Kiwi ladies who need encouragment, but all welcome.
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Yay for a new nipple! And for shorts & singlet in the pool
Hope you enjoy it Ange!
Midnight, I see from the Aussie thread you have to see your Rads Dr- I hope all is ok. Let us know how you get on.
Waitangi day tomorrow- hope you all have a good day
kt
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HI KT , every thing is semi ok, bone scan, just wear and tear on joints. the other thing was they found from the surgery significant swelling in the womb lining been results of tamoxifen, so now i am off it from today. had bloods taken to see if i am in the menopause, if so will go onto another medication, if its not, they will have have to look into other remedys, we spoke of a hysterectomy, i mean i dont need it at my age, i am not planning to multiply at my age, she did not pahoo it. but said, something i need to speak with gyney about. and that means a total removal of the lot, plus cervix. as i have diabetes because of the hormone pills. but at least they can remove that. i was sort of panicking as it wa so quick she wanted to see me, like an urgency. it was good though that i did. thanks KT. it was lucky i checked mail, i dont ususally get til later in day, so have told them to call me on phone for urgent appointments as the mail is slow, they sent that monday. and i just got an hour before i had to go. have a good day.
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Hi midnight.
Glad nothing major was wrong!
It must have been a rush to get to the appt! I've had letters turn up after appointments before- thats the drawback with rural delivery. Luckily I had a phone call the day before
I had the choice of hysterectomy/oopharectomy too, but decided on ovarian suppression with zoladex (and femara, an AI).
I hope your decisions and appointments with gynae go well ...
kt
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Kt, thanks, what is that other thing you said, that one next to hysterectomy. what is that procedure? i am going to have to weigh it all up and see and for anybody going on tamoxifen or making a choice about it, please dont let this put you off, it does not always happen, i am just complicated due to many health issues. and what happens to me, may not be an issue for you. so just do what"s right for you.
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it's just a fancy word for having your ovaries out
Hope the diabetes appts went well too.
Cheers,
kt
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Update; results came back and thankfully the sentinal node was negative and clear 5mm margins. Phew, have had some pretty dark moments in the past week waiting...
Spoke to Onc nurse here in Blenheim and now I'm feeling a bit confused, she suggested I will probably have to have chemo as well as the definite radiation, my surgeon's letter came yesterday and he says chemo is not what he would recommend. Is this nurse telling me things that are just pulled out of her head, appointment is on the 25th with onc dr. She also said radiation probably wont start until april as the Christchurch Onc dr only comes up here once a month and I will just miss out seeing him on his Feb visit. (I'm thinking I might try and go down there to see them rather than waiting around for the slow turning wheel and misinformation up here)
Had my fist day back at work yesterday - only for 2 hours! Just going to ease myself back in slowly. I found that work was an escape from this drama and worry when I was waiting for the diagnosis, now it is a distraction from the waiting.
My report also says the tumor was 18mm not 23mm as they thought on ultrasound. It also says they found DCIS intermediate. That was a surprise, but I'm thinking maybe it was what was inside the tumor?? Surgeon suggested tumor was larger than they thought but report says the opposite.
Cheers, Jo
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Hi Jo, i had more a less the same DX as yours, except for mine being left, and i was a grade 3, and they insisted that chemo would not make much difference so i opted not to have it, but that was my choice going from the info they gave us, i had the rads and the hormone therapy, even tho they may have to change the meds for me, but you do whatis right for you. all i am saying is the Onc told me they would not be upset if i did not have chemo, but would challenge any choice not to have the hormone therapy, they brought out statistics showing me how little chemo would benefit me. but i am not here to influence you, you make sure you get that right for you. i had my husband with me at the time also, so he was able help and steer me in right direction and made my choice easier. ( p/s we were also shifting at the time, so having chemo and trying to shift would of been very hard) was bad enough doing the rads and shifting was very difficult on its own. we ended up employing massey students to help us, esp for me in the house to pack. anyway that is the past. take care girl.
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Hi Jo,
Hey really glad the node was clear hun.
I had the same experience with the tumor size - ultrasound showed it was about 50mm but pathology showed it was in fact 27 and my smaller tumor 25mm - thank goodness! It's good to hear that it is smaller than they anticipated.
The Oncologist doctor will certainly set you right with what is needed, I'm sure it's much the same as up here is Auckland - a group of 5 of them meet and discuss your case and come up with a treatment plan - it's not just one person making a decision, and then of course your own decision based on their recommendations.
Take care x
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Found this when i opened up yahoo this morning to read news, it has sparked out rage as they are saying the common cancer like breast cancer and postateare all something like a bad flu, ok i admit this add is bring awareness for pancreatic cancer and it killed my Dad, but Breast cancer is not a walk in the park either, it kills and if you are lucky enough to get it early and get a better survival rate, you are blessed, if your not and they get when its too advanced. Breast cancer is as much of a killer,it probably has better treatment options, i know that pancreatic hasntmany . you have to be real early to get a good chance with surgery, dad did not. he left it to long when he first felt so unwell. but this has caused huge out rage in Britian.
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hi midnight - yes I saw that on yahoo the other day too.
I don't feel outraged by it - really if you have been through any type of cancer or cancer treatment why waste energy on emotions like that! I think they originally were just trying to point out that cancers like pancreatic really have little options if not discovered early - whereas yes other cancers have more treatment options.
A friend of mine went through thyroid cancer treatment 8 years ago and has a strong bc link in her family. She has told me that she isn't doing mammograms and that if she found a lump she wouldn't do anything about it. She said she hasn't got the energy to fight cancer again. Not a view I'd take - but to each their own. I can understand her decision too even though it's not for me.
Well summer in Wellington sucks...has been raining past 5 days. I think I'm going to head back to Tauranga!!! Lol. Tim & I went to the rugby 7's this weekend gone and it was fun. We go every year - not for the booze party! Lol though we always dress up. Met Jonah Lomu and Tiki Tane.
K xx
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Hello ladies, well it has been a little while...sounds like you are all doing well. So good Jo that you don't have anything in your nodes! Don't listen to the nurse, listen to your onc and then you decide what is best for you, it's your body.
I've been back at work for the last week and a half where it is still a battle as far as seating is concerned, but I'm standing my ground - pretty tough as they're starting to put the pressure on now...
Yes it is strange to have now finished with active treatment, but I really feel I'm over it, like it's dealt with therefore I don't feel worried. I have started the Tamoxifen a couple of days ago and so far it has made me constipated:(
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hey Woody - I started a thread at the beginning of the year called 'bringing in 2014 with tamoxifen' - come join us!! It's under hormonal therapies etc so hopefully you can find it. I'll look out for your post :-)
Well I went for my first ever photography session last week. I decided I wanted to have some pics to leave my kids if anything ever happened and to show how one can survive all this. She let me have one pic - but I get the rest in a couple weeks. So here I am girls - 5 months post chemo, 2 months post radiation and still trying to work out who I am and where I am at -
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You look gorgeous!!!!! Beautiful photo xox
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Kruise you look absolutely stunning. I take a terrible photo so jealous
I've been busy with work and treatment but have dropped down to 4 days a week to try and relieve some of my fatigue. I had taxol no 22 on Tuesday 2 more treatments in this cycle, then scans to decide what's next. Hopefully we will just carry on.
Hope everyone is going well and that you manage to resolve those work issues Woody without things getting anymore stressful. Good on you for standing your ground.
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Hi all,
Great photo Kruise
Hope your scans go well Shazza, glad you've dropped down to 4 days with work.
Woody- I hope work settles down for you and that your body gets used to the Tamox...
Good luck with the onc appt, Jo. Great you had clear nodes & margins.
Hope everyone else is well.
I'm just doing the usual stuff. Thinking about maybe doing the Tongariro crossing sometime, so better get a bit fitter! Good to have an incentive to exercise
kt
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What a fantastic photo Kruise, you look beautiful!! What a good idea to have professional ones done.
thanks for all your words of encouragement... definitely standing my ground at work, but it's not fun and I just can't believe that after all the things I've battled through the past year, that I've now got to battle for a healthy workplace too - how do these people sleep ar night?
The good news is that it's going to be a lovely weekend, hope to go to the beach, havent had a swim in the sea this summer yet. Also hoping to finally do some work with my horse, she just getting fat in the paddock (bit like me really).
I'll have look for your thread Kruise..another strange thing is the tip of one of my fingers feels a bit numb, is that a late side effect of the chemo??
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wow kruise, you are a stunner, Absolutely gorgeous photo. i was down your way today, and on way home went and paddles our feet in beach at the esplanade and it was so yummy, that water, we were in petone getting some trade me stuff. and then got caught in traffic almost up to Waikanae, thene we saw where there was an important footy game, hence the traffic in levin, crusaders i think, playing, ????.
hello everybody. big hugs
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Thanks everyone .... Yes I am really pleased I got the photos taken. Can definitely recommend to all! Not quite how I look on an every day basis ...lol...I'm not really a lots of make-up etc type.
Ahhhh so you were in Petone Midnight - that's about a 10 min drive from where I am. It is nice also the esplanade on a good day - and it did turn out quite hot and sunny yesterday. I believe it was a Hurricanes/Crusaders game in Levin - just a friendly tho - the Super 15 comp starts officially next weekend. I can imagine the traffic in Levin as it would be a popular game.
Shazzakelly - I hope shorter 4 day week helps with your fatigue. You're amazing with 22 taxols done so far. So glad it's been doable for you and hope the scans/tests in the next couple weeks go well.
Kt - friends of mine are doing the Tongariro crossing next weekend - I know my fitness wouldn't be anywhere near good enough yet to do it - but it does look an amazing thing to do (as long as Tongariro keeps behaving itself!!). There are some lovely walks in the South Island I'd like to do too - esp around Abel Tasman. Must get fitter!!
Woody I see you've posted on the Tamox thread - I'll go check that out now.
Love to all
K x
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Hi All,
New to this thread, but on the discussion boards off and on for quite a long time. Just passed my one year diagnosis with Stage IV BC. Bit of a roller coaster year it's been! Kruise - your picture is fantastic!
I live in Otaki and work in Wellington. I've been in the Wellington/Kapiti area for almost four years after 18 months in Christchurch. Originally from the US, married to a Kiwi guy.
Very nice to connect with some Kiwi women!
Terre
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Hi Terre welcome to our little group but it is growing. What part of the US are you from? There are some others from Wellington.
Had my mammo today and alls well. Hard to believe its 7 years.
Hugs to all.
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hi Terre
Welcome to our Kiwi thread :-)
We might have crossed paths unbeknown to us at Wellington hospital last year. I felt like I lived there! So sorry to hear about your stage IV diagnosis - if you feel like sharing anything with us - we're here to give our support. Sounds like you are doing well so far at any rate - so hope that is the case (and for many, many years to come).
Where abouts in the US were you from originally? Not that I know many areas - I lived in Lake Tahoe for a couple months and travelled to Reno and down through California but there is a whole lot more to see :-). Oh my partner and I did Hawaii last year too after my chemo finished. That was lovely.
Anyway - no doubt the other lovely ladies here will say Hi shortly.
Hope everyone is doing well.
K x
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hi Terre,
I'm Stage 4 as well, was diagnosed in August on my birthday. So I guess I'll never forget the date. I'm up in Auckland but I think there are lots of us down your way.
I'm off to Taxol number 23 this morning so had better rattle my daggs. Just wanted to welcome you.
Oh and how many cats are you mother too? I'm a vet nurse and we have 3 permanent cats at home and often lots of foster kittens. Especially this time of the year
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HI Tere,
I'm 6 years out from stage 4 so veteran in some ways but reasonably new to doing chemos.
I'm in Dunedin now but spent 30 years in Palm nth after I got married.
Don't post here a lot but always read and keep up to date.
Welcome to the kiwi board.
Moira
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Hey Moira - I have to ask... You didn't spend your school years in Auckland did you? My best friend from intermediate had the same name as you :-)
Jenn
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Hi Jenn,
Sorry, went to school in Balclutha,, South Otago. Many many years ago.
Funny how that often happens in a small country like NZ.
Moira
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Hi tere, welcome to the thread. you have cats too, yea we got a few. We in Palmerston North, about an hour and twenty from you. Nice to seeyou on the boards, not nice that you are stage 1V.
Shazza, hey just reading you are a vet nurse, we have a cat that is pure white, i just noticed tht her ears are getting sunburnt and one has a very tiny burn on it, do the vets have a sun cream that you can put on the ears or does the normal chemist stuff do the trick that we can use. we need to do something fast as she will have a nasty mess. yes we have a few cats. i luv em. hugs annette.
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hi, Midnight. Yes you can get sun screen for animals at the vets. We sell one called filta cream but there are several out there. Unfortunately white cats are very prone to skin cancer on there ears and nose so keep an eye on that.
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Thanks Shazza. hubby called around and got one this morning called filta clear from aniwell, now i have to find missie, she hopefully around close, she not keen about her face been touched and always squirms and backs up and wriggles around, we have two white ones, but bubba sleeps in shaded areas. and missie likes the hot sun. i shall get tiger to, as he has dryish looking tips on his ears and a white nose, he is a ginger boy, ( lol fatty) man he can eat. thankyou for that Shaz
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hi everyone
Well its been ages since I've been on here and I've just gotten up to date with all of your posts. Welcome to the new girls!
Ange there was something I wanted to tell you but I've now forgotten it (chemo brain).
Re bras... I found that the ambra brand which they sell at farmers were the softest of all the sports bra type. It is quite wide under the armpits and has a racer back with thin straps. There are no pressure points which is good for me as I have very sensitive ribs.
Re tamoxifen side effects... I have been on it almost a year and in the last few months I have stacked on the weight. In September last year I was diagnosed with a dvt in my left arm which they think they can attribute to surgery in April and tamoxifen. Hmmm. I now inject myself daily with clexane, a blood thinner, to help the clot resolve. I feared they would take me off tamoxifen but that has not been the case. The benefits of tamoxifen are greater than the risk of clotting, so they say.
I hope you are all feeling good and loving this weather.
Xx Holly
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Hey lovlies,
That sounds good Holly, I certainly need the added support of a sports or comfort bra to keep things in place due to my droopy side!
Welcome Terre, this is a great place to be, you can say what's on your mind and honestly you'll get nothing but support and understanding!!!
I had my nipple recon done a couple of weeks ago, they took a bit of skin from my tummy (lets face it there's plenty of that down there), and folded it up and stuck it on - I'm sure they've got a better way of explaining it but that's it in normal human terms. It looks bloody good and once the tattoo'ing is done I reckon it'll be hard to tell which boob is faking it, they reattached the bottom skin around my recon boob to give it shape as it hung about an inch lower than the other side - and now it's looking so great.
Have been cancelling my onco appointments so I need a kick up the arse, I'm going through a "just leave me alone for a while" stage, and I figure that I can get away with it since I'm not that long out of chemo, I'll be ready soon but for now I've just had enough with the appointments and the touching my boobs.
How's everyone getting along?
Much love,
Ange xox
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