Dis Breast Cancer Survivors Part II -GAGWTA!

[NHAnn]

Sending my thoughts and prayers to all of you in treatment and/or supporting loved ones with theirs.

LF, sorry about your bad day Friday ...one more chemo is great news though!!

Linda....thank you as always for sharing timley and thought provoking personal anecdotes.

Laurabelle..I'm sad that you are so sick, and I'm shaking my fist at the insurance gods Hugs and prayers.

We finally sold our old house, closed this past week, albeit at about 15% less than our original asking price last year...but we are very satisfied and relieved that it is done with, esp in this market and economy!

Still have snowbanks measuring in feet instead of inches around my walkway and driveway, but NH's mud season has arrived so maybe we will have spring pretty soon...........

thinking of you all!!

GAGWTA!

 

[MerryPoppins]

LF, keep focusing on the light at the end of the tunnel. You're almost there.

I just wanted to drop by and ask a favor. A good family friend is very seriously ill. He was an alcoholic as a young man (I mean a drunk in the gutter type of alcoholic) and after getting help, he became a priest and started an drug and alcohol center to help others. These past few years he's had cancer that took part of his mouth and face. He's had a horrible time. Recently they had to put him on life support, but his family removed it yesterday. He stopped breathing and then started again on his own. Please pray for a peaceful passage for this wonderful friend. His name is Dick. Thanks.

GAGWTA!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Will keep Dick in my prayers, Merry.

Congratulations on finally selling your house, Ann. That must be a load off your mind.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Gosh, I am so sorry you are waiting for approval. It should be a NO BRAINER, since otherwise you might go in hospital and that will ultimately be MUCH more expensive. I am keeping my fingers crossed. I'm so sorry you had to miss your friends party.

I had a bad day yesterday. I went to get my drug levels checked since they have me on cumidin (SP?) and I was so tired and my stomach hurt and I was in the blood room where the techs draw everyone's blood and all the other people there were old. Anyhow, I just started shaking and crying silently and I couldn't stop. This old man sitting across from me had this sad look on his face...I must have been such a sight. I just lost it. A total pity party. They quickly ushered me into a room and my nurse practictioner talked me off the ledge. I LOVE her. But it was a tough day. I am really at the end of my rope with the chemo. ONE MORE!

Laura, more good thoughts for you! I hope your doc can get the insurance moving!

Ann - Congrats on selling your house!

Linda - I hope things are going well for you!

Looking Forward, I am sorry! ONE MORE! Just hang tight. You can do this, and when you are finished you can celebrate!
One of the Dr.s told my mom she should be on baby aspirin, and I wasn't sure that was a good idea, but I guess it is OK because it thins the blood kind of like the med you are on.

DS and I had a good visit with my mom. We spent the day with her yesterday, went for lunch, just kind of putzed around. DS and I flew home this morning. So far she is tolerating the Arimidex just fine. She seems tired, but I am sure she IS tired. I am anxious about her bone scan and CT on Tuesday. I hope they don't make her wait days for the results.

 

[MerryPoppins]

Just thought I'd let you know that Dick's battle is over. I'm so relieved for him and sorry for his family and friends.

Forgot to mention that I'm glad the house sold. What a relief, I'm sure.

And I'll be thinking positive thoughts for the CT scan on Tuesday.

 

[snappy]

I am glad Dick is at peace. He remains in my prayers.

Thanks for sharing the story about your patient, Linda. I DO need a reality check from time to time.

I would like to devote more time to BC awareness. Maybe after my nest dwindles down to one in the fall. Right now I have graduation staring me in the face.

Laura, I hope your doc's efforts will sway the insurance company. Meantime, you need the med NOW!! I applaud you for having such a good WDW trip DESPITE your UC. You are a fighter, baby!!.

I can't wait to hit Cali Grill in May. I am dreaming of that delicious sushi and that view. Glad they made that spicey roll even better.

How was it being offsite?

Ann, way to go on selling your house. That is a long time to be dealing with two houses, didn't you guys move in to your lovely new one not long after the Christmas holidays? It took us 8-9 mos to sell our house in the N. O. suburbs. Thankfully, it was paid for, as we made the last payment just a few months before we moved. I sure liked that feeling. It was a worry that it would not sell though. It was in the spring too, the prime time. It was so hard keeping it clean since we were still living in it. I quit my job early, thinking it would sell, but it worked out since I had the time to keep it clean every day to show it.

Lookingforward, I hope your spirits were lifted over the weekend.


Jackskellingstongirl, I am glad you and your son enjoyed the visit to your mom's. I am SURE it lifted her spirits as well. Keeping my fingers crossed that the scans come out clean. I hope your mom tells her caregivers she wants the results as soon as available rather than waiting until her next visit with her doc.

Barbara, glad to see you posting, hope you are well.

GAGWTA!!

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Just thought I'd let you know that Dick's battle is over. I'm so relieved for him and sorry for his family and friends.

Forgot to mention that I'm glad the house sold. What a relief, I'm sure.

And I'll be thinking positive thoughts for the CT scan on Tuesday.

Dick's family and friends are in my thoughts. I am sure he will be missed.

Mom doesn't go back to the oncologist until May 9, so I can't imagine they would make her wait for the CT & bone scan results until then! At least I hope that isn't what they have planned!

Lots of and all around! I hope everyone's week gets off to a good start!

 

[piglet too]

MP ~ Dick and all who loved him are in my thoughts.

 

[lookingforward]

Dick's family and friends are in my thoughts. I am sure he will be missed.

Mom doesn't go back to the oncologist until May 9, so I can't imagine they would make her wait for the CT & bone scan results until then! At least I hope that isn't what they have planned!

Lots of and all around! I hope everyone's week gets off to a good start!

I think no news is good news with scans...but I would really call and ask. When I had my bone scan it was a Friday and I was SO nervous. My pet scan was normal but I was scared. Anyhow, I was joking with the two techs who did the test and was telling them how hard the weekend was going to be for me(test results were going to be available to my doctor on Monday). So I was laying there and said "hows it look" and one of the techs said "you know we can't say anything"...but the other tech (and I love him to this day) turned to me when noone was looking, winked and gave me a thumbs up. It made my day. It was so kind of him.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

I think no news is good news with scans...but I would really call and ask. When I had my bone scan it was a Friday and I was SO nervous. My pet scan was normal but I was scared. Anyhow, I was joking with the two techs who did the test and was telling them how hard the weekend was going to be for me(test results were going to be available to my doctor on Monday). So I was laying there and said "hows it look" and one of the techs said "you know we can't say anything"...but the other tech (and I love him to this day) turned to me when noone was looking, winked and gave me a thumbs up. It made my day. It was so kind of him.

I told her the techs can't tell her what they see, even if they KNOW what they are looking at. How wonderful that you got one who would let you know it looked good!

 

[laurabelle]

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


I still don't know yet if my ins. co. will cover the new meds my GI dr. wants me on. Hopefully we should know this week. If they don't cover it, he'll fight for me.

In the meantime, I ended up in the ER for fun and games yesterday. He had started me on cortifoam last Mon. and by Thu I started waking up with headaches, I'd take some Tylenol and I'd be fine. I told my nurse and she said it's a rare (1%) side effect for oral steroids, but not listed with topical, but I am super sensitive to steroids. Sat. he had me start using it twice a day and Sun morning I had the headache from hell and vomited all day, couldn't keep even a sip of water down. My GI doc was concerned my colon was dilating, so he sent me to the hospital. Of course with my bc history they did a CT head scan, then a abdominal xray and since they just had to have more fun with me, they finished me off with a lumbar puncture (spinal tap). I was so dehydrated I had many, many sticks to get an IV going. They had to use ultrasound to get a deep vein, the first one infiltrated, so now I have elephant arm.12 1/2 hours later I was given a clean bill of health and released at 1:00am. I'm just beat today, and no, I'm not taking cortifoam again!

 

[NHAnn]

Laura-- oh Lord what a day!
Why oh why do the ins companies have the right to dictate doctors' treatment wishes?? Uggh....
trying to channel my frustration at this into positive healing vibes to you !!

MerryP--I'm so sorry about Dick, and wishing opeace and comfort to his loved ones.

GAGWTA!!

 

[laurabelle]

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

Ann- Right now we are going through the process and "Medco" who is not my ins. co. has to approve it too...whoever they are, I think my nurse said they make Humira. I was thinking of your sweet Avery when I had my spinal tap done. I was drifting in and out the whole day, which led me to my happy place. I'm so glad your house sold! I can't believe you still have snow drifts! wow!

Laurie- Offsite was fine, but it's offsite, KWIM? My youngest kept saying we weren't in Disney anymore, until we drove under the arches again, lol! I did love having the extra room in the 2br villa and the kitchen, big whirlpool tub, nice balcony, ect. I wanted to see when free dining was offered and we could go for Labor Day weekend, but we would miss the Food and Wine Fesitval, Mickey's Halloween Party and my hubby's birthday, so we are going at the end of Sept. We booked a package at Pop with a one day ticket through AAA so we saved some on the room, plus I should have 6 months at 0% from Disney Visa. It's not a long trip, just Sat.-Tue. but we have a one day water park ticket left, we'll buy Mickey's Halloween Party tickets for hubby's bday, then use the one day park ticket at Epcot, have some downtime at the resort, maybe rent a bike again, or do the sea raycers, and DTD. I did make reservations at CA Grill for the first night for his bday dinner, that's it, the rest is counter service, which is fine with me, bring on the Mickey Treats!

 

[lookingforward]

Laura, what a tough day...I am so sorry. Here comes a RANT....when will insurance companies learn...if they had approved the meds two weeks ago you would not have been in the ER...and the ER will cost them MORE than the drugs. Its so stupid.

I hope you feel better!

Have a great day everyone...hang in!

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Laura, that sounds like a horrible weekend! I hope you are feeling better today!
Medco is the mail order pharmacy we use. Do you have prescription coverage through them? We can get our meds through a regular pharmacy but it is much cheaper to order them. DH's Pentasa is about 33% cheaper through mail order. But you have to get a 90 day supply each time so the bill is a little scary.

I noticed yesterday that my Dr. billed my insurance for a med they don't even stock in their office. It is a med I have to pick up and bring to my appt.s, so I will be having a talk with the Dr.s office today. I have suspected them of insurance billing fraud for a LONG time - I need to change Dr.s.

 

[snappy]

Laura, what a weekend!! You must be exhausted, and there is no excuse for it.

Makes me so mad I could spit!@##!!#@@#@#

Some problems cannot be avoided, if you had not been forced to take the steroid as a last resort rather than the med your doc wanted you on.

I hope the prospect of your late September trip helps bring up your spirits.

You gotta get better for your SIS meet!!

 

[piglet too]

Laura ~ I am sorry to hear about what all happened this weekend.

 

[MerryPoppins]

My goodness Laura! What an experience. I'm so sorry you had to go through all of that.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Laura and everyone

 

[Sha]

Sorry to hear about your weekend Laura. Hugs and prayers for everyone!!