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What to do when a "pain" needs to be checked out
For those of us who have battled cancer for a while, and have completed treatment, I wonder just which of your doctors do you contact when you have something that needs to be checked out? If you have pain in your back that persists, do you call your PCP or do you call your onconogist? For those who have developed other…
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Off the Subject-who dat and Mardi Gras
Just wanted to say that I am riding in the Krewe of Eve tomorrow on the Taj Mahal float. Please say a little prayer for nice weather. I didn't get to ride last year and I am so excited! Our krewe throws large decorated plastic chickens. We spray painted the chickens gold and decorated them in Saints girlie costumes. Our…
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Nothing Important! But good for a few laughs!
1. Is it good if a vacuum really sucks? 2. Why is the third hand on the watch called the second hand? 3. If a word is misspelled in the dictionary, how would we ever know? 4. If Webster wrote the first dictionary, where did he find the words? 5. Why do we say something is out of whack? What is a whack? 6. Why does "slow…
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Ah, the Dutch...my latest adventure:Baking!!!
I am attempting to bake bananna bread here in The Netherlands...now, the first hurdle was to find measuring spoons I could understand...Theelepel and Eetlepel just don't cut it, and most recipes here measure spices and leavening stuff (baking powder, etc) by weight in grams. But, each spice can weight different amounts, so…
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Does Anyone Live in the Chicagoland Area?
I'm curious, are there any sisters who live in the Chicagoland area? I have been searching for a evening support group meeting where we just talk. Finally I found one at Evanston Hopsital which meets the 2nd Wednesday of every month. Ithat I just described. I got so excited and am eagerly waiting for next week. To my local…
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I Thought I Knew What LOL Is - Now I'm Not Sure>
Is there another meaning other than Lots of Love for LOL? Janelle
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Chemo Concerns
Hello...I'm wondering if anyone has had the Taxotere/Cytoxan combination? I had a partial mastectomy Jan. 4 with reconstruction, tumor was 1.5 cm, nearly 100% estrogen receptive, HER2 negative. My doctor has suggested 4 doses of Taxotere/Cytoxan - a dose every 3 weeks, 4 times. I would follow that with radiation and some…
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It is Groundhogs Day and my birthday
I share my birthday with my sister who is 2 minutes younger than me. She has been there during this year. I appreciate everything she has done. It has been one hell of a year. Last year I was having surgery on our birthday. I will finish Herceptin this summer. Jake helped his MeMe yesterday set the table for a special…
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Tomorrow is the big day for me
Hi everyone, Well tomorrow is the big day for me my first chemo treatment. Needless to say I am a little aprehensive. I just read about jamiegww, tomorrow being her first day. I can say I know what she is feeling. This is the beginning of a new journey. So wish me luck and I will talk to you all again soon. Margo54
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Second Visit to NEW Onc
I saw my new onc for the second time yesterday. We had a lot of questions for her. Found out that she had sent the slide of my tumor to CA for testing. The expert on Her2 is there and she wanted it to be tested by the best. The results will be back this Thursday. Her nurse also asked me a lot of questions about my side…
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Facial lymphedema
I am very fatigued since radiation finished over a month ago. I was also wondering if anyone out there has had any swelling of their face post radiation, it started almost a month after rads started. I have been to my onc, primary, allergist, no one has a clue what it is. I finally got my onc to refer me to the lymphedema…
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I Bet No One Ever Had This Reaction!
I bet that no one has ever had the reaction to a breast infection while in the tissue expansion phase like I did three years ago. Time is August 2006. Five weeks after my bilateral mastectomy, at which time the tissue expanders were inserted, I developed an infection in the good breast (the breast that did not have cancer)…
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World Cancer Day is TODAY! Bless all of the Warriors/Caregivers battling ALL cancers everywhere!
"World Cancer Day is marked on February 4 to raise awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection, and treatment. It is led by the International Union Against Cancer (UICC), a global consortium of more than 280 cancer-fighting organizations in over 90 countries. World Cancer Day targets the public through…
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Newly diagnosed - have some questions
Hi, I was diagnosed with a biopsy 2 weeks ago. The tumor is 2.4 cm, grade 3, ER+ PR+ and Her 2 negative. I have met with my surgeon and decided to have a bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction. There have been many family members with breast cancer so genetic testing will be happening. I don't know for sure yet but I was…
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I survived the first dose, but...
I had my first dose of A/C last Thursday through a PICC line. It went well and I felt okay until Saturday morning when the nausea hit so bad I couldn't even keep the Zofran down. I thought I had made it clear to my onc that I could handle anything but nausea and I assumed she knew what she was doing. I went to the…
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Urgent Help - Breast Forms after masectomy -
Hi Everyone! It has been a long time since I did not post anything! My mom was diagnose with breast cancer on July 2009. We live in Guatemala, Central America, so she went to the MD Anderson in Houston to get a Second opinion and Chemo Orders. She just finished Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy and she will undergo double masectomy…
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February month of ...
Can you believe it is February already? We are glad for January to be over here in the midwest ... want to get closer to spring to melt this snow and ice that's hanging around. Did you know that the month of February has many items for awareness? ~ Age Related Macular Degeneration Awareness Month ~ Black History Month ~…
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Anyone go to Methodist Houston Med Center?
Anyone go to Methodist Houston Med Center? if so, what was your experience? good, bad, or ugly? do they do all work in house? We are at MD And. and want to get a second opinion or change hospitals for wife's 2nd cancer. Thanks
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How long after treatments were you able to go without a wig or scarf
There is a discussion going about Patti finally getting to go to work without her scarf but just to get a feel, how long after treatments were the majority of you able to ditch the wig or scarf? I finished chemo on 10/15 and I'm not there yet. It's been almost 5 months and I'm just curious. I guess part of it has to do…
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Why so high?
Why is the treatment so high? I am on Femara now and my copay went up to $60 a month from $35. There should be generics to help us. Cancer is expensive!!! We go thru so much and then to have to make tough decisions.
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stage iv breast cancer: life options/insurance/financial
my wife just complete right breast cancer last year, diagnosed 2008. left breast diag new in dec 2009, stage iv due to nodes/thorax enlargement - no other organs, but bone scan not positive or neg. yet. we live in houston, and luckily, maybe, she is at md anderson. note: md did not find the new cancer, she started feeling…
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Started rads today
Everyone said this is so easy, but I don't really think so and I did already have chemo and surgery. Laying on that table with your arms stretched above your head with your breasts hanging out and not being able to move is not my idea of a good time !!! I'm whining I know...sorry Judy
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C&A
I am taking 4 rounds of c&a and then 4 rounds os taxol. I have only had 1 c&a.I have another one tomorrow. Does the exhaustion stay about the same or does it steadly get worse with each treatment?
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I got strange vibes from my oncologist today
Ok, so I had my regular visit to my oncologist before getting my last chemo treatment on Thursday. So I asked him 'what's next'. He skated the question, as he often does, and went on about scheduling my next chemo. I asked if I would be having a petscan done. He said 'no'. He went on to explain that if the chemo didn't…
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Gallbladder Sludge!?
Yup - gallbladder SLUDGE! Anyone else gotten it? Yesterday, I saw my PA and she had a copy of my last CT scan. It says that "gallbladder sludge is noted". Not noted on any of the many scans done before chemo so guess it has developed during chemo. She's not concerned at this time and says that if it developes into…
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To wig or not to wig?
Since the demise of my hair, which coincided with the beginning of 2010, I've been wearing various hats and scarves to work, and usually get nice compliments on them. I do have a wig, but it's not nearly as comfortable as the hats or scarves. Well, I just learned that tomorrow the High Muckety-Mucks from our corporate HQ…
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Medical Records Vent
Am I the only one or does this subject touch on others as well? Mind you from the beginning of BC journey, I have gone to the SAME hospital for the tests, the port, Lumpectomy, more tests, etc...Yet EVERY time I have an appointment scheduled, they call to pre-register me asking alot of ?'s, then when I get there, they have…
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Valuing Ourselves
This poem was just sent to me by a friend on another list (I've altered some of the line spacing to shorten your scroll down; it was double-spaced all the way through): One Flaw In Women Women have strengths that amaze men . . . They bear hardships and they carry burdens, but they hold happiness, love and joy. They smile…
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Confused...decisions......confused
I met with the oncologist and radiologist today. I went there thinking I knew just what I was going to be doing but didn't know the details. Well, the oncoligist asked me if I wanted to take herceptin (sp) for a trial study. Two doses of it and then radiation,then either tamoxifin or arimidex. The radiologist said that…
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acting like a spoilt brat
I had a mastectomy with DIEP flap reconstruction on 1/5 ( 3 1/2 weeks ago). My mother came down to help particularly with my daughter and she a great help. I could not have survived the first two weeks without her during which time I also had an infection. This last week and a half I have become more mobile and doing a…