Dis Breast Cancer Survivors Part II -GAGWTA!

[NHAnn]

Oh Laura, I'm so sorry to hear that. Sorry, and as Merry said, angry. I hope with your doctors' help the appeal is resolved quickly and in your favor. You are in my prayers. (Oh and great news on your hubby-b-day-trip!!)

Sha---congrats!

jsgirl- that is so difficult dealing with a loved one from a distance.


We are headed to Massachusetts today...my father turns 85 Tuesday and we're taking him out to lunch today to celebrate, a couple of my siblings as well. I sopke to him yesterday morning and told him, and said that I'd call this morning too to remind him.....woke up today to an e-mail from my brother saying that yesterday at lunch time he called my bro wondering where everyone was to go to lunch. He feels so bad/frustrated that he forgets or loses sense of time, random things like that with the progression of the Alz. Oh well, it will be an enjoyable lunch-today!!

GAGWTA!

 

[snappy]

Oh my, you could knock me over with a feather.

DD17 wants to join us with her BF at WDW next month.

Good thing I booked a 2 BR at Boardwalk.

I am surprised. She was pretty clear last year that was the last "family" trip, although it was not too much of a "family" trip since she was mostly with her girlfriend Erin who we invited. It was more of a "family" trip since DD17 expected the "family" to pay for everything. Ha!

I guess the BF is "family" now.


I am glad she will be going but now we will have to board Naj. I know DS19 will not be able to handle her by himself, even with my mom helping.

I am trying to figure out how we will do the WL before hand. We only have 2 rooms. DD17 and her BF may have to fly up once we get to Boardwalk.

 

[Sha]

On a Disney note, hubby had me change our resort from Pop to CSR. I told you he's a resort snob! Oh well, I tried to save some $, but he's the birthday boy.

have to LOL at that... I have only stayed one time at one value ever (Pop)... my sister says Im a Disney Diva so I wonder then if I fall into that resort snob category



Thanks everyone for the congrats... I cant believe I even sent an email out yesterday to find out what I can do next to add to my "career"

 

[need_a_Disney_fix]

My mom is in her third year of breast cancer treatment and I have a question. She has been prescribed Taxotere and after her first treatment she feels, sounds and generally looks like hell. Please tell me that after this course of treatment, Mom will be (somewhat) back to normal. Please?

Mom has two great grand babies coming SOON and my one wish is that she can truly enjoy their arrival.

 

[Sha]

My mom is in her third year of breast cancer treatment and I have a question. She has been prescribed Taxotere and after her first treatment she feels, sounds and generally looks like hell. Please tell me that after this course of treatment, Mom will be (somewhat) back to normal. Please?

Mom has two great grand babies coming SOON and my one wish is that she can truly enjoy their arrival.

Hopes someone here knows the answer for you... but will offer prayers for your mom and family.

 

[laurabelle]

My mom is in her third year of breast cancer treatment and I have a question. She has been prescribed Taxotere and after her first treatment she feels, sounds and generally looks like hell. Please tell me that after this course of treatment, Mom will be (somewhat) back to normal. Please?

Mom has two great grand babies coming SOON and my one wish is that she can truly enjoy their arrival.

I'm sorry your mom is going through this. I did not have Taxotere, but Taxol, which is similar (both called Taxanes) and they work in similar ways. The immediate side effect I noticed most were flu like symptoms occurring on about day 4 of treatment. These would improve somewhat before my next infusion, I took it every 3 weeks. Lasting side effect is neuropathy (numbness/tingling) in my hands and feet, but not everyone gets this. It's a tough, but effective chemo. I was 36 yrs old at the time of treatment, I know it has to be hard on your older mom. It's complicated to treat the symptoms because they don't want pain relievers that are fever reducers to mask a fever. All oncs are different, and I'm not sure what they are doing to help your mom with pain. Additionally, I used meditative prayer, guided imagery and long soaks in the tub. What are her nurses, and onc saying? Here's one of my favorite breast cancer sites that is informative and easy to read, hopefully you'll find it helpful in lots of areas: www.breastcancer.org

 

[laurabelle]

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

Laurie- Wow! I'm glad you do have that 2br booked! I keep thinking with my oldest being a freshman in high school that we don't have that many family vacations left...maybe I'm wrong, lol!

Ann- I hope you all had a nice lunch with your dad. If it's any consolation, my chemo brain has had me a whole week early for my kid's dance recitals... among other things. I should really be a mess by the time I'm that old.

I'm hangin'...

 

[CherylDan]

My mom is in her third year of breast cancer treatment and I have a question. She has been prescribed Taxotere and after her first treatment she feels, sounds and generally looks like hell. Please tell me that after this course of treatment, Mom will be (somewhat) back to normal. Please?

Mom has two great grand babies coming SOON and my one wish is that she can truly enjoy their arrival.

Sorry to hear it is so hard on your mom. I'm another who was on Taxol, age 45 at the time, every two weeks. It was hard......but it does get better! It will take her awhile to get to her "new normal", but having two great grand babies to look forward to sounds like great therapy!

 

[CherylDan]

Laurabelle.....I must say that for all you've gone through, you still have a great attitude! I sure do hope your doctors can make some headway with your insurance soon.......keep hangin!

Snappy....sounds like a fun trip with your DD and BF! Two years ago, when my youngest DD was 17, we (just me and DD) went with her BF and his mom. We had a great time. We stayed in a four bedroom off site, so that worked out very well. They aren't together anymore, but I don't regret taking the trip with them at all. So even if your daughter's BF is only "family" for now, hopefully she will always have great memories of the trip, and you too!

Ann...I hope you had a great birthday lunch with your dad!

Sha....contrats!


We've been quite busy around our house the past few weeks. Our youngest DD turned 19! Wow...it's amazing how fast the years fly by. We had a nice party with all the relatives, and, of course, her BF. (who, btw, is 22 - which kinda weirds me out, but he's a nice guy). DD23 was home for the weekend, so that was nice. Her DF is working in China right now, and she is going to Bejing to visit at the end of the month. Their wedding is quickly approaching, this October.

DH got the job he has been working for! He will be teaching at the local junior college, and starts next August. Among other things, the medical insurance is SOOOOO much better than what we currently have (a $200 deductible instead of $4,000, for starters!). We are really happy about it....so much so, that he thinks it will be a great idea to celebrate by taking a trip to WDW this winter! I'm soooooo excited to be able to start planning a trip again!

My 3 month follow-up with my oncologist was last week, everything is ok, except for the mammogram. Same old story, they want to do it again in 6 months, they suspect calcium deposits, but this whole "wait and watch" thing is very uncomfortable to me. That's exactly what was happening before, and well, that didn't turn out so well. But we decided to go ahead and wait the six months, and then seriously discuss another mastectomy.....just for the peace of mind, if nothing else.

Hope you all are doing well, getting better, or even just hangin' in there!
GAGWTA!!!!!

 

[laurabelle]

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

Cheryl- So many exciting things going on in your family life! Glad your hubby got the job with good ins.! I am sorry that you are having to wait out another 6months...it's awful to have to do that over and over.

I have to let my GI doc know on Tue. if I'm improving or not. I'm kinda the same I guess. He will up my steroids and try to talk me into being admitted for I.V. ugh. I am good at talking my way out of it, but sometimes it's not avoidable.

I decided over the weekend that I am not going to the SIS meet in Vegas. I'm living one foot in my house and the other in the hospital right now. Even if my ins. does approve the drug, at the earliest I would just then be starting it and it could take weeks to a month to start working. Even if I start getting better, things can turn around quickly and I don't feel like it's a good idea to be traveling alone. I still have to tell my sistas. I know they'll understand, but it breaks my heart.

So here comes God in my sadness ...You guys are not going to believe this...yesterday I was thinking about our planned Sept trip, looking at airfares. Now I have a big fat credit with SW from my canceled flights. SW fares for Sept. are going to be released on Fri. and it looks like the base rate is $95 ea way. This is so much more than we are accustomed to paying to fly to FL. Our APs expire June 20th. I got out the calendar. We don't have a definite end date to the school year yet it should change since we didn't use all the snow days, but right now it's the 16th, my kids' dance recital is at the end of June along with some extra mandatory rehearsals, hubby has some gigs booked in June, but I found a few days we could squeeze in a trip. I looked up SW and Airtran...I got $54 one way on Airtran and my SW credits covered the other flight!!! I told hubby it's a no-brainer, cheaper air fare, $0 for park tickets. We just have to come up with a place to stay. I emailed someone on the DVC rental boards, hopefully there is something available. So instead of 6 months from now, we're going in 2 months! I figure by then I will know if I'm still on drug therapy or I will have had surgery. Either way I'll need some Disney Therapy!

 

[snappy]

CherylDan, thanks for the post about your WDW trip with a BF in tow. I am still a bit leery but what helps is that we truly like David. He is at our house a lot as our daughter is at his. This just came up Sat morning. I need to talk to his folks tonight. If we do this I need to get serious with planning.

Laura, I hate that you have to cancel your Sis meet in Vegas. That would be a long trip cross country for you to take alone as you said. I am glad to hear of your June WDW miracle though. You are a planning maven.

I am looking at airfare. it is ridiculous from New Orleans. Biggest problem is so few flights per day. Can you believe many days there are still just 4 flights out? Hard to get the cheapo seats unless you book way early.

Does not allow for late changes to the plan.

We may just drive, although I said those days were over. We can make it in 12 hours but those are 12 long hours for sure.

New subject. . .DD17 is definitely going to Tulane, we made the deposit
and she signed up for the dorm of her choice last night. I am glad she won't be far. I hope she likes it. I guess it is for real now.

 

[need_a_Disney_fix]

Mom is in the hospital for the first time since her BC diagnosis 2.5 years ago. After several chemos with this that or the other, her onc put her on Taxotere and it has truly set her aback. Mom's immune system was predictably fragile, but when she received the first treatment of Taxotere, that took her down and I mean DOWN. We have NEVER EVER seen her like this. Mom is now extremely weak to the point where Dad and I took her to the ER and ultimately was admitted. She is a shell of the mom I know, but I quickly became accustomed to that. I seriously feel Mom will never be...Mom. I guess I have entered yet another phase of life and I accept that. She has gone through every bllod test, MRI, CT scan...etc known to man, but yet her Internist is still scrathcing his head. Immediately after her first Taxotere infusion, the nurses were very concerned with the bruising it caused and still looks like heck. Mom's onc was even taken aback at the discolration of the infusion site. This leads me to think Mom is having an obvious reaction to this chemo.

Does anyone have any experiences with Taxotere?

 

[lookingforward]

Mom is in the hospital for the first time since her BC diagnosis 2.5 years ago. After several chemos with this that or the other, her onc put her on Taxotere and it has truly set her aback. Mom's immune system was predictably fragile, but when she received the first treatment of Taxotere, that took her down and I mean DOWN. We have NEVER EVER seen her like this. Mom is now extremely weak to the point where Dad and I took her to the ER and ultimately was admitted. She is a shell of the mom I know, but I quickly became accustomed to that. I seriously feel Mom will never be...Mom. I guess I have entered yet another phase of life and I accept that. She has gone through every bllod test, MRI, CT scan...etc known to man, but yet her Internist is still scrathcing his head. Immediately after her first Taxotere infusion, the nurses were very concerned with the bruising it caused and still looks like heck. Mom's onc was even taken aback at the discolration of the infusion site. This leads me to think Mom is having an obvious reaction to this chemo.

Does anyone have any experiences with Taxotere?

I get taxotere with each of my six chemos. I have done okay...its no picnic! Taxotere used to be given only for BC recurrances but is now used in node positive early breast cancer chemos as well. Its a tough dose to take, and comes with side effects. Interestingly many women find it easier to take the taxotere's than the adrimycin (sp?) or the red stuff. I am so sorry your mom is having a bad reaction..I will pray she gets her strength back. Maybe they can give her an alternative treatment. I am sorry!

 

[lookingforward]

Laura-I am PRAYING for your appeal to be approved. You are in my thoughts EVERY day!

I am headed to my LAST chemo tomorrow. Number 6! The steroids are making me crazy today!

I need you all to give my son your good vibe thoughts. He auditioned for the school of the arts here and PASSED his audition (not an easy thing...he had to get 4.25 out of 5 in 20 areas). He is now on a waitlist because he will be a sophmore. PLEASE pray that he gets the call! I am so hopeful...it would be a great thing for him. He loves acting and is such a wonderful young man. He is coming to my last chemo tomorrow because he wants to celebrate with me. He also gave me a giant card he had his entire health class fill out with uplifting thoughts. And this is a 15 year old boy (young man). I adore him! (Can't you tell???? )

 

[snappy]

Lookingforward, you son sounds like a WONDERFUL young man. How special that he will be with you today for the last chemo as well as having his class mates sign that card. I would love to see a picture of it, btw.

Sounds like the best excuse for a party that I can think of. Congrats!!

Sending some positive thoughts that he will land that place in the school of arts!!!

Laura, I sure hope you are hanging in there. May the Lord lift you up and set you on the road to recovery soon. How did the doctor visit go on Tuesday? Knowing you I believe the prospect of the Disney fix in June will give you an additional lift as well.

Ned a Disney fix, I am sorry your mom is suffering so. Hopefully the doctors will figure out an alternative soon.

No experience with Taxotere here. I know however it can knock you for a loop. Has she had more than one infusion of the stuff?

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Lookingforward, congratulations! Thinking good thoughts for you son.

Wanted to let Ann know I'm thinking about you. Hope things are going well.

You too, Laura.

Everyone else, GAGWTA

need_a_Disney_fix, I got taxol and it is in the same family as taxotere. I found it very difficult, as well. I've posted here before that after my first dose I could barely walk for 36 hours - the "bone aches" were indescribable and there was nothing I could take to make it better. I also had to take meds to keep my white and red cells up which were in the toilet. What little hair I had left of my eyebrows and eyelashes came out. And this lasted for almost two months (ie 4 doses). Fortunately, I have no residual effects but I do feel for anyone who has to take it. With that said, though, everyone's experiences are different and I've even heard some say that, for them, the other chemos were worse than the taxol. Prior to my getting my first dose, a lady in the next room to where I was getting my last adria/taxol dose had a "code". Turns out she had a severe allergic reaction to it which made me afraid to get it myself. I never had one but just the effects themselves were hard. Knowing all that, however, I would still take it again if it could help me in my fight against the beast. I wish your mother the best. PS if you google taxotere vs taxol you can find a lot of information.

I was a little upset this week as a second woman in the BC group I go out with had a (metastatic) recurrence. I sat across from her at the last get together and I think I posted a story from that evening. Why, oh why, does this have to happen? Now, of course, every ache and pain I have is pronounced. I'm trying not to worry about it. Damn beast.

I've been thinking for a while of changing my ribbon to a less pronounced one, I hope nobody minds. I'm no less committed to this group, I just need to help tone it down like I've been trying to do in my own life. Sort of a symbolic way of saying BC is not as prominent for me as it was. Of course, after this week, I'm not so sure. But anyway, in case anyone's wondering about it, that's why.

We're finally gettig a little sun here. It feels nice.

Laurie, how's the pup doing?

 

[snappy]

Linda, just wanted to send a hug your way and tell you I understand about changing to a more discreet (if that is the right word) ribbon. You are such a valued and special person here, no need to explain.

It is disturbing when mets hit a friend. I still think often of MinnieM3, and I never met her except here and my phone calls.

What is helping me is seeing some of the consumers we try to help at work.
Especially the children with severe autism or severe Cerebral Palsy. I feel like dropping to my knees each time I see one of these consumers and thanking God my kids are healthy. It is a reality check like no other.

I know you take care of a lot of very sick patients. It must be hard, you are one strong cookie and do a lot of good.

Hope tomorrow is a better one for you, pm me if you wanna "talk."

Naj is still wild. We need to get her to training. We just have too much on our plates right now, work is over the top for DH and me, even DD17. I have taught Naj to come, sit, and lay down with kibble bits. She does great when we are working on it, but not at the times when it really counts when I am trying to control her around Snappy or to calm down before a walk so I get the blame leash on her. ARRGGH!!

I think she senses how crazy things are and is
feeding off of it.

 

[lookingforward]

Hi everyone! I think its ironic that we are mentioning mets because I can honestly say that the idea of mets is becoming obsessive to me. I just finished my LAST chemo today. Interestingly, I had my first "reaction" to the taxol. They were infusing it and I turned beat red, got a little chest pain and had horrible bone/muscle pain. They immediately stopped the infusion, gave me saline, monitored my blood pressure, loaded me with more benedryl and steroids and finished the infusion. It hurt and was the worst treatment out of the six for me. BUT I FINISHED.

Now that chemo is over it leaves me scared. I have radiation to look forward to...HA! but feel so SCARED that I might get a recurrance. Statistics are on my side but yikes! My doctor and NP say its normal when treatment ends to be adrift and confused. The chemo nurses lined up when I left and blew bubbles over me as a "graduate". I kept saying "its my last chemo" but felt like I should add "god willing" or "hopefully". SCARY!

I think I am afraid to go to the support groups specifically because I might hear bad news from others. I gotta get a grip!

 

[DeeCeeSW]

GAGWTA Ladies!

I have been laying low lately, trying to mentally prepare myself for upcoming surgery, which is inching closer. I hope that everyone is doing ok and for those of you who have not been feeling well, I hope that things are getting better.

Congratulations on your LAST CHEMO Lookingforward!!!!!!!!

I have a question that I'm hoping someone can answer. I have been buying Badger Sunblock for DS7 because it is chemical-free and "natural." One of the LAST ingredients in it is lavender oil. I am now reading that there is an estrogen connection with lavender oil, and my tumor is estrogen-positive. Should I not be handling this stuff? Will it hurt me in some way just applying it on DS? I used it myself a few times last summer but will stop immediately. Has anyone with estrogen positive BC been told to stay away from lavender?

Dawn

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Lookingforward - Congrats on the last chemo!! How scary to have a reaction! I hope you are able to find some peace and relax now the those treatments are finished. I know I would be very worried about recurrence, but you girls are the ones who told me not to bleed 'til I'm shot.

It sounds like a blanket of and is in order for everyone!

Laura - You are in my thoughts! I hope you get some good news soon!

DeeCeeSW - I don't know about the lavender.

Need_a_Disney_fix - I am so sorry your mom is having such a terrible time! I am brand new to this arena, so I don't really know much about the different treatments. I hope her doctors can figure out something for her soon!

My mom goes to the OB/GYN next Thursday. I think she is expecting the "thickening" of the uterine wall to be something worse than benign fibroids because she is talking about having a hysterectomy on top of the breast surgery. I am not sure how the surgeons would tackle that. I did some research on it and it seems like mets of ILC to the uterus are a relatively new finding (like within the past 6 years or so). I found a couple of articles published by doctors where they were reporting it as something they had never really seen before. Don't know if it is good that it seems to be rare, or bad that the doctors may not be looking for it. When I read about mets to the GI tract and uterus in her form of breast cancer I took that to mean the doctors would know that and be looking for it, but they didn't include anything lower then her abdomen in her CT scan! If I was the doctor I think I would have scanned lower to get a better look at those "fibroids", just in case. Especially since she was ALREADY being scanned! Sorry, just going off on a little rant there.