January 2014 Surgery Sisters
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good luck Diane!
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Thank you ladies, but I think I'm going to wait a while, since it seems to be gone. It's probably just a lymph node or drainage of some kind. Tumors don't leave and come back, and I have more important things on my mind this week. Sigh...at my son's annual check up the doctor found a lump in one of his testicles, so he has to have an ultrasound next Monday. The pediatrician said it was "probably nothing, but lets get an ultrasound to make sure". It took me right back to the day they sent me for my mamo/US, saying the same thing. I would rather have a reoccurrence and 5 more surgeries myself than have anything happen to my son. He's only 13 and healthy, but I doubt I will sleep well until we have an "all clear". If you are of a mind to pray, or send out positive energy, I would appreciate it.
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sending prayers and hugs for you and your son!
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Sending positive thoughts to both of you!!
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Thank you Beverly and Mary, and thanks for the call Eve. I feel much better!
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love you lady,
you have my number if you need me....
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Hi all, sorry I have been MIA. I just don't get out to bco as much anymore but think of all of you a lot.
Eve, you will get your mojo back. You are still healing from all you have been through the past few months. Your mind just needs some time to catch up.
Diane,sending healing vibes your way. I am confident it is NOTHING but glad you are getting it checked out.
Beverly, hang in there, girl. Your roller coaster has got to slow down soon.
I can't remember where I left off with you gals. I finally finished my antibiotics about 4 weeks ago. PS said the MRI looked much improved. We aren't out of the woods yet because radiated skin is so fickle but so far so good. That side is much tighter than the other implant but at this point no outward signs of infection so we will just press ahead. I don't see him again until May unless I. It ice something and he will get me in right away.
Have any of you taken probiotics? I started when I finished my abx because I got that brown furry tongue itchy thing from the meds and I fuigured my immune system could use a kick start. They sure do keep you regular!
I also moved to Aromasin and knock on wood I feel pretty good. No joint aches yet! Diane, are you back to TKD? I have started kickboxing again. It has been satisfying to get that small piece of normal back even if at a much lower intensity.
Beverly, I would be curious on you exercises for the right arm pit. I get that, too.
Mary, you back at yoga? I am headed to a class this morning:)
Namaste everyone!
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Hi Ann
glad to know the antibiotics are working...what an ordeal for you. I have taken probiotics. They have also helped me in counter-acting the effects of antibiotics. and YES they do fix your gut.
Funny, it is not my mind that has lost its mojo it is my body. I just can't find the energy I used to have. We bought a couch, a sectional really, through a company called Home Reserve.... long story but six boxes arrived this week. .heh heh...I put each section together in a few hours on Friday. This lovely couch is 11 1/2 feet long. It totally ROCKS! So Saturday and today the old body is feeling it....I had a blast putting it together....nice when you buy something and it lives up to your expectations.
I think the mojo thing has more to do with a purpose, a challenge....so we'll just have to find something else to build..
Anyhow...I am looking forward to the Iowa caucuses tomorrow night... I am a kinda a political geek. It should be fun.
love you all...
E
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Ha, Eve! I am so ready for the Iowa caucus to be over! Wish I had a clear view to a candidate I could back. Would name my no goes but I don't think bco is the forum for political debate. Lol!
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Ann, glad to hear things are improving. I was wondering how you were doing with that. No, I'm not back to Yoga, but am determined to get there - maybe tonight! I've been a bad girl and haven't done anything since July. No walking....nothing, so I'm really out of shape and I think because of that I'm messed up emotionally. This time of year is so hard for me. I'm trying different antidepressants and trying to regulate my sleep better. But I feel like I'm starting from square one with the PTSD and after effects of DH's cancer. I was positive for a long time during his treatment and recovery but now it's caught up with me. I'm just so sad I can hardly stand it.
But I'm trying my best to stay hopeful. I need to be strong for both of us... I've been applying for jobs and had a few interviews. I really suck at interviewing. But I really need to get back into the job market. My DH is only able to work a few days a week, so this has really been tough in more ways than one.
Eve, I know what you mean about finding a purpose. I need to find that, too.
~M
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lol Ann...I DO know who I am voting for...but you are right this isn't the place.
Oh my dear Mary, I totally get the PTSD stuff. I've had that since I was a kid. Sigh...hard to deal with at times. I am sorry you are so sad. Feel the sad. Don't deny it. Crying has always been so cleansing for me. I do know the further away you get from John's diagnosis and the more confident you feel about his cure, things will get easier. I think I am just going to wallow in the depression, just own all of the crap and really try to see it all for what it is....CRAP. Nothing to see here! I am giving my self until my birthday in march and then treat that day as A NEW BIRTH-DAY. I am not going to look for perfection in myself anymore....good enough is good enough...."Life IS like a box of chocolates" and chocolate tastes pretty darn good, along with bacon, bean dip, pilsner beer, cheese, pizza, filet mignon ha ha you get it. (there's 10lbs right there)
well now I have to make dinner...
love you
E
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Hi ladies. Just a quick drive by to say my son's US was ok. Radiologist said nothi to worry about. Whew!
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yay, Diane
so happy to hear David is aok...
E
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so glad to hear Diane!! How are you doing
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hi ladies! My cancer free anniversary, January 29, I went to see my 2 girls participate in a spelling bee. It was also my last day on medical leave.The kids were in grades 4-6.
My daughter Hannah, a 4th grader came in 7th out of 35. My daughter Kaya, a 6th grader came in 1st place!!!! It was so exciting. It took place at the school I worked at as a 6th grade teacher prior to my diagnosis. All the staff came up and congratulated me etc. it was awesome! I am so proud of them both. We live in a small town and we went to the girls high school yesterday and people swRmed her congratulating her, gave her a laminated copy of the article from the paper etc. my husband went grocery shopping this morning at the local supermarket and the owner kept 3 copies of the paper for us and gave them free to my husband. On March 12 she goes to represent our town in the states spelling bee at a university . I am so proud!
Of course she also plays basketball and the coach came up to us last night and congratulated us and said I don't even know how to say this but our semi finals is that day. I really need her to play. Sorry coach! This comes first!! You win the semifinals and she'll play in the championship game the day after. Lol
My husband is going in for a total knee replacement on Wednesday so I'll be on leave again from February 10-22. At least. I have my observation with my principal on March 3 which makes me a bit nervous that I'll be able to get everything done for it... But my husband was there for my 11+ surgeries so this is my priority- to be there for him!
So.... Carolina Panthers or Denver Broncos
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Beverly, That sounds like the perfect way to spend your 2 year. What an empowering day for your family.
Your husband is really going to need help. Knee surgery is not for sissies. I hope it goes well and he is able to balance his pain meds.
I went to the Taekwondo studio to do forms yesterday with one of my friends. Although it was not strenuous, I did light jogging, forms, squats and sit-ups. Weird that my feet hurt more than my knees. I am so out of shape and heavy that it is going to take much more work before I can join a real class, but it's a place to start.
As long as I move forward, right?
Love and hugs ladies,
Dua
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congrats to the kids, Beverly and best wishes to your husband.
Good on you Diane. Take it slow lady.
How you doing Mary, hope all is well.
I am AOK. Snuggled up waiting for our freeze tonight. Nate and Daniel are going camping with the boy Scouts this weekend..EGAD! its gonna be cold. I'm glad to stay home and snuggle with the dog and cat. Good times.
love to all
Eve
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Eve,
This weekend it's going to be -15 in Connecticut!!
So my husbands surgery went well but when I got to see him in recovery he had a patch on his eye. Keep in mind he went in for knee replacement!!!
The anesthesiologist says I bet ur wondering about the patch... I'm like yes!!! He says we don't really know what happened. We think he was confused and scratched it when he woke up. I'm like u think? Aren't there like 10 of u in the room?!?! How do u not know for certain. Started thinking maybe it wasn't my husband that scratched it but them! I made them put in an order for an eye doctor to see him! Let's just say they haven't come to see him yet! The eye is bothering him more than the leg for Petes sake!! Are u kidding me?!?
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whoa! that's cooooold. I remember that from my Iowa days.
WTF with your husband's eye???? I'll tell you what I don't trust many doctors anymore. When I came out of surgery this last time my neck really hurt. I have a defect in the atlas vertebrae, the one that holds your head up. So apparently when they tilted my head back to put the breathing tube in they pinched a nerve back there, so now my lower lip and front of my tongue go numb and twitch if I move my neck a certain way. Sheesh. It is really annoying at times...oh well. I'm like you "are you kidding me"? But because they didn't know about my neck no one is taking any blame for it.
Hopefully your hubby's eye is just a scratch, very annoying, but will heal quickly. Are they giving him drops that will deadend the pain? Sure hope so.
Hang in there kid.
E
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Hi Eve, thanks for asking. I've been busy working on lot of projects - biggest one is self care. Back to trying some different meds for SAD, working on sleep hygiene, misc. diet & lifestyle changes for GERD, applying for jobs, cleaning out and hauling stuff to Goodwill, catching up with family and friends, trying to get motivated to exercise, get taxes done, and clean my house, among other things.
DH is still only working 2 days a week. They want him back full time. He's still very weak and tired, but improving slowly. I finally talked him into doing a sleep study. I'm sure he has sleep apnea and hoping once that's treated he'll feel better. Oh and I'm scheduled for a brain MRI....my NP just wants to make sure there's nothing going on and my memory issues are just stress/old age/meds. Also I've been having some issues with my tongue - sores, numbness, and pain which sent me running to the ENT. Good news is that I don't have oral cancer, but something called "burning tongue syndrome." Apparently it's common for postmenopausal women (i.e. old ladies).
Beverly, wow, it sounds like they're literally trying to cover something up. Hope it's not too serious.
Eve, your neck - that really sucks. After my BMX I had blurred vision for weeks, major shoulder issues, and LE but they refused to admit it was from that. Took forever to go away.
It's like Gilda Radner said - "It's always something, if it ain't one thing, it's another..."
~M
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hey mary,
I get the SAD thing....I think that was my problem when I was living in Iowa. So depressed, I couldn't wait for spring. I had 100 Peony bushes that came up every year. Hollyhocks and daffodils, hyacinths, tulips. I didn''t plant any of them...just a wonderful surprise the first year in my little beloved house. Things just dry up and die here in Florida. Although my Jasmine and Bougainvillea and camellias are pretty awesome...helps with the SAD. I have the opposite here when it comes to summer...yuk. everything dies because of the heat and you have to water constantly.
Have you tried pro-biotics for your GERD? Thanks to a mention by Ann I started on that again...oh my what a diference. Also drinking emergen-c lots of good vitamins in that. Have also had the tongue stuff...I really am thinking that it , a lot, of problems are due to not getting the vitamins we need. Has anyone suggested high doses of Vitamin D3 for you? Lack of being out in the sunlight can really cause a problem.
Let us know about the MRI. We are both getting near to 60 which I don't consider "old" but we both have Alzheimer's and dementia in our make-up so good to get checked out. I feel as if I have short term memory issues. Getting out the white board to write things down when I remember what I need to do. It is getting almost comical at this point.
As far as my neck...sigh..getting old, osteo arthritis (sp) congenital defect..lol oh well...I am glad I know why my ears ring and I have vertigo it is all from my neck. Not cancer and not life threatening so I am grateful for that.
Love love Gilda..Rosanadanana heh heh
love you
E
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By the way, I had the shoulder issues also. I think they do some weird stuff to us when we are out during surgery. akkkk! lol
For all of my complaining things are getting better. found a bit of my mojo..still searching for the other bits.
e
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Eve,
Thanks for the tips! I'll try anything at this point that doesn't have to do with taking more medications.
Yeah, Rosannadanna - gotta love it!!!! It's become my mantra. Hey, that reminds me.....My BF and I used to try to mimic Gilda Radner back in the day. Before my diagnosis when I wasn't feeling "well" I remembered years ago when Gilda had ovarian cancer and how she talked about how tired she was. I was fatigued - to an extreme. But the docs, as did I, chalked it up to depression. Then one day I heard Oprah (believe it or not) in my head and remembered one of her shows where she talked about breast cancer and that an inverted nipple could be a symptom. I looked in the mirror and OMG - my nipple looked funny. Then I had the dream about my BF who tried to speak to me but I couldn't hear her. When I woke up the next day my hand went to my breast and felt it. I knew right then and there what was wrong with me.
So the moral of the story is...listen to the wise women in your life, past and present. They are all there for a reason and we are all meant to help one another. Thanks for being there.
Love,
M
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Mary,
Sorry it took me so long to answer. I agree about best friends. Mine is wonderful, always there for me as I am for her.
I remember during the first go round with this cancer stuff..for all the tests and appointments, she was there with me for every one.(she took me to every one, even though she lives 20 miles away) The last test before surgery I had the biopsy. Until that day I was really strong and felt courageous. We went to the grocery store and I just stopped in the middle of the aisle and started to sob...just a little catching my breath sob...Tonia took my hand and simply said "We've got this" I'll forever be grateful for her friendship.
life is good.
hope all is well with everyone.
love eve
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Eve, your BFF sounds like a lifesaver!
So.....tomorrow we are driving down to the cancer clinic. DH has been coughing more than before and seems to be having issues with eating. He says it's just because his throat is dry, but I'm worried. I setup a swallowing study and to meet with a speech pathologist, so we'll see how that goes. He's also having a sleep study done, which I've been trying to get him to do for decades!! This will be an "interesting" trip. I'm just glad that there's no snowstorms or extreme cold in the forecast - just lots of wind and maybe showers.
Wish us luck!
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Be safe Mary and best wishes John.
Thinking about you both.
Keep in touch.
Love
Eve
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Well, the results are in.....(drum roll....) J's swallowing study looks normal, meaning it's normal for him, but not like the rest of us, which apparently is to be expected. He coughs quite a bit while eating, but not much can be done about that. It is what it is. On the other hand, his sleep study turned out just like I thought it would - SEVERE sleep apnea. He wakes up 59 to 61 times an hour. Yep, that's about once a minute throughout the night. So, CPAP store, here we come!!!! The good news is that this can be fixed and he should feel better shortly after he starts using it. YAY! I"m looking forward to him getting some good zzzz's and maybe even being able to get out and do more.
Now, if only I could fix my insomnia and my SAD, we'd both be happy campers.
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Good news Mary!
Just thinking your insomnia may be because John has such a hard time getting a restful sleep. I know it was that way with me and Rob. We had separate bedrooms for most of our marriage. My next door neighbor had a small heat attack because of the sleep apnea. Now, with the mask she is AOK and has lost a ton of weight just because she is sleeping better.
My best to you both...nice when you have an actual solution to a problem.
Love
Eve
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Yes, sleep apnea leads to heart damage and heart attacks. I've tried to tell him that for years, but he never listens to me. I was so glad when he finally agreed to do the sleep study. I KNEW it would show what it did and I think he was very surprised. I never said a word, though (only in my head did I say, I told you so, lol!). I hope he realizes his mistake and starts listening to me more. Men!!
We have separate bedrooms, too, so I can't use that for an excuse. He's always been able to fall asleep and appears to stay asleep all night, but he doesn't actually have the deep sleep. Ever since my diagnosis I developed some bad habits, but I'm working on it. For me I think it's mostly anxiety. I finally got myself a portable CD player and will again start playing my mindfulness meditation CDs. I know I need to exercise during the day and work on my sleep hygiene. I joined a local indoor track and have started to walk every day - finally! My nurse said that I shouldn't use any electronics after dinner, don't eat anything after 7, and get to bed by 10pm. Watching TV at night is a routine for both of us, so that will be really hard!
The sun is shining today and the snow is melting!!! Yay!
Take care,
~M
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Sleep hygiene.....love it...
mine is sleeping with a 6'1 280lb hubby and a 50lb dog in a full size bed. OMG I end up in a little ball, stuck in one position all night. I get my REM sleep between 6am and 10am after Nate gets up and goes to work. BUT, when he is camping with his son with the boy scouts...I can't sleep at all. So funny.
The best sleep I every had was at a hotel a couple of year ago. They had a bed called "The heavenly bed" Oh YES! Huge super duper king with a fab mattress and a feather bed on top and a ton of other fabulous sheets etc. sigh. You can buy one but it is way expensive.
I swear when we finally move into bigger quarters I am getting one. Then the dog can have the full size.
I too have made a commitment to getting on the treadmill everyday even if for ten minutes. I did just a bit ago while Nate was preparing our steaks for the b-b que. I told him it was boring to walk on the treadmill so he started entertaining me..ha ha he's not a good mime but a great stand up comedian.
I truly hope you and John can get to the fun in your life. That the serious is behind you.
love
E
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