Starting chemo August 2014
Comments
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Strongenough - Very sorry to hear about ur friend. With all the people actually surviving cancer these days, unfortunately we still lose some.
LadyB - I wish I could recall Starlover, but I don't remember her. Congrats on your speaking engagement. You are awesome.
Wedding plans coming along. Still lots to do.
My hair is still very thin in front. I've been keeping it the natural color (white) since it doesn't show my scalp as badly. My sister insisted I needed to color it. So I did. I am so miserable now. Can't wait to lighten it up again. Why is everyone so opinionated on what's what. Why did I not trust my own judgement. Live and learn. Lol I'm complaining about the color of my hair. I guess life is good.....we certainly know it could be worse.
Love you all and wishing everyone the best. Some updates would be great to hear.
Cathie
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Hello to all my girls, Sounds like most of you are doing well and moving on. So happy for you.
Had wedding reception for my son and bride on Friday, chemo and chemo nite dinner on Thursday, Dh mothers 93 birthday party for 15 on Wednesday. What a week it has been.
Going Wednesday for the 7th TaTa reunion in Las Vegas. Can't wait to see all the sistas from BCO.
My last Muga was good and CT of lungs remained stable. Staying on H&P until I can't stand it any longer due to SE. Onco is pleased with no new growths.
I tried some fake nipple tattoos 6 weeks ago. Onco thought they were real tats. I wasn't quite convinced they were the right shade so I asked him....really, he sees a lot of boobs. He told me I needed Crimson on one and cream colored on the other. These just happen to be the colors of his alma mater...University of Oklahoma. So this week I went in with Love OU fake tats on each. Really funny!
Hope everyone stays ok...I've missed your posts somehow.
XO Brenda
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oh beatmon! Too funny about the fake tats! Great idea. I always feel funny wearing a necklace to my appointments as I know then I'll be topless with jewelry on. Kinda weird unless you are kim kardashian. She's always naked.
Did the big move Friday night the 4th. Hopedthat leaving at 8pm would guarantee some kids asleep. All in all the drive was okay, but the only four hours of sleep I got was just too little. On my trial drug, the fatigue is bad, and it destroys my blood counts. Almost as bad as chemo, so I got sick. Now almost two weeks later, every single kid in the house is sick, along with grandma. We have been trying to get help, and have some bad luck with flaky students and such. It's been grueling trying to unpack and watch four kids at the same time, I've been having some really hard days, these stairs are just killing me with a twenty Pound baby attached at the hip. just went back to SF for my trial drug check and don't like the new fellow. I said I was having slight nosebleeds from the drug, and she said " I did a paper on the drug and it's not a side effect." Well the drug company's own press release lists it as a side effect. I hate doctors who think their patients are stooopid.they are usually new docs and full of themselves.
I'm still waiting to feel rested and strong one of these days. Hoping I can get some steady help and go to physical therapy and the gym. Will that help? Hope so. I feel really worn out physically and emotionally from the last year.
Hugs to all congrats on travels, weddings all the good things!
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Hi all. It's good to read your updates - the good, the bad and everything in between. I've been back to work for about four weeks now. It's going really well, but I'm pretty tired and not finding time to walk 150 minutes a week like I think I ought to. So I need to figure that out. DD is off to a good start for 10th grade, but she strained her back and has been out of dance for going on two weeks now. That has been hard to see. I'm walking in a Making Strides BC walk next month, and some of the students at my school are going to try and fundraise for me. That is pretty cool.
This next week we go camping. I had to miss the trip last year due to chemo, so it feels good to be able to go this year.0 -
Gatomal, I certainly agree...when you have to tell docs or nurses the SE or the half life etc of a drug. Especially disturbs me how little teaching my chemo nurses do. I was teaching in my dialysis unit from sun upto sundown. Hope you get some help,soon
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Beatmon - Nipple tattoos sound awesome. Loved your sense of humor with your Doctor.
Gatamol - You always have so much going on. Moving! Crap, that's hard w/o kids. Hope you get some help soon and the fatigue lets up some. I think ur due for a break. Hang tough....
Cassiecat - Glad you can go on camping trip this year. Enjoy! Sorry to hear about ur DD back.
My DH back is still very bad. It's starting to become a little depressing. We have a wedding to attend in Oct and son coming home to visit. I sure hope he will be able to get up and out. He's seeing every kind of Dr and having all kinds of tests. Limited to even driving in a car for short distances.
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Just for fun, here's what my hair is currently doing. I'm about 9 months PFC and get crazy bed head these days. It was always thick, but never wavy/curly!
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hi my peeps!
cassie, nice hair! mine too, very thick and curly.
strongenough, yeah...... I am sorry about your friends. my niece is dying of stage 4 colon cancer and our friend died of lung cancer in November. I HATE cancer. it is all around us.
well we finally made it to Maine for our vacation. What an excellent time we had in the woods! But, I have to admit, it's really nice to be back home. My husband is ecstatic because he bought a torch to burn weeds with, which he has wanted for years. it's a jungle like climate here in the weeds grow just like well… Weeds. So he's out there right now torching the landscape and could not be happier.
i'm laying low but I have an appointment with the oncologist tomorrow. I hate going there it just reminds me of all of this shit. i've been on Pinterest exploring mixed-media art projects and it started one. They're kind of fun and very creative.
not posting much, but nice to see you all.......let's have a wonderful Fall
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Hi all, great to read the updates
Beatmon so funny about the fake tats! Great idea. Love the humor.
Cassie, great hair.
Bippy sorry to hear about your niece. Strongenough sorry to hear about your friend. Over this last year so many I know have been Dx'd with cancer and I have lost few friends.
Billy so glad your get away was relaxing.
Catie, not happy yo hear about DH. Have the been able to pinpoint what is going on? Hope your DD wedding planning is going well.
Tamo SEs are beginning to be more tolerable. I finally have days I almost feel normal. Although I am resigning to the fact I need 8/9 hours of sleep each night and a good nap..Lol😜
Gatemol, hope your are settling in and have gotten some help. Are you adjusting to the trail drug? The weather here has been interesting. Mother nature has been bi-polar. rainy, cold, 90 degree weather, then plummet by 20 degrees. Lol ...
Windhoek, would love an update on your travels.
have a great weekend and take care my friends!
Angie
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Hi Ladies,
Hope everyone is doing well. I am on my third hormone inhibitor. I think this one is the worse as far as SEs. It may just be accumulative, but actually thinking of going back to the first and starting over. I also think I'll take a week break before starting again. Of course will call MO tmrw to let him know. Suppose to take for five years, but I don't know. Anyone else having bad SEs? Arimidex caused joint pain in my hands, so switched to Femara. Still had hand pain and actually turned my hands purple. The third is just aweful. Hot flashes, hand, feet and arm ache. Just don't feel good. DH believes it's worth it. Really?
Wishing everyone good days.
Cathie
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Hi ladies - It has been a long time since I posted but you have all stayed in my thoughts and prayers. I finished my year of Herceptin in early August so the year of active treatment is over. I'm still trying to figure out whatever normal is supposed to be now. I jumped back into the same crazy, work and travel schedule I had before diagnosis but I don't quite have the energy to keep up the way I used to. Would love to semi-retire in the next year or so. My family and customers are still amused that I have wildly curly hair now since it was stick straight before I lost it after chemo.
Catie - I've been on Arimdex/Anaztrozole since February and I also have significant pain in my hands. I've also been experiencing lower back pain for the last few weeks and hope it is "just" a side effect of the medication and not something more serious. Seeing one of my docs next week so we'll see what he says. I was on the fence about taking an AI at all since I'm only 2% estrogen positive but the docs thought I would still benefit. Ugh. I hope you are able to find something you can tolerate with the least possible side effects.
It's so good to see that so many of you are back to work, travel and enjoying life. Wishing you all happy, healthy days ahead.
hugs, Sandy
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good morning to everyone! Now in my 14th month on herceptin and perjeta.
Our bc.org...TaTa sisterhood had a great time in Las Vegas in September. I had wine and cheese party in my condo for the group on the first night. Wonderful visit and so fun and sweet to be with 50 women from this website. Most of our activities involve food and drink...lots of fun. Exhausted when I got home, but it was worth it.
Hope everyone is doing well and finding their way. My ct scan in September showed remaining cancers in lungs to be "stable" but not gone. This month will be MUGA again.
Trying to walk in the pool at least 4 times a week. But now I'm wondering if that is making my cramping worse instead of better.
My bffs came over last night and we had salmon one of the hubbys caught.....yummy dinner.
Had my hair shaped and colored yesterday. Still very thin in front, lots of hair in the back.
Miss hearing from everyone. It is good though that everyone is moving on to their new normals.??whatever the heck that means. Lo
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Hi to all my friends,
I have not posted in a while. I am feeling great but,still think sometimes my cancer is back when I feel a strange pain or feeling something. Went for my 1 year mammogram and they did an ultrasound because I felt a lump. It was my chest bone. UGH. I was sure I was going back to chemo.
Like everyine else I am back to work and got another job near my house. So doing 2 jobs. I like being busy. My hair is so thick it is making me crazy. It came in a strange color. Silver ,white. People tell me I look like Jamie Lee Curtis all the time.
Hope everyone is doing FANTASTIC!!!!!
May we all have health,wealth,and happiness in this life time.
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Hope you are all doing well. It's tough still isn't it? I'm not feeling anywhere near my old self and the trial drug has been hard for me. It's dropping my counts a lot, like chemo, and I'm not sure if I will get the dosage reduced soon. It's hard to go through this, not knowing if it will even help. I'm weak, tired, sleep only relieves it just for a bit. I can't even drive to SF or Reno at night like I used to, too tired at 10:00 to keep going. Not sure when I'll be back to the old me, Femara was fine at first, but it may be starting to have an effect, I'm sore, slower than I used to be mentally, forget much more, it's tough. We are working on getting organized and fixing up my moms house who lives down the street ( but is still Iiving with me and the kids at my house) so those things have been occupying my time. I really think I need some time away from my mom. She's been amazing and has helped and stood by me through all if this. But we just have different set points for the way things "have to be done". I'm pretty much over that with this cancer thing, sure I live a lean house, but with four kids it's never going to be like that unless they are asleep! I've just let go of a lot of stuff, and it's okay, you know. I just want to spend time w the kids. Yesterday we used bingo stampers on paper, watched Mulan, and ate jelly beans. Perfect and low stress. They are doing great and love their backyard. Getting ready to drive to SF for my trial check-up. I've lost a bit of weight, must be the stairs! And joined the gym nearby, so I just need to block out time for me to exercise. I feel 90 in the mornings. Keep on keeping on everybody
Another trip to Lowes for grandma
One is almost walking!
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HI Ladies!!
It's been awhile since I posted and I am way behind in catching up. I am on my second AI Femara. exemestane was causing some serious pain, I could hardly walk! Ia m three months into Femara and I am sore and stiff so fingers crossed it doesn't get worse. I am still having liver function issues so back to the Liver specialist next week and possibly a biopsy. Fun Times! In other news my coworker had an abnormal mammo earlier this summer and a biopsy and they found some calcification's and atypical cells but told her to wait 6 months and come back for another mammo. I told her to have a second opinion and sent her to my surgeon. She recommended and Excision (?) Biopsy to see more of a bigger picture. Well surgeon called her back today and said her pathology reviewed her slides a little closer and think she has Atypical Ductal Hyperdyplasia not what the other hospital thought it was. She is freaking out as it is often seen with DCIS. So she is scheduling the biopsy. Both are world renowned Breast centers. How does that happen???
Gatomal - this kids are adorable!!
Beatmon - I am glad you are stable!!
Catie - I Hope you are feeling better. I often wonder with the AI's are worth it! UGH
everyone else - I am behind in catching up on posts but I will. I think of you all often and hope you are adjusting back to "normal"!
In happier news my son turned 3 yesterday!
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I miss all of you ladies. {{hugs}}
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I too miss our long talks and support! I'm also in a weird place....it's like it was just a bad dream. then I feel my Tamoxifen aches, see my flat chest, and remember. I'm struggling mightily with getting in shape and eating better, and not being successful in either. thinking of going back to school. no money, no job.......meh! then feel guilty for not being more grateful....to be alive and have a chance, and all my other blessings.
it was nice to see you all here today and learn what you are all up to. I'm feeling not so alone now but wish we all felt perfect in every way. hugs!!!!
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hi again. Broke down at the MOs office. The pain and stiffness of my joins and my lady part dryness was just getting to be too much, especially with the trial drug, and low blood counts. It is hard to imagine living like this for another five years, and then maybe having it come back anyway? They are switching me to exemestane from Femara, and putting me on the estring, which is a three month ring which delivers tiny amounts of estrogen to the vaginal tissue. They say in studies that the ring does not Increase circulating estrogen or estradiols.like DHEA pessaries, which is what my other onco recommended. It feels good to have options and be listened to . The nurse practitioner spent a lot of time with me. I'm also starting on zometa infusions next month which they say will only lower my chance of bone mets by 3%. Isn't it worth it to try? I think so. Cancer is like losing weight. You think the hard part is losing the weight (active treatment) but it's really harder to keep it off (the five plus years after). But I will do it
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Hi Everyone!
Well, I'm taking the plunge... I made an appointment at a nice salon to get a hair makeover - cut, color & partial highlight (the works!). My hair is just crazy. I am officially 1 year PFC and have only had it cut once in the past year. I think the curl may be starting to relax a bit, but the ends are still ringlets, so it flips up all over and looks silly. Except the sides by my ears, which is pretty much straight. It just looks weird and the only thing I can do is clip it back or wear a headband. I've tried blowing it out, but if 15 minutes or the next hot flash it is back to springy curls. Useless. I found a place that takes appointments on line, and you can put in comments for the stylist, so I told her my situation and I plan to bring pics of my pre-chemo hair. I really feel like people judge me by my grey hair and doughy body and look at me like an old lady. I got some new glasses that I thought were kinda funky and cute, but with the grey hair, they only make me look older. Every time I look in the mirror it bums me out & makes me feel old. Gotta do something. I'll post before and after pics when it's done.
In other news, I signed up for my first ever 5K, the Guano Happens 5K Trail Run at Kartchner Caverns State Park (where my hubby works). He did it last year, but I had just done my 2nd round of chemo so was definitely not up to it. He can't do it this year b/c everyone has to work, but I am doing it with some friends. Of course, it will be more of a hike than a trail run for me, but I will do it. Gotta start somewhere. We hiked one of the trails that will make up part of the route over the weekend & it was do-able. I was tired, but that's b/c I've been doing not much in the way of exercise due to an inflamed Achilles tendon. I have 3 weeks to get ready (it's on 11/7).
I'm still on Tamoxifen and tolerating it better than anything else so far, mainly only hot flashes & night sweats, which are annoying, but at least not painful. But is anyone else falling down a lot? I fell down again last night on my walk and skinned my leg/knee. This is the 3rd time I've fallen on pavement & skinned myself up, tripping or turning an ankle. What grown person falls down this much? I feel like a toddler. Wondering if it's a lingering side effect of chemo, balance issues?
Hope everyone is still doing great! Love reading the updates!
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Many here have donated . Thank you !........Wandering around and cheerleading again
Donate today, make a difference directly in all our lives. By supporting BCO, we support each other. Thanks and Hugs
https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/110/topic/834331?page=1
Link to the mainboard donation page
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Gatamol - I just love the pics of your children. They are all so beautiful.
Cassiecat - You are so lucky to have such thick hair. I have always had thick, curly hair. It's still curly but quite thin in front now. I'm hoping it fills in over time.
Loved reading last posts written. I know everyone is moving on with there lives, which is great.
Wishing you all good days ahead
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In response to the donation cheerleader, I wanted to let you all know of another really easy way to donate. If you shop on Amazon, change your shortcut to AmazonSmile and designate a portion of your purchases to be donated to this site. I can't quite figure out exactly how much of a portion they give, but anything is better than nothing, and it doesn't cost you any extra when you shop. Here is a link: http://smile.amazon.com/
Happy shopping!
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gatomal, your kids are adorable.
I had a good follow-up with my radiologist yesterday. Things are healing and there are no signs of any lumps or bumps. We talked about reconstruction, which I may pursue down the road, but not until next summer at the earliest. I'd like to have it done but don't want to go through it.
It's finally starting to feel a little more like fall around here, finally. Makes going for a walk much more palatable!
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I haven't been on in quite a while. Back to work full time now and so completely exhausted! Baby is getting big and very busy guy .he will be one next month ! I finished radiation end of May a few month after my radiated side started getting super tight and quite painful. Also some lymphedema just pt/ot for now discussed future surgeries to fix but I am not ready yet. My husband myself and baby just did our first acs making strides walk ( o and my hair is growing back wicked curly) looking through posts to catch up xoxox
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BEAUTIFUL family
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That is a great photo! My family and I did a Making Strides event, too.
Has anyone here been seeing or considering seeing a counselor? Lately - weeks and weeks now - I can't seem to shake the feeling of being down. I don't know if it's related to the last year's struggles, but I kind of think it is. I had a good recovery and successful results in terms of pathology, and now I find myself saying this is it? Is this all I'm doing with my life? If I could go do anything, what would I do? I can't even answer that question. I'm struggling a bit...
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Great Photo NurseShark, great photo!
CassieCat, I have and am using my employee assistance program.
Catie, how is the wedding planning going?
Gatomal, the kids are adorable.
Strongenough, good to hear from you. I say pamper yourself. Thanks for the tip on Amazon, you are right any little bit helps. I do have a few balance issues initially with Tamo but resolved itself around the 4th month and the MO checked me out and didn't seem to be worried.
Bippy, encouraging you on your book! We are still here to be your sounding board.
I'm still on Tamoxifen and tolerating it better now after a little over 6 mos on it. The first 4 months were brutal and I thought I would have to go off Tamo as it wrecked havoc on me. My MO had me go on a two week break and start again, she said we were kick-startng my system. Some of the severe SEs have diminished or completing gone away. Mainly the hot flashes & night sweats, muscle/joint aches and insomnia every once in a while still linger on. The SEs that will be with me for a while and require me to adjust my sails are GERD and the lymphedema. I hope those that are on Tamo or an AI are tolerating the drugs well.
This may sound silly, but I did an experiment on FB with my "friends" and posted several outlandish and silly posts to see how many likes and comments I received. I also posted several post about BC (intermixed with the silly post) over a span of a few days to see how many likes and comments each would get. I have to say, I did get more likes and comments and shares on the BC posts than I thought, but it is interesting that most shied away from liking or commenting on my post about BC while they liked and commented on the silly posts and held conversations. The BC post were not the "lighthearted" pink awareness post but more factual information about getting mammos, % of donations that go to research from Komen, late stage BC, etc. The post were not long but just informational. I have to say the BC posts were shared several times, where the silly ones were just liked and commented on. I did this after reading a few BC FB pages where women commented on being chastised by their friends for sharing intimate details and pics about their journey. I really wanted to see the reaction of my friends on my list since I only add those that I know or have known pretty well over the years and determine who to delete and tell them why. Made me just want to say Hummm. The good thing as of yet no one has chastised me.
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I did it! New hair!
Old hair
I doubt I will be able to make it look like the "salon hair" again, but the stylist gave me tips and assured me it would work fine w/o flat ironing it, just give it some curl cream & scrunch, maybe try just ironing the bangs. It was really getting unruly. I feel so much better! Why did I wait so long?!?
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Love the pictures!!! Everyone looks great.
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Love the photos, so glad to hear updates. I'm with you, Cassie. Feeling down a bit and downright TIRED! Back to teaching full time is exhausting, but good too. Hanging in with Arimidex. Finishing a study where I took either an anti depressant or a placebo to ease bone and muscle aches. Will be interesting to see how I feel when done. Less dr. appointments now. Keep sending updates!
Jeni
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