Almost there

Hi,

I have just 3 more radiations left and then I'm done with my active
treatment except for Tamoxifen. I told my husband that it was kind of scary
that I won't be doing anything actively to kill the cancer and now we'll
just have to wait. His response was "No, now we'll just live". It gives me
hope.

Best,

Tamara

"R. Fizek" <fizkowie1@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:9KpZg.9830$cH6.6440@trnddc07...
> Hi,
>
> I have just 3 more radiations left and then I'm done with my active
> treatment except for Tamoxifen. I told my husband that it was kind of
> scary that I won't be doing anything actively to kill the cancer and now
> we'll just have to wait. His response was "No, now we'll just live". It
> gives me hope.
>
> Best,
>
> Tamara

Tamara, the chemo is to 'mop up' any stray cancer cells which are still in
your body. It's unlikely that when your chemo stops there will be anything
left!

Tamoxifen will help prevent a recurrence, it's active. By taking it you
won't be killing cancer but you'll certainly be doing something actrive.

And your husband is right, just live, don't be scared, there are too many
things to enjoy. Being scared takes up your time and energy, it's a waste of
time and energy.

Don't go from here though, your experience will help others!

Hugs to both of you,

Mary
>
>

"R. Fizek" <fizkowie1@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:9KpZg.9830$cH6.6440@trnddc07...
> Hi,
>
> I have just 3 more radiations left and then I'm done with my active
> treatment except for Tamoxifen. I told my husband that it was kind of
> scary that I won't be doing anything actively to kill the cancer and now
> we'll just have to wait. His response was "No, now we'll just live". It
> gives me hope.

Congratulations, Tamara - it's great that the end is in sight for the most
annoying/intrusive kinds of treatment. It does kind of become a lifestyle,
though, doesn't it -- so it can be hard to move on to the next, seemingly
less intensive, phase of recovery. I like your husband's attitude, too!

Of course Mary's right; Tamoxifen is a very major active component in
treatment. Though we all hope the chemo/radiation will've killed any local
or roving cancer cells in your body, the Tamoxifen will also be there
blocking the opportunity for cancer to grow or thrive.

Though I wouldn't want you, me, or anyone else to think BC is somehow our
fault, it's also important to realize there are certain things we can do,
that we have control of, that can perhaps nudge the future in a bit more
positive direction. For example, some research suggests that regular
moderate exercise improves outcomes. There's a popular-press (Washington
Post) summary of some research at:

http://tinyurl.com/y5yg9x

Though the evidence concerning diet seems weaker to me than that for
exercise, there are also some suggestions that diet influences recurrence
risk. There's an overview at:

http://www.breastcancer.org/nutr_bc_reduce_risk.html

You're going to do just fine, and you'll be feeling better & stronger day by
day & week by week, as you get past chemo/radiation. You'll keep posting,
right?

Take care,

Ann T.
Remove 'dontsendspam' from address to reply by email

Hi Ann & Mary,

Thanks for the positive thoughts. It is hard to move on. When I first
heard someone voice this opinion, I thought "what - is she nuts - I will
only be too happy to have treatment end" but the monkey is forever on your
back and he won't let you forget it.

Ann, you have been especially supportive and helpful to me and I am very
grateful. I will stay around and lurk and probably post too - maybe I can
be of similar help to someone else out there in a similar situation.

Funny you should mention the exercise - I've already been in contact with
our local Dragon Boat team "Pink Steel" and hope to join in the Spring when
they resume training . Something I probably wouldn't have done in my
other life but now all bets are off and we're doin different!!!

Hugs and Good Wishes to all.

Tamara

"A.P. Thorsen" <annthorsendontsendspam@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:eh5okl$9ef$1@news.msu.edu...
> "R. Fizek" <fizkowie1@verizon.net> wrote in message
> news:9KpZg.9830$cH6.6440@trnddc07...
>> Hi,
>>
>> I have just 3 more radiations left and then I'm done with my active
>> treatment except for Tamoxifen. I told my husband that it was kind of
>> scary that I won't be doing anything actively to kill the cancer and now
>> we'll just have to wait. His response was "No, now we'll just live". It
>> gives me hope.
>
> Congratulations, Tamara - it's great that the end is in sight for the most
> annoying/intrusive kinds of treatment. It does kind of become a
> lifestyle, though, doesn't it -- so it can be hard to move on to the next,
> seemingly less intensive, phase of recovery. I like your husband's
> attitude, too!
>
> Of course Mary's right; Tamoxifen is a very major active component in
> treatment. Though we all hope the chemo/radiation will've killed any
> local or roving cancer cells in your body, the Tamoxifen will also be
> there blocking the opportunity for cancer to grow or thrive.
>
> Though I wouldn't want you, me, or anyone else to think BC is somehow our
> fault, it's also important to realize there are certain things we can do,
> that we have control of, that can perhaps nudge the future in a bit more
> positive direction. For example, some research suggests that regular
> moderate exercise improves outcomes. There's a popular-press (Washington
> Post) summary of some research at:
>
> http://tinyurl.com/y5yg9x
>
> Though the evidence concerning diet seems weaker to me than that for
> exercise, there are also some suggestions that diet influences recurrence
> risk. There's an overview at:
>
> http://www.breastcancer.org/nutr_bc_reduce_risk.html
>
> You're going to do just fine, and you'll be feeling better & stronger day
> by day & week by week, as you get past chemo/radiation. You'll keep
> posting, right?
>
> Take care,
>
> Ann T.
> Remove 'dontsendspam' from address to reply by email
>

"R. Fizek" <fizkowie1@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:HFxZg.9878$cH6.3157@trnddc07...
> .... I will stay around and lurk and probably post too - maybe I can
> be of similar help to someone else out there in a similar situation.
-----------------
Tamara, don't forget to keep us posted about your reconstruction!

Believe me, I know how you feel. I felt the same way in June when I
finished my Herceptin treatment. "What? You mean there's nothing but these
teeny little Arimidex pills protecting me now?" It's scary but the fear
loses some of its edge over time.

Best wishes, Eva

Hi Tamara,
It's been almost 23 years since my diagnosis and 22 years since the end of
active treatment, but I still remember feeling like I'd geared for battle
and it was hard not to be "doing" something. Back then, I wasn't given
tamoxifen, so when chemo ended, I did nothing except see the oncologist
periodically for tests. Just three years ago, he cut me loose too! It took
a while until I could really put cancer on a back burner and get on with
living. I prayed daily for health, like it was some distant goal. I
finally realized that I wasn't really living each today when I prayed for
health like it was some elusive bubble. What a lot of wasted todays there
would have been, if I couldn't begin to believe in my health! Now, that's
not to say that there haven't been scary times since. I get nervous with
each new health concern, but I guess I don't automatically think that
everything is cancer either.

Here's hoping that you are going to begin to breathe easier and that you'll
enjoy continued good health for many, many, many years! Best wishes to you.

Barb

Hi Eva,

Thanks for the wishes - it's been a long 10 months of treatment and almost
1 year since I found the lump. Yes, reconstruction - I have a few months
off before I get to think about that . Will keep everyone posted.

Tamara

"Eva" <EvaDStructionNOT@NOTverizon.net> wrote in message
news:YbzZg.5085$Dg5.38@trndny09...
>
> "R. Fizek" <fizkowie1@verizon.net> wrote in message
> news:HFxZg.9878$cH6.3157@trnddc07...
>> .... I will stay around and lurk and probably post too - maybe I can
>> be of similar help to someone else out there in a similar situation.
> -----------------
> Tamara, don't forget to keep us posted about your reconstruction!
>
> Believe me, I know how you feel. I felt the same way in June when I
> finished my Herceptin treatment. "What? You mean there's nothing but
> these
> teeny little Arimidex pills protecting me now?" It's scary but the fear
> loses some of its edge over time.
>
> Best wishes, Eva
>
>

Hi Barb,

Thank you for the positive thoughts. It will be awhile until I have your
confidence - the paranoia is lurking just beneath the surface but if it
stays there I'll be satisfied.

Tamara

"Barb" <ammerman@epix.net> wrote in message
news:_%zZg.24$Oc.4285@news1.epix.net...
>
> Hi Tamara,
> It's been almost 23 years since my diagnosis and 22 years since the end of
> active treatment, but I still remember feeling like I'd geared for battle
> and it was hard not to be "doing" something. Back then, I wasn't given
> tamoxifen, so when chemo ended, I did nothing except see the oncologist
> periodically for tests. Just three years ago, he cut me loose too! It
> took a while until I could really put cancer on a back burner and get on
> with living. I prayed daily for health, like it was some distant goal. I
> finally realized that I wasn't really living each today when I prayed for
> health like it was some elusive bubble. What a lot of wasted todays there
> would have been, if I couldn't begin to believe in my health! Now, that's
> not to say that there haven't been scary times since. I get nervous with
> each new health concern, but I guess I don't automatically think that
> everything is cancer either.
>
> Here's hoping that you are going to begin to breathe easier and that
> you'll enjoy continued good health for many, many, many years! Best
> wishes to you.
>
> Barb
>

Hi, Tamara!

"R. Fizek" <fizkowie1@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:HFxZg.9878$cH6.3157@trnddc07...

> Funny you should mention the exercise - I've already been in contact with
> our local Dragon Boat team "Pink Steel" and hope to join in the Spring
> when they resume training . Something I probably wouldn't have done in
> my other life but now all bets are off and we're doin different!!!

Ooooo, cool! One of the moments that helped me get through treatment
involved a breast cancer survivors dragon boat racing team! It was when I
was at a real low point, feeling tired, discouraged, thinking I'd never have
any strength or energy again.

Then I saw a segment -- I think it was on the "It's a Miracle" show -- about
a BC survivor dragon boat team that was out practicing when a guy tried to
commit suicide by jumping from a bridge. An instant after he jumped, he was
having second thoughts, but figured the die was cast. But he survived the
fall, and was rescued from the water by the dragon boaters. They had sorta
adopted him, he would come to watch them race, etc.

Missing the main point of the segment <G>, I was absolutely riveted by the
idea of a BC survivors dragon boat racing team. I thought "if they can do
that, maybe I *can* be strong and capable again someday!" It really gave me
hope. I cried (I never cry, hardly). I did some web research, and found
out that there were *lots* of BC survivor dragon boat teams. Wowzers!
Being a long-time recreational canoeist, I wished that I could do that.
Sadly, there were no teams within driving distance for me at the time.

Then, about a year after I finished treatment, lo & behold, I found out
there was a BC survivors *rowing* team forming in my city. I was *soooooo*
there. The rest is history -- now I'm a late-blooming rowing addict, have
started working on coaching certification, etc.

So I'm also totally with you on "all bets are off and we're doin different".
A boat I've been training with (all BC survivors) is deciding whether we
really want to enter a long, hard race on what will likely be a cold and
unpleasant day. I'm invoking my twin post-BC philosophies of life: "There
may not *be* a next year" and <bad taste alert!> "Boogie til you puke"
(metaphorically, of course), and voting for "enter".

Once you start dragon boating, please post & tell us all about it, OK?

Ann T.
Remove 'dontsendspam' from address to reply by email

"A.P. Thorsen" <annthorsendontsendspam@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:eh6vac$4mg$1@news.msu.edu...
>
....

> A boat I've been training with (all BC survivors) is deciding whether we
> really want to enter a long, hard race on what will likely be a cold and
> unpleasant day. I'm invoking my twin post-BC philosophies of life:
> "There may not *be* a next year" and <bad taste alert!> "Boogie til you
> puke" (metaphorically, of course), and voting for "enter".

LOL!

Ann. Always an inspiration!

Mary

>
> Thank you for the positive thoughts. It will be awhile until I have your
> confidence - the paranoia is lurking just beneath the surface but if it
> stays there I'll be satisfied.
>
> Tamara
>
Hello again Tamara,

I hope I didn't sound like the process came in a short amount of time. It
took me a loooooog, looooong time. In the first years, I believe that I was
clinically depressed and panic was also close to the surface. The mental
and emotional struggle was as difficult as the physical, easily! I posted
only because I would have liked to have someone say (way back then), that
things would eventually get better.....

Hoping all good things for you, Tamara.

Barb

Thank you Barb - I hope so too. For all of us.


"Barb" <ammerman@epix.net> wrote in message
news:M62_g.31$Oc.9161@news1.epix.net...
> >
>> Thank you for the positive thoughts. It will be awhile until I have your
>> confidence - the paranoia is lurking just beneath the surface but if it
>> stays there I'll be satisfied.
>>
>> Tamara
>>
> Hello again Tamara,
>
> I hope I didn't sound like the process came in a short amount of time. It
> took me a loooooog, looooong time. In the first years, I believe that I
> was clinically depressed and panic was also close to the surface. The
> mental and emotional struggle was as difficult as the physical, easily! I
> posted only because I would have liked to have someone say (way back
> then), that things would eventually get better.....
>
> Hoping all good things for you, Tamara.
>
> Barb
>

Wonderful news.....HOPEFULLY no more treatments in your future
R. Fizek wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I have just 3 more radiations left and then I'm done with my active
> treatment except for Tamoxifen. I told my husband that it was kind of scary
> that I won't be doing anything actively to kill the cancer and now we'll
> just have to wait. His response was "No, now we'll just live". It gives me
> hope.
>
> Best,
>
> Tamara

Yes- it's great to be done and I hope no more too!

Tamara
<usenetgirl@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1161473926.930242.280330@k70g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> Wonderful news.....HOPEFULLY no more treatments in your future
> R. Fizek wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> I have just 3 more radiations left and then I'm done with my active
>> treatment except for Tamoxifen. I told my husband that it was kind of
>> scary
>> that I won't be doing anything actively to kill the cancer and now we'll
>> just have to wait. His response was "No, now we'll just live". It gives
>> me
>> hope.
>>
>> Best,
>>
>> Tamara
>