Starting Chemo in July 2017
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LoJo, sounds like you had a wonderful trip and getting back to your normal life. I can say after the few we had our point of view has changed. We can’t be the old self anymore, we will enjoy and value our time wirh love ones more. I’m easy to fine on FB, Paulette Kwong in California, let me know your full name and I accept you as friend. This is a closed private group and most of the people in this thread are adm. it’s a group for all of us / BC sistersto share our life we have about 31 people now.
People asked me what willbe my next trip. I really don’t know yet. I have so many appointments to do. My friend and her family is going to Alaska cruise end of May, if my body is ready I might join her. My hubby thinks I might not be ready for it. It’s a 10 days cruise and I actually hate to be lock up in a boat for that long, 7 days for last time was long already.
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Ladies, finished my radiation today, I cried on the radiation table this time. Just can’t believe this journey is finally over. As I told the techs, I love you girls but I don’t want to come back to this room.
All my pink sisters I just want to thanks everyone of you for all the supports. I remember all of you and those dark days we had.
I’m crying for joy and fears also.
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Congrats Paulette! Doesn't it feel like a huge burden has been lifted?? Now it's just managing the lingering SEs. I had my 4-week follow-up with my RO this morning and since the healing is going as expected, this is my last appointment with him. And he made me laugh when he said something to the effect of: It's been great having you here and getting to know you, but I understand if you never want to come back here. Hahaha... He made it a point to meet with me on a weekly basis during rads, so I miss the weekly catching up with everyone. His nurses were busy when I was leaving, so I didn't get to do a last hurrah with them.
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Congrats Paulette! So happy for you!!
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Good morning ladies, Paulette you have the big news today, Woot! All done, I'm so 😁 glad! How did your skin hold up? I'm 12 days post final rads and only the scar line is red with minor light peeling like from a sunburn. I think in hindsight the worst was the worry about how bad my skin would get and had I known it would only lightly peel I wouldn't have worried one bit about the whole thing. I did have about 5-6 days of real exhaustion, but I just took it easy.
Sunny is right though, you definitely have a good eye and should develop that talent. Please continue to post those flowers, can't believe something like that is growing right now, however I love the colors of winter too. The barrenness of the woods behind my house is fascinating too me. I can see so much deeper in now that the foliage is gone. Sometimes I see some cool stuff.
LoJo, your trip sounds like a blast and a wonderful way to kick off this new year. The weight we have lifted off our shoulders is hard to put into words, but we all know what it is. Like others have written, this little group has been a godsend, and I also can't put into words what you've meant to me.
I'm now looking forward to our trip to Hilton Head in March. Totally a different vibe than New York, but the same feeling of relief. I keep thinking I'll also break into tears when I'm able to walk a nearly deserted beach again, watching the gulls and pelicans and collecting shells. My soul is longing for March 3rd the day we arrive.
Sunny, I can't believe you had your 1 month check already, my RO was very personable, but I'm happy to let him go. 🙂
Runnermum, when will your hubby get his scans? Continuing to pray for negative results.
I've been awol from here as I've had 4 appointmeets in the last week, all at my cancer center which is a 4hour round trip. I'm beat. However I'm joining a study and starting my AI. The AI will start most likely the end of this week, there's some confusion over wether it should start before or with my study drug. I've also chosen to do the IV drug to protect my bones instead of Boniva, I think it's called Lemita, as there's some evidence it protects against bone mets.
I need to get going. Have a great day! Hugs and prayers
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Teese, I've been thinking about you since I haven't seen you for weeks. Are enjoying your no radiation days? I thought my skin will hold up good, but I got few burns on my collarbone area. It turned red during my boost time, it is a little uncomfortable so I have to wear my tee shirt inside out avoid any sensitive. I'm praying my breast and armpit won't turn red, my RO said it doesn't look like it would be. Im waiting to see peeling start. Enjoy your trip in March and keep us posted on the AI. I should be starting early February also.
Sunny, time goes by fast, one month already. Life must be good.
As far as trip, if my body is ready and my hubby health has no trouble, I might join my friend for a cruise in end of May. I haven't purchased the trip because things are not clear yet. If it sold out then we might do a road trip to drive up north of California to see the coast line.
Few pictures to bright up the day.
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Lojo awesome trip you shared. I live NYC. Been twice. Lucky enough to go over the American Thanksgiving with my daughter. Had a blast. The street dogs were pricey though.
Paulette whoo hoo. Celebration time! I'm just finished 7/25 no boosts. So far so good but I'm not holding my breath. Live the pics! Iteillsiin be time for me to start my veggies inside for planting this summer.
After rads Finshes end of Feb. I'll take a break for a couple of weeks then we are taking a road trip to Alberta barhead to visit my DH mother who is 79 this year and in pretty good shape. Also visit his dad in Winnipeg along the way. Would have rather gone later this year when it is warm but I'm going back to work March 19 so only have so much time and am planning a bike trip across pei in August.
Teese. A friend from me be who was also dx with BC this year ( one month after me) have tnbc and is prescribed a bisphosphate also iv ever 6 months to prevent Mets and recurrence. Had never heard of this. Great news that there is something out there to protect against osteoporosis and Mets
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Alberta is so beautiful we took a trip there several years ago. How’s the weather in March? Would it be snowing there?
Teese let us know how phosphate works? Maybe I should ask my MO on this shot.
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Heading to Vegas this weekend to celebrate DH's birthday. He is there now for a conference, so I will join him at the end of the week. This is the 3rd year we're celebrating his birthday there due to this annual conference, but I haven't gotten tired of the place yet... Lots of things to see! I'm NOT a gambler but I like to check out all the free entertainment on the Strip, and ooh-ing and ahh-ing at all the themed mega hotels.
Lojo, I've been to NYC in January twice and had a blast both times despite the cold weather. I was surprised at how much walking we did also when we were out there. Here at home, we cringe to go walk down the street in 40 degree weather. Hahaha My nephew is graduating from college in May from a private school in NY so we'll be back there. We're starting to plan for that trip now.
Teese & Tpralph, keep us posted as you learn more about osteoporosis prevention. I was thinking about that the other day, when I started feeling some lower back pain. My back pain was likely related to the way I slept the night before, but I started wondering about my bone health. I see my MO in about 4 weeks so I'll ask about this also. I have read somewhere that one of the SEs of tamoxifen is bone loss.
Paulette, thanks for sharing your photos! They definitely brightened up my day!
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i lived in nyc for 10 plus years, yeap count on walking lots!
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My MO does a bone density to check your baseline bone health, then she gives you the option of pills like Boniva or the IV lemeta. She said the reason she pushes the lemeta is its the only drug that's been studied for cancer progression so far. The oral form may offer the same benefits, just hasn't been tested yet. I'll have the infusion every 3 months for about two years and then that's it. The year I'm in the study I have to go in for a check every 3 months anyway, so I figure it won't be too much of a hassle. Plus I'll see my MO every 3 months from now on. So what the heck, might as well.
Today I go to PT, the LE has remained stable and we're working on strengthening the right arm.
Love the pics Paulette, thanks for posting them, I love flowers. I can't wait to spend this summer working in my garden. I have such plans. We live on 3 acres of wooded and open land. I've kept the area around the house cultivated and the rest is natural for the most part. I keep it neat as in no tangled underbrush, which allows me to spot the wildlife strolling through. I've got a lot to do since I've taken a year off.
Have a great day
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Teese, I don’t think I can meet with my LE for a little awhile, some patch of my skins around my neck are raw I don’t want any massage around there yet. It might take couple weeks to get better.
I on,y have a backyard, but I love my garden and most of the flowers’ pictures are from my daily walk. Hoping my energy is getting better so I can do some hiking. Also Chinese New Year is coming in few weeks so I need to clean up my house.
Teese I’m glad you’re sharing the the option we have so I can talk to my MO on my February appointment. I still have my port need to find out when is he going to take that baby out.
Sunny, I haven’t been to Vagas for long time, great that you have a wonderful time.
Have a great day everyone, I’m going to put on my wig to DMV. I hate wig!
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Makes my heart happy to read how well we all are doing. Love all the trips some are taking. We usually take a vacation in the winter to someplace warm to get out of the cold. We had decided since I took so much time off for chemo we would wait til summer this year (I don't work in the summers) and take our family vacation and turn it into a celebratory family trip. Thinking either a cruise or San Diego. But also thinking that hubby and I should sneak away for a long weekend someplace soon!
My hubby had his biopsy yesterday morning and received a call at lunch time today...NOT cancer. Has an enlarged prostate so they need to keep an eye on him and will go back in 6 months. What a scare but so very very happy. I will finish radiation this Friday and it truly feels like we can celebrate.
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🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌 Runnermum!!! My husband got some problem so he’s going to see the doc on Monday and he needs to check his PSA also, I’m hoping nothing wrong Also. He is an upbeat person we haven’t worried much at all.
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Runnermum, I'm so relieved and happy for you, great news! You and your hubby have some real celebrating to do! Woot!
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Thank you wonderful ladies!! We didn't share this with our families until right before his biopsy. We didn't want to cause more stress and worry so it was awesome to share with you ladies and have your prayers. You truly do not know how horrible this is to go thru until you have gone thru this yourself. The appts, tests, biopsy, and the wait. It truly felt like the stress and nightmare was just beginning again, yet I did have moments of peace, where I remembered everything that I had been thru and that no matter what we found out we would be OK. My husband at one point said to me "I really had no idea what you were going thru until now, it's different when it is not yourself." So grateful we received the results we did. My biggest fear was possibly having to tell our boys that their dad also had cancer. Between my diagnosis and losing their aunt to cancer at age 38, within this past year, they have had enough stress and did not deserve to have to go thru this again. Thank you again for the thoughts!
Paulette please keep us updated on your husband too. From my research there does seem to be a lot of issues for men with their prostate as they age. My hubby is younger (49) but think the event of the past 10 months caused stress and may have caused this.
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Hi! Great news, Paulette and Runnermum! I have been doing well and working my butt off so I am caught up on my work before I have a tissue expander placed on February 14. Happy Valentine’s day, right? I have been taking L-glutamine daily, and neuropathy is close to gone. The only lingering SE is tearing eyes, and I notice that getting better as well. And the crazy depression has lifted. I am planning to have DIEP reconstruction after school gets out in June, since I don’t have any more sick leave.
It was great to read everyone’s posts and catch up. You are all amazing.
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Leatherette, sounds so good, your neuropathy is almost gone. I still have some lingering but I won’t worry that much.
Went to office today and I planned to go back to work few hours a month if my hubby health is good. It was just feel good to see some old friends.
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Is there anyone still getting Chemo out there?
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yeah, i am on chemo, i am stage 4 and likely always will be on med, doing a pill now
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Proud, are you doing oral only not infusion?
Have a good weekend everyone!
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Paulette, yes, only a pill chemo current)y, i was on taxol for a time but it stopped working and now the pill
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proud, send you prayers and good vibes.... keep us posted how are you doing.
Have a great weekend ladies!
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the dang pill i am on is actually 8 pills a day! Problem is remembering all of them
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Proud what are your side effects from the chemo pills?
I finished radiation yesterday! 33 treatments! A couple bad areas...under arm and my nipple. Not able to run right now as Dr does not want my under arm rubbing. Have started Tamox the begining of Jan. My port was taken out after chemo. I have no doctor visits for 2 1/2 months. I think sprinted out of my cancer clinic before they could change their minds. 😊 Looking forward to a return to normal.
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Runnermum, how's your collarbone area since they took out your nodes, I imagined they may treat your nodes Area also. My underarm is fine but nipple got problem since week 4, worse parts are collarbone and above, post picture for you to see.
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Ouch Paulette! My collarbone area is slightly red, my armpit and nipple are bad!! Hoping it clears up soon. When did u finish?
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Runnermum I finished 1/22 Monday. My collarbone areas started peeling so it is not that bad now. I just hope I won’t havd too many wrinkles on my neck.
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runnermom, my side effects from chemo pill seem to be blood clot, got a clot in leg we are treating and sort of think the cancer is partly to blame although not really, clear yet
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Morning,
I've been awol. My poor hubby held us together and now his knee is giving out. Good grief, he can hardly walk and the PT is making everything worse. He's off to see ortho again and an MRI.
Runnermum- woot, your all done, yay! It's been over a week and I'm sure your feeling much better and healing nicely. Have you started running again, healed enough?
Paulette, yup my skin looked exactly like yours. It's all healed now and light pink. You're about a week behind me so I hope your healing as quickly.
Proud, wow, is the clot then a DVT like thing? Is it resolving? Praying it does.
Have a good day, prayers and hugs
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