Dis Breast Cancer Survivors - GAGWTA!

[Lessa of Pern]

all clear...that's wonderful!

 

[MerryPoppins]

Wonderful news!

Great pictures. It's fun getting to know all of you and put faces to your names.

 

[TigerCheer2009]

Thanks, friends!!! We were really worried because they didn't come yet (they usually come the day after)...it took a week this time!

Hugs to all, it's very nice seeing pictures to match with a screenname!

 

[laurabelle]

MerryPoppins- Bill is printing off the messages and reading them to Lisa...I know along with everyone's prayers, they are bringing her alot of comfort and strength...

TigerCheer2009- Awesome!!!

Louise- Congrats to your mum!

I'm lovin' the pics...keep 'em coming! BTW-I have had Photobucket for several months now and my account is still free. I know there's a larger one you can buy, but you don't have to.

Sorry to hear so many of us are having trouble sleeping. It sounds to me like we need an insomniacs club!!! My doc upped the steroids so I'll really be bouncing off the walls now! I told him he had to write me a script for a sleeping pill (see how bossy we survivors get!) and he did but he said it might not help. I'm willing to try anything!

 

[NHAnn]

hooray for the all clear Tiger

LOVE all the pictures!!

Yes I did FINALLY get through for my CP package...as I was on hold over an HOUR (can't wait for that bill ) I was already late for work by 5 minutes or so, I had shut off the 'puter and was walking around the hosue with the cordless getting my stuff together, hanging on til I absolutely had to hang up on my way out the door. It was literally about to count slowly from 10 and hang up and the CM came on!! phew!! Got exactly what I wanted...Christmas Eve 6:45 CP with dinner at LeCellier at 8,and Illuminations is at 9:30 that night.

Ah yes...the Insomniacs Club...maybe we ought to add that to our thread title or buzzword....GAGWAGSTA LOL
Greeetings And Good Wishes And Good Sleeping To All

 

[TigerCheer2009]

Thanks for all the warm wishes you guys!!! ((((((((((((Hugs)))))))))))) to all of you!

 

[snappy]

Ah yes...the Insomniacs Club...maybe we ought to add that to our thread title or buzzword....GAGWAGSTA LOL
Greeetings And Good Wishes And Good Sleeping To All

This is good stuff, Ann!!

You must be the creative sort.

Laurabelle, that is wonderful that Lisa's husband is reading her greetings and good wishes. When you are able to communicate with him or her again, please let her know we continue to keep her in our prayers.

 

[laurabelle]

Ah yes...the Insomniacs Club...maybe we ought to add that to our thread title or buzzword....GAGWAGSTA LOL
Greeetings And Good Wishes And Good Sleeping To All

The tag fairy would shoot us...

 

[snappy]

The tag fairy would shoot us...

Then I guess we wouldn't be SURVIVORS anymore either??

 

[laurabelle]

Then I guess we wouldn't be SURVIVORS anymore either??

Where is the drink spewing all over my 'puter smilie when I need it???

 

[NHAnn]

hahaha you guy crack me up.... That Tag Fairy would not be happy, you're right
Snappy, you're too funny!!

course the bottle of beautiful Sauvignon Blanc DH and I shared helps my silly mood boy...have not had that much wine in that short a time in months...but it was lovely....and now I sit here having hot flashes....and now...back to Remember th Titans... I love that movie..........

 

[snappy]

hey, I had a glass of good wine tonight too, Ann, a merlot, Clos Du Bois.

Very good California wine, better than the French one I usually pick up.

We are drinking it slowly though, we are ancient now.

DH is good with just one Guinness.

 

[MinnieM3]

God, being a band parent is like having a second job! I'm so tired tonight I can't even catch up on all these messages.....

I'm really not back in the swing of the school thing yet..... just don't tell my students!

 

[laurabelle]

GAGWTA! It's a great day!

Last night was the first time I SLEPT!!! My colitis is on quite the rampage, yesterday was a very bad day...17x! So he upped the steroids. I told him, I already wasn't getting sleep, right now about 4 hrs at the most, and I'm too wired during the day to nap. I drove the kids around a bit yesterday and I felt like I was on drugs! So I asked him to write me a script for a sleeping pill (Ambien) but he said it probably woudn't work against the steroids. But it worked last night!!! Whooo hoooo! I know it may not work the longer I'm on the higher dose steroids, but I can't tell you how sweet it was to roll over, do some early morning math, and see that I had indeed slept through the night from 9:15 (Ambien worked fast!) until 6:15!!!
Here's my meds list. I don't eat food anymore, I just eat pills...it had better work.
6 Prednisone

9 Colozal

1 Canasa

2 Calcium w/ D

1 Centrum

1 Folic Acid

1 Fish Oil

1 Vitamin C

1x/week Actonel



Ann & snappy- I'm glad you two enjoyed your wine last night! I wish I could have joined you!

MinnieM3- School starts in 2 weeks here. My girls will be in 4th and 7th! I can tell you we won't be ready to be back in the swing of the school thing either! I hate to even think about it!

Lisa's website has been updated : http://www.lisawillsurvive.com/

 

[snappy]

Glad the ambien worked, laurabelle. That is a lot of meds, but if it does the trick, why not. I used to shy away from meds, not anymore.

I take
synthroid for thyroid hypothyroidism
enalapril for high blood pressure
tamoxifen for you know what
1500 CC calcium
multi vitamin for MATURE adults
claritin generic.

The kick is I took only over the counter until cancer came knocking on my door. I put off taking the synthroid for too long in my opinion. The doc recommended it but I resisted. Once I realized that I could hardly function due to fatigue, I gave in, last fall sometime. The the BP went soaring and I needed BP meds. I did not resist that, I guess I learned my lesson. I used to think that meds just control symptoms (like what was said on another CP thread yesterday or so). I no longer think that after this last year.

Glad Lisa is home and that she is continuing radiation treatment. Thanks for letting us know when her website was updated. I checked it earlier before it was updated.

 

[HeelMD]

Hello all. Was invited here from the DCL forum board. Currently sweating out the waiting game as many of you have been familiar with. Initially had a biopsy done of a neck mass that they were concerned was lymphoma. Mixed reviews with the results: negative for lymphoma, but concerning for metastatic carcinoma of the thyroid. Currently being reviewed by a pathologist who specializes in this. MRI was not helpful in the sense that there were several enlarged nodes, but no true mass (the biopsied mass was one of the nodes). Really appreciate the thoughts and prayers of everyone on the DCL forum board and wanted to tell all of you how much I admire what you have been through after the small taste I have had so far. Trying to stay optimistic, but quite afraid as well.

 

[MerryPoppins]

Welcome HeelMD. I'll add you to my prayer list. We understand how hard the waiting game can be. The fear and disbelief that it could be happening to you is unreal. Keep us informed. And come here often to share how you're feeling. It's a good place to unload and to get positive feedback.

My advice is to keep trying to think positive. Positive thinking is a big step to getting better. Try not to let it get you down.

 

[snappy]

Glad you were directed here, HeelMD. We have a great group of survivors of BC and other cancer, patients undergoing tests for cancer, relatives of survivors and patients, and friends. All are welcome. We even have several male friends who visit occasionally and offer support and humor, one whose wife is a survivor. We celebrate good news and support each other when issues arise. It has definitely proved a healing thing for me personally, especially the humor part.

It is good to have a place to really vent too. It's difficult sometimes to talk about fears and feelings with family members because you don't want to worry them. Also, after surgery and treatment, you are kind of expected to be over it, but from what I am seeing and hearing you continue to need support and a way to verbalize how you are doing. This thread provides that place.

You are certainly welcome.

I hope you hear something more definitive soon. Waiting on tests results is excruciating, especially when things are not clearcut. I can't imagine how difficult it must be to expect the answer on a certain date, and then wait for another and another before being sure. I had to try and get through an outing with my bible study group last year while waiting for my original biopsy report last year, I was beside myself with anxiety and I just had a 2 day wait. One of the later pathology reports looking for a separate tumor took 6 days, I had to wait right through my daughters 8th grade graduation activities, it was hard. The pics from some of the events that I was in really show how stressed I was feeling.

I myself have had a thyroid nodule since 1991 that has been aspirated and biopsied several times. It is stable but finally has created havoc with my thyroid function so I am on a thyroid med now, synthroid. My endo doc is still trying to fiddle with the dosage, I have blood work tests every 3 months. I continued to monitor this since 1991 at least annually as my maternal grandmother had thyroid in the early 1980's and had the gland removed at Ochsner in New Orleans by Dr. Burshell. She had no recurrences but succumbed to congestive heart failure in 1989. Since she had it I figured it best to monitor mine when my OB/GYN found it after DD15 was born. I also saw Dr. Burshell, after we moved here I found another endo doc who is watching it for me.

Please feel free to post, not sure if we can provide info, but we sure can provide support. I see you are from Charlotte, my parents lived in south Charlotte for 21 years until my Dad passed away, beautiful city, very good health care, I bet you are getting excellent medical care.

Please update us when you know more what you are facing. We'll be here.

 

[laurabelle]

Welcome HeelMD! I'm glad you're here! I will be praying too...waiting and not knowing what you're dealing with is the pits!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Hi HeelMD, glad you made it over!! You've been in my prayers and I hope you get some answers soon. Hang in there.

I think we can all relate to the fear you're feeling. When I was playing the waiting game and even after my diagnosis, I was very stoic and strong. I remember my oncologist giving me the path results and watching me still sitting there with very little emotion. She told me it was ok to cry but I truly didn't have it in me. I think fight/flight was in effect and I couldn't cry.

I tried to continue on that path of "strength" (after all, I'd seen many others deal with their health issues; I could do it to) until one day 4 months into it I had to unexpectedly put one of my beloved dogs to sleep for a brain tumor. That day everything I'd been holding in came out and I sobbed hysterically all afternoon and most of the night in a way I'd never cried before or since. One of the hardest days of my life. Later in my support center I learned that being strong is fine, but it can also be a burden. It's ok to be afraid and to let others know how you're feeling. Unfortunately, it often makes them uncomfortable, but if you seek out someone who's been through a similar experience they will be very understanding and supportive. It's very common after going through something like this to want to help others through it as well.

So welcome again, and with all that said I'm still hoping you get good news. We're here all the time so drop by anytime. Keep us updated when you can. And keep in mind how good that cruise is going to be when you get through this!!