cloverlady4

How are you doing?

How are things going?

Hi there, am going to watch the new "Dracula" tonight to see if it is any good. Exorcist is on now. I think the older I get the more scared I get from the movies. Never was like that when I was younger.
Hope you're having a good night and the pain has subsided.

You are so kind and thoughtful! Thank you for your response to my post and for asking about me! Somehow, I am determined to get through this without being a victim; I come from a long line of victims! But , I must admit, there are days I just go, "Are you freakin' kidding me?!" As Nirtzsche said, "That which doesn't kill me makes me stronger." ... but do we need to be freakin' Atlas?! Hugs to you!

I developed Lymphedema 7 months after the surgery. According to all the information and the sites I belong to relating to Lymphedema only 20% of breast cancer patients get Lymphedema. They have no idea what causes it. I only had two lymph nodes taken out and I got it. I believe it was because when I came back to work in April I wore an underwire bra and it dug into my arm pit. I think personally that is what brought it on but my Onc said no it just happens to some people.

I have to wear a compression sleeve and gauntlet during the day and I have a night sleeve I have to wear at night. It looks like an oven mit except it goes all the way up my arm. I also have to do exercises/stretches and massages every day. I do them first thing in the morning and every night before bed.

My Lymphedema was in my upper arm but I have to wear the gauntlet in case it goes down to my fingers.

It hurts when It fills up with fluid. I fills up whenever I do anything that takes my heart rate up. Walking, exercising, or sometimes even just setting there. When my arm gets cold it feels like I have dry ice on it. It burns. It is very uncomfortable but the worst thing is that the congress doesn't acknowledge it as a medical problem. Some insurances will pay for the compression sleeve but not the night sleeve which is $600 and last for 2 yrs. They also won't pay for physical therapy I need to have the swelling come down. I think they should allow at least twice a month if you have it that way it won't get away from you and cause some kind of cellulosis or something that is very dangerous.

My advice to anyone who is a candidate for Lymphedema is be careful and don't hurt your arm or bump into anything. I was told that all it takes is a bump the wrong way for it to develop.

Good luck to you and my God bless you.

I just read more of your profile, and saw (probably not for the first time, but chemo brain keeps me from remembering just about everything!) that you were talking about Lymphedema. I hope you do not have that. My mom had a radical mastectomy (which I understand they don't do anymore...but they sure did in the '70's when she had hers) and her arm would swell up so badly! it was so uncomfortable for her.

You and I pretty much started/ending our chemo around the same time this time. We should celebrate the end "together"!! I will have to get Avastin "indefinitely", the doc says...which sobers me a bit. But the Carboplatin is the one that is causing the difficult side effects. They are still a little better than last year, with Taxol as well. I hurt, but not quite as much. No hair loss this time (I am SO grateful for that!). But it is so very hard to work full time with this! That first "chemo week" is just awful! But, I am grateful.

Hope you are doing well...thanks again for thinking of me! I am thinking of you!

Linda

Hello hope things are going well. I wanted to ask did you get fibermialga from the cancer? I don't even know how to spell it but I at its mercy.

You have a positive attitude. We all have to deal with what is happening today. We all seem to forget what we been through in the past . I have never felt sorry for myself. You will get through this and forget about all the crap that is happening now. Winter is here and when summer comes you and I will enjoy our beaches and beautiful state. Good luck!!!!

Hey how did this week's chemo go?
I have only 7 rads left!

Hi, Cloverlady. I know this is so hard to go through! I had my 4th (my halfway mark for carbo) on Friday, and I still feel sick. But I am grateful that there is hope, that there is something to offer. You know, I always feel funny posting things like that. I am very blessed that my chemo is working. For now. I am positive about it, as I feel I must remain positive about the entire process. But I am always aware of the feelings of those whose chemo is not working. And aware of the fact that I may be there, too.

So, while I don't want to make light of anyone's experiences with chemo, I do want to offer hope and encouragement to everyone who posts here. This is a scary world we are a part of. But the support of those around us - you, me, and everyone on here, whether they post or just read/follow.

It is most kind of you to thank me for my response; we're all in this together, as much as we can support each other. And your question helps me to focus my thoughts around something important to me, as well. Thank you for providing the venue for that!

Linda

Hey there, thanks for following me...keep in touch...anything I can help with, just let me know! Go SOX! Go PATS!

I wish you the best. I have had jaw cancer but still have problems

Thank you for writing. My computer was in the shop and I was under the knife. This time my stitches opened up. I hemorrhaged. Finally things are "quiet." HRU?

Hello, wow!, I kept reading and reading and reading. You have been thru' it all and have such a wonderful attitude. I absolutely love it!! You are definitely an inspiration to me and hopefully to others. I would like to ask you what kind of experience you had the first time? Thank you so much for your sharing and I am going to look up the poem everyone is talking about. Please keep us posted!

Happy birthday!! So sorry about the diagnoses. Your chemo is a difficult one but my onco says is very effective. All the best to you and sending you cyber hugs!!!!

I love your poem. Thanks for sharing.

Hi, new friend! Your poem brought a smile to my face, and the shared experience made me feel a little less frightened; a bit more empowered!!

My name is Linda, and I hope we can support each other, and find comfort and help and hope here in this website. We fight a difficult battle. But there are so many wonderful things I have learned through this! So many wonderful people! I am sure I'm nowhere near done!

God bless you!

Linda

I shared your poem for you.

Hello Cloverlady...just realizing it is early am...trying to get away from being awake until all hours. It is very flattering *if that is the word* to be followed by someone like you, you have been through IT, sounds like.
I do however love your sense of humor. Here a hair, there a hair...Hee hee.
I see my first chemo doc on the 2nd. I have seen surgeon, radiation, have been biopsied, petted, ct'd, mri'd, given enough blood for a back up for Lake Michigan...I have a chest that is completely filled up from lymph, lung, chest wall, pleural effusion...I swear I can feel new ones pop in.
The radiation doc went so far as to get me tatoo'd and scheduled, which gave me hope, then she called me personally and told me that she could not "fry away" my lungs. She wanted the name of my chemo doc and I gave it she said she wanted to talk with him about my treatment. I asked her if it was worth it, she gave me the normal stuff.
But I am scared because if they give me X amount of time, then I spend the entire "X" barfing, sitting on the potty, etc. I could use some advice. I am not pressuring you, but it sounds like I will need a lot of chemo and I had to "gene test" no results and test was done weeks ago, which is kinda good I read up on the nasty Tarceva and Alk sides and it sounded like hell warmed over.
Goodness, look at me go on. Last thing: I admire you for going through what you have been going through with such panache. I just wonder why no pain meds? I was given some right away. Do you think it is bodily location? Maybe you should insist. Either way, I am very sorry (:.
Well, I am going for now...into bed with my kitty, Sunshine. You can see her in my avatar, but don't get her wrong...she HATES the camera. We have tried everything. That was last year and the best I could do.
Good night, lovely lady and congrats on your birthday!

So how is this round of chemo going for you? And how does it compare to the first round? I am very much hoping it wasn't as bad and/or you are on the upswing.

Jesus loves us !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Breast cancer
Join me in prayer that, this same God will touch every breast cancer patient, heal them or grant them sufficient grace
to make it through. We pray that every lump or thickening in or near the breast or in the underarm area will dry up and
disappear in Jesus Mighty Name, Amen. We speak total disappearance of every infirmity in or near the breast. We
declare wholeness in Jesus Mighty Name, Amen.
God says in Mark 11:23-24 "I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and
does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you,
whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” So right now we command every
lump, every discharge in the nipple, every skin sickness, everything associated with breast cancer…we declare and command it to go in
Jesus Mighty Name, Amen.
We speak alignment of everything that needs to align for the breast to
function well to align and be in its proper shape and form. Anything to the contrary we rebuke it and declare it has to
go now in Jesus Mighty Name, Amen.
Healing is God’s desire for each and every one of us. We declare that by the stripes of Jesus Christ, all Breast Cancer
patients are made whole. Lord Jesus, thank You for hearing us, answering us, and quickly coming to our aid. God
says in Jeremiah 30:17 ““But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,” declares the LORD…”
We pray for all the doctors and nurses taking care of these dear ones. God please grant them wisdom, grant them
patience, grant them understanding and above all let them deal correctly with each breast cancer patient in Jesus
name. Amen
Blessings CELLKILLER

Thanks for the update. I really feel for you starting out with chemo. I HATED the Neulasta injection, by the way. I don't know what that belly pain for you was, but I sure had bone/nerve pain.
Can I ask, did you have chemo with your first mastectomy? Rads? Tamoxifen?
Did you have a port put in? I really appreciated how easy the port made the infusion go.
I am so sorry to hear that it has spread to your sacrum. I sincerely hope the treatments can knock it back.

Hi! Thought I would pop in to see how you are doing. Hope you are feeling better. Rest when you can, right now its the best medicine.

Welcome to the site. I think that you will find this a friendly place to come when you need to sound off or vent from anger. We are all here to listen and help, if we can, because at some point and time in each of our lives we have been in your situation. Please don't be afraid to ask questions either. No question on this site is silly or dumb. We all have questions we would like other opinions on or answers to. There are so many nice people here that it has helped me get through my fears I had when I was DX'd with DCIS. Good luck in the future.

Welcome to the site. I think that you will find this a friendly place to come when you need to sound off or vent from anger. We are all here to listen and help, if we can, because at some point and time in each of our lives we have been in your situation. Please don't be afraid to ask questions either. No question on this site is silly or dumb. We all have questions we would like other opinions on or answers to. There are so many nice people here that it has helped me get through my fears I had when I was DX'd with DCIS. Good luck in the future.

Welcome...glad you found us but sorry you had to...I like to tell newcomers that we are the friends you have not met yet...please let us know how we can help you...questions, concerns, need to vent...I hope you are able to keep positive, you beat this once and can do it again...I am sending healing thoughts and best wishes your way...God bless!

Welcome to the WhatNext family! The WhatNext family is made up of people like you who are looking for help or looking to help others. To help you along your journey the WhatNext family has put together a Beginner's Guide to Cancer that I highly recommend you check-out here: http://bit.ly/10BQKCi. Also, please do not hesitate to reach out to others or ask for help.

Wishing you the best.

David
Founder, WhatNexter