Dis Breast Cancer Survivors Part IV - GAGWTA

[snappy]

I am beyond thrilled that your room mate will accompany you today. It will help you trust me. Glad you posted this. Sorry you had such a bad night. Can you let her drive you?

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Well after a very sleepless night of tossing and turning, I called in sick to work which is something I haven't done in forever. I've worked the same place since I was 16 and am a shift leader/trainer so I NEVER call in. I feel awful about it but I'm a stomach sleeper and can't possibly sleep like that right now and was so uncomfortable last night! My roommate/apartment mate told me I was moaning and crying in my sleep last night. I told her what was going on and she asked to go with me to my infusion appt today.

I agree with snappy, that was so nice of your roommate! I'm glad she's with you today - what a nice girl. Hoping today goes well and you start to see some results. Ask your doctors if it would be worth hospitalization to get you on antibiotics round the clock for a while. (Just a thought.) Depending on the hospital, they also have specialists right there who can get involved. This will allow them to be aggressive about it, and they would also be better able to get your pain and discomfort under control.

 

[disneydazed90]

Well, I'm back home now after dose#3 of antibiotics and an injection of pain medication. I was also sent home with oral pain meds and doctor's orders to stay home from work/classes through Monday. I go back for infusions tomorrow and Saturday and then return Monday for a follow-up. I asked at what point should I become concerned and the answer was "sometimes it can take a few courses of antibiotics to clear an infection." I was also told sometimes the first antibiotic they try doesn't work so they have to try another.

I'm just frustrated and anxious.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

disneydazed - glad you are taking some time off to rest. If you never call in sick I am sure your boss will understand just how sick you really are. I am glad your room mate is there for support. Yes sometimes you have to have several antibiotics. I only had one and I had to take it for 30 days. I am allergic to so many. They have 2 more they can use on me if need be. But I guess you can rest and study for midterms now.Hope the pain meds help you sleep and be comfy.

Peg - did you have your test yet? Hope all goes well.

Linda - what kind of frig are you getting? I told you I hate ours. Also it still leaks. I am sure the repair would cost lots and of course it broke after the warranty was up. We have a whirlpool no ice on the door and just bottom freezer and no french door. Ds has now resorted to clearing out the ice when it builds up with my Mickey Mouse pie server!

fortwildernessishome - another baseball mom! My oldest ds played in hs, but now he is in a summer league playing catcher just for fun. Oh and did I mention he has bad knees? He said no one wanted to do catcher so he volunteered. Hope you are feeling well too with all that is on your plate.

Laurie - we were thinking of May but that might change into June. More of that post shortly

I am concerned about Pats Mom. I have her cell but feel its too intrusive to call. Maybe a text might be good. She is on my heart and mind.

So dh has now said we could maybe go in June I said fine but I will miss the Flower and Garden and dont they jack up the food prices then? And doesnt the rainy season start then. Peg, I am sure you could elaborate. Honestly. I have not gone In June before that I can remember. I am sure it will be really hot, that is the way I like it but I know dh will be a heat grump for sure. When we used to go with the ds in July or August I always told dh he was getting the temperature tantrums. He is not a rise and shine park guy. Its more like after lunch and I waste half the day in the room watching tv or reading while he rests since he says I am on vacation etc. I guess I have to see his side of things. But it always frustrates me.

Oh and Laurie visions of you and your fish tank are dancing in my head because ds2 now wants one too I said no. It would be a good deal though. But maybe I am crazy I told my ds I dont want to make you comfy here I want you all to move out etc. I want the empty nest. Not them filling up my nest with their stuff etc. I told him he needs to save his money etc.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Linda - what kind of frig are you getting? I told you I hate ours. Also it still leaks. I am sure the repair would cost lots and of course it broke after the warranty was up. We have a whirlpool no ice on the door and just bottom freezer and no french door. Ds has now resorted to clearing out the ice when it builds up with my Mickey Mouse pie server!

Similar situation. I forgot to renew the warranty and it's now got a ton of issues. We also have to take ice out with a scoop since the ice maker broke. Kind of embarrassing when the kids have their friends over or we have guests! It's also about as small as they come due to space limitations. I think we got a Whirlpool, too. But it's a special order and coming from somewhere else, so it's "MIA". Figures.

 

[snappy]

Disneydazed, hoping the pain meds make you more comfortable. Don't be afraid to take the oral ones.

LMP, may see you in June!

I had to laugh about the fish tank. Our first one was my idea, bought one year to day before DD17 was born. I wanted one because I read somewhere the value of a fish tank with young children.

It is more my tank though, I pick the fish, DH cleans it. Our new cannister filtration system has the water sparkling.

My lol though was letting DD22 who was 17 at the time talk us into adopting a puppy, Naj. Needless to say Naj stayed with us when she went to college 8 months later.

Stand your ground on this.

 

[Feralpeg]

I'm also in the market for a new fridge. Mine is night quite nine years old, but is a mess. The handle on the door is broken. It has a water and ice dispenser on door, but I had to shut off the ice maker. A puppy I fostered a couple of years ago found it fun to lean on the dispenser and shoot water and ice across the room. He ended up breaking it. So, no ice at our house unless I pull out the old fashioned ice trays!

luvmarypoppins, I had the test today. It went really well. I won't need another for five years. Good!

Florida in June will be hot and you can expect the regular afternoon thunderstorms. Just plan on taking it easy and make plenty of stops in the air conditioning!

 

[fortwildernessishome]

You summed it up so well!! I too hoped against hope, but about 12 days after my first chemo, it started coming out in handfulls so with family help I cut and shaved all the rest off. Also got a very good wig which was almost the same style and almost a perfect match color wise as my own, and also had so many people who had no idea what I was going through. So many people complimented me on my pretty new hair do! lol... I also went around most of last spring with a cap and by summer I had a nice short stylish do. Lemons and lemonaid and all that.... I am at an awful inbetween stage now, I want to grow it long again though so am suffering through, I resorted to bobby pins for my "bangs" yesterday.
Feralpeg, hang in there!
Disneydazed90 glad you came here for some support! I am so grateful to the lovely ladies I have "met" here

After talking to a variety of people who have gone through chemo, I think we all have that same hope. Even though we have been told that we will lose our hair, we hope that we will be the one in a million that it won't happen too!!!! I had long hair like you. Before chemo started I had it cut fairly short. Once it started to come out, I went back and had it cut shorter. When it was coming out by the handful, I had my husband use the razor and take it all off. I would have had him use the razor sooner, but, I REALLY hoped that maybe, just maybe I wouldnt lose it all!!!! I finished my chemo on Feb. 8th of last year and my hair is still fairly short.....its coming along though! Mine has grown back in curly, which I really like!!!

I also got tons of compliments on my "new hair cut" with my wig too!!! I had long hair, but ended up picking out a wig that was much shorter. Sometimes, I just thanked people for the compliment on my "new' haircut/style and sometimes I told people it was a wig, which just brought disbelief, since it really did look like real hair!!! Wig companies have come a longgggggg way!!!

 

[fortwildernessishome]

fortwildernessishome - another baseball mom! My oldest ds played in hs, but now he is in a summer league playing catcher just for fun. Oh and did I mention he has bad knees? He said no one wanted to do catcher so he volunteered. Hope you are feeling well too with all that is on your plate.

.

Both of my boys are baseball players. My oldest is in his second year of college, so his formal days of playing are over. He had a great run though and played at his high school as well as a travel team. We went throughout New England watching him play as well as to Cooperstown and even at Disney Wide World of Sports. It was great fun. My youngest is a junior in high school and plays for the high school and a Legion team. I dont think I have ever missed a game. I love watching them and their teammates play.

I am feeling VERY well! I have been both "lucky" and "unlucky" if that makes sense!!!! I went in for a hysterectomy for a pre-cancerous condition with my uterus and found out two days later that I had two cancers (felt very "unlucky"!)......uterine and ovarian! What a shock!!! But, I was super "lucky" in that both were caught early.

I had another surgery, six months of chemo and see my oncologist every three months. I am a worrier and I worry about the ovarian cancer coming back, since that is what usually happens with ovarian cancer, but my oncologist is very encouraging and feels I have a very good shot of it not coming back. I stay around positive people and dont listen to the less than positive outcomes!

Good wishes to all that are going through treatment or are dealing with the aftermath.

 

[disneydazed90]

Ultram is definitely helping to take the edge of things. I was able to take a nap this afternoon and my roommates (who were supposed to go to a party tonight), decided to stay in with me for a movie-and-pizza, stay in our pajamas and lounge on the couch kind of night. I love all of my roommates!

But, I'm so frustrated with the timing of this. I graduate in the end of April, and my first midterm is Monday. I've already gotten permission to reschedule it, but I feel so awful about it!

And well I'm kind of freaking out/puzzled but trying to stay calm. My entire left breast is so swollen/enlarged that it is now visibly larger than my right. I'm talking like you can definitely tell it's swollen, won't fit into my bras swollen. Is this something typical with infections?

Also, the lymph nodes under my left armpit are swollen. It doesn't hurt there, though.

I don't want to double post, so I'm just editing this. Today I woke up to find lymph nodes both above and below my collarbone on the left side, swollen. The swelling under my left armpit had worsened and my left breast doesn't look any better or feel any better.

I went to my appointment to get my antibiotics and begged for relief. My doc agreed with me and has put me in the hospital, hopefully for just a few days on stronger antibiotics and for close monitoring. My gyno has said if things don't dramatically improve by this time next week, she's referring me to a specialist for further testing. I'm terrified but trying to stay hopeful.

 

[Dancind]

Disney daze, sweetie, hope you get some relief soon! How scary that must be for you. It does sound like a big infection and not something worse, but finding the right meds is pretty scary these days.

Love the NY trip report, love the photos. Now I want to go to an art museum when we are in CA.

Any news from MMitchell?

LMP, glad your DH is going to WDW with you, but sorry about June! June is better than later in the summer though. We used to go every May for anniversary, my bday etc. Then we switched to CA. Have actually booked 4 nights at DL for September. "Had" to book a 1 bedroom at the Villas at Grand Californian because no studios were available. Guess we will suffer.

Peg, so sorry about your hair. I did not go through that but would not have handled it well.

I buy refrigerators at estate sales, my DH just loves it when I do that. He gets to move and install etc. Our current one is really nice, a Kitchenaide with ice in the door. Should last a while! DH finally finished our bathroom remodel started at Thanksgiving.

Well, I will be on the other side of the surgery wait on Monday. DD broke her wrist last weekend snowboarding. Not healing correctly, so she opted for surgery rather than another attempt at resetting. Hope she doesn't have problems with the plate and pins. It's her right hand, of course.

 

[disneydazed90]

Well I have now had 6 days of antibiotics with no improvement in swelling, appearance or pain level. I'm now anxious and frustrated and beginning to be a little scared but still trying to be positive. I'm being seen by a breast specialist tomorrow.

 

[snappy]

disneydazed, I am so sorry your pain and swelling have not yet improved, and that you are anxious from still being in limbo. I assume you are still hospitalized. I hope you have some visitors to distract you today. Can you arrange for someone be with you when the breast specialist sees you? Always good to have another set of ears.

I am glad you are seeing a breast specialist tomorrow, rather than having to wait until the end of the week. I think you need both relief and answers. Keep taking the pain meds as prescribed.

If you can, update us with what your next step will be.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I would imagine she'd be having a biopsy in the next day or two. That's the only way to get a definitive answer to whether it's cancer or not. (There could be more difficulty knowing what type of infection it is if cancer is ruled out.) Disneydazed, we're pulling for you, hun. Hang in there, you're doing great.

 

[Feralpeg]

Disneydazed, I'm thinking and praying for you. Hope you get an answer and some relief soon!

I went ahead and had my head shaved on Saturday. The hair was falling out in clumps and driving me nuts. It feels very strange to have no hair. Actually, I still have little tiny hairs which feel very odd. I did buy a wig. The funny part is that they had no salt and pepper colored wigs. I could either go brown or totally grey. So, for the first time in a long time, I have no grey! It will take some getting used to.

My next infusion is on Tuesday. Now that I know what to expect, it won't be so bad. My oncologist said that I should expect pretty much the same reaction as last time. The timing could be better. Kendall has a friend from England who will be staying with us for two weeks starting Tuesday. The plans were made long before we knew that I would be having health issues. I couldn't ask him to change his plans...too much money would be lost. I hope he doesn't have an issue with bald ladies! lol!

Thinking of you all!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Peg, you can get insurance reimbursement for your wig, usually. It's considered a "hair prosthesis". It's a little easier once it's off, isn't it?

 

[Feralpeg]

Peg, you can get insurance reimbursement for your wig, usually. It's considered a "hair prosthesis". It's a little easier once it's off, isn't it?

It is absolutely easier! It was so depressing having it come out in handfuls and taking a shower was a mess!

I'll turn the cost of the wig into my insurance! Thanks!

 

[luvmarypoppins]

disneydazed - hope things are going well for you and your consult with the specialist today has good results. Hang in there!

Diana - wishing your dd all the best with her surgery tomm.

Peg - hope the infusion goes well tomm. I am sure Kendall will help out with your house guest. That is so nice she has a friend coming here.

Very busy week end. I am still tired. I think it has to do with the time change too. Sat. ds2 and 3 went with me tothe auction fundraiser for the school. It was fun and they won lots of stuff. I think I won some salsa for dh. they got so many food and restaraunt gift certificates. Then. Sun. was a chili cook off at our church. Ds2 was up past 2 am making it sat. night. Our house smelled of garlic etc. He got the recipe for the food network. It was his first time and he did great. He wanted turkey chili. He also got the real kidney beans and didnt realize how long they needed to soak etc. But it all worked out well. There was a tie for 2nd place and he came in 3rd place out of 12 entries. I dont want to eat chili for quite a while. We had to sample all 12 and then vote.

Still dont know when we are going to Disney. May or June. I think its looking more like June. Dh has to wait for visas and letters of invitation from the two countries because of the nature of his job etc. So frustrating when trying to plan a trip. Worse. I think we wont have any good adrs etc. I think I am underwhelmed again about this trip. It will be more of a last minute type thing I think.

GAGWTA. Thinking of you all.

 

[disneydazed90]

Well I still don't have definite answers or any improvement in symptoms. I was seen by the breast surgeon/ specialist late this afternoon. She was very friendly and compassionate. She made me feel comfortable and answered my questions. She was very concerned with the appearance and thickening of the skin of my breast and also with the inflammation and lack of improvement with antibiotics. I had another ultrasound which showed the thickening of the breast tissue which she said was "definitely concerning." My next step is a breast MRI tomorrow since I'm so young and my breast tissue is too dense for a mammo to be effective.

 

[fortwildernessishome]

It is absolutely easier! It was so depressing having it come out in handfuls and taking a shower was a mess!

I'll turn the cost of the wig into my insurance! Thanks!

Sending about the hair loss. It is tough........

I just want to mention a couple of things that I wish people had told me.

The skin on my head REALLY hurt as my hair was falling out and for a few weeks after it had all fallen out. My head was so sore and tender, but it did get better!

About the wig. I had to go back two times to get it fitted better. It was frusterating, but I was glad I stuck with it, because in the end my wigs were the perfect fit and made my life much easier.

When you are using the oven, stand back when you first open the door. I got to close a couple of times and extrmeme heat and wigs DO NOT mix!! I went back to the wig store and they actually fixed the bangs for me with something that looked like a curling iron.

My insurance covered two wigs. I got two identicle wigs. I wanted two, so when I washed one, I still had the other. Plus. I wore mine for nine months, and I wanted an extra in case something happened to one of them.

Best of luck to you.......its no fun.....but its not for forever!