Stage 2 Sisters Club
Comments
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I think friends/family 'rally' during a crisis situation, and then it is natural for things go back to normal for everyone.... except the person in the middle of it, who is left with a 'WYF just happened to me?' feeling. In some ways, I don't think that the really hard emotional healing even starts until after the physical stuff is done. That's why it is really good to have BCO and/or other people to talk to who have 'been there, done that'.
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ruthbru - AMEN!!!0 -
I am dragging this week from the crud so minimal exercise. Here is a picture from the Seattle-to-Portland, just before the finish back in July. It was almost 100 miles of cycling that day and 108 the day before. - Claire
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Claire - Such nice pic! Thanks for posting. Reading the distances you bike gave me pain in the legs lol. I think I should stick to a convertible or 3 puppies for my middle-life crisis.
Mjsgumbas - Big day today for you! Hope all went as expected and that whoever is under your roof is treating you like a queen. Please share when you can use your arms/hands.
Ruth - You are so right!
Hugs to all, Nisa0 -
Home and being spoiled. Never imagined i'd be in so much discomfort, but no pain no gain. I'd never go for liposuction voluntarily!!!!!!! Hope everyone has a good night! Thanks for checking Nisa0 -
Legs is the wrong spot! We don't wear padded shorts on long distance rides for nothing.
Finally got in a run after being out of action (well, mostly) for about a week. Hoping for some cycling to make up for slacking off.
I haven't done the lipo route....and don't plan to. Another reason to hit the trail, path, or track. Feel better. - Claire0 -
MJsgumbas - So glad you let us know. The discomfort sounds painful; wish I could help. Were you told how long will you be away from daily activities? My transfer is in December. I thought if surgery is on Friday that I could go to work on Monday but I'm starting to think I am being delusional. Will have to re-visit the thread "exchange city."
Claire - you inspired me to look in Craigslist for a used bike...who knows!
Nice long weekend everyone. And if you belong to a military family, happy holiday Monday...and thank you for your service.
Nisa0 -
nisa - I had fat transfer and could drive after a few days, but didn't feel decent for the better part of the week. For me, it was not that painful - more of a hit by a small truck feeling. I did have to wear compression 24/7 for 8 weeks, and could only walk, no gym or strenuous exercise. So ix-nay on chasing the three puppies around for the moment for you! Thanks for the V-day wishes!0 -
Dr did say a week - i extepted it to be a little easier, thought i'd have some soreness but it was a weird burning yesterday. That has subsided and now just sore. Plan on just relaxing in the rcliner again today - havent had much of that since i went back to work early june. Gotta take advantage
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Thank you mjsgumbas, and I hope all goes nice and smooth for you. Hope you get pampered as you deserve it!
Cakes- My wife is starting radiation on Monday. She is going for the "dry run" this morning at 1030. I feel nervous about the radiation more so than I did for the chemo. I dont know why, but I do. Can you share with me your experience with that please?0 -
After chemo, radiation was a piece of cake for me. I could actually FEEL my energy returning. Just be sure to use whatever ointment they recommend religiously, don't wait until you have a problem. I slathered it on at night (don't put any on in the morning before the 'zap' or it will intensify the burn), but I brought a tube in the changing room with me and smeared it on again right when I was done with my treatment. The only thing that happened to my skin was in the last couple weeks it got red & felt like a sun burn (from the inside out). I bought a small lap fan and when I was sitting around I blew it up my shirt & also had a fan by the bed & trained it on the area at night. Also, it will be in your system for 2 weeks after your last treatment, so expect to wait out those two weeks before things start to get back get to more normal.
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Joe, radiation was pretty much a piece of cake for me. It's irritating to have to schedule around it every day, but of course that is very doable. I got red and itchy toward the end, but my skin quickly recovered. Never really noticed much tiredness. I kept exercising every day of treatment. Your wife will be fine!0 -
Radiation was very easy compared to chemo.
I suggest that she wears old t-shirts next to her skin during radiation as the thick cremes and oils we have to coat the radiated area with stains everything. I had to throw out almost all my tops after using AquaPhor and Calendula oil. Nothing got out the grease stains. At the very least, don't wear anything good. Also, l suggest that later in her treatment on she skips wearing a bra so that it can't rub her skin, especially underneath her breast. My nurse suggested wearing camisoles with build in shelf bras, but I couldn't find any to fit properly. They were either so loose as to be useless or too tight for me.
Be sure she continues to regularly moisturize the radiated area with a rich creme or body butter long after radiation ends - up to a year - or her skin could dry out and start feeling thick and cardboard-y a few months later, as mine did. I had to start using a body butter twice a day until it got better, then went away. I wish I had been told about that beforehand as I have since learned it is quite a common side effect.
I found a lovely product called "Say Yes to Carrots Body Butter" which comes in a round flat jar and is paraben and sulphate free - an important consideration for those of us who have had cancer. It is sold in Target and chain drug stores like Rite Aid. A year later I still use it every night, for if I don't, I can see the beginnings of a change within two days.
Also, I was told that the radiated breast might end up being smaller, and mine is. Some people's gets harder, but mine has remained soft, perhaps because I regularly moisturize and massage in the cream.0 -
Thank you all for your advise and well wishes!0 -
JDB53 - I didn't have chemo as many of the brave ladies on this site, but I can assure you the warriors on this thread are more able to relate and advise you on your wife's situation than I am. Just be sure to ask questions and make sure she is comfortable. The threads on radiation are very helpful.
Good Luck,
Cakes0 -
After a 2+week wait, I was ready to go into the MRI room yesterday when the tech read my answers to paperwork and noticed I have TEs. She said no MRI until they are gone. I thought TEs are made of rubber. She said there is metal in them, I was so disappointed!
This pain in the back has been there for a long time but took a backseat given the SEs from chemo. It is a tolerable dull low grade (5 on 10-scale) always-present pain that about once a week requires meds. But lately seems to getting worse. Waiting until late Dec to get the MRI seems like a long time. The MRI is for thoracic area to see if anything is pressing on it.
What would you do? Get another test that generates less info but something is better tha nothing? Get TEs removed early? Will be talking to doc this week. Here just venting and hoping for suggestions from you.
Hugs, Nisa0 -
mjsgumbas - How are things going for you? Hopefully swelling is going down and you are enjoying the recliner!0 -
Much better today thank you Nisa. Swelling is better but bruised pretty good. Will be all good soon. Hope your back feels better until you can have your mri0 -
Nisa...sorry your are in pain...if they can't do the MRI could they do a PET scan to check for any hot spots? Hope you're feeling better soon...(((Hugs))) Maureen0 -
hi all, I've been off the boards for a few weeks and was just catching up. Recent posts in the tnbc thread got me depressed and I decided to take a break from the boards and try to live my life without dwelling on the cancer. Problem is there's always something that keeps reminding you of what you have been through whether it's the surprised look on an acquaintance's face when they realize who you are because of how different you look with the short thin hair or the lack of energy or the terrible dryness I have now or pains i now have. My point is this is the only place that I feel comfortable because you have all been through it too with the emotional rollercoaster. You are all amazing and I just wanted you to know that!
Nisa, sorry bout the MRI, there is a metal plate in there that keeps the needle from going too far when they fill.
Jcolford, I got frustrated too when they couldn't help me with what I thought was joint pain so I decided to see a chiropractor and he has done a lot in relieving muscle tension which has helped some of my pains.
Got a PS appt now, getting TE replaced in 2 weeks. Not looking forward to another surgery but want to be done.0 -
Dear Meli, I got depressed too by reading another thread. Just stick with the ones you feel comfortable.
I do have to tell you I know so many survivors and they keep me real. This is a tough time but without you even knowing it it will be past and you won't even remember it! I have a friend I just saw and she told me she never remembers about her cancer. She did because I as talking about my wig that I actually love. It happened more than a decade ago and she lives her life like nothing happened. Remember a decade ago there were less tools and trials, medicine and all in place and she is fine, as well as many of my friends. Cheer up!0 -
Maureen - Thanks for well wishes, hugs and the PET idea. I still can't get over results from my only PET 7 months ago. It was done 2 days prior my BMX and showed no cancer in my breasts! Surgeon said that was a false negative (biopsies had been positive for IDC) and sure enough there was 6.4cm of IDC and 12.2 cm of DCIS in my other breast.
Mely - Nice you are posting and I can relate to wanting to avoid the cancer topic yet for me this is also the safest place where I can write about my fears. Please post or PM about the transfer surgery. Mine is coming up in mid-Dec and can't wait.
Headeast - How nice of you to offer support when you are in the middle of chemo and probably dealing with SEs. How are you doing and how is taxotere treating you? BTW, I love the city you write from!
Love, Nisa0 -
ruthbru - So true about the "WTF just happened to me?" The whole thing went so fast. I didn't even have time to process that I have cancer. Now, all of it is starting to hit me. There are times now when I think, "Shut up. I have cancer?" Haha. It feels almost surreal. Can't explain it.
Claire_in_Seattle - Seattle to Portland? OMG. Amazing job!!
Mely19 - I've been off the boards for a while, too. This past month has been crazy. I blame Mercury in Retrograde.
I'm heading to Roatan Island in the Caribbean after Thanksgiving. 9 days of swimming, sunbathing, sleeping, and nothing to do with cancer. Thank God. 0 -
Dear Nisa,
Thank you for the compliment. I am dealing with the side effects but i am positive This treatment is killing all cancer cells, if any left, in my body.
I actually don't mind having no hair or the side effects just but knowing it will make me better in the long run.0 -
thanks all for the encouragement! Hubby just caught me reading the boards again and asked " you reading bout hair or implants?" Guess I'm a little obsessed about both right now.
Global girl, have fun on your vacation. Sound fun.
Head east, I keep telling myself that my lack of hair is a small price for staying alive. But I still miss it.
Nisa, will keep you posted on my exchange.0 -
Mely, I guess I would miss my hair if I didn't have the cutest wigs. i bought them online and are actually so cute and in depiffernet colors ans shapes.0 -
Off-topic... when I was in treatment, I would sit with a few other ladies in the Infusion Room. We'd chat and leaf through women's magazines. After a awhile we dubbed all the hair product print ads as "hair porn"... 'caused great hilarity amongst the nurses.
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Love it!
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Re: hair - If any stage 2 people are reading through here before having chemo, I'd like them to know that they do not automatically have to go bald, that it might be possible for them to save their hair by using cold caps. They worked for me and many others. In fact my hospital is one of five across the country taking part in a clinical trial that may result in FDA approval for a new device that cools scalps during chemo thereby allowing patients to keep their hair. Unfortunately, few doctors or nurses know about modern scalp cooling, or tell patients that it is a possibility. The caps are more successful with Taxotere Cytoxan than with ACT which is a harsher regimen. For information on scalp cooling go to: www.rapunzelproject.org and to the cold caps threads on this website.0 -
Thanks Mely19! Luckies on your surgery, and eBay has a lot of great wigs. Even the synthetic ones look really nice!
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