Dis Breast Cancer Survivors Part IV - GAGWTA

[snappy]

Sorry to hear your son is sick, Pea-n-me, keep us posted.:group hug:

Smilie, I will indeed try and post some pictures. Sadly, we have not taken many in last few years, as for us, that is home, and we just think of it.

I will try to get some pictures Grad weekend, as we will be uptown, downtown in the super dome, in the quarter and on the west bank I am tired just thinking about it. I would particularly like y'all to see some pictures of my friend's cool house on the west bank. It is a camel back style, not sure when the original structure was built, but definitely in the 1800's.

She has decorated it in a funky New Orleans style, as that style fits this house.

I will try and get some inside and out, and maybe some jazz fest pictures when we attend that in April as well, maybe with my iPhone as I would not want to drag my Canon around the fairgrounds.

I am working on a menu for the party, crawfish etouffee, jambalaya and artichoke balls is as far as I have gotten so far. Probably have a nice lemon and chocolate dauberge cake (from the bakery, lol). I wish I could get DD21 to call me. She said she was going to call me yesterday but I only got a few short texts. Some drama must be up.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

GAGWTA, Ladies!

Linda, I am sorry your DS has been ill!

Cheryl, hoping you continue to get good news! The cruise sounds lovely. We have never done a cruise. DH is "iffy" on whether he wants to attempt one.

Smiley, the new oncologist sounds terrific! Hoping you get good results from the MRI!

Laurie, you are a busy woman. I don't know how you keep up!

MaryAnn, I am glad you guys weren't hurt in the deer collision. Hopefully everything gets sorted out soon!

DS meets with the new tutor for the second time tomorrow. Hoping it goes well.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Linda - sorry to hear your son was in the hospital. I hope he is healing and feeling stronger each day

Lisa and Love2 - hope you are both hanging in there

Laurie - hope you ds is feeling better too.

smiley - I thought of your grandson when I read a post that people want the tomorrowland speedway at wdw to be turned into a cars movie themed attraction.

Elizabeth - how did the tutoring session go?

Well dh took the van for the estimate. Its going to be about $1700 and we have a $250 deductible. He will have it done while he is on his trip.

Tomm. I have a school meeting.

GAGWTA. Hope everyone is doing well.

 

[CherylDan]

Linda, how's your son doing? And Laurie, did you and your DD manage to avoid the flu?

LMP, when DD hit a deer this past winter, it was covered under comprehensive so we didn't have to pay anything, not even the deductible. Not sure if that varies from company to company (we have state farm) but it might be worth double checking.

pats mom, hope you are feeling better!

Smiley, glad that you have a new doc you like.....How did it go with the MRI?

DH and I spent the weekend fast and furiously researching Alaska cruises, and actually decided on one and booked it! It was a bit overwhelming, and more expensive than I thought it would be....well, not the cruise itself, but all the extras that are not included. But I'm really glad we went ahead with it, especially after today when I got the dreaded call from my oncologist. Seems that my tumor marker numbers are up. He doesn't feel the need to do anything more right now since I just had the scan, so I'll just be playing the waiting game until June. But jeez, talk about taking the wind out of my sails.

 

[smiley_face2]

Cheryl will be sending you lot's of good positive thoughts and prayers!! I'm guessing you will be flying into either Seatle or Vancouver? We walk on the beach in the summer and watch the cruise ships go by on their way up to Alaska! if I know when yours is, I'll watch for your boat and wave! It is not too expensive to do the Alaska cruise from here for us, because of not having to fly or even stay over before the cruise, but we have never thought about doing it, until Disney started them!! Now we would love to do one!! but Disney Alaska cruises are so expensive!!

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Cheryl - sending lots of prayers your way. I am glad your oncologist is on top of things though like he was before. You amazed him before and hopefully that will happen again. Glad you have the Alaska cruise to look forward to.

Elizabeth - I hope you are safe from the tornado damage. We lived close to Lancaster and I was so sad to see the damage there.

Lisa - hope you are resting up.

Linda - hope you son is getting stronger each day

Sha - miss you sista, where are you??

Well I went to my meeting today. The school is holding its own, PTL. Ds22 has finished the front yard work. It looks really good. Ds20 headed into the city with friends today. Tomm. dh and ds22 most likely will go with him to Seattle.

GAGWTA.

 

[disneymommy78]

I hope its okay for me to post here for support. My name is Karen and I am 33. I had biopsies done today on three suscipious lumps. Two in my left breast (peach pit sized and walnut sized) and one near the lymph nodes under my left armpit (grape sized). I am super sore and tender and anxiously awaiting results.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Karen - I was going to post on your other thread. But glad you came here too.

So sorry you have to worry about this too with all you have been through.

This is a good place for encouragement, support and information too.

I cant comment too much because I have another kind of cancer (thy), but know some of the ladies here will chime in to help you.

I think another gal posted recently with the same things you are experiencing and hers turned out to be a lactating seroma. I will pray that is the case with you too.

Its hard to wait for the test results too. Praying for Gods peace and patience for you.

Wishing you all the best and enjoy those precious little girls.

Keep us informed.

 

[smiley_face2]

I hope its okay for me to post here for support. My name is Karen and I am 33. I had biopsies done today on three suscipious lumps. Two in my left breast (peach pit sized and walnut sized) and one near the lymph nodes under my left armpit (grape sized). I am super sore and tender and anxiously awaiting results.

So much love and hope and prayers being sent to you Karen One thing I have learned in life now, is that there is no fair, and I do not know what Karma means. I know I never did anything to earn my fate, but there it is. It is such a hard time, and you have to try hard to keep seeing the joy in life, especially with your children. Try your best to stay calm and positive for your self as much as for your dear babies.
I just went and found your story, and my heart is broken for you. The loss of a child is the absolute worst thing that can ever happen to anyone as far as I am concerned. Even though our dear son was a young man when he was taken from us, he was my dear baby boy, that was supposed to be there to take care of me when I was old. He left 4 beautiful little girls behind who are struggling along without him. We lost our Ken just 3 weeks after my surgery for my breast cancer, and my dear husband was working with him when he was killed in front of him. He tried so hard to save his life, and is struggling with severe post traumatic stress and depression and guilt that it was not him instead. He has been terrified of losing me now as well. Our 2 other children are dear daughters, and the one closest to Ken was a new young mother herself, and could not cope with the loss of her dear brother, they were only 22 months apart and so very close. She turned to alcohol and tried to commit suicide. Finally after 2 months in a psychiatric ward, and a rehab center, and weekly councilling and meetings, she is doing well. We all struggle every day with our grief, and fear, and don't know what we did to deserve this all, or how we are expected to keep putting one foot in front of the other, but we do it for our dear daughters, and our dear grand children. they need us so very much. the pain from my surgeries (I had 2 because even with my very hard chemo, the cancer grew back by the time I was done it) was a destraction from my overwhelming grief. I can't understand why God did not take me instead, our son was and is needed so very badly by his dear little girls. The baby, who had only turned 1 the week before he died, is now 2 and takes her little chair and sits in front of his picture on the wall and talks to him all the time. It breaks our hearts even more if that is possible. But, we took the 2 oldest girls (7 and 5) to Disneyland before Christmas, and while it was hard because we had been taking our children including their father there since they were little, and they kept remembering things they did there with daddy when he was alive, we did have some happy times too. We are taking our dear daughter, the one who suffered so badly, and her son, our little grandson who will be 2 and a half to Disneyland this summer. I have had people say to me if you can believe it, time heals all wounds. I don't get mad anymore, they just don't understand. It changes you forever, and the pain while it does not stay at that same intensity every hour of the day, is there at some time every day and is just as painful as it was the first day. again, love and prayers to you and your dear family, and to your poor dear husband who must be overwhelmed with fear of loss right now.

 

[CherylDan]

 

[snappy]

Smilie, thanks for telling your story, as painful as it must be.

 

[snappy]

Karen, I have not read your other thread yet, but I intend to as soon as I am able to. I can just say my prayers are with you.

 

[annrae]

I've been very negligent about posting in these past few months but it certainly does not mean that I have not been thinking of all of you. I know you must be looking forward to your DD graduating from college Laurie - what a wonderful celebration that will be! Linda, I hope your son is on the road to recovery and doing well. Maryann - Will your DH be home for Easter? Smiley - I read where you are doing well and travelling - so happy for you. To all of you I've missed but not forgotten, please know that I wish you well in your test and treatments.
Ann I hope Avery is doing better also and is "bare" headed. My friend and her Mom are both on Caring Bridge - my friend for having a double mastectomy (32 years old) and her Mom for pancreatic cancer and now she has breast cancer. A family surely in need of many prayers.

Wishing you all a very Happy Easter.

Hugs, Barbara

 

[disneymommy78]

Well it's breast cancer. All three nodes/lumps tested positive for invasive lobular carcinoma. I am angry, stunned shocked, scared and sad. I go to the oncologIst tomorrow for testing for staging purposes and to bein dicusussing treatment options.

 

[smiley_face2]

Well it's breast cancer. All three nodes/lumps tested positive for invasive lobular carcinoma. I am angry, stunned shocked, scared and sad. I go to the oncologIst tomorrow for testing for staging purposes and to bein dicusussing treatment options.

I am so sorry to hear this. I want to tell you all the positive stuff, like how good the treatments are now for breast cancer etc. but right now, I know it won't help you feel better. I so hope you will be able to have some live in help. Again I am so sorry for how hard things are and have been for you.

 

[CherylDan]

Karen, I'm so sorry.

I just went back and read your story. You and your family have been through more in the past few months than anybody should ever have to face. I have no words....keeping you in my thoughts.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Karen - I am so so very sorry that you had to hear that news.

My thoughts and prayers are with you

 

[wdw4us2]

Karen - I'm sorry you have become a member of the club no one wants to belong to.

I am feeling marginally better, but am still having a lot of food issues. I went for labs today and needed a Prokrit shot for the first time in three weeks. I talked to one of the nurse/practitioners and she ordered an at home oxygen test for me. The kit should be here tomorrow and I have to test for two days and nights and send the kit back. Hopefully, I will be eligible for the portable oxygen which would at least allow me to leave the house once in a while. I have a bit more energy and have two weeks until the next chemo, so I am hoping to be much better by then.

I hope everyone has a Happy Easter/Passover.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Lisa - I am so glad to see you posting. Sorry you are having the food issues. Hope there is something that you can find that your stomach can tolerate. It would be good if you are able to get the oxygen. I always remember in the hospital when they gave me the oxygen I felt so much better. My one lung doesnt really work well anyway so it helped alot for sure. Wishing you all the best always. Blessings to you.

Karen - Hope your oncologist visit went as well as could be expected and that you have a good treatment plan. You will kick this cancer in the butt!

Barbara - yes my dh will be away for easter. Ds22 is with him but will leave to come home that day, Just dont know when yet. Dh flies to San Francisco on Easter from Seattle.

Well I went to church today to help set up the communion. Honestly the other girl did about 80% of the work. She knows I really cant do much. I was so out of breath again there too. Yest. I walked to the mailbox and experienced the same symptoms.

In the mail today I get a letter from the hospital..and with my luck, surprise, surprise now my stomach surgeon has just left and moved out of state so I need to find a new one in the group if I need one. I think I am going to go with the youngest one. Only because I dont like the personality of the one older one and the young one was trained by my dr. I am sure. There are 4 others too. 3 who stood at the bottom of my bed and stared at me during rounds once. Enough said. I am a person, not just a patient! I am not having a good track records with the drs. lately, starting with the gyn leaving this summer etc. Its hard for me to get used to and trust another dr. etc. And after he operated on me 4 times, this guy really knows what my guts are like inside for sure etc. He even talked to the oncologist and got her to give me the radiation when she didnt want to. Oh well.

Wishing you all a blessed holiday season.

GAGWTA

 

[disneymommy78]

I hope you all have a wonderful Easter.

The oncologist visit went as well as can be expected. I found out more information about my cancer and had several tests (CT Scan, Bone Scan, and echocardiogram). I have my treatment plan generally mapped out. I've been placed on a clinical trial. My cancer is HER 2+ but estrogen/progesterone receptor negative (so no Tamoxifen), Stage IIIB, Invasive Lobular Carcinoma.


I will have chemo (6 rounds, 3 week long cycles) consisting of Carboplatin, Eribulin and Trastuzumab. Then I will have surgery (masectomy most likely, but if the chemo shrinks the tumors enough I could have a lumpectomy, and I will also have lymph node dissection. After surgery I will have radiation as well.

I am having my port placed on Monday, with chemo starting Wednesday.

My parents have moved back into the house (in our in-law suite) to help out with Cailyn (my 8 year old) and to give hubby the ability to continue working as we CANNOT afford for him to lose his job.