Dis Breast Cancer Survivors Part III - GAGWTA!

[MerryPoppins]

Life is a roller coaster lately. DD is still struggling to adjust. Her classes are fine and she's meeting lots of people, but her senses are on permanant overload. Not great for her SPD. I know she'll settle in eventually, but it's exhausting as mom to know she's struggling.

Hugs to all. I'm reading, but I'm too tired to recap. GAGWTA!

 

[honugirl]

GAGWTA! I can't believe this medicine has finally kicked in and for the most part, I finally feel somewhat human. I've been walking with a friend about an hour and a half a day. I started karate. I had my first class tonight. I'll admit that after a half hour, I was dead and my legs are burning, but it was nice to actually make it through it. I'm going to take the beginner white belt Kenpo class twice a week starting the week after next. I'm going to Seattle next week to visit friends from Wednesday-Monday.

The good news with that is that it means the second surgery most likely will be a success. I really had my doubts about it at first, looks like I just needed for it to build up in my system and go to work. I have more energy than I've had in a long time! The last time I had this much energy was right after surgery when we know my cortisol levels were low. Hopefully I'll be having a phone consult with my endo in LA tomorrow night to let him know the good news.

So it looks like I may get to make a Disney run this year after all, it's a different Disney than I wanted, but that's OK, it's Disney! The cool thing is that there's 2 people with my disease in the LA area and if I go there for surgery, they're going to meet up with me and we're going to hit Disneyland. I'm doing the happy dance.

It's the first glimmer of hope I've had since finding out the surgery failed. I haven't been this happy in a LONG time.

 

[laurabelle]

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

I was discharged from the hospital yesterday. My area that needed to be drained ended up being a bacteria filled hematoma. The Prednisone masked my infection. I have tons of stuff to do to take care of my issues, and thank God my hubby is helping. I can't possibly catch up here, but know you are all in my thoughts and prayers.

 

[snappy]

Good luck to your daughter, Merry. I do know first hand how hard it is when you know your college kid is struglling with whatever.

It is a tightrope to try to step back and let them work it out. You want to fix it.

LMP, you are real good at multi-tasking. I sure hope the PT starts to help. I did not know you had a frozen shoulder. Theat apparently happens a lot when breast cancer survivors have issues from the mastectomy/lymph node surgery. Will you have home based exercises to do?

I hope the storms miss you Alice. We are keeping a close eye too. We don't need a replay of last year's Gustav. Our yard still has gashes and bare areas from the trees that fell.
Having to evacuate messed up the start of DD19's freshman year when New Orleans was evacuated, a lo and behold the hurricane hit Baton Rouge which rarely happens.

Honugirl, wow, you sound awesome! I bet the workout from the classes will invigorate you. I am so glad the med finally kicked in. I am confused how you know the surgery will work now, thrilled, but confused.

Laura, I am glad you are home, but it sounds like the healing has to start from square on. I am so sorry dear, you hang in there honey. I am sure it is daunting to care for everything yourself once you are home. I hope your husband is able to continue to assist and is not traveling.
Hopefully, each day you will be a little stronger and the care easier. You have been through so much.

I am glad you posted though, so we know your status and continue to pray.

GAGWTA, I am off today and have quite a list to do.

Our September trip is looking iffy, at least for DH. I am struggling with whether to cancel and reschedule or go alone. Never have don WDWD alone, not sure I would like it. DH's boss is willing to fly him home early or fly him in late if something comes up, but it is not the vision of the trip I was thinking of. However, if we reschedule, when will it get any easier for DH to travel?

I am feeling a bit selfish holding onto it. I have Southwest flights so I guess I could get the credits, and everything else can be cancelled.

Oh well.

 

[Candy30]

Hi All,

I have been so crazy busy with school starting for my DD, and next week for my DS 17. School shopping frenzy, and my son is not healing well from his wisdom teeth extraction. He has a low grade fever for 2 days and the dentist doesn't want to give him anitbiotics yet. One side is swollen more than the other. I thought they would give him a antibiotic right away. I am concerned about that. Anybody have insight or experience with this?

GAGTWA to everyone. HONU!!!!!! I am so happy things are working out for you! LMP I have not finished my T-Shirts yet. Time is flying by. I have started packing for Disney. Printed out Jacks list and am faithfully following it . Snappy I hope it works out that you can go to Disney soon. Hang in there. to everyone I missed. I can't stay on here long given my work conditions so quick hellos and

 

[Pea-n-Me]

GAGWTA

Laura and Honugirl, good to hear you're both doing better.

Laurie, thanks. Yes, MA is in almost lockdown with Senator Kennedy's passing. It's just about the only thing on the news. His death is kind of the end of an era here, the elder Kennedys are just about all gone now. His flag draped coffin is lying in state at the Kennedy Library, people were lined up until 2am this morning to view it, and it's packed again today. He did a lot for the "regular people" and everyone wants to say thank you. News links and emotional video bottom right.

And yes, my kids are going to a whole new school now. It was a little nervewracking for DD this week, but they had an orientation yesterday and she did fine. We hadn't even walked up to the door yet when she heard her name being called by friends from her old school, LOL. (She, of course, envisioned she wouldn't know a soul.)

It's funny you should mention I Am Woman, lmp. On Tuesday, I'd pulled up that old video of Helen Reddy, vintage 1975, on YouTube to play for DD and also printed up the lyrics. All as part of a "you're strong, you can do this" thing for her (as it related to going to a new school). I told her that that came out when I was around her age and I always keep it in my head when I was in scary situations. We've both been humming it ever since (and even DH chimed in with some words a bit) so I was to see you mention it here, too.

 

[snappy]

GAGWTA


It's funny you should mention I Am Woman, lmp. On Tuesday, I'd pulled up that old video of Helen Reddy, vintage 1975, on YouTube to play for DD and also printed up the lyrics. All as part of a "you're strong, you can do this" thing for her (as it related to going to a new school). I told her that that came out when I was around her age and I always keep it in my head when I was in scary situations. We've both been humming it ever since (and even DH chimed in with some words a bit) so I was to see you mention it here, too.

Sounds like another one of our irrepressible Godwinks to me!!!

I like that smilie, here are a few more

 

[luvmarypoppins]

O.K. sistas, I am sad, really sad and why you might ask???

I looked and my tags are gone!!!! Gone I tell ya!!! I loved those tags!!! I know the Tag Fairy is a mysterious person etc. but I thought these are words you actually say??? Honestly I dont know if I said that one thing and I dont even know what it means, it looks cut off and not understandable.

I know one day I was going to shamelessly ask the Tag Fairy for some type of Survivor tag for the cancer stuff, after all, its appropraite with all I have been through.Oh I am beside myself right now, I miss my eeyore tag and my Polynesian tag, sigh, sigh. The sista tag is ok cause I love all of you and you have been so encouraging to me on this never ending cancer journey etc. Oh well, what can I do???? I dont want to do anything to upset the Tag Fairy. Its just part of the magic of the Disboards

 

[snappy]

LMp, you are a full fledged sista to me.

I don't blame you I would be very sad too if my tags went poof.

I wonder what happened?

 

[lookingforward]

Okay, not to sound lost but what are tags? Yes, I am technically challenged!

Is this guy a tag?

waiting anxiously for an answer!

GAGWTA IT IS FRIDAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY! YA!

 

[snappy]

Hey Maureen!!

No, those are smilie's

Look under my user name, I have several. Had mine forever, going on 4 years now.

Someone (the tag fairy), adds them under your username when you post something "tag-worthy."

I got mine other than the survivor one from posting on the CB I think.

I am surprised you have so many posts without being tagged.

 

[honugirl]

I don't ever say anything funny I guess, I don't have any tags. I gave myself the one I have because I didn't want to feel naked.

Dang skeeters ate me up this week down at the river! So itchy!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Sha]

Hi ladies... GAGWTA

I just wanted to touch base with you all. I have tried to keep up a little, but still been down. There is so much I need to follow up on here and at times I feel as if I am just pretending to be happy for everyone else...

I have been to WDW 2 times since my friend died suddenly. The first overnight was the week Jen died. I met up with some of our friends that were there. They helped a lot. I was actually anxious going into MK.

I went back last Sunday and stayed overnight again. Met up with other friends who also knew her from here. They too helped. I was more sad this time vs anxious as before.

I am getting a brick for Jen at DL. They are doing them between the 2 parks. I actually ordered it today. Friends have chipped in and the extra is going to the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund in Jen's name.

hugs and prayers for you all...

 

[TruBlu]

Hi Ladies,
I have a question for you. My mom just finished 4 months of chemo. Today we got the results from her PET scan. The tumor has shrunk enough that they are ready to do the surgery. The doc is leaving it up to her to choose lumpectomy (with lymph nodes too) or mastectomy. (I'm sure I butchered the spelling on those - sorry.) For those of you who have had the surgery, what would your advice be? She is leaning toward mastectomy because of her fear of it coming back.

 

[snappy]

Sha, sorry about your loss. How wonderful that your friends are helping you through your grief. What a great thing to do in Jen's honor.

I am watching the telecast of the private service for Ted Kennedy. It is sad but so uplifting at the same time.

A lot of negative things are said about our politicians. It's good to hear some positive stories for a change.

 

[snappy]

I believe that research has shown that in many cases either surgery gives the same results, in other words, the same chance for recurrence. If the doctor is giving your mom the choice, I imagine that is the case.

I say many cases because with multiple areas of concern in different quadrants of the breast, the mastectomy is the standard of care. In that case, the doctor will recommend the mastectomy, partly because it becomes harder to get clean margins over a wider area. If multiple areas are removed less is left of the breast and the cosmetic effect can be nearly as dramatic as a modified radical mastectomy so that is another reason.

The important thing is for your mom to have all the facts so she can make an informed decision. Each cancer and each woman is different. It is truly a personal decision.

If she has the mastectomy is she considering reconstruction?

 

[TruBlu]

Right now she says no for reconstruction. But, who knows how she will feel later. Now she just wants it gone.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Hi Ladies,
I have a question for you. My mom just finished 4 months of chemo. Today we got the results from her PET scan. The tumor has shrunk enough that they are ready to do the surgery. The doc is leaving it up to her to choose lumpectomy (with lymph nodes too) or mastectomy. (I'm sure I butchered the spelling on those - sorry.) For those of you who have had the surgery, what would your advice be? She is leaning toward mastectomy because of her fear of it coming back.

The type of surgery one chooses does not change one's long term survival rates (unfortunately). Potential damage is done prior to finding the tumor, when invasive cells can leave the original cancer site and travel to distant organs to harbor there and later grow, a process called metastasis. Chemo is designed to kill those cells that may have gotten away. Metastasis is what kills.

There is a small difference in local recurrence rates between the types of surgery you choose, however, generally a local recurrence (in the breast) is not going to kill you. In my case, the difference was this: I had a 2.5% chance of local recurrence per year, cumulatively, with mastectomy (notice it's not 0%); and a 5% chance of local recurrence per year, cumulatively, with lumpectomy. I had to decide how important that difference of 2.5% was to me.

Hope that doesn't sound too clinical. Trying to answer quickly. Let me see if I can find a link that explains it better. It's a very individual decision. If they offered your Mom the option, then the rest of her breast tissue must be healthy (which was the way my oncologist explained it to me).

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Isn't it a beautiful service, Laurie? Are you watching it on a national channel?

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Here you go TruBlu

You will see that, it's pretty well accepted today that lumpectomy w/radiation has the same long term survival rates as mastectomy for women with small tumors. (I realize your Mom's was probably bigger initially, but shrunk with chemo and is now "small"; I have some survivor friends whom that was the case for also. One who had a 7cm tumor followed by chemo to shrink it, then lumpectomy and radiation, and she's doing great going on 8 years or so. )

Good luck to your Mom with her decision and further treatment.

http://health.discovery.com/centers/cancer/breast-cancer/mastectomy-lumpectomy.html

http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials/results/mastectomy-versus-lumpectomy1002

http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/surgery/mast_vs_lump.jsp