaction sounded frightening to me. Sorry you had to deal with it on your own. Answers please!!
Time for me to go home...hope to check in later while enjoying baseball and the Voice.0 -
Ahh I rarely have problems posting, but there are no spaces or paragraphs in my post -- I did put them in. Maybe it's the too-long-post-warning.
Do we have no message icons now?0 -
Joan, thanks for understanding my frustration.I need to get on the ball and get a new job.I think that the only thing that is really holding me up is the stuff I've been going through lately with my son and the excess stress I've been feeling myself.I need to get a little stronger emotionally before I feel I can handle the stress of starting a new job.Maybe I just need the confidence to relay to my next employer of what I can bring to the company.
I didn't know you had 6 kids wow!! Good for you.I'm sure it is hard not being around them now.I'm the youngest of six.I can remember my father walking me down the aisle.He was probably like " finally I'm done raising my kids time for some alone time with my wife.Now they get a little tired of each other and enjoy some alone time away from each other occasionally.0 -
Runfree, Josie and Joan thanks so much for your support. My social worker came today, and she always makes me feel good. Then I went for a walk in the 80 degree sunny day that we had In Santa Monica. Runfree I took you with me and I hope you enjoyed our stroll. Joan sorry you are going through so much,. Wow 6 children no wonder you know how to cope so well. Josie I hope you will get stronger and tell your job to stick it where the sun don't shine lol0 -
Kate I hope you enjoyed your stroll.We had a lot of rain yesterday.
I tried to sleep in this morning and made my hubby get up with my son.He can't just jump out of bed like I do so instead of sleeping in I was having to keep asking him if he was getting up.I was awake the whole time but just laid there listening to him and my son making sure they were going to have him ready for the bus.0 -
Kate thank you for taking me walking with you in the California sunshine! I enjoyed that very much. I'm so glad you have a social worker you really like.0 -
Josie and runfree it is 83 and sunny here again today, and I am going to take you both on my stroll. Should we stop for margqaritas and chips? We better go late in the day then lol.
Runfree I have a fabulous social worker. She comes to my house almost every Tuesday. She tells me I am so resilient, and if anyone can beat advanced bladder cancer I can. after she leaves I think I can take on the world. My doctor friend also makes me feel very positive and resilient too. I am blessed to have them, and my family in my life0 -
Today it is really cool outside and I'm going to make nothing but comfort foods .Lunch was cream of broccoli and cheese soup(homemade)Yum!!0 -
Thank you Kate! Yes, margaritas and chips please! It's wonderful that you have such great supporters in your life. That is so important.
Josie, I hope your day of comfort foods is just the ticket! Your lunch sounds divine. I am on Day 2 of gluten free and so far if anything I'm itchier than ever. All by itself, that's not bad news. I adore pretty much everything that has gluten in it, so if the diet made me suddenly stop itching, I'd be relieved that it's treatable and not so serious, but also glum.0 -
RunFree, Gluten free? Good luck with that.We tried that way back when my son was young.It was so expensive and not nearly many gluten free products as there is now.I hope it's a success for you and wouldn't that be great if you see an improvement in the itching.
BTW yes lunch was very yummy.I think it was almost gluten free except for the little bit of flour to thicken it up.I had leftover broccoli already cooked from last night's dinner.I threw that in the blender and then took some margarine and some flour made a rue and added milk ,the broccoli, then about 1/2 can of cheddar cheese soup .I topped it off with shredded cheese.
Tonight I made homemade caramel corn and breaded pork chops, green beans and scalloped potatoes(from a box).You see why I can't stay on a diet ? I did get my 2 servings of vegetables
Though.
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Josie, yum!!! That's a lot of great comfort food. I never thought about making caramel corn! I am only trying gluten free because the dermatologist has brought it up several times--"are you sure you aren't gluten-sensitive? Maybe you should try giving up gluten for a couple of days." Most recently he said that if I really were gluten-sensitive, I'd know because every time I ate gluten I'd get itchier. But I have never noticed any pattern between itching and what I eat. There certainly are more GF products than there used to be, and I have a lot of friends and colleagues who are GF. My chair is on a GF diet and gave me part of a bag of cereal today, so I could try it without buying a whole box. GF food is still expensive. I bought a 2 lb. bag of GF rolled oats and it was over $7! Then this morning our administrative assistant brought a box of Dunkin' Donuts Munchkins to a meeting and I did not have any, and I thought, This is no way to live! So I am sort of rooting for no improvement during my little GF experiment. Not that I want the answer to be something more dangerous, but I don't want it to be that I'm itching due to gluten. If I don't notice any improvement by tomorrow night, I am totally having a donut this weekend. No, two.0 -
Go for it girl!! Have a donut for me too!!
I hope for your sake it's not gluten either.I'm curious though.Aren't oats naturally gluten free?
I'm baking bannana bread now.I may or may not eat that though.I've noticed lately when I have a smoothie that has bananna in it makes my tongue feel funny.But I had banannas too ripe and my kids love the bread so it won't go to waste.
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Half my friends are doing the gluten free thing, but all of them are doing it purely in anticipation of weight loss. Maybe it's the lack of donuts that does it? While I certainly hope the GF stuff helps your itchies, I also hope you'll soon be able to fully participate in those donut meetings.
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I think if I stayed on the GF diet for long, I'd gain weight. To get GF food over the past few days, I have had to compromise on protein and/or calories. Snack bar with 4g protein, but has gluten, 110 calories. GF snack bar with 4g protein, 180 calories. I have had trail mix for a snack the past few days too, which I adore, but the calories add up fast. Another colleague told me today that I would need to give it more like 7-10 days. He's been GF for two years and it has made a huge difference with his condition. When he first started, kind of inadvertently because he had a GF friend visiting, he noticed some improvement in 5 days, but after 9 days he was sure. He gave me a good pep talk about local restaurants and products that work for him, and he said he really doesn't even think about it as a special diet anymore. He also said he doesn't worry about oats, just has them, including Cheerios. Josie, the deal with oats is that they ARE naturally gluten free, but they are easily cross-contaminated in the field or processing facility. But my friend said it's only people with celiac disease who really can't tolerate even 20 parts per million of contamination that might occur in non-GF oats. Anyway, I gave up this evening and had non-GF pizza since I knew I was going to go off the diet this weekend anyway, as I'm going to NYC for my weekend of fun. Meanwhile I am one big bag of itchy, gluten or no gluten.0 -
RunFree, good for you getting away for the weekend.Have fun!!Thanks for explaining about the oats.
Remember how I said my boss told me not to show up on Wednsday ? Well she called me today and asked me if I wanted to come in and get my stuff together so I will be ready for my bone densities. I told her yes and that I would already be at the hospital because I had an appointment at 12pm.Well I get there after my counselor appt and find all my stuff like my desk and everything has been thrown into boxes and stuffed in the cubby across from my office.The MA that was there said she had some of my co-workers packing up my office.They were in there kind of talking bad about me and saying things about my office.I hadn't emptied my shred box lately and yes there was dust in the corners under my desk and under the bone density machine.It is impossible to clean very good under that machine.
And if I had the time maybe there wouldn't have been dust .It's like very embarrassing to have others packing up your stuff.Lesson learned .I should have just came in yesterday anyway even though my boss told me not to.
Then of course I got told about how I was supposed to back up the bone density machine .You know, back up the files at the end of the day.Well the guy that works for GE and maintains the machine told my boss that he showed me how to do this.That a bunch of bull .He never showed me.I'm sorry that just really ticked me off.
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Josie, I don't get it. Why were they packing (or even touching) your stuff without your OK?0 -
Runfree - I am awaiting GF testing right now. I was kinda hoping it was that because of my stomach stuff but who knows. All the GF bread I ever tried tastes like cardboard and I would miss sandwiches. There is a place here close to campus that makes GF pizza. I am tempted. There is a GF pre mixed flour by Williams Sonoma that is really good. Makes everything. If I am I intend to get some of that. They also make a GF pie crust mix and pancakes.There is another site too that has good mixes. My allergist tested me for gluten sensitivity last year but I was fine, however my wheat test came out mildly sensitive. I thought they were the same.
Hi Everyone - Will read back and check in later.
Went to the endo I just found about my adrenals and steroids.He was the one who did my thyroid biopsy. Long story short he got in my face pretty bad and all about VitD. I have never been talked to by a Dr like that and I will not let him do it. I only asked 2 questions and he went nuts. I wanted to slap him. We are done. Next....looking again for a endocronoligist that can coordinate with my Sarcoid Dr and get me off steroids.0 -
BUNKIE there is no excuse for a doctor to do that.I hope you can find a new doc soon.
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Josie, I get the distinct feeling you are being set up for failure, cast in a bad light, sabotaged and definitely not respected! Does your boss have a boss? This whole thing just does not smell right! I think it is time to start a dialogue about your difficulty on the job and put it in writing. Cover your ass by expressing your side of the story. It sounds like a hostile working environment.
Bunkie that doctor sounds atrocious!0 -
Bunkie so sorry your doctor was so insensitive.
Runfree have a great time on your trip. I am so jealous. I love New York.0 -
RunFree, have a ball! I love NY too and am sort of mentally there right now, eating all the ethnic food I can't get here. And, of course, partying away. And scratching (hope that's getting better).0 -
Ooops. Pushed "submit" too soon. Wanted to wish everyone a wonderful weekend. Josie, hoping you just forget about all those junior high school bullies you work with, Kate, will you be rocking that wig this weekend? Bunkie, phooey on cranky doctors. Maybe post your vitamin D question on one of the threads here? Or start a new one? Hi to Cindy, SAB, Joan, April, and everyone else.0 -
Kate & Josie - Thanks for the support.
I mean really. When I first got him my PCP said he used to scare her during residency. They were all afraid of him. He is the only endo in town really except at the MSU clinic and they are not rated high. My first visit with him last April he jumped into the thyroid issue after rads upset it. We did some tests and a biopsy but there was nothing conclusive. He said he suspected a possible parathyroid issue but he could not ttreat what he could not find. So we were watching it. I went back in July for a follow up and he ran blood work. My Vit d was still low. My disease is problematic with the Vit D in my body. He wanted me to take 50,000 units a week for 3 mos. I went to my Sarcoid specialist at U of Mi and he said I did not need that much and to get another test before I consider that dose. So I have been taking it about once a month and it makes me sweat and have nausea. I called the endo to talk about the adrenal/prednisone issue and they told me to come in. When he walked in he immediately asked about the Vit D. I told him I was not taking it as much as he perscribed and he demanded to know why not. I tried to explain how the Vit D reacts with my disease and he told me he knows all about that. He said if my Sarc Dr is going to scare me than maybe he should treat me. I could feel the hairs on my neck rise up but I remained calm and explained that it takes a team of specialists to manage my disease and my Sarc Dr is not local so I needed someone who is. Then I changed the subject to the adrenals and the steroids and asked if he would help me get off. He talked about how hard it is after all these years etc and said he would CONSIDER it if my Sarc Dr gave him the ok. That my disease was really in remission. I said ok and would get that approval. He then told me he would be happy to run bloodwork every 3 mos if I would just take the Vit D as he perscribed it. I told him if I have to take that much I need bloodwork every 8 weeks. Last time I took it I almost lost my kidneys. He stands up all pissed and says fine then. Walks out and does not return. In comes his nurse with a request for blood work every 3 mos. I felt bad till I got to the desk. The lady there told me he would be seeing me again in 9 months and call back in 3 for an appt. Huh? How is he going to treat me with a 9 month visit. So I asked her if it was a mistake and she said no...that is what he just wrote. When I got in the car I just cried because once again I have wasted money and time with a Dr not willing to help me.0 -
Bunkie I am so sorry that you have such an awful doctor. Try to think positive this weekend. Something good has got to turn up.
Brookside I have been rocking a fall. My own bangs, and sides of my hair mixed in with a hair fall. My doctor friend said it all looks like my hair YEAH! Nevertheless I will be so happy when my hair grows back again. Nov 3 will be 2 months since I stopped chemo. I am hoping to see results in March, which will make it 6 months.
It is so gorgeous in Santa Monica now, High of 78 which will continue all weekend. I am going to rock being out in the sun, but of course I would rather be in NY with Runfree.
Have a great weekend everyone0 -
Thanks Kate. I am doing ok with it. Somehow it will all work out. There are just some snotty Drs out there and I found one. Bet your hair looks fab!!! I wish I was out there with you in the sun. It is cold and rainy here to day. California dreamin....
RunFree -I love going to NY!!! It has been awhille but enjoy!!
Got the results back from my stomach Dr. I do not have Celiac. No infection etc. I just have a gastritis stomach. I want my GB back!!!0 -
hi Everyone,
Thought I'd just stop by. Seems my life is entirely too busy these days, or else I'm getting slower and things take longer!
Bunkie...hang in there, soon you'll find just the right doctor, one who can really help..
Kate, glad the hair is working out, and as to the sun, we're enjoying an unusually warm fall also here in Northern California. It is beautiful
Joan, chin up, as someone pointed out, with the kids all spread out, it gives you a chance to do some great trips to see them. Skype helps too if you've got that set up yet.
Sab....your job sounds perfect for you...it's just the getting used to the grind and up to speed that might be a bit tough. But I'd guess your weather is a lovely as ours, and those weekend hikes will keep you sane for sure.
Brookside, I love how up beat you always are
And speaking of which, Cindy, I sure hope hubby's non conformance to the rules hasn't landed him back in hot water and that's where you've been hiding this last week or so.
Runfree....NY sounds great, but wasn't it a get away that brought you the "itchiness" last time? I sure hope you don't manage to catch another one this time,
Josie, You've got so much you're dealing with it's got to be trying and tiring too, but you're doing a great job juggling it all...it makes it all tough, but hang in there, it will get better and if nothing else...your new office will be quite clean. Why are you responsible for cleaning anyway? Seems strange to me...
For me my life goes up and down as is to be expected. My mom is doing well at 95 although her short term memory is shot. Fortunately she trusts me to handle her finances, and while a big job, at least she doesn't argue about it. Next we will have to deal with all the antiques left in her home. My sister wants to just call in the local 2nd hand shop, who seem to have offered, for example, $200 for a pristine dresser with mirror. It's mahogany with beautiful patina. They thought they'd paint it! I need to take on another task like I need a hole in my head, but giving this furniture away like that is sinful, in my opinion!
My sister in law has gotten thru her first chemo. Had nausea for about 4 plus days, but has come back from that so it looks like she will get thru, fingers crossed. She has a good support system in place where she lives, and that will be a godsend for her as she gets thru this. My brother-in-law (sisters husband) is now on palliative radiation of his spine for metastasized prostrate cancer. He's had the prostrate cancer for 5 years or so, but I gather it has now spread. I don't think this sounds very good, but my sister is ignoring it, as in head in the sand, so I guess we will all ignore the elephant in the room.
For myself, I just have to report the endoscopy I had was a piece of cake...which surprised me. Unfortunately the second surprise is that I've got Barrett's esophagus, which is, of course, rare. Only about 10% of the people with GERD end up with this. Oh boy...more fun for me. Apparently Barrett's is a sort of "pre-cancer" tissue change in the esophagus. If it morphs in to an acutal cancer, the prognosis doesn't sound great: 50% survive 5 years but only if caught really early. But, the actual change to a full blown cancer is also a low percentage (maybe about 20%) so I'm hoping I can just keep it at this level. The unfortunate part is (and Bunkie, I feel a bit like you here) I haven't actually met with the GI guy except over the procedure table and on the phone when he told me. I now have many questions and we're waiting to get some test scheduled which he said might take a month, but it's already been that and more. And that test won't even tell them if I have dysplasia yet or not. Just YUCK! I've got the awful feeling that this might be related to the radiation I had as a 3 year old which caused a pre cancer thyroid tumor found in my 30's. You all know how our minds work.....in my weaker moments I imagine I've already got dysplasis, not just the Barrett's damage. Ah well, this too I shall deal with, as we all must deal with our "issues"
So, that's my report......have a great weekend everyone, and sorry to be so long winded. Guess if I posted more often, they could be shorter!
Janis, Janis....where are you?0 -
Sew, I'm so sorry to hear that.I am not too familiar about that condition.But from what you described it doesn't sound like any fun.What is the treatment for that?
As far as my job.The person who told me they were saying things as they were moving my computer and bone density machine had no reason to even share that with me.Unless she just wants to try and start something.I mean she is really different.She started as a temp and acted super nice to everyone and really bpnded over backwards to seem to be a team player.Then she later on took over for me after my surgeries and BC in January.She went through a time where she had a terrible attitude about the boss and I tried not to get caught listening to it because people might tell the boss that I shared the same views as her..Now she's back to being a kiss up only now to just the boss and her little groupies.I thought she was a friend but now I'm not so sure .And not so sure of her intent..This is the MA they laid off the n decided to let her stay..But somethings are better left unsaid.Why would you tell someone even if they were saying things about me.She said she came to my defense.I mean really?
BTW my new room is nice.I have a window.
My old room just had a lot of dust around the computer wires and I was afraid to clean too much in case I would unplug something.If the Bone Density got unplugged that would be bad.
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