Illinois ladies facing bc

Hello ladies - finally was released from the hospital today. Feels good to be back home. They found an infection in my blood, either staph or some sort of bacterial infection.



Feel much better and less achy, but still tired. I could not sleep in the hospital, I had that IV machine going off every two hours overnight. They got new machines and wouldn't you know it, I ended up with the defective one. Oh well, c'est la vie!

Yay Roula. So glad you're home. No one ever sleeps at the hospital. There's always someone poking you are waking you up to tell you "I'm your nurse" every time the shift changes. The of course there are the doctor/resident rounds. The worst is the bed. Talk about uncomfortable.

Hi, Ladies, I know I haven't been very active online lately, but I'm doing well. I updated my avitar so you can see I'm growing the hair! Everyone is telling me to keep it short now. Strange. Anyway, I have to schedule a mammo (3 month post-rads) and will let you know how it turns out. This test seems like a big one, psychologically speaking.

Nancy -- I too think your hair looks great.  I think short hair is almost always easier.  I seldom ever worn my hair long -- it was too thin and fine......and still is, so short is the only thing for me.  Great too in the hot summertime...even more so if you have been thrown in menopause  early.  It is just great to have hair again.

We are in for high heat today.....a/c is already on and it is not 9 a.m. yet.  Not good out here in the woods.  Can't believe we are having mid-August in June....but then it has been odd for so long....don't know why I expected normal.....but it sure would have been nice.

See you all after work.  That will be sometime after 4p.m.  Hours have changed......my schedule should end up being 11a.m. to 4 p.m. and I'll work half day on Saturday. 

Hugs, Jackie

NancyJill-you look great!  so good to hear from you.

Adey-I'm so sad-I'd love to go, but I'll in out of town

ADEY! I for some reason had that on my calendar for next month or is that a different one that Corrine is doing.

Anyway I'm a maybe. Might have something doing with the DH that night. Also I need to be at Grant Park at 5-5:30am the next day. I'm an ACS aid volunteer for the DetermiNation team, Chicago Women's Half Marathon. Will let you know tonight. I won't be staying late if I go.

Lago!  It is for JULY.

Roula, You will not end up in the hospital (healing vibes to the universe)!  Enjoy the picnic.  (c:

And consuming mass quantities?  Are you from France?  (c:

Yes all, it is a bit early but trying to get some numbers together for the visitors and Corinne for the res.  Lemme know.  (c:

I'm not sure I've seen this topic before....but here it goes. Has anyone had trouble getting back to normal in their work life? I just don't feel that the same things are important anymore and I'm looking inward to see if I've lost my drive to succeed. I find myself thinking what is it all for and philosphical BS such as that. Am I in a stage of BC that I'll recover from? I'm looking for ZEN like wisdom here. I know women have chucked careers, started over and found something new, but I'm not sure what I am feeling is normal result or a panic attack.

I pretty much agree with what Lago said.  This disease is life altering.  Why this disease as opposed to many others.....I'm not sure other than the worst scenario always seems to lurk in your head.....no matter what.  I do think you perhaps start to move things around into different categories than where they may have been.  The things that are important to you change a bit.  I also think any innocence you may have had is probably gone. 

I did realize that I was coasting in a strange status quo --- too tired or too busy to question and just getting up everyday and doing what I did without much thought.......just putting in time but not feeling a lot of what I should have and could have. 

Change most of the time can turn out to be fairly positive ---- especially if your wiling to be flexible and move toward it all the time. 

You are trying to find your new normal.....after a heavy handed dose of vulnerability.  It may take awhile to sort it all out.  I'll be thinking about you.

Hugs, Jackie

Adey... would love to do the Greek town dinner in July, but I will be just returning home from my spine surgery. Then, I am grounded for 4 weeks.  Booo!

Westie... I know that I have a much harder time focusing on work since going thru BC.  I can easily get distracted with so many other things that I enjoy... like a beautiful morning working in the yard, biking, spending time with friends and volunteering with church projects, etc.  I am so backed up in my office right now, I broke down and asked my DH if he could help.  Of course, he thought I was just kidding, but I was serious. And then he headed to the golf course.

I feel like I made some great strides over last weekend.  We spent all Sunday afternoon cleaning out the garage which has been sadly neglected since my diagnosis. At the end of the day I told my husband that I felt like I hadn't worked that hard in over two years and it actually felt really good.  AND, I got back in my old early morning bike riding routine.  I took off Saturday morning on a "test run" and I just wanted to ride all day.  Guess I am recovered from lat flap surgery.  I was surprised to find that I could get right back into the usual 15 mile route.  Yeah!  So, now I just have to drag myself out of bed EARLY with this heat, but I am doing it.  I have just 3 1/2 weeks to enjoy before the back surgery.

I have decided to keep my hair short also... getting the same comment from everyone that they like it short, even from my DH. It is easy, so I am going with it.

Stay cool everyone.

Hi girls....boy I have lots of pages to catch up on. First welcome to all the new girls here. You will find lots of info and support here from these wonderful women. To all of you in treatment I hope you are feeling well. Remember to be kind to yourself and rest when needed.

Joan...how are you feeling? Is your foot better? Is your back surgery is coming up soon. 

Jackie...how are you ? I hope you are staying cool down there. Love the quotes the past few pages .:))

Laro.. I am running Sunday 6/24 in the Chicago half marathon. Maybe I will see you there . I am hoping it will be cool outside.Just look for the flowered purple shirt. that's me running!

Adey... so proud of you running. Keep up the good job. Want to run the Marathon in Oct with me.:)) If I am in town I will try to come join you all.

Zap.. thinking of you and praying for Paul. Hugs to you.

Just wanted to stop by and say hi to all you lovely ladies. I hope you all are enjoying that wonderful hot sunny weather good for soaking up that Vit D.:) Hi to all my oldies out there. Miss you all.

Jammie and tea time...Have a wonderful evening.

BJ

westieluv - Very good question to us all.  Mine to you is, "Are you on T or AI?  Did you have an oomph?  If the latter two, this may cause such a depletion of estrogen that it can remove the drive and focus you had before at work.  My sister had a hysterectomy some years back and had to go onto HRT to keep her mental sharpness for her computer programming work.  She also feared it would take away her drive to work in a very competitive work environment.  I've been on AI 2.5 months and I can't tell if it's made a difference in my drive.  Too close to bc treatment to tell if there is a difference.

I know that during treatment I turned off the "responsible for everyone/everything button" and focused on taking care of myself, and my DD who was traumatized by bc.  Almost a week after rads, that button switched back on, but I've learned to go for more balance.  Maybe, maybe I'm carrying less stess home with me?  And I have a different perspective on passing over the little troubles in life?

What I've thought about was "Why aren't I making a major shift in my life?"   I think this is a process.  Maybe if you were needing a change, bc pushes you into this.  At the least most of us find some way to better enjoy life, even if it is taking better care of ourselves.  

Westieluv - I completely feel the same way as you.  I am just totally not loving my job at all anymore and I keep thinking, what am I supposed to do next.