Illinois ladies facing bc

My onc doesn't do tumor markers, but it would be normal for blood tests of any kind to vary a few points on any given day. My onc prefers the LDH as a good marker for over all health. Totally understand the concern, but repeating in a month or so sounds good.

I agree with you on the heat.....but people in Phoenix always remind us of how dry the air is there. I don't care, it's still hot! Can you tell I have family on Phoenix? And they always complain about our humidity.

Ok, Illinois ladies, I need your help and this is not cancer related....well it is sort of because I am in this contest to win miles and for sure I am going to go somewhere.  When I was told my the onco things were not going well, I immediately got my stuff together and applied for a new passport.  So I don't know where I am going or when, but I have a lot of traveling to do before I call it quits. I don't know how many of you have been keeping up with me, but my tumor markers went up to 2,709 and the scans showed the largest tumor in my liver has grown to 6X6 cm and the others have grown also, plus I had mutiple new ones.  So I started halaven a week ago Wed. and have now had two doses of it and got my lst shot of neulasta today.  I already own thanks to several of you for advice as well as for voting for me....know English Major and several others cast votes for me and I appreciate it.  But I also want to thank Lago for advise on vitamins to prevent and help with neuropathy and Jackie for referring me back to Lago to get advice about about neulasta.....I did contact her Jackie and she told me to get claratin which I did and so far so good. 

Anyway, enough about cancer which has been the good thing about the contest....it may be a trivial thing, but it's been a challange getting votes and it's been exciting just thinking about winning even though I know I won't because the four in the lead, have a LOT of votes.  But it has been wonderful getting support from the board and just the whole effort has been a nice diversion and has made me feel good.  You can vote until midnight May 17 and you can vote once each day.  I am attaching the link....the catch is you have to be on Facebook.  You click on the Dream and Redeem and a page comes up and it will probably say, you are not signed in....then on the page which is the Delta contest you will see a picture of me, with my post chemo hair the last time, on a plane with my friend Kathy who so generously paid for my trip to TX with her miles so I could go go MDAnderson for an opinion.  If I win, she also wins and I think it would be a great way of rewarding her for helping me out like that.  Then under the pic is a little red box that says VOTE.  You click on that and if it goes through it will say thank you for voting. You can vote once a day so if you do, save the site and it will make it easier.  So I would REALLY appreciate it if any of you can help me out even if I am not from Illinois....I am from OH so we are neighbors.  Thank you ,thank you.  I hope you all have a wonderful evening and again thanks to you who have given me advice on cancer SEs....and for voting.   

Joan - My onc does not do tumor markers or PET, CT or bone scans.  I do see her every three months and she does an exam and lab work, including vitamin D.

I had an MRI on Saturday and a mammogram on the "bad" side today.  So very nerve wrecking, especially today when the tech kept on retaking different views, had me go back to the waiting room and then called me back for more images.  At the end the radialogist came out to tell me what she was looking at and that everything is OK.  It looks like I have a tiny cluster of calcifications but they are unchanged from 2004.  It turns out that the same radialogist also read my MRI from Saturday and the imaging that was done when I was first diagnosed last year.  I am glad that they are so thorough and I know we want to be closely monitored - but what an emotional roller coaster while it is taking place :-(

Good night to all.  Heading out to Iowa City tomorrow for my niece's graduation.  So happy for her.

Morning! It has been warm but nice! I heard 45 for a high on Sunday on the radio when we woke up this am but I am so hoping that was wrong! 45????? For a high????? In mid-May????



Tumor markers....my onc does not do them on node neg pts....period. Nor does he do any scans. Until he sees something or you present with symptoms he doesn't feel they are warranted and come with many false positives, which then must be investigated.



Smerf....yes, my PCP is very cautious! But I think he just wanted me to check with my onc before giving me the tetnus, who I see in July. He did say he would never give me the shingles vaccine, tho. Never. LDH is a great indicator EXCEPT if you are on an AI, esp. arimidex...we have watched mine climb every year to a high now of 147...nobody seems concerned tho as my cholesterol ratio is 2.5, which is extremely good! My last arimidex will be taken 7/31/2012 and then we'll see how it is.



Jackie....you are so wonderful to be helping Maggie but please don't let yourself get run down! We need you too!



Char....I hate those callbacks for more views! I'm already dreading my next mamm...which is not until late Sept!



Ahhhhh....bra stuffing! I remember it well...not of course that I ever did that! ;-)



Gotta scoot before the rains come....Congrats to everyone with good reports/hugs to all having not so good days!

Lago - hope your hair color turns out just the way you want it. Your hair looks great regardless.

lago - Nice dress...it fits you perfectly. How about a bright colored Pashima shawl wrap.

I vote for the Pashima too.  Pink would look nice, but you may sick of that color??

I have a black pashima but it's very light weight. I t hink I'll head out to Nordsrom Rack later. They had a bunch there. Shrug might be nice too. Thanks everone.I think pink or black would work.

Funny about the dress fitting me perfectly. When I bought it I weighed 119lbs! Nice thing about A line skirts is your thighs can go up 2 sizes and the dress will still fit

Lago, you look so pretty in that dress! Pink or black shawl, shrug or cardigan would work. Might need it to be waterproof this weekend!

Wendy, LDH is not related to cholesterol. Maybe you're thinking of LDL? LDH can measure many things, including advanced solid tumors, so my onc likes it better than tumor markers. My LDL is a whole other story, and exercise and Lipitor are my friends!

Thank heavens I visted today.  I am getting a great fashion lesson....pashima, shrugs.......I needed this.  I call everything a shawl of scarf.  The dress is so pretty on you, Lago.  Have fun at the wedding.  I love weddings.  Next one we have is not until August.I will write more tomorrow.  Stay dry, my friends!

Morning.....Brrrrrrr! 'nuf said!



Smerf....I am a TOTAL idiot! I read ur post wrong! It is LDL that I was talking about! Sorry about that! I'm not in need of lipitor yet thank goodness but I really ramped up my soluble fiber and also added another 4-5 hrs of wt bearing exercise since January. My poor colon did not know what hit it that first 10 days or so but it's all good tho and I've lost those 5 stubborn arimidex pounds so I guess I am doing something right! And....BTW...



HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!



Lago....dress warm!!!!! What did you decide on? Maybe a down shawl????



Time to eat my high fiber oatmeal with oat bran sprinkled on top....aren't you all jealous???

Happy Birthday Pat....and hundreds more:

Very cool here this morning, but not going to be "winter" again.  Rained all night about as predicted.  Not sure about today.  As usual, I'll be busy.  Found another tick on me, so it is one of those years.  Last yr. there seemed to be very few. 

Wendy.....hold that oatmeal till I get there will you.  At my age in life I doubt whether I could eat too much fiber......gotta find some way to move all of that "stuff" through quickly that I should not be eating at all. 

Hope you all have a great day.  I'll be checking in later as I usually do.

Hugs, Jackie

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