Ana and Jo chatting

[socalcurly]

I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer July 1st 2008. I underwent a bilateral mastectomy on August 25th and am now undergoing chemotherapy. I also am in the process of reconstruction. I had joined the adbb early last year and then got sidetracked from the cancer and recovery. I am looking forward to moving forward as a survivor.

Ana

[Jo]

I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer July 1st 2008. I underwent a bilateral mastectomy on August 25th and am now undergoing chemotherapy. I also am in the process of reconstruction. I had joined the adbb early last year and then got sidetracked from the cancer and recovery. I am looking forward to moving forward as a survivor.

Ana

[[[[ana]]]]]
i'm so glad you came by here.

how are you doing with the chemo?

[socalcurly]

Hi Jo, it kicked my butt the first 3 months but I made it through. The next 3 months should be easier except for the bone pain. It hits the 3rd day and last about 5 days. It makes my legs feel like the bones are going to break when I walk. Once I'm up and moving the pain is easier to deal with. I started to lose my hair after the first round and had to shave it off when it got so tangled from all the hair that was falling out. It was easier to deal with being bald than having bunches of hair coming out. I have a couple of wigs and some scarves I wear when I go out. At home I just wear a beanie or when the weather is nice I just let the fuzz hang loose!

[Jo]

ana, will the bone pain go away after your chemo is finished? your dose must be different than that of my friend. she also had breast cancer and had to do chemo. she lost some of her hair but never got to the point of having to shave her head. i don't recall her ever comlaining about bone pain but that was some 15 years ago. she's been cancer free for quite some time now.

ps. since this is the forum pretty much for chatting about exericse, what we're doing or how we can be active, i'm gonna try to move our posts to the main forum. lets see if this works.

[socalcurly]

Hi Jo, looks like your move worked.

My hair never completely fell out, but I had a very shinny head so I lost most of it. It has started coming back in, but I am told that the chemo I am on now could also kill my hair again. I look like a porcupine at the moment, I had very curly spirals, and now it sticks straight up! As for the bone pain, it is a side affect of this treatment. I had 4 rounds of Adriamycin combined with Cytoxan and that made me quite ill. These next 4 rounds are of Taxol which affect different cells I'm told. Of course the treatment is based on my type cancer. I am premenopausal, and my cancer was estrogen and progesteron driven. My tumor was stage II, grade 3 er/pr +, her2 -.

I am happy to hear your friend is doing well, it gives me hope!

I am scheduled to have my reconstruction exchange surgery on Feb, 13th...yooohhhhhoooo new Foobies for Valentines Day...

Ana

[Jo]

yooohhhhhoooo new Foobies for Valentines Day...

i'm certainly glad you can see a lighter brighter side of things.

my friend never had reconstruction surgery. perhaps i can share part of her story one day but not this one.


i have always heard that if your hair was straight, it would come in curly, if it was curly, it would grow back straight. light to dark and dark to light. without getting too graphic, i had radiation to the pelvic area and of course, lost hair in that area. i'm a graying 55 year old except there if you get the idea. LOL

i'm glad you posted your stage of cancer. it might be good to post the different stages of cancer in one of the information threads. my cancer was stage 1B.

[socalcurly]

Well I went to my oncologist last week and he wouldn't give me medical clearance for my exchange surgery while still on chemo. He had twice before agreed that it would be ok, but when I mentioned that my Plastic surgeon needed his medical clearance, he said no way. Even though I have done ok so far, he is afraid I won't heal properly. I know he is just looking out for my health and well being, but it was disappointing So I had to reschedule the surgery until out of chemo, so new exchange date is March 20th Then 2 weeks after that I can possibly go back to work!!! I havent worked since having the mastectomy back in August last year.

I had round 2 of Taxol on Monday and so far so good! I did have a slight reaction to it right after it started dripping. Just felt jumpy. The steroids I had the night before really did a number on my blood sugars...317 fasting and after breakfast it was over 400. I have never ran so high numbers and it is scarry. Both my onc and the chemo staff tell me it is ok, and it is something I just have to deal with. This mornings fasting was 179 so I am moving back to normal readings and hopefully by Friday I will be close to normal for me at this time. I have to stay as close to normal for the exchange or I will have problems.

I am trying to stay close to low carb eating as I can, not true Atkins, but definetly watching all carbs. Exercise is pretty much out of the question right now...but I do jump on my stepper or gazelle everytime I go to my bedroom...they are in my laundry room that I have to go thru to get to my bathroom in my bedroom...I take it slow especially if numbers are high...but I have managed to count up some steps.

Jo, I do know what you mean about the texture and color of our hair...where ever it may be! I lost most of my hair with the first round of chemo, what I didn't notice right away was that I was getting bald everywhere While my hair had started to grow in a little and it is straight as could be (I had very curly spirals) the Taxol is taking it out again I read that it also will take what is left of my eyebrows and eye lashes, oh well, it will grow back right!

Ana

[Jo]

ana, don't you think it's best to wait till the chemo is done anyway? i figure you might be anxious, as i was with some of my healing. sometimes the progress is a bit too slow.

are you anxious to get back to work? it sounds like you are. did you have any problems with your company as far as taking so many months for your surgery/chemo/etc?

i hear ya on the atkins. sometimes it was all i could do to try eat a vegetable.
i think it's excellent that you grab a minute on the exercise equipment. not too much, too soon... that's what 'they' kept telling me.

yes, i think the hair will grow back, eventually. having cancer sure does change our looks!

[socalcurly]

Hi Jo, yes I know it would be best to wait. I was actually surprised my PS want to do the exchange while still on chemo. She and her staff have been great and I did not have any problem changing the date. I am getting tired of the whole road that must be followed and can't wait to be finished. Though I will say this last round was really rough. Today is the first day since Tuesday that I actually made it out of pj's. I felt really tired Wednesday and Thursday and slept most of those days. Friday I thought I was feeling better, and tried to do some chores around the house, big mistake. I ended up more tired than before. DH bbq'd for dinner and I could barely take the smell of it or him. I took one bite of my dinner and had to make a beeline for my bathroom. Needless to say my lunch came up and though I tried to be quiet, I ended up ruining everyones dinner...oh well...then I climbed back in bed and stayed there until this morning. I do feel better today.

My work has been great about my time off. My boss brings all of the ladies from my dept. for lunch with me at least once a month. It is great to be remembered and hang out with them again for a couple of hours. I also had managed to get into the office for a visit or two when I was feeling good. The're supposed to visit this upcoming week and I am looking forward to it.

I know the hair will be back, it was just dissapointing to see it fall out again. The excercise will have to wait until I am off chemo, much as I have tried to keep it up. I almost passed out in the shower Wednesday and I know its from the chemo, but it is frustrating. The leg pain is better today, tomorrow will be better.

[socalcurly]

It's been a long time since I have posted here. I am doing ok. I hit my 1 year mark and thats good. I have been back to work full time now for 4 months and have not had any real issues. Reconstruction went well and I look about as normal as before. (if I ever looked normal I got the all clear yesterday from my onc, but primary wants to run some more tests and that's fine. It's been a long year and I am looking forward to no bumps this year.

1 year cancer free!