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Diagnosed/treated 2018 -- Sharing our "what's next"

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Comments

  • beaverntx
    beaverntx Member Posts: 2,962

    Yes, please, let's s hope that trip is not in your immediate future! Sounds like your reaction is doing better, thank goodness.

  • veeder14
    veeder14 Member Posts: 274

    I went to dermatology today for my regular app't. I told the doctor about the rash I got after the shingles shot and that it looked like cellulitis. He said that's exactly what it was but was caused directly from the shot not from another infection somewhere in my body. He also said that the shot worked and is building up my immunity. My arm is all back to normal now besides occasional itching.

  • beaverntx
    beaverntx Member Posts: 2,962

    Veeder, good to learn that at least that is doing better!!

  • josieo
    josieo Member Posts: 140

    Hi Veeder,

    I second Beaverntx’s comments. When I saw your name on this thread I caught my breath and was hoping for good news for you. YEA!!!

    Wishing you a relaxing Labor Day weekend

  • josieo
    josieo Member Posts: 140

    Hello Star, Veeder, Flowergal, Beaverntx, and all,of my dear “1918” colleagues,

    I have been thinking of all of you, especially as we approach the end of 2019. Trust everyone remains healthy and knows the happiness that comes from friends, family, and the enjoyment of being alive.

    January 2020 will mark two years since my initial diagnosis and walk down that road called cancer. In some ways it is starting to feel more distant, in other ways it is as if it has never left.

    I remain eternally grateful for my wonderful cancer team, who I still see today. As another patient said to me, “how do you thank those doctors who put so much effort and passion into patient care?”

    I”ll never forget them. I love them.

    My own health, breast and otherwise, remains good. Thankful to be able to say that.

    I close with thanking all of you as you walked with me on the scary road called cancer, I look forward to hearing from each and every one of you.

    Best wishes, dear friends.


    JosieO

  • flowergal
    flowergal Member Posts: 73

    Hi Josie and everyone

    I too think of you all and I think it is a good thing that we don't feel the need to communicate as much .Hopefully, we are all getting on with our lives and ,as you said, enjoying friends and family and lie in general. I am doing well and as my cardiologist said, " just live your life" while we were discussing my A Fib DX. I am also down to twice a year visits with the MO and will do this as long as I am on anastrazole.after Feb, I'll be back to yearly mammos . Speaking of living your life, we celebrated our 50 wedding anniversary in August, ( I may have mentioned this already) went on Alaskan cruise with my sister, and have a Panama Canal cruise planned ( with my sister again) in Feb. She had throat cancer a few years ago and lost her husband to liver cancer in 2017 and I do believe we cherish each other even more.

    I registered for the Susan G Komen race for cure here but I am too lazy to get up early so I will just wear my tee shirt and walk around my neighborhood! ( which I do daily anyway)

    Hope you are all doing well and enjoying some nice fall weather. Happy Halloween!

  • josieo
    josieo Member Posts: 140

    Hi Flowergal,

    Just a few comments to your recent post:

    Glad to know that you are doing well and agree with your cardiologist’s comments regarding the A Fib.

    Congrats on your 50th wedding anniversary. Not many people are able to achieve that milestone.

    And I loved what you said about your sister. You and she are truly a blessing to each other. (I don’t have a sister)

    I understand about Susan Komen. For me, the race was not close enough to make it there as early as it was scheduled.

    But over this last year I joined what I will call a “telephone support group” for other women with breast cancer. It gives me comfort to know I can accept a fear-filled voice and listen, offer words of encouragement. Just as this forum was and is for me.

    Best wishes to you, Flowergal.

  • veeder14
    veeder14 Member Posts: 274

    Hi JosieO, flowergal, Beaverntx and all,

    It’s nice to hear from you. I’ve got a mammogram, ultrasound armpit, and Pet scan,and dermatology and endocrinology coming up in Nov, plus return appt with MO. As usual,dealing with something new a dental emergency.


    Tamoxifen keeps me awake at night and now with this fire close by and possible evacuation I’m up checking the latest fire reports. Car packed just in case. Very scared. Just wanted to drop in and say hi

  • beaverntx
    beaverntx Member Posts: 2,962

    Veeder, I've been wondering if you are in one of the fire areas. May you stay safe! Sounds like you are prepared, good for you. Keep us in the loop, p!ease.

    I'm scheduled for a colonoscopy this Friday (hoping for no bad news) and other than having some brain fogged and fatigued days from Tamoxifen doing well. The Tamoxifen SE s seem to be cyclical. Thank goodness they are not all present all of the time! I really dislike the days when I get nothing done and am so lethargic that I don't care. Next oncology appointment is in a couple of weeks and I think we will have a chat about the big T and dosage.

    We've finally gotten some cooler weather and we are enjoying it. Right now sitting here with our two dogs, one of them is on a liver supplement that is taken at least an hour before his morning meal. Some days convincing him he has to wait gets to be a noisy time! It was cool enough outside this morning that they did not want to stay out, this prolonging the wait time inside. About 10 more minutes...

  • flowergal
    flowergal Member Posts: 73

    Hi

    Veeder, Hope you will be safe and not have to leave your home.

  • josieo
    josieo Member Posts: 140

    Dear friends all,

    Veeder: fingers crossed for clear reports back on all upcoming testing. Smart of you to pack your car, but hope you don’t have to worry about your home. Very scary weather...

    Flowergal: continued support to living your life.

    Beaverntx: fingers crosses for a problem-free colostomy and best wishes for a useful conversation regarding Tamoxifen.

    Hang in there, everyone

  • beaverntx
    beaverntx Member Posts: 2,962

    Colonoscopy report was great, one tiny polyp so small he didn't think it needed to go to path and I don't need to return for five years instead of the three it was this last time. I'll always be on at least a five year plan since I've had large polyps two different times. Oh, well, it could certainly be worse, as we all know.

    Cheers and happy fall!

  • josieo
    josieo Member Posts: 140

    Oh Beaverntx,

    This is great news! So very glad for you!

    Nice to not have to worry about every test and procedure.

    Enjoy your fall

  • ingerp
    ingerp Member Posts: 1,515

    That is great news Beaver!!

  • flowergal
    flowergal Member Posts: 73

    Great news Beaver rn. Veeder, hope you are safe and didn't have to leave your home. Hope your power is on!

  • josieo
    josieo Member Posts: 140

    Happy Thanksgiving, dear friends.

    Star, Veeder, flowergal, Beaverntx, and everyone from the “class of 2018”

    Thinking of all of you with great affection and respect. Thank you for your friendship and support in what was a most stressful time.

    As we gather with friends and family to celebrate Thanksgiving, I want to wish each one of you a great and peaceful day. May we all be grateful for what we have survived. And many more great holidays ahead

    Best wishes,

    JosieO

  • beaverntx
    beaverntx Member Posts: 2,962

    Happy Turkey Day aka Happy Thanksgiving!

    We will be 6 at the dinner table for a fairly traditional T day dinner (no regular mashed potatoes but a white/sweet potato gratin and a mashed sweet potato dish--DDIL' s fave).

    Joining in JosieO' s wishes for today and our futures.

  • flowergal
    flowergal Member Posts: 73

    Hi Josie and everyone in the "class of 2018 " Happy Thanksgiving to you all and hope everyone is staying healthy and warm.


  • beaverntx
    beaverntx Member Posts: 2,962

    Saw my BS today and now have officially moved to annual mammograms and every six months with her. Also have a referral for a post breast surgery massage and exercise therapist for my shoulder (likely due to radiation, the gift that keeps on giving). Discussed the "episode" I had with Tamoxifen a month or so ago and we agreed to a month's holiday should it happen again with consultation about next steps to follow. I feel much better about moving forward and we agreed 5 years on Tamoxifenwill probably be enough.

  • veeder14
    veeder14 Member Posts: 274

    Hi Beaverntx, JosieO, flowergal, and all,

    It's good to hear from all of you. Happy belated Thanksgiving! I'm just getting over bronchitis, I was worried that it somehow was caused by the radiation near my lungs since I didn't have a cold or flu, just a lower respiratory infection.I'll talk it over with the Oncologist. I have my annual mammogram this Thursday and maybe along with an ultrasound (they did it last time also). My schedule is mammogram/ultrasound every 6 months, and then breast MRI every 6 months.Will be seeing the Oncologist next week, Dermatology, and GI regarding the Tamoxifen. Had some strange lab results so following up on that with Endocrinology. It sure seems like I'm having tons of appointments again, ugh. And part 2 of the Shingles vaccine this Thursday.

    This is the first holiday season in 3 years that I haven't had to have major surgery! 2016 Dec-Melanoma and lymph node surgery; Dec 2017/Jan 2018 lumpectomy/lymph node surgery; and 2018 Dec Hysterectomy/ovary/tubes removal surgery.

    By the way, I didn't have to leave my home during the last fire. Meanwhile, we are having so much rain over the last few days which should put a damper on more fires anytime soon.

    That's great Beaverntx that you are now on annual mammograms.And post breast surgery massage-does your insurance cover it? Glad you will be treated for your shoulder issues soon. You must be relieved to hear that 5 years on Tamoxifen is enough.

    Happy Holidays to everyone


  • flowergal
    flowergal Member Posts: 73

    Hi Veeder,

    Glad you are safe and surgery free! Good luck with all your tests .

    Hope everyone is straying warm and safe while out for your Christmas shopping!


  • josieo
    josieo Member Posts: 140

    Beaverntx,

    A big “Congrats” on achieving these milestones. Very happy for you. Sounds like you have a very good doctor guiding you forward

  • josieo
    josieo Member Posts: 140

    Hi Veeder,

    Always good to hear from you, but sorry about the bronchitis. Hopefully the rain is keeping the air more clean of particulate. Wishing you great test results and onlygood things ahead for you.

    Take good care.

  • beaverntx
    beaverntx Member Posts: 2,962

    Veeder, sorry re bronchitis but glad to learn you are recovering!

    Re the massage therapy and insurance, I don't know but suspect not as she prefers cash or check. I'm scheduled to see her Friday for 30 minutes and $35. My goal is to learn what I can do on my own. She is supposed to be a lymphedema specialist. While I don't have lymphedema (thank goodess) I have what feels like a band of tissue running from the side of my breast around my side above the SNB scar. At times it gets very sore. I've been massaging it at bedtime but am hoping to learn more to do. My BS indicated it likely is the result of radiation. Right now it is so sore I' m not certain I can handle even 30 minutes, let alone the hour she offered!

    Other wonderful news re radiation effects-- that rug burn pain down the arm may never completely go away. For me it is much milder, and less disruptive, than shortly after surgery but it is still there at times. I still have some hope as the nerve pain I had after shingles took well over 2 years to disappear and I'm not to the two year mark yet.

    Take care everybody and don't wear yourself out over the holidays! I need to clear out fall decorations to make room for Christmas...

  • KathyM7
    KathyM7 Member Posts: 3

    Hi all! I love that we can keep in touch and share our continuing stories. I naively thought when I got the breast cancer diagnosis that after about a year it would all be history, back to normal. It sure is a "new normal". And maybe it's just age but more things happen that throw more logs on the fire of health issues.

    Veeder14 I hope your bronchitis eases up completely and quickly!

    Beaverntx I also am on annual mammograms (have one due soon - anxiety here we come) and 6 month oncologist visits.

    My diagnosis of melanoma in May led to a summer of surgery, plastic surgery, and a topical immune drug. All done now, healing well and I sure hope that's the end of that! I have a huge scar on my face but it has already faded to very minimal appearance. People tell me they don't even notice.

    My new issue is torn retinas, both eyes. I see a retina specialist tomorrow and probably have laser surgery soon. I can certainly deal with this more easily than cancer but seriously I think we all would love a good long break from medical issues.

    Now on to hanging Christmas lights!


  • josieo
    josieo Member Posts: 140

    KathyM7,

    Sorry to hear about your melanoma but sounds like you are healing well.

    Best wishes for successful laser surgery. I like your positive attitude




  • beaverntx
    beaverntx Member Posts: 2,962

    Saw the lymphedema/massage therapist this morning. In 1/2 hour she managed to break up the scar tissue and give me exercises to help keep the area flexible. One of the interesting points was to use a pillow when sitting (TV, etc) to prop my arm and keep the area "open". Well worth the $35!

  • flowergal
    flowergal Member Posts: 73

    Beaverrn, glad to hear the massage helped. I still do my lymphedema self massage exercises 2x day and this keeps it in control. It's just part of my daily routine.


  • josieo
    josieo Member Posts: 140

    Beaverntx,

    This is great news! I’m happy for you that you had such a productive session.

    Flowergal, you have always been my touchstone for lymphedema, so nice that you keep up your exercises.

    You go, gals!


  • josieo
    josieo Member Posts: 140

    Dear friends all,

    Wishing you the joy and blessings of this holiday season (Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa).

    May each of you enjoy good health in 2020.

    And I thank each of you for your friendship and support.

    JosieO

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