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Becky · 05-25-2010, 08:21 PM

Dear Tonya

It is hard to get through everything you have. In most cases, we get chemo, radiation, Herceptin (and surgery) and its textbook and over. You had your skin recurrence, masectomy, hyperthermic rads and so much skin/wound problems that you have had to look at everyday for quite some time. It was always staring you in the face. Then, some corrective surgery that also may not look like you thought it would. It is depressing because it is something we see everyday, showering and getting dressed. It is natural to feel down and wonder if you might need a revision or is this it?

However, you can still look at your children and watch your daughter graduate 6th grade (then 8th grade to high school then high school) and as those milemarkers happen, you will forget about today and 3 weeks ago and 3 years ago too.

It kinda takes you back 10 years ago. You look at pictures of yourself and think, I'm so young and thin! But if you remember those times you think, I didn't like my hair then and I thought I was fat then too. And so it will go 10 years from now and this will be nothing and you will say, look how beautiful I was and how thin and how I didn't like my tram flap. All that was wonderful now that I have gray hair and this middle age spread!!

As a sideline, are you allowed to use scar reducing cream like Mederma? My daughter was in a car accident (all is well) and has an ugly,large raised scar on the top of her arm and after it was healed, she was allowed to use it. She says after 3 weeks it seems to be improving (don't know if 3 more weeks of healing would have done so on its own), but those creams are supposed to work and help. You should ask. Also Vitamin E oil is also supposed to be good but I think you have to wait a couple of months. Its just a thought because these treatments are supposed to smooth out the rough edges and make a nicer,smoother contour.

I am thinking about you Tonya. You have been through alot and need to kick back and enjoy graduation from grade school and also think of the ceremony for your daughter as your own graduation to the end of active treatment too and enjoy the summer!!

05-25-2010, 08:21 PM	#5
Becky Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Stockton, NJ Posts: 4,179	Re: Feeling blue after surgery Dear Tonya It is hard to get through everything you have. In most cases, we get chemo, radiation, Herceptin (and surgery) and its textbook and over. You had your skin recurrence, masectomy, hyperthermic rads and so much skin/wound problems that you have had to look at everyday for quite some time. It was always staring you in the face. Then, some corrective surgery that also may not look like you thought it would. It is depressing because it is something we see everyday, showering and getting dressed. It is natural to feel down and wonder if you might need a revision or is this it? However, you can still look at your children and watch your daughter graduate 6th grade (then 8th grade to high school then high school) and as those milemarkers happen, you will forget about today and 3 weeks ago and 3 years ago too. It kinda takes you back 10 years ago. You look at pictures of yourself and think, I'm so young and thin! But if you remember those times you think, I didn't like my hair then and I thought I was fat then too. And so it will go 10 years from now and this will be nothing and you will say, look how beautiful I was and how thin and how I didn't like my tram flap. All that was wonderful now that I have gray hair and this middle age spread!! As a sideline, are you allowed to use scar reducing cream like Mederma? My daughter was in a car accident (all is well) and has an ugly,large raised scar on the top of her arm and after it was healed, she was allowed to use it. She says after 3 weeks it seems to be improving (don't know if 3 more weeks of healing would have done so on its own), but those creams are supposed to work and help. You should ask. Also Vitamin E oil is also supposed to be good but I think you have to wait a couple of months. Its just a thought because these treatments are supposed to smooth out the rough edges and make a nicer,smoother contour. I am thinking about you Tonya. You have been through alot and need to kick back and enjoy graduation from grade school and also think of the ceremony for your daughter as your own graduation to the end of active treatment too and enjoy the summer!! __________________ Kind regards Becky Found lump via BSE Diagnosed 8/04 at age 45 1.9cm tumor, ER+PR-, Her2 3+(rt side) 2 micromets to sentinel node Stage 2A left 3mm DCIS - low grade ER+PR+Her2 neg lumpectomies 9/7/04 4DD AC followed by 4 DD taxol Used Leukine instead of Neulasta 35 rads on right side only 4/05 started Tamoxifen Started Herceptin 4 months after last Taxol due to trial results and 2005 ASCO meeting & recommendations Oophorectomy 8/05 Started Arimidex 9/05 Finished Herceptin (16 months) 9/06 Arimidex Only Prolia every 6 months for osteopenia NED 18 years! Said Christopher Robin to Pooh: "You must remember this: You're braver than you believe and stronger than you seem and smarter than you think"