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I'm in the home stretch!!!

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Breast Cancer
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Posted 3/18/2006 4:35 PM (GMT 0)
Hi

 

Just wanted to give everyone an update on my treatments. I have 8 more rads left and a ct scan scheduled for the 29th. I had an appointment with my onc yesterday and she finally acknowledged the spots in my lungs and spleen. She said that between the chemo and the rads the (cancer) should be gone. If the ct scan shows any spots I will have a broncoskopy. I asked her what if??? there is more cancer will I have to do more chemo, she said no. I will start tamoxafen in 2 weeks and then go onto aromatose inhibiter (sp)

 

On a lighter note my hair is growing very fast. And yes Chantry it is VERY curly. It feels so good to have hair again, and I kindof like it short I just need a little more bangs.

 

Have a great weekend.

 

L&H

Bernadette

Posted 3/19/2006 1:52 PM (GMT 0)
Congratulations! I know you will be glad when it's all over. It will be nice to start trying to get back to normal. My hair started to come back about 3 weeks ago. Unfortunately, it's coming back mostly gray. It's too short to asy whether it will be straight or not. I had wavy hair before all this. I hope it will come back that way. My eyelashes have started coming back in too.

Posted 3/19/2006 2:24 PM (GMT 0)
Congratulations, Bernadette, you're nearly finished. Don't worry, those bangs will grow. I, too, like this really short hair, but since I have "bleached" my hair white, roots are really showing!!. At least the roots look "dark" not that awful gray I had before. Still deciding what to do with hair. One thing I did notice when my hair began to grow back after chemo was that all the white came in first and then I started to get the dark. Has anyone else noticed this pattern?

Katt, glad the lashes are coming back. I believe it took me about 3 weeks to get them to original length.

In reality, length and color of hair means nothing, just having it is great!!

Judy

Posted 3/20/2006 1:39 AM (GMT 0)
When I finally get my hair back, I will NEVER again complain about having a bad hair day!!

I seem to have ALOT more white hairs than I did before, and they seem to be alot longer than the rest. My hair is also really gray and very sparse but about an inch long. However, I still see no evidence of any curls. The term "electrocuted porcupine" comes to mind.
I have no eyebrows, but the eyelashes are slowly coming in.

Bernadette - I am so glad that the end of your treatment is in sight! I hope that your skin is doing ok, and I will be praying for a clear ct.

Thank-you for sharing this journey with me. Although I wish that NONE of us needed to be here, it really helped me to follow yours and Kattbirds progress.

I hope some day we will be able to meet so I could thank you both in person.

Love
Chantry
Posted 3/20/2006 8:36 PM (GMT 0)
Yep, Chantry, the white ones come first and are therefore longer than the other ones. My hairdresser called them "cat fur". When the dark ones come in and get a little longer, I bet the curls will start.

Judy

P.S. Get out a magnifying mirror. I bet those brows are there somewhere!
Posted 3/21/2006 3:17 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Kattbird, Judy & Chantry

I start the boost tomarrow, not looking forward to it at all Im soo burnt. My armpit is very sore and my chest feels like it is on fire. I have gel pads for my arm pit and they help.

My hair came in very sparse at first and then the second round came in heavier and grey, but very curly. I have lost my eyelashes 3 times. My eyebrows are starting to be almost normal, I just wish my lashes would do the same. You guys mentioned electrified porcupine and cat fur that descibes my hair exactly while it was coming back in. Katt Im so glad your hair is starting to come back in. It goes very fast once you get the original in.

I wish there was another get together planned, I would love to meet all of the people I have made frieds with on this site. I would be all for doing some kind of a group get together.

Judy when you did rads did your breast get very sore and tender? I feel like one side is lumpy and sore all of the time. My Dr says it is just part of the rads.

L&H
Bernadette
Posted 3/21/2006 3:55 AM (GMT 0)
Weighing in here...
Bern, congrats on the home stretch! The boost should be easier, it just targets the area where the tumor was, so the other area won't get any more rads. Whew!

My hair never came in with white cat fuzz, just came in the same. I always had curly hair and when it was an inch or so, the wave started. One word: Mousse! I started with it as soon as I could make it look like a style. Getting dressed was a great treat in the morning...mousse and go! I finished rads in APril, went topless in July and got my first haircut in December. Just a tiny trim, to even the ends and give it shape.

Today, 6 years later, you'd never know.

And Bern, 6 years later, my rad breast is still sore. Most of the time I do not notice it, but when pressure is applied (hugging, laying on the floor, when my dog climbs on me...). To a gentle touch, the skin is normal and soft. The tissue is firmer though, one of those lasting gifts...

Hooray for the home stretch!
Lori
Posted 3/21/2006 5:50 AM (GMT 0)
Wow, Bernadette, it seems to have gone by fast.  I hope you feel that way, too.  You will be glad to have it over with.  I am hoping that no spots are found on the CT scan.  Does your onc use blood tests for tumor markers?

 

My hair came back very gray and then started getting darker.  I colored it again like I used to, so it's pretty much back to normal, except I have more curl.  I agree with all of you - the short hair (with mousse or gel) is easy and great.  DH wants me to let it grow, but then he's always wanted that. 

 

I would love to have a get-together arranged to meet everyone.  I would do my best to make it whenever and wherever it is planned.

Posted 3/21/2006 5:39 PM (GMT 0)
Lori & Kathy

I sure agree with the mousse and go routine, I have been doing that for almost a month and I love it. I have had alot of people say gee you look good in short hair. I still would like it longer but all I can say is HOORAY for hair. Still waiting for lashes to get longer and thicken up again.

Lori

Your breast is still sore??? Mine is so sore now that it hurts all of the time, not from being burnt but it feels like it has been hit very hard. The outside is lumpy too. I just had a breast exam on Friday so I know it is okay. Congrats on 6 years!!!!

Kathy

Hubby finally can put some weight on his foot (4 months later) he can put 20 lbs for 3 days 40 for 3 days and so on until he gets to his weight. He would like to go back to work but L&I has not released him yet. Boy this has been a long drawn out thing. He has had a tough time with being down, so when he was told he could start to put weight on it that helped.

A get together would be great.......who do we put in charge of it???? LOL. I would try my hardest to make it anywhere it was. Take care all.

L&H
Bernadette
Posted 3/21/2006 7:23 PM (GMT 0)
Bern, the breast is only sore when pressure is applied. It is a little more firm if you press hard and it does have that bruised feeling..but 99% of the time it feels normal. It is only when I hit something or brush against a hard surface....like carrying a box can be tricky if it is pressing on the breast. OVerall I am very pleased with the post rad breast. It was the surgery that I could have skipped to keep a normal appearance, but I guess it was vital to my well being....so having a smaller breast is a very small price to pay...
Posted 3/21/2006 11:19 PM (GMT 0)
Bern, I had a mast rather than a lumpectomy. The pain I felt in my breast was from the "burn" and went away very quickly. Within three weeks all the initial "brown" skin had peeled away, too. I still "moisturize" this area daily.

Count me in on a meet -- love to meet the "vetrans" and the rest of us "new vetrans".

Judy
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