Information and opinions on health from Racuh at HealthCentral.com. HealthCentral.com is one of the top health destinations on the Web, with more than 35 condition-specific, wellness and general health Web properties. http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/770068/index http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/770068/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/770068/index http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/770068/137657/support Mon, 02 May 2011 02:53:38 -0400 Racuh Hey all,    I haven't written in quite a while. I've been living my life and there are day's weeks and months where I've forgotten that I've had cancer. Then I shower and look down and remember that "oh yeah, body part missing". But I have gotten used to it and save for rare occasions get kinda pouty.     I have always wanted to get reconstruction but I had to wait 2 years post surgery to be cleared for it.... http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/770068/137657/support http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/770068/113557/cancer Tue, 08 Jun 2010 14:11:39 -0400 Racuh It's part of the process for me and presumably others to write about their experience with cancer... for me in particular I tried to keep my bad thoughts in a book where only I was able to see them and release them. For the rest of the world I was strong, fearless and stoic. I had to have a burn book of sorts or I'd go ape-shit. It's not a good thing to keep things bottled up, nor do I think its a good thing to create your own pity party. This... http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/770068/113557/cancer http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/770068/106423/sooooo Mon, 15 Mar 2010 19:28:47 -0400 Racuh My biggest complaint at having been through the cancer ringer is the fat. I gained 19 lbs on chemo. It sucks, but what can you do when the only thing that doesn't make you want to projectile vomit all over is potatoes? Nothing... there is nothing you can do. The steroids given with the meds make you want to eat a barn... and all of the livestock in it. You feel to shitty to work out and too angry (courtesy of steroids) to take the suggestions of... http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/770068/106423/sooooo http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/770068/101533/progress Thu, 21 Jan 2010 19:33:00 -0500 Racuh My hair is growing back... oh dear merciful baby jebus, it's straight. The first time it grew back after chemo it was curly. I hated it. I prefer NOT having hair to having curly hair. So this time, to my sheer elation, it came back straight! I'm not entirely sure what my dear ol' hair is up to though, it's growing in fairly thick but I have these 2 spots above my temples that refuse to grow. I look like a little old man with a receding hair... http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/770068/101533/progress http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/770068/100031/bummer Tue, 05 Jan 2010 19:09:47 -0500 Racuh I do try and stay positive, and most of the time I am successful. It's been a long road this past year and I am still figuring out the new normal and the new me. One of the side effects of chemotherapy was rapid weight gain. I gained 19 lbs over the course of the last 4 months on Taxol. Nothing fits and I am pretty miserable. I don't recognize myself and I think my butt may have registered with Los Angeles county for its own zip code. It's... http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/770068/100031/bummer http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/770068/99949/ouch-update Tue, 05 Jan 2010 01:24:36 -0500 Racuh I'm all done, but I sure don't feel done. I guess because I am a living billboard for cancer. I have this awesome newly fat and mangled physique. Hot stuff I tell you. Maybe it will feel more final when I get my port removed.    So I got my MRI results back for restaging and to look for mets. Here is a Tracey-fied version of what it says:   Patient has had her left boobie lopped off and irradiated. There is mild irregular... http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/770068/99949/ouch-update http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/770068/98301/day-breast Mon, 14 Dec 2009 18:04:06 -0500 Racuh I'm done tomorrow! Hopefully forever. I've made 2 cakes. One for the oncologist and one for the chemo nurses in the infusion room. I'm outta there.   New boobs time.   Well, It's nearly been a year since I've had my left breast cut off. I've endured 2 rounds of adiramycin, simple mastectomy to the left breast, 38 rounds of radiation, and 12 rounds of Taxol. If that doesn't beat the hell out of my angiosarcoma I'm not meant to live.... http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/770068/98301/day-breast http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/770068/96969/beginning Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:04:13 -0500 Racuh So, Im almost done with treatment! I just had the first of my last infusions today. I have 2 left after today. I'll be done on the 15th. Im so... happy? I mean I am happy, but its weird to think I just wait now... for it to come back- for it not to come back. I don't think that feeling of impending doom is ever going to let up.    Also my oncologist agreed to give me MRI's now. I am happy about that, they take longer but they're not... http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/770068/96969/beginning http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/770068/95413/meeting-bc Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:38:05 -0500 Racuh   So I actually met a real life person from the BCN! Her name is Peggie (pegLove), she's always posting and keeping us up-to-date on here with her wonderful blogs. I had the opportunity to go visit her while she was recovering from her lumpectomy.   As most of you know anesthesia can to uh... do bad things to the innards. Having had 3 surgeries and lots of chemo... by now, I FEEL the pain if you know what I mean. So, I was able to... http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/770068/95413/meeting-bc http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/770068/94480/fatty Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:09:04 -0500 Racuh I have 4 treatments left in my Taxol torture after yesterdays infusion. Yayyyyyy. I can't even tell you how happy I am to be done with this crap after a year of treatment now. I really hope this is it... that nothing else has to happen to me.   My blood counts are getting looooow. My white count is great though, its up at around 5.6 all the time. It doesn't fluctuate very much. My RBC Hemoglobin and Platelets are flagged as low. They are... http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/770068/94480/fatty