Illinois ladies facing bc

Oops....Joan....how's the cellulitis? I had it once from 5 bee stings in my thigh but of course it went away. You'll have to be so careful now. I think LE sux! Sure wish they could come up with something different so bc pts would not be put at such risk. They have come a long way in the last 40 years tho....they used to take all the nodes they could scrape out. I worked for a surgeon about 30 yrs ago and it seemed most of the pts had some degree of LE. Hope u continue to improve...

Onward my legs, fingers and toes are stiff from Anastrozole, especially the legs. I can't say it's pain but more stiffness so I assume it's from the Anastrozole. I thought bone mets would be more back, legs (as in femur) neck, ribs or other larger bones. Wrist sounds like LE but if it's been bothering you for weeks I would bring it up to my doctor.

Another question for the LE gals. My arm has been slightly swollen all summer. The wrist is fine but just a 2" area on my lower arm. No pitting and it feels thick. I do wear my sleeve all the time. I thought with the cooler weather it would go down but it hasn't. Should I be seeing my LE MD or PT? I'm so done with appointments I really don't want to start up with PT again. (already did that 3 times this past year. Once for LE and twice for range of motion). I'm also about to start new insurance with a super high deductible so there's another reason why I don't want to go. I don't even know how this new one will cover.

Good morning everyone.  Have had lots of different things to do lately so not writing much.  Sorry to hear about the LE.  I feel about like Wendy on this subj.  Would sure wish some discovery could pop up which might show lymph problems some way so they did not have to be taken out unless "positive".  Otherwise, I guess we at least have to be glad there is Sentinel node technology and hope to expand on it. 

Onward, all pain for a while causes your mind to drift toward mets and or recurrence.  I would check on it just to rule it out. 

Bj --  hope things will settle soon for you as things start getting into place.  How neat that you have that great restful, relaxing beach lounge at school. 

Dental appt. today...oh joy!!

Hope you all have a wonderful day.  Be checking in later.

Hugs, Jackie

Yeah, what Laura said!  Hope everyone enjoys this beautiful day.

Hi ladies!

I have been busy working as a sub this past week.  Nice to have the little extra income and interaction with the kids/staff and also very nice to leave it behind for some fun. I went to see The Help tonight and it was such a great movie.  I teared up several times as I  found the story  so moving.

 Hope all are feeling okay.  Jenn, chemo side effects can come and go.  I hope your luck held out, but I think some side effects are inevitable!  I hope all in treatment are doing okay.

WendyTY, if you can participate in the walk this weekend, fine and great.  If not, know that you have done so much to create revenue and awareness.  Of course do what works best for you.  I keep up with the Caring Pages and I can only imagine how hard it was for your parents to return home.

My DH is a Frank Lloyd Wright fan and so we are going to Racine  to see this building he designed (the Johnson Wax building) this weekend along with a bike ride there.

So hope all is well. Like Laura says, I think about you all even though I take mini-breaks from posting.

Susan

Wow Joan you really do sound stiff. I know I'm stiff with Anastrozole but I don't have to take meds for the pain. I just get up and down from a seated position like an 80  year old for about minute. The cellulitis sounds scary.

Madmom and Robo hope you guys are OK with the SE and taste changes.

Onward I had nightmares after you wished me 60 more years of NED last week. I don't want to live till 110 unless I feel as good as I do right now.

BJ nice to see you come out of hiding.

Adey!

Waving to everyone else.

-------------------------------------------------

I saw my PS yesterday. He's going to fix the lower pole of the breast that sits lower and has not ptosis. I also have a nipples date: Oct. 6. Technically they call it nipple/areola reconstruction. Not sure exactly what will be done but I will get the details at pre-op. He's also going to try and do a little more fat grafting. I'm going to direct him to my thighs this time for fat donation.

My podiatrist is the bomb. She grew up in the town right next to me. She usually books me a double appointment so we can just BS. Anyway I called about my appointment and she asked if I wanted to meet her for coffee right before. Funny but we both want to be friends but being proper Bostonians and doctor/patient relationship we don't know how to cross that line. I could tell  she didn't want to offend me by asking. Who says you can't be friend with your podiatrist, right.

Lago, I have a consult with my PS next Monday to discuss nipple options. Let me know what method you are using. Navy mom.... How did yours go? My PS is going to want me to schedule a surgery date. I think I will stall off to early November. Sure would be nice to complete this before the end of the year!

Joan;  I am having 3 D tattooing only.  No surgery for nips.  It is a 3 step process.  My first session is in 2 weeks.  I am nervous but ready to go forward.  My exchange was March of 2010, so it has taken me awhile to get up the nerve to do it.  Cost is $500 for the pair.  Not covered by insurance because it is done by a tattoo artist in a non medical setting.

Not sleeping well tonight.......just hate when that happens.  A lot going on at my house. FIL just having one complication after another after his open heart surgery.  So many trips to the various Dr, appointments/pharmacy.  Worst part is he not being compliant with treatment plans.  AARGH!!!  I could go on and on....vent over.

thinking of you all...

Navy

Denis Waitley

Joan my pre-op is the 21st. I let you know what he says is 2 weeks. I know he doesn't take tissue from other parts of the body… he also knows I wouldn't be interested in doing that if he did. I'm not interested in additional scars if I can avoid it. I decided to get this done. I'm really ready to stop going to doctors so much although I will miss not seeing some of the staff.

Madmom How did you know I was celebrating your 10th anniversary with nipples ? You just got me thinking that I won't be fully healed for my 17th anniversary in mid October. Still it would be nice to have this all done by the end of the year. Need to do the tats after nips.

Navymom I debated doing the 3D nipples. I figure if I don't end up liking the nipple reconstruction I can always get them removed and then do 3D. My only concern with the nipple reconstruction is I will have to wear a bra. I worry the bra straps might aggravate my LE. Hope your FIL stabilizes soon.

I think I'm still getting the Wendys mixed up. Laura hows the job search?

Waving at Jackie

Char how are you?

Anyone hear from MakMak?

♥ ♥ ♥ 

Guess it's apparent that I couldn't decide which quote I wanted today.....they both spoke such volumes to me. 

Rita, I still get gimpy ( one hip ) in the weather changes with the Arimidex.  I am fortunate it is only one -- left one which was the one most affected by my stroke and that has only been the last 6 or 8 mos. I think.  I have to keep going until 2013 on it, but don't want to try anything else just for one se -- and a very limited affected area. 

Navy -- yes, yes, how we adore those older people but you know some of them are smarter than God and more obstinate than the Devil.  My friend Maggie ( needs to make the BIG decision very soon ) stay in a nursing home situation/assisted living type, or go home, seems to hate the regimen of taking meds ---  and the last several times in hospital was from skipping the water pill meant to help reduce blood pressure.  That led to so much weakness she needed the therapy done at the Manor ( nursing home ).  I am right there with you. 

Jenn -- I think the blah' is sort of standard to a degree.  It was a little like a shadow for me.  It wasn't that I always felt bad --  I think it was part of the strange awareness of stepping off a curb and having to keep going until I got to the other side.  A bit of a reluctance to be where you are because you know you can't leave for a prescribed length of time.  You will make it -- even though you will question so many steps along the way. I think the taste changes will get better in between, but you need strong flavors to overcome them.  I got reduced ( I couldn't have anything sweetened with aspartame -- little allergy ) to using Kool-Aid....but it worked.  I got my water down that way.  The Luigi ices -- Mainly the lemon was great.  In fact, lemon seems to cover up the taste all the time.  Hang in there.

Light rain here, which we too needed.  The brown grass is crispy and it was like a dust bowl where there wasn't any.  So, a little moisture is appreciated. 

I'll be checking in later. 

See you then.

Hugs, Jackie

Robo that's exactly what nuelasta did to me. I got the sore jaw and ribs 24 hours later but about 4 days later my back was so bad I couldn't stand up straight. That was only the first time though. The next 4 times my back wasn't so bad but I started with the aleve the day before I got the back pain the next time. I only took Aleve for 2 days each time. It took the edge off but to be honest the back never got as bad as that first time. OMG that was hell.

Makmak In the past I typically never get a cold unless I haven't been eating & sleeping right. Never even catch them from my husband. Well as you know I got the worst cold I ever had when I visited my parents. (Must of been from the plane). Our immune systems are weakened by these treatments. I say get the flu shot at the end of September if you're  going on a plane. I need to get mine too. Last year was the first time I got one. My onc wants all her chemo patients to get them so I got with my 2nd treatment. Not sure how she feels about after treatment but I'm getting one!

Not sure why I'm so chatty today.

Sounds like a great lecture. I was a student at UIC when Stanley was head of the architecture program. Take the Alleve. You may feel well enough to go.

Robo:  I had that pain in my pelvis on day 5 after my first chemo. It was horrible.  As bad as it hurt it felt better to be moving vs. sitting down so I went to the gym and worked out.  That was the only time it didn't hurt that day.  The good news is, I did not have it for other treatments.  I took Aleve and Claritin and that made it stay away.  It did kind of remind me of labor....

Jenn: As far as taste..I had no taste either for a long time but it got better.  It did not last through all of chemo.  It would come and go and it went away about 2 weeks after my last infusion.  I felt like food was blech!  Nothing tasted good except for ice cream which isn't good for us anyway. 

Hi:  I didn't know about the Illinois ladies.   Just wanted to say hello to everyone.   Finished all treatment and have been on tamoxifen for 3 weeks. Still need to have PS but I think I'll wait until early next year.    Have bad indigestion since radiation, but Dr. put me on nexium.