Dis Breast Cancer Survivors - GAGWTA!

[snappy]

Thanks for the prayers Laura, you are a dear.

Hey, you are up a bit early. Me too, I know. I got up and DS17 was awake too, sneezing away. DD15 had a friend over and they were making such noise yakking, it woke him up. I guess I won't be getting much help from either of them today, sigh.

going to check out the Oprah link, thanks.

Laurie

 

[snappy]

Laura, thanks again for that link. What a story!!! Peyton is so beautiful, inside and out!!! It is beyond belief that Erin made 100 tapes, what an extraordinary effort and gift, especially the one indicated her wish that her husband remarry. I like that the dad waited to propose when Peyton said she wasn't ready. But the letter she wrote to her step mom made it all worth the wait.

I hope everyone has time to check out this story if you did not watch the show. Sad and uplifting at the same time. I like Oprah's term heartprint.
That is going on my Thanksgiving "card."

 

[disneylizzy]

Laurie - I'm so sorry Claudette will have to endure that surgery. My prayers that things will go well for her.

 

[Christine]

Hi all! I'm up and getting ready to leave for my surgery. I thought I was doing okay but just had to "run" to the bathroom if you get my drift. Anyway, it should be a fun ride over there in rush hour.

By the way, I too saw the story on Oprah. It made me a mess. Beautiful story but NOT what I needed to see yesterday.

Thanks for all of your support, you all are so wonderful. I'll check in later.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

GAGWTA! Woke up to snow this morning, LOL. (Shoot, I was still fighting fall)...

Also teary here. What an amazing story.

Prayers sent out to everyone for today. Happy Thanksgiving, hope you all have a nice day tomorrow.

 

[snappy]

I am going through our thread getting my survivor list ready. I am already up to 25 survivors, including several ovarian cancer survivors and JennyMominRI.
I am only through page 55 so the list will grow.

It's taking a while but I am enjoying rereading stuff.

Can't believe how wordy I am.

Can't believe how great this thread is.

Can't believe how thankful I am for it.

GAGWTA!!

I wanted to add I am including our sisters scheduled for tests today as well as caregivers that have posted here.

 

[MNSusan]

I'm thankful for this thread, too. I've just started my journey and its nice to know there's a place to come with my questions and read about others' experience.

I saw the Oprah show, too. TiVo caught it while we were at WDW. I bawled, but it felt good. What a special mom, special daughter, special family.

My very best wishes to those going through stuff right now. Its a scary time.

 

[Christine]

Thank GOD it is over.

I think the "double" biopsy went well. I seemed to be the surgeon's first (and maybe only "job" today--which kind of freaked me out). We got started right on time at 9:30. I was such a wreck. My pulse was at 125 and my BP was up to 130/80. Nurse asked if I "always had a high pulse." DUH--only when I'm having surgery.

Anyway, doctor felt the lumps again==smirked yet again at the radiology report. I finally got my Versed cocktail and was out. When I came to, I was shivering so badly. At first they thought I was cold but they couldn't get me to stop shivering. Finally the nurse said that this is actually kind of common and that a shot of Demerol would help. I did take this and it did help.

I will say that last year, after the breast biopsy, I seemed to have no adverse reaction to the anesthesia (no shakes). Today, I'm kind of queasy off and on. Could be the Demerol maybe?

Okay--after surgery in my fog, the surgeon said that the right breast contained what he thought was an "unresolved hematoma." Kind of what I suspected. In the left breast, where they found a new solid mass, he is still describing this as some type of scar tissue from my old surgery. Not so sure yet if I'm "buying" his assurance yet, but I guess he didn't have to say that. He could have said, "yes, we found a solid cyst or mass." So, I wait until next week for the results.

But I'm thrilled to have this over with. Thanks for listening to me over the last few days!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Glad it's over for you, Christine. Shaking = rigors, relieved with demerol. Common post procedure. You may want to check your own pulse over the coming weeks to make sure you're not running high normally (125 is high even for nervousness, a legitimate question). Let us know how it goes.

 

[Christine]

Glad it's over for you, Christine. Shaking = rigors, relieved with demerol. Common post procedure. You may want to check your own pulse over the coming weeks to make sure you're not running high normally (125 is high even for nervousness, a legitimate question). Let us know how it goes.

Thanks.

Believe it or not, when I'm "calm", my pulse can be down in the 60s. When I'm not calm, it just shoots up. I remember having an upper endoscopy back in 1998. I was in the procedure room with my doc. He gives me a dose of Valium through the IV, and we all sit there and watch my heart rate (120). It doesn't go down. He gives me another dose of Valium. Heart rate doesn't go down. Then he says "okay, time for the Versed" and BAM, I was out.

I have TERRIBLE anxiety and always have. My mom tells me stories of how when I was about 2, she would take me to the pediatrician and they would "prepare" for me my having the "vomit bag" waiting. I just always have a VERY high response to anxiety. I kid you not. It can't be good for me.

So, what causing the shaking=rigors? Is it the drugs, or just the surgery itself? I've had a lot of surgeries and never had it happen. Not overly worried, just curious. My friend told me that she had it happen after her tubiligation.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

So, what causing the shaking=rigors? Is it the drugs, or just the surgery itself? I've had a lot of surgeries and never had it happen. Not overly worried, just curious. My friend told me that she had it happen after her tubiligation.

Probably a combination of the two, but here's an explanation. Again, very common.

Collected from the EPEC Discussion Group provided by Growth House

On The Value of Meperidine for Treatment of Rigors

Use of "low dose" meperidine has long been a method of treating post-operative "rigors", "shaking chills", "shivering" in the recovery room [PACU]. These are poor choices of words since this is not a febrile condition nor is it isolated to patients with lowered core temp., but it is thought to be a hypothalamically mediated process, secondary to CNS actions of anesthetics, although, interestingly, it also occurs with 'regression' of regional anesthesia, such as epidural anesthesia for Caesarean Section). Decreasing shivering in the peri-op setting is important both for comfort and to reduce MVO2, oxygen utilization can be extreme with shivering; in cardiac patients, this can lead to ischemia, etc.

Posted January 24, 2002

 

[snappy]

glad it is over, Christing. Hope you get some rest tonight.

 

[NHAnn]

Hi everyone....I've been keeping up with the reading, but not posting much the last few days. You are all close in my heart and thoughts though.

Thinking of and praying for Claudette, snappy.

Pleased to hear from you and that your recovering nicely, Kelly.

Christine, hope you can relax over the weekend, will pray for good results!

That Oprah story has me very teary.....I have been emotional anyway the last few days...

Linda...it is 20-something here tonight.....and you-know-what forecast tomorrow here, a few inches...uggghhh

Had a call from the radiation onc for a check up with him, scheduled for 12/15....4 days before we leave for WDW

Hi Cruise04, and Susan, and Lizzy, Laurie/Lauras, ...and ...uh oh...I'm gonna get in trouble here so I'll stop and revert to the
GAGWTA!!!



very best Thanksgviving wishes to you all....

 

[MerryPoppins]

All of you remain in my prayers. I'm following everyone's story, just haven't had much time lately to post.

My DD's play went well, thank you. She did a great job! I was very proud of her and the director said he was too. She sang her solo like a pro. I'm sure she'll try out for the fall musical again next year. It was a great experience. Having said that, I'm thrilled that it's over and we're back to some sort of normalcy before the holidays begin.

Tomorrow we go to Oklahoma City to my in-law's house for Thanksgiving. The following day we are driving to Tulsa to my brother's house for my family's Thanksgiving. It's going to be busy, busy, busy.

All who are traveling, stay safe.

Those who are recovering or struggling tests, you are in my thoughts - try to dwell on all the positives - the things you can be thankful for.

My prayers for all of you include health, happiness - no, let's make that joy, support, friendship, and most of all love. GAGWTA! And I'll add our group to our family prayers at the Thanksgiving table both days.

 

[snappy]

Just finished my tally of cancer survivors on this thread, 38. I could not believe how many have posted here. I will include everyone including those awaiting test results as well as caregivers in my thanksgiving card.

GAGWTA!!!

Happy Thanksgiving to all you beautiful ladies!!!

 

[laurabelle]

~~~***GAGWTA sistas***~~~
(Love the holiday look on the board!)
Christine- I've gotten the shakes after surgery. I even got cold shakes after my tattoo was done! After all, it is surgery too. I'm glad it's over and I hope and pray you get good news soon!

We started celebrating when hubby got home early as the kids were coming home from school yesterday. We have been keeping a surprise from the kids for a couple of months and we sprung it on them. I baked some yummy cookies to have with chocolate ice cream and as we dug in I gave them this:

Happy Thanksgiving Shelby & Chloe’
(Pic of in Thanksginving attire, sorry it wouldn't show up)

You have so much to be thankful for…
And now it’s time for one more…
If an early Christmas present is what you seek …
Flip the page over and take a peek…

( Christmas pic)
You are going to Disney World in 2 weeks!!!
Merry Christmas!
Love,
Mom & Dad

Ok, poetry is not my forté, lol! But you should have heard the squeals... Music to my ears! I am taking them by myself, as Danny has alot to do at work at that time. I am celebrating my 7yrs of survivorship there. I was in Disney World right before my biopsy... I go there to be a kid and not think (too much) about cancer, that's why I'm there all the time, lol!

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving today!
Love ya sistas!

 

[laurabelle]

Just finished my tally of cancer survivors on this thread, 38. I could not believe how many have posted here. I will include everyone including those awaiting test results as well as caregivers in my thanksgiving card.

GAGWTA!!!

Happy Thanksgiving to all you beautiful ladies!!!

WOW! Thank you Laurie!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

GAGWTA and Happy Thanksgiving To All!

Have a wonderful day, everyone, and yes, be safe for those who are traveling. For anyone who had procedures yesterday, hope you can enjoy your meals and have a bit of R&R at the same time. (I just realized in writing this I must be really past my own experience because I never thought once yesterday about how it was the 2nd anniversary of my own surgery, was thinking about the girls here - I guess I need to say thanks for that, LOL).

Ann, I know, that cold has really set in. I'm kind of glad we did our Thansgiving Sunday when it was such a beautiful day and we actually spent some time outside. I'm still thinking a lot about summer and warm clothes, shorts, sandals, etc... as we prepare for our February Magic cruise! Paid it off yesterday and was able to start booking our Palo reservations (brunch and dinner ) and shore excursions (parasailing for DH and DS and we're considering the Stingray Encounter - so far) so it's starting to feel pretty real. Have to work on finding some white sandals for DD - hopefully they'll have some out for Easter by then or I can go online, I guess.

Laura, you sprung the news!! Sounds good, I can just hear the squeals!! Did you get any pictures of them opening the notes by any chance? I kind of think it's a nice way to start off your photo album/scrapbook. I'm still so bummed we were never able to recover the pictures we lost of our kids on the day of their birthday. I'm going to improvise on my first attempt at scrapbooking. We do have them opening their letters on videotape but we can't figure out how to turn that into photos (if anyone knows how I'm all ears).

I found a great little gift idea on www.shutterfly.com. You can put your pictures on DVD for $25 (for the first and $19.99 for any after that). I did one for our Halloween trip (I think about 90 pictures) and it came out pretty cool, we're going to give it to the kids as a Christmas gift. It comes in a nice case you design, and you can choose your photos and style of fading, time between photos, music (choices aren't so hot but that's ok), etc... Wanted to share in case anyone might have some pictures they want to turn into a unique gift.

Merry, you must have been so proud of your daughter! Sounds like she put a lot of hard work into her performance and it all paid off. Great for her!

Laurie, keeping your family in my thoughts and prayers. Remember to take care of yourself in the midst of all this heartache you've had, OK?

 

[NHAnn]

A quick wishing you all blessings and good health!

Gotta run...put on the boots and pack up the car to go over the river and through the woods to grandbabies' house We've got a few inches of snow already

 

[Dan Murphy]

I have not gone back a few pages as of now for updates, but sure do want to stop by for good wishes for all of you ladies, all survivors. What a neat bunch of ladies you all are. Whatever our point in life at the moment, we all have much to be thankful for. Love to you all. And hope that everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving Day today, tomorrow and always.