Radiation recovery
Comments
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Momine, Czech and Slovak, but my Mom was a Hungarian Jew...so her version is probably more acurately described as Rugalah. To put a fine point on it though, Rugalah is usually made as a cookie, which my mom called Kiffiles.
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SAB...a rose by any other name, smells as sweet...whatever they are called, I am drooling. Do I see apricot or peach filling? They look delish!
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Schatzi, lots of leeway in the filling. My choice (if not chocolate) was apricot jam, smothered in ground walnuts, sugar and raisins. I feel bad but nobody in my family eats or bakes like this anymore. I am experimenting though, with sugar free, whole grain goodies now and then. Um, let's just say I have a ways to go!!!
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SAB...I would gladly eat your "experiments"...how can anything that looks like that be bad?
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SAB that looks absolutely mouth watering! Best start baking. I have lots of pocket parties ahead. I had to have a biopsy done this morning on a lesion on my nose. He said he did not like to look of it. He had another doctor come and look and they both agreed it needed a biopsy. First time I have ever had a shot on my nose...OUCH! I will get the results in 1-2 weeks. I prefer one!
Next Tuesday I will be at the hospital all afternoon for my pre-op work. We can start partying there.
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SAB, makes sense, thanks.
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Hi, missed you all while away for 2 weeks. I just caught up on your posts and had a lot of smiles.
So glad to hear about the milestones and clear mammos....the plans for reconstruction and putting all this behind....
Janis, UGH what next? I am sending positive thoughts and prayers for good biopsy results. It must be tough knowing you are facing surgery and recovery so soon. Keep riding your bike and feeling the wind in your face....am counting on your good result to give you a healthy and pain free future. You deserve it.
SAB - congrats on staying in shape - I know that the exercise really makes the difference. Just enjoy the compliments you will receive...I like the idea of "building health" ... I sometimes find myself telling someone about BC and wonder why I did.....it is kind of random and sometimes I regret revealing so much of myself.
I'm going back to work soon and I really need to reinvent myself - last year I was so frazzled. A few people made comments and I realized I wasn't doing myself any favors by alway saying yes and trying to do it all. I never rested during or after surgery or rads, and by the end of my school year, I was a wreck. I hope i can have a more even keel approach and exude serenity instead of chaos! It will take a miracle though...change is tough.
Thanks for always being here, ladies....each of you has helped me so much on this path to physical and mental recovery.
Hugs,Joan
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Hi Joan: I hope you don't mind me jumping in here. I have often thought that I would like to "chat" with you. Our dx is similar, on Femara, or for me Letrozole, both teachers and was like you in that I didn't skip a beat after surgery and radiation, but at the end of June
I sort of collapsed in a heap. I had planned to go home to Scotland this year and then on to the Olympics (have a niece in London, how perfect is that?) but between Dr's appointments and just dealing with all the fatigue, I know now that it would have been a disastrous trip. Now, thinking about going back in September and I'm so apprehensive
given everything Letrozole is "doing for me".....fatigue, memory loss, forgetting everyday
Words etc etc....as you already know. Just wanted to share that and ask you how you are feeling about it all?????0 -
Joan welcome home! I am sure you came home with a lifetime of memories. Also I hope you can take time to smell the flowers and be a little kinder to yourself. You pushed so hard through all of your treatment. It is no wonder you ended up frazzled. It is terribly hard to change old habits. You deserve to find peace in the madness.
Scottie I understand the frustration from the meds. I take Arimidex and Gabapentin and the memory loss some days makes me crazy. The good news is the meds are not forever, and I have to look at it that way. My fatigue is so much better. I am trying to be more active and I believe this helps. My bicycle is my new best friend!
Joan thanks for the well wishes regarding my biopsy. I really think that the doctor was way too gloomy, giving me the worst case scenario right off the bat. He made the comment that since I already had cancer, then I was probably used to the drill. Really? Was that necessary? I was a bit unsettled when he spoke of the potentially disfiguring surgery should it be malignant! For now I am just focusing on getting GOOD news from the pathology report.
I also wanted to share some wonderful news. I have become friends here with so many. Elizabeth is a very special friend. We speak on the phone weekly and e-mail as well. Last week she revealed that she and her DH are going to Jackson Hole for vacation...then coming to visit us in Idaho. I am SO excited to meet her! They will spend the night here and I am going to cook dinner for us. Sew...no worries, we won't be counting calories and I see a dessert here of course! They are coming in October so I should be all healed from my neck surgery. Happy dance here!
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Macatamy - I had a lot of lung issues - started during A/C Chemo. I used to get a lot of bronchitis, so lungs were weak spot for me. I would cough and cough and cough until I would throw up. Finally, I figured it out I was having food allergies or food was making it worse so I had to quit eating wheat, dairy and a lot of other things.
Then when I got to rads (just finished 2 weeks ago), I had so much mucus and was coughing again. I have an appt with an allergist in September. However, my lungs are starting to heal. I have been able to tell a big difference in the last week. I started using one of those plastic breathing machines they give you in the hospital so you don't get pneumonia. It has really helped heal me.
Just wanted to give you some hope!!
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Justmejanis.....thank u for your response.....want to say I can relate to new friends....
I have become so close with someone, she is like my soul mate, a friend I wish I had met
40 years ago...only one hitch, she's in Australia andI am in Canada..Hmmm ...you are
So lucky to be able to meet one of your new friends and I hope you have a wonderful time together. >0 -
Joan, So good to hear from you again. I know what you mean about telling random people about your BC. I catch myself doing the same thing and then wondering why I shared the personal information, especially when it elicits a horror story about a friend of a friend's cancer. Take good care of yourself during the upcoming school year. You deserve good things in you life.
Yes, Janis and I will be fortunate enough to meet in person in October. I am thrilled! She has been so supportive of everything with me and I hope I have been able to support her, too. Friendship is one of life's best blessings. I am proud and honored to call all of you my friends.
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Wow, everyone's embarking on new roads...how fun and challenging!
Janis and Elizabeth...I envy your meeting. You will so enjoy it. And probably giggle all evening too. If you don't fall asleep having over-eaten the fabulous dinner Janis will cook! Enjoy, you two.
Joan, welcome back. I think you've got a good game plan for next year having already identified the problems from last year. It is certainly hard to learn to say no, but I will say I've been practicing it for several months now and it really does help my mind set. I am learning to identify the things which are important to me and doing them, and saying no to the rest. I'm sure you'll do great with your new plan
Scottie, I also can identify with your issues of fatique, memory loss etc. they are a challenge. I do find I'm doing better as time goes on, and I'm hoping you find the same thing. Working and balancing active treatment is definitely hard. Good luck to you too.
Sab, I've ordered and am just starting to read the anti-cancer book. What a great find. I think it should be required reading for all cancer patients. It is so empowering. Thanks for mentioning it once again.......0 -
Almost forgot.....Denise G...welcome and congrats on getting thru your active treatment. It sounds like you're starting to heal your lung issues so that's great. I found my annoying caugh getting better and better as time went on and its completely gone now, but will come back if we have a bad air day. Amazing what our bodies can deal with. remember to take it slow if you can for the next several weeks as you give your body a chance to recover. Glad you've joined us.
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Elizabeth I agree friendhip is one of life's best blessing. After a very crummy year of cancer treatments I find that I am so blessed having made good friends with my darling 40 year old surgeon. Seems unreal that she wants to be friends, but she does. She is single as I am, and we go out every Friday for happy hour. Though we will miss this Friday because she is on vacation in Bali. Her friendship is goving me so much hope for my future. I am starting to live again. This week I posted my photo on a single dating website, and have some good responses so far. I do not want to go out until after I am healed from my surgery. My surgery is Sept. 12, and I will be in the hospital a minimum of 4 days. I will have to wear drains for 2 to 3 weeks, and when those come off I can go out on a date. There is a fairly attractive attorney who messaged me on the dating website today. I told him I am interested but for reasons I can't explain to him right now that I would not be ready to meet him till the first week of October. He said great he looks forward to meeting me then. So now besides having found a wonderful friendship with my surgeon I have a date to look forward to. Things are finally looking up for me. YEAH!
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Denise G, welcome,
thanks for the encouragement about the lung issues. congratulations on getting through your treatments. i am glad your lungs are healing. Give yourself time to rest and recoup.
(BTW I have a very dry wheezy cough)
I saw a new dr today. I finally had it with my old PCP. She seems very knowledgeable and competent. I think she is as interested at finding out what is wrong with me as I am. She is very concerned about my bp and so now I am on a bp lowering med. She did an EKG today (normal) and I am having an echo cardiogram tomorrow morning. We discussed pulmonary hypertension, lung disease and bc. So even though it sounds like more of the same I feel like we are moving forward. She is going to collect my records and study them. She wants me to see the pulmonary specialist in Boston at least once more to see if he can come up with a diagnosis. If not then she will refer me to someone else. At last I feel like I have someone in my corner.
Besides all you guys, of course. This is an amazing place and the support and friendship we find here is the most healing treatment around.
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maca...I can't remember from past posts but did you have an MRI on your lungs?
The reason I ask is that I had the same symptoms and they found PE due to chemo...I gave myself blood thinner shots for 6 months and it did the trick. The hematologist said it was chemo related...who knows? So far, so good!
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Good Morning.
For those of you with lung issues. I don't know if it works the same way when you've had chemo, but I thougt I wuold mention that some years ago I had lung issues and ended up having major lung surgery. I had pneuemonia every fall for about 5 years like clockwork (and bronchitis 2-3l times a year), but after that my lung issues disappeared and I have only the normal seasonal issues that everyone deals with. Hopefully, your issues will wane with time and return to normal. I did have to have pnuemonia shots more often than normal (every three years) for awhile, but now only every ten years. I don't know if that's something you will need to do or not, but hopefully your issues are short-term and will dissipate on their own. Good luck.
HAPPY FRIDAY!
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Hello ladies!!
I can't remember if I have ever posted here before so here goes!! SAB what is the title of the anti-cancer book you are recommending? I am very interested in knowing. I too am an elementary teacher of 26 years! Boy that is a long time. I taught 2nd grade self-contained last year during chemo and the first part of rads. But by the end of March, I decided to take a leave for the rest of the school year for my recovery from chemo, to finish rads, and for my sanity too!!! 2nd graders are a handful. But all my treatments are over as of May 3, 2012. I celebrated my 1 yr anniv of being cancer-free on Aug. 3 and I am feeling great! Most of my energy is back except for neuropathy in my fingertips and toes/feet. Now that I am on my feet more getting my classroom ready, the neuropathy is very present. No pain but just lots of numbness. I CAN deal with it! I just have to get off my feet when this happens. I'll just prop my feet up in a chair at school by the end of the day. I had to do that most of last year so it won't be a new thing.
My hair has grown back--- black and curly--- compared to the original dark brown straight and baby fine. What a surprise!! I had a lumpectomy on my left breast and after rads it is darker and smaller but not leathery or hard as I had read it might be. It is sometimes kinda achy but again if the neuropathy and a few aches here and there are all the side effects I have I am so GRATEFUL. I have had bloodwork twice (it was great), and a mammo in late July that was also very good.
Better go and get busy. Need to make a curtain and stool cover for my classroom.
You ladies are delightful and so supportive. Hope to begin talking to you a lot more.
Carlynn in deep East TX
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sidekick, welcome to you. The book I refer to (ad nauseum, some might say) is Anti cancer A new way of life by David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD. It is a compelling read and a useful tool that I turn to often. Tragically the author died last year, after a twenty year battle with brain cancer, which he discovered accidentally in his own lab. I wish I could find another book that takes up the torch with recent findings, so if anyone reads one please let me know!
A shout out to all the teachers out there...I was in the classroom for 8 years (just long enough to know how tough your job is!) I taught in the Communication Dept. as an adjunct.
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Thanks for the understanding support and good wishes.
I finally got back to my home town beach this AM and it was so good to walk a few miles. But now I do not want to go back to work on Monday. Classes do not start until 8/27 so I have some flexibility next week. DD and family will be vacationing and their cottage is 5 minutes away. (2 darling grandaughters)
SAB, I forgot (maybe I didn't know) that you were an educator too. There are advantages - some time off in summer....but this is not a job to have when dealing with cognitive challenges....Janis, keep thinking the good thoughts and forget about those less than professional comments from your biopsy guy. What is the plan for next week? It seems like your surgery is coming up so fast.
Kate - love the pic....how exciting for you to be moving forward at last! You are gutsy with that dating stuff...I wish you a quick recovery so you can show off your new you :-)So, happy dance for Janis & Elizabeth & Kate....and anyone else who is celebrating!
Glad you are getting together. I had a plan with some New York and New Jersey ladies but it had to be put off so we are trying again.....what is most important is that the friendships here are real. It's kind of amazing. sidekick - so glad you have the treatments behind you and that you celebrated your first year.Scottiee, Thanks for sharing your BC story....I felt like I was reading my own. The femara takes its toll. Today I went from happy to intolerant in about ten minutes and was worried about my mental state. I am taking doxycyclene (preventative) along with femara and anti-anxiety and statin....what a mess....
Anyway, Scottiee, you have described it so well - the memory loss, the inability to multi-task, difficulty in focusing...one thing I really have been noticing is that if there are a lot of things in front of me I feel like it is just impossible and too much to tackle. That could be dishes, reorganizing my pocketbook, cleaning my office, filing papers, anything that has multiple parts! I just turn away and put it off which is the worst thing I can do. If I am feeling strong, I talk to myself and force myself to do one little thing at a time until all is done. Then I feel so much better. Anybody out there know what I mean?
Scottiee, sorry that you did not accomplish your trip to Scotland and London. There will be better times ahead. I managed to pull off two good trips this year; however, when I visited my son in San Francisco, I lost it when we were driving for a few hours....I just got annoyed and went off on DH. Son has not really spoken to me since i got back. I wish I had not lost my control. And on my recent trip, after 12 days of constantly on the go and having to share a room with someone I had just met, I became so agitated. I needed rest and alone time....I was kind of negative and almost tearful with the trip organizers when things didn't go my way the last 2 days. I was late getting out in the morning and on the last day they took the group photo without me. I was hurt and I did say something .... I just cannot handle things the way I used to.
Gotta get sleep....
Nite all!
JoanPS - this is really a good place to talk about anything and everything - radiation recovery is just a part of what we are all going through.
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Hi Joan I can so much relate to all that you are going through, and I so much appreciate your support.I have been told that I am gutsy, actually moxie and if I don't go for it now I never will. I had my pre op appointment today and that went well. I had an ekg and I recently have been told that I have low heart rate. The ekg did show that I do have a low heart rate, 53 actually. Normal is 60 to 100, but my doctor told me that 53 is normal for me. So, thank God I am good to go for my surgery. I am hoping that after this reconstructive surgery that I will NEVER have to talk about my health again.
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Janis, Sab, Mostly Sew, and Elizabeth it would be great if you could post a photo so we can all get to know one another. It is difficult without a photo
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Kate--Well, my dog is cuter than I am, but since you asked, I'm the one on the right
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Joan, I was just staring at my to-do list. It really is nothing too difficult but it is so hard to get anything on the list done (and don't even start me on the state of my house.) I do wonder sometimes if some of us are dealing with a touch of depression which makes forward motion so much more difficult.
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Sab,
Great picture......you guys look just great! I do think, btw, that we do suffer from PTSD.....each in our own way. I've read that there's no way to get thru all this without some of the symptoms of that. I also think the arimidex, tamoxifen, femara etc. affects all that too....but I'd rather have the drug than not
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Sab you are adorable. Is that your hubby in the picture? He is cute too.
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Sab I have a dumb question. How did you post the photo?
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Sew, that picture was from my 1 year cancerversay (and birthday) in June...I called all my friends and demanded that they go dancing with me!
Kate, I lifted it from my Facebook. As far as I can tell you need to copy an (image) address for your photo into the box above your reply (the icon for photos on this site is the tree.) I have not been able to figure out how to post from my iphoto app yet. Perhaps another more tech saavy poster can give a better explanation!
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