My Husband, My Life, My Love, My Family, My Cancer
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And Mara - wow! What a meal!! Very creative indeed! Food is so fun to play with! I love making up shit in the kitchen! I am sad when it is so awful that I can't eat it and throw it away, hence wasting food, but still a great learning process!
If you are good at following instructions for cooking, there is a book I can recommend by Rebecca Katz called The Cancer Fighting Kitchen. All the meals are beautiful and with foods that are well-researched to help support our bodies when we have a cancer diagnosis and/or are in treatment. Have a look: https://www.rebeccakatz.com/the-cancer-fighting-kitchen
I own two copies of this book. I love it. She is on-point! And fun to read her stories too. She does have some recipes on-line. If there are any cookbooks that I recommend to oncology patients, this is in the top 5!
Hugs,
Philly
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Philly, thank you for the suggestion, I will look into that for sure. I am going to use some of what I made earlier and just add queso and tortilla chips to it and heat it up. Nice quick meal. My DB and SIL might be coming so I threw on some hair. Unsure if they are but will assume as much. If not, more laundry for me to do.
As far as the cooking, I will definitely research less expensive options for sure like canned veggies, beans etc. I also have quite a bit of dried pasta that can be made with water, milk and spoonful of butter. I am sure I can combine different flavours that way too. We will see.
Hoping everything is going well for Mae and everyone else here.
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had to stop and lol at Philly putting it all out there for her patients! I’m sure I would have done the same thing. Glad the patient thing worked itself out......
Mae~💕 In your pocket already! I’ll keep quiet. Promise !
Mara~making me hungry...... don’t know what I want.
Hello Sondra....Karen.....Candy....Runor.....frisky.....Tanya.......BooBoo......movingsoccermom....MJH.....good to see you always!
Much love to all
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Hi all, I’m good, making turkey a la king for dinner, one of my favs!
Micmel, make as much noise as you like, I’ll be knocked out cold. I considered having DH write notes on me before surgery, like “this end up ^” but I suspect I’d be the only one laughing.
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So my fun with making food is taking a recipe for something I love that's not that healthy, and trying to make it in a more healthy way that I still love. Like using almond meal, coconut flour, and ground flax seeds in place of white flour in a muffin recipe, or fresh pineapple in place of sugar, etc. Just experimenting... sometimes it's a flop yes... but other times it's really good. I made a not-too-sweet "shortbread" with matcha green tea and almond meal that was very tasty.
Here's another fun improv dinner for lazy cooks trying to be healthy. Veggie "meat" loaf. You use as a base any kind/s of grains: cooked rice, cooked quinoa, lentils, beans etc, + any nuts, diced up, + minced sauteed veggies, onion, garlic, + herbs + grated cheese + a few beaten eggs. Mix it all together well and bake in a loaf pan. Great to use up leftovers and odds and ends, etc. Great fridge-cleaning meal!
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Sounds good Santabarbarian. Will look into that as well. The idea of baking it is also intriguing with your ingredients.
Adding the tortilla chips and queso made it really good and I enjoyed it.
You are very creative with making things healthier. That is essentially what I am doing too with adding beans and spinach and proteins. Because of this, I am no longer anemic which is fantastic. Once or twice a week I add liver to ground beef and work that in. I am also going to look into more canned veggies etc to add to things. Good way to stretch a food budget.
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Philly,
You made my day. Was sitting here thinking about you rushing out the door without your “linens”. OMG! You are totally “goober” material. My family gave me that 2nd nickname because of all of the crazy things I have done or things that have happened to me. You are too funny girl. I’ll tell you some of my goober stories in due time.
But I also want to celebrate all of you who continue to work with this disease. Seriously, I am in awe of all of you who get up and go to a job, whether it’s part time, volunteer, whatever. I have trouble getting up and functioning many days. Right now, I am waiting to hear from the infusion folks at my new MO’s office so I can get started with Abraxane. Hope they call soon. The pain is becoming unbearable.
Mae, I am also lifting you up in prayer as you go through another surgery. You are so brave and strong. You give me hope girl. And your sense of humor through it all is wonderful.
Mel, I am feeling so grateful today, and thought I’d thank you again for starting this thread. Your living room is a lifeline. Thank you, sister.
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booboo I hope the infusion helps take all the pain away! I’m sorry to hear you are in such discomfort. Pain is miserable! And I love that I am officially “goober” material!! 😂 I love this title! I can’t wait to hear about your stories of all the wild and funny things you have done! Maybe you could share one a day with us, if you feel up for it! 💗
Mae - what is turkey a la king? I never heard of that! My mom has been obsessed with making split pea soup in her pressure cooker, for like the last two years. So I live on split pea soup a LOT 😂
My fav meal that’s easy to make and feels very nutritious and nurturing to myself is either roasted chicken thighs with lots and lots of onions and carrots and garlic OR savory chicken soup with tons of garlic, dill, onions, carrots and often time parsnips. I think it’s the Jew in me. It’s the comfort food of the Jews 😂 I just soothes my soul! And I imagine all the good protein I am getting from the chicken, the minerals from the boiled bones, the fiber and micronutrients from the veggies and the gentleness to my gut.
GI issues run in my family and I don’t think Ibrance is making it any better for me LOL. So I have to eat foods that are easy on my digestion or else I’m running to the bathroom these days.
Someone wrote earlier that they find that their stomachs do much better on the “unhealthier” foods than on the healthy foods. I am in the same boat - all the veggies and fiber and grains aren’t really getting absorbed very well at this point for me. I wish it were different, but I have to be more thoughtful.
A funny (and gross - warning!!) story: when I was first diagnosed, I had been drinking shots of beet kvass. Beet kvass is a fermented (and very yummy in my opinion) drink that you can mix other things into like garlic and spices. Its a great probiotic and blood tonic. Welp. We all know what happens when we eat beets, right??? For me, I had just started taking Ibrance and was very nervous about side effects. I took a shot of the beet juice. About 20 minutes later, explosions in the bathroom and everything looked like blood!!!!! I came out crying and my dad was there and I told him, “dad I am dying!!! I am shitting blood!!”
Thankfully my dad is a very wise man (and was a dentist so went to medical school). He thought for a moment and then we backtracked and realized that it was that damn beet kvass that was the culprit. 😂 😂 😆 lo
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Philly, it’s turkey pieces (leftover from thanksgiving) in a roux adding broth, milk and cheddar cheese served over drop biscuits. I made a 1/2 batch after thanksgiving and the remainder tonight since DH was wanting turkey recently. Here’s a pic.
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Hi all, I've been on a reduced feeding schedule and that soup is making me run into my kitchen and eat everything in sight! But, of course, I have an empty refrigerator to ensure I wouldn’t succumb to temptations....woe is me! Bon appetit Illimae!
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Hello all
Sondra F that lymph node disappearing is a good sign.
Philly you showed up is all I can say. Funny how the world works.
Waving hi to everyone.
Tanya
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waving hi to everyone! This has been an exhausting week to say the least. I have been mri’d ct scanned nuclear bone scanned poked prodded been to therapy twice worked alL week and now I’m just damned tired.
I got a glimpse of my bone scan today It looked pretty ugly but what do I know. I don’t hold out a lot of hope that this treatment is working g though. I’ve finished twelve weeks but I will do a 13th week because MO is booked until I see her the 23rd and I’m going to Boston for 2nd opinion on the 27th. I am anxious to see whether Xeloda or IV chemo is next.
My daughter has her breast biopsy tomorrow. I’m sure she is terrified but remaining upbeat for my sake. She’s staying busy w the kids and she’s not talking to me about it much. She’s got a partner so I’m confident she’s feeling supported. Still. I have lab work tomorrow at the cancer center and she will be there having biopsy. I plan to arrange my visit so I’m there at the same time
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Moomala~in your pocket for bloodwork and daughter stresses. I know how momma bear must feel! Hugs to you sweet woman.
BooBoo~you’re the sweetest thing. I love our living room. The support is palpable. I’ve been trying to keep busy. I’m sick of sleeping. I’m sorry that your pain is getting too you. I understand completely. It drives you crazy!!
Hi Tanya~ always good to see you. Sweet darling!
Mae~I’m officially hungry thanks. It looks delicious as usual, amazing you are.
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oh wow Mae that sounds rich and yummy and a “stick to your bones” kinda meal! Hearty Texas food!!
I am awaiting the lab tech to draw my blood here...I don’t love this aspect, it always make me a little nervous and my palms are sweating.
Wishing everyone a good day today!
Xoxoxo
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Hello everyone. In pockets with home made vanilla cake and buttercream icing. DS had his birthday this week and he can't tolerate preservatives, so I always bake for him. Everyone enjoyed it, but for me it wasn't quite perfect, so the search for perfect cake goes on.
Anyone on Faslodex/Fulvestrant? Just started experiencing vaginal bleeding (sorry for the detail) and I am 13 years out from menopause. Advice?
Thinking of everyone!
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Pelvic area MRI is back. Lots of bone mets. Largest is in the right acetabulum (which I didn’t even know I had). Had to search to see where that bone is. Coincidentally, it’s right where my pain for the last 2 days has been. I took a wheel chair ride to rads yesterday as I was worried my leg would give out. So when I saw the MRI results in my patient portal and read the report, I called my MO to see if I needed to be seen. His nurse said he had already told her to send my scans to an orthopedic surgeon for review and to RO to see if pallative rads are called for. Big sigh - is surgery ahead?
Also got bone biopsy back. It is BC mets. I am now ER+ but PR - Still HER2 neg. Ibrance seems to work well for PR- mets. Hoping I get to start taking it soon. Can’t take it while on radiation for spine.
Rads #6 of 10 this afternoon.
Finding it harder and harder to work full time.
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DodgersGirl, I have a lot of mets at my left acetabular. I also had a fracture at my pubis ramus All these bones I didn't know I had! Haha!! The radiologist report from this past fall said I'm a fracture risk at the acetabular now. I would make sure, if you can, that you are sent to an orthopedic oncologist. I just had a hip MRI Tuesday to determine surgical options. I feel ya. It didn't help that I took a little slip on the ice today and although I didn't fall, I did stretch that area out a bit more than it likes to go. I've got some ice and heat going on it this afternoon. I don't want surgery. Noooooooo!!!!!!
After this week's bone scan, MRI, and CT's and all the associated rigamarole I am very glad I am not working full time anymore. I only work about 3 hours a day and its so much more doable for me with all this back and hip schtuff I've got going on. It sounds like they are paying good attention to you and that's great!
Ibrance will be good to you. That was my first line treatment this past summer and I found it very easy to do. I had just a partial response to it but most people have great response and it can be really long term. A woman in my local support group has been on it four years! This is all so overwhelming but it's great that you are here and reaching out with information and asking for information too.
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DG - the part of going from diagnosis to Ibrance is a whole lot of drama. I got tumor flare, fracture, hospital stay, couple of rides in the scanner, and rads. November was awful - I couldn't move or do anything for myself, I hurt, I spent five weeks bathing out of a bowl, and I was still coming to grips with the whole concept of cancer in the first place. Its a real downer and I know it can feel like life is always going to be that from now on. Things have leveled out now, but I would give it a good three months for things to start to calm down and get stable, especially as it could take a month or two to get your dosing right. You are in the depths of the trench right now, but your path will start to climb out the other side now they know what they are dealing with, not to mention all the time you will get back when rads finish!
Is there any way you can take short term disability until everything levels out?
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ibrance is definitely a wonderful thing. It kicks my rear end, but I started round #40 this month. I feel pretty good, still at 125 mgs. I hope it works for everyone. I get the same aches and pains that worry me. But what can we do? I’m set to scan in March. It will have been nine months since my last scan. The brain likes to forget. I hope I don’t freak out. I’ll need maes big pocket shirt!,!!
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Good afternoon ladies
Dodgers girl the results of these scans are blindside gut punches. Radiation does help but it takes a while to kick in. Does anyone remember how long after rads they felt relief? I pray you get relief soon.
Booboo I had to reread everything bc I saw someone respond to you being in pain. I pray your treatment starts soon to give you some relief.
Frisky I never had turkey ala king but it looks delicious and the ingredients are in my fridge. My DH bought me sugar free chocolate chip cookies 🍪 which I’m sure are sweetened by a sugar substitute toxic poison substance but they were delicious last night and the perfect medicine for my mood after I got a $43. Parking ticket 🎫
Have a calm day all.
Tanya
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Hello all.
I guess it has been a couple of days since I last posted. Rest assured, I read daily. But sometimes just not too much for me to say.
Today I am staying inside with vacuuming and laundry. Windy with temps falling all day--supposed to be in the teens tonight and colder the next few days.
Yes I have the fatigue and aches (aches thanks to the Letrozole, I am sure) but feeling "ok"---what is ok for us? Anyway, I worry sometimes about what will be next, what treatment, what side effects. The mental aspect of MBC is almost worse than the physical. When is that progression coming, what scan will be "the one". Will the next med be rough or mild, will it last for a while or just a matter of months. I thank God that I/L has done so well for me-on Cycle 26. I read various Threads on BCO and see that so many are struggling with progression, deciding on what treatment to go with next, frustration that the "next" med is failing. I am scared. I am doing the voluntary church thing, and this last week got notice about another volunteer thing I want to try (more info later). I just got approved for SSD and officially retired from my career last month. I am not ready to get sicker, to lose weight, to lose my hair. I am not ready to die. I want to enjoy "retirement" for now. I am angry and sad that I have this MBC cloud hanging over my head. Other people, healthy people, don't think about their mortality all the time. This cancer is evil.
I know you all understand. Thank you.
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Candy, I completely empathize with you about this MBC hanging over our heads. I admittedly do not think about my own mortality much. I tend to remind other people when they start talking about me retiring and getting Old Age payments which is nearly 20 years away. I do remind them that the Sword of Damocles is still hanging over me and things can turn quickly.
For myself, I am lucky I am not scared of it at this point. I have also been on this ride 5 years and had twice as long almost as you to adjust. Your attitude may mellow some as time goes on. I hope so. I know you live on your own as do I so this is even harder to go through. I am sending my warmest thoughts your way. PM me if you need to talk anytime.
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Mara- Thank you for being there and empathizing. I don't wallow in my mortality. I am enjoying the church work. And I am looking forward to this other volunteer opportunity. And I LOVE not having to go to work everyday. That is what I mean. I am enjoying life right now and don't want to see that end. I don't want to feel sicker. To have to face progression. To have to face procedures. I want to be "healthy". But the cancer is always there, lurking. I don't think I will mellow over time. When the progression comes, I think it will be hard for me. I have been "stable" for over 2 years. I think the progression will feel like at the first of all this again.
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Candy, I totally agree with you about that. I think that when progression comes for me, I will also move back to the just dx fear. I understand we all go through this with MBC. I will just try to remind myself that overall, I have been lucky with relatively good health given I got the worst dx and brain mets to boot. Living for 5 years was not expected by myself or my doctors so fingers crossed that I continue to be so lucky.
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Candy Mara and all of the other MBC ers in our room. The dread is palpable. Really trying to enjoy moments bc from nowhere pain or fatigue or neuropathy or hair loss or nausea or whatever will remind me of the “it” inside. Today I took Maes turkey ala king recipe and made it. Used brown rice to pour it over and it is delicious. I will try a biscuit with it another day. Oh and I crumbled beef bacon on top.
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grabbing my plate, and utensils! Yum yum! Bacon! Bacon!
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hi moving soccer mom! i had my MO appointment yesterday and she told me that if there is any bleeding or discharge let them know immediately. if i were you i would call my MO. better to be safe than sorry
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Candy, in pretty much the same situation as you retirement and work wise. Doing the right thing I think!
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Moomala— thank you for sharing your experiences. I had to look up “pubic ramus “ bone. I probably have mets there, too. They seem to be everywhere. You mentioned a fracture. Will that require medical attention or will it fix itself?
I think my MO thinks I am a fracture risk after my latest MRI results. Figure that is why my reports are being reviewed by an orthopedic oncologist.
Hope you are feeling better after your slip on ice. OUCH
I had a pelvic area MRI last week. Is that the same as a hip MRI?
SondraF- I have read other posts about tumor flares so I am familiar with the term. When did you go thru that? From I/L? Did they treat your fracture or will it repair itself with XGEVA? I expect my first XGEVA shot in a week or so.
You asked about short term disability for me. I will be able to apply for short term disability in April. Or retire and apply for SSD???
Micmel- congrats on #40 for Ibrance. It sure gives me hope that Ibrance will be good for me, too
Tanya_Djamila- my RO said my back should feel better after 2-3 rad treatments due to the rads killing cancer cells taking the vertebrae out of the spinal cord. Don’t know if that timeline is true for all targets?? My back is sore but nothing like last weekend. It’s better now, for sure. OUCH for the $43 parking ticket. Sorry
Illimae— I love turkey a la King and chicken a la King. Yummy!!
RO’s office called Friday afternoon. Monday I go in for scanning and simulation for rads to right acetabulum. Don’t know how many treatments?? Then rads #7 for spine.
As much as I don’t want to, I am having to take pain meds regularly right now. And worry about each step I take, hoping nothing breaks.
Looking forward to getting all the diagnostic stuff handled so I can start a systematic BC treatment.
Thanks for the info shared and for this place to vent.
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Tanya- Bacon anything, yum !!!
Karen- If you can retire, go for it. I am glad I did it.
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