My friend with breast cancer - Page 8

Queen of the Ryche · 10-06-2009, 12:22 PM

Oh, and Fuck Cancer!

monster · 10-06-2009, 02:58 PM

She's in recovery. Sure I'll be your friend, Q

monster · 10-08-2009, 05:21 PM

She's looking great. She says she has a huge dent in her chest which is a bit of a surprise, and she said she woke from the anaesthetic screaming when they injected blue dye.

I found this:

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepu...cream1006.html

published today, too late for her, but they could have warned her. She checked with the nurse who confirmed that she wasn't imagining waking screaming.

the patholgy results came back and they're not awesome -cancer in 7 lymph nodes -after chemo- but we'll have to wait until she's discussed it with her oncologist to see what this really means (all the nodes were removed)

Shawnee123 · 10-08-2009, 05:47 PM

She's in my thoughts, mon.

monster · 10-08-2009, 06:01 PM

thanka. she loved the Gerbera with googly eyes -I forgot to take a picture, though -I loved it too.

limey · 10-09-2009, 02:52 AM

Thanks for the updates Monster. Keep'em coming - sending good vibes via you to your friend!

Queen of the Ryche · 10-09-2009, 02:56 PM

one for you, one for your friend

Sundae · 10-12-2009, 01:54 PM

I mentioned one of Mum's close friends here before. Breda has cancer caught to late to make any real difference.

She was admitted to a hospice last week, and to a hospital for medical care (breathing difficulties) over the weekend. It's not an infection as they suspected, it is the cancer. Which means it's pretty much end game. This is what? 3 months? 4 months tops from diagnosis.

I'll write a eulogy when it does happen, and am going with Mum to visit her tomorrow. But it's really smacked Mum round the head. And both her children are younger then me (her boy was 30 this summer) and their Dad died about 10 years ago.

Fuck cancer.

monster · 10-12-2009, 07:44 PM

I was due over for coffee/whatever and chat around 1pm today. she called to say she needed to nap, could I make it more like 2? I said sure, I was running late anyway (not unusual, source of much amusement....) So around 2:05 I'm in the garage reaching up to get my bike down to go over there and the phone rings. I'm thinking maybe it's her husband to say she's still asleep hold off, so I go back in to answer and it's her saying "Can you take me to the ER?"

Change of plan, grab book, can of coke,head for car. There in 5, she's on the phone to the hospital. After a few call backs she gets an immediate appt in the cancer center. So we set off.

Apparently, she was feeling crappy towards 1, so took a Vicodin and went for a nap. she didn't get much because of some door-to-door asshole who could see her on the couch and wouldn't go away... and when she finally stood up, her arm on her surgery side had major lymphodema, extreme pain and tingling numbness.

So off we went to get it checked out. they are concerned there may be skin infection so she got antibiotics, more pain meds and an appt with the physio to help teach her to massage the arm. All very scary and I think mostly she just needed reassuring from the medical establishment that her arm wasn't going to drop off.

I was able to remind her to ask about what was really bothering her -the sudden onset- as well as the cause of the symptoms themselves, so that made me feel useful, but it pained me how embarrassed she is by the appearance of her wound. She describes it in detail, but then is concerned that i might have seen it accidentally and been horrified while I was helping her untangle the drain tubes from her bandages, and i just feel totally helpless on this one...

She doesn't (currently) want to go through reconstruction or wear a fake boob but she feels that it's "rude" if she doesn't because it will make people uncomfortable. Fuck other people I say, and so does she in a less vulnerable state, but this idea is re-enforced by the hospital -ffs -who give them a falsie to wear home from the (outpatient) surgery. I'm sure it's intended to make women who can't cope with the idea of having a missing boob feel better, but they might at least ask rather than just presenting it like there's an expectation to appear complete at all times....

Pie · 10-12-2009, 10:07 PM

Screw the conformists! She should be -as comfortable as possible-. Good for you for being there when she needed you!

There have been some interesting studies about lymphodema and exercise recently. Certainly not immediately pertinent to her situation, but may become more so if this condition persists... I can look around for the papers, if you'd like.

Some folks who aren't going for reconstruction opt to get tattoos. It's an interesting option.

monster · 10-12-2009, 10:42 PM

I've been forwarding the bacon tattoo pix....

limey · 10-13-2009, 03:26 AM

Monster - anyone who has you for a pal is lucky indeed!

monster · 10-13-2009, 07:04 AM

thanks. she's not so good this morning -we had planned to atempt our first post-op walk, but her husband emailed it's a no-go. they always said the second week would be the worst.

Shawnee123 · 10-13-2009, 07:58 AM

I thought about your friend on Saturday. I had gone into my second job to get some work done, and realized they had the 5th annual 5k for breast cancer so I went out to watch the race start.

It's always an emotional thing for me...though it's fun I get a bit melancholy for a second as I listen to the people who speak before the race, my mom being a breast cancer survivor.

A woman who is currently battling breast cancer spoke, and said that her license plate says "Thriver." Good for her.

I hope your friend feels better soon, monster.

classicman · 10-13-2009, 08:07 AM

Hang in there Monnie - It's a marathon not a sprint. This is but a tiny bump in the road to recovery.

Healing thoughts and prayers to her and her family.

10-06-2009, 12:22 PM	#106
Queen of the Ryche is fleeing the scene Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Beautiful CO Posts: 1,510	Oh, and Fuck Cancer! __________________ Once, in an interview, Chuck Norris admitted that he was not the most awesome thing ever. He declined to elaborate; but I believe we all know that he was referring to the existence of chocolate covered bacon. I'd rather be judged by twelve than carried by six.

10-06-2009, 02:58 PM	#107
monster I hear them call the tide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Perpetual Chaos Posts: 30,852	She's in recovery. Sure I'll be your friend, Q __________________ The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity Amelia Earhart

10-08-2009, 05:21 PM	#108
monster I hear them call the tide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Perpetual Chaos Posts: 30,852	She's looking great. She says she has a huge dent in her chest which is a bit of a surprise, and she said she woke from the anaesthetic screaming when they injected blue dye. I found this: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepu...cream1006.html published today, too late for her, but they could have warned her. She checked with the nurse who confirmed that she wasn't imagining waking screaming. the patholgy results came back and they're not awesome -cancer in 7 lymph nodes -after chemo- but we'll have to wait until she's discussed it with her oncologist to see what this really means (all the nodes were removed) __________________ The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity Amelia Earhart

10-08-2009, 05:47 PM	#109
Shawnee123 Why, you're a regular Alfred E Einstein, ain't ya? Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 21,206	She's in my thoughts, mon. __________________ A word to the wise ain't necessary - it's the stupid ones who need the advice. --Bill Cosby

10-08-2009, 06:01 PM	#110
monster I hear them call the tide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Perpetual Chaos Posts: 30,852	thanka. she loved the Gerbera with googly eyes -I forgot to take a picture, though -I loved it too. __________________ The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity Amelia Earhart

10-09-2009, 02:52 AM	#111
limey Encroaching on your decrees Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: An island within the south-west coast of Scotland Posts: 7,016	Thanks for the updates Monster. Keep'em coming - sending good vibes via you to your friend! __________________ Living it up on the edge ... of civilisation, within the southwest coast of

10-09-2009, 02:56 PM	#112
Queen of the Ryche is fleeing the scene Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Beautiful CO Posts: 1,510	one for you, one for your friend __________________ Once, in an interview, Chuck Norris admitted that he was not the most awesome thing ever. He declined to elaborate; but I believe we all know that he was referring to the existence of chocolate covered bacon. I'd rather be judged by twelve than carried by six.

10-12-2009, 01:54 PM	#113
Sundae polaroid of perfection Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 24,185	I mentioned one of Mum's close friends here before. Breda has cancer caught to late to make any real difference. She was admitted to a hospice last week, and to a hospital for medical care (breathing difficulties) over the weekend. It's not an infection as they suspected, it is the cancer. Which means it's pretty much end game. This is what? 3 months? 4 months tops from diagnosis. I'll write a eulogy when it does happen, and am going with Mum to visit her tomorrow. But it's really smacked Mum round the head. And both her children are younger then me (her boy was 30 this summer) and their Dad died about 10 years ago. Fuck cancer. __________________ Life's hard you know, so strike a pose on a Cadillac

10-12-2009, 07:44 PM	#114
monster I hear them call the tide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Perpetual Chaos Posts: 30,852	I was due over for coffee/whatever and chat around 1pm today. she called to say she needed to nap, could I make it more like 2? I said sure, I was running late anyway (not unusual, source of much amusement....) So around 2:05 I'm in the garage reaching up to get my bike down to go over there and the phone rings. I'm thinking maybe it's her husband to say she's still asleep hold off, so I go back in to answer and it's her saying "Can you take me to the ER?" Change of plan, grab book, can of coke,head for car. There in 5, she's on the phone to the hospital. After a few call backs she gets an immediate appt in the cancer center. So we set off. Apparently, she was feeling crappy towards 1, so took a Vicodin and went for a nap. she didn't get much because of some door-to-door asshole who could see her on the couch and wouldn't go away... and when she finally stood up, her arm on her surgery side had major lymphodema, extreme pain and tingling numbness. So off we went to get it checked out. they are concerned there may be skin infection so she got antibiotics, more pain meds and an appt with the physio to help teach her to massage the arm. All very scary and I think mostly she just needed reassuring from the medical establishment that her arm wasn't going to drop off. I was able to remind her to ask about what was really bothering her -the sudden onset- as well as the cause of the symptoms themselves, so that made me feel useful, but it pained me how embarrassed she is by the appearance of her wound. She describes it in detail, but then is concerned that i might have seen it accidentally and been horrified while I was helping her untangle the drain tubes from her bandages, and i just feel totally helpless on this one... She doesn't (currently) want to go through reconstruction or wear a fake boob but she feels that it's "rude" if she doesn't because it will make people uncomfortable. Fuck other people I say, and so does she in a less vulnerable state, but this idea is re-enforced by the hospital -ffs -who give them a falsie to wear home from the (outpatient) surgery. I'm sure it's intended to make women who can't cope with the idea of having a missing boob feel better, but they might at least ask rather than just presenting it like there's an expectation to appear complete at all times.... __________________ The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity Amelia Earhart

10-12-2009, 10:07 PM	#115
Pie Gone and done Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 4,808	Screw the conformists! She should be -as comfortable as possible-. Good for you for being there when she needed you! There have been some interesting studies about lymphodema and exercise recently. Certainly not immediately pertinent to her situation, but may become more so if this condition persists... I can look around for the papers, if you'd like. Some folks who aren't going for reconstruction opt to get tattoos. It's an interesting option. __________________ per·son \ˈpər-sən\ (noun) - an ephemeral collection of small, irrational decisions The fun thing about evolution (and science in general) is that it happens whether you believe in it or not.

10-12-2009, 10:42 PM	#116
monster I hear them call the tide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Perpetual Chaos Posts: 30,852	I've been forwarding the bacon tattoo pix.... __________________ The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity Amelia Earhart

10-13-2009, 03:26 AM	#117
limey Encroaching on your decrees Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: An island within the south-west coast of Scotland Posts: 7,016	Monster - anyone who has you for a pal is lucky indeed! __________________ Living it up on the edge ... of civilisation, within the southwest coast of

10-13-2009, 07:04 AM	#118
monster I hear them call the tide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Perpetual Chaos Posts: 30,852	thanks. she's not so good this morning -we had planned to atempt our first post-op walk, but her husband emailed it's a no-go. they always said the second week would be the worst. __________________ The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity Amelia Earhart

10-13-2009, 07:58 AM	#119
Shawnee123 Why, you're a regular Alfred E Einstein, ain't ya? Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 21,206	I thought about your friend on Saturday. I had gone into my second job to get some work done, and realized they had the 5th annual 5k for breast cancer so I went out to watch the race start. It's always an emotional thing for me...though it's fun I get a bit melancholy for a second as I listen to the people who speak before the race, my mom being a breast cancer survivor. A woman who is currently battling breast cancer spoke, and said that her license plate says "Thriver." Good for her. I hope your friend feels better soon, monster. __________________ A word to the wise ain't necessary - it's the stupid ones who need the advice. --Bill Cosby

10-13-2009, 08:07 AM	#120
classicman barely disguised asshole, keeper of all that is holy. Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 23,401	Hang in there Monnie - It's a marathon not a sprint. This is but a tiny bump in the road to recovery. Healing thoughts and prayers to her and her family. __________________ "like strapping a pillow on a bull in a china shop" Bullitt

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)