Dis Breast Cancer Survivors - GAGWTA!

[Cruise04]

Our trip is December 23 through January 1 (we head down there on the 22nd if we drive and head home on the 1st - don't have a clue what we were thinking after going to be up until at least 1 or 2 NYE!!!! I can't wait!

Cancer sucks pins - they need more of those around!!!!

Got a bit of bad news last night - one of my dear friends found out her mom probably has pancreatic AND liver cancer - biopsy tomorrow. She is resounded that it's not going to be a long haul. I've resounded that she'll be gone before Christmas - I hope she doesn't suffer too much. She's already lost probably 15 pounds since Mother's Day she said. If you have any extra prayers to spare - could you please say a small one for Eva and her family?? I hate to ask since not one of my family members but she's a great friend and I just feel so bad for her. I bawled for a long time last night after getting off the phone with her. Took the planter to my mom's grave today and bawled some more. Going to cry a lot this weekend - family reunion this weekend on my dad's side and going to bury his sisters ashes - she passed away almost 2 years ago from lung cancer - a year and 4 days after my mom died and she was like my second mother (they weren't blood related). Thanks

Hope everyone has a great weekend!!!! Prayers to anyone who needs them are continuing.
Chris

 

[Tiger Fan]

Oh laura, thank you so much for posting those pictures. I'm so glad you had a great time and thanks for letting me there in ghost form!
Lisa
Tiger Fan

 

[laurabelle]

Hey Lisa, I notice your countdown is getting awfully short - whooooo hoooo!!! If I don't talk to you before you leave, give a big from me!

Chris, I just said a prayer for Eva and her family...I know this has got to be so painful for you too, but I'm sure you'll be a great support to your friend.

 

[snappy]

Chris, I'll keep your friend Eva and her family in my prayers as well.

 

[NHAnn]

hugs Chris, and prayers for your friend and her family.

Have a great weekend ladies!!

 

[mickeymost]

Hi Everyone,

I thought I'd come here to vent a little to people who understand. I can't belive this is happening again! About 3 days ago I found a tiny lump. I have implants, so it was very easy to feel. I actually have a cellulitis or some type of infection going on in that side. I'm on antibiotics now, but if it isn't improved by Mon. I'll be taking a 3 day vacation in the hospital for IV antibiotics. I'm hoping when that clears up the lump goes away. Otherwise it's going to have to be biopsied. I can't believe I'm even saying this. After bilateral mastectomies, who would ever think they'd have a biopsy some day! If it has to be, it's going to be tricky because of the implant. I was getting so hopefull at almost 3 years out.

Please send some prayers and PD my way (or maybe xanex)

I'll update when I know more.

Kelly

 

[snappy]

Mickeymost, I am praying the lump clears up with the antibiotics. It is good that you found it. Will be thinking about you next week. Please update us to let us know how you're doing.

 

[JoannaOhio]

Please send some prayers and PD my way (or maybe xanex)I'll update when I know more.
Kelly

Prayers are on their way to you from Ohio.
Joanna

 

[laurabelle]

mickeymost - I'm so sorry you're going through a scare. I had bilateral masts too, and unfortunately none of us are ever out of the woods. Cancer does whatever it wants to. There's no trusting our bodies anymore. I know alot of survivors have had cellulitis and lumps that disappear with antibiotics. I hope this helps...I'm praying that's what's behind this and that the meds clear it all up for you.

 

[laurabelle]

Take a few minutes and watch this inspirational movie for survivors. It's really beautiful...and of course it made me cry, but in a good way!
Enjoy sistas, and remember, we have cancer but cancer doesn't have us!

Survivor Movie

 

[snappy]

Thanks you so much for posting the movie link, laurabelle. It was very beautiful. I did cry when I got to the part about not being ashamed of the scars.

I am going to forward the link to the ladies in my support group.

I am so glad you started this thread, laurabelle. You really started somethinghere. So many have already benefitted. And it continues. . . .

 

[mickeymost]

Thanks for the movie link laurabelle. It's just what I needed now. To remind me how strong I was the first time, and no matter what the outcome this time, cancer doesn't have me!

 

[JoannaOhio]

Another big THANK YOU for the movie link. I've added it to my favorites, and will be forwarding it to many friends. I don't know what the music is, but it is something that I've heard before, and found quite moving and meaningful. I'm pretty sure I first heard it during a segment that Sunday Morning on CBS did many years ago - about a woman who had cancer. She painted a beautiful mural, and that music was playing in the background part of the time she worked. When she was finished, the mural was on display for people to come in and experience - for a limited amount of time, and then she painted over it. I still remember watching her using a long handled roller to restore the wall to its original single color - knowing that the mural was still there behind the new paint. I'm not sure I really understood her reasons for handling it that way, but I was very moved.

 

[NHAnn]

Oh Kelly...I am sending prayers and cyber xanax for you!

Going to take a look at that link now!

 

[NHAnn]

Wow...Laura...thank you so much for sharing that.
I really love the line "I will remember that to find the joy in rainbows, I must endure the rain"
And I want you all to know that YOU are among the BLESSINGS that cancer has brought to my life!!

 

[Mickey527]

I just found this topic today. I can't say I am happy to see so many people posting but I am glad to see so many that have made it through.
I have to say my last year has been one of the toughest I have ever lived through.
I was diagnosed on August 18th, 2005 with stage 3, grade 3 breast cancer. I had a total mastectomy with an immediate reconstructive TRAM flap. They used my stomach and muscle to rebuild the breast. My tummy has never been flatter, but the TRAM got infected and I lost most of the reconstructed breast. Oh well.
I had 8 chemo treatments, but wound up getting very anemic and was hospitalized 3 times. I also had to take a month off from chemo because I became so ill.
the margins on the tumor were not large enough for chemo to be enough so I had to have radiation treatments also.
I then had 35 radiation treatments. Didn't get burned until the last 5. Radiation was a piece of cake compared to the chemo, but I was so tired.
I just got home from my celebratory trip with my entire family of 13 people. We celebrated the end of my treatments and my 51st birthday.
My family knew how embarrassed I used to get when they told the waiters that it was my birthday and everyone sang to me. This year I smiled and thanked everyone. From now on every birthday I celebrate is another year I survive.
Thank you for the clip art also, I wanted to add that to my signature and didn't know how until now. Peggie

 

[laurabelle]

Welcome Peggie! You have been through hell and back...you have alot to celebrate! Isn't getting older the best now!?!
You are a survivor!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Good Morning Everyone!

snappy, glad everything went well for you!

Prayers for Eva's mom and Kelly. Kelly, I had to have a biopsy last fall also (after just finishing eight months of treatment) for a spot they found on my first post treatment mammogram. Luckily it turned out negative but it was hell going through it. Hang in there and let's hope it's simply an infection and it clears up soon.

Peggie, glad you found your way over. I'm happy you've finished treatment and had a nice trip with your family.

laurabelle, thanks for the movie link. I sent it to my survivor friends and my Relay for Life team members which is coming up soon and looking to be a great time. I'm blown away at how generous my coworkers have been with their contributions. I asked for $5 and have been getting checks for much, much more. It's nice that everyone wants to help. That Survivor lap is going to be very emotional for me. I'll be doing it with my cousin and some close friends. Then it's on to a fun filled night. Our camp will have a baseball theme and lots of hourly activities all night long. My kids are really looking forward to it. A bunch of teachers from their school have a team also so they had some activities at school Friday to benefit the event. The whole community seems really involved so it's great to see.

Thank you for your prayers and good thoughts for me. My endoscopy was negative. I was hoping they'd find something "simple" in my stomach to explain this right sided pain. So now we move on to an MRI of my bile duct. I don't know how much more of this I can take. As DH says, it really is like a bad roller coaster ride. (My pup in my siggie is having spay surgery tomorrow also so the worried Mommy thing is kicking in too).

Enjoy the rest of the weekend everyone. Here in New England we went right from winter to summer, virtually no spring. It's been in the high 80-90's and very humid. Not that I'm complaining but it would have been nice to have a bit of spring anyway.

 

[snappy]

Welcome, Peggy! Glad you found this thread. It often slips past the first page on this board so I can imagine it would be hard to find for the first time.
You have had a super difficult year. Glad you were able to enjoy your birthday trip so much. Was it a WDW trip?

Pea-n-me, sorry you are still in limbo. When is your MRI scheduled? I want to be praying for you at the time.

I just read today's daily tip from Dr. Weil's website. I wish I knew how to post a link. Dr. Weil recommends a book "Re-inventing Medicine: Beyond Mind-Body to a new Era of Healing" by Larry Dossey, MD. There is a growing
amount of scientific evidence about the power of prayer when healing, not just your own and your relatives and friends, but even strangers who know only the patient's first name and diagnosis and may live many miles away.

I guess we are doing some good here, ladies. They ought to make us a part of a study.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

... right click on the address and "copy" it; then go to reply here and right click again to "paste" it in the body of the text. I'd love to read the article. I believe in the power of prayer. I'll let you know when I schedule the MRI, thank you.