The Hermit Club
Comments
-
Teka- no more snow please! It is finally warmer out here and been in the 80s this week. We are hoping the snow and cold is gone, but have seen it here as late as Memorial Day on years like this?
Love the little guy sleeping in the iris. I have a couple blooming and will have to check for some friends in there!
I am working on a patio "facelift" right now and did some work on this sitting area this week. I had some friends over to bless it last night with a little gathering/happy hour on the patio.
0 -
Hi everyone!
I haven't been around except for the May surgeries thread and Finish this sentence Etc threads. Had my BMX with TEs surgery on May 5th.
Teka-Omgosh SOOOOOOO ADORABLE! Is this a pic from the Internet or did you actually find a furry angel baby in a flower? Cutest thing EVER!! And I can't believe you are having snow again! Wow!
Jazzygirl-LOVE your outdoor setup!! My best friend from college moved out there to NM. The plants are so neat, and you must see lizards all the time!
My hermit self has loved living in the recliner for a week!
0 -
Georgia, welcome!!!!! Hope you recover well. I will probably be joining you in the recliner soon since I just finished rads and am awaiting to hear about a hysterectomy, but I'm afraid it will be more than my hermit self can handle lol!!!! HUGS!
0 -
Loving- I had a TAH and breast surgery all within six weeks sister, two round of internal rads starting 45 days after that. I remember thinking so often I would never make it through it, but I did and you will too. I can see you will have more space between your surgeries though, but the rads in between is tiring. Are you working too dear?
0 -
I'll be joining you guys in the recliner on the 24th. I've really become rather reclusive, though I feel better, just not mentally capable to go with my 'normal' friends and talk about mundane things. Also, they all want details, and i'm really over having bc, though I have surgery on the 24th and 33 rads to go.
Even my fellow BC friends, who are 3 and 4 years out, don't seem to get me not being chatty kathy about things.
0 -
Not doing much today. Had to run to craft store for yarn for a project.
0 -
Jazzy, I have worked full time through all of this. Only missed 3/days for both breast surgeries and was driving 2 1/2 hours a day during rads and still worked at least 8 hours a day. I have no paid time off at my job. Now they are recommending hysterectomy since I had bleeding for a month after last breast surgery and have 5 cm cyst on right ovary (I have had cyst on same ovary about 7 or 8 years ago), thickening in lining of uterus (have already had 1 d and c) Gynecologist wanted to take out one ovary and do d and c, but both oncologists feel that might as well take it all out, I will have to take tamoxifen anyway for 10 years , even with both ovaries out. Jazzy, why did you have to have TAH and internal rads? Did you have 2 different cancers at the same time? My uterine biopsy came out ok, but they want to biopsy the right ovary when they take it out. (I will NEVER do another uterine biopsy!!!) I'm not looking forward to 4 to 6 weeks off of work. I have never missed more than 8 days of work in 15 years, and that was for vacation. I'm afraid the depression will come back if I have too much time to think- worrying about now that breast cancer treatment is over, what my 6 month follow up will show. Mommy, glad your keeping yourself busy. I just bought a bunch of snacks to sell at work since we have no snack machine and I will be donating the profits to buy gas cards for cancer patients with financial hardships to assist them in their long distance travels to the cancer center daily. I LOVE those people, they are so giving, and I wanted to do something to keep me motivated and to help out. Val, hope your surgery goes well. Don't worry, I have gradually been able to chat about mundane things and am more willing now to talk about my cancer, you will get there too! HUGS to all!!!
0 -
Lovinggrouches-Thank you for the welcome and well-wishes! I think I am recovering well. I think emotionally I have become more overly-sensitive.
Valstim-Good luck with your surgery on the 24th! As hard as the surgery was, I still think my anxiety about it was worse and almost killed me! I, too will end with rads. I understand not wanting to repeat the details over and over to people or just being over having BC and not wanting to talk about it. But when I go back to work next month, I think it will aggitate me more of people ignore me or the fact that I was out because of cancer.
Teka-Even if photoshopped, sooo adorable! I am the gullible type. Love your pics
0 -
Trying to get the urge to get up and move my rear
0 -
Loving- my story is complicated one. Around the time of dx, I was having a lot of GI issues. I went to see my PCP and she thought I had a GI infection and put me on antibiotics. My scans to prepare for breast surgery found a larger mass in my abdomen the size of a grapefruit. The doctors thought I had a Stage IV ovarian cancer, and so that surgery got done first. When they got in there, they found an abscess that had formed from a ruptured appendix.
The reason for the hysterectomy was due to the massive infection in my pelvis from the ruptured appendix. I had already heard that the ovaries would likely need to be removed anyways (they do this for most bc patients these days so I hear). So I ended up with everything removed because of the infection and the BC dx. The docs also were concerned I might be BRACA positive, but in the end, I was not. There was no cancer anywhere in the pelvis, just the massive infection. I was on anti-B's for months.
The internal rads was because I had bilateral cancer. BMX was not an option (was told I would likely not survive a second big surgery). I had two small cancers on each side, one was a combo of DCIS and IDC, the other was DCIS. Because it was early and slow growing with no node involvement, internal rads was the best choice. Again, my docs indicated I would not fair well with external rads with that much exposure to the chest wall.
It consider myself lucky to have survived any of it. I work for myself and was in between contracts when everything happened, but went back to work after the second surgery and worked through rads. I cannot even begin to think of how I made it through that either.
My guess is that you will be able to have your hysterectomy laproscopically if they have already determined no concerns about cancer. That will make for a quicker recovery.
I understand too about the importance of working even while recovering from all this because this whole thing is expensive, and there is the ruminating of all the "what ifs". I worked PT for the first three months of my contract, moved to FT after rads (even though being so fatigued). I remember just working and sleeping for the longest time.
I wish you the best with making the final decision around this. Let us know how else we can help?
0 -
Thanks Jazzy, you have been through A Lot!!!! What always gets me through the feeling down times, is that I know I could have had things SO MUCH WORSE, especially after reading what others have been through! HUGS!!!!!
0 -
Loving- just so you know, that was 3.5 years ago and I am doing fine now! Busy with work, gardening, and much more. Sometimes things really snowball like they did for me with all that happened, and it's hard to recover from anything before the next thing happens.
I was not sure how any of that was going to turn out but I "let go and let God" and did what I needed to. It amazes me what the body can come through.
0 -
Jazzygirl, you are so inspiring, to have gone through such an ordeal and then to be so positive for us. Thank you for sharing, it gives me hope that the dark days will soon pass for me.
0 -
I echo Valstim, thank you Jazzygirl for sharing your story. Wow you are a tough cookie! I can't believe you had to go through all of that but am so glad you are 3.5 years out and doing well! It gives me a lot of hope also.
M0mmyof2 I hear ya!
0 -
Jazzy, thanks for sharing your story. Helps us to see that one day there may be a light at the end of the tunnel! HUGS to all!
0 -
Beautiful Teka. Love the photos of north country. I don't know that particular lake, but know the lakes in general up your way and they are beautiful.
My breakfast this morning was a spinach, artichoke and cheese omelette. Got enough left for at least one more breakfast & perhaps a snack. Mega omlette.
0 -
Took out bacon from the freezer for my special cinnamon pancakes and bacon for breakfast tomorrow morning
0 -
Haha Teka....making me hungry y'all. We are planning to have pancakes or French toast tomorrow, likely with sausage. I'm ready!
0 -
Just sitting trying to get going
0 -
I was out in the gardens this morning and keep hearing a bird squawking I know is a parrot. I spied her today in a cage in the neighbors yard behind me. I love parrots!
She looks like this! It is either an amazon or double yellow headed amazon.
0 -
wishing you all a happy summer...
0 -
You too Lily!
Sending healing energy to BB for her back.
And for Simplicity who is very sore today.
0 -
You too Lily!
0 -
I am so glad I found this group. I am usually the get up and go person but i am really feeling like a hermit these days. I had my lumpectomy on May 11, thought it was DCIS only but found some invasive so I have a bilateral mastectomy in my near future. I have MO and BS post op appointment this week and just cannot do much more than think about my upcoming surgery/recovery and hang around home.
I did go out to dinner with a great friend on Friday night. It was fun, but felt like more work than it should have been!
0 -
Tsoe- welcome to our thread. Sorry your outing with your friend was not more helpful. Sometimes people just have too many questions or we end up having to deal with all their emotions around the situation.
One thing I learned going through cancer treatment is that the people who will be most helpful have either been through treatment themselves, or have supported another through treatment. They understand the process, the five year follow up period after treatment, the whole fatigue thing, etc. Those will be the people who can be present with you during all this & after. When you find them, keep them close by. Others mean well, but often are more work than help. It is okay to just park those people for awhile, or if they want to help, give them something to do. This whole thing teaches us to really speak up for our needs.
Staying focused on your doctor apts and upcoming surgery is the right focus. You need to take care of you and get through your treatment.
We are glad you found us and let us know how else we can help?
0 -
Teka-pancakes!!! They were fluffy and delicious and hubby made lots so I could have them for breakfast several times this week! I feel loved. Did you have omelettes or pancakes? Love that last pic!!
I feel ya M0mmyof2!
You, too, Lily!
Jazzygirl-that's amazing how you knew it was a parrot! I thought you were going to say it was in the wild!
tsoebbin-Welcome! I recognize you as a fellow May surgery sister. Surgery will do that to anyone I think, especially BC surgery. I know what you mean about going out feeling like it is more work than it should have been. After the BMX I had 2.5 weeks ago, shoot I am done just after a bath!
Had my best friend over today at 4pm through the kids' bedtimes. With her, it never matters if I have on jammies, no bra (heck, who needs one now?! Not me!), or no make-up, so it is never nerve-wracking to have her as company. It just tired me out to help my husband clean up the house and be up all day plus during company. It was kinda nice to have outside life come in for once.
DH's parents came on Thursday and that was nice, too. I think because of chemo and then surgery and so many months off of work, I am ready for my hermit crab to venture out of the sand and see others. I am excited to finally go back to work next month! I will still be a hermit at home, though, just can't handle tons more socialization than work, especially after my wonderful months of solitude during treatment and recovery!0 -
I am hoping my husband will make me some fluffy pancakes tomorrow, it's a holiday here, so no work for him tomorrow. We have had four days of rainy cold weather, but we desperately needed the rain. Hopefully it will help with the forest fires up north.
Georgiared having company is a good way to take your mind off treatment
Welcome tsoebbin.
0 -
Good morning friends- It think could be renamed hermit bingo (not all introverts are hermits!)
I especially like the one "people make me tired!" LOL!
0 -
Thanks for the warm welcome. I am meeting my medical oncologist today and hopefully will hear my Her2 status. I am nervous. really nervous.
The Hermit Bingo was just what I needed today as i walk out the door. It made me smile!
0 -
Tsoe- best wishes on the HER 2 status. My sister whom got her dx 4 months before me was HER2 positive. She is four years out from dx and starting treatment and doing A-okay. They have a way to treat this type of cancer if you do hear that news.
Glad the hermit bingo helped!
0
