2017 Diagnosed-- A Place To Share "Whats Next"
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DodgersGirl, I’m a californium anything under 40 it’s cold for me 😂😂😂 it has been around 40 in the morning high 50 during the day. Could be cold weather I didn’t have this problem prior to my DX. Yep I’m going to be half way down on my radiation today. It goes fast even with the holidays cut into the session. However I love to have the extra day off so my skin can rest up.
How are you doing? Any great plans for the new year?
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paulettek- congrats on the halfway mark for rads!!
Plan on kicking 2017 out the door and all the way to the curb!! Also made reservations for a trip to Disneyworld in 2018 so have started a list of restaurants to make reservations for and rides to get fast passes for. Nice to have something positive to look forward to!
Do you have plans for NYE?
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Hello Everyone
Merry Christmas and happy new year!!!
I was just recently diagnosed 12/11 and trying to put together the puzzle pieces. Still trying to decipher test results, put together a medical team and get used to having a cancer diagnosis. This process is so complex and I so wish it was simpler. I'm so glad I found this board, everyone here is so helpful and knowledgeable.
Thanks for sharing and caring.
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SavedbyGrace1972- glad you found BCO's forums. I can't imagine going thru active BC treatments without all the wonderful people who have gone before me, with me, and after me. So much strength and support from a computer screen.
I wish you much success with your treatments and wish for you minimal side effects (SE)
Share your questions, fears, and triumphs ... we are all in this forced path yogether
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Dodgersgirl, very cool, I’m glad others get to share in my nostalgia.
From here on the sites will be new, Grand Canyon then Carlsbad caverns before heading home.
Enjoy!
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SavebyGrace, sorry that you join our club, I know how hard it is for this journey, and I’m still learning about BC. I’m so glad I found this website, in here I got so much supports and learned so much from all the ladies here. Hope you will not have much SE during chemo.
DodgersGirl, I don’t have any plans for 2018 yet, I like to kick BC out the door and gain back some of my energy so I can travel again. First, we need to Fix up a few things in the house then I can travel.
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Paulette, I had a super drippy nose during chemo (because of the loss of nose hair), but it seems probably 75% better! I thought of that just the other day. Since it is currently 12 and snowing, and I ran errands with my DH, that's not too bad that I am not "fighting the constant drip" anymore. My brows are about 75% back, and my lashes about 50-60%? Hair is growing like a weed, too.
Yeah for being halfway done with Rads! Great!! I cannot notice any ill SEs from my Letrozole except a little joint pain. That could be the cold contributing, too. I just take more warm baths.
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I'm also new to this thread!
Diagnosed the Monday before Thanksgiving, and will have BMX w/DIEP Jan 8. The holidays have been pretty much a blur for us this year, and I know Thanksgiving will certainly hold unfortunate memories for me going forward. Although I certainly am thankful for how fortunate I am to have insurance, help and a good prognosis.
So far I've only told a few close friends, mostly because I needed them to help with my kids while I was at appointments. I haven't told any of my family yet (they live on another continent), mostly because it's still too soon after losing one of my brothers to lung cancer last year, and I know that some of them will take it particularly difficult. I tested negative on all genetic testing so I don't think there is a pressing need for them to know.
My MO told me about the Y/Livestrong classes and I am looking forward to those. The nutrition is more of a struggle for me, I enjoy cooking but have a lot of restrictions because of a colon disease, so I'm now trying to add more rules in to that!
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Houmom:
I really enjoyed the Livestrong program. Glad you found out about it. I actually went there a bit between the actual classes because I had access -- and hence got back into the rhythm of the gym without the cost.
Ask questions about BMX if you have any. There are great lists on the forum for surgery prep. I was terribly well prepared due to everything I read here.
Good luck and hugs to you. I was just getting into all this mess during the holidays last year.
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Today I went through the piles of cancer-related papers I have accumulated this year. I organized the important ones and made a pile of the ones I don't want or need. On NYE we are going to build a big bonfire and burn them. One way to kick this shitty year to the curb
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Great idea! I have my pathology report electronically so I can safely burn the paper copy.
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Thanks EastCoast, I have been studying the lists, and my BS/PS/hospital have all given me lists too!
Amy I like your bonfire plan, I think I may plan to do the same next year.
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I don't quite know how I am going to kick BC to the curb at the end of 2017, here. I still go through real bouts of anger about the whole process of living this life, especially when I just don't feel well and feel under pressure from things like family and job. I don't have a whole lot of illusion that I can go to bed one night and have a new world in front of me the next morning.
We are in the single digits here in Middle America. Such a dilemma to know how to dress. Definitely thick socks to help keep those feet from tingling quite so badly. Long sleeves feel great until a hot flash hits, and then I just want to strip down. I guess we start dressing in layers, so that we can peel them off and then put them right back on? I found myself doing that in class a couple weeks ago, several times during the course of a single lecture.
Welcome to the boards, houmom and Saved...72. Don't mind me. I am just feeling blue this evening. It comes in waves. Fight it out, one day at a time!
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Rhyfelwr I am loving the cold weather BECAUSE of the hot flashes and night sweats. But have mercy, am I going through clothes. I did 4 loads of laundry today. It’s just ME! How the heck did I go through so many clothes in one week!?!?!!
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Just saw this choice in my bitmoji app. I'll be using this one a LOT!
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T-Sue: sooooo true
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Rhyfelwr, so sorry you are feeling blue. It really does stink to go through the whole breast cancer rigamarole and wondering why you are the one out of eight living with this diagnosis. Adding that psychic burden (plus the logistics of radiation and hot flashes, geez) to normal life stress can really cause burnout. Hope you find a way to do something good for yourself over the long weekend. For me it's going to be sleeping late, snuggling with my foster dog, and maybe having my dear hubby make a fire in the fireplace. I need a break!
T-Sue and others, welcome to our online community. And good riddance to 2017.
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Rhyfelwr, how are you doing? I remembered you got some cracking and oozing from your boosts, did it get better?
I like to know what would you do if you have oozing from radiation? I saw Rhyfelwr asked but nobody give her an answer. I will ask my RO when he returned from his vacation. I know some of us must had this problem.
Thanks in advance for the answer,
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paulettek-- when my skin broke down and was oozing, I was applying Aquaphor and RadiaGard cream, the applying Tefla pads to protect the skin, and wore a tight fitting wife beater t-Shirt to help hold everything in place. This was changed every morning and every bedtime til skin healed.
To clean (before applying lotions and Tefla pads) I used sterile gauze pads dipped in half tepid water, half hydrogen peroxide... gently blotted the surface which cleaned off dead skin and old lotion resid
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houmom- glad you found the BCO website. It's a wonderful resource and you will get a ton of support from everyone. And if you have questions about anything, just ask.
I had a BMX on May 3rd of this year. I had no pain and was just uncomfortable for a few days. The drains were very annoying but once they were out, I recuperated very quickly. I took naps for quite a while and still do sometimes. Other than that I'm pretty much back to normal. But I chose not to have reconstuction so I can't speak to that.
Take a deep breath, ask all the questions you want, and lean on others for support. We have
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Thanks DodgersGirl, I took a photo shot on your answer just in case I need to use it. I hope I don’t need that. Today I finally feel some burning sensation from my armpit, I hope it won’t last for that long.
Houmom, sorry of your DX, yes ask any questions in your mind. Many of us knew each other for months and we thought the bad time together, we cried and vented, also laughed.
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Hi Paulette... my nose has also started dripping again and I live in Thailand so it can’t be the cold!!! One week post the end of rads, my boob has gone from angry red to pale brown and improving daily.. so there’s hope for everyone going through the nasty bits of rads. I stuck to my instructions and used nothing but Aloe gel, so there must’ve be something in it I guess.
My hair is starting to come through - I’ve always had white fluff, but now also have darkish stubble to add to the vagrant look!
Anyone having any trouble with their nails? I’ve already lost two toe nails which didn’t bother me too much but now it seems that at least two of my fingernails are not attached by much.. the white moons at the top of the nails seem to be moving downwards as the nails slowly grow and the white moon bits don’t seem to be attached to the nail bed :-( More post chemo joy to come I suspect..
I’m also two weeks into Femara with no real SEs yet except a few more hot flashes and a tiny bit of muscle aching first thing in the morning. My ME did say though that the real SES would only kick in after a month.
Merry Christmas to everyone and let’s hope that 2018 is a bit kinder to us.
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Kiwi, sorry to hear that you nails are having problem, I heard people use vinegar and water soak your nails, also ask your MO maybe you can get a prescription? I had my #16 sessions today, when I came back my armpit felt the burning sensation, now it is better. Also fatigue hit me a little bit, I’m taking afternoon nap.
So glad to hear that you don’t have SE on Femara.
Happy New Year to everyone!
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Hi I new to this thread. I got engaged on May 6th of this year and and on June 1st I felt a lump. Long story short I found out it was breast cancer and July 14th I found out it was tnbc. That is also the day that my husband and I got married at the courthouse. We thought we could still have our wedding reception in Oct as planned 😂. July 31st I started dose dense a/c and finished September 11th. On October 10th I had my lumpectomy and 9lymph nodes removed. 10/12 the pathology report said I had a pathologically complete response to AC, Yay!! However I still had to get taxol. I just finished number 7 today and have 5 more infusions to go. Then I will start radiation for six weeks. And then possibly tamoxifen for 5 years because I am weakly er positive.
Unfortunately I am having to get neupogen injections every weekend, so new year's eve we will be laying low at home with Tylenol and the heat pad.
In the beginning of this I had lots of outpouring support from family and friends who truly wanted to know how I doing. I have noticed this is not the same now. Yesterday a friend asked how I was doing and wanted to hangout this morning. I told her that aside from hot flashes and increasing peripheral neuropathy I'm OK, and I have to go to chemo tomorrow. Her answer to that was well that was a loaded question....
I'm sorry if this seems long and rambling. Can't sleep (steroids) and I just want all of this to be over. Ideally I would like to leave this whole situation behind me as we leave 2017. But I can't because I am a different person now.
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Sammi, we all are different person now, we can’t go back to the person before so we just need to go forward. Someone told me Cancer is a lonely road, we don’t have to look at it this way. We have support here and support group. Believe me there is light at the end of the tunnel. I am doing radiation now and I had Ac+T also. Be strong you will get there soon.
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Sammi, everything you say makes so much sense. I have been tearful today as I have been cleaning out my room from the after-holiday mess that accumulated. There are small stacks of papers -- bloodwork reports, prescription SE flyers, clinical info, etc -- and bits and bobs from my chemo "fun bag", along with stray hospital bracelets from this past year. So much happens to us between dx and this point in the road, and it is so hard to keep moving forward sometimes. I see pictures of me before dx and I want to be that person again, and I know that I can't be. About the best I have figured out, at this point, is to embrace the day in front of me and just do that. Sammi, you can do that for today! I don't really even think about the light at the end -- that will be a nice treat to find light. But in the meantime, I am trying to do what I can for the present. If there is something to laugh at, laugh. If you want to cry, cry. Find at least one person, IRL or here, who will let you be that and go with the flow. My friend circle became much smaller and more intense as this journey continued.
Hoping y'all are warm enough, wherever you are today!
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Hello to the 2017 crew. I've had a few frustrating weeks but am now on a path. I go to the radiology oncologist on Wed and sign the papers to enroll in a clinical trial. I will be randomized into an arm that gets radiation or one that does not. After much agonizing, I am okay with either.
http://www.nsabp.pitt.edu/B-51.asp
So...I may or may not have more treatment to get through. I'll know by the end of next week.
Sammi...there is a bit of a "rush" at the beginning of diagnosis and some folks tend to back off after awhile. People don't realize how long the haul really is or how much there is involved in treatment. I remember people were so happy when my chemo was over. They thought that was it and were surprised there was still surgery to go and possibly radiation and reconstruction and hormone blockers for years.
I do get a little down when the blues call, but manage to let myself feel it and move through it. Most of that was due to being in flux and struggling while deciding whether or not to radiate or enroll in the clinical trial. Part of the reason for my choosing the trial is to hopefully spare another person the agony of needing to decide sometime down the road.
I have been taking Tamoxifen since Dec 10; and, so far, have not had terrible side effects. I have the hot flashes for sure and do wake up once or twice during the night. Otherwise, I seem to be tolerating it well.
Congratulations to all that have ended their treatments this December and can start a new year off fresh! T-Sue, that bitmoji is perfect!
Paulette, hang in there. Sounds like you are doing well with rads and just a little more to go!
Happy Birthday to Redhead from a fellow redhead! My regrowth looks a little more on the mousy brown side but when the sun hits it, I can see there is some hint of strawberry blonde. We'll see what happens. I don't know how NOT to be a redhead.
Wishing you all a happy, healthy 2018.
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Hi PeachyJeanne and thank you for enrolling in a clinical trial. You're right; women who get BC in the future will have you to thank for more information and more choices. So yay you!
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PeachyJeanne, thats great that you are doing clinical trial, keep us posted, we will love to hear your progress.
Rhyfelwr, I get emotionally when I looked back to my photos before DX, but it is what it is, we can’t change anything. So all we can do is go forward. My friend circle became much smaller also, I didn’t have that many friends before more as coworkers, since I haven’t been working, my circle of friend .... ? Oh well, that’s life.
Happy new year to all ....... may 2018 is a better year for all of us.
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Hi DodgersGirl,
Thank you for starting this thread. I have read through most of the stories from all of the amazing women who have had to battle BC in 2017 and everything I have read has helped me heal and grow. I was feeling down today but when I read your thread it made me laugh and boosted my spirits. From having my mastectomy and starting Tamoxifen all in one year I feel like I have been on this roller coaster, and I can't seem to get off. With all the different emotions and physically healing from the surgery it has been one crazy year! Glad it is almost over! I hope 2018 is a better year for everyone!
I like to ideas some of the other ladies had about saying goodbye to 2017 by burning their pathology report. I plan to start a scrapbook about this difficult journey and write a hate/love letter to my BC then tear it up. The only thing I love about my BC is that I found so much support and TLC on BC.org. All the wonderful women on this site have helped me through the most scariest times in my life. Thank you all for your support, hugs and love I could not have made it this far without you all.
I am 33 years old and all of you have been my surrogate BC mothers and sisters that I have looked to for advice or just needed a shoulder to cry on. You all have helped me realize that things will get better with time.
Thank you!
Hugs and Love to all,
Sara
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