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August 2015 Chemo Group

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Comments

  • MsBrompton
    MsBrompton Member Posts: 324

    I've ordered the book too! Thanks, just the ticket for these strange days.


  • KateB79
    KateB79 Member Posts: 555

    Book: ordered. Thanks, Dee!

  • MsBrompton
    MsBrompton Member Posts: 324

    Greetings, chemo buddies, from hospital. After proudly boasting about my new nipple last week, I'm now in hospital on IV antibiotics after it got infected. All will be well I think but I am in a SOD CANCER mood....

  • KateB79
    KateB79 Member Posts: 555

    Aw, MsBrompton. . . that sucks. Hang in there, take those antibiotics, and SOD CANCER, indeed. Hugs.

  • Musosgirl
    Musosgirl Member Posts: 305

    No! MsBrompton! I am so sorry. We should all have year long hospital passes now. Get well soon.

    I am defiantly not scheduling any appointments in Oct. Except I have to take my boys to get flu shots this Friday and my MO ordered a bone density scan that the hospital is supposed to schedule in the next couple of weeks. Maybe November can be a NO doctor month...

  • deeratz
    deeratz Member Posts: 318

    Awe MsBrompton...that sucks. I hope you are on the mend soon.

    I hope you ladies find the book as helpful as I do. I'm guessing you will like it. You will have to let me know what you think.

  • VickiRides
    VickiRides Member Posts: 163

    I'm sorry to hear that, MsBrompton. I hope you feel better soon.

  • Musosgirl
    Musosgirl Member Posts: 305

    Well, I did it. First yoga class. Good golly that HURT! I had no idea my incisions on Frankenboob were so tight! It almost brought tears to my eyes trying to get into the positions. Don't get me wrong, it was an easy class. I had about five minutes to relax into each pose, but some of them took that long to do. Surprisingly my left side was fine even though that reduction was only 2 months ago. I ordered a 10 class pass so I'll be back next week.

  • KateB79
    KateB79 Member Posts: 555

    Musosgirl, good for you. I does hurt (in a good way, I hope), especially at first. . . . I went back last week, too, and totally noticed a difference in my worldview. Yoga FTW.

  • MsBrompton
    MsBrompton Member Posts: 324

    This yoga sounds like a good idea. I'm very stiff after all the months laid up. I will follow this thread see if Musogirl reaches spiritual Nirvana and/or better physical shape!

    AND... *drumroll* .... I am out of hospital after three days of strong, un-spellable antibiotics.

  • deeratz
    deeratz Member Posts: 318

    Yay Musogirl. I'm glad you enjoyed your yoga class.

    MsBrompton-three cheers on being released from the hospital. Sending loving healing thoughts your way. Kick that infection to the curb.

    I enjoyed my Pilates class again today. On week 3 of my daily exercise routine. Feels pretty darn good. Now if it would stop snowing.....yes it is raining/snowing/blowing here. Not very pleasant out here. But it is not a hurricane so I have lots to be thankful for. It is Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend. I'm not going to complain for one minute that I have a big meal to cook. Last year I spent my Thanksgiving in the hospital. Much better this year

  • MsBrompton
    MsBrompton Member Posts: 324

    And all you north Americans will be able to TASTE your Thanksgiving Dinners this year...!

    Good article here on how it's impossible to "get over" rest cancer, can't remember if anyone's shared it here previously.

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/breast-cancer-dont-ask-us-to-get-over-it_us_57f18712e4b07f20daa10e51?

  • VickiRides
    VickiRides Member Posts: 163

    Good job starting yoga, Musosgirl. Hopefully next week will be easier.

    Happy Thanksgiving, Dee!

    I'm glad you're out of the hospital, MsBrompton. I hope you're feeling good.

    I think I mentioned that at my physical with the regular doctor last month they discovered that my Vitamin D levels were low. I've been on a high-dose Vitamin D boost for 5 or 6 weeks now, and I have to say that my energy is vastly improved.

  • Musosgirl
    Musosgirl Member Posts: 305

    I want to comment on everyone's posts but I am in the middle of co-teaching a class. I just learned the lady who created Barbie (as in the multi-gazillion dollar industry doll) also created silicones implants. She went through breast cancer later in life and was unhappy being flat. She was "just a mom" who saw a need and did something about it. Twice

  • KateB79
    KateB79 Member Posts: 555

    OMG. Tasting Thanksgiving.

    Last year, American Thanksgiving was the day after my last round of chemo. I barely even remember it; I was kind of a s*** show!

    This year? Gluttony and gratitude FTW. Happy Thanksgiving, Dee!

    MsBrompton, I'm glad you're feeling better. :)

  • Musosgirl
    Musosgirl Member Posts: 305

    MsBrompton, so glad you are home and feeling better. I had my last hard chemo the Thursday before Thanksgiving last year. Felt awful! So excited to enjoy the yummies this year. I will eat it all!


  • MsBrompton
    MsBrompton Member Posts: 324

    Here's a question for you clever ladies. I have one silicon breast and one that's had a reduction to match up the size. Both are COLD most of the time for some reason. I guess all the surgery reduced the blood flow. So I'm looking for ways to warm them up (don't laugh!). I looked on the internet for "thermal bras" but didn't get anything useful. You can get cold inserts for mastitis when breast feeding but not warm inserts. I think I want some sheepskin inserts, and I guess I could make them. Or maybe knit some - has anyone got a pattern??

    Yours shiveringly...


  • KateB79
    KateB79 Member Posts: 555

    MsBrompton, I love the idea of sheepskin inserts. A brief Google search tells me that nothing exactly like you describe exists (at least in the U.S.)--everything is marketed as "push 'em up!" My vote is make them!

    I have some good news over here! 1) I had an excellent checkup at the MO's office the other day, and 2) I signed a book contract yesterday for my mystery novel. That was one of the things that I put on hold last year, and I kind of feel like this marks the possibility of getting back to things I enjoy doing (like writing!). I'll keep you posted--publishing is slooooooooow--but I'm really excited. Sometimes hard work pays off! :D

  • VickiRides
    VickiRides Member Posts: 163

    Yay, KateB. That is excellent news on both fronts!

    MsBrompton, this is probably more than you're looking for, but I have a battery-powered heated fleece vest that I use for outdoor activities in the winter. I love it!

    [Edited] I just found these: Wacoal No Peek Pads 85999 They are foam inserts, maybe they will hold in heat.

  • MsBrompton
    MsBrompton Member Posts: 324

    Ooh thanks for the advice ladies! I think am going to MAKE some - either sheepskin or more likely knitted cashmere. I'll post a picture when done.

    FANTASTIC news Kate - a good medical and a book contract. Are any of us going to be in your novel? (I once met an old friend who said he was writing a novel and I asked if I could be in it, he said sure, but I haven't seen him since...).


  • molliefish
    molliefish Member Posts: 650
    In my best Sean Connery brogue ... ' way to go Katie Girl!' You're my heroine!

  • Musosgirl
    Musosgirl Member Posts: 305

    Kate, that is so exciting! We need a book release party!

    MsBromptom, my first thought was those hand warmer packs that you shake up to activate. Homemade sheepskin is probably a much better idea

  • deeratz
    deeratz Member Posts: 318

    Way to go Kate! You rock. It would be awesome to have a party with all of you to celebrate Kate's book launch.

    MsBrompton-be careful with those hand warmers. They will burn your Foobs. Yup, been there done that. I don't find that mine are cold(except when I was outside chaperoning a grade 12 grad until 3am outside).

  • exercise_guru
    exercise_guru Member Posts: 333

    my chest nerves are still recovering. I have a poncho that is not pretty but light ans nice so I wear this at home when I get cold. If I turn up the heat I hotflash. For the last month I have cold flashes

    So has anyone ever heard of dry needling? I have a horrendous scar where they botched my port install. I am also going to have a scar where they removed my port. I met with an aesthetician and a he showed me some literature on dry needling. She thinks she might be able to flatten the scar and then insert pigment to flatten it out.


    I also have this crazy deep seam along one breast that didn't raise. I am thinking of asking if it can be done there.


    Has everyone gotten their port out? I am agonizing over when to remove mine. Also I am thinking of having my plastic surgeon do it along with some fat grafting because my scar is pretty hideout and right where my neckline is.

    It's also difficult because no more scans for me. Hoping I am all clear but it's hard to let go of the port this one has been so tough I don't want to get another one.

  • exercise_guru
    exercise_guru Member Posts: 333

    Kate wahoo huge congrats on the book. It helps to feel like life is moving forward.

    Kudos to you doing yoga. They are doing studies on yogs and mindfunless in helping with recovery and preventing reaccurance

  • KateB79
    KateB79 Member Posts: 555

    Thanks, all! I'd LOVE to have a party with all of you there!

    I still have my port, but I think it's coming out over winter break (sometime in December). My surgeon will do it with a local in his office; I'm told it's no big deal.

  • VickiRides
    VickiRides Member Posts: 163

    Exercise_guru, I had my port taken out a couple of months ago. I was ready to get rid of all that it symbolized (but I confirmed that I could get another one just in case).

  • Musosgirl
    Musosgirl Member Posts: 305

    Would any of you get a tattoo over your port scar? I don't really sit and worry about a recurrence--always in a back corner of my mind maybe--but the idea of them ever putting in a port again and doing cutting through the tattoo... Would they do that? Of course they could use the other side. I may just do my inner wrist again. Now I am rambling..

  • exercise_guru
    exercise_guru Member Posts: 333

    Muso it's is very likely that I will end up with a tatooed over my port and my scar underneath it. It's right in my neckline so I would have to live whatever design because it will show with almost every shirt but I had an infection under my port and so there is a pretry hideous scar there already.

    I was going to have mine out in my BS office but I saw another gal who's port she took out and I thought the scar was worse than it should have been.

    Now I am thinking of going under anastesia and having my PS taje it out because I trust his stitching and gluing more.

    It actually just makes me so sad because it is the one thing from breast cancer that everyone sees all the time. Including me when I look in the mirror

  • superius
    superius Member Posts: 310

    Yay for Book Release Party! (I will bring donuts, of course. Krispy Kreme, anyone?)

    & Hat off to those of you who have/ had ports. (I had PICC for 6wks).

    How's everyone holding up with all the pink this year? I found out who has that stupid "Save the Ta-Tas" bumper sticker. It's one of my co-workers who likes to wear either Pink or Red (for Heart/ Aids?) all year long..... Sometimes she would wear a Pink Ribbon Cap + Pink Ribbon Hoodie + t-shirt. Seriously. I was about to stick a note to her car, "not if you ta-tas trying to kill ya!" Oh well...