Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!
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ItalyChick, I was just in Carlsbad last month while visiting my San Diego son. Went to Karl Strauss' and had a fantastic dinner and fell in love with Red Trolley beer (and I'm not even much of a beer drinker). Sorry I didn't wave at you!
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Way to go, Italychick! I'm in the same mode. All the talk about survivorship, moving on, living life, new normal, etc. then leave me the hell alone! Don't call me, I'll call you. Linda
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Peggy - I like the way you travel! You really get the most out of each trip, don't you? My mom and I were the perfect match for traveling together - I miss that! Good times - one trip I was 6 month pregnant and she was suffering from osteoporosis (to the point she had compression spinal fractures from stepping off the curb the wrong way - damn Breast cancer) and no one could believe how much we covered in a week to San Francisco. Linda
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Linda, it was my first trip in 8 years. DH couldn't travel due to his Parkinson's. It was grand visiting both sons (#2 is in Spokane). I really wasn't interested in having beer but #1 son said I absolutely had to, no choice. And he was right. There's something very touching about kids who know what you'll like even if you don't.
I also loved travelling with my mother. She's been gone 25 years (lung cancer that metastasized). Sounds like you and mom had a memorable trip to San Francisco.
HUGS!
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Peggy - sounds like you and DH raised some good men! (Hugs to you) Linda
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Yes, I think we did, Linda. Very proud of the men they've become.
HUGS!
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Peggy, awesome, hope you enjoyed your time in San Diego! I have been to Karl Strauss many, many times!
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ItalyChick, when I checked I was so bummed out that I can't get the Red Trolley beer here in Michigan. I love San Diego and would move there in a heartbeat if I hit the lottery! I was actually born in Long Beach but my folks moved to Michigan when I was 6 months old. I'd be returning to my roots
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Peggy, I was born in the Chicago area and moved out here in 1987. I never want to live anywhere else because it is so beautiful, and we can do whatever we want year round, no bad weather!
If you are ever out this way again, please let me know.
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I certainly will let you know, Theresa. When I made my first visit to SoCal as an adult, I felt like I had come home. Where I want to be. If only.....
HUGS!
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Our son, who grew up here in Pennsylvania, moved to L.A. a few years ago, and he's made a life there and I don't think he's ever coming back here to live. I'm such an east-coaster, but I could imagine moving out there one day. It's like an entirely different world from what I know, which is mostly Florida and Pennsylvania. We are way overdue for a visit out there, hoping to get there as soon as DH gets off those crutches and I get the current book finished!
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kayfry I think September and October are the most beautiful months out here since the May/June/July timeframe can have what we call May gray and June gloom. Having said that, the weather is still pretty beautiful almost all year round.
I can tell you one thing, people are so diverse that walking around bald or with super short buzz cut hair isn't out of place, and people don't even look at you twice! I have seen lots of women with buzzed heads who are exercise addicts. It took my co workers four months to figure out I was doing chemo, they thought I made changes based on my bike riding lol.
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Theresa, that's interesting that it took 4 months for your co-workers to realize you were doing chemo. SoCal is definitely another world! My son "might" consider moving back to a cold state, but his New York City born and raised wife wouldn't leave on a bet!
Kay, hope you get there this fall. It will be a lovely vacation for you and DH.
HUGS!
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Every time we have gone there, the weather has been ridiculously beautiful. Before Erik moved to L.A., I had this picture of it as a smog-filled, ugly place. Boy, was I wrong. Of course, there's the draught, and fire season, and crazy freeway traffic and not much of a place to walk. But hiking in Griffith Park has always been lovely. Next time we go, I hope we'll get out into the desert and stuff. Would be great to get there in October, might not be until a little later, but winter in PA is a good time to go to CA!
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Peggy, I think because I stayed physically active (riding my bike with coworkers) they didn't think about it. And I never showed any symptoms, fatigue, etc. One woman even said how cool that Theresa shaved her head, with all the bike riding she does - lol! I think people thought the do rag was part of my look. I finally got outed when a guy who went through chemo with his daughter (at the age of 7 for leukemia) looked at me and said so how long have you been in treatment? Another guy in the room said you're doing chemo? At a different time, another guy asked me what was up with the head covering, did I join a new religion lol! I am drop dead serious! When I told him I was doing chemo, he said oh, uh,uh uh... Then finally he said I hope you are doing okay and I said thanks.
I still wear my do rag to work, but have been receiving encouragement from other women to go without it, they said we will totally support you. Yeah, right, this scraggly, scarred, scabby head isn't seeing the light of day at work until there is at least an inch of hair there!
The worst comment I got was a guy asked me how I was doing with the hair loss, said so sad, you had such lustrous vibrant hair. I didn't know what to say, and finally told him well it will grow back. Then he said again, boy you had such lustrous hair. I just kind of walked away, what could I say to that?
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Italychick -- sounds like the guy really had a hard time expressing himself-- you probably did him a favor by walking away.
I live in S. Orange County and go down to SD now and then. I was thinking of going down for Comic Con last weekend, since I get free passes and have friends who go every year, but it's just WAY too crowded and crazy (and I have a high tolerance for crowds and craziness).
PontiacPeggy-- Were you born at the old (torn down years ago) Long Beach (CA) Memorial Hospital? I was, in the late '50s, since it was one of the few hospitals in the area at that time.
bablajo -- I had TCHP, 6 cycles, pre-surgery. I'm sorry you have to go through it. Hopefully your SEs will be manageable. Are you getting neulasta shots? I never had any white cell count problems and the shots might have been why...
If you aren't feeling many SEs in the week after, you might be OK. I was not bad for a few days, but started going downhill at the end of the first week (I had dehydration due to diarrhea--had to be hospitalized--but it wasn't painful or anything, mostly annoying. I wasn't even that fatigued until the last few cycles). I thought I was pretty tough, too, but sometimes stuff happens and what can you do but just deal, right? But people DO sometimes work through chemo, so you could be fine. Don't worry about stuff until it happens, since it may never happen.
The BSs kind of thought that I WOULD have changes in my breast since I was a B cup and my tumor was around 3cm... I talked with several. The first was going to do surgery before chemo and said it was likely I'd have a major divot. The 2nd (who I went with), said that I would look OK in a bra (so, yes, divot and some other differences). Plus, when they were doing the wire location thing, they thought they saw some extra areas of calcifications that they wanted to remove--so I think I got even more taken out. AND chemo made me go down to an A cup or less! (I lost 30 lbs. from the not eating and diarrhea). So there was even less to work with.
My little boobie didn't look too bad after surgery. But the rads are definitely not helping! I think my skin did shrink a bit. And now I'm getting all red after 20+ treatments... The scar seems to look worse, too. But people saying that things start to look a bit better after many more months out make me hope things will get better...
I don't have a divot yet (May 8 was my LX). I have a seroma puffing up the area where my tumor was! But I probably will have a big divot when it goes away. They took a long slice of stuff out from nipple going straight up about 3 inches or so, with the incision running around the top of the nipple. BUT I'm glad not to worry about more surgeries and reconstructions that all those folks who had MXs have to deal with. I'm happy that most of me is still there and with fairly normal sensation. And that I probably should look OK in a bra as the BS said. That's good enough for me.
Now I just need to make it through the last few week(s) of radiations without my skin getting worse! bleh.
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I was never offered the shorter course of rads and I have smaller breasts. I'm in a major metropolitan area, too (Los Angeles, RO affiliated with Cedars-Sinai)... They definitely do seem pretty set in their ways, though, so who knows? Ah, well. Too late, now.
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ItalyChick, you seem to be doing great. That guy who was so wrong probably had no idea what to say and didn't allow his brain time to filter what came out of his mouth. I'll bet he's horrified now.
April, my Dad was in the Army, stationed at Ft MacArthur during WWII when I was born. St Mary's, which I understand is still around. My son and daughter-in-law went to ComicCon (they go every year) and had a blast. Last year they got me Outlander stuff and also Blacklist items. Blacklist the year before that.
I also wasn't offered a choice for my radiation but I was fine with what I had done. I was punctated (redness, which I hadn't even noticed) in the hair follicles) after about 16 treatments. But never had any problems. Keep slathering on Aquaphor!
My "divot" is on the underside of my breast and really isn't noticeable. I think my BS put me back together in such a way that I still have fullness on top. I'm a small A and my girls appear to be about the same even though I am missing stuff underneath. It will take awhile before you know what your final shape will be. Up to a year maybe. Only place my sensations aren't back to normal is for my SLNB incision - I have some feeling but not the same as the other underarm (easy to tell when shaving
).HUGS!!!!
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I lived in Manhattan Beach for several years. I lived a block from the strand,and my bedroom overlooked the ocean. I had a Z3 convertible and was so far from home. That seems like forever ago. East Coast girl at heart, I came home.
I took my kids to the beach today. In a swimsuit for the first time since sugery. I was so proud of myself. My energy has been low and I haven't been able to play with my littles much (3yo and 8yo). But I did it and we all had a blast. Though I am paying for it a bit.
But I rocked my swimsuit in my post LX body. Whoop!
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Tresjoli, you DO rock! Congrats on a great day, and now, maybe, rest a little!
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Tresjoli, that's fantastic! Glad you made the effort! It is hard and you've been through (and are still going through) a lot. I've never filled out a bathing suit very well, so my Lx didn't change that for the better. I have Lands End tankini with a somewhat padded top (and underwires that don't hit anything annoying or hurtful). I don't fill that out but at least I look like I have a bit of a shape. I'm proud of you! You've made the biggest hurdle - just putting on that suit. It must be hard having little kids at home while going through all this. I can't imagine it.
We all have left our hearts in different parts of the country. Mine is in Southern California. Now if only I could join it there!
Take it easy for the rest of the day!
HUGS!!!!
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PontiacPeggy -- My dad was in the army in WWII, but not married until after he'd left the army and finished college on the GI bill.
I was at Comiccon when they had the Outlander booth. A friend and I went through it a few times because they had two very good-looking guys in kilts handing out the freebies and posing for photos. I know someone who is a HUGE Outlander fan so I was trying to get a good freebie/prize, but sadly didn't get anything interesting. But the photo with the guys was fun!
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I just did my 24th RT... My poor breast just started turning red. Hopefully I won't get any blisters...! bleh.
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Pontiacpeg, one of the funnest dates hubby and i went on was at Karl Strauss!! I loooove the Red Trolley. Yum. You gave me a great idea , as soon as i am better, i'm going back!
April25, thanks. I'm feeling better today. Still setting in to all this. I had 2 really hard days, today seems better so far. I hope you are doing well with your rads, I have to do it when I'm done with the chemo.
This thread is nice. Thank you everyone, sometimes I am so sad and I come on here, read and feel better. You ladies are an inspiration to me and give me hope that I will get through this!! Love and
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Boblajo, go back to Karl Strauss the second you feel good - don't wait. That Red Trolley beer will cheer you immediately!
Have you started chemo? Where are you in your treatment? I'm sure you've said but nothing sticks in the brain
I'm glad you're feeling better today.This IS a great group. You are welcome here anytime. It's been one year minus 2 days since my Lx and I still find lots of comfort here.
Please take care.
HUGS!!!
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I haven't ever been to a Karl Strauss, but it sounds great (there are some up where I am in s. OC, too).
bablajo -- Just hang in there and get through chemo. It's usually not bad, but it definitely is hard on the body in so many ways, so you're not going to be feeling great some of the time. It's killing all fast-growing cells all over your body which shows in the hair falling out... it's just not a fun thing. I'm over half-way through rads and the first half was just fine. Now I'm getting a little irritation, which is annoying. But it's still better than chemo. If you're getting through chemo, I'm sure you'll find radiation no problem at all. It's mostly just the idea of having to be in for the appointments every weekday for weeks. But the appointments are really short. People can do them on a lunch break if they get them close to their workplace...
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April25, Karl Strauss does ship beer all over California. When you're in the mood, do give Red Trolley a go! You'll feel oh so much better!!!
HUGS!
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Peggy....I'd love to try Red Trolley, I usually drink Rolling Rock. Wish they sold it in TN!
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Nash, It IS hard when you find something you REALLY like while on vacation and then can't get it at home. DAMN!! We'll just have to do a girl trip back to San Diego!!!
HUGS!
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Oh Peggy! Our surgery date is two days away! You reminded me.
I still have areas of tenderness.
Why is it I can still remember how to say "We need a urine specimen. When you are done, bring the cup of urine back here, to this window." in Spanish from my lab job 30 years ago but I can't remember if I picked up the mail?
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Poppy, BCO won't let me put in the ACTUAL date of my surgery - the 23rd! It was my parents anniversary so I'm not apt to forget it. Of course, they've been gone a long time. It is hard to believe a year has passed. So much has happened in that time. You've definitely been through more than me on this crappy journey. But we're one year survivors!
I have times when my lymph node incision says "hi" and some tightness but no tenderness in my breast which surprises me.
Like you, I can remember stuff from forever ago but what I did this morning? Not gonna happen. The joys of getting older and I'll take 'em!
HUGS!!!
(P.S. finally the correct date is now showing!).
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hello! Please forgive my lack of etiquette by just intruding on your conversations--I literally joined 10 mins ago after stumbling upon the lumpectomy forum and reading several pages. I was inspired, comforted, saddened, afraid..and then joined. I was dx'd 2 weeks ago and had my lumpectomy and SN bx on 7/17. I guess I would like to talk but maybe someone can direct me (or instruct me) on the best way to join this group? Thanks
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