Posts by mistyridge5

What my girlfriends told me was—well, a line is a line, I suppose 😍

Nicholas Foster21, what are your cycles usually like? Do you happen to know when ovulation occurred?

Hell, there have been quite a few positive results even before the expected period arrives.
It all really comes down to the day of ovulation—and, of course, the overall cycle length. Plus, you have to consider how sensitive the tests are.
Nowadays, many tests show a clear positive line well before a missed period.

In cases of longer cycles, if the ovulation date is actually known, I don't see why anyone would feel the need to wait until day 35 or 45. For me, I saw a positive line at 12 DPO. And that was during a standard 28-day cycle, though ovulation happened a bit later than usual, so even then, the line was pretty faint. Some people see it even earlier.

But, since not everyone tracks their ovulation day or those specific symptoms tied to it so precisely, most people don't even know when conception might have actually occurred. Because of that, testing too early might just show a negative result even if someone is pregnant. So, in those types of situations, I suppose I’m more in favor of having a little patience and just waiting for the period.

feralotter8, I actually went through all those exact same symptoms before my period finally arrived—even though I was convinced we had covered our bases every single day and there was absolutely no way I could have missed. 😁
During this current cycle, I felt things that were pretty similar to PMS, except for the fact that coffee—which I usually absolutely love—was bothering me for a few days, I felt nauseous (though I kept blaming it on being more physically active than usual at the time), and my breasts felt a bit firmer and sore, with more sensitive nipples.

My cycle is typically 28 days long. I took a test on day 30 and saw a faint line, then on day 32, the line was much stronger and darker. I used the Clearblue Compact for both tests.

What I ended up doing was just—well, waiting until my period was due, seeing if it stayed away, and then testing once it actually missed.

I feel exactly the same way—just happened right now... 🤷

Susan Diaz91, nimbletrucker72... I am so incredibly sorry for your loss...

I haven't been around here much lately—and honestly, maybe I’m just being a coward about it... We've been fighting cancer within our own family for ten years now, dealing with it among our closest friends and relatives... I watch people pass away, I say my goodbyes... and then I try to cheer up those who are just starting their own fight... I don't know how you all handle it, but sometimes—just in those brief, quiet moments—I feel myself starting to falter...

We've been waiting on test results for my grandfather—he's basically been a father to me—and there was some suspicion regarding thyroid cancer, or rather, this monster we couldn't quite put a name to yet... The tests are still coming back, but for now, everything seems okay, which gives me a sense of hope and optimism...

...but occasionally... just occasionally... I find myself wondering... how much more... for how long... how much more do I have to endure, to show up and prove my strength? I know that by tomorrow, I'll be bright and positive and optimistic again, ready to take on anything... but right now... in this exact moment... I just... well, I don't even know... 🙄😢

casualrider21, my sincere condolences...

Casey Palmer5,

I'm just so glad to hear that helped!!!! 👍

Beliand,

Honestly, let them BOTH FALL!!! 👍😉
I suppose DS shared some really solid advice based on what they've been through.
I don't know much about melanoma, truth be told—so I'll just wish that everything stays exactly this way, that you feel good and stay healthy...

It’s such an inexplicable feeling, isn't it? This deep desire we have to hold onto our loved ones, even when another part of us knows better, because we are all so aware... 😢

Sending a big, strong hug to everyone!!!

Casey Palmer5, I am so incredibly sorry for your loss 😢

I honestly can’t wrap my head around this—I’m just in total shock.
I mean, he was only just scheduled for surgery... it all feels way too sudden, doesn't it?

Oh, casualrider21, I am just so incredibly sorry to hear that 😢

I really hope things start looking up soon—maybe you'll come out of this even stronger than before... Hang in there!! 👍

Casey Palmer5, I wasn't sure if you saw my private message, so I thought I'd write this here as well—this is actually my third attempt at reaching out 🙄
The forum has been acting up quite a bit lately, so please excuse me if I'm just now seeing messages from some of you 🙄

Hello to everyone!!! 👍
Just stay brave and keep moving forward!!!

Casey Palmer5, I actually wrote about our own experience over on the association's website...

One really has to be prepared for chemo—both mentally and physically, I suppose.
It’s so important to try and keep his blood counts (especially the white blood cell count) as steady as possible—that way he can actually stay on track with the treatment, if he's even able to receive it at all.

If you have any questions regarding any of this, please feel free to send me a private message here or reach out on the association's forum. We went through this ourselves, and everything turned out well 👍

gentletiger46, you're turning into quite the little encyclopedia yourself! 😉

I am just glad to hear you're doing alright.
I actually went through something pretty similar once—though I honestly cannot for the life of me remember the name... it's just gone!
I ended up using it because the patient's white blood cell count had dropped, which made the next cycle a bit uncertain...
...so there was this sort of mini quasi-quarantine situation at home.
All I can recall is that it had a pleasant scent—not that harsh, clinical medical smell—but the name... oh, the name is just eluding me... 😕

gentletiger46, I really need to hear something positive today!!! 👍

I am just so glad to hear you're doing okay—and honestly, thank you for sharing such wonderful news!! Just keep staying that brave!!!!

I’m reading through everything and I honestly can’t believe it—though, I suppose I don't really want to get myself worked up enough to start quoting people and getting into arguments... 🙄

Anyway, dear friends, how is everyone doing?
I hope you're all holding up okay.
How are the treatments progressing for you and your loved ones?

Kind regards to everyone! Hang in there!! 👍

I was just hanging out at home wearing shorts, so I was 😁 maybe even 3/4 length
but when I went out, I wore something much looser—and honestly, I wouldn't say it chafed or hurt or anything... there wasn't any inflammation either, just a tiny bit of redness at first that seemed to clear up within a few hours. But anyway, that’s just my experience 🤷

Here is what Shree replied before me 😁

I would probably just peel off the wrap—that’s actually what I ended up doing—though I think I might have kept it on until later that evening. And of course, just keep up with the ointment application 👍

You see, Susan Diaz91, that whole situation with the RI Hospital really caught me off guard—they actually reached out to us quite a while before everything officially kicked off, and then once the date was set, the nurse gave us a call at home just a day or two prior to confirm 🤷

I’d say you should give them a ring and double-check, because—well, in my experience—dealing with the RI Hospital has been much smoother than what we went through back at the hospital in OS 🙄
I really hope you manage to get everything sorted out 👍

gentletiger46,
there was so much we didn't even realize. And just imagine how it was about ten years ago, back when the internet wasn't nearly as widespread—back when I’d find myself hunting for Wi-Fi in coffee shops just to try Googling something for the very first time in my life. Doctors seemed to be constantly rotating, nobody ever had a spare second to breathe, and the nurses would just roll their eyes if you dared ask a question... it was that dull, heavy feeling of being both confused and helpless. 🙄 😢

So, even though things have been incredibly tough for everyone involved, regardless of which side of the fence we're on, I'm honestly glad we've found a way to come together like this and share advice and experiences. It’s true, I wish we were all discussing tanning products or Sunday roast recipes right now, but I suppose there are some things in life you just can't control.

This thread has helped me immensely during my mom's chemo process; in a way, it prepared me for facing another cancer in the family—more chemo, more starting from scratch... And as hard as it gets sometimes, it felt a little bit easier knowing that this time around, I actually had a place to look for advice, seek help, or simply vent that I'm feeling terrible and that I'm scared.

I’m mostly typing here for the sake of others, since my own people aren't around me anymore—I hope they stay tucked away in their own woods. But yes, I am feeling a slight sense of unease because I’m heading to the hospital tomorrow for myself (which feels somewhat tragicomic, I guess, but oh well), and I have an ultrasound scheduled for a lump on my breast. Still, I’m staying optimistic; in my head, I'm just waiting for that confirmation that everything is okay.

I hope you all had a lovely Holiday surrounded by your loved ones 😍 Happy celebrations to everyone celebrating!! 😉

If I were in your shoes, I’d probably keep applying it for a bit longer. 👍
In my case, things mostly cleared up during that timeframe—though there was this one tiny patch left over—it felt a little rough to the touch and had a slight reddish tint, I suppose. But even that ended up fading away after maybe two or three days.

Regarding WORK...and HAIR 😉

I’ve already mentioned the hair situation.
My mom didn't lose her eyebrows entirely—they just thinned out a bit, so she’d touch them up, and since her wig had a little fringe in the front, nobody really noticed. However, her eyelashes and the hair on the rest of her body did go. She started using false lashes, but honestly, there wasn't much of a noticeable difference 🤷

She went through six rounds of chemo—six cycles, to be exact—and I think she stayed away from work for the first month. After that, though, she really felt this urge to get back to her job, just to be around people again.
The only time things got particularly tough was during those hot summer months (between the ovarian surgery, the hormone shifts, and the onset of mild menopause—you know, the hot flashes and all that), but she still went in and pushed through.

Not everyone at the office knew what was going on, except for a few close friends; in fact, no one even suspected her hair was a wig.
During that time, she spent her time reading, and if things felt too exhausting, she’d just take a break. Toward the final cycles, she took some sick leave and would ease her way back. I recall she actually felt worse after the second cycle (some nausea and such).
She went to the theater, attended presentations, even joined a macrobiotic cooking class... she socialized, laughed...

She also didn't want her life to revolve solely around cancer, Zofran, or anything else. She shared advice with her "girls," which actually prompted some of them to go in for checkups they might have delayed—some caught cysts or tumors early before things really spiraled...😉

It’s good that you have an idea of how this generally plays out; it might prevent you from being so shocked if your hair starts thinning. Don't worry, summer is coming, and it’ll actually be easier without all that extra hair to deal with. 😉 And if I may offer a bit of advice based on experience: if you decide to look at wigs, try to pick one that looks similar to your natural self, especially if you aren't looking for a total transformation. 😉 Some of them can be quite "heavy," so my mom opted for a "lighter" style because summer was approaching—she wanted to work but didn't want to be sweating under a heavy cap (those were her words).

For instance, my mom used to have a short red hairstyle—sometimes lighter, sometimes darker, more toward mahogany—but she chose a slightly different cut, similar length, with a honey-reddish tint, something like that.
Just a little tinted moisturizer, some lipstick on the lips... she looked absolutely stunning!! 😍

You’ll work as much as you are able to. There might be harder days, of course, but there will also be those days where everything goes smoothly—where you find yourself laughing at a coworker's joke and you aren't just surrounded by medical reports... I truly believe you can manage that! 👍

p.s. the only thing was that the hair on her legs didn't grow back thick... it stayed much lighter and grew very sparsely.

gentletiger46,

My mom started losing her hair after her second round of chemo.
She’d always kept her hair pretty short—it was easy—and the shedding was actually kind of mild at first, though things really picked up after the third session. At the beginning, she was just trying to get used to wearing headscarves, and we spent some time picking them out together. Luckily, my closet was already full of bright colors and fun patterns, so we basically turned my bedroom into a little fashion runway😉 which helped make that whole transition period feel a bit lighter for her.

Once the hair loss got more intense, she actually decided she’d had enough and wanted to just shave it all off. I think it was probably harder on her emotionally when she would run her hand through her hair and it would just stay in her fingers. As soon as she cleared it all away, she felt much better—especially mentally.🙂

A little while later, she started wearing a wig because she wanted to head back to work; she works in a client-facing role and didn't really want to deal with a constant stream of questions. And honestly, people who weren't aware of what she was going through didn't even notice—they just thought her new haircut and color looked great.

I think it’s called Band-Aid—or maybe I've got the name slightly wrong, I was just sitting here trying to remember it and it completely slipped my mind.

I actually tried out a sample back when they had it available at the pharmacy, and I have to say, it managed to cover up my tattoo quite well. Though, since mine isn't particularly colorful, I suppose I can't be entirely sure how it would handle something more intense—it probably depends on the skin itself, I guess.🤷

The little bottle was roughly $83 at the time.