My Husband, My Life, My Love, My Family, My Cancer
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Sunshine, I'm so sorry to hear about your loving dog, Jeeves, I was in the same position with my Ruby Jane, 9yrs ago, she also had cancer. I'm thinking of you at this sad time.
Mel I wish I had some words of wisdom for you, but families are so complicated, I do think you need to have a family meeting and endeavour to work out an arrangement that addresses everyone's needs, but just remember that none of this is your fault, even though you have been so ill you've gone above and beyond and it's time to share the load.
Well, I'm still in hospital, I finally have a diagnosis, pneumonitis from the Affinitor, so that's now off the table, I'm disappointed as it was actually bringing down my tumor markers. I need to get out of here so Sanju can start a new treatment.
Mara, I'm glad you enjoyed your night with your family, our kids are on a 6 week summer break so my dd can't visit too often as Finn gets a bit fussy having to wear a mask for too long as he's only 6 and like the energizer bunny, he's always on the go.
Waving hi to everyone, I hope you're all doing as well as possible. I might go back to sleep at 9 in the morning, I'm so damn bored.
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Kittykat, I feel you. I had a summer-fall where I was hospitalized five times in as many months. It felt like I was in jail, wrongly accused. Sometimes unseen NPs would put me npo in the computer (make me starve) for no apparent reason and I would have to fight for the right to eat. On the wall of the room there was a white board with boxes for nurse’s name and other notes. In the box labeled “plan” I would write “Escape”, and on the calendar I would write, for example, “Day 3 of my captivity.” Being able to talk to my BCO peeps helped me. Also I would take walks, lugging the damned IV pole, and look at the art on the walls. Once I called the social worker and told her how I was at a loss and sinking. She brought me a coloring book! But she did listen to me and sympathize. One day the only thing I could think of to make myself feel better was to raise the blind and let some sunshine in, so I did that. And I emailed a friend about some plans for when I got out. Anyway, I set out to comfort you and I think I simply relived the trauma. I hope you get sprung soon.
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Hi Shetland, you nailed right on the head, I feel like I'm in jail, and because my neutrophils are low, I'm not allowed out of my room. I paid for tv and the channel I really wanted of course is the only one missing.
Even though we haven't had any community transmission here for 267 days some of the cleaning staff got it into their heads I had covid 19 because of the sign on my door about droplet risk which is to protect me not them. Anyway I'm just being a whinger thanks for thinking of me.
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Sunshine, from my experience, sadly it does not get easier. We had a pack of 6, out first two and their 4 pups. We kept all the babies and raised them together. We said goodbye to them all in a 4 year span (various ages 10-14 and various health conditions), each time was heartbreaking. When my best boy passed I cried every single day for 2 months. He was my soul. (And now I'm crying again, ugh)
They really loved their daddy, lol
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Stopping by to wave hello to all. Not much new other than the ongoing political/vaccination mess over here with the government practically throwing out all medical evidence regarding the vaccines and making up their own schedules to sort out a mess of their own making. Meanwhile my brother got his first Pfizer shot yesterday at a drive-thru clinic in Nevada, based on his occupation (not his prior cancer history). At the rate the UK is going I could be home in May and pay to get the damn shot faster (I jest... sort of). Ah well - first three months of the year are always crap, so for the next 12 weeks its time to hunker down, do some good work at work, and see how things unfold. January is gonna be wild.
Stay loose everyone!
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Kitty, I’m so glad they figured it out but sorry you have to change meds. Hugs. Hope you’re out soon.
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Sunshine,
I was in your exact position about 2 months ago. Our Huey Lewis was failing, and the vets wanted to keep testing him. We finally said enough when he gave us “the look”. I’ve seen it before with my other dogs. I will pray for peace and comfort for your beloved furry child. You are doing the hardest thing for you, but the very best for your dog.
Big hugs from FL
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Here’s a pic of my sweet boy Huey Lewis. RIP my boy
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Huey Lewis looks really sweet Laurie.
KittyKat, I am empathizing with being kept in your room. Hopefully you can get out soon.
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welcome Back Sondra. Always nice to see you...
sunshine I'm sorry, I also know how it feels. I too cried everyday for two months over my Tag. Still brings me to tear when I see a pic.
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I love dogs period. Huey precious baby. Mae, I know you loved your pups! I remember. They are family for sure
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Hello all.
Kittykat- Hoping you get better soon now that they know the cause.
Sondra- Hi. We are not doing too well here in the U.S. with the vaccine rollout. News says much slower than anticipated and some HealthCare workers, I forget which State, are refusing the vaccine. While seniors are lining up for hours for a chance at the shot in some areas. I have no idea when I will be given the chance to get it. Each State is different. I think my State is still offering to Healthcare workers and Nursing Home residents only. I figure I have no chance till April or May, being a cancer patient and I am 50 years old and not in the workforce.
Well, I was watching my church service online but the sound was garbled for some reason and so I gave up. Something wrong on their end. It is on Facebook and others were commenting on the sound, so not just my computer. Frustrating.
I got a text message yesterday from a family member of a previous co-worker. The co-worker is retiring and they are planning a retirement party for later in the month. I texted back Thanks for the invite but No Thanks I am not going as I am isolating with cancer, blood numbers, and the Covid situation. I cannot believe they are planning a get together. See, others are just going on with their lives as I sit here in my house. No clue. I will send her a card though.
Hope all have a good day. And a good week. My notes say BevJen has a MO appt this week, and Aprilgirl has a scan (posts on Ibrance Thread). And pocket duty for anyone else.
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My MRI results showed up on the portal today. There wasn't much specific info. Basically, the contrast I was supposed to have, called Eovist, was recommended for a follow up mri. (It turned out the location I was scheduled for doesn't have it. After no callback from my MO's office their radiologist gave special instructions to the tech and I got the contrast they had.). Two previously mentioned lesions showed “interval increase" but no measurements were given. Apparently they only showed up on one view. The one that was biopsied originally wasn't seen, even though it was seen on my last CT scan around Thanksgiving. It's strange that I'm in a big hospital system with lots of mri locations, but the tech said only 2 locations have the Eovist contrast. I wish someone had noticed that ahead of time!
Sunshine, So sorry about your dog. Saying goodbye to pets must be awful.
Candy, I wouldn't be going to a party now either.
Hello to everyone! 🙋
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Rosie- You go to MO in couple of weeks, right? Are you going to wait till then to ask MO about the MRI results? I hate that you do not have much info yet. "Interval increase" but no measurements. And not the right kind of contrast!!!! Good grief!!!!
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It's my birthday today! I've already walked with Olive and had a fun playtime with her. Dh brought me a whole big bag of various bread - my favourite thing. He went to a bakery at the crack of dawn so there'd be nobody there & got a bunch of fresh loaves. I don't know what i'm doing for the rest of the day - no plans is my fave kind of day
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Happy Birthday to you !!! 🍰
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Happy Birthday Moth! Have a great day 🎈🎈🎈
Candy, Thanks for sharing my frustration. Yes, I see MO on the 18th and will wait to hear what she thinks. She mentioned considering ablation last time, and wanted this mri to get a better picture. One other thing to add, my first mri in 2019 used the contrast I just had and seemed to show things pretty well.
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Rosie,
If it helps, every MRI of my liver that I've had has been done with a gadolinium agent -- so I don't think it's necessarily the agent, but perhaps there's really not much there. And I always scratch my head on scan results -- my fav is when they don't mention that I don't have a uterus (had hysterectomy in 2006). I mean, they should be able to see that it's not there, right? Was the wording about the interval increase in the "impressions" section? because that's the important part of the report, as I'm sure you've surmised by this point.
You could always call your MO prior to your appointment, but if you're not eager to do this, you could just wait.
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Happy Birthday, moth!!!!!!
Rosie- Did SHE mention the ablation? Or did you bring it up to her? My MO (new one at a larger cancer center) has not mentioned local therapy. This last time she just said to continue the Ibrance/Letrozole combo. I have never mention local therapies to her either. So I don't know how she feels about local therapies. I don't really know how I feel about them either. But I do not want to discount anything that could give me more time with the cancer stable. Just wondered if you started the conversation about local therapy.
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I had Eovist contrast with my MRI--- noted on the report, and the patient summary paper too. I Googled it and it says it is a gadolinium based contrast used specifically to see liver lesions.
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Mel,
I haven't seen that picture of Tag before. What a beautiful boy he was. Little by little my grief is moving on. One day I will be with Huey Lewis again. I really believe it.
Mara, thanks. He had soulful eyes. My friend used to say when she looked at him that there was an old man in there.
Moth, a very Happy Birthday to you!
I could use some pocket support on Thursday. PET scan first thing in the AM. I expect progression since I have not been on treatment since September. I'm just hoping another round or two of Abraxane or Taxol will kick the cancer back.
Candy, I cannot imagine the day when we can leave our houses without masks and go to the movies, or a concert, or anywhere there is an event we want to attend. Seems like a very long time indeed since we had that option.
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Booboo- Pocket duty here for ya, for sure. I know you were thinking of stopping treatment, so I will be praying anything seen can be knocked down easy. Or maybe no changes at all, hopefully.
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pocket duty attendant ! ! Checking in !
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Happy birthday Moth!🎁🎉🎈🎂
We do scans differently down here, in the almost 4 yrs that I've been having scans of all descriptions I have never had to drink any contrast, I have a special diet for 24hrs prior to a petscan and a tracer via iv for ct's and nothing except fasting for 6 hrs before the mri. I hope you can find out sooner than the 18th, it is quite a long wait Rosie. I'm one of those crazy people that don't worry about scans, it won't change the outcome so I decided right from the start not to think about it.
Mel, how are things going at home, I hope it's settling for you.
Sending everyone else a big wave hello from sunny Rockingham in Western Australia. I can't wait to get back home and have a swim in the ocean. 🏊♀️
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Moth, a bag of birthday bread sounds great!
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Happy birthday Moth - I hope you have a great day of whatever you want to do, eating whatever you feel
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Kitty~Thank you for remembering.... my son is recovered and I am at some point soon going to have to have the talk with him about getting his own place. Someone asked if it was me or my DH, that wanted him to leave. That’s a tough question to answer because for me the answer would be not always. No. I want him to do the things around the house he should be doing. I am not little mommy anymore. My DH yes. He does want him to move. He wants quiet and it to just be us. He won’t kick him out. Of course. But he wants him to succeed on his own and be self conscious and independent. If he was saving a lot of money I wouldn’t be upset. He’s not saving. So that’s an issue to be addressed. It’s going be to tense. But age 24 is age 24. I was married at 24 and out of my mothers house. Soooo. I don’t want him to be. Married too young. But. Come on dude. Let’s at least get a plan kinda thing.
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Happy Birthday Moth!
Reporting for pocket duty Laurie.
I really did nothing today, felt pretty depressive. Nothing in particular caused this, just could not bring myself out of this mood so just watched TV. Did not even walk. Probably should have. Thinking about going to bed earlier than I have been, had a couple of late nights. Think I need to walk immediately after getting up to set me up better for the day.
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Pocket duty for you, Booboo.
Mara, I hope you have a better day tomorrow, mood wise. I had a short walk today (20 min) and even though it was short and cold in my face, it felt good. I understand why you do it just about every day.Candy, The ablation talk came from my MO. I would not have brought it up. I’ve been kind of content being stable. She said that because my scans have showed a very low tumor burden that she’d like to see if we can get rid of the residual mets and then take an Ibrance break. (She didn’t say how long.). I think it may also have to do with my very low counts, and Covid still at a high level. She was expecting to get a better idea of the mets based on the mri I just had. It turned out to be not very helpful, at least in my opinion. I’m ok with waiting 2 weeks to hear more from her. (I told her I was willing to try the ablation if it was doable. She explained some of the specific types and said an IR would determine if it was doable and which type.)
BevJen, Yes, interval increase was in the impressions section. I’m curious how much increase since it wasn’t noted.
Sorry all, I should have taken this all to the Liver Mets thread. Next time . . .
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Happy birthday, Moth.
Pocket duty here, Booboo.
I have a CT scan Tuesday.
Mel, glad your son is better. I’m sorry you have to have the talk with him. I’m thinking of you.
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