Radiation recovery
Comments
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A friend got a cold about 4 weeks out of radsand got right over it. So...there is hope, Bunkie. Keep drinking those liquids to keep it fluid........feel better soon
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(((Bunkie))) hope you can kick this infection outta here....as if rads and recovery aren't enough....
Janis, thank you for the awesome geology themed dino-cake!!! That is what I am teaching this week - 'dino doomsday' You brought me a lot of smiles with that!
Anyway, I really appreciate all the good wishes sent my way...I did have a good week...and now it is just 2 in this house.
Janis, I had to say bye to my DS from Chicago today....it was SOOOO hard...knowing that he will be going back to his beautiful apartment all alone....working so hard and not having time for himself. I was surprised that I couldn't hold back the tears...but I waited for him to get on the train to NY.
I hope you will cherish your memories with Ryan and that you will be able to find a way to see him more often. I am sure he felt safe and rested at your house.
Well I have to go to work in 6 hours and I have not slept yet.
Nite all,
Joan0 -
Joan I took an Ativan...seriously, to make his departure easier. I just did not want to say goodbye to him. Broke my heart, but the Ativan helped and as Sew mentioned, I saved my dignity by not making a complete scene. Still everything was so quiet and empty. I did a bit of cleaning and just went to nap. Elizabeth called to cheer me...bless her heart! I was a bit groggy athough and couldn't focus well at all! I was losing my train of thought and couldn't keep up with the conversation. OOPS! The odd part was I could tell I was having troubles, but couldn't seem to make it better. I am so sorry Elizabeth. I promise to call you soon when I am awake and functioning.
I am thrilled you liked your Dino cake! It just seemed fitting for you.
Bunkie I got a terrible cold just out of rads. Living proof you can get over it, but seems it took awhole. There are a lot of different bugs going around though. Not much you can do but ride it out and do comfort measures that help.
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Janis, You do not have to explain anything. I just wanted you to know I would be there when you needed me. I hope that the memories of the visit will eventually warm your heart.
Joan, I am glad you enjoyed your birthday.
Bunkie, Get well soon!
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Thank you my dear friend! I just crawled into bed and concked out hard. I have no idea what time you called, but I really appreciate you being there for me. The call was just so sweet. I am glad I didn't have to be anywhere yesterday or do anything important. I was so tired, but slept really well so that was good. Much needed.
I will call you later, okay? XOXOXOXO
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If anyone wants to know where I am tell them to look under the pile of dirty table linens and bedding...if I'm not there, check under the pile of dishes. Definitely lacking motivation. I would like to blame it on rads but it's just laziness!
That Ativan is strong stuff. I took one before my lumpectomy wire was placed, and it had me a drooling fool. Later, my hospice nurse friend told me that she gives her patients less than that to calm them.
Ah, the holiday is over and the house is lonely, but another holiday is just around the corner! Maybe I'll decorate a little after cleaning up...as a treat. Have a good week ladies!
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justmejanis - Thanks, it is a cold I think. My boyfriend spent two weeks during the weather change outside feeding the birds and squirrels etc. One day it was cold the next day warm. He has been sneezing for a week although I stayed out of his face and wiped handles. I have not had a cold in 6 years. Lets hope it will calm down and not become bronchitis. I went to my lung dr today and got a treatment. Might not be enough. We will see. Let me say I feel awful. Sneezy, mild temp (99.5) sore throat yesterday, runny nose and then it plugs up, headache sometimes and a cough with some wheezing. I am done. I told my dr if this does not pass by Wed to the good side I will have to go to the ER. No choice. The fact that you had one and lived is really what I needed to hear.
Elizabeth, Joan, mostlysew...say a prayer please and hope I get over another hurdle.
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Bunkie, of course, you are in my (our) thoughts and prayers.
I found rads to be very tiring (both the commuting each day and the recovery); and it was also emotional. It was just the biggest reminder of the reality and the seriousness of BC.
Add to it the changeable weather, and it is a recipe for a cold or upper respiratory infection.
Today is exactly a year since I went for my rads planning session...I remember taking 2.5 xanax to get through lying still for that one....Used xanax for the first 3 sessions then decided I didn't want to be drugged all day for a 2 minute treatment. I learned a lot from that about what I can do if I have to.
Snow on the way here, but just a little.
Nite all,Joan
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Joan,
I remember your worry about lying still/being enclosed with rads. You're right, it's amazing what we have learned to deal with in our year plus, isn't it? Guess we really are more resilient than we think...or very adaptable.
Bunkie, hang in there. Rest, deep breaths, lots of liquids, ..... And I sure hope you don't have to go to ER........0 -
Bunkie I sure hope you get to feeling really better soon.
Great advice from Sew, she knows what is best!
SAB, Decorate if and when you can. You will know when it is the right time.
Enjoy the evening everyone!
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Sew, you have a good memory...I am glad to have it behind me.
I had an appointment with RO today and it was somewhat uneventful - just what I hoped. It brings back a lot of memories but am glad it is over.
I never saw snow yesterday. But then, I don't have a window in my office....
Going to NYC this week end with all 3 daughters and kids to see the Radio City Christmas show. I love to see the little ones enjoy the magic.
Time for sleep...up in a few hours.
Hugs,Joan0 -
I have an appointment with my MO today and am curious about the joint pain. I hope he has some helpful answers. I may have to go off the Anastrazole for awhile if that is what he recommends. I hesitate to try another AI as they all seem to have similar SE's.
It was so good to see my son this past week. We had fun cooking all that food together. Memories like that stay. Our goal is to get back 'home' in the next few years. We just have to make it happen!
Joan I have never been to NYC but just seeing the Rockette's on 'The Today SHow' I think they are amazing. It sounds like a perfect holiday trip for your granddaughters. I hope you all enjoy!
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Hey y'all!
Bunkie, sorry you are dealing with a cold. I've had a harder time getting over stuff since my year of breast cancer. Hopefully you will beat it back and not have to go to the ER. I have a daughter with asthma and it's rough!
Joan, NYC at Christmas sounds awesome! (And like a wonderful memory for your granddaughters!)
Janis, it's so weird that you're talking about joint pain today. I came on here to tell y'all about my appointment with the rheumatologist yesterday. It was really interesting. He said that he didn't think the joint pain was RA, although they are still doing some blood work to rule it out. He said there was definitely muscle weakness and inflammation around my shoulders and hips. He thinks that the surgeries and hormonal treatments were the precipitating cause. I've gotten the general impression that most people think you should just live with the joint pain, but he was very definitely for treating it and just working around the fact that I have to take the medication. (I'm on tamoxifen now after trying both Femara and Aromasin). So we are treating the inflammation in my shoulders and hips first and go from there. I had two gigantic shots in my hips yesterday. It was painful, but I'm hoping it will be worth it!
And the fun just keeps on coming, haha! Love to you all!
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Steph-Ouch! Sorry you had a painful treatment. I hope you will keep us posted about your pain levels...I have terrible hip pain and yes, I thought I had to live with it. It would be very encouraging to hear there are alternatives.
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Joint pain! I think mine is definitely caused by Arimidex. Fortunately, I have an understanding orthopedist who assures me that he has a lot in his arsenal to combat the side effects. So far, I have had four cortisone shots. The one in my right knee was painful for a few days, but then my knee felt fine.
Please, anyone with joint pain, don't settle for someone telling you to live with it. Find a doctor who will listen.0 -
So right, Elizabeth! The supportive care people made my appointment so I wasn't even sure which doctor I was going to see. I was praying that he would listen and not make me feel foolish.
SAB, he also told me to sit for forty minutes each day with an ice pack on each hip (but warned me to put a heating pad from where the ice stops to the knee so that area doesn't get stiff from the icing.) Also, he gave me Mobic, which is a prescription anti-inflammatory. His theory is that if we can get the shoulders and hips feeling better that the other smaller joints will feel better, too. He mentioned referred pain which I thought was a load of bunk, but I did some research and there is some info that backs that up. I'll keep you posted for sure!
Blessings,
Steph
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Steph, how interesting you are getting the shots for the hip pain. That is one of my bad spots as well. Oddly just my right hip, although when I am really hurting both hands and both knees are bad. I saw my RO today who basically told me it is just something to live with. Big help. Oh, of course he added that the pain will be worse in the winter. He encouraged either Tylenol or Ibuprofen. Neither works well for me. The Ibuprofen helps but trashes my stomach. I think that my orthopedic surgeon is more likely to help me with pain management than my oncologists. I have heard the cortisone shots are initialy painful but then work very well. Elizabeth it sounds lije they have helped you quite a bit.
By the way, thank you so much Elizabeth for calling tonight. Your timing was absolutely perfect and you cheered me so much. You are truly an inspiration to me!
My DH and I have decided to volunteer at a local rescue mission for Christmas. I had to fill out an online application and should hear back within a week. We want to help with Christmas meals and I told them we are able to work both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day if they can use us. Since we have no family coming we have lots of time. Both of us can cook, serve and clean so are willing to do whatever is most needed. Elizabeth is such an inspiration to me. She does a lot of volunteer work but would never share that information here. I hope she doesn't mind that I am sharing this. I have always wanted to do this and this year will be perfect. I felt so good today we got our tree put up and the inside decorations. I am getting that holiday spirit and it feels so good!
Steph please keep us posted how the ice therapy and new meds help! Feel better soon and keep us posted. We can learn so much from one another.
Much love and hugs to all!
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Hey Janis! That's so great that y'all are volunteering for Christmas. It will mean so much to people that y'all are willing to be there. I've found that my church and volunteer groups become a sort of family and often I get more out of volunteering that the people I go to "help."
I can see a little improvement already with my hips and feet. I'm not hobbling quite as much, so that's a good sign. I'm taking Mobic now, which is an anti-inflammatory and it really seems to help, too. The doc told me to take it with food, so I just take it in the morning with my tamoxifen. It might be worth asking about. At least it's only once a day instead of three times like ibuprofen.
I feel kind of guilty but I haven't been back to the RO since my one month post-treatment appointment. I missed the six month one (which was already supposed to be a three month one) so didn't make another appointment. Am I missing something important? I feel like I'm already seeing so many doctors. How many people really need to feel my boobs at this point?
Anyone have your house all decorated? I have a tree up and a wreath on the front door. I love the tree lights!
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So ladies it has been a long week. My BT (boy toy) left for Ca on Tuesday and have been sick as a dog. Temp of 101, sinus drainage and headache, cough and goop (tmi). Because the lung on the left hurt the worst I called my RO to see what they thought I should do. I was informed that now that rads is done any of my problems that do not have to do with my healing breast go through my PCP. Huh? Did they not say I could get pneumonitis or lung stuff for a couple months after and call them. Ok so I called my lung specialist and he had no appointments for 3mos and offered to call me in a antibiotic with no appointment. Can you feel my anger? I am still toxic from rads with sarcoidosis in my lungs and now a nasty cough and see me in 3 mos? They did offer to take a X ray as that would not be as much radiation as a CT but that was all. His nurse called the next day to say he read it and it looked ok to him. So I called my PCP and got in Friday. She was shocked at the way both my RO and my pulmonist treated me after rads knowing my history. She gave me a strong antibiotic and said if I am not feeling and breathing better by Mon-Tues she will put me in the hospital herself and have a team work on it. So I am in bed today feeling awful . One hurdle over and a new one pops up. Keep on pushing.
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Bunkie, I am so sorry to hear how ill you are. Thank goodness you have a conscientious PCP. I hope you will be able to avoid the hospital.
Janis, I am so proud of you for volunteering. There is always a need for help on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Whenever you volunteer, you get back more than you give.0 -
Elizabeth, thank you. I know I will never regret it. I did a lot of volunteer work years ago. I did love it.
I am a bit concerned about the silence from Sew and SAB. They both live in the northern California area which has bewen hammewred by severe storms recently. They are expecting a lot more rain again. I know some areas lost power as well. Ladies, you are in my thoughts! I hope you are warm and safe.
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Hi Janis,
I'm fine. Yes, big winds, lots of rain but not as much as they predicted though, and I fared quite well. My 94 yr old mom has been out of power for 2 1/2 days though and I've been helping her. She's freezing, needless to say. But yesterday she got power back and is much better now. A tree came down, hit her house and then took out the power lines. No damage to her house though.
We went and saw a concert by an acapella men's group called "Straight no Chaser" Sunday and they were great. Haven't seen a show in years and it was great fun. It was my sisters Christmas treat,
I haven't read much about the weather in Sab's area, so don't know if they had problems too or not.
Hope everyone is well..0 -
Ah, here I am! I live in the Santa Cruz mountains and we got pretty wet, though nothing like the East coast! Luckily DH put in a generator back-up and did lots of drain/water diversion work over the years so we did not float away
! Some redwood trees came down, the roof started leaking, some minor landslides...nothing disasterous and we are all fine. Waiting for the last band of the system which is supposed to be the least of them. I am enjoying hearing the creek rushing past the house, something I can only hear in the winter.Sew, I'm glad there was no big damage to your Mom's house and that everyone is safe. Your poor Mom! We had many years with "iffy" power and I know how hard it can be.
Bunkie, it's been a couple of days, and I hope your antibiotics have kicked in and have you feeling better.
Steph, I am so happy to hear that your pain seems to be more manageable. I hope that it continues to diminish. I am going to write down the name of your meds and your treatment and take them with me to my next Dr. appt.
Janis, are you volunteering through a church or community organization? I think it sounds like the perfect thing to do on Christmas.
No decorations up yet. Since the kids are big we have gone low key...nice Chanukah decorations are hard to find anyway. I still have to finish putting stuff away from our family visit. I spent an hour just starting to put away my beading supplies after my nieces had their way with them. Worth it though.
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Checking in....so nice to hear about your holiday plans and decorations.
I have been overwhelmed with work and week end activities - not much rest here....and it's almost 1 am once again.
I have a lot of "stuff" to take care of here and can't get it done during the day.
This is one of the first times I've been off the boards for a few days that there is only one page to catch up on....
I had a really nice week end with all 3 daughters and 6 grandkids (2 kids each).
We went to Radio City Christmas Show in NY and out to lunch. The kids had a great time. Some older folks in the row in front of us didn't appreciate their fidgety exhuberance...after all, the cousins don't get together very often!
I have been concerned about the storms on the west coast as well. I hope everyone is keeping dry. My DS #2 is in SFO and I know they got less rain than a lot of places. Have not heard yet.
I am looking forward to the end of the semester so I can rest mind and body a little.
Well, here's to a great rest of the week for everyone. I hope the aches and pains and fears and stresses will be minimal.
Hugs,
Joan0 -
Hi ladies,
Well after trying 2 antibiotics that made me sick and thinking I would end up in the hospital AGAIN I am trying a 3rd. So far it has my stomach in a storm but it is starting to help the bug I picked up. Slow recovery it seems but I will take that. I see my RO today for a skin check and will have a few questions for him but my skin is peeling under the breast and looks good.
Holidays make me crazy but I did take out all of my Woodland Santa's and place around the house. That is 20 Santa's to be exact. I know I know...too many but I do not do a tree. Just a wreath on the door.
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We haven't done a tree for many years, but I do have nutcrackers that I set out. I have a couple of big ones that are out year around (can't move them by myself, and I love them...) so every December I do a ceramonial dusting of the nutcrackers, and set the little ones on. About time to do that this year, but for now, heres last years...
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Sew and SAB I am thrilled to hear you are both okay. Sew sorry about your mom but I am glad there was no damage to her house. That would have been really difficult to deal with. Your mom is lucky to have you nearby to help out. I am just relieved to finally hear from both of you.
Joan, your weekend with family sounds wonderful and so well deserved. I know how busy you are and a break like that must have felt like a little slice of heaven. Good for all of you getting out and especially enjoying the Christmas show and day in the city. You know you create meaningful memories for your granddaughters!
Bunkie I hope you finally start feeling better. It sounds like everyone is getting started on a few holiday decorations. I have a tree and lights but no ornaments on it. I do this every year, get the tree up and lights but drag my feet on the ornaments. I may not even bother this year, from the outside the tree looks so nice and you notice the lights anyway more than anything.
Cindy the nutcrackers are really beautiful. They do look like a bit of work but sure make the house look festive. Hopefully you can get them up soon this year. I bet they chjeer you. I do like my housze decorations.
I am about to get started on my holiday baking. I want to get the cake balls and marzipan to our four sons pretty soon. This is all we give but it is homemade and everyone loves the treats. I also give them to a few neighbors and some other people. Lot of work but a lot of fun too and I enjoy sharing them so much.
My niece Renee just had her book approved for publication on Amazon. I am so thrilled for her. It is very short and is about her descent into the maddness of her early journey into mental illness. She was recently diagnosed Bi-polar Type 1, the most severe type. She had to leave college in Montana and return back to her parents in Colorado. She is struggling but is such a gifted writer. Amazing and just 19. I will let you know when the book is available. She asked me to tell people to help boost sales. She priced it very low, at any price she gets $2 for each book sold. She titled it " I Chose Life".....I have not read it and an so anxious!
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bc is making me crazed. Every day that I eat sugar (honey in my yogurt,) or eat a non-organic piece of fruit (who can afford all organic these days?) or skip exercise it makes me feel like I'm asking for trouble.
Cindy, your nutcrackers are a kick! I love Christmas decorations. I bet your Santas are cheerful Bunkie.
The last band of rain went through in a blink with no more damage. Here comes the sun! (At least by mid-week.)
Janis, writing can be so cathartic. DD the Elder agreed to write our experiences together, but after some early disagreements and getting busy at art school she handed the project over to me. I finished a first draft last month, and I am starting the ever so slow process of revision now. I am in awe of Renee...and I am sorry for the diagnosis...I hope she has it all under control to the extent possible. I hope you let me know when and how the book is available so that I can support her courage.
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Hi everyone, Good news! I saw my MO this morning for my six-month check-up and I am doing fine. What a blessing! He was concerned about my need for cortisone shots to control the joint pain from Arimidex so he wants to switch me to Aromasin. Of course, nothing is easy. My pharamacy just refilled three months of Arimidex so my insurance company refused to pay for the Aromasin prescription. Tomorrow begins the phone calls to fight the insurance company.
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Hi Elizabeth.....don't ya just hate when that happens? Good luck with your alternate AI. I'm quite hopeful it will help, and very glad your MO listened.
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