Dis Breast Cancer Survivors Part III - GAGWTA!

[smiley_face2]

Just a quick update, my lymph nodes were negative! yahoooooo! no wonder it hurts so much...the amount of tissue she cut out is unreal!

 

[snappy]

Absolutely, wonderful news, smilie!

I am celebrating with you.

Now, on to kicking cancer's butt!!!!

When you said the amount of tissue your surgeon took out, do you mean the number of nodes? If she took a big number of them out and they were all negative, indeed excellent news.

That is the news I got too back in 2004, no problems in 30 nodes.

I don't believe the surgeon expected that result, it was such a good surprise.

Yea, and thanks for posting!

Cheryl, would love to hear your daughter's inside scoop on working for Disney. Do you know what she will be doing work wise?

Hope this posts, now our home computer, from which I was going to work today, is acting stupid. Email is down and the internet was as slow as molasses last night, a bit better today but will work when it wants too (kinda like me, lol).

Maybe it is feeling kind of, what is that work, wonk?

My new favorite word.

Thanks,
Laurie

 

[marcij]

GAGWTA!!!

Just got back from WDW this morning, drove down to get DD all check-in for her college program. She will be working at MK for the next four or so months. Will be quite a change around here for sure, as it is the first time she has been away from home. Goes to school locally (her choice) and lives at home. I'm looking forward to hearing about all the ins and outs of living and working at Disney.

I get back on the cancer coaster tomorrow, can hardly wait to see what my doc has in store for me.

Thinking of you all, will post more when I get a chance. In the meantime, sending out good thoughts to everybody in treatment, recovery, or playing the waiting game.

How fun. I hope she enjoys it!

Just a quick update, my lymph nodes were negative! yahoooooo! no wonder it hurts so much...the amount of tissue she cut out is unreal!

That is terrific news! I had 2 of 3 positive so they took out 12 more when I had my bi-lat. Ask your surgeon about PT for the pain. I'm sure they are watching you for lymphedema as well. I don't have it thankfully and PT has helped with the shooting pains. I've also learned a lot from my PT at the lymphdema clinic. I wear my sleeve all the time as chemo can also make you swell. Thankfully it didn't the first time. Round two is tomorrow.

Lisa -- good luck with your next round on Friday.

Absolutely, wonderful news, smilie!

I am celebrating with you.

Now, on to kicking cancer's butt!!!!

When you said the amount of tissue your surgeon took out, do you mean the number of nodes? If she took a big number of them out and they were all negative, indeed excellent news.

That is the news I got too back in 2004, no problems in 30 nodes.

I don't believe the surgeon expected that result, it was such a good surprise.

Yea, and thanks for posting!

Cheryl, would love to hear your daughter's inside scoop on working for Disney. Do you know what she will be doing work wise?

Hope this posts, now our home computer, from which I was going to work today, is acting stupid. Email is down and the internet was as slow as molasses last night, a bit better today but will work when it wants too (kinda like me, lol).

Maybe it is feeling kind of, what is that work, wonk?

My new favorite word.

Thanks,
Laurie

You were close -- I used wonky on here recently as my UK friend taught it to me.

GAGWTA!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Good news, smiley!

Cheryl, hoping yours is good as well.

 

[MerryPoppins]

Great news! Can't wait to hear about internship at WDW. We may get ice then snow tonight.

 

[wdw4us2]

smiley - So happy to hear your good news!

CherylDan - Sorry you're back on the cancer coaster. I can relate.

Went for my labs today. All of my counts look good for Friday's chemo. My doc wasn't there and the nurse/practitioner wouldn't let me have the B12 shot without checking the level in my blood first. Of course, she can't tell me why I have no energy, but I have to wait for Friday to see if I can have the shot.

I am absolutely loving the warmer weather here. I've been in the pool the past two days and much happier to be doing that than walking. I managed 50 laps today and it only took five minutes longer than it should have. I also don't feel badly when I'm done working out like I do after walking. I think it's because the pool is less stressful on my bones and joints. I'm planning on swimming again tomorrow and then that will be it for at least a week.

 

[NHAnn]

I got so tired of trudging to the doctor's for strange breast problems that one day I actually emailed them a picture instead.

I remember this story! Wasn't it a pimple or blemish?? cracked me up then....and now!

I just lost a long post I typed out. I have that problem a lot...very frustrating!!

To the new ladies, I found the original of this thread a few days before my diagnosis in spring 2005. Linda (Pea-n-me) and Laura (Laurabelle) started the thread, Laurie (snappy) and Melissa(Merry Poppins) were also there back then, among others who are a Godsend to me....still near and dear to my heart

Smiley, there were a few nights in between my biopsy and finding out the actual results, when I would sit in our basement rec room on the huge old family desktop computer, and scare myself to tears with the reading on line. One night DH (of the "don't bleed before you're shot" fame ) threatened to rip the cable from the wall and throw the computer out if I didn't stop! Seriously, I was convinced I'd be breastless, bald, and dead in short order. I ended up with DCIS and had a lumpectomy, radiation and am obviously still here, and cancer free

I am thinking of you all who are in treatment....smiley and marci and Lisa and Cheryl, please know that you are in my thoughts and prayers each day!

You too Patsmom and MaryAnn and ....ack, who am I missing?

Anyway, I've been trying to catch up on the reading back, saw Barbara (Annrae) was here, and MerryPoppins has been posting, and Sha....so lovely to "see" you!!

We are SO sick of winter here already...18" of snow on the 12th, 9" yesterday...and a few "little" events as well in the last month....DH and are are very much looking forward to a week at WDW starting late next week!! Air travel is so dicey in the northeast this time of year, so I am trying not to get "overexcited"

I apologize if I "missed" anyone, I do think of you all every day!! GAGWTA!!

 

[smiley_face2]

NHAnn, Hello! that's why I am here now; what will be will be, no amount of reading about it will change it, so best to just stay optomistic and believe that you will be one of the lucky ones....like you!! That's so wonderful that you are over your 5 year mark!
Laurie, I meant the actual tissue. One mass was 12 cm x 7 cm x 3 cm. then there were the masses with the nodes in them, and another mass of something she did not like the look of which she removed that ended up to be negative for cancer, but was what appears to have been a mass of fibrosis. it is described as being rubbery white tissue with blue capped domes.....sounds like something out of a science fiction movie!!
They did the newish sentinal node procedure where they injected the breast with radioactive stuff, then blue dye, then during the operation they use a machine to identify the exact nodes that the tracer has shown up in, so they take the first 2-3 out because if there is cancer in any of them it will be in them for sure. This way, you don't loose them all, at least right away. She said she felt one that she did not like the feel of even though it did not have any of the tracer in it, so removed it as well, but thankfully negative!
She did drain a good 1/2 cup or so of fluid off, and said to go back for more if it fills up again as it does slow down the healing, and it was so swollen. she said she has seen it happen that it can actually burst the incision! the fluid looked like coffee spiked with red wine, she said it was like a blood blister. sorry if I make anyone naueseous, it makes me feel ill..... it felt immediately better and I may even be able to shower without my bra on today! lol...that's what I had decided to do!
And yes, she was a bit suprised to find negative nodes with me too! the cancer mass ended up to be 3 cm. triple negative, and grade 3, very aggresive. She said it was better though to have this with negative nodes than a smaller one with positive nodes!
I still don't have a "stage" of cancer, for what that's worth. I'm trying to figure it out by what I have and don't have, maybe stage II? Maybe the oncologist will tell me that.
Marci I will be thinking of you and saying a prayer for you that your chemo goes along without too much discomfort for you and we use the word wonky a lot up here in Canada! lol.... but then the capital city in my province of British Columbia is Victoria! lol.... we have double decker busses and everything! Still part of the Commonwealth so there is a lot of British culture here. My doctor (GP...or family doctor) is actually a Lord from the UK! His family has a huge estate with it's own village etc. he travels back there frequently and says he does not know what he's going to do when his dad passes as he will be expected to move home and take up the reins, but he does not want to!
Cheryl that is so exciting to have a family member and especially a daughter going into a career with Disney!! I hope she loves it! and we also have our youngest daughter who is 22, who has finished her schooling but has moved back home with us now. We had built onto our house for my mom to come live with us after my dad died, and so the house is really big. She passed away back in 96 and after that we had our son his wife and first our 1st grand child, then our 2nd grandchild all living here too! along with our middle daughter. It was a huge housefull, and with the girls always bringing home a friend or boyfriend, there were regularly from 8-10 people I cooked dinner for every night! Now it's just the 3 of us here. I miss them all, (thankfully they all live nearby) but I don't miss the work involved!
Maryann... our youngest daughter did a trip through Asia a couple of years ago for about 3 months. It was a serious culture shock for her, although an excellent experience!

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Good afternoon ladies

Marci - hoping your chemo is bearable today

Lisa - hope you can get the b12 shot tomm and sending you a and prayers for your treatment tomm.

Sha - You are probably the only warm person here, besides Lisa. We are jealous!!

Ann - how exciting that you can go to Disney next week. I hope the flights work out too. Enjoy the warmer weather for sure. Will you be at the Dolphin? Your dh sounds like mine, he was screaming at me to stay off the internet and stop looking etc!!

Melissa - Hope your storms arent too bad either. Ds friend graduated from ORU in Tulsa and is here now. He is studying for LSATs. I dont know if he is going back to OK or not. He is bussing tables right now and studying.

smiley - So glad to hear that the fluid draining helped alot. Its o.k. Not gross at all. My drain couldnt come out until the fluid turned yellow they said. Your province sounds great. I have only been to Vancouver and Stanley Park,and Grandby Island, this is while dh was at a conference once.

Laurie - is your dd getting excited about the upcoming trip. I know you said she was a veg. Just wondering what she likes to eat?

Cheryl - hope the appt. went well yest. We are all waiting to hear about your dd's experiences. I saw another poster say her dd is going to be at the podium at crt.

Well dh and the ds are on their way to San Francisco now. Somehow the last night in China there was a fight between the 2 ds that ended up with ds20 sleeping in the bathroom and locking the bathroom door and something about ds19 not appreciating the culture and refusing to eat deer tendons? Oh , so glad I am here and they are there.

We are suppose to get 2-6 inches tonight and tomm morning of snow. So over this already. Bring on spring.

I am getting the blood test on sat. if the weather holds out and I wont know the results till sometime in feb. as that is when my appt. is. I dont stress too much about it. If she actually calls me before the visit then I might. But you never know with her. I am ok waiting as I am dealing with the stomach surgeon too and maybe I can get the b12 shot and do my reclast run around again. Always something medical.

Did I say how dh said it was ok to spend 2 or 3 nights at the GF in May for our anniv. The rest of the time will be the Yacht or Beach Club. We havent booked the room but I make make some adrs.

GTAGWTA. Blessings to you all always.

 

[NHAnn]

We are suppose to get 2-6 inches tonight and tomm morning of snow. So over this already. Bring on spring.

5-9" more for us tomorrow...starting in the wee hours of the morn and moving fast, and inch or two and hour and done by noon. Not looking forward to the commute to work. I too am over it and ready for spring!!!

We will be at the Swan this time

I had my annual screening mamm Monday and checkup with surgeon today, everything looks great!

GAGWTA!

 

[snappy]

No snow here, just rain.

Dreary.

Let us know how you are doing, Cheryl.

Hoping for good results from your labs, MaryAnn.

Have a good trip, Ann. We will be going in March hopefully, no January trip for me. I will be busy rebuilding my database, bit by bit. We went back and restred to November 2009 today, but our IT guy is supposedly going to continue to try to recover some of the hundreds of backups I made, on a parallel basis. Not particularly good news but at least we finally got started after more than a month. I had to push it and insist on a caonference call to get everyone together and resolve where we were. It should not be this hard.

I may not come up for air until November 2011.

I feel like a one man show, because I am.

Oh my, what a baby I am.

 

[CherylDan]

GAGWTA!!!

Appt was about what I expected yesterday. He poked and prodded, didn't feel anything to be concerned about, then ordered yet ANOTHER CT scan for next week. Dont know what the tumor markers were yet, should find out tomorrow. So, more of the same, but he is still concerned enough that he will not let it go. I feel fine, no systems at all......I'm pretty sure all these CT scans, bone scans, and PET scans can't be good for me. He's also concerned that I've lost 20 lbs in the past 3 months, even though I told him that was intentional due to the diabetic diagnosis. OK, vent over. Guess I will know more next week.

DD had a tour of the tunnels at MK yesterday, I would love to have seen that. Apparently there was a sighting of Cinderella in sweatpants! She said it is pretty "unmagical" behind the scenes. She will be working at Cosmic Rays. Since she is in the culinary program her job had to be food related to get school credit. The apartment complex she is at is very nice, and her roommates seem to be working out well, so, so far so good!

Sooo very cold here.....wind chill tonight of 20 to 25 below.

Laurie, hope things at work start to get better! Sounds like another massage may be in order shortly?

Ann, glad the mammo went fine. Hope your snow doesn't slow you down too much. I agree....Spring can't get here soon enough! Have a great trip.....I hear the weather is absolutely PERFECT and the parks were dead today.

LMP, you are still doing the reclast run around??? Wow, that seems like a long time ago that you started that! I hope you have better luck this time. Sounds like you got the better end of the deal of staying home while they are on this trip!

smiley...that is great news on the negative nodes! I had 7 out of 18 positive, so I didn't fare so well with that. And, like you, I was also a grade 3. Anyway, I'm 4 years out now, and until very recently, wasn't having any problems at all. When you meet with your oncologist and figure out what your plan will be it should help put your mind at ease.....give you something concrete to work with.

Lisa, hope your chemo goes well tomorrow! You still sound amazing with all the walking & swimming!

 

[CherylDan]

Just a quick update....tumor marker numbers were up quite a bit, went from 84 to 135, so that is quite a jump and not good at all. Perhaps something will show up on the CT scan this time around. Think I'm gonna have to stop being in denial.

 

[marcij]

Just a quick update....tumor marker numbers were up quite a bit, went from 84 to 135, so that is quite a jump and not good at all. Perhaps something will show up on the CT scan this time around. Think I'm gonna have to stop being in denial.

oh no. I hope and pray it's not a big deal. I'm still learning so much from you gals and I'm not exactly sure what that means but I hope it's not as bad as feared.

I need more advice. Just had chemo #2 yesterday and tried to take it easier after that. Went home and rested, then drove in to Dallas with my Dad for my son's last basketball game. Had been feeling wonky all day so I had my crackers and meds with me. Got home and wasn't feeling well at all. Took all meds I could. Got up this morning and it wasn't long before d started. I took immodium as they said to, then had to take more when I had more problems. I'm pushing fluids, had some more crackers and applesauce, and a zucchini muffin. Still just feeling really crappy. Had to drive in to get the nulasta sp? shot. Drove back home and just relaxing. Not much sounds good to me. Any ideas ladies? What could you tolerate well after chemo?

 

[MinnieTink]

Hi all

Hi Marci... My mom had the "d" issue after her chemo. She took immodium but they also gave her something else, a prescription tablet for when things got too rough. You are doing the best thing by pushing the fluids. My mom finished chemo and radiation and the other day my son ran up to her and she picked him up and gave him a huge hug and kiss. I stood there with a lump in my throat thinking wow look at her! Just a short time ago she was way too weak to do that! And just yesterday she felt comfortable enough to take her hat off and show off the new "snow on the roof."

I truly truly wish you all the best and I am sending prayers for you and your families.

Peace

 

[snappy]

Hugs to you Cheryl.

I am sorry to hear about the tumor markers. I too don't know much about the markers, although I had the bloodwork to have them checked for years.

I am glad your doctor is being aggressive. He sounds like one that will help you fightthis thing.

Marci, sorry about the "d" problem. I am sure there are certain foods that are helpful with it. Problem is it sounds like you have no appetite. I had a great cookbook once for people in treatment, but I think I must have given it away.
I bet someone who has had this problem while on chemo will chime in.

Ann, I hope you were able to take off for WDW. Glad it has warmed up there and is so nice. DD15 and I went in late January when she was in 6th grade, and the weather was wonderful most of the days. She liked being out of school too!

My IT guy at work recovered my original database, but not as it looked right before the crash, actually back to September 2010.

Much easier to get back up to date than the older one from the day before that was November 2009, so I was relieved to say the least.

Making progress. I have been working so hard, my boss said I could take whatever time off I wanted during Mardi Gras.

DH and I celebrated last night and went to see a movie-The King's Speech. It was a gem of a movie, very low key which I like, extremely well cast, great script, and most of all well acted. No pomp and circumstance just real, satisfying and uplifting. Like the coronation, one of the best scenes of the movie was when the two major characters were talking right before reheasrsing. The actual coronation itself was not even show, only the family watching a black and white newsreel screening of the event. The actor who played George VI was amazing. He picked up the Golden globe for best actor last week which I happened to watch.

I don't like to come out of a movie depressed, so I am avoiding like the plague The Black Swan.

DD20 has type b flu. Luckily, she rcognized she was sick, sent in to the Tulane student health folks (before she even alerted me she was sick, praise the Lord) and was swabbed to confirm. She got on Tamiflu and hopefully that will hasten her recovery. DH, DD15 and I all had the flu shot, I could not get DD20 to take the shot. I think she would have agreed to the nose swab though if I had insisted and carted her over to the clinic for it myself. She even admitted to me that she should have listened to me, which is unlike her. She must be feeling low!

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Good morning ladies

marci - hoping your symptoms subside quickly

Lisa - hope your treatment was bearable too

Cheryl - its good your dr. is being agressive about this. Hoping this ct scan will shed some light on everything going on. I was thinking about your Cinderella in sweatpants comment

Laurie - you will need a good drink when your data is all restored. Hope your dd feels better soon. I also couldnt get ds21 to get the flu shot even with his asthma. Young adults!

Ann - have a great time at the Swan

Well the blood test is behind me, now the waiting game begins. Of course she couldnt get the blood in the tube so she had to keep pushing on my arm etc. 3 tubes later I have a slight bruise. Ds20 turns 21 today. I dont know what their plans are yet, I think something in San Francisco. Oh, and dh got an e mail that coming home they will not be able to use the elec ports on the plane so they are giving him 5,000 miles, yippee!! Got to tell them to make sure the laptop batteries are charged, but its a red eye so I hope they sleep instead. With the snowstorm coming, I told ds I want to do a grocery run maybe. My next door neighbor just put his house up for sale again. I see he lowered the price by $15K from last time, so maybe it will sell and we will have some new neighbors. I am hoping it will sell low as that will help if we want to challenge our tax assesment.

GTAGWTA

 

[smiley_face2]

Cheryl and Marci, I'm so sorry you are not having good results at the moment.
MinnieTink, your story brought tears to my eyes! my little 1 year old grandson can't figure out why I don't pick him up right now, he keeps asking "up" with his little arms out, it breaks my heart!
Laurie, I'm glad you are getting your stuff at work sorted! you will enjoy your holidays so much more with this behind you!! and I'm glad your boss sees what you are doing and is appreciative!
Ann...hurray! you will enjoy your holidays more as well, with a good checkup!
I went to see a different dr. as mine was fully booked yesterday. I really liked him a lot, except he did not feel comfortable draining me, so we decided to leave it till monday, see how things are, and if I still feel like it needs to be done, he wants to do an ultrasound guided draining. He is also English, recently moved here so has a lovely accent, and his last name is Sparrow, like the Captain... lol... but deffo Jack's very proper geeky brother! I was a bit depressed yesterday, and we talked about faith, and having to leave some things in Gods hands. I really liked that coming from a dr. they are all too afraid to offend so say nothing. I felt it was a bit of a Godwink because I've been questioning lately and it was a bit of a direct message.
I think my feelings are coming from hubby. He was so happy to hear about the negative nodes, and how it increases my chances, that he even asked "do you think you still need to do the chemo and radiation?" I don't want to take away his happiness at my results, or make him feel bad, but I don't think he's being realistic and oh I don't know. It's hard to explain. Anyway thanks for listening!

 

[snappy]

5,000 more points!!! MaryAnn, sounds you need to upgrade your WDW trip!

Smilie, your talk with the other doc sounds like a Godwink to me as well. We really like Godwinks around here.

Sorry you have been feeling down but it is not surprising. Is your pain in your arm any better?

Your DH sounds totally devoted to you. glad to know yu have such good support.

Getting DD15 ready for two dances back to back Friday and Saturday next weekend. I think I am too old for this. We found the dresses at a very close small shop where we have bought dresses previously. In and out in under an hour.

Luckily she is low maintenance, not demanding, and appreciative, which helps the shopping process be bearable. We got a lot done in 2-3 hours, everything on the list. We only had to go to two shoe stores (discount), she bought a Chi type flat iron, and toupee tape to keep the dresses in place. We even found some rollup ballet slipons on sale in case her feet start hurting from the high heels. I am ready for a nap. One of her dressesis the beautiful pinkish purple strapless. It is perfect for her but I swear it makes her look so much older. The other one is black (the theme of the dance is snowball and everyone wears either white or black), with a high neckline and a low black. It has the prettiest lace on the sleeve, something you don't usually see on this typ of dress. It is not really that low in the back but we have a little black shrug type sweater for her to wear so it is not to bare and against the cotillion regulations (love those rules!).

We are having a sunny day here, actually beautiful, but a bit cold for my tastes, only up to 55 degrees. I would love to be in WDW right this very minute.

GAGWTA!

 

[smiley_face2]

5,000 more points!!! MaryAnn, sounds you need to upgrade your WDW trip!

Smilie, your talk with the other doc sounds like a Godwink to me as well. We really like Godwinks around here.

Sorry you have been feeling down but it is not surprising. Is your pain in your arm any better?

Your DH sounds totally devoted to you. glad to know yu have such good support.

Getting DD15 ready for two dances back to back Friday and Saturday next weekend. I think I am too old for this. We found the dresses at a very close small shop where we have bought dresses previously. In and out in under an hour.

Luckily she is low maintenance, not demanding, and appreciative, which helps the shopping process be bearable. We got a lot done in 2-3 hours, everything on the list. We only had to go to two shoe stores (discount), she bought a Chi type flat iron, and toupee tape to keep the dresses in place. We even found some rollup ballet slipons on sale in case her feet start hurting from the high heels. I am ready for a nap. One of her dressesis the beautiful pinkish purple strapless. It is perfect for her but I swear it makes her look so much older. The other one is black (the theme of the dance is snowball and everyone wears either white or black), with a high neckline and a low black. It has the prettiest lace on the sleeve, something you don't usually see on this typ of dress. It is not really that low in the back but we have a little black shrug type sweater for her to wear so it is not to bare and against the cotillion regulations (love those rules!).

We are having a sunny day here, actually beautiful, but a bit cold for my tastes, only up to 55 degrees. I would love to be in WDW right this very minute.

GAGWTA!

I miss those days! (having a teen in the house/proms/etc.) our youngest is 22 now, she's at home again (after being away at school) and we do go shopping, but those were fun days (if a bit exhausting!)
Yes hubby is a gem. He had a ruptured appendix 3 and a half years ago, I almost lost him, it got abcessed and they had to open it up again and leave it open and put him on 2 different antibiotics. He was in hospital for 3 weeks. I spent about 2 months nursing back to health at home after the hospital. The scariest time of my life! So I know how he is feeling, poor guy. I will maintain my calm and optomism for him, try to vent here and at dr.s etc. apparently at the cancer agency I will be going to, they have councillors so I may see one of them. The pain in my arm is still there, but easing. He said nerves only grow about 2mm per day so it will take a long time to resolve. I'm being impatient and whiney right now. have to snap out of it!