New Jersey/NYC/CT/Eastern Pennsylvania ladies
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Chocolate... I see Dr Fein in Somerset... and Dr Topmeyer? gets great reviews at the Cancer Institute...
I take Tamoxifen even after a BMX, and when I asked the doctor why that was necessary, he said because it will prevent a metastasis... and I was 98% positive, so I take it. Very few SE... Everyone is different. At first I had some achiness etc, but it passed.
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Seems most MOs don't test to see if or how well someone is metabolizing tamoxifen. Has anyone asked their MO how to know if its working?
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Hi Thanks for all your responses.
Joan when I say 20 points its my weird way of thinking about the size of my cancer- pretty small like a 20 point diamond.
Since the MO I loved moved to CA- and this Philly person is my way or the highway- I think I would like to talk to someone who sees me as a person- so yes, there are names here and I am going to use mapquest and make calls next week. I feel that it is our jobs as patient advocates to advocate for ourselves and question - which I do.
I think I will look into Dr. Fein, Dr. Simone (Need to look up Marlboro?) and I will need mapquest to look up the rest and see if I can see someone that you here are pleased with.
Bdavis- I felt really bad on tammy - not that I would say never ever but I could hardly function- I could not think, my eyes and skin were so dry it was painful and I ached all over.... I am ER 70.
So thanks.
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Dr. Fein is my onco too. I really like his practice.
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Joan
thanks for the recommendation. As we all know it can be challenging trying someone new and working the details so this forum is great. thanks!!!
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Chocolate - really like my onc also - James Salwitz with offices in E. Brunswick & New Brunswick. (You can check him out by googling Central Jersey Oncology Group). He's knowledgeable, cares, listens, treats you like a real person.... Good luck.
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Kayak2
thanks-appreciate it.
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Hey New Jersey/NY/PA/CT ladies - I hope you are all having a good summer! I am one week post exchange surgery and feeling good! What a relief to get that over with!
Have any of you been enjoying any outdoor kinds of entertainment this summer? We've been to two Plays in the Park at Roosevelt Park in Edison where we saw My Fair Lady and Damn Yankees. We're going back in a couple of weeks to see Grease, the next and last production.
My son and I also went to the jazz concerts in Westfield that are held every Tuesday evening. There were so many people out and about - great for people watching! Also did a beach day down in Ocean Grove and hope to go again once I can submerge my new brand new boobies in the water (hopefully next week).
What's up with all of you?
Joan
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WE did a couple of sneak runs to the beach in the 100 degree weather - we drive out at 5 :30 just as everyone else is leaving and go on the beach for free for about an hour. That was fun. Otherwise, some biking, and a lot of hanging around with DH and the two cats.
Next week, my two daughters will be here - the one daughter who will be commiuting to Rutgers in the fall and who has been visiting my other daughter for a month in CA. CA daughter will be here for three weeks.
It's been a lot neater here, but too quiet.
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I had a six month visit with my breast surgeon (Dr. Leah Gendler) at Morristown today. In the waiting room, I saw a brochure for a BRCA1 and 2 positive support group at Overlook (Morristown's sister hospital) in case any of you local ladies are interested.
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Hi Joan. Interesting. Maybe I'll look into that at some point. How are you doing?
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Glad this thread is up...... I do believe that Overlook has a relationship with Columbia in NYU.......Liz
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Hi any NYC ladies out there? I live in brooklyn - had surgery at mskcc switched to NY Weil
Cornell. Am in my second week of Rads. Starting to have discomfort, feeling blue - need more support ....0 -
Hi Brooklynmom - not currently living in NYC, but I was born in Brooklyn, lived in Queens and now reside in New Jersey. I am sorry you are feeling blue. It is completely normal, though - getting this diagnosis is a lot to take in.
Can you tell us more about your diagnosis and treatment? The first time I had bc, I was treated at Mt. Sinai; this time around I stuck with local doctors in New Jersey.
We are here for you and I am sure that others will be around to chime in.
Joan
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Hi Brooklynmom, I'm in Fort Lee - just the other side of the river from Manhattan in NJ. I just finished rads 4.5 weeks ago. It really does go by fast, despite the discomfort! Keep moisturizing as much as possible!
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Hi Brooklynmom
I am in the Bronx. I had my surgery at Dobbs Ferry Hospital in Westchester and my Rads in Yonkers. I didn't have too much discomfort until after the Rads ended but it did pass and my skin is all healed. I agree with graced, make sure you moisturize your skin with whatever your dr. has recommended for you.
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Hi. Thanks for the encouragement. It really helps. I do moisturize. Just made an appointment for Reiki and acupuncture . Feel like I need some support , other bc twomen to talk w/ who will understand . -My first name is LIsa btw - thanks again - it really helps
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You have come to the right place for understanding Lisa. Where in Brooklyn are you?
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Lisa, I got reiki too and I also got energy work from someone in Park Slope. Send me a PM if you are interested in her name or more about that. All of that really helped me. I also got sessions on a machine called Ondamed. Didn't talk to the RO about all that. It was too out there for him or the techs. But I know others that have used Ondamed during cancer treatments and I found it to be really helpful. You can google it for more info if interested. Every thing you do has a cumulative effect to help!
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Thanks ladies. I live in the kensington/windsor terrace area. Getting ready to turn in for the evening. Finishing my 2nd week of rads tomorrow.
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Thanks ladies. I live in the kensington/windsor terrace area. Getting ready to turn in for the evening. Finishing my 2nd week of rads tomorrow.
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hi everyone... I'm in Southeastern, PA -- in the far-western suburbs of Philadelphia. However, with the exception of Radiation that was done locally (Dr. Greg Oschner) -- I had my lumpectomy and my chemo in Philadelphia at the Pennsylvania Hospital. Dr. Dahlia Sataloff is my surgeon and Dr. Patricia Ford is my oncologist. Both doctors and teams are amazing, as well as the hospital. Worth the lousy commute on the Schuylkill expressway to get the care that I have received. All of my treatments were completed in July of 2012 and I am getting on with my life.... however today I had a CAT scan done locally because they thought I had a Pulmonary Embolsim. That was ruled out, but they found a lesion on a vertebrae. I'm not thrilled, am very scared... as the Cancer had not spread, but now I'm facing that possibility that it has mets'ed. Fortunately for me I had an appointment made with Dr. Ford a few weeks ago for Monday to talk about unrelated items... but we'll be talking bout this now.
I've always been a lurker here; time to get more involved.
-Christina
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Lanikaibabe - welcome! It's great to meet you, but sorry you are facing this new worry. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that this finding turns out to be something benign and unremarkable. Please check in with us again next week when you know so we can give you a little extra support and encouragement!
Joan
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Hi ladies,
I've lurked around the boards for a few weeks and the support and love going back and forth here is amazing!
I was diagnosed in March and so far have done my chemo (a/c, taxol, herceptin), had my surgery (lumpectomy with lymph node removal) and today I got my markings for radiation. I've been going to MSK in the city and Basking Ridge and my radiation will be with Dr. Fein in Monroe.
The good news I got today was that the dreaded awful that makes you feel like crap for a few months worked! There was no sign of any cancer left in the 5 lymph nodes or the 5cm tumor bed. There wasn't even a tumor left to remove!
I look back now and wish I had the energy to join in sooner. It would've helped me get through the nasty ugly. But I'm here now!
Nice to meet you all!
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Hi Karen! Nice to meet you but wouldn't it be better if we met at a fashion show or some other pleasurable event? So glad to hear that there is no tumor left in your breast or in your lymph nodes - that's good to be an awesome feeling!
I am about four months out from my own chemo and I want to assure you that you will start feeling more like yourself in the next couple of months. Radiation should be a piece of cake compared to chemo.
My medical oncologist is also named Dr. Fein. He is with St. Peter's in New Brunswick. I had my surgery at Morristown Medical Center.
I hope you will come back and visit again and let us shine some more support and love on you!
Joan
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Welcome to the newbies.
Lanikaibabe - I'm sorry to hear about the scan and hope you get some answers soon, and good ones. We're here for you regardless. I had my surgery and treatments at Jefferson, so I also had to commute into Philly.
Karen - Great news! It's always good to hear proof that chemo works. I wish I had been offered it before surgery, but I just hope that it mopped up any stray cells. Joan's right - you'll be back up and running soon. I felt a marked difference about two months PFC, and since then things keep improving. But it will occasionally be slow - I still feel 'old' when I try to get up out of chairs. By the way, I'm in East Windsor - almost your neighbor.
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Wow we are neighbors! I've probably seen you around the stores!
And a fashion show would've been muchn more fun!
I saw my oncologist yesterday and she was so happy with my results that she gave me a present = my tamoxifen Rx! LOL! The side effects scared me a bit but the thought of recurrence scared me more so on to the next step.
Is anyone doing a walk this month? A friend of my mother in laws is doing one at Great Adventure tomorrow in support of her mom and is adding me to her list. Thought that was sweet.
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We walk every year in Central Park for the Making Strides. Ironically, last year was the first year I did not physically do the walk due to a knee injury and then right after that I am diagnosed. Now this year I am walking as a survivor. Who would have ever imagined the way the past year would go. This year some teachers I work with have asked to join us while others are generously donating. All my kids, big and small as well as my sister will walk as well.
Gayle
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I am walking in the NYC Avon Walk.. Its 40 miles in 2 days... This is my 2nd year.
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Good luck with Avon, Betsy! I walked in NYC 2008 and then again last year, 2011, just two months before my (second) diagnosis. I loved it both times - it was a fantastic experience.
But I am so disheartened by the fact of my second diagnosis, 19 years after the first...and the lack of medical progress that resulted in my having a second diagnosis so many years later.....and the controversies surrounding the Komen organization (which I realize is not Avon)...that I will probably never walk in a breast cancer fundraiser again. I keep wondering why we have to walk so far and for so long over and over again with so little progress that, 20 years after I was first diagnosed, practically the same number of women are dying annually from breast cancer as in 1992.
(Please don't think I am denigrating your efforts - I LOVED doing the Avon walks and all of the women who walked with me, but am feeling very downhearted this year).
Go Betsy!!!
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