Who is starting chemo in September 2016?
Comments
-
Nottheboss - I am so sorry to hear about your husband. My thoughts and prayers to you and your loved ones.
0 -
So herceptin finished on September 15th and the port came out today. Not going to lie...I am actually kind of hurting right now. I look at the port removal as a step forward in the right direction. I am not sure how I am going to sleep tonight.
0 -
I haven't posted in awhile. It's been a rough couple of weeks. I haven't even had time to think about my hair or taking pictures of it. . I have a couple of huge worries on my plate right now. I had to go to an orthopedic dr last week (referred by my oncologist) for some pain in my hip. I had xrays and the dr found something in my spine. She said it's likely an old injury (stress fracture that I have know idea how it happened) or it could be cancer that is now in my spine. I've talked to several doctors and they all say it's not likely but possible. Now I have to have an MRI. Then to make matters worse I got a call from my mom on Friday. She had had a pet scan. They found cancer in her pancreas and her lungs. I talked to her doctor. It does not sound good. I'm heart broken for my mom and am pretty much over the edge with this. About to the point of not being able to function. I haven't slept and have not eaten in 3 days. She's having a biopsy on Friday to confirm what they already know. I don't know much about pancreatic cancer except that it's bad--really bad. I'm to the point of wanting to cancel all of my oncology/PT appointments for the rest of the year to be with my mom. I am nothing compared to her and nothing without her. I'm pretty overwhelmed and not coping at all. Sorry to vent on all of you but this is really a tough one.
0 -
Seq24, I am so sorry to hear about your troubles. I do not know much about pancreatic cancer but you do have my prayers. Time is so precious and we have all learned that in so many ways throughout this past year.
Regarding your spine....I was having wicked pains to the point I was using a heating pad every couple of hours on my back. Anyway, I was convinced the scan would show cancer but instead it showed that I had a slipped disc that was an old injury. So, long story short, have faith that is something other than cancer. It was funny, when the doctor called me with the results she was taken back by my elation regarding a slipped disc...but I am so fearful of it coming back.
Please know that I am thinking of you and your family. Please take care of yourself so you can be strong.
0 -
ohhh Seq.....i am so sorry about your mom's diagnosis....our mom's are our hearts lady...just like you i would too be heartbroken....be there for her every step of the way lady...i am going to keep you both in my prayers
I am like Denny regarding your spine...we not gonna claim that it's cancer...that its something non life threatening...you have to take care of yourself and your mom ...you can do it...you are a strong woman💐💐💐💐
0 -
ohh seq...hugs and prayers that you find the strength and peace to get through everything. You will get through it, there is no alternative.
0 -
I'm scheduled for a biopsy tomorrow afternoon. Doctors are expecting it to benign but I saw the official mammograms/ultrasound report this morning recommending the biopsy because the area is "suspicious". A year and a half ago I was told by my PCP that it probably wasn't BC until the scansion came back "suspicious" and a biopsy was ordered. And we all know what happened next.
I'm struggling. It will be fine. It has to be fine. It can't happen. But I already know it can.
0 -
Best wishes it turns out to be nothing, CC!
0 -
CC you are in my prayers lady...I am hoping it is nothing!
0 -
Good evening everyone,I just wanted to pop in and let you know I'm thinking about you, especially those who are struggling with unknowns or have received difficult news. Stay strong!
Emily continues to improve as we celebrate each new sunrise. We were told by our youngest daughter yesterday that they are expecting their 3rd child and our 5th grandchild. This is a picture from our trip to Colorado to visit them 2 weeks ago (Emily is holding Amelia with Isabelle standing next to her). We had such a great time!
We both know, no matter what lies ahead, we have been blessed many times over.
May God hold you in his embrace.
Hugs to all!
Sam
0 -
beautiful family!
beautiful picture!:)
0 -
I have not been on here for quite some time.
CC--how are you? Please keep us posted. Thinking of you.
Sam--what a beautiful family you have. Love that photo!
I had my MRI They imaged the wrong area. They did my lower back instead of my mid back. It figures. But, that MRI revealed a suspicious lesion on my adrenal gland and also a compressed nerve in my spine and the cause of the back pain I've had for 15 years. My MO ordered another immediate MRI of my abdominal area. Adrenal gland issue was nothing but that MRI now showed some kind of "spots" in my mid spine (which should have been imaged in the first place). Another MRI ordered. Insurance denied it but said to have a nuclear bone scan instead. Had that on Tuesday. That showed some kind of lesion on my skull. So then I had to have xrays of my skull. There is a calcification there and nothing to worry about. I've spent this entire month at the doctor it seems like. The worry is never going to go away that cancer is going to show up somewhere else. I also had a minor surgical procedure on my feet last week. So now I'm still fighting to have the MRI of the area that should have happened in the first place and I have also been referred to a spine surgeon for my back pain. I saw him yesterday. I've been referred for surgery and waiting on insurance approval. Not thrilled about surgery, but it is a minor procedure and will finally relieve the pain I've lived with for years.
Happy Friday everyone!
0 -
Sam, what a great post! Beautiful picture!!!!
seq24 - Sounds like a scary month that you had. I have testing this week so I understand the anxiety that comes along with it.
Hope everyone is doing well!
0 -
Good evening,
I just had to share a picture of our youngest granddaughter too. This is Emberly, my son's daughter.
Have a great weekend!
Sam
0 -
Sam--That is one sweet little girl. She's a doll. Thanks for sharing her with us.
0 -
Such cuteness, Sam and Emily!
Seq - how's momma?
Thanks for checking in ladies. My big report is that I am MAD at the medical profession in general right now. After agreeing to doing the biopsy and waiting and worrying until the appointment - nothing happened. Literily. The doctor who was scheduled to perform it was not the same one who recommended it and this one didn't see anything that should warrant risk of infection and discomfort from the procedure. I'm still annoyed and it has been a few weeks already. At least this doc took a really good look through ultrasound, and went back to my files and looked some more and really believes it is just fat necrosis - and might even be getting smaller. I even asked the doc the week before about any size change and he didn't think it was any different. &(&^%$^%~!!!!
I've got an appointment with the Gyn oncologist next week to move forward with removing my ovaries. I've gone back and looked again at all the side effects to the AI and shots and figured that maybe if I'm able to drop one of them I might start feeling more normal again. I really don't want another surgery but I REALLY don't want those shots anymore.It's not bad, but I'm just so tired of being tired and my belly is almost always sore. And no doctor can tell me why other than what it isn't like appendicitis. So what DO y'all know?
Meanwhile, I'm sure you have all gotten your new insurance premium increases. I'm going to guess that it is increases for all - can't imagine anything going down this year. Mine is almost doubling, again. I'm moving all my new year appointments to before the end of the year, and scheduling anything else for this year as well, really hoping this surgery will be one too. I'm hoping to drop my coverage down since I truly should only be on followups next year and hoping that won't come back to bite me. Medical coverage shouldn't be like this for anyone...
Hope you all are doing well and not nearly as b*y as I am! Happy November to all
0 -
Hi All,
Last week marked one year since my last chemo treatment and today was my regular three month visit with the MO. The cold weather has brought back some of the neuropathy. The Arimidex is wreaking havoc with my joints, causing night sweats and vaginal atrophy. Not enough lubrication the world to make sex comfortable right now so I'm trying estrogen cream and if it works, I'll be switching from Arimidex to Tamoxifen. My metabolism is gone. I lost 20 lbs of the chemo/steroid weight and gained most of it back. After all the chemo and radiation, the swelling in my affected breast went down and now it looks like a caved in rotten peach. Nearly a third of it is gone. My MO mentioned that I should ask my BS if I'm a candidate for fat grafting. A year ago I would have said no way but now I'm considering it. Has anybody here considered fat grafting for a lumpectomy?
But I'm here and doing okay. Not so much with others in my life. Almost a year to the day I started chemo, my dad started his chemo. Big difference is he has stage 4 rectal cancer that had already spread to his lungs and possibly his liver. Chemo was rough for me and I'm considerably younger and was in great health when I started. My dad, not so much. I'm afraid he's not going to be with us for very long. I'm reliving last year through him but it's worse because there's no light at the end of the tunnel. It feels like PTSD and I feel guilty for even thinking that.
Sharon
0 -
Sharon, hope all goes well. I'm recovering now from a fat-grafting procedure last month. The goal is to fill in the big ol' dent on my L side from surgery last February, using fat harvested around the upper abdomen. I also had a reduction on the R side to make things balance out.
In general it's gone well, the lipo part of the grafting was more painful than I'd believed even with someone warning me that part could be sensitive. I stayed home a week from work and then started going in for partial days.
I had a check-in today, seemed well with everything. They sent a sample from the reduction to pathology, was glad to hear that was entirely normal (yay). The next step is to wait a few months and see how everything settles in. The grafts don't always stick, so it could go either way. I might be happy enough to not do anything more. Or the graft could get re-absorbed leaving me back where I started on that side. Most likely I'll need a repeat grafting treatment as the PS was planning this as a 2-step thing.
I'm on Arimidex, no particular issues with it. Starting a discussion with my MO whether to do the new Nerlynx drug (pill) for HER2+ follow-up post-Herceptin. I gained back my chemo weight loss, but lost a little after the reconstruction surgery. Hoping to keep that off and drop another 10 lbs or so. at least.
My neuropathy took a long time to ease off but is pretty much gone now. I still have mild anemia but much better than back in the chemo days.
Eleven months from my last TCHP treatment, my hair is still a big issue but at least it's re-growing finally in the top and back where it was very stubborn before. Not close to ditching the wig, but perhaps in another couple/few months if things keep progressing. I added Biotin over the summer to see if that would help, then the 2% Minoxidil stuff, and it can't be hurting that I'm off Herceptin and with anemia levels not in the gutter in recent months.
0 -
Hi Everyone, Just think, last year this time we were all in the middle our chemo treatments. I am so glad that is behind us all. It's been tough for all of us to get to this point. And it seems that just when we get through one cancer related ordeal, another one starts. Sounds like many of us have had our share lately. I had to see my MO last week after scan after scan during the month of October. 2 sets of xrays, 2 MRI's and a nuclear bone scan. Each new scan brought a new worry of cancer. Thankfully nothing was found cancer related but the source of my continuous back pain was found. Surprisingly, insurance approved back surgery. That's happening on the 21st, next Tuesday. It's supposed to be a simple outpatient procedure but I am going to have a lot of restrictions for the next 4-12 weeks. No lifting, bending, twisting, stretching, snow shoveling, vacuuming, making beds, no heavy loads of laundry, no riding in a car for more than an hour and the list goes on. I'm afraid my family is not going to be too thrilled for me to be out of commission for awhile. Even through chemo I continued to do everything I usually did. The silver lining is that this surgery is getting me out of cooking Thanksgiving dinner this year! We are having our dinner prepared by a local restaurant and picking it up Thanksgiving morning.
My mom is doing ok. She has had her treatment delayed 3 different times already. She is participating in a clinical trial and the delays have to do with that. She should start next week, the same day as my surgery. She told me that the nurse called her yesterday and told her that according to a recent CT scan, her tumor had grown a "tiny bit" in the last month. Turns out that tiny bit is almost a full centimeter in a month. That's bad. Really, really bad! This is just unimaginable that something so awful is happening to my mom. This is so hard.0 -
Aaarrrrggghhh
Part 65464321 of the "new" spot that isn't "new" any longer. To recap, a new lump formed over the summer near my original site. Mammo & US = fat necrosis and calcification - see you in 6 months. Followup with BS - let's do it in 3 months. Mammo & US = is still there, probably fat necrosis & calcification - let's biopsy. Go for biopsy = laying on table, doc REALLY doesn't think this is necessary and just about positive that it will come back with "nothing to sample" and doesn't want to risk infection - will send note to BS. One month later, BS followup - never got notes, "why'd you cancel the biopsy - really think you need it". F*&@#$(*&_@ seriously?!!!????!!!
Apparently the US only shows the dead fat so a Ultrasound Guided Biopsy won't get much. The Mammo shows the calcification and that's the concern. First time I heard this since this new spot started. And then the Biosorb that should have been absorbed by now is still there and is making some results wonky. BS spoke to a specific RAD doc so they are on the same page and both agree I need a mammo guided biopsy ... and they have a new machine to do so, hopefully, since the spot is all the way up near by underarm. Normal mammas are hard to get a good pic - can't wait to be smushed and stabbed at the same time. And, of course, RAD doc is off until December. No one is expecting anything to come of this but they want to make sure.
So now I get to wonder and worry for 2 more weeks about what if there is something and what can I possibly do since I've already done everything they've told me on the most aggressive treatments available. Plus, this is now scheduled for the day before I'm planning on having my ovaries and tubes removed and get to worry about that. Is that all they need to take and will it go well since they could be issues with previous c-sections and I've had 2 and what results will that get?And I was planning to change my insurance plan to something more reasonable since I was "done" with most of the pricy stuff this year. Better have good results back by the 15th so I can. I'm not sure what else I can handle before the end of the year since it was supposed to be the wind-down year....fun times continue.
0 -
CC, sounds very aggravating and nerve-inducing. I hope it all proves to be nothing but caution to ensure things are ok.
Happy Thanksgiving to all, or as best we can manage - I think we deserve it. I think back to a year ago when I was quite a pathetic specimen in the midst of TCHP. Things aren't normal yet but better.
0 -
Oh CC! How frustrating. The whole process is no fun but the waiting and wondering and worrying is always the worst. I hope they are just taking extra precautions and that all your news will be good. Please keep us posted.
I've just been through the wringer myself lately. I went to an orthopedic doctor in October for some pain in my hip. She did xrays which determined something was wrong in my spine. Everyone immediately thought it was bone mets. Long story short I had 2 sets of xrays, 2 mri's and a nuclear bone scan. Each scan showed something else of concern relating to cancer. But it was determined there were no mets at all, but that I had a severely pinched nerve in my lower back and a bone spur digging into that nerve as well. I'd had back pain for 15 years and finally the cause was determined. I was referred to a spine surgeon. I had surgery yesterday, which turned into a major ordeal and more extensive than they said but I already feel so much better. A little dopey yet from the anesthesia but I've had no pain meds today at all, I walked to the grocery store and around the neighborhood, did laundry and baked 3 pies today. This was the first time I ever willingly went in to surgery. It's hard to trust my oncology team that there truly isn't anything in my spine that is cancer related. I should have had a third MRI to confirm but the insurance declined it.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!! We all have much to be thankful for this year. Just think, last year this time we were all in the middle of chemo.
0 -
holy cow seq, that is awesome! Don’t over do it though, the good hospital drugs can last for days and then reality sets in fierce. Hubs has had two back surgeries already and has been postponing a third for a while now. Take it slow and keep with the ice/heat/pt/rest as prescribed even though you feel great.
Happy thanksgiving all! Enjoy your family and stay safe
0 -
I wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. I had my reconstruction surgery 2 days ago....maybe not the greatest Thanksgiving but one more step forward! I hope everyone is doing well!!!!
0 -
I just wanted to check in and see how y'all are doing? I am very sorry I fell of the planet for so long. I was feeling so badly and having issues on my computer with this site so I gave up. I was thinking of everyone today and thought I would try and I got right in!
I hope that y'all are doing well.
xoxo
0 -
Merry Christmas everyone, hope all are doing well. I think back to last year and I was at the end of my heavy chemo phase, and a pretty sad specimen all in all. Not beyond worries and follow-up, but overall feeling good and trying to focus on a few positive personal goals for the past couple of months and into 2018.
0 -
Merry Christmas, misslll and everyone! Hope this year is much more enjoyable than last.
I have a few lingering symptoms, but over all I feel pretty good. I've kept my hair purple and get such joy from it. I love getting complements on it after months of sympathetic looks when I wore my scarves. I started a new job in May, the Monday after radiation was done (yup. Too soon!), and in January I will add 10 hours per week which brings me to almost full time. I will see all my kids tomorrow and my dad and brother.
Hope you are all having a lovely holiday season!
Ruth
0 -
I hope to ditch the scarves and wig but not ready yet even with a year gone by. Thinking I'm still making progress with regrowth but quite a ways to go. Frustrating but that's what it is.
0 -
Hello
I am probably the last one in the group to finish. Yesterday I completed my last herceptin treatment. I've had a total of 6 different treatments. TCHP and AC I've had an infection i was hospitalized last spring just outright rough. I thought I would be thrilled to be done but I feel anxious as I won't have anything to protect me if that makes sense.
I still only have peach fuzz on my head not even close to ditching my wig. Hoping my hair starts to grow soon.
Wishing everyone a Happy New Year! God bless.
0 -
Post-TCHP, I'm trying the new Nerlynx drug for HER2+ recurrence risk reduction. First dose today, will see how it goes as it is advertised to have significant D side effects. Loading up on Imodium is supposed to counter it but I'm not sure to what degree.
I'm not wild about that, but with my history it seems to me it's prudent to take it.
0
