Illinois ladies facing bc
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Spunky: I hear ya.... People always say the same thing to me. I wonder the same thing..... Yesterday I got three comments, "you have lots of color in your face". Well, that would be the foundation and blush. Thank you very much!
FemTenor: Welcome! Just remember you are not alone in this journey.
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FemTenor.... Welcome. We were all lurkers at one point... Except for our dear Rita who got this thread rolling. Glad you joined us. You don't need to feel shy around us. We are here for each other whenever you need.
Lago... Thanks for your advice on that great come back line. Hope I remember it the next time I get advice from a some insensitive, uneducated person.
Spunky... I really hate that "you look great" comment. I just want to scream when someone says that to me, especially when it comes from someone who dropped off my friendship radar after they heard I had BC. They look at me like they must be seeing a ghost! I usually say, "gee, you look fine. Are you FEELING okay?"0 -
Hi to everyone! I have been crazy with lots going on at work, kids stuff, and those pesky daily rad appointments. But, I am halfway done, and I have some hair growth (though I have virtually no eyebrows left!)! My son got his hair buzzed off (to beat the heat a bit) on the last day of school, and now we're having a hair growth race. I am sorry that I have missed quite a bit around here, but have tried to catch up a bit on at least the last few pages.
Hello and welcome to all the new post-ers!
Roula - HUGS, I really know how you feel about not being able to make a kids event. I remember crying on the phone to MDG a few months ago about missing an
important hockey game for my son. You will make it through, though it may not feel like it right now.
Joan, hope you have a nice time with your brother this weekend. I still hope to see you in CL sometime, maybe after my rads and all your appointments are done! Hope the foot is healing up.
Lynn, CC, Invisible- hope you are all doing well this weekend.
Lago, I make yogurt and fruit pops all the time for the kids; just made some blueberry pops this morning. Yum.
LisaMomof4, congrats on the new job. We will definitely have to have lunch again
when I am back in suburbs after rads (July 9).
Hopeful, hope your surgery went well.
I am off now to take the girls to gymnastics. My son has a baseball game, which DH took him to. Later we are heading to Pinstripes to bowl with a great family we know, then tonight, DS has hockey. Tomorrow, DS and DH leave for a week-long hockey camp in WI, so we will give DH his Father's Day gifts tonight (they leave EARLY
tomorrow). As always, thinking of all you wonderful ladies. Lisa0 -
I'm back and semi-cognitive. Still keep fading out, I think my body holds onto narcotics for a pretty long time. Perhaps good for pain control but makes it hard to be functional.
More update since my DD's post. Choosing a prophylactic right MX was the right decision. The path found LCIS.
The great news, of course, is the SN was CLEAN! The not-so-great news is that my left diagnosis is now IDC, not DCIS. I'll meet with my BS on Tue to discuss oncotyping, MOs, and next steps (chemo and/or hormonal).
I can't say enough about the Norwestern Memorial nursing staff. They made the whole experience as close to "pleasurable" as I think it was possible to be. I pretty much fell apart after Hansen gave me the IDC news and one of the nurses just sat with me for the longest time, just being there. Glad to be done with those ** heparin shots, dang! they hurt. I'll hold the ahh! memory of my first post-op shower for a while. Too early to say what I think of the reconstruction, but I have a cleavage.
Anyone have recommendations for Chicago-area MOs? I'd prefer NW or Rush; they're both convenient to home.
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To feel grateful is one of the most important experiences we need as humans. When we feel it, there is an acceptance of everything in our life.
Barbara Brennan0 -
Quick stop by.
C25K week 5 work out 3 done. I jogged 2 miles! Took 28 minutes instead of 20 but I did it. (c:
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Lemon --- even if you missed a few pages here, we love you anyway. Glad you are half-way with your rads. To a person almost, everyone here pretty much says......it is the daily time taker for about 7 mins. of tx. Sort of boring....but for most -- way better to do than not. Everything past my lumpectomy was what I felt I HAD to do to reach NED and have the highest hopes and chance of staying there --- so rads was up there real high. I had 7 full weeks...the entire last week was boosts.
Spunky --- yes, you do look great --- maybe you should have said ---as opposed to what??? Got to love em" i guess. We have perspective that they don't....but that sort of stupidy is bothersome and VERY annoying.
FemTenor.....glad to meet you and so glad you introduced yourself. No one is required to post here, but it is a great place --- especially if you still feel some un-certainty, or have people around you who don't know what to say, or if you occasionally feel a little over-whelm. I resonated to that. Like every one here......cancer was definitely not a part of my game plan. I am 66 by the way......so a working part-time retirement was the biggest part of my game plan --- and then I ran into THAT wall. Had to reverse all engines and stamp cancellation everywhere and then I found my saving grace and sanity coming here. A lumpectomy took care of the two different cancers I had in the same breast.....6 months of chemo and 7 full weeks of rads............and here I am NED. I hope you will hang in here with us.....even if you don't post.
Lynn.....so glad you are back. Do wish the IDC had not been a part of things but at least you probably have good timing on things which will work well in your favor. Hope you "wake" up good later, but your body does need to de-stress from surgery.
Hope you are all going to have a fantastic week-end.
Hi to Wendy 13
Hugs, Jackie
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Hello all!
Welcome to FemTenor - like everyone has said I am sorry you had to join us but glad you found us. I have always been a bit shy about posting but everyone here has made me feel so welcome that I find I continue to post. There is such womderful support here.
Lynn - I am so happy you are doing well. I had the same discovery with my 'good' side and was very happy I elected to remove both. I went with my gut instinct and am happy I did. I didn't want to face this again.
mdg - I would love to get together but I am still 'grounded'. I see the PS next week and hopefully he will spring me. I would really love some independence.
Roula & C-Squared I hope you are both feeling better
Spunky - I love the "you look great" line too. Always makes me do an internal eye-roll.
So I am having yet another complication. The sharp pains in the back of both of my calves (which I wrote off to muscle pain and self-treated for more than a week) turned out to be bilateral DVT. My internist was suspicious and sent me for an ultrasound. I was really nervous because after the test the tech disappeared for a long time. She was trying to reach my doctor. My doctor would either admit me right away or allow me to treat at home if I was able to self-inject the medication and have frequent blood tests. I found out just how easily I can give myself shots. My doctor tells me bilateral DVT is not common in the general population but is common in cancer patients. Yet another gift!
It's hot and I sure wish it would rain!0 -
Lynn: Glad you're home and doing okay.
Invisible: what's bilateral DVT?
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Lynn I had a small amount of LCIS in the "good breast" too. My BS knew something was up after the MRI. Recommended BMX but we could have biopsied it. I sent you a PM.
As far as people saying "You look great…" did you ever think that maybe you do?
Invisible when you started to mention your symptoms I immediately thought DVT (deep vein thrombosis) That's why they put those stupid massaging things on our legs after surgery and want us to walk ASAP. I thought I might get that because my mom has had issues in the past. I was walking as much as I could because of that.
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Invisible, I also got a DVT (but only one) when my cancer was active. I am on coumadin with my tamoxifen now. I have to do the Lovenox shots when I have surgery - did for 2 weeks post mastectomy and will again at exchange (as I have to stop Coumadin for surgery). I do have the Factor V Leiden which added to cancer increases DVTs.
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Evening everyone....this is one of the FANTASTIC reasons to keep coming here. I don't recall anyone talking about DVT's. Could have been some in the group doing chemo 2007/8, but I don't remember them.
Invisible --- very glad you decided to see what was up when home tx didn't fix it. It's a pain but all this will pass and then you can get started with the rest of the fun. Included in this is enough Dr. visits to provide you with a social life.
We could use some rain too....but we will have humidity then and right now we are fine that way......well, it's always something. Have a nice night everyone.
Hugs, Jackie
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We've got tornado warnings here and it's hailing out right now. Sitting in the basement with DH and both dogs.
Thanks for letting me know what DVTs are and the symptoms, ladies.
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invisible, I'm laughing about the dog ears! I have them too!
I have three more fills and then get to wait until September to get my exchange and the fix for my left breast. I have a TE in the right breast and it is sittiing high, like a 25 yr olds breast and my normal 50 year old breast (with lumpectomy) is even saggier now that it had the DCIS removed and then re-excised. I do have cleavage again and that was exciting! Today, I even showed the cleavage off! I actually wore a regular bra under a cami with another sleeveless shirt over it and looked close to normal....barely lopsided. I think I broke the rules and wore an underwire bra but it was only for a few hours and we were going somewhere where the people don't know about the BC and I wanted to pretend everything was normal and not be self conscious.
My prayers are with those suffering with side effects and other issues! I've been off the boards a few days and I missed a lot....too much to list here! You guys are amazing in how you support those that are having issues!
I am so excited. I'm getting my strength back and have started to exercise regularly again. It feels so good to move my body and feel it getting stronger. I can see myself getting back to the old me....with a few more new life experiences and a few new friends.....
I start tamoxifen next week. The Medical Onc called in my perscription and I still haven't picked it up but will on Monday. I really feel ambivalent about taking this. I want to do everything I can to prevent a reoccurrence but I just don't like taking medicine. I'm going to give it a try. Has anyone that has been told they should take it not taken it??
I got my genetic testing blood sample taken Friday too. I guess dependent on the results....tamoxifen might not be an issue. If I'm positive, they want me to get hysterectomy and possibly left side mastectomy....then I wouldn't have to take tamoxifen. How I hate this disease!
Can you tell that I'm having some emotions tonight?? After reading posts here and everything that others are going through too, I just get so mad that this disease hurts so many of us. I'm usually an optimist. It's hard to remain optimistic when so many are going through this and hurting so bad. OK enough of the pitty party! Onward and upward! I have learned so much from these boards and I'm so thankful to have them to come too.
Have a great evening everyone! I'm going to make it an early night and get up tomorrow with a new refreshed attitude.
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Valerie: ((hugs!)). It's okay to vent. That's why we have each other.
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Valerie-Glad to hear you're getting stronger and you had a "normal" day-hope you had fun. I was premeno when I had my BMX so tamox was a choice. Then I had ovaries removed which put me into immediate menopause and I still had to have hormonal therapy-it was just anastrozole rather than tamox. Not trying to say you'll have to after hysterectomy, but it may be a possibility.
Hope no one is getting any dangerous weather. Wishing for some rain here-our lawn is crunchy.
Happy Fathers day to all of you who will be celebrating with your father-types.
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Valerie don't assume you will test positive for BRCA. Many of us got the test (including me) and tested negative. As far as Tamoxifen… if the SE are too intense maybe you could see about Luprin shots and taking one of the AIs but there are many women on it that get few to no SE. Again don't assume you will get bad SE. I was so sure I would on AI. I have some but nothing that's going to stop me from taking them.
I got through all of this thinking "if/then" instead of just "if"… If the SE of anastrozole was too rough then I would try a different AI. If that didn't work then I would have tried Tamoxifen. I wasn't willing to just give up but as I said I'm doing fine (almost 16 months on the Estrogen Sucker).
Cleavage? I'm now a 34 D and I still don't have cleavage
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Thanks everyone! I know I will end up taking Tamoxifen I just don't want too! Of course all of us here have done things we didn't WANT to.....who wants to get their breasts cut into or removed, lol. I forced myself to all of those radiation appointments (and I was lucky that I got to do only 5 days of 2X daily treatment). I just get so angry at this disease and how it affects all of us!
I am a survivor. We all are survivors! We do what we have to in order to live and experience all the joys life brings to us.
It might sound funny but I kind of hope that the genetic testing does come back with an answer to why I got cancer in both breasts at the same time! It would help me feel better about what to tell my daughter to do. I would get the other breast removed and the hysterectomy done and not have to worry about a reoccurrence as much. If it comes back inconclusive, then what caused this to happen??.....I'm back to wondering if I'm doing something that is bad for my body. Otherwise, I'm just going to live out my life and take care of myself the best that I can. I'm hoping to get to goal weight before September so that when he does that tummy tuck (taking the fat out to fill out the boobs) and lifts the other girl up, I don't ruin the new look, lol.
At least I found out from Lago that eating mushrooms will help! I love mushrooms on anything! Thanks for the recipes!
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Hi Fem Tenor, I also was diagnosed in February, Initially they thought it had DCIS stage 1, but during my surgery they discovered that my tumor was larger and invasive, so I had partial mastectomy, instead lumpectomy. I just completed my 33 radiations, and hesitating to take hormonal therapy, I want to believe that I am all fine. I'll see my oncologist next week. I'd rather change diet....., I don't want to feel like 100 years old women, it must be terrible !!
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Hi Rita
Did not know so many BC surviors in illinois. My name is Renee I live in Springfield, IL
DX Tripple Neg BC stage 1 grade 3 lump with chemo and rads 1.5cm. All done with treatments and having trouble adjusting to the new new. Whatever that is!
I have a great support system but I just worry so much about it coming back.
I am a positive person but I have my moments with the worry of this horrible disease and it being TNBC.
Done with chemo 8-29-2011 and Rad 11-3-11 so far so good and I hope the same for you and all of our other sisters out there.
How about your diet, weight, exercise what are you doing different? Sugar intake? I have changed all of tjjose things some by choice some not.
Renee53
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Hi Renee, I would like to learn about new diet too, I only gave up coffee so far. I use to drink soy milk, some think it is big no no, but my oncologist said it is OK, and that even worse is cows milk with all kind of stimulants. Let's hope there would be some interesting postings soon !!!!
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Invisible and everyone else going through so much with their MX and BMX!
So sorry about the DVT. No one needs that as an SE. I had a DVT scare in one leg after chemo, but the US cleared me. Neither my MO nor I really thought I had a clot, but the symptoms merited the exam. I hate the way the tech walks off to call the MO w/o telling you anything. I insisted she tell me the results.
These boards are full of the lumpectomy/partial mastectomy/mastectomy discussions. It's interesting to read why we made the decisions we did. How informed we really were when we made these. Whether or not our drs gave of the info we really needed at the time. I know I was so overwhelmed with bc and work, that I decided on a PM rather quickly and w/o much research and because I wanted to avoid MX surgeries. Intuition or more a choice to keep surgery to a minimum at a busy time of my life??? How do we come to these decisions? I still appears I made the right decision for me. My larger IDC breast is still larger and only needs nipple tweaking. My post meno breasts still have cleavage (were AA at age 35), though someone w full Bs might laugh at what I call cleavage. It's all relative!
Those of you going through so much for MX, it makes my SE for rads and AI look minimal. (We all shared the nasty SNL and/+ surgery.) I see you as very brave to have chosen that path.
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The key to happiness is inner peace.
The greatest obstacles to inner peace are disturbing emotions
such as anger, attachment, fear and suspicion,
while love and compassion and a sense of universal responsibility
are the sources of peace and happiness.
- Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama0 -
Good morning ladies. Eva & Renee --- interesting questions. I for one would follow dietary regulations -- but I think a couple of the things that are key ( just the things I am bad at lately ) are keeping your wt. under control and exercise.
The sad truth about cancer is......people do everything right and still get cancer....while others couldn't behave more blase' and badly and they get -- nothing. No one really understands why ( other than genetics and that doesn't always come into play ) cells will mutate and turn into cancer. It seems the best you can do is be moderate with the food you eat ( I've not given up my soy milk because I don't actually use that much ) keep up on exercise and watch your wt. Just my opinion...but worrying about this or much of anything else just takes up your time and emotions......so I just try to stay positive -- optimistic and willing to work with whatever life decides to drop on my plate. What may be true about cancer and txs today could change quite a bit tomorrow.
I wish for you as many answers as you need and that your path is not hard to walk. Hope you will come back often and share. Everyone here has a wonderful attitude and are always willing to "give" you a boost.
Doxie....my decision was not truly researched like so many do here. My wonderful surgeon, Dr. Marsha Ryan laid things out well, was very comforting about each choice and I did not feel the need to look farther or to investigate anything else. She would have removed my entire breast if that was my desire or would have done the breast-sparing surgery which is what I opted for -- a lumpectomy. As she explained to me --- the after care would be exactly the same. I'm satisfied and always have been. My Dr. had what I call the "Healer's Aura" and I knew the minute she entered the room I was in the best of hands for me. My husband who was with me immediately had the same feeling about Dr. Ryan as we compared notes when she left the room briefly.
I hope you are all going to have a gorgeous if hot Sunday. If this keeps up we are going to have August in June. Not liking that but I'll have to relax and enjoy -- it is what it is. See you all later.
Hugs, Jackie
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Eva2012 don't believe everything you read. I don't feel like an 80 YO woman… actually don't even feel like a 51 YO woman but I am. I may have some stiffness but I'm still doing the 30 lunges, 60 squats etc every other day and elliptical/treadmill (3+ miles) 5+ times a week. The ESD (estrogen sucking drug) hasn't stopped me. Try it if you don't like it stop.
Rene53 welcome. You need to remember that chemo works really well on triple negative tumors. The other thing is if were to come back it usually does in the first 3 years. You're already one year clear. Finally being a smaller tumor means there is much less chance of it spreading.
As far as diet, weight exercise. I'm not doing much different since I was doing healthy stuff before. Granted I now weight more since treatment but still considered slim (although I really should lose 5-7 more but having trouble). I still exercise daily which is one of the most important thing you can do. Eating lots of green leafy veggies and berries (antioxidants). I never at a lot of red meat or dairy. The sugar thing is BS. Check with your onc but I believe that the issue is sugar is a bi-product of cancer not that cancer feeds on it. Granted sugar isn't good for you anyway so if you can cut it out that's great. Alcohol is another one they claim is not good for breast cancer so if you're a big drinker you need to re-examine that.
Bottom line is they really still don't know what causes breast cancer. I'm believe it's several things (including stress but no real research on that). If all those "switches" are on then you get it but that's my opinion. Be healthy but be sure you live your life too.
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Jackie: Big LOL because my only real social life is doctor visits! I really didn't believe that identical pain in both calves would be blood clots. I certainly have not stayed in bed so I really have to believe my doctor when she told me that cancer can increase the risk for DVT and most especially bilateral DVT. I hope all the ladies will be alert to the symptoms. Deep Vein Thrombosis can be deadly left untreated.
Welcome Renee - unfortunately there are quite a few of us. I have been wondering about sugar myself. It is my 'drug' of choice and I know how hard it is to gove up.
Valerie - I felt the same way about BRCA testing. I knew I had a family history but I was so concerned about my daughter. No doubt she is high risk but at least my testing came back negative. Venting here is so safe. We can all relate even if our experiences differ. We are all learning from each other.
I am still struggling to sleep in my bed. I start out there but almost always wake up in pain (from sleeping on my back) and end up finishing the night in the recliner. I assume this is a common problem.
It finally rained last night! We really needed it. I am off to my big outing of the day - Whole Foods!0 -
OMG so much to read up on here! YOu gals have been very chatty!
Invisible...this week my son is in a day camp all week. If you want to get out, I can even come by and pick you up...we could head to lunch or something. Let me know. PM me if you want to. After this week, my son is back to being home with me which makes it harder for me to do anything. No pressure but if you are up for it we can work it out.
Valerie: Vent away.....we all feel your pain and get it!!! That's what I love about coming here...I can't imagine not having gals like you to chat with that understand.
Hi Renee. I have made a lot of changes since my diagnosis. I was always healthy before...ate low fat, exercised, kept my weight down, etc....Now I do avoid sugar, white flour, white pasta/rice, foods with hormones, etc.. I also don't drink coffee/tea - never did. I use to drink diet soda - but not any more. I also avoid soybean oils in foods. I also eat less meats - more vegetarian than before. I have found two books that helped me understand what changes I should make: 1) Foods that Fight Cancer 2) The Anti Cancer. Both are full of good information. I really don't know if it will make a difference or not, but I owe it to my 5 year old son to try. I guess if it doesn't work, I will know I did everything I could have done. We will never know if it works.
The whole lumpectomy/MX decision is truly hard. You have to go with your gut. Each situation is different and you have to weigh the information you have to make the best decision. There is no right or wrong answer sometimes. I am glad I had the BMX because they did find more IDC in my BC breast after the final pathology - and a little DCIS which we did not know about before the surgery. That made me feel that I made the right decision. As far as the other breast....I figured if I was getting one new one, I might as well have two new one's that match and that were bigger than my pre BC size A+ breasts. I am enjoying the cleavage now and so is my DH! LOL! I jokingly told DH that I knew what I was getting him for his 45th birthday last year....something every 45 year old guy wants....a woman with 19 year old breasts! I told him it was cheaper than a sports car....and insurance would pay for it:) We both had a laugh.
Eva - I have been on tamoxifen (AKA "tammi") for a year now. I have had some side effects but it's not too bad. I have much less interest in being intimate with my DH (which I hate!) because of tammi. I was getting hot flashes but I take effexor for that and it has really made them much less and easier to tolerate. I was sleeping bad but that has passed....I sleep like a rock now! Lately I have been having a lot of hand aches. I think it is tammi. That has been my biggest complaint lately. I have trouble gripping things tight and my hands get really sore after a day of cleaning or doing things with them. That is the one thing that makes me feel like an old lady....I am only 46 and feel like my hands are those of an old woman at times. Oh well - if it keeps me BC free I will deal with it. Maybe I should just get a cleaning lady - LOL!
I just wanted to give a shout out to everyone I missed! Hope you are all enjoying this sunny, beautiful Sunday! Hugs!
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Hello everyone-
so many of you are facing such tough decisions- I didn't have many choices with my dx but am thinking of you and the choices you must be making.
lago- i so agree with you about being healthy but living our life!!!!
have a great day everyone!
Kelly
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BTW I did get my blood work results back and everything is fine including my cholesterol. I guess under 200 is good. I'm 198. I've been on ESD almost 16 months.
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LOL MDG, my exchange is in September and so is my husbands birthday. I told him I'm getting him a pair of 25 yr old boobs and a tummy tuck for his birthday. Pretty funny that our minds were thinking alike!
Lago congratulations on your bloodwork! Way to go!
Invisible, Your right. If the genetic testing comes back negative, my daughter has less to worry about. Sometimes it is good to know though! Just wish they had more markers that they could test for!
OK I'm going to quit procrastinating and get my workout done today! I've been putting it off all day and I can't do that. Exercise is one of the ways we can keep ourselves healthy so get moving Val, lol.
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