Profile for pdaly

Member Since: August 30, 2006
Last Login: October 16, 2008
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Biography

Diagnosis

Recent Posts by pdaly

Posted in: Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + Palliative Therapy/Hospice Care, Created: Oct 16, 2008 12:59 pm

I'm having a hard time with this

Gitane,

My dear Mom passed away in August 2007. I had a difficult time coming back to these boards for the first year. My sister was diagnosed just a few weeks after our Mom passed away. The first year was difficult. The first anniversary, even more difficult. However, it seems to have been some kind of turning point. My sisters and I still cry sometimes when we recall a memory, but it's mostly okay. I'm surprised to write it's actually a little better. Life is just different somehow now. There's "life before" and "life after" Mom passed.

My sister is now cancer free. I hope all is okay with you and everyone else on this board. If I ever had doubts that we're here to learn some kind of lessons, I don't now. I have found the old saying is true, what doesn't kill you definitely makes you stronger.

Posted in: Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + Triple Negative, Created: Jan 2, 2008 03:33 pm

Triple negative starting out

Forgive my ignorance, what is AC?

Posted in: Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + Triple Negative, Created: Jan 2, 2008 11:11 am

Is Triple Negative a bad thing?

Yes, she did have genetic testing. That was also negative. She's very down right now and was hoping to pass along something positive to her.

Posted in: Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + Triple Negative, Created: Jan 2, 2008 10:51 am

Is Triple Negative a bad thing?

My mom passed away from BC in August, she was HR positive. My sister was diagnosed in Oct, lumpectomy in Dec. Pathology report said she's triple negative. She is at stage 0 but had it in both breasts. Pathology also said it is aggressive.

What type of treatments are out there for triple negative women?

Posted in: Not Diagnosed but Concerned + Waiting for Test Results, Created: Nov 14, 2007 02:01 pm

CAT Laser Mammography

When I had my ultrasound and magnifications, the radiologist asked if they could put me in a study for this CAT Laser Mammography. They won't use the results in my diagnosis, but will use it for research.

Anyone else have this done?

Posted in: Not Diagnosed but Concerned + Waiting for Test Results, Created: Nov 14, 2007 01:59 pm

Had ultrasound and magnification

Thanks! Keeping my fingers crossed that it all turns out okay. If my mom didn't pass away from bc in August and my sister wasn't just diagnosed, I probably wouldn't be this worried. Wish I had lots of vacation time, I'd just sleep until I knew!

Posted in: Not Diagnosed but Concerned + Not Diagnosed but Worried, Created: Nov 14, 2007 12:00 pm

MRI Guided biopsy next wk

Kimber, I'm 43 also and going for ultrasounded guided biopsies in both breasts. I'm also rated a 4 on both breasts for BIRADS. My sister is 46 and was diagnosed 2 weeks ago. My mother passed away from BC in August.

I'm hopeful I'll come out clean, but waiting is so STRESSFUL! Wish I could just go to sleep until this is over.

Posted in: Not Diagnosed but Concerned + Waiting for Test Results, Created: Nov 14, 2007 11:08 am

Had ultrasound and magnification

done last week. The report summary states the lesions, nodes and complicated cysts are likely benign. However, Birads level was 4 for left and right.

My sister had the same Birad level and came back malignant two weeks ago. Am I stressing over nothing? Biopsy is scheduled for the end of November.

Posted in: Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + Recurrence and Metastatic Disease, Created: Nov 14, 2007 11:00 am

Remember me?

My mom passed away from bc in August. Unfortunately, my sister was just diagnosed with bc as well. I had never had a mammo before, so that prompted me to hurry my behind down to get one. My mammo came back "abnormal", so I had an ultrasound and magnified mammo. Apparently that was "abnormal" as well. Now I'm scheduled for a biopsy. Lots and lots of cysts, some lesions and some microcalcifications.

Stupid me. Since my mom was postmenopausal when she had bc, I figured I was safe until at least my 50s. My sister is not postmenopausal either.

Sister just had genetic testing. What do you all think about this testing? Is it that bad if it becomes part of your "medical record"?

Posted in: Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + Palliative Therapy/Hospice Care, Created: Aug 21, 2007 07:17 am

Update on Mom

Thank you.

Posted in: Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + Palliative Therapy/Hospice Care, Created: Aug 21, 2007 05:29 am

My Mom died today...I am just lost....

My mom died the other day too. I know exactly how you feel. I'll pray for both our families to feel better soon. By the way, I'm sure your mom heard you. My mom woke up just a few hours before she died and looked directly at each family member in the room and mouthed "thank you". I know she is with my dad and the rest of her family that has passed. I know she is at peace.

Posted in: Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + Palliative Therapy/Hospice Care, Created: Aug 21, 2007 05:00 am

My mother passed away on August 12

Just wanted to thank everyone for their support during this last year. Mom died at home, very peacefully in her sleep. This is much different than when my dad passed away a few months ago. I don't know if it's because mothers and daughters have quite a different relationship than fathers and daughters. This is so hard. Still feel like my brain's had a shot of novicane. Waiting for the numbness to go away.

Posted in: Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + Palliative Therapy/Hospice Care, Created: Aug 21, 2007 04:56 am

Mom is refusing treatment/in stage IV

I know exactly what you're going through. My mother was diagnosed a year ago with stage IV. She had a masectomy and lymphectomy. She also refused treatment. No chemo, no rads.

I'm going to be completely honest. I think she was better off without it. She passed away last week, almost exactly a year to the day of her surgery. For the last year, she had quite a few good days. We were able to go to lunch, go to the movies, have dinner out.

If your mom has mets to the lungs, one thing I would suggest you ask her doctor about is the use of steroids. These helped my mom tremendously. Her breathing was easier and she had an appetite.

You and your mom are in my prayers. Please spend as much time as you can with her. You will be exhausted. You will be frustrated and angry. Take deep breaths and enjoy every minute you can with her.

All the best to you and your family.

Posted in: Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + Palliative Therapy/Hospice Care, Created: Jul 31, 2007 08:51 am

Update on Mom

Well, hospice has arrived. Mom's on morphine and oxycodone. She sleeps almost all the time. When she wakes up, she's pretty alert and aware of things. Hospice only spends a couple of hours a day, 5 days a week. The majority of her care is still on us. My legs feel like jello. We're so tired. We made funeral arrangements yesterday. It was much easier than when my dad died a few months ago. We didn't make his arrangements until after he passed. We were way too emotional to make sound decisions. I would recommend to anyone who knows their loved one will pass, make the arrangements beforehand.

For now, we're praying this is over for her soon.

Thanks to everyone for your support and prayers.

Patty

Posted in: Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + Palliative Therapy/Hospice Care, Created: Jul 31, 2007 06:45 am

I'm having a hard time with this

It helps knowing we're not the only ones going through this. I've gone to the doc for a Rx to help me through this. It helps alot. At least I can sleep at night. If I may, I'd suggest you talk to your doctor as well. They prescribed Xanex for my sisters and Klonopin for me. It does take the edge off.

I'll add you and your Mom to my prayers.

Patty

Posted in: Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + Recurrence and Metastatic Disease, Created: Jun 26, 2007 01:10 pm

brain mets symptoms

Thanks, Katie. One could go crazy worrying about all the "possibilities"!

Posted in: Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + Recurrence and Metastatic Disease, Created: Jun 26, 2007 07:38 am

brain mets symptoms

My mom has mets to her skull. How likely is it that she will have brain mets?

Posted in: Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + Palliative Therapy/Hospice Care, Created: Jun 25, 2007 11:48 am

I'm having a hard time with this

Well, the newest sugar pills aren't working either. She takes the same 4 and added another new one. It brought the sugar down for about a day, then right back up. Of coruse, her doc is on vacation this week. Same old, same old. Wondering if the meds aren't working because the diabetes is caused by the steroids, not a natural deficiency of some kind. So glad she has insurance, these prescription costs are insane (thousands a month)! I don't know how people do this without insurance.

Posted in: Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + Palliative Therapy/Hospice Care, Created: Jun 18, 2007 10:08 am

I'm having a hard time with this

Thanks for all your replies. I do see Mom every day. Some days are better than others. Just muddling through day after day. It would be nice for her to have a break and feel good for awhile. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Posted in: Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis + Palliative Therapy/Hospice Care, Created: Jun 12, 2007 07:42 am

I'm having a hard time with this

I'm doing okay. We were back on the rollercoaster. Apparently, Prednisone can give you diabetes. Mom's sugar level was at 506. The doc put her on some medicine for it (glucovance). One pill a day didn't help, two didn't help, so now she's up to four a day (since yesterday). If that doesn't bring the sugar down, it's back to the hospital. We can't take her off the prednisone, because that is basically keeping her alive. She can't breath without it.

My family and I have reached a point where we'd rather see her out of his misery than to have her with us and be sick and feel bad every day. She's taking so many different meds that she is just living to take meds. No qualify of life any more. We're all so tired.