Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!

Mel- it IS a damn hard and long road. The emotional piece is one I think people don't really think about. Your job sounds so demanding even without the BC and effects of it...sounds like you are taking care of yourself by requesting another stint of reduced work days. Your body has been through A LOT and while 12 weeks is a long time- probably not in the grand scheme of things. So sorry you are having a hard time! The friends who have dropped off- could it be that you have been doing so much better that they think you no longer need help? Could you "raise the white flag" for your nearest and dearest friends and let them know you are struggling a bit? It I hard to ask for help sometimes- but if they let you know they needed a bit of help- wouldn't you be glad to know you could do something to help? Sending hugs your way. Glad you will be off for a few days and can hopefully rest and regroup! Hugs!

Jill- SO glad you made it to the karate grad. Your DD is a cutie! About the possible joint pain...did they tell you to take Claritin and Alleve? I was instructed to do so for 4 days starting day 1 of each infusion with the Taxotere and actually did it longer sometimes because it made a difference! Also, on the first few god days- we made some things to put in fridge and freezer for the fam - and, I ate saltines and applesauce, eggs and grits and drank my shakes on the days 4-? . Had some trouble with pepper the whole time of chemo and think it was from the Taxotere or Carbo...and, hot water HURT!

Peggy, things are about the same. I saw my doctor and she added a course of Lexapro to my other psych meds. I asked her whether she thought therapy was in order and she thought not. This is a situational depression and she thinks I have PTSD. I have had it before and that makes me prone to have it again. Not really surprised, given how mutilated I am. It seems like every little thing that turns out wrong just makes the whole situation worse. As much as everyone keeps saying it's going to heal, it's going to look better, etc, it's very hard to see the forest for the trees, especially when I'm carrying around this stupid wound vac. It's a constant reminder of this terrible open wound on what would have been my nipple, plus the other side has not closed up and is still draining. I was going to go try to get fitted for some camis and a mastectomy bra, but I just thought--they're not going to let me try on ANYTHING while I've got these bandaged wounds. Even though they're covered up, nobody in their right mind would let me try on intimate apparel with the possibility of spreading germs. The one bright spot is that Cigna says they will pay for both the prostheses & bra, and it will not eliminate the possibility of having reconstruction in the future, if I decide to do so. They're covered under completely different programs.

So ,I'm waiting for my daughter to come over and take me to get me a foot & leg massage. She called earlier and I guess she could tell from my voice that I was feeling low. Well, I mean my whole family can tell I'm depressed. Anyway, I appreciate her concern and her suggestion that we do something nice together. I think I might have to take her out for some Greek food afterward (she's about a quarter Greek, through my DH.)

Poodles, how you are feeling is totally understandable and I think all of us would be depressed or suffering PTSD like you are. Every awful thing that could go wrong did go wrong. Not only depressing but frustrating. I'm sure you are more than ready to get on with your life, being rather normal. And it's hard when one wound won't close and the other has that vac thing in it. I'm sure you're right that they won't let you try on stuff but you never know. Call 'em and see. That can't hurt.

Thank heavens your DD is taking you out today. That should help perk you up a bit. Greek dinner sounds good! Have an extra glass of wine or 10!!

Hopefully, adding the Lexapro to your med mix will help. Now to get everything to just heal, dammit!!

HUGS and more HUGS!!

I did not finish reading all of the posts yet but I am going to respond to Sloan.

Dear Sloan:  My daughter is a junior in college.  She says that it is really difficult to get into PA schools and that one must have numerous "patient contact" hours for admission to most PA schools.  My daughter got her CNA license too to obtain her hours.  She just interviewed for a job as a CNA so that she can get started working. My daughter plans to "double up" and get masters credits next year that will count towards both her undergraduate and Masters degrees.  She will then be able to earn her Master's degree in one year rather than in two.  Her major is "Health Education and Behavior".  After earning her Master's degree, my daughter plans to enroll in PA school.  She says that she needs the "gap year" to earn the "patient contact" hours.  She plans to apply to schools in various parts of the country.

Good luck to your son.  Maybe your son and my daugher will be going to PA school together!  That would be nice. 

Poodles....everything except the surprise about the scalp massage sounded like a good time, especially with DD....hoping you can read yourself into s deep sleep. Hugs!

I had my lumpectomy on March 4th and surgeon took sentinal nodes as well. It is still quite painful, but my follow up appointment isn't until April 5th! Anyone know if that is normal, waiting a whole month?

LTF and MLP3: You are both looking so strong and lovely! Your children have not fallen far from the tree! Just beautiful families you have!

Moondust; Wishing you all the best. There is so much information out there that we have to digest and analyze, and ultimately try not to second guess. I was constantly nit picking my results (e.g, stage II is <5 cm and my tumour was 4.5, and do you add on the extra bits they took off to try clear the margins, because wouldn't that make it > 5 cm, and therefore stage III?? lol). My DH finally threw up his hands and said "if you are going the speed limit you won't get a ticket, and if you are 10 mph over the speed limit, you probably won't get a ticket, but if you are 20 mph over the limit, you probably WILL get a ticket...i.e. it's a question of percentages, and it kind of put it into perspective for me (well, I don't obsess so much anymore). I'm pretty much researched out by now. Just waiting for the mx/DIEP, and hoping I can avoid rads afterwards. But if not, I am resigned to it.

Krissebree: My follow-ups averaged 2, 2.5 weeks. Your BS may have a tight schedule. I don't know if this would work for you, but a copy of my path reports always go to my family doctor, and when I don't want to wait, I go in and pick it up from him.

Hugs and healing vibes to everyone. I hope you all know how comforting it is to come and read the posts every day. Thank you

Poodles, glad you got that massage in--and I would love to have seen the look on the masseuse's face when your wig came off (for a split second she must have freaked out, thinking, “OMG, what have I done?").

Peachy, in your pocket for that ultrasound (carotid artery Doppler echo, it sounds like). HH, for your mammo too. Jill, Melissa--you are so gorgeous!

Alice, you are making the right decision. Were my OncotypeDX 26, I would probably be typing this on my iPad from an infusion lounger. We have to do what is right for us--and it only goes to show that “breast cancer" isn't just one single disease. One size does not fit all.

Sloan, mazel tov on your son's graduation. There's more than one path to a particular goal, and I'm sure he will get to be a PA.

Glad to be typing here right now--it was going on 20 minutes for a certain crude lout’s bragfest...er. press conference (during which he insulted several reporters). If I were a Republican voter, I’d consider writing in Triumph the Insult Comic Dog--at least he has funnier writers.

krisseebee welcome and Good luck. The underarm spot in particular will be tender for a while, make sure you're not wearing any tops that have seams that rub that area. Once my dressings came off I would put a little bit of the pain relieving Neosporin on that spot. With my breast surgeons blessing of course My postop appointment was about 10 days after my surgery, and that's when I got almost all of my pathology results as well (her2 took a couple days longer). A month does sound like a long time to me.

Congrats on your sons graduation Sloan

614 I hope your son is on the mend quickly!

Poodles your massage and dinner sounds lovely, except popping off but maybe one day that will be something to look back and laugh at?

Day 2 after taxetore infusion, so far I feel completely normal! Planning to run some errands today and prepare for my daughter's birthday which is Saturday, because I do know that tomorrow might not be such a good day! The pharmacist told me not to keep my nails painted, but I should air them out, but in the first time through all of this, I am not taking her advice. I have read so many posts from women who had their nails painted dark through the whole docetaxel, and had no nail damage. I don't want to risk having nail damage, and I actually love having my nails painted. When I change my polish I will let them air out for a night or two, but I mostly plan to keep dark! Luckily I probably won't see her again, and throughout my chemo nobody else has said anything about nail polish. I have one friend who told me that she was told not to wear it, she was at a different hospital, but I asked my oncologist and she said it was fine and will help cover any damage. I started wearing ice mitts yesterday, and I couldn't tolerate having my hands so cold, so instead I just lay my nails themselves against the ice packswhich was much more tolerable. I didn't bother with my toenails except for painting them, because frankly as a runner I'm used to having horrible toenails and losing several of them anyways

I also spoke to the pharmacist yesterday that the higher dose of steroids, if there was a way I could taper. On my last chemo Meds I tapered the steroids they gave me, she said on this when I cannot do that. That's because on the last one it was for nausea so if I wanted to taper it and take extra antinauseants if needed I could. This time it is for allergic reactions and the steroids are required as prescribed, the only way to taper to have me on steroids for a longer time and taper then after the required ones. I don't want to be on steroids longer than I have to, so this time I'm just gonna go on the regular schedule and see how bad the steroids crash is. It should be mostly Thursday and Friday when I'm home alone anyways.

Jill and MLP- hope this chemo round is at least bearable without too much discomfort! You both look great!

Poodles- how are you doing today?

Kiss- That's a long time for a follow-up- mine was about 10 days.

Sloan- congrats on son's graduation! What a bummer that he couldn't get that class- hoping he can get that figured out and move along the path he needs to become a PA.

Eleanor- Sorry you have to be here as well- but this is an AWESOME group of smart and funny women. We can get through this together! Where do you live?

Peachy- How did the test go?

Re my 6 month mammo follow up. I called to schedule it and was told they had a huge computer glitch and everyone in the practice was sent the same form letter about scheduling a followup. Haha- you can imagine that their phone has been ringing off the hook. Anyway, mine isn't until May.

Welcome Eleanora. Glad you are finding this thread useful.

I am so frustrated right now. The flu is rampant in this area. About 2 weeks ago I was experiencing a burning pain under my arm every time I would reach for something. I called the MO's office and they suggested I be evaluation for possible cording and LE. The earliest appointment when it was finally scheduled was for this Friday. Today I get a call that the therapist is out with the flu and the appointment needs to be rescheduled and the earliest I can be seen for an evaluation is the 23 of March. Sucks.

Poodles- please know we are here at the other end of the computer. Am going to send you a pm, as well. BC stinks but I actually think depression/PTSD is at least as difficult if not more so...plodding through it-trudging, finding the good, using your energy to smile and nod....you are doing a good thing for yourself and yet, I know how hard it can be- please keep reaching out!!

Am sending you a link to a video about BPA found in most canned goods, plastic containers and wraps and the estrogen connection. Very interesting. We use try to use mostly glass, don't use many canned goods- but we do use plastic containers for storing food. We have almost stopped using the microwave altogether. Anyway, wanted to share this for what it's worth.

https://www.facebook.com/eligio.bishop/videos/1015...