IronMom45

Thanks to all the encouragement on What Next, I pushed myself to find a PT with lymphedema/cancer patient experience. Turns out there's a Dutch lady working here who does. Wow! Seems like a miracle! I meet her tomorrow to see if she can help with my "special" lymphedema. Say a prayer for me that she can help!

Hi just thought I'd say hello - Its good to know that other people undergoing chemo understand how I feel ! How did you like Gloucester ? I lived in the malvern hills for 14 years and had my daughter at gloucester Royal Hospital

Just read your story that Greg posted. Wow, our journeys are SO similar in many ways. I can especially relate to having to leave very fulfilling work. I don't know how some manage, but between leaving the country to get surgery and treatment, the brain fog, and now the long-term side effects, I am only managing about 10 hours a week since the end of December. I am trying hard to be at peace with where I am today. Sometimes I succeed, sometimes I don't. It will be good to compare notes after our March scans. Thanks for sharing your story, it was an encouragement to me.

Hoping your Christmas was wonderful and that 2015 will bring you relief and contentment. Know it's been hard this year for you and your family. Judy

How are you doing IronMom?

Hi IronMom! I'm from the Detroit area as well and was curious as to where you go for your treatment. I am at Karmanos. Happy New Years!

I have been through surgery, radiation, cemo and still taking pills. the dignos was 2010 and brain is where the cancer is. And you know what? I am used to it. I will die but so will all. I don't know if you pray but I do, I am looking forword to are god! No problem.

Good luck today! Hoping and praying it goes really well!

I'm sending you good thoughts for tomorrow, my friend! Fingers (and toes and eyes) crossed that your body can handle this and no bad side effects!

I don't know if this is helpful for you, but my Gyn Onc sent this yesterday, in response to questions I had about Brachy-
"In general, vaginal cuff brachytherapy is very
well tolerated. Transient effects include mild irritation of
bladder/bowel, but this is often non-existent, and generally doesn't last long. The top part of the vagina can develop some fibrosis and in extreme cases can lead to a shortened vagina, for that reason we recommend using a dilator or having sex to prevent that from happening. Many women will have
some vaginal discharge for a period of time after the treatment. Actual placement is not so bad. Basically, they put you on a table and position your legs into holders. They insert a vaginal cylinder (similar to having a pelvic ultrasound if you have had one of those before). They want it to fill the vagina but not cause you pain. Pain is abnormal during the procedure, and if that happens you should complain. The first one takes a long time to set up, so you are on a table for awhile with this cylinder in your vagina, which is weird but generally not painful. Physicists and radiation oncologists then all confer about where the implant is with x-rays, and they map out the dosage of radiation. Then everyone leaves the room, and tiny radiation sources go up tiny channels in the cylinder and
are in your vagina for about 5 minutes, then they go back into the sealed chamber. Then they take it out and you are done. This is then repeated generally 3 times (total) over about a week and a 1/2 or so. This procedure is specifically to reduce the risk of the cancer coming back at the top of the vagina, as that is one of the most common sites of recurrence. The chemotherapy is to help reduce the risk of all recurrences, distant and local."

Hang in there, Iron Mom, like the name says! I'm praying for you!

Sorry pressure being put on you about the radiation. Could be a case of CYA from radiologist. I'm more like Hobo as far as what I've been left with after chemo. You are young, physically active just maybe you won't be left with this problem. After discussing you being a redhead it occurred to me you dont have hair. You say Detroit. We spent a year in Clawson (the year you were born) 45 years ago.

I do understand why you are stopping. 2005 I had colo/rectal Cancer. Oncologist said that if possible I had the best kind. Had several months of external radiation, eventually burned, nurse scrubbed off dead skin. Had to quit until healed. Had some chemo but handled it. I did not have internal radiation due to shrinking vagina. What I have read on site is that internal is easier except during insertion. Also that once you have been radiated in an area can't do again. But what do I know. I think at my age oncologist figured can't do internal and external more harm than good. I'm a stage 2 because lymph nodes tested showed no sign of Cancer. But I'm grade 3 or C because kind that comes back. I think about you because of my daughter, she's 48 with a 16 year old son. This Cancer is suppose to hit women of my age not you young ones. Sounds like you did chemo and handled it with more to come. Just get plenty of rest. I saw where your job had adopted your family for Christmas so you are in their thoughts. How is your daughter handling this? My daughter and I have always been very close. I Thank God I made the move to be close to her. Please stay in touch and complain all you want. I know you are a strong woman, not a complainer.

Thanks for your post and prayers. I haven't been able to figure out the rage. I do have chronic depression, am on meds for that. Maybe my brain says, enough, I can't deal with anything more. Don't know.

Thanks for your post. The depression and anger are slowly going away. I'm like Jekyll and Hyde, going along relatively smoothly, then, BOOM! I don't know what happens, but I try to get through it without killing someone!!! HaHa! I hope that your treatment helps you and that you will one day be well. Hugs and prayers.

Thank you. i think it's nice share some happy times

How Are you feeling today?

I hated 12 hour shifts and as MED nurse a lot of the times I got tired and was ripe for mistakes....bad policy but I see why hospitals do it......only 2 shifts to worry about.

Did you ever see this site. Amazing amount of information and what foods have cancer fighting and controlling properties. An MD runs this site and I'd encourage you to take your time and go through it. I do eat whole grain crackers to try and keep my weight at 143 down from 160 and holding steady BUT in general Simple grains/carbs rush too much sugar into the system way too fast and that's not good for anything except getting type 2 diabetes. SO I'd stay away from grains if you can. I eat MANY Beans in soups etc....and eat a LOT of raw nuts. Cashews, Wall Nuts, Almonds, Pumpkin Seeds, Sunflower seeds and pecans....NUTS and Legumes and All the Berry Fruit are FULL of great antioxidants and phytonutrients.

http://nutritionfacts.org/topics/cancer/

Barry

This is the song from the perspective of the Husband or Boyfriend of a New Breast Cancer Patient. Not sad but full of LOVE, HOPE & HUMANITY.....
Do you eat all the berries etc and do you take things like Green Tea Extract, Curcumin, Reishi Mushrooms and IP6. I guess you've been to Chris Beat Cancer. Just keep pushing. In ONE year our entire body's cells will be NEW and if we make the ones now healthier when they divide the new one's are healthier....What exactly is the paleo diet?


http://www.soundclick.com/player/single_player.cfm?songid=12976823&q=hi

I believe we should eat everything we can in it's natural state that either grows in the ground, on a bush or on a tree.
I wrote a cool song for kids to teach about healthy foods called DONUTS DON'T GROW ON TREES....

Check out the song.
Barry

NO as the more I read about this (knew about it years ago as I was always fascinated by cancer )the more I wasn't sure what I'd buy would be the same stuff she made. Blood Root is something else that is interesting. I was interested in Cancer since 1966 when my Mom Die of Breast Cancer. Did you hear my song WIFE HAS CANCER ? not my wife but a made up song. I was 19 out of 25,000 songs on a site called sound click today. What else have you been doing??

Yes I know about essiac. I can't afford any more stuff and you can't be sure what you are getting. Do You believe this?
Great Story though.

Hi Ironmom, It does seem like we're in the same general area. If you ever need to talk, let me know. I'm sure we could arrange to meet during one of your treatments or something. Where are you being treated at?

Thank you for your nice wards. It reflects the sweet soul within you as well, I've also enjoyed reading your diversified perspectives concerning many cancer issues, which leaves me no doubt that you will be able to sail trough this rough time and end up being, not only your old self , but a better human being who is enriched by the hardest experience ever known to man. We do feel vulnerable and confused, while on this journey, but it does not represent neither weaknesses nor surrender. It is only a sign of our human determination to continue living despite having this horrible disease. Thank you again for writing those nice wards and my best wishes for your smooth and happy recovery.

Thanks Iron Mom, love your name and what it represents! Me, I am Sunny Gal.....

Hi Ironmom,
I just read about your job issue. Are you currently on FMLA/Disability? You may well have grounds for a lawsuit, and as stressful as it may be, I hope you will consider legal action. Employers have no right to do this to people who are battling serious illness.

P.S. My dogs do help me, no matter how depressed I am it is hard to be upset with their happy furry faces staring at me!

Now they’re all snoring...so cute!!!

You’re welcome, but I am always looking around to see what others are going through and how they are handling it as well. As you know I’ve got breast cancer stage IV but I also have had 2 other primary cancers, clear cell uterine and cervical ( ugh ) and thyroid - fortunately a rather easy thyroid cancer because the other two have been rough. Life is tough, I’m sorry for the battle that you’ve been fighting as well! Hopefully we will win soon, but in the mean time I wish that we both have good quality of life! Hugs!

Once I found out from my biopsy exactly what I had I spent a few days on the Internet Looking up all I could. Mine had swollen nodes in 5 places already (abdomen, spleen, neck, groin and under my arm)...The surgeon who I went to on my own to get my neck nodes biopsied told me he would send me on to an Oncologist and I told him I needed to research all this first. I was inclined to NOT do the treatments anyway as they were still using the same stuff they used on my mom (BC) in 1966. After a few weeks I went back to see the surgeon and told him thanks but no thanks and he asked me if I would accept the challenge....huh? He said raw foods and that's how it all started. HE had a machine there where you put your finger in and it reads through the skin the antioxidant level and I was 16,000 and the best was over 70,000 I THINK that's what it was.....I was shocked at how low I was and in 2 months I was over 60,000. SO that is what started all this. I asked HIM if he knew of a Regular GP that would see me just to monitor and or run labs etc....and if I needed him for something else. He said no but he'd be my GP under Special Circumstances. He's taken out a node in my groin and ran a cat scan 5 months ago when I was having stomach problems BUT nothing showed up in most of the organs they showed....SO that's it....read my profile for more....I think I told you this but go to Chris Beat Cancer blog and facebook page. He's 36 and a 10 year survivor of colon cancer...Had surgery but no chemo or radiation....His site is very hopeful and also the book Radical Remission....not sure if I ever mentioned this to you. SO.....that's all there is there is no more.....lol I am a singer songwriter and wrote a special song called DON'T RAIN ON MY PARADE at the crap I had to take from well meaning Docs, friends and family member about NOT Doing the treatments. Let me know if you want to hear it. I'm up at barrydbutler channel on youtube. Good Luck!!!!!!!!!!!!! Barry