Stage 2 Sisters Club
Comments
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Thanks Maureen - when us your surgery? Mine is nov 7th. Sounds similar to yours and i know its no big deal compared to what we've been thru, but it just stinks.
Ruthbru - hope u enjoyed WI!
I just got back from Naples. It was a much needed break. The best was on the way back to the airport my fiance said "i am so glad you are back". He said he finally heard me laugh genuinely, my shoulders relaxed and i just had fun! So true! Going to do trips like that more often!0 -
I had a great time in Wisconsin with my mom's relatives; who are the nicest, most fun people you could ever meet. One of my cousins builds, restores, and flies small aircraft. He took us up in one of his planes. Here is a picture. The farm below is where my mom grew up (and where he now lives). How cool is that!!
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Nisa, here's to hoping that se's are anything but the big C. Beautiful pic ruthbru but I am partial since I am a country girl. Although the only animals in our barn is our steel horses. mjsgumbas Naples - I bet that was an amazing trip. Nothing too exciting on my part just trying to adjust to working full time and dealing with the constant residual pain. I gone from a person who barely took an asprin to someone who has one of those pill containers with the days of the week on it so I don't forget any pills. I don't see much improvement and it's been a couple of months with this new coctail of pills. I'm not sure how long I should wait before going back and asking for something else.0 -
I've gone to the doctors (both onc and gp) now they are sending me to a psychologist which I find offensive. It's like saying "we can't find anything wrong so it's in your head."0 -
Nisa, yes I am all too familiar with that monster, I know exactly what you mean. Still sending hugs!
Ruthbru, that's an amazing picture, how beautiful.0 -
jcolford,
Muscle aches and general pain is a side effect of anti-hormonal drugs. I had bad pain on Arimidex and it was even worse when I switched to Aromosin. Just print out a list of side effects for your ill-informed doctors. Pain should be listed in the sheet that you get with your prescription.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/drug-information/DR601293/DSECTION=side-effects
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Ruthbru, that sounds and looks idyllic!
Hugs to all in pain from treatment!
(Still want a "hug" emoticon.)0 -
Good morning all!
Hope you all are well. Nisa, you will be fine! Praying for you! Just got back from a mini vaca with the Mrs. Went to Cape May and had a great time relaxing and doing the things we love to do (eating especially)! Neuropathy was bad for awhile but we walked alot and it seems to be fading now. She has to go to the PS today to take fluid out of her TE because the RO said its to tight and he is afraid of damage to the tissue. Rads will start Nov 15th. Other than that she is feeling pretty good. Today is the day she would normally get her chemo treatment and now we are free from that. Hoping to see signs of peach fuzz soon, she keeps looking. I am wondering if she will get more tired before she gets more energy but I have learned not to expect anything and to take one day at a time!
Have a good week everyone!0 -
JDB53 - Honestly, getting her strength back will take a long time. I have been surprised by just how long. Each month I look back and realize that I am much stronger than the one before. We went through some serious poisoning and it takes a toll. A year and a quarter after finishing I am still not the same but I am feeling well and looking healthy. My Oncologist told me that my strength would start to pick up about six months after chemo ended. I waited eagerly for that six month date, but not much changed. While I certainly had days when I could do a lot, I tired more quickly and had to learn to pace myself. If I did too much I would have to take it easy for a day or two afterwards. It is a steady progression.0 -
Hortense-
Thanks for your input. She seems to go in spurts. That is a flurry of activity followed by a long nap. Your right about pacing yourself. She tends to want to do so much and then whamo, she's exhausted. Does exercise help in getting your strength back sooner or is it just time?0 -
Notself, I am not taking any anti hormonal medications because I am triple negative. I have had my ovaries removed but it was due to being BRCA1 more so than the hormonal issue. On a positive note the psychologist is having me keep a pain diary and gave me papers that describe pain so that when I go back to my doctor I can be more descriptive.0 -
Hope you are feeling better soon jcolford. I cant imagine how frustrating it is.
Hope everyone has a good night0 -
jcolford,
I really do have an appointment with an ophthalmologist because I need new and stronger glasses. I read taxol and tamoxifen. Don't ask me why. I think my cataracts have gotten worse.
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mjsgumbas - loved your fiancé's comment! I love Naples too.
Ruth - Beautiful photo and what a special place for you! I am a cheese lover so I envy you having relatives in cheese-land.
plametbananes - thanks for sweet words.
jcolford - Incompetent docs tend to blame patients when they don't have answers. Find yourself a new doc.
Joe - Thanks for prayers! You guys are doing well. Cape May sounds wonderful.
Hortense - What you are saying about pacing oneself applies to me. I am back to work M-W-F and need to use the other 2 days to recover.
Yorkiemom - i too want a hug emoticon.
I just want to say I am both thankful and happy to have each of you in my life. One day next year we should all meet somewhere fun!
Good night... Sleepy Nisa
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JDB53 - I do think exercise helps to build strength, but it needs to be started slowly and we need to listen to our bodies carefully and exercise accordingly. I began by going to my local gym and simply walking on a treadmill as I was not walking enough at home. I would walk slowly and watch a tv show while I walked, 10 minutes at first, then 20, then 30 minutes over a period of time. Sometimes I could do it several days in a row, other times I couldn't.
One day during radiation I got to the gym, slowly changed into my exercise clothes and realized that was as much as I could do, just change my clothes. I could not walk up the stairs to the exercise room. I was completely drained of energy. I was rather shaken by the realization, and went home and rested. I should add that at the time I was driving myself an hour and a half each way to radiation, for a total of three hours of driving every day, so it is reasonable that I was tired. I just hadn't recognized it. Tired can be cumulative. Eventually I worked my way up to walking faster, using the incline, etc. then tried the other machines around the gym. I found the eliptical's moving handles to be good for exercising my arms while I strided along on it. I believe it helped me maintain a a good range of motion on the side I had surgery. And I loved the rowing machine.
I am not heavy and had always been active - I'd painted the entire inside of a house the year before, but after going through my treatments I had very little reserve and needed to build myself back up. Your wife will get her energy and strength back too. It will just happen slowly. She needs to do what she is probably already doing, eating very healthfully and resting when she needs to rest. Walking will do her a lot of good, outside or in a gym. She can build up her activity level as she feels her body get stronger.0 -
Thanks Hortense,
I am actually amazed at how well she is doing. She puts in a full day and keeps herself busy thanks to her sister and close girlfriends. This is the week she would normally get her chemo treatment and since she is done she tells me her neuropathy is getting somewhat better. Also her taste buds are getting back to normal and she is eating better!
Today she is taking herself to the RO to get remarked for radiation. She had to do it over because her TE was to expanded and she had to get deflated somewhat. We are fortunate that our hospital is 10 minutes from our house. I have read how some of you like yourself, travel a great distance for your treatments. Wow, no wonder you get tired!
I remain optomistic that we can kick C in its butt. All of you wonderful ladies help with that! I play in a band and last Saturday I wore a black shirt with a big pink ribbon on it for her and all of you! Prayers to all!
Thanks, Joe.0 -
JDB53 and all - some YMCA locations around the country have a Livestrong program that is free to all cancer survivors. These classes are geared toward the limitations treatment places on us and the trainers have received special instruction specifically geared to this population. My program was 12 free weeks at the Y with complete access to any and all programs and equipment, a personal trainer two days a week, and some special presentations on nutrition, etc.0 -
Joe....I was exercising throughout chemo and radiation, even getting in a couple of cycling events. That said, I found I didn't have energy reserves. I also found I needed extra protein for at least a year post treatment. Big energy boost about six weeks after chemo. Found I was power walking one day. Then a dip towards the end of radiation. Things started to get better about 3.5 weeks after I finished rads.
I did all my normal summer cycling events, but have to say that they were a lot more fun this past summer. I just didn't have energy reserves. I took more naps than usual too.
Suddenly at the six months post radiation point, I noticed that I had a LOT more energy.
I have learned that healing continues for years post treatment. Such as my hair got a lot thicker this year. I am assuming I healed in other places too. I took up running in the spring with the result being that I am stronger than ever cycling.
One thing I want to mention is that I was just fine even when not fully recovered. It's not that my life was over, just that I got tired a bit more easily and didn't have quite as much endurance. My ankle that I banged up in a cycling accident bothered me a lot more than the after-effects of treatment. It's still healing.
It took about 15 months post chemo to get back into a look I really liked, and now LOVE my new look. I love my bob!! While I also loved uber short, I hated the in-between look. About the same time, my dreams came back.
Anyway, mentioning all this as you do recover, and for me, life and career are better than ever! Which reminds me.....off to the shower and then to work. On site today, and dragging from last night's Halloween party. - Claire0 -
Claire,
Your an inspiration. I have followed your posts and have seen pictures of you cycling. My wife is in her late 50's. I was just lol because I was thinking of the time we tried to go bike riding along the beach at the shore, not good for the pedestrians! We will stick to walking!
Special K- Yes indeed, our YMCA does offer that for her and its 5 minutes from us!
Good stuff, thanks!0 -
Hey K - checked with my YMCA. Great program but no Y in my county does such program - hard to qualify for national approval, she said. Maybe in OC but it is too far for me. I have a membership to the Y and would love to participate in something like that. The expert guidance could save me injuries,
Claire - You have it so together..aiming to be You in months from now. Only 6 months since surgery and getting my implants in Dec. Still no hair, just a really dark shadow, no finger nails, some incoming eyebrows and a small bunch of eyelashes. Too funny, I put mascara on each eyelash individually...takes 5 rounds to make them look decent!
Joe - Will stay out of the way when I see you riding a bike in Naples...LoL! So glad to hear your girl is doing great. Thanks for cute pink ribbon. A band, how fun! What music do you play?0 -
Nisa,
We are a band of old friends ages 61, 60,58,55, 54, 40 and our lead singer is 27. We use him for the ladies, lol. We play classic rock and dance music, Whatever works to get people up and on the dance floor.0 -
Nisa - I know they are working to expand the Livestrong program, so hopefully it will come to your Y sometime soon. The only qualifier is cancer so if the program comes in 6 months or a year or two years, you can still go! Also, they count the weeks by attendance - I stopped and started three times due to surgeries, so that was great!
Here are some exercise resources:0 -
Joe - the band sounds fabulous! I am overdue for a mid-life crisis. I am trying to choose between my own band, a convertible, or an affair but will need to wait to have hair first...LOL. See, this is evidence I watched too much TV during chemo.
SpecialK - I am ready for some kind of exercise program. On Sunday, I jogged with my dog around a basketball court. Two laps running, and two fast walking, a bit of water and then again. The downside of being slim is that I tell myself I am ok when in fact I am in bad shape... 8 total perimeters of a b-ball courts and was SO tired I had to lay on the grass to recover.
Nice day to eveyone. Love, Nisa0 -
Nisa,
I think I would go for the convertible! Less trouble all around!0 -
Joe - Ok, a convertible is now at top of the list. Other ideas for MD-crisis include getting 3 puppies, a few months in a monastery, or cycling across country (Claire could be my trainer). And speaking of Claire...are pics of her cycling somewhere on this forum?0 -
Nisa - the convertible is actually better with no hair, lol! I feel ya on the out of shape thing - I look ok but have less stamina - that said, it is light years better than right after chemo, so have faith!0 -
Nisa, I remember seeing picture of Claire cycling, but don't remember where I saw them. My wife , Mary Alice, is my biggest fan, lol. She actually gives me a lot of song suggestions. We will be playing again the Saturday after Thanksgiving and she plans to be there for that. That will be special for all of us as we miss her being there.
Yesterday we met with our MO for the follow up after the last Chemo treatment. He examined her and said she was doing well. He doesnt want to do anymore CAT or PET scans on her as he feels she has had enough exposure over the last few years. (She had a broken arm and nodes in her lungs that were examined) I guess thats a good thing?? He told us that he would see her again in February and gave her a prescription for Arimidex which he wants her to start taking 2 weeks into radiation treatment which starts this Monday.
Kind of a weird feeling for both of us.Not sure if we should be happy or nervous!0 -
It is an unsettling time when you get 'dismissed'. It IS good, but it does make you nervous too!
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Thank you ruthbru for your comment about being "dismissed". I am done with surgery, radiation and now taking letrozole. I won't be seeing my MO until January and I feel so alone. This site is my only support because few in my immediate circle of family or friends has been though BC and the few that have had BC were treated so many years ago they don't want to relieve it. I'm not feeling sorry for myself……I'm lucky to have had the best care. I just have no one to talk to. Support groups were not offered by my MO because "they would just scare me" as so many are worse off than I am. That I understand but……………..???????0 -
cakes - this site is great. Alot of these women have a wealth of information as well as a sense of humor! That is so important!
JDB glad to hear your wife gets to have a well deserved break. You are so supportive - wish you both the best.
Nisa - enjoy whatever you decide!!
I am back under the knife tomorrow for my corrective surgery & fat grafting! Hope it goes easy - should be a breeze compared to April. Looking forward to all the meals I've been promised and company while I get to be Princess for the week - LOL
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