Ottawa ladies?
Comments
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Chantal, I'm also DCIS/ IDC having a lumpectomy next Wednesday at the General.
Good news on your clear margins...sorry to hear that you need chemo now as well.
Beth
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HI Chantalbe and ladies, my rads consultation is today so I'm sleepless, up reading everything I can. Going to my first support group meeting tonight if it's not too hot! Invitation is in my July 1 post.
I've been waiting since June 29. Others seem to get started much faster....the waiting is the hardest part, as the song rightly puts it
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Cristalle, what support group did you go to? and how did the rads consult go?
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OmG Ottawa Girls! I am currently undergoing rads at the General. Very interested in your journeys and to know which support groups, if any, you are partaking in. My journey to date is up & down, up & down. Thinking its time I meet some groups to join to listen & share.
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Hi JoJo,
I had my surgery yesterday at the General actually. And depending on what comes back in the pathology the "plan" is for rads to start in late August. So you are ahead of me in terms of treatment. I've been up and down as well. I am signing up for the Headstart group through the OICC in September. I need more support for sure.
How are you feeling so far with rads?
Beth
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HI JoJo and Beth, I am in between you and so is Chantalbe. The support group I referred to is run by Breast Cancer Action monthly at Maplesoft. It was so hot on Wednesday I didn't go. I'd just had my first consultation with the radiation oncologist, and I have three meetings today including the simulation. Now that my HRT is over for good, the insomnia it cured is bsck. From 9 hours sleep a night I am down to 5-7.
I will bring this up with the medical oncologist today, also at the General. I needed rides to rads so have contacted the Canadian Cancer Society Wheels of Hope. Did you know Para Transpo will also have temporary access for post surgery patients? They voted yesterday.
Next support meeting is August 10. My radiation starts August 2 (I pushed it back for a canoe trip) for 21 visits--there is a Summer Rads group on this blog I will also join. JoJo maybe I will overlap with you.
There are also fitness activities, has anyone joined those yet? I think the closest for me are at the St Laurent Complex (I'm an eastender.). I long to get back to swimming
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Beth .. hope you are recovering from surgery ok. I haven't looked into the OICC yet. I have met a cancer coach at the Ottawa Cancer Centre at Maplesoft and have spoken on phone with a counsellor from Breast Cancer Action.
Cristalle .. I was actually suppose to go to this Wednesday meeting as well (would have been my 1st time) but completely, and I mean completely, forgot about it. It was a busy day of appts. Or I can use "radiation brain fog". lol I will set a reminder on device for August 10. Wise decision delaying your rads. What I know now, I wish I had delayed until late summer. Glad you have found help with transportation. I too would be interested in a fitness class. I was going to yoga during the day but ended up having to miss many classes in the spring because of appts conflicting with yoga class and then classes were cut for June/July/Aug with only inconvenient locations available for me to attend. With this construction in the city everywhere, a 15 min drive is now 30 mins!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. So good to hear from Ottawa-Breast-Cancer sisters!
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I had my first chemo treatment yesterday. The anti-nausea pills are working; I feel OK. 7 more treatments to go.
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Chantalbe .. happy to read treatment #1 went well. Stay positive.
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Chantal, I hope today is also an okay day on day #2 after chemo.
I just returned from a week of pampering with friends at a cottage. I'm still recovering from surgery...lymph node side effects seem to be nerve pain and has screwed up something in my back and shoulder. And still having insomnia.
Cristalle and JoJo: I'm aiming to go the August 10 meeting. I am also an eastender but haven't tried any classes with BCA. I also have a cancer coach at the Maplesoft Centre and joining Headstart in September.
Beth
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Hi Beth! happy to hear your week of pampering at a cottage was nice. Will you be doing radiation next? Your cottage comment made me think of my upcoming vacation to a cottage and light bulb went on - it's the same week during the August BCA meeting! Darn I will miss another one. I was looking forward to meeting up with you ladies going through this same journey. Will have to wait til September now.
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Hi JoJo and Beebs,
Still doing okay after chemo treatment #1.
I bought my wig yesterday. It looks nice; I chose one without grey hair so I'll look younger.
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Chantalbe..congrats finding a wig and good to hear you are still doing ok! How long is your chemo going to last?
Saw my neurologist and was told the MRI brain scan I had done showed a teeny tiny tumour. Told it's not related to my migraines and nothing to worry about; they will just keep tabs on it with annual scan's of it. Did any of you girls have an MRI of the brain?
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Chantal, so nice you got a wig that makes you look younger! There has to be some perk . Lol I hope you continue to feel okay..thinking of you
JoJo, too bad about August 10, although wonderful for you to get a weeks break from treatment and get away. Mine was great emotionally, although I think it impeded my physical healing to be in a non-a/c environment for an entire week so soon after surgery. I was certainly not too comfortable.
Saw the BS for my postop yesterday. Great news ..no lymph node involvement and clear margins
. Not as good news, grade 2 and the tumour size bumped me into stage II... She said that I shouldn't assume no chemo. I am waiting on the referral to the Cancer Centre now and the results of the hormone receptors and Her2. So next steps for treatment was originally radiation but now I'll have to wait to confirm This has thrown me back into that uncertain zone. How long did it take any of you to go from the BS to Oncologist? BS said a week or two but she also said that it wold take a day or two to know my surgery date and I didn't find out for 10 days. The waiting kills me.0 -
JoJo, my only ever MRI was recently and for my boobs so no, never had one on my head. Is this just some random coincidence that you have that going on as well?
Beth
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Beth, very good news your lymph nodes were negative and margins clear! The waiting is just plain terrifying. PM me if you need to talk. Personally what helped me was to research BC. I ONLY read or went to websites that were *safe* and recommended! The more I felt prepared, the less fear I had. I had a nurse navigator from the Montfort Breast Clinic that was very helpful. Wish she had followed me to the Cancer Clinic! I was told I had to wait 4 wks for pathology results and it was exactly that. Appt with oncologist and radiation-oncologist was not long, within a week.
The MRI for the brain was requested when I told the neurologist my BC diagnosis. It was one of those moments with doctor: "has anyone ever sent you for a brain scan?"
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JoJo - I'm having a total of 8 chemo treatments and they are every two weeks.
I didn't have an MRI of the brain. But, I did have a bone scan and everything was OK.
Beth - It took about 2 weeks to go from BS to Oncologist. I agree with you that the waiting is the hardest part.
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Chantal, what is your Dx? If you don't mind sharing. If not, that's fine. Was just trying to get a relative perspective.
Beth
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Hi Beth,
I don't mind sharing my Dx. I've updated my profile. IDC was 0.8 cm and DCIS was over 6 cm.
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Hi Beth,
I don't mind sharing my Dx. IDC was 0.8 cm and DCIS was over 6 cm.
I'm triple negative, grade 3.
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Hi Chantal, thanks for sharing..now I understand why you're having chemo. At least I'm doing stupid things like scanning people's diagnoses to see how similar I am to them as a way of gauging my odds of having chemo. Clearly I'm feeling anxious about this.!
How are you feeling?
Beth
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Hi Beth,
I'm feeling good. The only side effect I'm experiencing is feeling tired.
My next chemo is on August 4th.
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Chantal, hope you are still managing your chemo treatment well. Which cancer centre do you go to?
I am post one week of finishing my radiation therapy and doing ok but the tiredness is hitting. Went down for a nap yesterday after lunch that turned into a 3 hr sleep. Was not my intention to do. Paid the price and couldn't sleep last night so finally at 2AM I took a sleeping pill. It did the job but I kept waking up with hallucinations that an intruder was in the house watching me sleep. Never had this happen to me before with these sleeping pills. My husband said I was yelling out in some unknown language. Pretty sure I was saying "who is there!". Good thing my daughter was not home cause that would have scared the beegeegees out of her to hear. lol
Have a great long weekend my fellow Ottawa-girls!
JoJo
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Hi JoJo,
Still doing OK with the chemo treatment. I go to the General Hospital.
Have a great weekend everyone.
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Boy have I missed a lot of
posts. I did squeeze in a camping vacation with my BF so I just started rads yesterday at the General. Chantal, maybe I can see you August 4 if you are up to a short chat.Best news is I thought I was having 15 doses plus 6 boosts, but yesterday they cancelled the boosts, so I will be all done before the Labour Day weekend. I saw someone arrive as I was leaving the Cancer Centre yesterday, obviously her last treatment day, with her whole family and a big sign saying F___ Cancer (sorry not sure if there are language rules!). Will I feel like that on August 23??
I am, barring fatigue, Intending to go August 10. JoJo, Beth and Chantal we should all meet up. Has anyone else joined a support group like Stepping Stomes? I doesn't seem to b running right now. I hear the St Laurent Complex has fitness which would be pretty convenient for me.
Finding the night sweats hard to cope with, they ramped up as soon as I quit HRT. Dr Susan Love's site says to come off gradually but no one told me. I am trying to get 7 hours sleep using melatonin but am usually a nine-hour gal.
Beth, it was exactly two weeks for me from post-op to the oncology. Rads stared 6 1/2 weeks after surgery, again would have been sooner but I insisted on going on holiday and having a longweekend.
More later if I have any side effects. Take time to pamper yourselves. I bought two loose fitting items yesterday as I intend not to wear bras this month, Let it all hang out for a while!
Oh, and I got my Knitted Knockers just before surgery. I haven't used the swim one yet, but the cotton one I pin inside my PJs or put inside a bra or camisole to even out where the lumpectomy reduced some volume on the left side. Watch the videos and support this wonderful service for Canadian women at www.knittedknockerscanada.com
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Cristalle, welcome back and I hope you enjoyed your holiday. Good news about your rads
. I'm going to look up Knitted Knockers...I'm noticing that as the swelling is going down ever so slowly that my breast is looking a little less appealing that the other. Can't believe that 3 weeks post op and I'm still bruised and swollen, not as bad but still. I thought I'd be back to myself by now.Finally got my onco appointments arranged for August 11 as my first consult with the MO and RO. Thank you all for sharing your timelines. I suppose with summer and vacations they are a bit backed up right now. I have no idea what to expect but I'm not getting my hopes up entirely that they'll be ready to roll the week after.
We should meet up, somewhere somehow! Whereabouts are you all located? Im in the east end. I'm going to try to go August 10 to the Maplesoft group. I'm working again so I have to take things day by day energy wise as I'm still incredibly fatigued.
Chantal, good luck with round 2 tomorrow, and Cristal, good luck with rads this week. JoJo is done rads and I'm following up in the rear waiting ever so impatiently for the next step! Lol
Beth
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I'm at Blair Road so the Gloucester Centre is walkable for me. There's a food court there. The Big Rig restaurant is new and not too noisy in daytime. I get a couple apps and I'm fine.
There's also the Innes Road strip with Tim's, a shawarma place, a sushi place, etc.
A carpool to Aug 10 would be nice as I don't drive. I am self employed so have the freedom to set my own hours teaching at home.
Thanks everybody for keeping in touch.
Cristalle
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Cristalle, so happy for you that you don't have to do the boosts! You even have shorter amount of rads than I had to do! I was the opposite of having that 'celebration' feeling when I ended my rads. Asked the tech if I was odd for not wanting to sound the bell. He said I wasn't alone and I was not odd. There is a scene in Sex in the City when Miranda doesn't feel that eureka joy & fakes a 'yippee' when she has a prenatal ultrasound. Had I rang the bell it would have been exactly that - faking 'yipee'. I was super happy to end it but I just was missing something to celebrate it out loud.
I leave on vacation this Sunday so will not be in town for the Aug 10 meeting. Very upset to miss it. I would LOVE to meet with you gals beforehand or post Aug 14 if you want to hook up! I live central so any location is ok with me. Blair is easy to get to.
Beth, your referral to Cancer Centre sounds like its moving at a good pace. My surgery was May 10 and first MO was June 3. RO was June 7. I was delayed starting the radiation because I wanted to talk to another RO to enquire about a different form of radiation. I ended up going with traditional rads. I was told the incision needs to heal before they can start rads which usually is 4-6 wks postop.
Chantal, will be thinking of you tomorrow!
JoJo
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Chantal I'm at the General for 10:15 tomorrow. I could delay calling my ride home of you are there too. I'm on Radiation South most days. Text two9one67fivenine if you want to connect. The phones don't work once inside that department
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Here's the August BCA invitation:
Just wanted to confirm that we will be holding the August meeting .... I am so grateful to Trudy for filling in for me last month! Sounds like it was a great turnout! If anyone has any topics in particular they would like to discuss at the next meeting, please let me know. I know Trudy started out with some breathing exercises etc and I am happy to take this approach too. Remember, it's YOUR group, so we need to make it do what you need it to do!!
Look forward to next Wednesday at 7 pm! [at Maplesoft
Cheers,
Andrea0
