My Husband, My Life, My Love, My Family, My Cancer
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Call from MO office- counts low -- ANC 900, and they want 1000 or over--- but oked to start cycle 26 of Ibrance tomorrow. Woohoo. Keep fighting those cancer buggers. Took today off church secretary thing, back there tomorrow. Today doing some paperwork at home.
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Go Candy, show the cancer who is boss.
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You guys gotta stop talking about peanut mnms cause I just dominated a bag after all the comments in this thread!
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I can't have the peanut ones but did have the mint m&ms in my DB cookies he made.
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MRI to pelvic region is done. It was my 3rd MRI in 7 days. All the techs commented on my return. It was humorous.
Thanks for all those in my pocket. Had to be NPO before the test. I could smell the blueberry lemon muffins and the Cinnabon rolls during the test. And I snuck a handful of peanut M&Ms before the test.
Thanks to all for the support.
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BooBoo1- reading your updates ref DH and rehab is so heart warming. Keeping you and your DH in my prayers for continuing success. Also hoping they address your back pain ASAP.
Rosie24- will be reporting for pocket duty for you Thursday. Sending good thoughts.
Tanya_Djamila- the blueberry lemon muffins were a hit this morning. I shared with the 3 techs. They looked like they needed a lift this morning
Candy-678. Glad to read that your doc let you start cycle 26. Love reading all the examples of Ibrance working for so many people
Mara51506- in your pocket Friday. Volunteering at your cancer center sounds perfect for you. Look at all the pocket duty practice you will have!
I took the extra Cinnabon’s to the lobby to share with dh. He takes me to all my appointments and patiently waits in the lobby for me.
Runor— before leaving for MRI this morning I checked for any unseen chin hairs and thought of your story. Made me smile.
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Booboo1, hope all moves forward smoothly with your husband. In a similar situation myself, without quite hitting your crisis point, although have been there previously. My husband of 33 years also struggling and drinking. BUT he’s been seeing a counsellor for the past couple of months and he really likes her... she realises he doesn’t need to learn to breathe... he needs to talk and share. He’s a west of Scotland middle aged man who bottles things up and will frankly break if he doesn’t get help. Cancer Support Scotland have provided that care for us both and we are very grateful. Doesn’t mean either of us won’t slide into the black hole of depression but at least we know we can get some help!
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I haven't had any peanut M&M's in a while. Need to go buy some tomorrow. Hahaha.
DodgersGirl- Rockin that MRI machine. You are an old pro now. Prayers for the results.
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Candy~glad you’ll be starting your next round. I start #40 tomorrow evening One week on one week off is how I take my medicine now. I find it more tolerable.! Way to kick some ibrance ass!!
Mara~ you’re another one. Wanting a part time job? I honestly wouldn’t mind either, but I feel better some days better than others. I wouldn’t want to be unreliable. I can’t commit to anything, my bff was shocked I made her Christmas party. I was shocked also! I did it for her. She’s an angel friend. I also wanted to see her aunt. Who I adore. I see you pushing yourself. Pretty amazing woman.
Mae~ have me pondering hello fresh!
Rosie~ I want to take up needle stitch. Give me a needle and a color and boundaries and I would do great. I’m going to the craft store to look around.
You ladies give good suggestions! Thank you.
Tanya~ Hello lovely 😊
BooBoo~ go hubby. Go Laurie! I’m impressed. Sincerely. Too much history to not work it out, or not to try. Well done. Should be more like you both. Sending hugs!
Moomala~How are you? Feeling better
Dodgers~ had a packed pocket. Available all week for pocket duty!! I’ll be quiet I promise......😏
Waving to Sondra & Karen. Scott. Haven’t seen Daniel & Leslie. Thinking of you guys.
Blue shine? Lainie? Movingsoccermom, MJH hello lovely!
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Jumping in for pocket duty too, I think we have dodgersgirl, Mara and Rosie and I think we need ice cream sundaes for all!
Been going to the gym this week but not much else. Waiting for some news shows to start soon.
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Mae - you are a brave one for still watching news shows
Ice cream sundaes sound really nice. Best luck to all scanning or waiting for results this week - I guess the medical industrial complex is turning once again after the holidays.
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I love ice cream sundaes. Hot fudge is my favourite.
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Question for the group— what is the difference between bone scan vs MRI?
I have had PET scans, MRIs, CT scans, and X-rays. I read about others getting bone scans to check for bone mets and wondering if it’s like a PET or like a CT scan?
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DodgersGirl,
A bone scan is a nuclear scan, so far as I know. I've had several of them. They inject you with a nuclear isotope, and you have the test several hours later. So in that way, I guess it's kind of like a PET, in that you can't be tested immediately. You lay on the table and they run a machine slowly over your whole body -- you are not enclosed in the machine, but you also can't really move around at all -- it comes very close to your body. And then your entire skeleton shows up on the screen.
If you have one, you might hope that you can't see the screen. I have arthritis and God knows what else in my bones (no one is really sure) and so I light up that screen like crazy, and it's pretty scary. The test is not painful. They tell you that you are radioactive for some period of time, and if you're going to fly, they will give you a card that says you've had the test because you could set off TSA sensors at the airport (isn't that comforting?)
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BevJen- thank you for the great explanation.
Wonder if you get super powers if you have enough tests!!
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You are welcome. The one thing that I forgot to tell you is that they don't make you lay there and wait for the test, like with a PET after you are injected. You just have to report back in a certain number of hours for them to do the test -- I have it done at a local hospital, so I bring stuff with me to do, and either sit in the waiting lounge or in the cafe, have some coffee or whatever, and report back to nuclear medicine when it's time for the test.
And I would love to have super powers but no, I don't think that's part of the package.
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BevJen, sounds like a nuclear stress test I had years ago for my heart. Took the special stuff and then reported back so many hours later.
I didn’t get super powers from that test either.
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Yeah you dont even get to pee a cool color or anything. Doesn't glow either.
Of all the scans, including my two MRI whole spine scans, I found the bone the most claustrophobic. I started to panic when that glass plate came down towards my face even though I could see out the sides and you don't go into a tube. It just didn't seem like it was going to stop! Also - DG - the GE bone scanner I was on had a DEEP trench of a gurney that I had trouble getting out of so FYI with your back if you get one.
Had an interesting call with my line manager today - they (and only they) know about the cancer for management purposes but I have never told anyone my stage. Her father in law is a bc researcher and she had mentioned my situation to him over the holidays and well - the phrase 'pregnant pause' was invented for when she asked how long I am expected to be on the pills and how they monitor me. I said 'for a while' and 'Ill be scanned every few months but there are really positive physical signs already' and left it at that. It was really awkward because she is a smart lady and can do the math.
I felt out of sorts for a few hours after because I really don't want to think about YES IM STAGE IV all the time - or any time really - its between me and MO and partner and maybe, maybe my parents (oh god am i dreading that conversation). I dont want pity or to be treated different or have to deal with supporting other people to make sense of all this. It sucks, truly, I got dealt a super shit hand and there is nothing I can do other than choose how I react to it. These drugs re all about enabling us to live with the cancer so leave me alone to live with it. I know certain folks care and mean well but if I haven't chosen to share Im not going to share. I think she will respect that, though.
Ah well - as soon as I can move about fully like a normal human again I know I will feel a lot better and settled and able to get things done. Its getting so close too! I hated everything about my life the last two years and I refuse to do a third- time for a new job and a new place to live!
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Good for you Sondra F. It is up to you who knows about your dx. I can also empathize with not wanting to make people feel better about your Stage IV dx. Other people sometimes seem to need more encouragement than we do. I also empathize with keeping things private from people who do not need to know everything.
i was lucky with my last employer because I was able to tell them what I had and they only asked for one doctor note confirming the dx. Once I had that, they did not give me a hard time about having to take time off if I had appointments or SE holding me back. This was a call centre I worked for from home and they typically do not have much of a heart.
I also feel the same about you having a better year. I intend the same after 2019 was a very bad year for about the first six months. It started picking up after. I am hoping this year is more peaceful.
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I definitely agree that I hope 2020 will be a better year than 2019! Just saw some friends for lunch who had difficult 2019 with serious illness in their families and both said they refused to have the traditional “good luck” Jan 1 dinner of pork this year. Trying to undo the bad luck the good luck dinner brought last year, if that makes any sense. I don’t really follow the pork tradition so who knows how that affected me, probably not at all. 😳
Hello to everyone reading, hope it’s been an ok or good day for you.
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Good Morning Ladies~Been busy resting up from this holiday season. Kicked my MBC ass. I hate to admit it!!! I had a great time, but it sucks it's over, and good at the same time. I am reporting for any needed pocket duty Dodgers.. sorry about the crumbs.
I really can see the importance of a hobby. I know my mind set is way better when my mind is occupied with something to do. I don't think cancer is standing at my feet waiting to invade. I think of other things because I am doing other things, It's so helpful to me!So today I'm going to try to spot some needle color point to keep me busy. That's a great tv watching tool!
I see all the love and strength here for everyone and I adore you all. Hugs to my sweet sisters! 2020 has to be good for our living room!!! Love to all ~M~
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So, Brain MRI results were uploaded to the portal and I now know that the “advanced MRI” will likely be a Brain PET which is expected to show the functionality of the brain and tissue vs. just the anatomy. It’s not scheduled yet but I am nervously looking forward to it. But, after a review of my MRI from September, I am still confused. The September scan mentioned an increase of a previously treated area from 18mm to 23mm but Friday’s MRI measured the area at 2.2cm or 22mm, so it is really stable? I’m wondering if the appointment, just an hour after the MRI did not allow enough time for a thorough comparison to the previous scans. Anyway, I sent my questions to the neuro rads onc, so now I wait.... still.
So, now I’ll distract myself with a morning mystery, been watching old episodes of Columbo and Rockford Files. I am always amused by the 70’s decor and use of rotary phones.
Wishing everyone a nice, easy day 🙂
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Illimae, I hope further test indicate stable disease...meanwhile I'm volunteering for pocket duty if you have to go in for further testing. Will bring Italian sandwiches....enjoy those 70's TV shows....
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I am also always up for pocket duty Mae, bringing a simple dessert, some chocolate pudding. I also love older TV shows. My current favourite is still the Greatest American Hero as I watched all of the Wonder Woman shows.
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Mel, I am determined that my 2020 has to be better than 2019 was. I can't deal with two crappy years in a row.
Getting an echo and ct scan tomorrow to make sure heart and body from neck down are still good. I am not too anxious as I don't have any symptoms of anything. Digestive enzymes and extra bran got rid of any diarrhea I had as well as just being on Herceptin instead of the two drugs. The other nice thing is I am only getting the injectable contrast, not the stuff you have to drink. My cancer centre took care of stopping the oral contrast as it caused severe diarrhea without several immodium. I won't touch that stuff and will NOT drink the other stuff on advice of several other patients in the MRI/CT scan waiting room.
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Busted out the electric spirilizer tonight for the first time and made zoodles out of three zucchini. Dry fried half of them in a pan for three minutes, added a half cup of cooked real pasta, finished with fresh lemon, pepper, and two tablespoons of fresh grated parm. Had it as a side (split between the two of us) with salmon. Hot DAMN was that tasty - pretty filling and it improved the spaghetti eating experience entirely. And SO easy - I think I will just do the rest of the zucchini tomorrow for lunch, never mind the salmon. Maybe toss in some chickpeas, we'll see.
I'm going to spirilize everything out of the crisper at this rate!
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I think spiralized zucchini is delicious under marinara or pesto too... Have you tried cauliflower "rice"? Also tasty.
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Sounds like a good meal Sondra.
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What is a “spirilizer?”... I’ve never heard of that!
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It is a tool that makes a corkscrew shape out of a vegetable like zucchini or potato (curly fries).
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