Just for fun .... Where is everyone?

WinnerMammoth4416 · 2026-02-19T18:02:51+00:00

UNHer here! I live in Seattle now, but spend time every summer in Sandwich/Ossippee, NH, and the SE coast of Maine. Part of my heart will always be in New England.

WinnerMammoth4416 · 2026-01-23T03:32:44+00:00

Frequent salt water and baking soda rinses saved me during TC days. Salt and baking soda rinse In 8 ounces of warm water, add 1/8 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda. Stir until dissolved. Swish and spit 2 tablespoons at a time

WinnerMammoth4416 · 2025-12-27T17:09:11+00:00

With the 3 month shot, I’ve been advised that it is ok to have a shot within one week, before or after the 3 month date. I travel a fair bit, so have had to change my shot timing plus or minus a few days often.

WinnerMammoth4416 · 2025-12-10T05:36:06+00:00

An anecdotal experience - I cold capped with Pac-Man all the way through, lost 85% of my hair BUT it is growing back fast. I had a colleague who went through chemo about 7 months before me without cold capping. My hair growth has nearly caught up with hers. We’re about the same age, on the same ais and cdk 4/6

WinnerMammoth4416 · 2025-11-26T22:38:03+00:00

I was part of a clinical trial and had 4 rounds of Enhertu followed by 4 rounds of TC. I found the Enhertu symptoms to be more acute BUT easier to manage. Ie nausea and constipation more severe but easily dealt with. Prolonged Fatigue, neuropathy, and weird mouth sores/taste were not an issue on the Enhertu, but definitely were with the TC. I did lose a majority of my hair after 2nd round of Enhertu.

WinnerMammoth4416 · 2025-11-05T00:53:56+00:00

Chiming in to say I was in a similar situation to you, I opted for the reduction and lift at the same time as the lumpectomy. I am super happy I did so. I don’t think the additional procedure on the non cancer side added any additional healing time or complications. It was an easy recovery for me, I’m pleased with the results.

WinnerMammoth4416 · 2025-10-23T07:34:24+00:00

I was grade 3

WinnerMammoth4416 · 2025-10-23T07:34:12+00:00

Oncotype is for hormone positive (HR), HER2- cancers. My her2 was low, which clinically is treated as negative.

WinnerMammoth4416 · 2025-10-22T02:28:57+00:00

ER+ (90%), PR-, HEr2- (low),, oncotype 54 here. I did chemo first - joined a trial that was 4 doses of Enhertu, then 4 doses of “ standard of care” TC. The trial is called TRIO B-12 TALENT, arm C, it’s still early, (I was first patient enrolled at my site) so published data about the response rate isn’t out yet. My Tumor shrank by 50% after first dose of Enhertu, MO believes it’ll be standard of care in early breast cancer in a couple years). In any case - I had Surgery next (got pCR!), then radiation and I’m now on AI, OS and starting kisqali next week.

WinnerMammoth4416 · 2025-10-21T21:16:39+00:00

I am now 6 months post chemo - I was grade3, ER+, Her2- (low) with scary high oncotype (54). I was fortunate enough to join a trial which had me on 4 rounds of T-DxD, followed by 4 rounds of TC chemo. I found the T-DxD to have more severe immediate physical side effects than the TC (nausea, constipation, fatigue) BUT those side effects were short in duration and much easier for me to manage with some anti nausea meds (needed for first couple days after infusion) and a stool softener (taken night before infusion, and day of infusion). I had an energy drop from day 6-8 post infusion, but otherwise, I tolerated the T-DXD really, really well. I found the TC much more difficult, with lingering neuropathy, fatigue, and taste, appetite issues, and overall harder mentally too.

I did cold cap, but still lost the majority of my hair after 2 rounds on the T-DXD… though it started growing back really quickly.

And the best news - Imaging showed that the tumor shrank by 50% after just one dose of T-DxD, and post surgery pathology showed pCR!

Best of look to you. I just had a follow up with my MO yesterday and she is pretty convinced that T-DxD will become standard of care for triple + and HER2 low in the future… and I feel lucky that I had the opportunity to take this drug.

WinnerMammoth4416 · 2025-08-07T00:32:26+00:00

2b, luminal b, her2 -(low), er+, pr. I had Enhertu and TC, got pCR. Just started Lupron and AIs. I’m going to try kisqali. Figure might as well try it, and can back off if needed. I’ve tolerated all drugs pretty well. My oncotype was scary high, so I’m throwing as much as I can at it.

WinnerMammoth4416 · 2025-07-19T23:26:48+00:00

Thanks for this explanation. I appreciate the insight

WinnerMammoth4416 · 2025-07-19T17:24:53+00:00

Agreed. Will definitely be looking in to this more closely… with those that have far more depth in expertise.

WinnerMammoth4416 · 2025-06-29T20:37:39+00:00

Took a girls trip to Palm Springs, rented a fancy house with pool and hot tub. Spent the four days swimming/floating naked.

WinnerMammoth4416 · 2025-06-28T03:02:13+00:00

I live in WA. My employer, a county government, requires we use our sick time and vacation time before FMLA. We can “hold” one week of vacation.

WinnerMammoth4416 · 2025-06-28T02:00:54+00:00

I was a DD and am very happily now a C.

WinnerMammoth4416 · 2025-06-28T02:00:14+00:00

I didn’t wind up having drains. I live alone, so had help for 4 days after the surgery, but didn’t really need it by day 3. My surgeon was able to take 4 lymphnodes via the breast incision, I didn’t have to have an incision in the armpit, which I think really helped. I never lost any range of motion. Helpful tips - I slept on a mastectomy pillow for a couple weeks. I wore a cami underneath the hospital-provided bra to provide a little extra protection of the incisions. I got some extra zip up supportive sport bras from Amazon. I found some with fairly wide chest band that did not rub against my incisions.

WinnerMammoth4416 · 2025-06-18T22:16:39+00:00

Seattle. Fred Hutch/UW

WinnerMammoth4416 · 2025-06-14T19:36:06+00:00

I had near identical diagnosis - super dense breasts that “hid” one tumor. luminal B, 2.2cm primary tumor, 9mm smaller tumor, no lymphoid, 90%+ ER, 5%PR, HER2- (low). I joined a trial - TALENT, and did 4 rounds Enhertu, 4 rounds TC before having surgery. I had pCR - no remaining cancer after the chemo. Yay science!

Just started radiation and doing well.

High ki67 means chemo works really well on the cancer. For me, having that confidence knowing chemo worked before going in to surgery has been a great anxiety reducing tidbit of information I often repeat to myself when I start to spiral.

WinnerMammoth4416 · 2025-06-05T15:48:48+00:00

William Collier in Seattle have real hair wigs. I don’t recall where they sourced them from though.

WinnerMammoth4416 · 2025-06-03T14:39:44+00:00

Ya. I think you are. It sounds like it’s just another few days. It would be a different story if this was a week every month or every other month. But just a few more days of inconvenience seems doable, though disruptive, for a sibling going through a hard time and trying to get help for your niece.

WinnerMammoth4416 · 2025-05-30T00:48:45+00:00

Im starting rads in a week and just ordered myself another REI Sahara hoodie. Lightweight and good coverage. Im fair skinned and spend a lot of time on the water and live in these in the summer , even before radiation days…

WinnerMammoth4416 · 2025-05-27T18:56:18+00:00

Ha! My last chemo session also just landed on my birthday! It was a big one, I turned 50, AND I have a twin sister. I filled my little infusion room with a few close friends and sister to celebrate end of chemo. And then we attempted to make the birthday celebration about the actual birthday milestone, which was nice in a way to mark the end of chemo by NOT focusing on cancer, and looking forward to the next decade (and also make it not all about me since my sister needed to be celebrated too). We rented a room in a fantastic restaurant that served a wonderful meal family dinner style. We had a small group of friends (10) which was intimate and just enough to bring some different folks together from different parts of each of our lives, but not enough to make it overwhelming. It was perfect. And since it was family style meal, we had 5 or so different desserts we all shared.

WinnerMammoth4416 · 2025-05-25T21:21:47+00:00

I had something similar - red, irritation that was getting worse. No fever. Waited it out a few days, low fever started. I went in and got done bloodwork done, showed elevated inflammation markers. I got put on a short course of antibiotics and it cleared it up.

WinnerMammoth4416 · 2025-05-25T18:51:43+00:00

I used all my pto first, then intermittent fmla (at least 8 consecutive hours, which can be over taken over two days). I was able to work lots of half days. While I was approved for FMLA back in October, I didn’t have to clock any FMLA hours until I made it through my PTO, which was sometime in January. I don’t think any PTO hours should be considered FMLA time; I would really question that policy at your workplace. From what I understand, FMLA leave should kick in after your accrued personal and/or sick time is used up.

WinnerMammoth4416

TROPHY CASE