Starting chemo August 2014
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Hi Ladies, stopping in to say Hello. Love the pics. Looking good a Strongenough.
I am still fighting the Tamoxifen SEs but they are getting much better. My Integrative ONc has me on supplements that seem to be turning things around. I have had two pretty nasty colds in the last two months this last one turned into a sinus infection so on antibiotics. The good thing my energy is returning and brain fog is diminishing. Yay!
Been quiet here so tells me we are all getting settled back into our lives. I get to celebrate this week through The New Year with holidays, Birthdays and a wedding! What a difference a year makes. Hope everyone is doing great!
Catie how are the Wedding plans going, When Is the big day? Post pics!
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I'm still here. I look for posts everyday to see if anyone has had time or energy to post. Just started an otc from my pain Dr. It is called Leg Cramps if any of our group is still on Herceptin and Perjeta. It has really helped me...available on Amazon even. I don't know whether it is voodoo, but has really given me relief from the cramps and spasms all over my body.
Hope everyone is doing well
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Hi All, just celebrated a big birthday. Boy what a difference a year makes. I cried and just thanked God for being able to be here another year. The biggest thing I was able to eat. And can't wait for Thanksgiving this year.LoL
Catie, how is the wedding planning going?
Beatmon, good to hear from you. I still check out the threads a few times a week to see if anyone has posted. I will have to try out the Leg Cramps, since this is one of the SEs I get from Tamoxiffen.
Hope everyone is doing well.
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Hi ladyb! I was just thinking of you today while sitting in the UCSF waiting room. Got my firstZometa infusion yesterday, running a fever, and feel like I have the flu. But whatever I can go or take to keep this from coming back! So glad you can eat and it tastes good. Great timing! Thinking of you all who've been through this battle. Happy thanksgiving
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Gatomal: hope you feel better very soon. Is the infusion once a month
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hello all my precious chickies!
LOVE the pics also. lookin good, you are!
I'm thinking of you all this Thanksgiving and I am truly thankful to know you. we are like buddies that went thru combat together and managed to survive. sometimes it all seems like a vague nightmare still, and life is not perfect, but it sure as hell beats last year!!!!
bipster is workin, a low stress, well paying part time gig and lovin it. I do not miss the former career anymore, and letting it go was a blessing. love my new office gals, and it's easy work.
we are tree shoppin today, redoing our home office, and really clearing out the clutter. it feels great and so do I!
have a bountiful, beautiful holiday.
xxxooo Candy
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Bippy, glad you are doing so well and have settled into a less stressful good job. Are you looking for a Christmas tree or a tree for your yard?
I've been doing a lot of "decluttering" also. Got rid of the storage rental fee! Yay
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hey Brenda!
we are in the sub tropical hells of Florida, so just getting a cut tree.
today was non-productive, rainy and we were lazy
. but,.....we did drop a load at church store. I'm glad you are still feisty lady. I'm always thinking of you, you are amazing!
shoppin in the am early, then relaxin all day.
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Have a blessed Thanksgiving my friends! Enjoy the time with family and friends today and throughout the weekend.This year we can eat .. Big smile😜!
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Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Hope all our ladies had a wonderful day. It has poured down rain here all day, but we had a very relaxing day with family and great food. Love to all
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I hope that everyone had a great Thanksgiving!
Seems like I am having a hard time emotionally and mentally these last two weeks. Teary eyed and crying at the drop of a hat. Not sure how to handle these new thoughts and emotions. I guess put my big girl panties on and pull 'em up as High as i can and adjust my sails. I can usually do that well but these last two weeks I am finding it hard. I usually break when I have a hard time remembering things, can't find the right words, etc as I use to have almost a photographic memory and now I can suddenly forgot what I was doing. Ok, got it out and will take a deep breath have a good cry and move forward.
Catie how is your husband doing?
Love across the miles
Angie
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Ladyb & Friends,
I find myself in the same place. Tired, weepy, sad, afraid, freaked out. All my docs say it's normal, but I say it's not ME. I've never been like this. I found an article recently about grieving--I have suffered the loss of my other life (which I was quite happy with), the loss of my breasts, the loss of my sensuality, and the most devastating, the loss of innocence--I've looked beyond the veil of my mortality. I'm in the sadness/depression phase of grief. I found this description on WebMD:
Depression: This stage of grief occurs in some people after they realize the true extent of the loss. Signs of depression may include sleep and appetite disturbances, a lack of energy and concentration, and crying spells. A person may feel loneliness, emptiness, isolation, and self-pity.
Sounds about right! So, I'm allowing myself to be sad, to cry, to be tired and forgetful. Without judgement. But I am making an attempt to regroup and put on the big girl undies.. I started seeing a massage therapist (reconstruction and slicing and dicing the pec muscles has created lots of muscle tightness and pain). I am going back to see a counselor at my cancer center. I am joining the Live Strong program at my local YMCA.
I found this blog post and have linked it on another thread. It is so accurate and written so beautifully. I read it at least once a week, tell myself that I am okay, and I am not alone. http://www.wendydonner.com/post/108063699019/battl...
Love and peace,
Amy
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I'm so sorry that my ladies are suffering with this grief. I think it is entirely normal. This last year all of your energy has been used toward treatment, surgery, chemo......staying alive. Now you have tine to think and here it is...the reality of cancer. But we are all still here. We made it this far. We just have to acknowledge and work through the stages like Amy says.
Love to all
Brenda
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Thank you for the words Beatmon and Amy. I think I am just getting to the point where I truly allow myself to "feel". Beatmon, I agree that I continue to just be thankful that I am here and able to readjust my sails and push myself to live a full life.
Love across the miles,
Angie
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Thinking of you all this holiday season.
Bippy congrats on the job and hope all is going well!
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Hello to everyone,
Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and looking forward to the Christmas/Chanukah holidays. Life has been kind of crazy and busy. I feel good and have more energy. Unfortunately my husband has been out of commission with back issues. Hasn't been able to sit in a car, restaurant, movie or even visit friends. Don't want to even tell you all the things we've been doing and Drs we've been seeing to get him back to just daily activity. The wedding plans for my daughter's wedding still coming along. I tend to have lots of insomnia worrying about silly stuff. Keeping myself busy with work and decorating the house for the upcoming holiday. I miss you all and hope life is treating you all well.
Cathie
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Cathie, so sorry to hear about hubby's back. When it hurts, you are really down and out.
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Hello ladies! Just checking in & catching up...
I completed my first ever 5K trail run last month, finishing in 1 hour & 31 sec. It felt so good, I signed up for another one, which was last Saturday, and finished that one in 46:10! (In fairness, it was a less challenging course.) That was the last day of my 40s, and we celebrated my 50th birthday the next day.
Hubby & I have been working on a couch to 5K program, slowly, and I am going to try to do an event every month with a group of friends. Here I am ready to run in Nov. The flash tshirt is meant to be ironic. 
Photo credit to my MO, who I ran into in the parking lot! He didn't recognize me with hair. Lol. 
In other news, hubby got a job!!! He starts law enforcement academy for a sheriff deputy job in ID in January, so we are moving from beautiful sunny southern AZ to central ID in the spring (or sooner if the house sells). His family is from ID, so it's a good move. And since I telecommute to MO for my job, it makes no difference where we live, I can still keep my job & benefits. So now the sorting & packing begins... He will be going ahead of me & I will stay here to get the house sold. I'm sad we will be apart (possibly for months!), but will enjoy my last Arizona winter. Can't really say I will be all that sad to leave this place, where we endured the worst year of our lives. Ready to move forward.
We had a beautiful thanksgiving with a bunch of friends, everything (except mashed potatoes & gravy) was cooked outside over a fire or in Dutch ovens. It was a lot of fun & turned out delicious!
I also started a new supplement regimen, with approval from my RO, and extensive research on my own. Been taking them about 6 weeks, and feel amazing! Most of my tamo SE and lingering chemo issues are gone. No more aches & pains, I'm able to focus & concentrate again, much less forgetful, energy is back, I have had no days of fatigue since I started. And I haven't fallen down again, knock wood! Still having hot flashes & night sweats, but that's easier to deal with without all the other crap. I was skeptical b/c it's a direct marketing thing, but watched how it benefited a friend, did my research, and decided to try it. Glad I did, it's really brought me back to my old self again. Well, that and my new hair!
It's great to see everyone's updates & pics!Hope everyone has a happy, healthy & safe holiday season!
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hi there everyone! Miss you all...what a long road we've been on. I'm starting to get my stamina and strength back this past three weeks, feeling stronger than I have in a long time. Reflecting mightily during the Christmas season about blessings all around. Last year at this time was dark, full of fear and worry. I feel I'm just starting to end this chapter, and wow it feels so good. Sure, I still have SEs, working with a PT to reduce my truncal edema, which was very painful and now is much less so. I got an estring for my lady parts, even though ER/PR pos, they use it and it has made a huge difference too. Eyebrows and lashes stopped falling out, on a very strict diet and losing weight! Babies turn 1 next week and are doing great. Grandma relocating down to her house down the block. Getting to be the mom in my family again. Joy. Hugs, strength, blessings to you all, my sisters.
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Hi everyone, stopping in to say Merry Christmas!
Gatomal, love the pics. I am with you on the reflectings during this holiday season and just the many things I am happy for and blessed with. Enjoying my grand kids -- have twins a boy and girl. Your babies ( all four) are adorable! Happy early birthday to your little fellas.
Strong enough, awesome on the 5k runs and you look great. I started the couch to 5k but had to take a break due to the Tamxifen SEs but back at it now. I hope to do a 5k soon. Happy, belated 50th b-day andCongrats on the new job for DH and the move. Is the product you use green?
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Strongenough, you are not forcing us to buy anytlhing, we want to know! M hearing Poly MVA is good also.
Hope everyone had a sweet Christmas. Love to all
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Wishing everyone a Happy New Year! Beatamon, Strongenough, Gatamol, LadyB, so great to see pics and here how well you are all doing. Needed to check in and now so glad I did. Miss you all and everyone not named.
Love, Cathie
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Popping in to say hello and happy holidays to everyone. I hope everyone is doing OK and feeling healthy and strong. Things are good with me. I'm too busy with work, and I need to figure that out, but otherwise things are good. We had a nice Christmas with family, and we're spending a few days over New Year's with friends in a house we're renting in the mountains. DD had a great Nutcracker season and is getting ready to audition again for summer programs. This time last year I was 12 days past my final chemo and still had surgery and radiation ahead of me. It's nice to be past all of that. No noticeable SEs from the Tamoxifen, other than the occasional hot flash. My onc had some blood work done last week and I meet with the PA tomorrow. Hopefully everything is fine.
Happy new year to all of us.
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Hi all my chickas!
Happiest and all the best things for us all in 2016. I love seeing updates and hearing what you all are up to! Cassie, Catie, nice to hear from you both.
I'm working a lot, cleaning and clearing space, taking care of things that need to get done. Feeling super invigorated and doing lots of stretching. My right arm is at about 90% with ROM now. Ordered PIYO dvds, read about that on my blog (ha ha there may be video for giggles).
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Ok, Bippy, tell the oldster here what PIYO means!
Hope everyone has a great New Year's Eve tonight. We are planning lots of football. Go Sooners.
Praying for a healthful new year without progression for all of us.
Love, Brenda
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Hiya Brenda!
PIYO is pilates/yoga, a fusion "new" type of flowy exercise. No jumps, weights, or dancing. Just my style
Have fun with football, I root for whoever your fav is!0 -
Ladyb & Beatmon, I've been using Thrive. It's capsules and a shake in the morning and a trans-dermal patch that works all day. I was skeptical, but watched my friend feeling and looking great for a couple months, then did my own research and checked w/ my doc & decided to try it. It has all natural ingredients, but the shake has soy, so if your dx is ER+ or your doc says to avoid soy, might not be good. Mine is, but only 27%, and my MO said soy is ok for me. Anyway it's free to set up an account so you can get more info & ingredients lists for your own research. My link is janetforlow.le-vel.com which will show you a cheesy video, but if you click the customer link at the upper right, that's where you can create your own account. Or you can PM me your email address & I can set it up & send it to you. I am only a customer, not promoting (yet anyway). But I really do feel great
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Stopping in to say Happy New Year to each of you. I hope everyone brought the New Year in with joy and thanksgiving. Continue to pray for a healthy and happy new year and as Beatmon says with no progression for each of us and improved quality of life
Beatmon any travels lately? I live vicariously through your travel updates.
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No travels yet this year. We are planning our trip to Napa again in April.
I've had a wonderful last 3 days. 2 of our TaTa sisters from here on BC.org flew in to visit for a few days. My bffs from here have entertained us...lots of wonderful food and wine. And the ladies had Omaha steaks shipped in and also wine. Very little for me to do! Had my H&P on Thursday as they were in the air, and now my muscles cramping etc are starting .....banished for a nap.
Strong enough, thanks for the Thrive tip. I have heard of it
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Hi Gals,
Nice to see you Brenda! Food and wine, yum.
I'm experiencing my first real mets scare. Yup.
Low back pain, like I've had before but....now....all pains take on more scary connotations. So I see my onco on Monday for a regularly scheduled checkup, and unless something happens before then I suppose it's back to scanland. Double $$$$ck.
Hoping it's my aging bones, chemo damaged joints, or anything else.
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