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Radiation recovery

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Comments

  • katehudson25
    katehudson25 Member Posts: 1,939
    edited June 2012

    Thank you Elizabeth and Gigil it is so good to hear from you and mostly sew. I did have such a wonderful time in Chicago. On my last night there my 5 year-old granddaughter looked at me and said Nana J you are so cute. OMG my heart melted what a darling thing to say. Gigil my surgeon is a real sweetheart. Besides coming with me to my mammo, I can email her anytime with questions. I see her every other week for one hour sessions. If I am feeling down she will give me more time. I hope you and your hubby are both well. xoxo Kate

  • SAB
    SAB Member Posts: 1,121
    edited June 2012

    Hi kate! Welcome home...it may be my imagination but I think even your picture looks happier and more relaxed! Your trip sounds great. What a find your surgeon is.

  • katehudson25
    katehudson25 Member Posts: 1,939
    edited June 2012

    Thank you Sab. Good to hear from you. I hope all is well for you.

  • justmejanis
    justmejanis Member Posts: 1,474
    edited June 2012

    Hi Kate...nice to see you back and I am really happy for you that you had such a good time.  Your little granddaughter sounds just precious.  They sure know how to melt our hearts don't they?  Good luck with the mammo.  I just had mine a couple weeks ago, and passed!  :)

    Congrats to all who are doing water aerobics.  It sounds fun!

  • katehudson25
    katehudson25 Member Posts: 1,939
    edited June 2012

    Thank you Janis. I hope all os well.

  • joan811
    joan811 Member Posts: 1,980
    edited June 2012

    Kate, welcome back...and there is no better healing and soothing experience than grandchildren who see the beautiful things in the world...how sweet. 
    Pat01, I am so glad you mentiond the intermittent changes in the post-radiated breast.
    I went from quite enlarged during rads, to smaller but not notably so...lost mass inside; now look normal - no deformation - but inside, hard lumpy tender tissue.  If I had any new lumps, I'd never feel them.  I wore camis during rads.  Back in the underwires soon after..(January)...now?  the underwires are almost intolerable.  As you said, occasional use is OK, but now I prefer softer bra.
    King, I think it is great that you have researched the AI drugs.  You would not know your SEs until you try.  I did Arimidex and Femara...each time, SEs kicked in right away.  But amazingly, my body adjusted and I barely know I'm taking Femara.  I take it because I had a lumpectomy and I hope to not go through it again.  My MO and BS say it is the backbone of my treatment.  No chemo for me...whole breast rads; but I know my body makes cancer and I want to prevent it if I can.
    However, the loss of estrogen at a younger age is not an easy choice.  Not only do we feel better as women, there are certain conditions that benefit from estrogen and I have 2 of them. 
    Good luck with your decision.
    Sew - my thinking regarding AIs is similar to yours. 
    Well, my days off didn't turn out perfect...but I got mani & pedi; and today hair cut. Loved that!
    Tomorow grandaughters come for a week - staying at a summer rental in town, about 2.5 miles away. They light up my days.
    Nite all,

    Joan

  • katehudson25
    katehudson25 Member Posts: 1,939
    edited June 2012

    Thank you Joan. So nice to hear from you.

  • Elizabeth1889
    Elizabeth1889 Member Posts: 509
    edited June 2012

    Joan, Have a wonderful time with your granddaughters.

  • katehudson25
    katehudson25 Member Posts: 1,939
    edited June 2012

    Joan how wonderful that you get to spend a week with your granddaughters-ENJOY!!!! How old are they? I have 5 grandchildren, 4 girls and a boy. Their ages are 19, 14, 8, and twins 1 boy and 1 girl aged 5. The only thing good about getting older is grandchildren.

  • joan811
    joan811 Member Posts: 1,980
    edited June 2012

    Kate,
    Wow what a nice family....Twins - ...must be fun.  I hope you had the best time with them. 

    Thanks, Elisabeth. 

    Kate -I have 7...the oldest lived with me since he was 6 weeks old and I raised him since 2.  He just graduated from college..
    The others are young, 3 boys, 3 girls 8, 7, 6, 4, 3, 1
    We were all together 2 weeks ago to go to the dinosaur park in NJ - just like Jurassic Park.  We had a great day!

    I hope you are feeling well?  It's been a long year - we both were diagnosed the same week.  I am grateful for the normalcy I have...and I hope you will soon have these procedures behind you!
    Happy week end - it's beautiful here, finally.
    Joan

  • katehudson25
    katehudson25 Member Posts: 1,939
    edited June 2012

    Joan Dinosaur Park sounds wonderful. It has been a very long year. Yes we were both diagnosed in the same week and had our surgeries in the same month. Today is my birthday and I am grateful to be alive and watch my grandchildren grow. Be well!

  • Elizabeth1889
    Elizabeth1889 Member Posts: 509
    edited June 2012

    Happy Birthday, Kate! I hope you have a wonderful day.

  • katehudson25
    katehudson25 Member Posts: 1,939
    edited June 2012

    Thank you Elizabeth!

  • schatzi14
    schatzi14 Member Posts: 906
    edited June 2012

    kate...best wishes, enjoy your special day!

  • katehudson25
    katehudson25 Member Posts: 1,939
    edited June 2012

    Thank you Schatzi. The weather here in Santa Monica is gorgeous today, and I will enjoy.

  • SAB
    SAB Member Posts: 1,121
    edited June 2012

    Kate, I hope you have some fun plans, and I wish you a happy and healthy year ahead!

  • justmejanis
    justmejanis Member Posts: 1,474
    edited June 2012

    Kate, happy birthday!  i am so glad you brought some special memories home with you.  They will last a lifetime.

    Joan, I think we all started pretty close together.  I was diagnosed July 1, had my surgery July 11th.  Your grandson is am amazing young man from all I have heard.  You have to be so proud of him.  Raising a grandchild sure provides special challenges.  You done good!  Your other grandchildren must be so much fun.  I raised two sons and just have one grandson, Wesley.  He is 10.  Sadly I don't see him often since we moved here.  He lives in Wyoming.  Such a great kid!

    Everyone enjoy the evening and have a wonderful day tomorrow. 

    Hugs to all my friends here!

    Jansi

  • katehudson25
    katehudson25 Member Posts: 1,939
    edited June 2012

    Sab and Janis thank you so much for your birthday wishes. I did have a wonderful day.

  • SAB
    SAB Member Posts: 1,121
    edited June 2012

    1 year mammo on Wednesday.  Is it too soon to start worrying?  

  • katehudson25
    katehudson25 Member Posts: 1,939
    edited June 2012

    Sab I know where you are coming from. Mine is July 13. Friday the 13th, but I am thinking that will be good luck. I am trying not to think about it, and I hope you do the same. Both of ours will be negative, and we will be fine. Hugs!!!

  • joan811
    joan811 Member Posts: 1,980
    edited June 2012

    Happy Birthday Kate!  This is for you - even though it's after midnight! 
    Birthdays are wonderful....wishing you many healthy years ahead.

     SAB, Kate, Janis, many of us have mammos coming up (first year) . . . I hope we can think about them as reassurance.  I know we each carry that vague sense of doubt that we'll be free of BC, but we have more reason to believe in good news. 
    Hugs & prayers for good results.

  • joan811
    joan811 Member Posts: 1,980
    edited June 2012

    Janis,
    Thank you for your kind words. 
    It must be difficult for you to be so far from your grandson.  I hope you can keep in touch and stay connected...are you able to use Skype Face time?  Of course, on the map, Idaho is right next door to Wyoming....but those states are huge!  I was in Idaho a few years ago and it is quite beautiful.  Great geology and rocks, too (my passion).  I hope you can plan some visits very soon.

    And you are right - many of us had rads within the last year and are close in dates for dx and treatments. 
    This is such an important thread because we are all healing in different ways and none of us knows what's coming next.  It is really a blessing to be able to share and laugh and cry together.

    I hope all who are reading here will have wonderful day tomorrow. 
    Joan

  • katehudson25
    katehudson25 Member Posts: 1,939
    edited June 2012

    Joan thank you so much for the birthday wishes. Even though I wasn't able to be with my family I had a good day. Last night I had a pleasant surprise from my 40 year old beautiful plastic surgeon. She emailed and said whe was sorry she missed my b-day, and invited me for happy hour drinks and appetizers on Friday. My God she is a doll and I am so blessed to have her. I mentioned this already, but she also is coming with me to my one year mamo.

  • joan811
    joan811 Member Posts: 1,980
    edited June 2012

    Kate, that is really amazing....so glad that you have a caring doc.  She must know how much you've been through...happy hour drinks sound good to me....I'll join you!

  • katehudson25
    katehudson25 Member Posts: 1,939
    edited June 2012
    Joan I wish you could join us, but I will put you in my pocket.
  • stephN
    stephN Member Posts: 133
    edited June 2012

    Kate, hope you had a happy birthday!  Your visit with your children sounds wonderful!

    It was a tough week here.  My little dog and constant companion died after a week-long illness.  It was hard and horrible and I really miss her!  In the middle of it, I spent two days at college with my son getting him registered for classes for the fall.  I'm an emotional wreck!

    I was so happy to have my first mammo behind me.  My year one isn't until August.  I'll be praying for perfect results for all of you!  I did think it was going to be painful, but it didn't hurt nearly as bad as I thought.  

    I don't remember who asked about Femara and I don't have time to go back now and look (I'm sorry!) but I took Femara for four months, had horrible side effects and switched to Aromasin.  I've had some weight gain from Aromasin and some mild depression (which might just be life) but otherwise, it's so, so much better.  I second the idea that it's not one drug fits all, which is what my oncologist said.  We try one and then another until we find one that works.  

    Talk to you all soon!

  • katehudson25
    katehudson25 Member Posts: 1,939
    edited June 2012

    Stephn so sorry about your dog. I know how hard that must be. HUGS!

  • SAB
    SAB Member Posts: 1,121
    edited June 2012

    stephn, I'm so sorry about your dog.  I love my senior dog so much, and I feel your pain.  I hope everything went well with your son's registration.

    Joan, of course you are right...chances are better for good news than bad with our 1 year mammo. I try to stay calm, but my surgeon poked and prodded around so much last time I was there, and advised me to leave enough time for an MRI between my mammo and my appointment with him.  Thankfully everything looked fine and no MRI was necessary.  It was just my imagination working overtime.

    Good friend and her daughter coming to visit on Friday-Sunday and then my uncle, aunt and brother with his family on Tuesday-Sunday.  Can't wait, but tired already Wink  

  • Janet_M
    Janet_M Member Posts: 500
    edited June 2012

    StephN,

    I'm so sad to hear about your dog. I read these posts all the time and am amazed with what us gals can handle. But a little companion is something extra special, and I'm so sorry for your loss.

    Janet

  • Lacey12
    Lacey12 Member Posts: 2,895
    edited June 2012

    StephN, I am so sorry to learn about your sweet dog dying. Our dear Lacey died this past March and it was really painful for some time after. I was actually given to tears everyday for the first week after we lost her. I did let myself cry it out whenever I needed to and honestly, the pitch of the grief lifted after about a week. Of course I worked long days, so was distracted during the day, whereas DH has a home office and "heard" her for a much longer time after. I keep thinking that I may miss her more now that I am going to be at home more during the day. They are such important little members of the family, and as they age we get so wrapped up in their care that having them gone is really leaves a big hole. I actually put a little obit on my facebook page when Lacey died, with our favorite phtos of her, and so enjoyed hearing the memories our friends and our sons' friends posted. That connection was healing...tho it might seem silly to some.



    Also, so difficult that you are facing the punctuated time of your son planning his departure for college as you lose your pooch. An exciting transition, but a loss just the same. I hope you have some nurturing and empathic relationships in your life to support you through this time. (((((HUGS))))) from here.....

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