Starting Chemo June 2017
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Hello ladies! I've been on and off of here. But mostly off trying to live life with chemo. I didnt want my life to be defined by cancer, so i tried staying off more than on. Today was my last chemo, yay i finished chemo! !! A long journey but I'm finally done! I only missed 1 day of work, which is a huge accomplishment! One of my Taxols was cancelled due to a possible blood clot. After numerous tests and scans they put me on Xarelto, which I continue to take. I have neuropathy in my left foot only in my heel. Strange but it is what it is. It comes and goes. Hopefully gone soon! My MO is giving me a month off before we start radiation. However, I'm having a mammo, endoscopy and colonoscopy in 2 weeks, not looking forward to that. It will be my new baseline. Woohoo chemo done!!!!! Oh and my hair is coming back! Gray but I'll take it!!
Too many of you to list but if you are reading this please know that I have been thinking about you and praying for you! I'll check back soon as I start reading up on radiation pages!
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Good to get that update, Susie. One hurdle down, a few more to jump through. We're thinking of you.
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Great to hear everyone's progress with surgeries and chemo. Hap, I'll be sending you HEARTful healing! Welcome back Susie, glad you checked in. I too have not been on the boards as much with the Thanksgiving holiday and a work conference this week. It felt good to get my professional game on again. I work as a contract-based trainer and had to drop all my projects after diagnosis because they involved travel. Now I'm ready to pick up some work again.
Julia, my hair came back in the same pattern (including the peach fuzz!). Once it starts filling in, it seems to get thicker before it gets longer. I finally stopped wearing headscarves a couple weeks ago. Feels liberating. Suzy, mine returned VERY grey also. My hairdresser told me that "granny grey" is actually a trendy hair color now - I googled it and she's right. People are crazy.
Hope everyone has a restful weekend!
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LTWJ, I hope you had a GREAT birthday. Congrats on getting through your surgery and finding a new doctor. Go with your gut. We deserve to have confidence in our healthcare team.
Had my remaining axillary lymph nodes removed 24 hours ago. I have had more pain than the previous surgery, but it's early. It's definitely a different kind of pain. Handling the drain fine so far, but I won't complain since LTWJ just mentioned she had 3! I will start my Letrozole tonight. Pink, What time of day do you take yours? I was thinking it might be easier before bed time.
Y'all have a great weekend. Rest and Auburn football for me!
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Hap, I'm so glad to hear that your hair is coming in! I know that you were concerned as it was taking longer than expected. I feel the same about appreciating every single strand of my short, fuzzy, grey hair! So relieved that it came back no matter how it looks!
Kim, glad another step is behind you! Rest up this weekend!
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Susie, Congrats on having chemo behind you and missing only one day of work! That's just awesome. The worst is over, I believe,
HapB, My onc just didn't want too much time between radiation and the HR meds. They all seem to do their own thing a bit, don't they!
I just saw the thread of hair messages. I cannot figure out what mine is doing as to color. Neighbor said it looks totally the same strawberry-blonde, but I see more gray. At least it is coming in.
T-Sue, Glad you will feel like getting back to work again! It's good to think how far we have all come.
Continued wellness to all!
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hello ladies..haven't been on in a while as I was taking some time away prepping for surgery..had my BMX (prophylactic on the left side) Nov 30th. I also had sentinel nodes removed on both sides and thankfully since I joined the Alliance trial and my sentinels tested negative that's all they took instead of the standard 2/3 or axillary node dissection. Coming out of anesthesia was rough as I was really nauseated. That settled down though after a few shots of Zofran in my iv. I came home yesterday and have been settling in. I am definitely in some pain but pain meds take the edge off. I took my first shower today with the help of my husband and I cried. It was just a little overwhelming having just lines where my breasts used to be and 4 drains hanging around my neck..all in all so far so good though..
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Hhuey, congrats and getting through your BMX. That first shower is so tough - facing your new body. It gets easier, I promise. Take care of yourself and keep your schedule as calm as possible the next few weeks. So easy to overdo it.
Hugs!
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Hhuey, Yes seeing it for the first time is a bit much for us all, scars where there were breasts. Imagine the disease gone and new beginnings. Thinking of you and praying for healing of body and spirit. Life is good.
((hugs)) Melanie
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moodyblues, thank you for the beautiful reminder, new beginnings. I need to hear that sometimes.
Started my Anastrozole today and I’m terrified of the SE. On a good note I love my new oncologist so that helps.
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hhuey, May each day bring physical and emotional healing. We are beautiful, brave women.
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Congrats on getting thru your surgery, hhuey. That is terrific that your nodes were clear. Overwhelming for sure but as you heal, you will feel better and better and get out and about and back to your old activities. For now, rest, rest, rest, and do some gentle stretching for your arms. Probably they gave you a booklet about that. Don't overdo though until the bleeding slows down in your drains. We'll all be sending positive thoughts.
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Hhuey: A big hug to you. It does get easier to look at as time goes on.
Kim: I was told to take the pill in the evening as it's suppose to help more with hot flashes at night. I take mine at supper because I'd never remember to take it before bed.
Life is good! Starting to feel normal again and getting back to making plans for the future.
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For those who have had drains, it's day 3 and the fluid is turning an amber color. (Truly like the color of urine.) Is that a good thing? Pain seems less today (no pain pills thus far, but the arm doesn't want to lift much. It feels like it weighs 40 lbs. I got a shower, though, and that felt good.
Pink, Fantastic! I feel like I just took 8 steps back, but this too shall pass!
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Susie good to see you! Glad you are busy with good things!! You, too, T-Sue!!
hhuey I can relate. I had a tissue expander put in and filled a bit at the time of my mastectomy. While it helped that I had a little something there on my left side when I woke up, the horizontal line did/does take some time to get used to. I started to think of my left side as my "barbie boob" No nipple and it's practically as hard as hers. Ha.
moodyblues New beginnings...a great outlook. It's not about how you look, it's about how you see.
LTWJ hope you are continuing to heal. Good news you love your new doctor. That will make a big difference going forward.
Kim hope your pain continues to lessen. It is normal and good news for your drainage to lighten in color. Try to gently move your arm as best you can as far/wide as dr says so. My range of motion has been good. Some limits, but I'm "crawling the wall" and am well over my head now.
I have a lump where the sentinel nodes were removed. I thought it was just steri strips bunched up but they are now gone and sure enough I have a good lump. I'm hoping it goes down. I still have a bit of sensitivity on the back of my arm (tricep). Tingles and zingers and even tingly when I touch it. I'm told this gets better as the nerves repair. Hope so.
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Peachy and Kim, It takes a long time for that lumpiness and sensitivity under your arm to go away. But it does. It's hard to be patient. I don't have any pain or tingling now. A little tightness - I have to keep up the stretching. I will probably see a plastic surgeon in the fall for some minor clean up work - dog ears and extra skin in area of lymph node removal. Still not planning on reconstruction.
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Kim, My drain tube drainage color did change to an amber color after a few days as well. Nearer the time when the tubes were to be removed, it got kind of yucky looking in the bulb (not the tube)....kinda looked like the water after you boil a chicken. I know this sounds weird but, it really did. HA. I take my AI in the evening, the bottle said it could cause drowsiness so I decided that would be best for me.
I am sure you will LOVE when those drain tubes get removed!
Melanie
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Thanks, Melanie. That is helpful to know. I seem to have a bit more range of motion this morning, but I get this super sharp, burning pain in the same spot. It kind of takes my breath away, when it hits. I didn't have to take pain meds yesterday, so I would prefer not to today. I am also taking my AI in the evening, too, for the reason you mentioned.
Julia, I remember from the first surgery the armpit healing was the longest, rather than the LX. It's a tender area for sure.
Happy Monday to all!
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Kim, I think that super sharp pain is from the drain being pulled. It happened to me sometimes too. One day at a time.
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Julia, I think you are right. My nurse messaged me this morning, as I told her what was going on, and said if I have had less than 30 ccs of fluid over a 24-hour period, she can arrange for me to have the tube out. I said I didn't want to remove something too early and have a risk for anything. I am also not to that point yet. Maybe after today. I will continue to rest as much as I can, as it is definitely less an issue when I am not moving. Hard not to move, though.
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Good morning all. I hope everyone is continuing to heal. I went to the PS yesterday and got a fill. It wasn't painful. I have some tightness but not bad. I was told 3 more fills should do it. Friday I should find out whether radiation is needed and that will determine how quickly I get filled.
Been thinking about radiation and wonder if they tell me I don't need it, will I second guess not doing it or just be thankful and move on. One day I hope they say yes so I feel like I am throwing everything I can at cancer, and other days I hope they say no so that it is one less treatment andset of potential side effects and will bring me closer to the end game.
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so it's day 5 after my BMX with sentinel node removal..I feel like an octopus with these 4 drains. My only real complaint is that I have this crazy pain on the inside of my upper arm on my right side and my bicep is so tender like it is stuck in a flexed position and won't relax..I cannot straighten it all the way or it feels like I am going to tear the muscle..the drains itch like crazy and I'm barely draining anything so I may be able to get them out earlier then 2 weeks..they are wedges up all in my chest where my breasts were and all up in my armpits..I know it takes time to recover but it's going to take a ton of patience on my part
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Peachy, I understand your thoughts all too well, we want to throw everything at this beast that we can. We want the treatment to be over, we don't want to over treat and also we don't want to be under treated. I won't have to have radiation but, I still wonder about Nerlynx (I am HER2+), are the SE's worth the extra protection for me? Doctor said no, he said after the Herceptin I am through (except for the estrogen blockers). We want to trust our physicians but, sometimes it is hard. I hope that you get the answer you need for your cure and that you feel comfortable with it.
Feel better soon!
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Hhuey. Octopus, I understand....remember the days where we wish we had extra arms to do everything that we needed to do? This is not what we meant huh?!
I had the same pain in my arm as you described, it went away with time. I just had the finish of my reconstructive surgery and have some of that tenderness again but, not too much. It felt like a bee stinging me. Yes, patience is needed during this time but, in no time the drains will be gone and you will feel great!
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hhuey, Dear me, 4 drains. I have one and wasn't sure I was going to make it until today. Mine was like the bee sting Melanie described. I literally yelled out twice, though no one was here to hear me. Today is noticeable better, though my right arm feels like it weighs 40 lbs. You can do this!! I will stop my complaining immediately!
Peachy, I pray you don't require Rads, but I get what you are saying. I have told my DH that I have done everything thus far they have asked of me. If the BC comes back, it wasn't that I didn't try to annihilate it! I may hear my pathology today on the lymph nodes, but I see the BS in the morning. I wish she would just tell me then. She expects they will find nothing, but that was what she said very early on... I cannot imagine 4 months of chemo didn't knock this stuff to the moon. I will cling to that.
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Hhuey I had that sensitivity and the zingers too, in my arm. Made me jump a few times. Now it just feels like some sunburn on my arm. I'll get a jolt once in a while but definitely less frequent. I still find the lump where the sentinel nodes were taken out tender and a little annoying. Feels like I am holding an egg in my armpit. I was told to massage it and it will eventually soften. about the drains..make sure you are milking the line.
Kim good luck with the path report. Fingers crossed for the all clear. Hope your drain comes out.Moodyblues congrats on crossing the finish line for reconstruction. Yay! Some of my support team are justrealizing this treatment is no sprint to the finish.
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Thank you Peachy. I am going to doctor today to see if I can get my stitches out and take of this darn Ace bandage that is squeezing/flattening my very expensive, newly created breast! (crossing fingers)
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Well, I didn't get my drain out. It will likely be able to come out by Monday. She did adjust it some, so I think it feels better for now. Still having a hard time getting my arm up to a 90% angle. She wants me to try a little more each day.
The "not so good news" is that 5/19 of these additional lymph nodes were cancerous. I was like, "How can this be, after 4 months of chemo?" As a non-medical person, it is perplexing to me. She basically said that chemo acts systemically, and that radiation to the breast and area where the lymph nodes were (she took them all - thank goodness based on the outcome), will be the treatment that is essential to making sure we've gotten it all. To quote Don Henley, "The more I know, the less I understand." But, the report did state: "No extranodal invasion is identified."
So, I meet with my Rad Onc next week and try and get RADS set up ASAP after the holidays and take this BEAST cancer one day at a time.
I did mean to write BEAST - R omitted on purpose. 
I am doing well. Still holding onto hope that a totally clean bill of health will be mine in the new year.
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Kim: I am sorry to hear about the additional nodes being cancerous. But at least they've got them all now. I know when I found out my nodes were positive I felt like the world had caved in on me. We just need to keep moving forward and take our blessings as they come. I don't know what it's like to have drains but I can imagine it's not pleasant.
Peachy: If you do need radiation, it's really not that bad. Nothing compared to chemo. Is that lump under your arm a seroma? I had one of those and it's painful. I ended up getting mine drained to relieve the pressure. But then two days later it was back. It did eventually go away about two weeks after the surgery.
Hap: How are things going?
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Kim, Sorry to hear that. So glad they took all the nodes. Your attitude is going to help you. We have to take it one day at a a time to beat this BEAST. I will be thinking of you. Keep us posted on how the rads go..
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