chloesmom

That's really great news, and yes, it does give me hope! Cindy

I had an upper left lobectomy in 2003 and it was about 7 weeks later for me that I had a severe pain and numbness sensation from the incision area all the way through my left breast. It felt like nerve pain (or at least that's what I thought nerve pain would feel like), and it did subside and go away altogether in a couple of weeks. Cindy

Barb, Congratulations! I wanna be like you! I also remember only too well walking that long walk to the hospital early in the morning (only for me it was light already because it was summertime) and the feelings I had were the same as you. Reading that this morning brought it all back, and made me all the more grateful for our survivorship! Here's to 7 more, and 7 more, and so on and so on! Cindy

Congratulations Ralph! I admire your perserverence, and wish for you many more years of success! Cindy

Congratulations Joe! I hope you have 4 more times many, many years to celebrate! Cindy

Congratulations, Debi! Those scan and dr appt days are agony I would never wish on anyone. I'm so very happy to hear that you got the good news and I hope you slept well last night. Take care and relax for a while now (as if!) Cindy

In Illinois, that 23 hour thing is common. You get to go to a room, and you're released the next morning. I did that a couple of times for breast cancer surgery and it was fine. Also, my initial stay in the hospital was only approved for 3 nights. I questioned the ins. company because my dr said before the surgery that I'd be there 4-7 nights and I didn't want to be pushed out of there. They said that the initial approval was only three nights, but that if the doc wanted me there, all they had to do was call after I stayed the three nights. I think that your hospital/doctor can get that all straightened out with the insurance company, but that happens a lot here, and it doesn't mean folks are getting tossed out on the street, it just means that you stay just shy of 24 hours, which for me, the two times I had that happen, was plenty. The anesthesia had worn off, I was on the mend, and really ready to get home and get some rest. I hope it all works out fine for you too. Cindy

Debi, I'm pulling for you tomorrow for the best possible test results. Totally understand how you are feeling tonight. Hey, I usually make myself increasingly miserable for about two weeks leading up to these tests until the day of the CT and the dr appt when I'm a candidate for a nervous breakdown. For me, it's better to have the dr appt right after the test. At least you know you'll sleep better tomorrow night. Please keep us posted, and I just know this is all going to be ok. Meanwhile, all my best thoughts are going for you. Cindy

BIG congratulations to you! Cindy

What a beautiful girl and a tragic loss for you and your wife. I'm so sorry. Cindy

My husband got talked to after mine. I didn't see the dr afterwards either. But he did tell my husband that everything was fine, so I didn't really feel slighted about not meeting with him after the procedure. I don't blame you for getting a report and no doc and being a little alarmed. Cindy

Hey Debi, I'm glad you're getting situated with good new medical people to care for you. GONE! sounds fantastic! And I don't blame you for not wanting to do anything of significance on Sept 11th. I feel exactly the same and try to let that anniversary go by with no fanfare of any kind, just sad rememberence. It's nice to know things are going so well for you! Keep those good reports coming! Cindy

Congratulations, Gail! It seems to me that you used their services well, and now you have all those tools in your possession to work through what comes along! I'm excited for you! Cindy

Hi Peggy, It's good to 'see' you again. I know you'll never get over the loss of your dear husband, but I'm glad you're making some positive moves in your life. What a shocker with your heart attack! Glad you're recovering nicely and most of the work of moving in was done before that happened. You are always in my thoughts, and I remember you as someone who has handled her personal tragedies with great dignity. I wish you hadn't had to suffer them. Cindy

Gail, I know how heartbreaking it is to lose a pet. We've lost a couple of our dogs at about that age too, and it's really tough. I'm very sorry for your loss. Cindy

I'm happy for you! Cindy

I would have done the very same thing, Gail. I guess it's a side effect of what we've survived. I also wonder if my friends and health care providers speak well of me when they tell these stories! Anyway, I'm glad that's all it is..... Cindy

I know that my oncology group has a registered dietitian on staff and it is normal routine for the dietition to spend time with you during your first chemo treatment. She had all kinds of advice on foods to eat, etc. I never had any kind of food issues (gaining too much weight was my problem), but I was told to contact her any time if I had any type of dietary problems during my treatment. I think it's normal for dietitions to get involved with people undergoing cancer treatments. Cindy

Teri, I'm very sorry to hear this news. Wish there was something comforting I could say. Cindy

Congratulations, Jamie, and may these be just a couple of the many future milestones for you! Cindy

Hi Linzy, "Calm and relaxed" has never been my strong suit with all of this, but I had the help of a therapist and some medication during the worst of all of this, which, for me was during diagnosis and surgery time and for about 6 months after that. Others have read Bernie Seigel's books and found a lot of comfort there. Being on this message board and knowing other survivors has helped me tremendously. Let us know what we can do. Cindy

Hi Valadi, I have had breast cancer with surgery as well as a new primary on my lung with surgery. For me the breast cancer was very early stage, with not clean margins for the surgical biopsy, so they had to go in a second time and get more tissue and sample some lymph nodes. The second time it was all clear, so I just had to have radiation and take tamoxifen for five years. The lung tumor came a couple of years later, with a questionable routine chest x-ray during a followup with my breast surgeon. That led to a ct and a pet scan and then surgery. There is pain with this surgery, but if you speak up, they will make you comfortable. Also, when you leave the hospital, take your pain medications faithfully. Pain can hinder the healing process, so don't let that happen. Don't let this pain get ahead of you. It will subside, and after a couple of months, I was really fine. You are not alone in this, there are others here besides me who have had breast cancer and lung cancer. Please feel free to contact me by PM any time for any reason. I'd be happy to lend any support I can. Cindy

My platelets went really low too during chemo and I had to have Arenesp injections and have chemo postponed a couple of times because of low platelets. It happens, I was eating right and getting as much rest as I wanted, and except for the cancer issue, I was an otherwise extremely healthy person. Those drugs work on your blood counts, that's why they do all that testing prior to administering chemo. They told me the only thing I could do about it was continue to eat right and take care of myself and the Arenesp would take care of the rest. Cindy

Carol, Congratulations! Two years is a great milestone to reach! Cindy

Hi SAJR, I just wanted to let you know that there are many many people on this board who were very ill before diagnosis and treatment, but once they got into their treatment plan and radiation and/or medication started working, they turned around and started gaining weight and feeling much better. There is hope, and I hope your mother starts seeing some positive results from treatment really, really soon. Cindy