The Hermit Club
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I just read Joan Lunden was diagnosed with an aggressive kind of breast cancer. I know she is mother to two young sets of twins she had surrogated with her second husband. I grew up watching her on GMA, and think she is a strong woman. Hoping as I do for all women everywhere with bc, that she comes through this and lives a long life to see all her children grow up.
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Very sad..........God help her......
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Just watched her telling everyone about it with Robin Roberst this morning.............I wish her well.........just Google "Joan London has breast cancer", and you can see it..............
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Just finished my weekly shower, I am bushed. I hate that I have become so lax in my grooming, but there it is. And it's not just BC, either, I was like that before. It's different when you have a job, a schedule, things to do, you have to pay attention to grooming, at least sufficiently to not offend your clients etc. I had my own business, and except for 4 years out of the 18, I worked from home. And in the last few years of that, everything was done online, so I met with clients only once or twice a year. So who cared what I looked (or smelled) like? My cousin has no smeller at all, and my husband swears I don't have any body odor that he can detect. So I take a shower when I offend myself. Which is about a week. (Or for doctor visits, which is the only time I leave the house.) I'm not just a BC hermit, I'm as hermitty as they come. Sorry if it's tmi, but we can share this stuff here, can't we?
I am a bit concerned with my incisions and the healing. I guess I'll have to wait til the surgical glue disintegrates before I can see what they will be, but truthfully I didn't expect LUMPY! You've heard of washboard abs, I have washboard chest. And creases. Seriously. I really want to look in the mirror and have some kind of affirmation that I am still attractive, but right now I truly look mutilated. Like it wasn't a surgical instrument in a surgeon's hand that took them but some guy with a machete hacked them off and sewed them up with a carpet needle.
OK enough of that. Down to the nitty gritty. Here is my shrimp salad recipe, one of DH's faves.
Shrimp (bite sized)
Pasta (I like the medium sea shells for this)
Mayonnaise
Tomatoes (chopped bite sized)
Red onion minced
Sweet red peppers (chopped bite sized)
Tarragon
Salt & pepper
Cook the pasta & shrimp but not together. Mix the mayonnaise with the onion, tarragon, and salt & pepper to let the favors develop. Tarragon takes about an hour to really start coming to life. Combine everything, adjust flavor to your own taste. You can also add parsley but be sparing with it as it can overpower the tarragon.
Easy peasy.
Sorry the picture leans yellow, don't know why that happened. The red peppers, onions, & tomatoes add nice color to it.
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Magdalene, that shrimp salad sounds good. Thanks for the recipe. Do you use fresh tarragon or dried ... how much?
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I use fresh if I have it, if not then dried. About a teaspoon of dried, less if fresh, per pound of shells. In my house, no measurements are exact.
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Mags- I had five incisions made to my body in 2012. One on each breast and the associated sentinel nodes, and a huge one from my belly button down to my pubic bone for my ruptured appendix (they thought was ovarian cancer). I had a lot of lumps, bumps and swelling for a long time in all locations, scar tissue followed on with time. It all takes a long time to heal, so be patient with the healing process (you just had the surgery), but also check with your BS during your next apt to see if he/she thinks what you are seeing is normal. It is always good to ask your medical team about things when you don't feel right or think something does not look right.
Blondie- are you out there and okay?
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So I was massaging my lumps, and I found – a lump. Not at the incision with the rest of them, about 2 inches north of the incision, about the size of a large pea, or maybe a garbanzo bean. And it's tender. Maybe a node has become irritated? Do they do that? (Was it something I said?) Guess I'll call the surgeon tomorrow.
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Jazzy thank you for sharing all of u'r pretty pics. One more week and u'r done, I'm so glad.
Mags call the Doc just like Teka said===I'm all lumped up some is scar tissue and I really don't know what all these are but they are fine. And the shower thing I used to take one every day before work without fail and of course wear different clothes every day. Now it's whenever I feel like it---It's such a big deal to me now cuz I'm no longer steady on my feet like before and I can't wait to get out of the shower, but always glad when I do take one. After. Mags say whatever u want here we all get it.
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Aw girls, you're all so sweet. Cami, I knew I could.
It's just ... It doesn't feel like the other scar tissue. It feels like a nodule. Yeah, calling in the morning. I'll let you know.
Nini.
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mags it could well be a fat necrosis. After my infection in December I had a lump about one inch across but its totally disappeared now....hope its the same for you
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Unsteady in the shower????????..............how about every waking hour...............I said this before........If I got pulled over by a cop and he said "walk that straight line"...........I would put out my arms, show him my wrists, and say "put the cuffs on, take me to jail, cause Officer.......that ain't ever gonna happen".......I'm a walking drunk without the pleasure of a drink.............I swear that is true...........here's how I figure it goes.
They give you the AI, and its suppose to stope the recurrence.........you think........"good".....you take it, and now you can't walk straight, your unsteady on our feet.........plus your legs and feet hurt which does not help......................because of this you run the risk of falling....................then it happens............youo break your hip, cause you have ostepenia from the AI, and within a year your dead from complications of the broken hip.............so either way..........your shit out of luck.......
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Mags- the ladies here have some good insights around this. I had a nodule around my incision last year and was very worried it might be a new tumor. It was right beneath the incision where the invasive was found. The BS told me it was scar tissue when she ultrasounded it. I have other areas where the scar tissue is flatter, but this one definitely felt like a round hard lump. Have it checked out so you know. Lily is also right that fat necrosis (that is common with breast surgery and/or radiation) can also create those nodules too.
Let us know what you find out and hope all is okay!
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Morning, hermies! I called my nurse friend this morning about the lump. (Back story: Desi and her husband Dean have been good friends of ours for nearly 20 years; their daughter worked for me when she was in college as well. We had a mutual friend who went through BC in the early 2000's, and Dean, who is an ob/gyn, was her doctor. Desi is his nurse, and she was a momma tiger with her friend. So naturally, when it found a lump, I called Desi. She went with me to the mammogram and u/s, and the biopsy, she found me the best doctors, picked my hospital, and Dean scrubbed in on my BMX. My oncologist, who is by reputation the best in a city with a lot of them, shared an office with Dean when he started his practice. He got me in late on a Friday afternoon for initial consult, before my BMX on Monday, and I know a lady on my Facebook group who tried to get him but was told he had nothing for a month, so I'm pretty sure strings were pulled.)
Desi talked to Dean, who said most likely it was a stitch that hadn't resolved, maybe developed a pocket of fluid. Put some heat on it and if it's still there tomorrow come on in.
I have friends in high places.
By the way, I can't find it now. I may have rubbed it out.
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Mags- if it was some fluid (I also had that initially in the same incision area after surgery where the scar tissue showed up later), it may resolve quickly. Glad you got it checked out and you are okay.
I am having a week of too much to do. Over extended since I came back. Trying to find balance.
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Onco, it is also said that time wounds all heels. 0 -
Okay ladies, its me again popping my head up from my shell. This damn cancer won't let me stay in my
hermit state. Was so afraid yesterday going to my new PS to see how he was going to treat the pain I've had in my Foob area and if and when he would reconstruct. He was really good at showing me my CT scan and how my muscle had been stretch with the Foob more than 50 % more than was natural explaining that could be part of the problem. He checked my ribs and other areas to make sure there were no breaks or other causes for the pain and trouble breathing during the painful episodes. I told him it is only when I used my right arm a lot and he explain the muscle grouping, etc. He put me on a muscle relaxer to see if that is the issue. Reconstruction will not be a consideration for two months. I want the pain issue resolved but I needed to have the surgery done before school starts back in August which is not going to happen. I've used up all my sick days (except 4) for next year. He said he wanted to be sure before he started to reconstruct that the pain isn't caused by something else. Well, as I was on my way home trying to make peace with this--my PCP called and told me that my blood work came back saying I was pre-diabetic and she wanted me go on a med to keep me from becoming diabetic. I was stomped. Since I started the Anastrozole, it seems every time I go to the doctor there is something else wrong. I have had to take 5 new meds for high blood pressure spikes, depression, exhaustion, IBS, osteoarthritis and been diagnosed with osteopenia, IBS, osteoarthritis, extreme exhaustion and now I have to deal with being a pre-diabetic and take another med. Don't know what the med is yet because still waiting on her to send it to my pharmacy. I want to crawl back in my shell but I can't--so, after dropping a few tears-- I pulled my stationary bike out and am determine to do all I can to keep from becoming diabetic. Just reading about others struggles keep me going; it lets me know I should not feeling sorry for myself. Everyone has his or her own trials to go through. Just wish we all could be cured.
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Dwill.......happy to hear from you......hate to say "hang in there", but that is all we can do.........will say prayers for you, and all the others who are going through so much....hugs.
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Dwill- thanks for checking in with us and I have some insights to share with you on the pre-diabetes thing. There is some suggestion that women go through BC treatment end up being diabetic and it is not totally known if that is from the treatments, changes that go with everything we go through, etc. But let me tell you what happened to me around this, and hope this is helpful to you.
I had my first A1C the summer right before I got diagnosed. I was slightly pre-diabetic at that time and my doctor said lets watch that. I stopped eating sugar immediately and then within the following year, had the A1C done again and found out I hit the line for diabetes. She put me on a low dose of metformin and told me she thought the anastrazole threw me into diabetes pretty quickly. I cut ALL sugar out of my diet and my last A1C in January had me at the line of normal/pre. I am still taking a low dose of metformin, and will see her again in a few weeks for my annual physical. I was told if that has me in the normal zone, I could come off the meds. I will let you know what I find out.
Something else that will help too. In addition to cutting sugar out of the diet, I have kept my carb intake low; 45 grams for meals, 15 grams per snack. That is a diabetic diet recommendation. If you do that, you may see your number improve. You have to just really reduce the breads, chips, flour tortillas, etc. Open face sandwiches work, proteins on salads is great, etc. I have also found a lot of good sugar free treats for the times you want those. Happy to share more on diet changes you can make if you are interested.
I totally understand how you feel. When they told me I was heading into diabetes, I was just devestated. But I did make the decision to turn things around. This is one of those things we can influence. PM me if you want more info.
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aronasin works differently to letrozole and Anastrozole, very probably worth trying it?
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i hermitted so much and spoke my mind when i did emerge i think i hv no friends left. Seriously its not an AI delusion! Feel really on my own in normal life
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Aw, dwill, that majorly sucks. On top of all the health issues they won't even let you be your natural hermit self! There oughta be a law.
Here's something I have that most of you have never heard of. I hadn't either, till I was dxed with it in 2008. It's called costochondritis, an inflammatory condition that affects the connective tissue of the ribs. Most people who get it will only have it for a few months, but for many of us it is chronic. Extreme flares (I've had 3) can feel like a heart attack, except that they are bilateral. I described it as an iron maiden effect - couldn't move, barely breathe, just lie there until it passes. A complete heart examination & testing protocol showed no heart issues whatever. Costo is aggravated by strenuous exercise, by respiratory infections (coughing), by injury to the chest, and by chest surgery. It is dxed by putting pressure on the joint where a rib meets the sternum. When my doc did that I almost put a dent in her ceiling. So I'm very familiar with that.
Now, almost 6 weeks post bmx, I have a large lump (about 1") where my second rib joins the sternum on the right side. It's very tender, any pressure on it is painful. Now that I am finally able to lie on my tummy, I have this lump that hurts when I do. I know I need to see a chiropractor, they are the only ones that can help this because it means that the rib has become unseated. Which means another extra trip out of the house, or several, depending on how much work it takes to get it back in place and stay there.
Come on, body! Just let me be a hermit!
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thanks dwiii for checking in
the boys are sort of helping....my youngest daughter is really the one that checks the most...from the diverticulitis abcess is where the pain is really...thanks for caring....it is taking a while, still am antibiotics and have to go to the lung dr. tomorrow and get a ct scan in a week or so....got a nu bed and loving it....bb when I can...miss you guys...am waiting for big brother tonight, loving that it is back on....jazzy glad your trip was good....
ducky bet you are loving the shore...it has been nice around here...
everyone else....again thanks for caring...will bb
Sandy aka blondie
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Blondie- good to hear from you and it sounds like you are getting some help and care from your family. I am glad to hear this. I am hoping your pain is gone, the doc visits and upcoming tests go well. Keep us posted.
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Ducky, thanks! I need encouragement like yours to hang in there.
Jazzygirl, today I don't eat many sweets--don't ever use sugar but I am going to cut down on the carbs--started today. I also started to wear the fitbit and think I am almost at my goal for 10,000 steps for today--hurting knees and all. I have made myself keep moving in my house and yard to get exercise. I am definitely going to do some of those things you are doing to keep from going over. I've also have seriously thought about taking the med and getting a glucose kit to keep up with my levels.
Onco--thanks for your support, too!
Lilly, I am doing everything I can not to change meds--just to afraid of other SEs. Just trying to get through this. My MO cancelled my appointment for this week so I won't see him for another three weeks. He a little hardcore so I don't think he will offer me a change of meds. I could insist but I am afraid to try it if he doesn't recommend it.
Madalene51, you made me laugh. I have always been a hermit and all of this is so against my nature. I just want to live quietly by myself and not expose myself to everyone in the world. I am so tired, as the rest of you probably are--of people rubbing, touching, squeezing, poking, and looking at my poor breast. Damn it--give me a break. I feel like my whole life is on display. Okay, I am going to stop being a whinny baby and just enjoy my semi-hermit state--just wish I didn't hurt so much, too and have so many SEs
Blondie, nice to hear from you. Glad you have your sons and daughter helping you and hope you feel better soon. Enjoy Big Brothers, tonight. I use to watch it but lost interest after the 3rd season.
Hugs to you all!
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Yeah, dwill, I'm such a hermit I had the boobs removed and not replaced so there'd be nothing left to rub, touch, squeeze, poke, or look at. Just a pair of 10" scars. I'm hearing you, girl.
And the oncologist (bless his heart*) says I need to keep active. OK buddy, you want to replace my knees so I can walk? Maybe even run? Could you please do that without cutting? Oh, and maybe you could do my shoulders while you're at it. Sheesh.
*Southern ladies know this term. It's short for "YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HELL YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT!! And you have to say it with honey dripping off you tongue.
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Thanks for the reminder, Teka! (I start chemo July 1) Last weekend of my old life. Next weekend I will have entered new normal.
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Hi everyone--so many are going thru so much and I'm truly sorry that things re hitting u all at one time. And it does seem like it never ends, but Mags I'm glad u do know people it's a wonderful feeling that u know u'r getting the best care u can get. I'm not saying the rest of us aren't but it does help in times of having things done too, u'r taken in right away.
OK now Mags this eek ur starting chemo so u have to let us know how u r doing every day.
And Dwill I'm sorry about all this in and out stuff u'r going thru, it's a PITA ,
And Lily why do u say u have no friends. U just hven't been out much when u feel better they will be there. Sometimes when we choose to be alone people sense that so they don't want to bother you. U'll see.
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