Chemo Starting August 2018
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MGJ, so sorry you are having issues. Hope all gets better. Thinking of you all and enjoy your holidays, hugsto you all.
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friends, a really interesting ted talk about how certain foods inhibit cancer and why
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SB—I will check that out. Thanks for posting the link. I watched an interview with Kristi Funk MD (hope I spelled her name right) abt different foods to combat breast CA. Since chemo started, I fell off the vegan train. So I now might eat cheese/dairy a couple times a week. Well, after watching her speak I know that I should go vegan again. When she discussed the benefits of no animal proteins I wanted to slap myself—why I didn’t stay plant based!? I guess I’m going to have to start passing on my beloved cheese pizza and charcuterie plates 😭
Hope everyone had a great holiday!
XO
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Has anyone ( or everyone) had their port removed? Ihave been told I could have it out if I want to. It scares me to think I would ever need it again but I’m not crazy about the every 6 weeks appointment.
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My port was removed ages ago, during chemo, because it was not healing properly.
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benji, I had my port taken out three months after I finished chemo. My oncologist had originally said 6 months to a year, but then admitted that it wasn’t really necessary to keep it in and said, “and I’m not superstitious.” Worse case scenario, I will just have another port put in.
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Yes, or in my case maybe a pic line-- I loathed my port.
How are people doing? Jess, KWilli MACTAZ, and the rest of the gang? I think of you guys often and send a hug to everyone.
Funny how having cancer is so much like sheltering in place! Kind of weird to have the whole skill set already. My heart goes out to people who have to access a lot of medical care right now.
Nearly 2 years from diagnosis for most of us. That's a long 2 years!
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My diagnosis was earlier this month. Hardto believe it’s been two years! And I’m counting June 11 as my NED date, since that’s when I had my BMX and figure they took out all the known cancer that day. I feel terribly for people in active treatment right now.
I am working from home these days, doing telehealth therapy and disability evaluations. In some ways it is more draining that in-person work, but I absolutely love getting to stay home. And I feel like I had a little lung damage with the chemo (my breathing just hasn’t been the same since) so I feel a lot safer working remotely. Are any of you guys working out of your homes now?
In other news, my husband and I just closed on a property yesterday with the plan of building on it in a few years. It’s 32 acres of wooded mountain land, surrounded by a ridge on three sides, so very private. It’s like having a tiny park in the Appalachian Mountains. We are headed out today to start clearing some hiking trails.
Hope you guys are all staying safe and healthy!
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Hi friends!
It has been a minute. Having my Fallopian tubes out on Friday. Not particularly excited to have surgery but since we had to cancel our summer plans (thanks COVID!) might as we’ll get it over.
Wanderweg—the property sounds epic. Congratulations!!! Plz post pics. I’m such a nature girl.
My WBCs just made it to 3.0! Neutrophils still 1.5. Been fasting every week, still. You still fasting, SB?
XOXO
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Yes, I've been intermittent fasting. I was thinking of doing an official fast or fasting mimick soon.
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Goodness, so good to here from you all. My two years will be on July 24th - I remember because it was my wedding anniversary - surprise
. I'm healthy and tolerating my arimidex - 3 1/2 years remaining. I have been doing volunteer work for the local humane society and keeping busy. We seem to always have stray animals show up on our doorstep and finally talked our landlord into allowing us to adopt one of them....so cute and has made life so much more enjoyable.Wanderweg, seems we are on the same path. We closed on 125 acres in the upstate of SC and are starting to get plans ready for our build. We have been renting for 5 years since we moved here and finally found that perfect property with beautiful hard wood trees, mountain view and near the lake - the place we have always dreamed of.
All stay safe in this crazy environment - people here don't seem to think wearing a mask is necessary so we are still staying home much of the time.
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Oh, forgot, I also started fasting 1 day a week. I had been able to keep the weight off I lost during treatment but noted it was becoming a little harder to maintain. When I say fast, I mean 500 one day a week and that really works - and not at all hard to do. I eat much healthier that I ever had, lower carbs etc and my cholesterol dropped 30 points - ....You all talked about this a lot and now I understand ....
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Way to go MACTAZ that's wonderful!
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Ugh,
This mama's sore! Had an ooph and salping on Friday. Added the ovaries out at the last minute. I'm not taking pain meds because if I take one then I know I overdue it. Pain is keeping me contained. Not walking/exercising has been challenging. I asked if I could walk my dog and my surgeon yelled at me 'NO!' I get it. I'll behave.
So I've been doing a fast every week from Sunday night to Tuesday afternoon so approx 36-40 hours. It's easy now. I love my mental clarity and sharpness that get (I'm not that smart anymore. Thanks chemo!) Then I also do the 8 hr eating window most days, too. I worked up to that with the fasting. It didn't come overnight.
Congratulations again on those with the new properties. Sounds heavenly.
XOXO
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Mactaz—I fostered a 'quarantine kitty' from my local humane society in March. He had been at the shelter since January. So stinking shy. Also, the weirdest cat I've ever seen. As a joke I call him 'LPC' for 'lead paint chips.' He squeaks instead of meowing and always has his tongue hanging out. He's so small he looks like a petite female. (He's 7-8 years old probably.) Weighs like 6-7 pounds. Tiny!
Well, he's so bizarre I had to keep him. His name is now Rex. #fosterfail
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MGJ, I have missed that wonderful wit of yours - you always make me chuckle. Congrats on being a foster fail....your kitty sounds like great fun and certainly will provide you with many funny stories.
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hey all! It’s awesome to hear everyone’s good news stories - new properties, foster fail kitties! I love it! MGJ; hope your lady bits are healing and you’re able to go for light walks soon.
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Waving hello to everyone!!
xoxoxo
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Hope everyone is doing well. The ooph was a breeze to recover from, luckily. I was super well behaved for the first week then the wheels fell off and I couldn’t stay mellow any more. I started walking immediately and doing yoga. My 2 week post-op appointment was fine. They lectured me for doing too much but my dad just died (What a mess with Covid!) so I was helping clean out a lot of stuff from my parents house. So between my dad dying and my kid stuck at home since March—I’m ready for a vacation. Or maybe I need a sober companion? Can’t tell at this point.
I have an onc appt next month. I think she wants to try an AI. I’m not sure I even want to go there. Tamoxifen has been a breeze to tolerate for me so I’m not sure I want to rock the boat. Honestly, I could take Tamoxifen forever.
Can’t believe I started chemo in July two years ago. Crazy. . .
Side note—Anyone else look any younger following treatment? I’m getting carded all of the time. Even at restaurants when I have no mask on. I’m calling it my ‘chemo facelift’. Nothing else has changed, otherwise.
Santabarbarian—still have the boyfriend?
XOXO
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I haven't been on in a while, but wanted to catch up.
Jess, so sorry about your Dad. And glad to hear the surgery went well. I'm with you on tamoxifen. I saw my oncologist and asked if there was any research pending that showed it to be helpful beyond the ten years I'm supposed to take it. I'd really like to avoid an AI if I can because of the bone loss.
No one has accused me of looking younger, alas, but my hair has less gray in it than it did before chemo. I got tired of the half-curls, half straight mess it had developed into and cut it very short again.
I'm staying busy working from home. I'd be happy never to have to go back into an office again but we'll see if insurance companies will go for that over the long haul. And every weekend, and most evenings, I'm at our new property helping my younger son build his mobile tiny house. He's teaching himself construction one step at a time. It has a sleeping loft and a storage loft, and a living room, kitchen and bathroom on the lower part. We started the house wrap yesterday and windows and a door will go in next.This is it just before the housewrap:
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fun, wanderweg!
Jess, my dad died too. In April. Not COVID, and I can't imagine how awful it would be not to be able to hug him and be with him. He was 92 and was at peace with dying. He stayed himself to the end. SO glad you got a foster fail and LPC is a great nick name!
I broke up with the BF. It didn't "launch" just like the first time. He and I have different brains and it felt too hard to try to connect (I wanted something deeper than the depth he goes to). Oh well it was life affirming and nice to end "I am sick" with "I am dating!"
I hjust had my 2-year Mammo and labs. Will be really excited to get to next year's. Feeling good and well. Hoping the same for our whole group.
xoxo SB
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Santab, I'm sorry for your loss as well. My dad died a few months before I was diagnosed and I was thankful he never had to know that. He had Alzheimer's and got REALLY distressed when I mentioned my cervical cancer, which was several years in the past at that point.
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Hi All! Just thought I would pop in and say hello, catch up with everyone. Santab; Jess, I'm so sorry to hear about your Dad's passing. My Dad is about to cross the Rainbow Bridge as well; he has metastatic esophageal cancer coupled with end-stage Alzheimer's. I'm in Manitoba and he's in Ontario (Toronto area) with my Mom; I'm quarantining right now because I just had to go say my goodbye.
I am done treatment for my recurrence. I threw everything I could at it, chemo (again); and radiation. Being TN, I'm in fear of metastases; every twinge leaves me wondering "is this it?". I'm doing my best to meditate and do yoga daily; keep busy with my kids, home improvements and work. Covid is keeping us all from socializing which I'm finding difficult.
On a lighter note; Wanderweg, I would love to see updates on the tiny house! I bet it's amazing. Everyone, if you're up for it, post an update on how things are so we can celebrate each other! xo
K
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So glad to hear you are doing well KWilli! I hate that you had to deal with a recurrence. Your dad’s situation sounds very similar to my dad’s in 2017. The last thing he ever said to me was “I love you, too” and I hold that in my heart.
We’ve been spending all our free time on the new property hiking and getting a fruit tree/berry bush garden started. My son’s tiny house is coming along. He’s finished with the outside except for the facia board and the trim on the loft window and is working on wiring and insulation inside. It’s enough finished that he’s able to live there and work on it In the evenings and weekends, and we should have electricity at the site by the end of next week.
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Fun to have a tiny house!! Love it.
KWilli I am so happy to hear you are through the treatment. I am glad you were aggressive and I hope you are bouncing back and feeling good. Yes: so hard to lose a Dad. I am glad you can go to be there he and your Mom will love that.
Things are ok with me. I am well. A bit zombie'd by covid. Taking care of my Mom (she has her own place but I look in regularly). Living a pretty boring life; seeing a small number of people mostly for exercise/ walks with masks. Sending love to the group!
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Wanderweg, that is so cool! Impressive! No snow where you are?
Santab COVID definitely makes life a bit more introspective and introverted. Hopefully we’ll all be on patios in the spring!
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I'm crossing my fingers!
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No snow yet here. We usually get a few inches scattered over January and February. It rarely lasts more than a day.
COVID has really changed things hasn't it? I'm an introvert by nature but even I am itching to be able to get together with friends and family again. But not yet. We're going to lay as low as possible through the winter. My mom had a pacemaker put in this week and I hate that we won't get to have Thanksgiving with her. Hope the vaccine is as promising as it sounds. My husband is a nurse in a family practice and they are going to be among the first to get them. Of course, I wish they included their families, but no such luck. I did have him give me a flu shot and a pneumonia shot. (I'm a needle phobe, so that involved a couple of glasses of wine each time.)
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Hi all, it has been a long time since I've posted. I am catching up on everyone's postings. Sending my late condolences to SB and Wanderweg, so sorry to hear about your dads. KW, I'm also glad you went all Rambo on your recurrence and hope all is well. MGJ, not looking younger but FINALLY have hair. It seemed to take forever but 1 1/2 years after final treatment and I can actually say I have a full head of hair. Headed into surgery next week for a new implant, mine keeps flipping. Getting textured, but my Docsays not the high risk company. I debated but ultimately decided to try it. I've been on arimidex now for a little over 2 years and am tolerating it quite well. I also take Fosomax and actually built bone, good news. I hate this COVID situation, and am especially thankful I went through treatment before this hit. I know several people who are dealing with treatment and have hoops to jump through because of it. We are working on our road and hope to start building our house this fall, fingers crossed. Also staying busy with local humane society so life is good. Take care all, write an update when you can. Xox
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