Dis Breast Cancer Survivors - GAGWTA!

[snappy]

I want to add another welcome, annrae. Glad you found our thread.

Hope MiinieM3 will be up to checking in soon. Hope the recovery is on track for you, Beth.

This time of year must be tough with colitis, Laura. One of my SIL's had it for years, unfortunately in progressed to Chron's disease. She takes so many meds. There is such an abundance of goodies being offered. I attended a lovely tea party with DD10 last night in Plaquemines. The girls (about 8 3rd and 4th graders) made everything, with adult supervisio of course. It was really a treat, but I over indulged of course.

I would absolutely love to hear about the speaker's messages from Mary that you heard last night, Linda. What a perfect time of year for it as well.

I managed a lot of shopping over the weekend. I really wanted to get out of the way of my teens studying for exams. I push too hard, but I well remember how I studied in HS, lots of late nights and early mornings. They are not as diligent and I end up stressed. I could tell DD15 was sorry last night that she did not heed my advice. All I can do is make suggestions.
Ahhh!!

Hope everyone has a few moments to relax this week amidst all the preparation and celebrations. I like the way DD15's principal phrased it in her December newsletter: "My hope for your family is that the calmness of the advent season will replace the hustle and bustle of the commercialism which seems to surround Christmas."

We went down to New Orleans (actually Metaire) for DH's family Christmas party Saturday night. His brother had everything catered to make things easier on everyone. It was good to get most everyone together for a fun and carefree occasion. We mostly avoided the hurricane subject, although there were some snipes at FEMA. Santa and gifts were a welcome relief. The best Santa gift was a surprise ****zu (sp) puppy DH's niece gave her 4 kids. All other gifts paled, except the Bible we all gave MIL (to replace the one she lost in the flood). She was speechless and teary.

Claudette does not sound very good. Her system is having problems getting back to normal, not surprising after losing half your stomach. She was not able to attend the party, but we will go down Christmas Day and see her at her daughter's shotgun house where she is staying, if she is ready for company by Sunday.

 

[MerryPoppins]

Sorry Claudette is having trouble adjusting. She's still in my prayers.

I'd love to read the notes you took about Mary's message.

Ann, have fun!

Welcome annrae!

Suzadrew, I'm praying you get great news today.

My cousin goes back today. I'm hoping we'll hear good news. I hate to call or email, because she isn't telling anyone else and I don't want them to catch on.

My puppies both got new homes on Sunday. They found great matches at the adoption day, and they went to new, loving homes for Christmas. One family drove 3 hours to look at the black one. They were wanting a large dog and their little girl bonded with Timber right away. Wolf went to a family much like my own. They had two teens (a boy and a girl) and both fell in love with that little guy. They sat and took turns holding and loving him for the longest time. I feel in my heart that this was where they were meant to be. I think knowing that they are safe and happy is going to be my favorite gift this year.

 

[laurabelle]

~~~***GAGWTA sistas***~~~

MerryPoppins- I'm so glad those pups are in good homes. I had a simliar experience with a kitten, years ago, and it was hard to give her up... I hope your cousin hears good news soon.

Laurie- What a touching Christmas gathering!
My GI doc thinks I probably have undiagnosed Crohn's. The difference is that colitis starts at the end of your colon and progresses along an uninterupped path. Crohn's shows up here, there and everywhere and doesn't follow a set path. I had one colonoscopy with a different GI doc, probably 3 yrs ago now, and only about 1 1/2" of my colon was affected. I've had flex sig scopes since seeing this new doc (it doesn't look at your entire colon, just the end) and it had not progressed, it looked worse, but there was not any more of it. When I was in the hospital he said if there comes a time when this medicine stops working, and I need my colon removed, he wants to do another colonoscopy first because he suspects it's really crohn's disease, which would be treated the same way, but from what I've read, the bad part is that while surgery will "cure" colitis, it will not cure Crohn's disease...

I'm sorry to hear Claudette isn't feeling well. I can imagine that would be a huge shock to your system and take a while to not only recover from the surgery, but get used to the changes.

Linda- I'm sorry your gall bladder is acting up, that's really painful. I had an episode that they thought was a gall bladder attack but tests couldn't confirm it. I guess if may have been related to my colitis, because it wasn't long after that my symptoms started showing up.
I would love to hear about the prayer time too.

I finished my gift shopping and wrapping yesterday and I get to do a little shopping for me today! Hubby gave me cash to shop for clothes this Christmas. Next is the food shopping...

 

[MerryPoppins]

Suzanne went in today and all is well. Whew! I told her that often a call back turns out this way, but under the circumstances I think she felt that everything in her life is going wrong. How nice that she got an early Christmas gift.

 

[laurabelle]

Suzanne went in today and all is well. Whew! I told her that often a call back turns out this way, but under the circumstances I think she felt that everything in her life is going wrong. How nice that she got an early Christmas gift.

Wonderful!!!

 

[MinnieM3]

I am Beth's husband, Jim. Beth had her second stage breast reconstruction this past Friday. She spent one night in the hospital and is now recuperating at home. She is getting along, but is in a lot of pain--mostly in her lower back! Of all the times for it to happen, her back is in major spasm, probably due to positioning on the operating table. I took her to her surgeon today, and he put her on a strong muscle relaxer. Hopefully, she will be in less pain and be able to get some much-needed sleep.

I will keep you all updated!
Merry Christmas

Jim

 

[laurabelle]

Jim,
Thank you so much for posting an update on Beth. I'm so sorry she is having such terrible back pain, it must be awful. Saying prayers the meds work and she can sleep comfortably. Please let her know we're thinking of her...

 

[MNSusan]

How nice of you to post, Jim! I'm hoping Beth feels better soon and in the meantime, those pain killers knock her right out!

GAGWTA!

 

[snappy]

Jim, you are a doll for giving us here an update on Beth's surgery and recuperation. It must be impossible for her to rest with surgery on the front and pain in the back.

I ended up with a back spasm not long ago. Muscle relaxers did wonders for me. Also, I used a type of warming lotions on the area that had the spasm that a friend gave me (she is a physical therapist and gave me a wonderful massage with the stuff and gave me extra packets to take home.
It was potent stuff, she uses it in her practice. I can't remember the name of it, I'll call herand get the name. The stuff really helped me. I believe she said you can buy it at the medical supplies stores. It was in a tiny packet that reminded me of the little towelettes that are individually wrapped and used to clean your hands.

Please let her know that we are thinking of her and sending good thoughts and vibes her way.

 

[snappy]

I checked with my physical therapist friend, Susan. The product I mentioned above is Biofreeze. She said it is generally sold direct to therapists only. If you know a PT, ask him/her. She said now it also comes in a roll on style. At her clinic they sell it for $9. Worth the $$$.

Hope Beth was able to sleep last night.

Merry, glad your cousin Suzzane got good news.

Claudette was put back in the hospital yesterday. She had a dr visit yesterday, he realized she was dehydrated and started a IV, also antibiotics.
I'm glad she is back in, too much for 83 yr old MIL to deal with, IMHO.

Hope everyone is doing well.

GAGWTA!!!

 

[Christine]

I checked with my physical therapist friend, Susan. The product I mentioned above is Biofreeze. She said it is generally sold direct to therapists only. If you know a PT, ask him/her. She said now it also comes in a roll on style. At her clinic they sell it for $9. Worth the $$$.




GAGWTA!!!

The Biofreeze is good stuff. My chiropractor always used it on my. You can probably buy it on-line or you can get someone to sell it to you.

 

[donnabres]

Jim, what a wonderful thing you have done to let us know of your wife's progress. Not all husbands would do that.

Well, I had my monthly appt. with the oncologist on Monday. All went well. No bad news this time!!!! He feels that the way we are going is working. The tumor in my breast has shrunk. He could tell by feeling and then he measured it. I did not have any adverse effects from the drug, so we stay on course. I just hope that the tumors around the spine are also reacting the same. He had said it could take several months or longer to get the results he wanted, and keep them.

Went to my first support group last night at our local hospital. I enjoyed it. There was actually 2 other breast cancer survivors from my high school graduating class there.

We had a guest speaker who does Thetahealing. It's an energy technique that heals the Mind, Body, and Spirit. It was very interesting. Does anyone have any experience with this? She said she also did something else called Rakey. I know that's how it sounded, but I don't know how to spell it.
One of the women at the group has been going to her for a while now, and swears by it, the Thetahealing.

All in all I enjoyed the meeting, I had my sister in law go with me, she is employed by Public Health, and the support group meeting is one of the things they sponser. She told the group that she has been wanting to sit in on a meeting, but not because of the reason she did go.

Here's to a very Merry Christmas, or Happy Holiday to all of you. As always, I can't tell you how much I appreciate all your stories, and listening to me.

Well, off to the kids school, 3 of them have a Christmas play this morning.

Donna

 

[Christine]

She said she also did something else called Rakey. I know that's how it sounded, but I don't know how to spell it.
One of the women at the group has been going to her for a while now, and swears by it, the Thetahealing.


Donna

I think you meant Reiki? I've never tried it, but at some of the thyroid cancer conventions I've been to, they've had a Reiki person there. I should have tried it. I hear good things about it too!

 

[snappy]

Happy news, donnabres!!!

Glad the treatment is working, and tha you are able to tolerate it.

You are a real trooper!!

Enjoy the play!!!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

GAGWTA!

donna, Reiki was offered at my support center, it was the first time I'd done it. It is relaxing, and the practitioners themselves are interesting characters. The leader of my support center used to do mine; she would "see" flowers while working on people, and she always had amazing stories to tell about the flowers she saw on me. Somehow she always made me feel better and stronger with these stories. For instance, once, during a period where I was in the depths of chemo and feeling pretty low, she saw beautiful purple wildflowers. To her this signified: purple - spirituality; and wildflowers - very "strong", not needing much nurturing to grow, etc. Another time, when I was feeling better, she saw beautiful yellow flowers, LOL. I'm hoping to get into a Reiki practitioner class at my hospital in 06 (amazing to me they're even offering it- we've really come a long way in the way of complementary therapies). I think many of the patients I care for would really enjoy it (will have to brush up on my flowers ). Give it a try, and let us know how you like it.

 

[laurabelle]

~~~***GAGWTA sistas***~~~

Laurie- I'm sorry to hear Claudette is dehydrated now, but I guess the hospital is the best place right now. Hope she's home for Christmas...

Donna- That's great news! I know from other sistas w/ mets that some of the treatments take a while to show results on scans, ect. so I bet those spine tumors will show in time that they've been zapped out of you!
I haven't had reiki, but an old friend of mine had an aunt who used to do it over the phone with her. She said it made her feel peaceful.

Last night we went to dinner and worship at church. It was for the middle school youth group... my oldest dd is on the worship team, she plays bass. It was really intimate and beautiful and fun all at the same time.
The kids have to finish out the week at school here. I'm one of those crazy moms who loves having her kids home...

 

[MinnieM3]

Hi Eveyone,

Jim, Beth's husband, here with an update. Beth continues to suffer with her back spasms. This morning around 3:00, she woke me with very intense pain most of the way up her back and a fever of 101.5.

I took her to the ER where they looked for obvious causes (kidney infection, pneumonia, etc) but they proved negative. The doc said that all we can do for her right now is increase the pain medications until the back decides to settle down. As for the fever, there is most likely a small pocket of fluid behind one of her surgical scars that is making her spike a temperature.

So...I have one miserable-feeling girl here. I hope she will start to turn the corner soon.

Thanks for the nice support from all of you.

Jim

 

[snappy]

So sorry to hear Beth had further complications, Jim. With everything else, the last thing she needs is fever and an infection. Hopefully she is on antibiotics.

I know this is all turning out more than she bargained for. I guess any surgery can turn out that way, but she is due a break.

Please let her know she is in my thoughts.

Thanks for keeping us informed. Beth sounds like she has a real gem of a husband.

Laurie

 

[Pea-n-Me]

for Beth. Thanks for the update, Jim.

 

[MinnieM3]

Hi all,

Jim once again.

I received a call from Beth's doctor this afternoon. Her chest x-ray from the ER last night has revealed a pocket of pneumonia, probably due to her inablilty to take deep breaths.

I am taking her to a pulmonary specialist tomorrow for evaluation. Hopefully, new antibiotics will start her on the road to recovery.

Please pass this on to any other DIS'ers who might like to know. Beth needs all the prayers she can get.

Thanks!

Jim