January 2017 Surgery Group
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shoregirl, great info! I just finished reading a book called "The Definitive Guide to Thriving After Cancer" it had a lot of great info and everything you said is in that book. I would recommend it to all you ladies...I downloaded it from my library and was an easy read full of good stuff.
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I have heard of people getting vitamin d shots. Anyone else heard of that?
Also, just got to Telluride (close to 10K in elevation). The side of my implant from my mastectomy has a sloshing sound when I raise my arm. So bizarre. Wondering if it is because of the altitude??? I did read sloshing isn't uncommon but I didn't have it before and I'm six weeks out from surgery.
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I'm having surgery on March 7th lumpectomy and radiation to right breast please and me to the list and thanks for making this list. I will keep you informed of results.
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You probably should join the March Surgery forum, these ladies are past the surgery stage.
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So. I just cut a lot of my hair off. Probably 6 inches. And just diedit a lighter blonde. I haven't done much to it since diagnosis and decided it was time for something different. I have only had hair this short once in my life. I'll post pics once my hair is dry and styled.
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Have been keeping up with everyone but wasn't ready to add. I'm 2.5 weeks after surgery, almost one week after funeral and doing ok. Memorial service was wonderful, 600+ in attendance and I brought my pillow and shoved it under my neck for all the hugs. I still can't tell you all how much your words of kindness around that time meant to me ❤ (prob many pages ago here)
Hyperbaric treatments are making a huge, huge difference for me, guys! Spots of prev. radiated skin that were brown and did not look hopeful are now just one (what looks like a blood blister) spot with pink skin underneath! Tomorrow will be my belated follow up with both surgeons and I will find out schedule for expander fills, replacement surg and ongology follow up. So far I have 180 cc's (?) total fill and no problems (except that they are completely under my arms, well just really wide apart but I know this will change 😳). Sweet Surgeon called day after funeral to let me know path was excellent with good margins and healthy sentinel node AND a spot on other breast which would have become an issue in the future, confirming my gut instinct to go double from the beginning. Listen to your instincts!
Thinking back to 1 1/2 years ago when offered tamoxifen and I said no - would it have prevented a reoccurrence? I'll never know. I keep being awed by how completely different each one of our journey's have been and yet how completely uniting it has been. Love to you all tonight.
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Bevmomduck: I'm surprised they suggested tamoxifen for you since your DCIS was estrogen negative. I may be mistaken but I thought tamoxifen was to prevent recurrences of ER+ tumors...glad to hear you're getting positive results from your hyperbaric treatments & congrats on the great path report!
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Great to hear from you Bevmomduck. Been thinking about you.
It was weird. I was watching that show Long Island Medium. Not sure if I believe in that but Teresa is a very likable person. This episode was of her getting a bad mammogram and ultrasound and getting a biopsy. Doesn't say what the outcome was yet but man did that bring up some memories and feelings watching it. It seems like it was yesterday but it was 4 months ago. I can't believe how fast time has passed.
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Bevmomduck- so glad the service went well. 600+ in attendance says a lot about about your brother and how loved he was.
Glad the HB oxygen treatments are helping. I wish that I had been offered those since I did end up losing the nipple from the radiation side.
Thinking of those having their second round of chemo this week and I think maybe one starting- Shellybeans I think.
Also best wishes to the Rads girls and those starting tamoxifen.
Hope you all have a great week! I will be starting back to work on Wednesday after 2 months off. I work with some great folks but have really gotten use to my stay at home routine. The weather in eastern NC has been delightful.
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HI all - been following along but it was a challenging first week of chemo. I'm doing a whole lot better today - first day without any anti-nausea meds. I think I'll be one of those who needs IV fluids days following chemo as it really took me under. Looking forward to my off week but already starting to worry about next Tuesday and round two. Just staying focused that I have 19 more weeks instead of 20 - that's a positive, right?
Hair is starting to hurt around my scalp so I'll be shaved by the weekend I suspect. Start PT on Tuesday - hoping I don't need much. I'm doing really well with ROM but it is still tight in the armpit.
Hugs to all
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Good to hear from you Shellybeans . Same goes out to Bevmomduck . Really proud of everyone here . This trial has been challenging in so many ways , you all have faced it with such courage , strength and conviction. I am proud to be your friend and will always be here to keep rallying for everyone at your side . I am starting to feel some skin effects from the radiation, but it pales in comparison to what others have been going through. Love hugs and prayers are always going out for each and every one of you. Having these friendships here are priceless and so appreciated. I could never have made it through without your love and support. Reaching out to one another has been an awesome experience. Love to all
Wishing everyone a great new week
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you can do it shelleybeans!!! One down, Woop Woop !! Get a big fat magic marker so you can 'X' the days off on a calendar and never look back!!! Here is hoping they get easier, not harder!
Pugsma and 3bears, hope you ladies are hanging in there with the chemo too!! No more hospitalizations please!!
Bevmom, hooray for hyperbaric! Cheers for oxygen and healing!
Elem, keep the aloe and calendula in rotation to ease any discomfort. Careful with your armpit, as that is the problem area for Jan rads girls.
Cowboy I agree - January seems like a lifetime ago. Amazing how much you can learn and go through in such a short period of time.
Finish your treatments, ladies, and get back on your feet so we can plan a real life get together January 2018!!
In the meantime, I decided to roast some fennel as a sweet treat since I'm off sugar. I think I may have mentioned that I'm not exactly domestic. Here is proof - forgot to set a timer, and poof! I guess I'll just go to bed with no snack :-(((
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Thank you for the info on the books Fightingirl and Aboob, I added them to my list. I don't know if anyone has ever checked out tthe website http://www.chrisbeatcancer.com/ a friend of mine in Jupiter, FL suggested I check it out. The same friend that had me revamp my diet before I even knew of the cancer dx. Anyway, I checked it out, but didn't spend a lot of time on it because it had so much info, and everything was happening so fast. It seems geared to people who don't want to follow standard cancer protocol, but I am sure there are a lot of good articles re: supplements and diet, I am just honestly too tired to explore it right now!!
Cowboy-up, a nice update to your hair is a good reward for all you have gone through. Can't wait to see the pic! My highlights are in desperate need of a retouch!! Varga, I don't stick w/any particular brand of Vit D, just be sure it is D3. Beware of rx strength, they are usually D2, which is synthetic vs D3 which is natural and more easily assimilated by our bodies.
Bevmom- so glad to hear the HB is helping and congrats on the good path report!! And Shellybeans, good to hear from you!! IV fluids sounds like a great idea. Glad to hear you are feeling better. Just keep on trucking, we are all strong, fightingirls, going through all sorts of trials some on similar paths, others very different. But the love and support here is undeniable and very much needed and appreciated by all. It is so good to see everyone check in with all the goings ons.
I myself sent a long email to my nurse nav after another member, BarredOwl prompted me to ask for more clarification on my path discrepency. Biopsy showed micro-invasion, but surgical path showed pure DCIS, no micro-invasion. She said I need that re-examined, and if it truly did have micro-invasion at biopsy, it needs to be analyzed for Her2. Because just because they didn't see it in surgical path doesn't mean it wasn't there at biopsy, (maybe they got it all out at biopsy?) But, lo and behold, the nurse nav sent an autoreply email she is off til March 13. I will speak to a different nav when I go in for my next expansion on Tuesday.
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Hi guys, just popping in to say hello! Chemo round 2 on Wed. It will be easier this time bc I'll know what to expect. The worst SE for me was terrible fatigue but by day 9 my energy was back & I've felt pretty good since then...this time I won't have to do any work from home during the exhausted phase & that will make it a lot easier too!
A-Boob: I'm still off the sugar! I love fennel btw..
How are you gals feeling on Tamoxifen? When my turn comes I'll be on an AI, Arimidex I guess, bc my ovaries are gone...I can't think about that yet!
Love you all!
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pugsmama- interesting about tamoxifen and estrogen neg. Last time the oncologist mentioned it but did not push and I didn't research it at all since I wasn't interested. This morning my surgeon said they still have not received this tumor's results -- neg or positive. I had no clue that 2 spots so close together could actually have different results! The more I learn, the less I know
Dear shellybeans and your SE's! You are just becoming so experienced you might want to start a new career and become a chemo navigation expert! (Too soon? 😳) I love your spirit!
Cowboyup - all up for making a hair statement and that sounds so cute. I made called an appt today and said let's go bold, too. Some days i imagine any one of us could find ourself making lots of statements about anything we get a mind to - just because.
Shoregirl - Vit D- my oncologist gave me a presc last year for D2 50,000 units 1x week. After your info I want to recheck everything. I'm putting that subject on my list for that visit. Helps so much to trade info
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Pugsmama - hoping you have an easy week this time. I totally agree with you - knowing what to expect is so much better. It's funny that you say you can't event think about the Arimidex - I've had folks ask me about long-term meds and I look at them like 'seriously - let me think about next week - not next year?!?' The good thing is I'll have this page to go back to and re-read what everyone was experiencing real time. That's what so great about this - we are all on different paths but it gives us the opportunity to learn from one another too. This site truly is a Godsend.
It's a full work day today so gotta go - just popping in to catch up over lunch. The only things that taste good lately are chicken tortilla soup (have had it three days in a row) and ruffles hot wing chips. LOL Gross - I know - but when your mouth tastes like pennies having anything with a spice seems so much better than nothing.
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New doo. Probably cut off 10-12 inches and lightened up a bit. Figured all hair would be in the way for radiation.
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beautiful color, Cowboy Up!!
All these hot ladies
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pretty pretty cowboy up!! I just brought a hair clip to xrt to keep it out of the way. They also let me put stickers on the machine to have something to focus on.
Did Pilates this am, and although I feel good, I'm definitely not as strong as I was preop. Arm muscles need work. Plus I reach exhaustion on everything much sooner. Now that all the treatments have ended, you can't fall back into regular life with the snap of your fingers. It's going to take some real effort on my part to get fit. Sigh.
Then Costco, where I bought vit d3 - I had just been taking d, so thanks for that piece of news. Didn't buy any refined sugar but ate an entire bin of blackberries which is prolly the same amount of sugar as a KitKat, lol. I'd rather have the KitKat...
I went to full dose tamoxifen yesterday, taking half in the am and half in the pm. I tried to get a hot flash, but I think since I'm also on escitalopram, an ssri, it never came around. Was weird- like a wave of heat started and then just petered out. So fingers crossed this is the magic combo!!
I do feel like I'm about 80 years old though - I take my tamoxifen, escitalopram, multivitamin,iron, d3, extra b and c. Jeesh. I went from 46 to 80 in 4 months. Thanks breast cancer.
Well, onwards and upwards! Continued serenity to the chemo clan. May you find something to give you nourishment, even if it's just a homemade protein shake. Good luck elem - are there any others doing xrt right now? All my bestest no matter where in this assembly line you find yourself.
Xxoo
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Finally had a minute to check while a cobbler bakes in the oven.
Cowboyup -OOH-LA-LA! Gorgeous cut and color! I feel like I need a new do to go with the different me but it will never happen I'm not that brave!
Figthingirl - thanks for sharing about the book I feel like I need something to move forward and not get stuck in this BC shit! I will look for it when I go shopping this week.
Bevmomduck - so good to hear from you. Glad you are doing well with the extra tug at your heart. You are in my prayers. We lost our oldest daughter in 2013 and my sister in 2015.
Shellybeans - you made me think of my dear friend who had BC 9 years ago. The only thing she could eat was biscuits and gravy from Bojangles. The penny comment made me think of how her cuz that's what she said. Good luck with the next treatment.
Annoyingboob - you are our biggest cheerleader! I get the arm thing to! WTH! it did not have that big of a break how could I get so weak so fast??? I had my low maintenance 11 year old grandson this weekend and for the first time in my life he wore me out! For the first time in my life I feel my age and it doesn't feel good...lol
Elem- I'm right behind you with radiation. I have my first appointment on the 21st for my tattoos. I should be on about the same treatment path as you. Any information is welcome!
PugsMama- can you believe I don't have a new granddaughter yet??? That girl is being stubborn. Hope that you have an ease round with your chemo this week. I have stayed away from the sugar to!! I did get a head ache the 2 day. I am feeling so much better. Not a sluggish or gassy! (TMI) ;o)
Much love to all you beautiful girls! Got to get my DHs cobbler out of the oven.
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Woo Hoo! Finally starting Rads tomorrow!!! I had my surgery early on and felt like things were moving along nicely and Wham! everything went off the rails... Finally glad to start checking off each day of the next 8 weeks!
Cowboy Up...what day are you starting? Glad to have someone on the same timeline to commiserate with! Love the haircut! Can't wait until my hair is long enough to cut again!
Shelleybeans- eat whatever you can! Talk about gross, while on chemo one of the only things I could eat was Chef Boyardee Raviolis, but there were days that I was happy to get the 440 calories in. Get the IV fluids even if you don't need them- I did and it helped to stave off any dehydration from the diarrhea. And yes! Count each and every week off as you go... the number getting smaller and smaller is SOOOOO nice to see!
Bevmomduck - you are in my thoughts daily!
PugsMama - Hoping for diminished SE's this time around! Rest when you feel tired/week and don't overdo it! I got caught overdoing it one day... scared me to death and I was thankfully with family. Listen to your body!
Vargadoll - Cobbler, yum! Sounds like we have a new dessert (for the still eating sugar gals) in the Cabana! I haven't decided whether or not to get the tattoos. I need to see hog big and where they would be. I really don't want a reminder of the BC, but if they are small enough I just might do it... i don't mind the tape and sharpie route too much.
Love to you all!
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Vargadoll, I highly doubt you'll need chemo. Nice score! Mine was 32☹️. But, I'm only getting 4 rounds and I'm already done with 2!!
Annoyingboob-- congratulations on being Done with radiation!! That is excellent news! I bet you are so happy. Praying the Tamoxifen will not give you any unpleasant SE.
Heres to hoping I feel the same after this round as I did the last. Love you gurls
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beach baby - get the tattoos. I tried to take a pic of mine but can't even see them - smaller than a freckle! And it is easier for them to be consistent, as well as , god forbid, if you have to go back in the future. Don't let the tattoos scare you. I can't see mine at all when I get dressed/undressed. Good luck tomorrow!!! As with everything, the anticipation and first day are the scariest. But once you get into the routine, you will be fine!
Cobbler??!! What kind? I love warm peaches. Please have your dh enjoy it for me!!! Savor every delicious bite!! Yum. Yum. Yum.
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BeachBabyK, my dry run is Wednesday and first zap is Thursday. Happy Birthday to me! The tattoos are not noticeable at all. I have 5 dots on my back. Only you gals can appreciate this...my husband and my girls were in the bathroom yesterday trying to locate my tattoos from my moles. Picture me shirtless and my college age girls and husband are trying to find them. I told my long time girlfriends this at lunch and they definitely looked at me weird
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annoyingboob-the cobbler was strawberry and blueberry. I made a very small one so I wouldn't be tempted to eat it all when no one was watching.
Girls, I am devastated right now! My daughter is getting induced Wednesday and I don't thinking I can handle the baby guy! He's 20 months and a big baby. I could cry! I'm the only one who has ever kept him....I migth be able to keep him over night but not 2 days !
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Varga, if anyone can do it, you can!!! First of all, that baby has to come out!!! Your daughter will feel so great to get that baby born! Second, you have been juggling so many things for so long. I'm sure 2 days with him is doable - take him to a trampoline park or zoo and wear him out. Or just sneak him a Benadryl so you can get some rest!!! I'm so glad this didn't all go down when you were having surgery!!! CONGRATULATIONS on another grand baby - this will be number 7, right??!! All that fifty shades of grey has worked!!!!!!!
Xxoo
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I could keep Chance (grandson) if I didn't have my girl! I can't carry him and push her.I could possibly put his back pack leash on him but he still likes to be carried. Also my DH will not want me doing to much. He's been so over protective of me this time!
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Which tattoos are we talking about? Are you talking about areola tattoos? Or big tattoos that cover your entire breasts? When I do get my reconstruction I will have to decide on brown or pink areola tattoos. I've always been so pink you couldn't even see them. Maybe I will go with brown after all! The decisions we have to make, right?
Hasthis been the strangest year of your lives or what? This is the longest dream I have ever had.😀Lol!!
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