My Husband, My Life, My Love, My Family, My Cancer
Comments
-
I am getting caught up on yesterday's posts.
Threetree- crazy!!! Scan-reading is weird. The type of scan, the radiologist's experience, a different radiologist, why can't it be more black-and-white. Cancer or no. And, I know, I have picked apart the wording of my scan reports, but the radiologist can be in a hurry, or the MO can shrug off the report wording. It sure does not help our scanxiety. I have even entertained thoughts of "maybe I don't have cancer". I had biopsies, so I know I do, but the scan results can put thoughts in your head.
Intolight- Happy to read your post.
1 -
intolight So glad to hear your MO sought out other radiologist opinions. With this scenario it is the best thing to do and I'm relieved for you!
threetree Sounds like your MO will be able to sort this out for you also. Fingers crossed and prayers up that you will get good news and relief also.
Mel Wow can't believe Theo is a year! So happy you're enjoying his unconditional love. Hope you slept well your bed sounds like a cozy haven, just lovely.
Humidity creeping in today , will have to get Buster out for his morning walk soon. I will probably bake some cookies today, SIL is turning 60 soon and her DH is having a party on the 22nd.I promised to make a large cookie tray so I will bake a little each week and store/freeze them.
CT tomorrow…yikes hoping to maintain stable status. Like Candy stated I always wonder if this will be "the time". I have been on this treatment for 2 years in July and Keytruda will be ending soon. Makes me nervous to know I will just be on oral chemo after July..we'll see. Just trying to stay present and take it one day, one scan at a time.
Thinking of emac and sunshine this morning hope your doing ok. Praying for all here daily.❤️
2 -
Good morning from Buster..sending you doggie love…..
5 -
omg Buster! We love you. I love that breed. Buster is very lucky. Thank you for sharing. More more more !!
0 -
Candy - You so get it about those reports! I also remember reading a DJMammo post here some time ago, where DJ explained that radiologists actually write the report for the next radiologist who will be dealing with the same patient - not even for the PCP or MO, etc., much less the patient. We and our regular doctors are not the audience the report is directed toward at all, so no wonder they read strangely to most of us. Also, I too have even wondered sometimes if I even have cancer! In my situation, I think it is wishful thinking, but I get it, and why someone would wonder, after to you read all this stuff.
Cookie - Thanks, and I am hoping the oncologist will have something helpful and uplifting to say tomorrow. Intolight's did, am I really glad for her. Also, Buster is soooooooooooooooo cute! Thanks for sharing the wonderful photos. Especially like the "on the water" one. He looks like he's wearing a corsage and ready for a date.
(I love it when Candy and Cookie post close together - makes me think of "cookies and candy" and who wouldn't have their mood raised by that alone?)
Mel - I am so glad that you have Theo. He seems to bring you so much joy and comfort. Hard to believe he is a whole year old now. May you have many, many more together!
5 -
I just looked at the Cuddle Puddle blanket on Amazon. It looks very nice!
2 -
Mel, Happy Birthday to Theo and belated birthday to you as well. Glad you are comfortable in your bed as well.
Yes, a lot of us have scanxiety and incorrectly read scans can cause unnecessary treatment changes, glad for those who got someone else to look at theirs and given the chance to stay on preferred meds.
Well, I was in bed later on Tues into Wed but did not wake until 1130am which is LATE. Initially felt like today is Saturday but I know it is Wednesday.
I chopped spinach and croutons in the spice grinder, needing to finish up stuff in the freezer, cooked up a couple of frozen hamburgers, will add the spinach after and go from there. Planning to eat the burgers, spinach and mayo with some ketchup mixed in as well. It was good and got them out of freezer finally.
Hope everyone has a good day and in pockets where needed.
2 -
@cookie54, Buster is beautiful - I could drown in those brown eyes. He has given me my feel-good moment for today, as well as @intolight's news being so good. Very frustrating about the scans, as well as adding to the general anxiety of the process.
3 -
here is my little baby!!
6 -
Thanks ladies, was hoping to make you smile today.
Theo you are like a cuddly stuffed animal …cute as a button!
3 -
Theo is the definition of cute, @micmel - he just says "hug me" - so gorgeous - happy belated birthday greetings to both of you.😍
3 -
here we are bedtime again. Wish me luck. I’m never sleeping too good lately. I’m so fatigued dying the day I need to nap. Maybe cut it down. Sigh. I don’t know anymore. Life with cancer sucks. Plain and simple! Goodnight
5 -
❤️🥰❤️ all the 🐾🐾 photos. Thank God for our pets who love us❤️.
3 -
Hard to keep up with the thread, but if I really were in Mel's living room, I might not be so chatty, but I would play you Scarborough Fair on my new guitar.
6 -
ToughOldCrow - I d love to be in Mel's Living Room for real and you and your guitar would be a good addition. Some of us "older ladies" could sing old folk/hippie songs while you strum. I'd join infor sure.
2 -
Good morning ladies
Thinking of you Emac and sending hugs.
We all hate and dread scans. Now there are more reasons why.
I had a root canal Monday, which I thought was just going to be a cavity. Faslodex Tuesday. Finally feeling a little better from that 1-2 punch.
Beautiful pictures of cookie and Mel’s pups. 🐶
Threetree cookies 🍪 and candy 🍫 so cute. Yes I’d stay in the dentist chair yum.
Tanya
2 -
This thread is about to blow up qith cuteness overload. Omg theo AND buster!
Things here ok, tho hair is coming out now in handfuls which is distressing. I found a neck gaiter and am wearing it as a head covering to keep the hair on for now until I can get to the hair specialist next week and I'll get some wraps and coverings in the meantime. Its quite painful on the old scalp, but keeping it covered seems to have helped and maybe get me used to this, but the hair is gonna go next week I think.. Oh and I got my lymphedema clinic appt moved up a week at least, never hurts to call and ask.
6 -
@sondraf So sorry to read about your hair. This disease is tough enough without the added downheartedness of losing your hair.
I would love for us all to sit together in the living room listening to music and enjoying each other's company. I would bring out my keyboard or join you all with my cello if I had any strength…
It is a beautiful day here. The plants and trees are planted and life should be good, but I just don't feel good. I want so bad to be able to do stuff, but instead I find myself sitting in my chair doing nothing much. I washed the dishes and hung my summer wreath on the front door, but now I have no energy left. It is even tough to crochet today. Sorry—just needed to vent.
5 -
Sondra-losing your hair in clumps must be very distressing. Wearing the gaiter sounds like a good temporary solution until you can get some cute wraps.
Intolight-I can relate to the lack of energy. I did a load of laundry and cleaned up the mulberries on my sidewalk, dishes next but I'm taking a break. I think I'll sit outside this afternoon without any guilt for "doing nothing."
5 -
Wow - you are all so talented. I am so uncoordinated that playing a musical instrument is way beyond me and it is actually a kindness to people's hearing if I don't attempt to do that. Family members are still scarred from my attempts on the recorder. But that doesn't stop me from appreciating the wonderful skills of others @tougholdcrow and @intolight.
@tanya_djamila, my sympathies about dentist appointment. They can be extremely stressful and painful afterwards.
@sondraf, so sorry about the hair loss. In your pocket with hugs.
@chicagoan and @intolight I hope you both begin to get energy back soon. In your pockets with hugs.
In everyone's pockets with lullabies for those who are having trouble sleeping like @micmel.
5 -
Sondra~I’m so sorry that you’re dealing with the hair situation. My heart was broken when it happend to me, but somehow I got used to it and it was actually a heck of a lot easier not having to style my hair. But I’m sending you hugs because I know it’s distressing and it makes me so mad that we even have to worry about this at all. Sending you love and my best wishes.
3 -
Well, I saw my oncologist today and he does think something is going on with my liver and that there is slight progression there. Everything else is stable. He wants me to get an MRI to get a different look from the CT, but he seems pretty solid that something not good is going on. He said that he didn't think I'd have to switch out this current med regimen, and that there are things they can do that won't require a med change. The treatment he talked about, I know I've heard/read about it before, but now I can't remember what it's called. It's not SBRT, but that was on his list of maybe down the road things, or something if what he's thinking of doesn't work. What he's talking about is something where an interventional radiologist would put something into the blood supply of the liver and somehow do damage to the tumor(s). Just can't remember the term for the procedure. Needless to say, I am way less than thrilled, but at least encouraged that I could keep the current meds for now (Faslodex, Verzenio, Zometa). I don't want any one doing anything to my liver. The whole idea really creeps me out. I'll have to study up and psych myself up for whatever this may be. Still reaching for straws though, and hoping this whole thing is just some kind of screw up. It takes me a long time to process and accept bad news.
Editing to say that the procedure my oncologist is suggesting is radioembolization. They send radioactive beads into the tumor's blood supply and get it that way.
3 -
Threetree I think Mel had some type of ablation but I’m not sure that’s what your dr is suggesting. Sending hugs and support. Whatever it is he has a plan.
Tanya0 -
@threetree I am very sorry about this news and I hope this is just a glitch. I am sure I would feel the same way.
1 -
Good morning sweet ladies. @sondraf I'm hate that you are losing your hair. But your hair is not your heart. Pick up some widely insane bandana hot mamma motorcycle mamma scarfs and see if you can lessen the sadness and maybe shock a few people. @threetree I 'm having difficulty processing the scans every 3 months. I've come to the conclusion that every radiologist reads it differently. I think some are so rushed that they don't even look at past reports. I'm not familiar with your MO's suggested treatment for the liver, but I am familiar with not accepting things and rocking the boat, so to speak. Please let us know how this turns out and I'll be saying a prayer for health and healing.
Haven't heard from @emac877 in some time. Sending love and prayers your way. Did I miss Mara's posting recently?
Shots tomorrow, lunch at hospital and straight to lymp P.T. I don't know if it's helping or not, but my shoulder blade (scapula?) is very sore. Scanaxiety setting in for Pet Scan Monday. I just can't sort out MS and cancer symptoms. So I try not to worry so much. Stay cool everyone, we will be close to 100 here tomorrow and I'm in your pockets for scans and all life needs.
1 -
Threetree- A few on here have had radioembolization done. There was a thread called Y90, ablation, …. something like that. I don't know how active that Thread is now. Mods— can you help us find that thread?
NicoleRod had it done— she has since passed, I don't know if you remember her.
I read up on it a couple of years ago. Kind of a whack-a-mole thing. They "zap" the liver tumors. Cannot zap them all, but usually the largest or most troublesome ones. They go in through the groin, kind of like a cardiac cath. Thread the needle to the liver tumor, and either kill the cells with heat or they can deliver the "chemo" or "radiation" beads directly to the tumor. I think there is a limit on how many times it can be done, seems NicoleRod had it 3 times, I think. Then she said she could not have it anymore.
0 -
Threetree- I found the Thread I was talking about but cannot post the link. Search "Liver mets, ablation, y90". You should find it. Last posted on in 2020. You might get some good information from reading the posts.
0 -
Correction- Last posted in 2023. So that is more recent.
0 -
Sondra Sorry about your hair it can be so mentally difficult. I remember the first time I went to work with my scarf on it was really hard for me. After the initial shock I then bought tons of scarves to match every outfit and tried to have 'fun" with it. I too had a very painful scalp when it was falling out which I never imagined.I used to give myself a pep talk in the morning and say" Your life is more important than your hair". Hugs to you as you adjust to this change.
Irish In your pocket today and for your PET Monday. Hope you at least get to enjoy a good lunch today!
Well I'm a bit disheartened today. I had my CT yesterday and my 9 month streak of stable may be over. I have a small lesion in the bone at T3 which wasn't there 3 mos ago on last CT. Looks like I will have a date with a bone scan next week. I have to sort out the details with MO and see what imaging route she wants to take. Guess there is a small chance it's not a met but my realistic mind says fat chance. We all know progression is coming sooner or later but is still mystery of what, when , where and how.
Beautiful sunshine here and less humidity today so I will do my best to enjoy it. Going out with the neighbors for delicious brick oven pizza and homemade ice-cream to follow. Will do my best to live in the moment ,enjoy and thank God that I feel well enough to go out. Hugs and peace to all here.
3 -
@threetree Sending you hugs and strength to manage this new situation. Hope your MRI reveals some good information to help you and your MO make the best decision.
1
