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Starting Chemo September 2019

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Comments

  • LMS458412
    LMS458412 Member Posts: 288
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    Good to hear from you, Angie. I'll be praying for you! I hope surgery goes smoothly and you heal quickly!!!!!!! HUGS!!!!!!!!

  • angieb92
    angieb92 Member Posts: 291
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    Thank you!!! Home and resting comfortably!

  • LMS458412
    LMS458412 Member Posts: 288
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    So glad to hear, Angie!!!

  • Dottybird
    Dottybird Member Posts: 25
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    Bozo! I like it! I am developing a bit of a mullet too since the back hair is growing faster, or maybe straighter. It is turning into 1980s soap star. 😃

    I tried to do a photo from above and it looked like something the cat would have coughed up. Here is my poof.

    image

  • Gamb
    Gamb Member Posts: 570
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    Angie glad you are doing good from surgery, Dottie your hair looks great.

  • LMS458412
    LMS458412 Member Posts: 288
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    LOL! I think your hair looks great, Dotty! Pretty color, too.

    I'm trying to work with what I've got. It's hair. That's something.

  • tmh0921
    tmh0921 Member Posts: 518
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    Angie - So glad to hear you’re home and recovering

    Leah and DottyBird - I think both of your hair look great! I’m 31 weeks PFC and my hair is growing quickly and thick, but it can’t decide if it wants to be straight or curly. It also can’t decide what direction to go. It’s a mess, but I’m happy to have it LOL

    I want to resume coloring it (there’s more gray now), but don’t want to slow it’s growth by damaging it.



    Hair 31 weeks PFC

    image

  • Del13
    Del13 Member Posts: 180
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    imageFeeling Better!! Hope all are ok!! Hugs and positive vibes

  • Gamb
    Gamb Member Posts: 570
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    Looking good Maggie!! I hope everyone is doing good, I see gi dr this Wednesday to schedule colonoscopy, covid sure put a dent in my checkup schedules. They all seem to be running close together. Hot, humid and with a mini afro, hair gone wild...lol. hugs to all

  • Patty66
    Patty66 Member Posts: 45
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    Hi Ladies,

    Just checking in, doing okay and so happy to see hair growth and healing for all of us. Wonderful photos! Tamoxifen has me sleepless almost every night but I just have to trust it will help me stay safe.

    Sending love and a little healing mandala I made during one of those sleepless nights...

    image

  • Dottybird
    Dottybird Member Posts: 25
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    Looking good Tracy and Maggie!

    Gamb, sounds like you have also joined the poofy hair club. Maybe we can make a video, Hair Gone Wild!

    Patty, this might be obvious, but did you try the tamoxifen first thing in the morning or splitting the dosage so its one at night, one in morning? It kept me up at night too so I have to take in the AM.

    Has anyone else had any reactions to the sun? Even with SPF 70, every time I am exposed to the sun, I become very itchy. Its so bad I have to take a cold to relieve it. Not sure if its from chemo or tamoxifen or both or everything else in life, but I do not like it. Curious if I am alone.

    Take care and best wishes ❤

  • angieb92
    angieb92 Member Posts: 291
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    I love the pictures, Maggie and Tracy!!!

    Hello Gamb, Patty, and Dottiebird!!

    I’m doing okay here! One week past my exchange surgery and will have treatment 4 of 11 of Kadcyla a week from Friday.

    I am on Tamoxifen too. I take it at night but I also take melatonin so I sleep well. Maybe try 3 mg of melatonin (with your oncs blessing of course.)

    I have had bouts of depression that come and go. This recently started and I think it’s due to the Bactrim I am taking post surgery. I only have to take one more week so if it doesn’t clear up by then, I will talk with my doctor.

    I hope you all are enjoying the summer as much as COVID will allow!

  • Gamb
    Gamb Member Posts: 570
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    Hi everyone, I thought i would write down how i have been feeling about my clothes. In 2014 my husband was diagnosed with a GIST, gastrointestinal stroma tumor, and that began his an my journey with cancer. I lost him in 2017 and miss him every second of the day. Then in July of 2019 began my journey with breast cancer, the other day I realized I had not bought any new clothing since 2013, all the clothes I wear are what I call my cancer clothes, weight lost or weight gained, I had cancer clothes for both. Now I hate shopping and I'm trying to lose some weight now and I decided no need to buy any new clothes until I do,, I am so tired of my cancer clothes. I never told any person this and today i received a box of clothing from my sister in law, she had cleaned out her closet and thought I might like some of the clothing. I like them all and come tomorrow evening I am burning those dam cancer clothes. I will drop her a line and thank her ever so much for a thought from me she heard two states over and being the route of a prayer answered. Peace

  • Del13
    Del13 Member Posts: 180
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    Gamb, Love this!!! Yes get rid of the cancer clothes!!!

    Hello to all, hugs,,, I went back and read All, WOW! we have come so far, So thankful for this group,, warriors we are! 😘

  • Brilee76
    Brilee76 Member Posts: 190
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    Hey ladies! I just wanted to catch up with what's going on with you all. Everyone's hair is looking great! I've been getting to work from home since April. I love it! I bought my first home on April 30th so things have been kinda crazy at home on top of all the crazy outside. I have my second Zometa infusion on Monday. I see my oncologist next month. I've been having a lot of bone pain. My oncologist discussed maybe changing my Letrozole if it continues. I'm still doing terrible with diet and exercise. I hope you're all doing great! ❤

  • angieb92
    angieb92 Member Posts: 291
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    Bridget - congratulations on the new home!! How exciting! I hope the change in meds clears up the bone pain

  • mariadelpilar
    mariadelpilar Member Posts: 37
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    tons of hair, dotty! Good for you. When was your last chemo treatment? Mine was Feb. 27 and my hair is also coming in curly, but growing slowly.

  • tmh0921
    tmh0921 Member Posts: 518
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    Hi All

    I FINALLY have a date for my exchange surgery, I’ll be having surgery Thursday 7/16. I am SO over these tissue expanders!

    My joint aches from the Letrazole were better with fish oil and curcumin, but still not good. I’ve been in pain a lot. After some research, I’ve added CBD oil to my routine morning and night. I’ve been taking it for a week and a half and it’s made a shocking improvement for me. I have an appt Monday with my MO and will talk to her about it to make sure she’s ok with it. Honestly though, at this point she’s going to have to be OK with it. I don’t know that I can handle the joint aches (pain) for the 10+ years they want me to take the Letrazole.

    Giddy to have a surgery date Happy

    Tracy

  • Gamb
    Gamb Member Posts: 570
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    Brilee congrats on the house, and Tmh, yay for surgery date. Joint pain sucks and the heat and humidity seem to make mine worse. I'm with you on the diet and exercise , i need to do better with both, i just need to get my mi d right..lol peace to all

  • tmh0921
    tmh0921 Member Posts: 518
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    Gamb - I need to get my mind right and diet and exercise as well. I am positive that the 30+ pounds I’ve gained in the last year are not helping these joint aches at all. It’s very hot and humid here in GA as well, which adds to the misery LOL. You know the humid is high when you’re drenched in sweat a few minutes after you walk out the door!

    Bridget - Congrats on the house!

    Hugs to you all
    Tracy

  • angieb92
    angieb92 Member Posts: 291
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    Tracy - congratulations on the surgery date!! Yippee!! Those expanders are important to the process but, shew, they are not comfortable most times.

    I am posting a hair picture- I actually had it trimmed yesterday because my sides were looking like Bozo the Clown. I’m also returning to my office Monday and I’m super excited about it. I’ve been working from home since mid-March. It’s been nice but I am ready to have that part of my daily routine back.

    I’ve been trying to eat sensibly since my exchange surgery. There are so many posts out there about people who give up sugar or dairy or meat. Honey, I’m Southern. I need all of that in my body at one point in the day. My oncologist encourages his patients to live and by that he means have that cookie - just don’t eat the whole bag that day. Exercise at least 30 minutes a day for 5 days. You can’t starve cancer by eliminating sugar because your body has to have sugar to keep going. Eat leafy greens every day. That’s been my big change - I have a leafy green somewhere in the day. Usually, it’s with my breakfast eggs.

    You will all get in motion soon - just don’t forget to live while you’re trying to do better!

    Love to you all!! image

  • tmh0921
    tmh0921 Member Posts: 518
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    Angie! Looking Great!

    I had my monthly MO appt today, she reviewed the supplements I'm taking for the joint pain caused by Letrozole and whole heartedly approved them (Curcumin, Black Pepper Extract (to help with Curcumin absorption), Krill oil (in place of fish oil, no bad taste), and CBD Oil). Her only concern was that sometimes supplements like the Curcumin can contain fillers such as Soy which acts like an estrogen and is a no-no, but the brand I take specifically states on the bottle it does NOT contain soy.

    I was afraid she'd be against the CBD oil, but she was very supportive and said a lot of her patients use it for pain, nausea, and other cancer treatment side effects. Phew....

    My surgery is 7/16, and they have given me a laundry list of "to-dos" prior to surgery. In addition to all of the normal stuff, I have to have a COVID-19 test done 3 days prior, and I have to quarantine between the test and my surgery. They are allowing my husband to come with me, but he has to stay in the waiting room (can't come back to the pre/post op area). That's a plus, but obviously subject to change based on how things go over the next few weeks. I also need to find a new post surgery bra. I have a few from my mastectomies, but they aren't too comfortable.

    It's a billion degrees and humid here is Georgia, I hope everyone is staying cool!

    Countdown to exchange surgery has officially started!

    Tracy

  • Del13
    Del13 Member Posts: 180
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    My Family!! The best vacation ever!!image

  • tmh0921
    tmh0921 Member Posts: 518
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    beautiful family Maggie!

    ❤️❤️❤️

  • angieb92
    angieb92 Member Posts: 291
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    Maggie- LOVE this picture!!’ You look great!

    Tracy - I’m so excited for you and exchange surgery!

  • Gamb
    Gamb Member Posts: 570
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    TMH, hurray for replacement surgery finally, Angie great head of hair and beautiful smile. Maggie family is the best medicine, great looking bunch and you look fantastic.

  • ange743
    ange743 Member Posts: 69
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    So awesome to see pictures of smiling, happy, victorious faces! Great to see some cute hair pics. Mine is coming along, but much slower than I'd like. I am back to work part time right now, going to full time next week. 😳 It's going really well, I like my job, and really like most of my co-workers. I've been there since I graduated College in 1997, so it's a comforting place to be. They have been stellar in accommodating me and encouraging me to take care of myself. It feels so normal to be back! I'm getting outside in my garden a lot, spending time with my teenage daughters and young nephews. Life is good right now, I hope it stays that way! I feel content in a way I haven't in a long time. I have gotten my humour back, as it took a vacation when I was diagnosed. My last chemo was 6 months ago today. Seems like a lifetime ago.

    I hope all you fine ladies are doing well, enjoying summer and everything that brings you joy. 😊

  • eveldon
    eveldon Member Posts: 31
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    image

    Hey Ladies! Was doing some work on our computer and decided to pop in. Glad to see everyone recovering and growing lots of hair. I keep saying to my kids "it almost looks intentional" about my short cut and I think it is actually starting to be trueLoopy. The covid sitch where I live is not great. We have a small house up north on a local river and it has been such a blessing to get up there and chill. Feels like a vacation but little/no risk.

    Other than worrying about every ache/pain I am recovering well mentally as well. Staying busy and enjoying being back to my regular life. Chemo was definitely not for the faint of heart.

    Hope everyone is enjoying summertime!

  • angieb92
    angieb92 Member Posts: 291
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    ange- Good to hear from you! I love this line of yours:

    “I feel content in a way I haven't in a long time“ All I can say is, amen!!

    Eveldon - I love that picture!!! It looks so tranquil there. What a great place to recharge.

    I hope everyone else is doing well and enjoying summer!

  • mariadelpilar
    mariadelpilar Member Posts: 37
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    try Benadryl at night! It really helps me sleep. Recommended by my MO.