2013 Survivors!!!
Comments
-
Ramols, I missed the fact that you're into rads too. You're getting there! The fatique is something I had, but it did not impact me that much. I did not work, and could sleep whenever I needed to. Many mornings during rads, and for weeks afterwards, I only woke up around ten after a 12-hour long sleep. Never slept like that in my life! So my advice to you, Shianne and Stride would be to get as much zzzzzzz as you can. I started rads on May 31 after last chemo on May 7. Was still very exhausted during rads, and muscles were still so stiff and weak from Taxotere. What a road to travel! Rads ended for me on July 6 last year. It was September before I had enough energy for a slow start in the gym. Be good to yourselves. You are all younger than me I think, and you should bounce back sooner.
Shianne, sorry to hear about the neuropathy which interrupts your sleep. It will get better too. Nine months PFC I still have some toes with no sensation, but it is not painful anymore, and does not bother me even if the feeling never comes back. Hope you can soon get a good night's sleep!
Luvmygoats, thank you!
Mcook, I can hear you are ready for a life change. Decisions, decisions - good luck with that!
0 -
Happy Birthday Juneau!
<a href="http://www.satisfaction.com/codes/happy-birthday-comments-1.php" title="Happy Birthday Images, Quotes, Comments, Graphics"><img src="http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s4/karsmi123/bd/bd1802.gif" border="0" alt="Happy Birthday Images, Quotes, Comments, Graphics"></a><br><a href="http://www.satisfaction.com/codes/happy-birthday-comments-1.php">Happy Birthday Pictures</a> - <a href="http://www.satisfaction.com/quotes/">Quotes</a> - <a href="http://www.satisfaction.com/photobucket-login/">Photobucket</a>
0 -
Busy place! Welcome Charles - sorry you have to be here! Embok - you are in the right place!
Scottie - congrats on your appt and good luck with your son.
Outdamnedspot - in your pockets!
Websister - good luck with your Rads. The time went quickly for me, now that it is over. If you get uncomfortable - Speak Out. They have magic creams but only seem to offer if you ask.
Allurbaddays - My weightloss honeymoon is over too. I've heard several comments that the first 20 go away easily and quickly. (Like being diagnosed with BC and going to all of those appts and surgery & rads can be counted as easily and quickly) Grateful for the 20 but anxious to lose more. We can do it.
Melissa - Great news! Cured - wow! I'd love to hear those words. My Doctor sticks with N.E.D. Music to your ears - you & Chrisrenee are too young to be here anyway!
Mcook - hope you found your stress reliever. You plate is awfully full. Is your eye better?
Ramols - I started Rads and Arimidex around the same time. The Rads tired me out and the Arimidex put me to sleep. The Rads ended but the Arimidex continues...
Chris - Scottie and Scorchy - you always make me smile!
I hope I didn't miss anyone! Love you all.
0 -
Allurbaddays - My eye doctors tell me tamoxifein can cause the tear ducts to narrow and attrophy. I go in tomorrow for surgery to try to place a stent in each eye, failing that they will install a new duct for the tears to drain. Not looking forward to it.
Charles - good to see you again. How's Wyoming? I've made a couple of trips from Rapid to Billings to visit my Mom in the hospital. Wish it was a nicer time of the year...
Greetings to all of you.
0 -
Quick check in from work as going out tonight so no time to say hi then. Not sure when I will catch up. Skimmed over posts - eyes have never been the same since tamoxifen.... wear my glasses all the time now - before only for reading and computer work.
mcook - did you mean 18 hours a day and not week... otherwise I'll take your job
scottie: sucks they changed your sons appt - how annoying. Yes I saw how nice you were to juneau - one day we can all do whatever we want...our buffday's.
websister - good luck with rads... just keep lubing up as much as you can, then some more.
fatigue from rads they said hits harder if you've had chemo. 3 months out and although my stamina through the day is OK, but 8pm I am ready for zzzzzzzzzz's.
Time to tidy up and head off home.
Have a lovely evening all - loving the new avatars too... I should redo mine soon.
0 -
Ha! Tazzy nice catch
18 hours a week is what I can keep up with but fight for 18 hours a day! I know I am not alone in this stress:) this week was just a dam stressful one!
Had eye appointment today three more weeks of drugs he thinks because of just having surgery it is healing slowly and had been there awhile without showing signs 
doesn't hurt but holy heck very light sensitive.
Wow had to confirm with my medical records but feb 28 is one year! Amazing how times continues to fly by even this year. Not sure what I should do one this day but I will always remember it. Maybe a day to call in sick and just have Michelle Time!0 -
Charles,
Welcome aboard. Despite most of us being woman I would imagine that men have many of the same feelings regarding this diagnosis. How will we cope with family, friends, work, medical expenses, and our mortality among so much more.
This is a fabulous bunch on here and we are all encouraged to write/say what we need to without anyone sharing any judgements.
Hugs, Sheryl
0 -
allurbaddayswillend,
That is some handle you have there. Eye doctor opthamalogist not an optometrist. You need the one that is a medical doctor who specializes in the eyes.
Hugs hope it gets better, Sheryl
0 -
Let me try this again for Juneau and all of our b'day girls.
0 -
Busy on here today! I very much enjoyed catching up.
Thank you to everyone for the support re: rads - I went out and bought my lotions and some cotton tank tops and sports bras today.
Scottie - so sorry to hear that the appointment was rescheduled, I know you are concerned for him. I hope you are able to get time off to go to the appt next week with him
McCook - I hope you are able to make a change and find employment that allows for better work/life balance. Glad the eye is gradually improving, I ahead a corneal ulcer about 10 years ago and I remember well the light sensitivity
Ramols, Stride, Shianne - nice to have your company during rads. A friend who is a radiation therapist told me it was also important to expose the skin for an hour every day and, if I can handle it, use a fan while doing that. She says she can tell after a couple of weeks who was listening when she said that. The other thing she said was that they don't want weight loss while on rads as it can change how everything lines up so I guess I will be trying to stay status quo for a bit until rads is over.
Juneau - hope you are not too tired from your table dancing today. Take advantage of Scottie and Marianne's niceness today, I'm told they will be back to 'normal' tomorrow.
My BEAUTY class was yoga today, it felt so good - just what I needed today
Take care everyone!0 -
thanks ladies for the info about rads fatigue. fingers crossed my energey levels stay at a good level. Nighty night lovelies!
0 -
Actually, I urge you ladies who are starting rads to look on the bright side. You may never get a better nights sleep... at least I haven't in the 9 month since rads.
0 -
Websister - they do watch your weight during rads. They measure every week. I remember now that I thought it was funny since I didn't lose an ounce during my 20 treatments. The weight loss came after that, probably too tired to eat.
0 -
Wow, a very busy day today on this thread!
~Happy Birthday Juneau! Enjoy every morsel and every moment!
~Websister, Ramols and everyone else starting rads...Lube it up!! You will soon be able to count how long the machine is on and know just what to expect...I had the pleasure of doing that routine with the scuba like gear in my mouth, holding my breath to push my heart and lungs further out of the way...joy of joys...it will become routine quickly and the routine will remind you of ground hog day...it too will pass!!!
Tazzy do you have that saline soak recipe handy again? It was heaven to me in the later weeks of rads and I am sure it will be soothing to our rad gang on here too. If not, I can try to dig back through the old threads.
Scottiee..that is frustration to the max....I hate the waiting even more for my kid!!
Charles, welcome!!
CindyL..with you tomorrow...Outdamnspot..you too.... Can I lose any ounces from jumping into all these pockets? Kangaroo heaven!
I had my yearly physical today..boy has alot changed in a year. Urine, Blood, EKG results awaiting. He gave me a script for antiiflamatory for the shoulder, dizzies are gone, told me I need to get an initial Colonoscopy this year
as I had too much going on to get it done last year. Hang in everyone....we one day closer to spring
0 -
Happy Birthday Janeau.
Sorry your sons appointment got cancelled Scottiee, I'm sure its another stress you could do without
Hello Charles and Embok...you will learn alot on these pages!
Mcook...I was binned and found the process more stressful than the treatments, I had been there 14 years......way too long!! Looking back now...it was probaly the best thing that happened....cause i survived the indignities of that as well! My other half reckons it was the stress of my job that caused Bc...who knows!!! I will have finished rads one year ago on the 12th march and still have fatigue and dodgy right shoulder...however looking back it seems like forever.
Liefie...i still have numbness in my toes and 2 black toenails....that still havent decided to fall off yet! However like you....I dont care....small price to pay!!!
Well its sleepless in Ireland tonite
......its 3.34am and I cant switch off
.....so much for fatique...lol0 -
I remember that saline soak 'recipe':
Rad ladies... do this up to 4 times a day - it is so very, very soothing:
Boil 1 litre of water; 1-2tsp of salt. In a large bowl add salt then boiling water. Let cool to room temperature. When water is cooled soak a large flannel cloth in the solution and lay across breast for approx 10 minutes. Resoak flannel when necessary. Dry off and lube up.
It is amazing the relief it brings to you.
hugs and nite nite ladies xxxx
0 -
Ireland, I hope you are sleeping now! Yes, the toenails. . . mine have still not settled. Three had fallen off as well as one of big toe nails, which has still not fully grown out after six months. The other big toenail is attached along the left side only, and is taking its time to let go. Guess I was lucky my fingernails did not fall off. They are just very dry and brittle. My left eyebrow has a hole in the middle - lol - and I had to learn to wield the eyebrow pencil which I've never needed in the previous 58 years. Oh, the joys! But we've learnt to focus on the positives, and we count our blessings. Life is too short to agonize over toenails and eyebrows!
0 -
Jumping in quickly here guys as I have to get into the shower and off to school. Just two things for the rad gals.....Websister is right, you will sleep like babies so that's a positive
for all those having sleep issues....secondly, I used a recipe like the one Tazzy kindly posted, but after a week I was so tired from the rads I bought the saline solution pads...
a little expensive but so worth it and I took them to work with me,which helped......later all...❤0 -
My funny for the day...
Apparently, the hospital I work at has a Radiologist that looks similar to my PS. He comes into my office asking questions, I get a brief look at him and felt like I need to flash the girls at home. Haha. My co-worker who has never met my PS is in lust after him looks at this radiologist and is practically drooling. This radiologist has come into my office 4 times now and has come straight to me and each time I feel the need to stick the "girls" out just a bit further. How sick is that?!?!?! haha Thought I'd give you all a good laugh.
To our Rad girls, thoughts are with you all. Keep yourself hydrated and lubed up during treatment.
Scottie- have a wonderful day at work!
0 -
Had my first three month follow-up with my MO today and everything seems to be just fine. No mammo, just bloodwork (normal) and she will see me in September after I have my mammo in August...which will be one year from diagnosis.
I honestly was expecting more and sooner. What does everyone else get for follow-up?
She has changed the plan from 2 years Tamoxifen and 5 years AI to 5 years Tamoxifen and then see what is happening in the science and research world at that time. She feels as my BC was small and caught early, clear nodes etc., that Tamoxifen will be just as effective as AIs.
Is there anyone else out there, 6 years post-menopause, on Tamoxifen for 5 years or more?
0 -
Outdamnedspot - I think I had a few closer visits 1st year from MO/BS seems like more like every 3 months??. Routine bloodwork from MO - CBC, chem profile, basic breast exam (not near the quality of BS). Did vitamin D level but he says OK but is low normal per their guidelines. Doubt he will agree to check again. Did finally do tumor markers in December. I do need to call to get those. No call from his office about them. Never had a CT, MRI or PET scan. I did talk him into CT of abd, chest, pelvis b4 surgery but chickened out and cancelled. RO I never saw again after 2 week rads followup. BS did mammo of surgical side at 6 months and just had yearly both sides. I think us Stage 1'ers get the short shrift unless you have complaints/symptoms of concern. I am at least 6+ years post menopause and my MO never considered anything but Arimidex or Femara. I thought the thinking was go to Tamoxifen IF the other 3 AIs were not tolerable. Unless the bone density/cholesterol issues with AIs are already greatly in play. I would much prefef to stay on the Femara than mess with Tamoxifen. Did bone density b4 beginning Femara but had already had 2 from my gyn. Knew I was osteopenic. Don't know when that will get repeated. Need to see gyn next month. Got to space those doc visits out. See internist and glaucoma docs next week.
Now have to pay for mammos as they are diagnositic now and not screening. Bummer.
Today is one year anniversary of my surgery. Thank God that scared woman survived.
0 -
Just jumping on real quick before starting dinner
Charles, I read your article, it was great!! I said the same about if my experience got even one person to act its a plus. I was one of those people who the medical industry let down. My original BS told me "not to worry about" the pea sized lump I found 3 yrs prior to dx. "We will watch it closely" he said. Watch it he did, he watched it grow to 7x7.5 cm!
When I asked him to remove it when it was 2cm he said that because I was "small" and the lump was bigger it would leave me uneven and there would be more surgery involved. Now I look back it was like he was just lazy. But anyway, I've told many women not to ignore a lump and if their dr wants to, get another dr!!!
Thanks to everyone for all the support and for all the hints and advice about rads
My son is home from university tomorrow, just for the weekend :-( so if I don't get back on I hope everyone has a great weekend!!0 -
Hi folks! I have some good news! PET scan results came back annnd . . . .
All of the lung lesions and lymph nodes are resolved. Bone lesions and breast tumor have significantly less uptake (so less cancer). Final report: "FAVORABLE RESPONSE TO THERAPY"!
0 -
Scorchy way to go!!!!! Fab news.:)
0 -
Scorch- hell fucking yes!!! So happy for you. Thank goodness you are responding to therapy. Congrats.
0 -
Scorchy.....soooooooohappy for you....💃
0 -
Scorchy - Just GREAT news!
0 -
Scorchy - that's wonderful news!
0 -
Hey Scorchy......Chrisrenee has such a way with words, doesn't she ?.....😘
0 -
So happy for you Scorchy!!!
Charles, welcome to the group.
Outdamspot, congrats on your good followup.
Chrisrenee must be nice having some eye candy while at work to break up the day.0
