Calm before the storm
Hi all, We have our first dose-dense AC treatment this Friday for Rebecca and while we're really glad to have some sense of momentum and control now with the treatment plan, I'm trying to get organised this week with meals and am a little out of my depth as to what to expect. Normally we'd write a meal plan for the week, pre-order the ingredients for those meals and basically just roll with it, however with chemo coming up, we're not 100% sure if that's going to work any more, especially with changes in taste and appetite. Our plan is to try and stick to the routine as much as possible and keep meals as healthy and varied as we can to ensure good nutrition and healing, but obviously will have to test and adjust as we work through side-effects etc. I've done some research and it seems like a lot of websites are suggesting sticking with somewhat normal meals, but maybe just a bit blander / different in texture. Other sites say do more regular, smaller snack-type meals, so maybe a mix of both? I'd really appreciate any tips you might have with regards planning for meals etc, particularly during the first few days of treatment. Thanks :) George
Advocating for Exercise in Breast Cancer Groups
i just wanted to raise some awareness on an issue that has been bugging me and say something here. i have stopped participating in cancer groups because even though groups like this called "get active and keep well", the general fear and disapproval from other members is if someone starts exercising "more" than the generally accepted idea of what exercise is. anything more than that idea is frowned upon, and people have made me feel so angry and sad for sharing something that i am proud of and something that empowers me. with this group and other ones for breast cancer, after i share information about doing some exercise and training after my surgery and after chemo, i have had comments that really shot me down and basically either flat out said that i need "a reality check", or alluding to the fact that the best thing that i can do right now is rest, NOT exercise, and some had attacked me saying that i am putting myself up to put her down (!!). some saying "i wouldnt do that if i were you". well guess what... they are not me. and i am not them. most of these types of comments i have found came from people who have not had the same powerlifting training as me. or from people who did not have an athletic or regular exercise routine at all prior to diagnosis. and these comments have not only hurt me, but made me feel angry and frustrated with the very little emotional energy i already do not have. what i decide to do with my cancer experience is safe FOR ME. for example, women, let alone cancer survivors are fearful of anything to do with strength training. i will not go into the reasons for this and i will not go into the enormous benefits for strength training for women. but i'll give you an example. yesterday i went to the gym and felt great for it. amongst other things, i did 50kgs deadlift. now, if my best deadlift prior to diagnosis was 3 reps, 3 sets of 80kg deadlift prior to diagnosis, and i lifted 50kgs (3x2) nearly 2 months since recovering well from surgery with full range of motion, and 11 days after chemo, and assessing myself as i go, feeling fine and not really even puffed out, and not even sore the next 2 days, to me that means that it is safe for ME to do this. if i felt not ok before, during or after doing a 50kg deadlift 10 days after chemo i would stop. why would i stop doing something that is manageable? for me manageable means something different than the next person who has had recovered from breast cancer surgery and 11 days out of the first chemo session. i trained nearly for around 9 months prior to diagnosis. 50kg deadlift would be a different story to a competitive powerlifter who can lift triple digits in kgs, and would be different again to someone who only did walking as exercise prior to diagnosis. why are other people not to be trusted to their own intuitions and experience in something they already know? do we need to tell someone how to live their life? not usually. so why tell someone how to go through their cancer journey? i have my surgeon and oncologist's approval and support for powerlifting before, during and after chemo, and i have the utter wonderful and strong support from the fitness community groups. why must i be told like an idiot that i am doing the wrong thing for my body? why tell me that i am not doing what i should be doing? with all the new realisations in the medical field that building stamina, strength and muscle can help to improve the lives of people with cancer even during treatment, and that these increases in fitness and muscle can trigger lots of previously unknown properties for the body to heal itself, generate more energy and stamina to better handle treatment, why is that exercise and strength training is so frowned upon by the standards of 30 years ago? maybe we do not have that much information on the subject but at least what we do know 100% for sure is that even if you don't have cancer, and you did no exercise, and no resistance training, that your body will function very very differently than someone who does regular cardiovascular as well as strength training. you add muscle bone and energy killing chemotherapy on top of someone who doesn't exercise for months at a time, and you get far greater levels fatigue, far greater loss of strength and more difficulty regaining strength after treatment (and guess what helps combat loss of bone density, muscle mass and loss of energy? -strength training). i know that before my diagnosis if i do not exercise for 2 weeks i loose strength and stamina, i feel more fatigued and my lupus will take over and i will be more prone to simply staying in bed. why do people like myself, other fitness pursuing women and athletes who had been diagnosed with breast cancer have to feel like we cannot be supported in a group like this and other groups that advocates exercise? i want to feel like people respect my decisions to do what i need and what i want with my life, especially because i feel ok and great after what i do in terms of exercise. and i want to say to other women here who do exercise/athletic pursues, PLEASE share what you do for exercise! because the community needs to know that if someone knows their body, got doctors approval, and does exercise that makes them feel great not just physically, but mentally and that empowers them, that they should be celebrated! that they should be allowed to say and share and be proud of what they did especially whist going through cancer! you need to share your experience until it is normalised in our society. i have been made to feel so angry and ashamed because i went back to the gym when i felt ok to, during MY cancer experience, and i do not want that for anyone else. i am excited to share this with you as a last note in a couple of links. thanks for those who read and are willing to understand. https://soundcloud.com/abcnsw/resistance-training-benefits-breast-cancer-survivors http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/4459555.htm <-- ABC catalyst documentary (chemo and exercise) http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0067579 <-- the exercise cancer killer cells research https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Julie_Gehl/publication/294870149_Voluntary_Running_Suppresses_Tumor_Growth_through_Epinephrine-_and_IL-6-Dependent_NK_Cell_Mobilization_and_Redistribution/links/56e954d408aecf036b315403.pdf <-- how killer cells work on tumors 2016 research
Why can’t I find a local support group???
I live on the Central Coast which everyone is telling me has the second most prevalent cases of breast cancer in Australia. I was diagnosed with early breast cancer in August and have since undergone 2 surgeries. Currently have the “Dracula” drain which I hate with a vengeance. I am lucky enough to have a very loving sister who has come to help me during this trying time but she doesn’t live close by normally. I am soon to start the radiation/maybe chemo/medication treatments and Iv’e been trying to find a local support group to help me through. I NEED people who have gone down the exact same track as me, who understand the emotional roller coaster the this experience actually is. I don’t think anyone who has not been actually through it, including the medical professionals, who can totally understand the impact on your mental state. I have always prided myself as being a very strong person but this has all brought me down to a feeling of despair.
FOODS TO AVIOD DURING CHEMO
So i have just stated chemo for breast cancer and i have read different things of what to avoid. Sushi Raw Seafood - Raw soft cheeses honey Alcohol It feels like Iam pregnant all over again !!!! no good food, morning sickness, insomnia Can anyone tell me if these are correct and have i forgotten anything?
Liz O'Riordan - breast surgeon with BC Recommended to Read
I found this blog by an English breast surgeon who got BC herself to be incredibly useful & informative when I was first diagnosed. And then most especially the chemo guide when I found out I had to have it myself. She hasn't posted for a long time but a notification just popped into my inbox, she's writing again. So if you're into blogs, check it out. http://liz.oriordan.co.uk/MovingOn_files/this-is-who-I-am.html
Struggling
Hi ladies, away with my family spending some quality time but last 24 hours been so emotional and stressed, was diagnosed with TNBC early Dec, having 4 rounds of chemo, 16 rounds of taxol and then surgery - unsure at this stage what surgery as having genetic testing in a couple of weeks to see if I am a carrier for bracca 1/2. I had my first chemo 31st Dec, all went ok and other than first day where I had severe nausea that night the next 5 days I was just really exhausted - going into my 2nd post treatment i seem to be going ok. The thing is, the last 24 hours there is a burning pain in my tight breast and it’s sore and right arm aches - I had a needle biopsy the day before my chemo as ct showed a lesion in breast node so it is just over a week ago now and the side of my breast got really bruised and where they stuck the anaesthetic to numb the area still feels tingly and swollen, my husband says when he was looking at the ultrasound and needle was going in she was really pushing hard to grab the samples and they stuck 3 needles in to get enough, results came back fine and was benign so was a relief but I am stressing as it’s really sore still- has anyone had similar experiences with biopsies as all I can think is that this terrible diesels has spread even though my Scans mid Dec were clear. also I wonder if chemo is working and I know I am being stupid as I have only had 1 session and everyone is different but reading the side affects like hair falling out before 2nd cycle ( I am having a few strands come out only, more like malting but not much) nails going black, mine are fine at the moment, it’s not like I want these things but physiologically I feel if these things start to happen chemo is working - it’s such a mind f**k. sorry for the long winded post but just needed to release xx
Family are not being respectful of my wishes
Dear all, I have invasive BC. I had surgery in May and I am currently having chemo. When I was diagnosed after much thought I decided to only tell my immediate family and a few very close friends. I choose carefully and selected people who i thought would support me. When I told people i had BC I expressly advised each of them that I did not want to have my breast cancer known to anyone else. I wanted my privacy. I wanted time to deal with my emotions. Well my parents (in their 80s and in good health) have told distant relatives. I find out because I was messaged and called on the phone. Shock to say the least and totally unprepared. I was a annoyed with my parents but explained again I wanted my BC private. Again my parents have kept broadcasting my health to others including random retirement village people in their retirement village. I then hear a message from a male cousin i only ever see at funerals that they know of my condition. Of course it was a nice message but hey I won't hear or see them until another family funeral. I challenge my mother and she says I told her to tell all relatives, a complete and utter lie. She says i must have forgotten but my husband knows I was very clear. Our relationship has deteriorated. They just don't respect my wishes. In fact they tell me I am overreacting and there is nothing wrong with telling people. They now suggest i am 'not well'. They are gaslighting here. What do I do? I had asked for space and said I would get in touch when I was able to (The intention was to create some space from them) however my mother can't respect that and haS called twice. Neither call had been good and she continues to gaslight telling me telling me I forgot whst I told her. I am stressed about it. I didn't want a bad relationship with them during this time. There is s long history of not respecting my boundaries. Yes i can forgive but I don't know if I want to see them. I can't trust them. If they contact me and they will i plan to just say everything is fine and no further details. I am not sure if I should cut them out of my journey but at the moment I feel like it given their betrayal.
What to Eat
Hi I haven’t been on for a while been struggling a bit and wasn’t able to handle anything negative so avoided online I have had my 3rd taxol and so far have been really lucky with side effects I am asking for some ideas of what to eat I think I’m being to paranoid about what I can and can’t eat and am getting sick of Chicken Stir Fry and Spaghetti Bolognaise does anybody have any good food ideasIs "Brian" the new Farnham??
So.......I thought I had given my lump "Brian" a beautiful farewell concert, complete with audience, drinks and a hearty "F...k Off Brian" back in March. At that stage, I was cruising through the Stage 1, grade 3 euphoria of "You got this Girl!" Doctor will do a Lumpectomy one morning, rip out a few nodes, dose of radiation and some pills just in case. Oh yeah, I was still scared, but I was being told - "we" got this!" "Brian" has left the building!!! So......the discovery of a 85mm lump of "Brian" and 4 positive nodes and 1 pissed off node, caused panic and it is now Mastectomy time. The family and I throw a "Fast and Furious" Movie Marathon as a Farewell to "Lefty". Receive a beautiful Love Note from my oldest daughter thanking "Lefty" for being an amazing breast and the Husband gets the final touch.. Rocked up for surgery on 6th May -it goes really well. Up and about that afternoon walking with the drip in my room, that I share with a 72 year old Lady who "Screams" in her sleep, calls out my name nonstop, refuses to eat and sneaks off for cigarette breaks. I wanted to go home just so i could actually sleep and rest!!! Anyway, 2 days after surgery, Dr. (I am God) Bolshy turns up with his entourage of Junior Registrars and says - "you can go home and by the way you are now Stage 3, Grade 3 and walks off." W.T.F. Did you just say? I had to chase this Bastard down the hallway and make him come back to my room!!!!!!!!!!!!! he refuses to tell me anymore other than you have jumped from Stage 1 to Stage 3 - the surgical team will tell you. I met up with the Surgical team last week and all hell breaks loose! "Brian" made a comeback!!! In fact "Brian" had been a busy little Lead Singer - shacking up with as many "Cell Groupies" as he could find the energy for and also shacked up with a Node (making 5 positive now and 1 annoyed) while spreading the love around! All he needed was 3 weeks of love action and he had created another 2mm aggressive growing "lump" near the original site where he was sliced/diced from the show and left his love juice in the form of 18mm of "Baby growing cancer cells" in my milk ducts. I am literally so shocked, I am unable to talk, comprehend or make any sense of what i was being told. What happened to "We got this??" Even though I am told "Brian is gone" and all is well - I am wondering if "Brian" is going to do a Farnsy and keep on making a comeback tour??? Anyway, IF Brian has left any love juice in my body or is thinking of making a 'Come Back" tour - He is in for a rude shock! I have a new band signed up to play in my body - SHE is called "Chemo and The Chemicals".....playing Centre Stage for the next 5 months in LOIS TOWN.....!! (lol) My new Motto: Find positivity in the little things and Use your words to defeat adversaries! Big Hugs Lois......who is not a Doctor's doormat.Supermarket Deliveries
Hey @BCNA, I've got a friend having AC who lives alone. Coles have cancelled her online deliveries saying they're reserving them for the vulnerable and at risk members of the community. But her immune system is very compromised. She's exactly a person who should not be exposed to the risk of Covid19. How does she get through to Coles or Woolies that she should be on the list? Your help and advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you! K xox @Giovanna_BCNA @Riki_BCNA @Rosie_BCNA @Kirsten_BCNA