Hello everyone
Hi I am new to this group and hope to get to know you all in time.
I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in March this year. Since then I have undegone a Mastectomy and sentinal node biopsy. After finding there was cancer in the node several more were removed. Thankfully they were all clear, but I am faced with making a decision regarding chemo. I still have a week to make up my mind. Has anyone else had to make that same decision. I have been praying, along with most of my church friends, for guidance and peace in this decision making process. Looking forward to getting to know everyone more.
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Chemotherapy is the hardest decision of all.If cancer cells are in a node then your doctors will usually persuade you to have chemo.With my first bout of breast cancer in 2003 I had a lumpectomy,full node clearance followed by radiation.All my nodes (17!)were clear.I was offerred chemo but told it was optional because it was not an aggressive cancer.I didn't have it.Well 7 years later the cancer came back in the same breast,same spot despite clear margins and radiation.I had to have a mastectomy and then chemo because it was a recurrence but still classed as early breast cancer.I didn't complete my chemo rounds because of a bad reaction.I figure SOME chemo was a good compromise for me.I am now on Tamoxifen and 2 years on from my last diagnosis.Everyone is different and each breast cancer is different.You need to be guided by your surgeon and oncologist but ultimately it's your decision.Take your time,do your research and go with what you feel is right for you. Blog back here any time for support.We understand the difficult decisions you have to make.
Tonya xx
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Hello Chris, Tonya and Shaz, I really appreciate your supportive words and I feel that my decision is being made easier. If you all can deal with this, so can I. It's really great to have support along the way. At first I thought that I could deal with it on my own.................wasn't I living in lala land??? When my son died I found online support groups saved my sanity and I can now see being part of this group just may do the same. (what sanity I still have left that is !!!) My husband is a great support and is suggesting that after chemo when I feel up to it we can take a short break. That means he will miss soccer training once or twice during the week, something unheard of in the past. (He coaches and plays) Thankfully I also have plenty to keep me occupied as I love quilting and reading. Hand stitching is relaxing for me, even if the work isn't of a high standard I don't think it will matter for the time being. Hmmm, it's starting to look like I have just about made my decision doesn't it ??? Thanks everyone, Elayne xxoo
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I just wanted to say how sad I was to read about your son.I have 2 grown up daughters and I don't know how I would pick up the pieces if one of them died. You have been through enough and it doesn't seem fair that you should now get breast cancer. I wonder sometimes if cancer might occur as a result of prolonged stress.Your husband clearly loves you and wants you around for a long time.It will be good to have a holiday to look forward to when treatment is over. And as for quilting and reading- perfect hobbies for winter hibernation. I know how you feel about chemo.Just after I signed the consent form I broke down into a blubbering mess.Up till then,I hadn't cried at all.Chemo is a "damned if you do" and "damned if you don't" situation isn't it. Asking questions and venting your feelings on this site may help you with your decision.This is a wonderful supportive place to come to.
Tonya xx
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The do have great med's these days to help with the side effects caused by chemo - especially the nausea, in a lot of cases they can reduce or eliminate the nausea to almost zero. I have only had 1 day where it was annoying after my first cycle and this cycle they gave me another med before my cycle (2nd cycle) and I had NO nausea at all. Sure my heair is almost gone (So what), and I get other annoying symptoms like the fatigue (which this time has been bad, but somethig I can live with). We all hear the horror stories of chemotherapy but in reality, it is not often like that these days (unless you are particularly sensitive to the meds, etc etc). I was scared of having chemo, becasue of the horror stories we all hear, but new it was in MY best interest so went ahead with it, and so far (touch wood) my side efects have all been things I can deal with (even when I got a chest infection a week after my 1st cycle), and next to no nausea at all.
Good Luck with making your decision (and yes it does seem like you mind is nearly made up).
And what a LOVELY husband for talking of taking you away afterwards, and missing out on his soccor training <LOL>, shows how me he loves for you and cares for you (and that he is willing to support you through the chemo).
Come back ANYTIME we are all here to help each other, and all going through this (or been through it etc - which is wonderful to have ladies at all the different stages, beginning, going through it and those out the other side), so that we can help each other with what our experiences have been and get help from others further down the track, or out the other side.
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Hi All
Well I did it. I went ahead with chemo last Thursday. Things went well during the treatment and I ended up feeling much better than I expected. Friday was good too, but Saturday not so good and Sunday, well I would have been happy for someone to break into my home and finish me off. Thankfully no-one did and by Monday I was feeling much, much better. I have even managed to get out into the garden and spend some time pulling out some of the dead plants and yesterday I went out and did some food shopping. As you all know our taste sure takes a beating. Coffee was the first to go, I can't believe that I don't like coffee anymore. Aaaaaaargh.......................I used to love coffee. Oh well maybe in time it will come back. Today is one week, so I am looking at it this way. 1 week down, 11 more to go. I hope that everyone else is doing well on their " journey of a life time "
cheers
Elayne
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Wow Elayne,you have done really well with your first chemo. Yes,you have those few days where you feel like roadkill.I just hid under the doona,cried and felt very sorry for myself.The only things I could eat/drink were lemonade iceblocks,lemon cordial and vegie soup with crackers. The next hurdle to come will be losing your hair.Your scalp will become very sensitive and sore as hair starts to drop out. www.headcovers.org is a good place to shop for head scarves,caps and wigs if you haven't done so already.Some women embrace being bald-I did not. I hated it but got savvy after awhile with headgear. I hope your next round of chemo goes easy on you.Take care and get lots of rest.
Tonya xx
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Hi all, Today was my second cycle of chemo and it went as well as the first one. My husband was with me again which I do appreciate. He has to take the day of work to be there, but as he said, he would rather be with me for each treatment than have anyone else go.
Yay, 2 down and 2 to go. It will be all over by the end of next month and we are going to have a end of chemo party with close friends who that been supporting me through this journey.
I am even considering going back to work in an admin capacity for just 4 hours a week to see how things go. I know that I can't do my regular job as it is too physical and the risk of infection is too great. (I work with cats, cleaning cages, feeding and medicating the sick ones and then doing all the washing of the food bowls and litter trays afterwards) At least I can go visit them after doing the admin so I still can get my cat fix. Very theraputic. I am looking forward to getting back there.
The past few weeks have been mostly good, with the last week being very good apart from the hair that is falling out. So far it seems to be the perimiter of hair that is falling and I seem to be in competition with our 3 cats as to who can shed the most. I have resorted to wearing hats or scarves on my head to contain the mess. I found some soft silk in my fabric stash and hand painted it and hemmed it and it is making a very comfortable and pretty head piece. I knew that keeping that piece would come in handy one day. Just didn't expect it to be for this. Tonya, the Headcovers.org web site was great and if I need any more I will get them from here. they had a great selection of so many things. Thanks.
Hoping this finds everyone doing as well as they can. I think of you even when I don't post.
Cheers, Elayne
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Hi all, Today was my second cycle of chemo and it went as well as the first one. My husband was with me again which I do appreciate. He has to take the day of work to be there, but as he said, he would rather be with me for each treatment than have anyone else go.
Yay, 2 down and 2 to go. It will be all over by the end of next month and we are going to have a end of chemo party with close friends who that been supporting me through this journey.
I am even considering going back to work in an admin capacity for just 4 hours a week to see how things go. I know that I can't do my regular job as it is too physical and the risk of infection is too great. (I work with cats, cleaning cages, feeding and medicating the sick ones and then doing all the washing of the food bowls and litter trays afterwards) At least I can go visit them after doing the admin so I still can get my cat fix. Very theraputic. I am looking forward to getting back there.
The past few weeks have been mostly good, with the last week being very good apart from the hair that is falling out. So far it seems to be the perimiter of hair that is falling and I seem to be in competition with our 3 cats as to who can shed the most. I have resorted to wearing hats or scarves on my head to contain the mess. I found some soft silk in my fabric stash and hand painted it and hemmed it and it is making a very comfortable and pretty head piece. I knew that keeping that piece would come in handy one day. Just didn't expect it to be for this. Tonya, the Headcovers.org web site was great and if I need any more I will get them from here. they had a great selection of so many things. Thanks.
Hoping this finds everyone doing as well as they can. I think of you even when I don't post.
Cheers, Elayne
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You are half way - yay! You seem to be blitzing chemo,good for you. Yes,I am a cat person too.It's good you can do admin at work with reduced hours.You can only try it and see how you feel. Sounds like you have a creative flair with scarves.When my hair started to grow back(but still too short to bare all)I folded my bandanas/scarves to form headbands.I even sewed cotton headbands with ties at the back.This gave me some air on my head when it was hot weather.Good luck with this cycle.
Tonya xx
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You are half way - yay! You seem to be blitzing chemo,good for you. Yes,I am a cat person too.It's good you can do admin at work with reduced hours.You can only try it and see how you feel. Sounds like you have a creative flair with scarves.When my hair started to grow back(but still too short to bare all)I folded my bandanas/scarves to form headbands.I even sewed cotton headbands with ties at the back.This gave me some air on my head when it was hot weather.Good luck with this cycle.
Tonya xx
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Congrats on the HALFWAY mark - I hit that the cycle before this (I am now 4 down, 2 to go YAY!). It is lovely of your hubby to sit with yuo during chemo, I send mine home - I get him to drop me off and pick me up but I don't let him sit with me, becasue he does and then his back seizes and he is in agony and can't walk and as he does all the housework and cooking I need him fit and healthy <LOL>, (He broke his back, snowboarding - NO cord damage thank goodness, in 2 places about 10 years ago and the wonderful medical team onthe mountain missed it and told him it was muscular, so it was never treated and healed wrong (He was a snowboard and ski instructor), and now sitting in the wrong chairs does his back big time issues. So I send him home, I have had a friend with me once and I know a couple of the ladies I do chemo with (1 has her herceptin on the same day who I know from our support group(s), and the other has chemo the same day, but is a cycle or 2 behind me I think, so we chat and talk and giggle, as do the other ladies and men I have chemo with - my chemo clinic is a little one - about 8 chairs and 3 beds, and about 6 nurses, so lovely and intimate and friendly), and we tend to be on the same day each cycle and thus see each other regularly.
Have fun planning your YAY CHEMO IS OVER party. Have a ball - Man we earn it with chemo, and something to look forward to at the end is good for you. I haven't decided what I am going to do when my chemo is over.
Admin work for a couple of hours a week if youcan tolerate it might be good, but yeah stay away from the cats,especially the sick ones and the litter trays etc, you can get REALLY sick from them when on chemo.
When my hair started the fall out in clumps I had hubby shave it to a number 2 (about 8mm long) made the mess much easier to deal with, and wore hats etc. I was shedding so bad,it was in my dinner, in trails behind me, blocking the shower, smothering my pillow and I woke choking on it from the pillow twice (not good), much prefered it when it was shaved. I am totally bald now and honestly don't mind it, in fact I prefer it to the number 2. I go out with hats on or nothing, if I get hot I whip my hat off and walk around bald, I rarely get stares or comments etc, and if I do get stares then I think THEY have the problem and NOT me, and if I get comments I just tell them I am undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer usually they are just curious, if you have cancer, alopecia or have shaved it off for another reason (we have a buddist temple here and they shave there heads, but are usually wearing buddists monks robes, and I believe we have hari crishnas here too, who also shave there heads, and then there is the shave for a cure thing etc.). I have NO PROBLEMS answering questions etc - if it is little kids, I tell them I have a germ and the medicine to make me better makes my hair fall out (this has mostly been family and firends kids - I have NEVER had a child at a mall etc ask, but would be HAPPY to tell them why (i have no probelms with kids curiosity)).
Embrass your baldness (thinning), your hand painted scarves sound pretty, you should post a picture in the creative corner ?.
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