Best Of
Re: Birads 5 with calcification
@lisat8228 Yes, it was definitely stage 4 before I even suspected anything. I felt a lump on a Saturday (absolutely no signs, just out of nowhere), saw my doc and had a mammo and ultrasound that week, with a biopsy the following Tuesday. I lived in Houston, so I went to MD Anderson, where the did a CT and bone scan and found a spot on my hip bone, it was biopsied and positive for breast cancer, so that was that. About 20% are HER2+, more common in younger patients and the HER2 is known for fast growth and likely why finding a lump seems so sudden.
I absolutely lost my shit with that diagnosis, as if I only had a few months to live but after starting chemo, the lump was nearly gone in weeks. I still felt normal physically, so I realized that I could live with it, which I have for about 9 years so far.
We found a few spots in my brain 8 years ago and I’ve had brain surgery and several radiation treatments but those have all been manageable too. I did “medically retire” from my job, since my future was unknown and chemo brain cause some memory and concentration issues but I live a pretty normal life, just a bit slower due to my current chemo side effects.
It’s incredibly unfair but the bright side for me has been retiring young and now living in a cabin on a mountain top where everyday is the weekend. I don’t have kids but I do have a lot of sympathy for my husband, our family faces the fear, loss, anger too but can do nothing to fix it. It’s the worst right now but once you have a plan and see good results, it can become something you just live with.
illimae
Re: My Husband, My Life, My Love, My Family, My Cancer
Decided to have a burrito. Did text DB since voice is still gone and very hoarse. Told him about the fall but that I am alright. I do not have the monthly monitoring money so I figure either take phone with me or get a smart watch that I can use to call 911 if need be. Apple watch seems to be able to detect falls and automatically dials 911. Also going to check into life alert, they have a light plan for 12.99. Will call when my voice comes back. I mostly like the apple watch because it has the upfront cost and not the monthly plan, I will see how I feel.
Cooking in the air fryer, got frozen chicken on the go and have a generous serving of lentils. Planning an early bed time so eat earlier. The cold symptoms minus the loss of voice seem to be easing up a bit. Not worried about my voice.
I will post but leaning toward the apple watch since it can tell if you fall and dials 911 for you no plan to go with it either.
Re: My Husband, My Life, My Love, My Family, My Cancer
I plan to. I have it with me in bed. Next time if there is a next time, won't bother shouting for help from neighbours, just get to the 911 right away. I am fortunate I was not hurt, unsure of cause of the fall either. Oh well, you live and learn, learned how to do a back walk to get my blanket to put under head.
It was around 3 when I got to bed, slept in between washroom breaks. Not planning to do much today. I was on the floor about 3 hours spending 2 of those hours shouting for help. My voice is gone at this point, shouting did not help it any, Plan to eat earlier tonight and head straight to bed. Will drink tea and water and take some honey as well. I sound worse than I feel. No voice today.
Still have my appetite, not sure what I want to have, thinking rice, beans and cheese possibly or if I feel like something simpler, can eat a frozen either meat pie, stir fry or another burrito.
I hope everyone has a good day and in pockets for all. In own pocket too.
Re: My Husband, My Life, My Love, My Family, My Cancer
Mara - hope you recovery quickly from your illness. Sounds like you’re doing the right things to tame the symptoms. Sorry about the fall. So scary……glad there were no injuries. Always keep your phone on you!
We went to visit our best friends for Thanksgiving. Spent 6 days there. Both daughters joined us. Friends hosted 28 for turkey day dinner. Cathy has RA and ended up w/thrush and ear infection by Saturday. So she was down for the count. Travel both ways was amazing. Normally a 6 hour drive, made it there and back home in 5 1/2 hours. Had major snowstorm while gone -10 inches. Thankfully our HOA has a great snow removal company. Came home to huge mountains of snow where plow dumped it just past our house. Have been busy decorating. Takes me forever. Finally done. Now working on making Christmas cards. Only send out a handful but the creative process is time consuming.
I have 2 MRIs this coming week. MO ordered lower back due to increased pain. Urologist ordered kidney (only have 1) due to finding of small lesion on remains kidney during routine scans for MBC. Both require contrast and I have to premedicate due to contrast allergy. Ordering docs are from 2 separate hospital systems so the tests can’t be combined to save me a test. Go figure.🙄
Here for pocket duty for all in need. Hope everyone has a nice weekend.
Mariah loves the snow……cries every day to go out and play. Takes her ball and pushes it into the snow then digs it out. When it’s only 11 out, sometimes it’s just too cold.
Re: Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
Back to the beach today. The hotel isn’t on the beach but a 5-10 minute walk. They set up chairs & umbrellas when you get there. The water was about 79, the air 85.
Then back to the hotel, to shower and make happy hour before dinner. Tonight we had the option for a coquito - they say Puerto Rican egg nog. It was strong! I drank one and maybe a quarter. SO finished it for me, and he is napping right now.
I ordered a dinner to go, and waited outside the restaurant. We were sitting here listening to Christmas music.
The doors behind the tree lead out to the pools and hot tub area. Many companies are hosting their Christmas parties here. Super loud Wed & Thur so I can’t wait to hear what tonight brings. Thankfully we only hear it in the front room, the bedroom is super quiet.
I believe we’re heading back into Old San Juan tomorrow. Ferry over to Barcardi is the plan, which could change by tomorrow.
Marti, I send you strength to get through telling your daughter. ❤️
cindyny
Re: My Husband, My Life, My Love, My Family, My Cancer
No earlier bed time. I managed to fall, unsure what caused it but was on my back. I was pretty silly since I called out for help from neighbours and finally called 911. They helped me up. I did not go to hospital as I was not hurt, unsure what caused the fall. I wanted to reach my phone so I did a back walk vs a bum walk, put blankets under my head and the due got there. Think I may keep my phone around.
I am also losing my voice as well though not sure shouting for help caused any wear and tear.
Re: Here I go again
Hi
Going to use this thread to document my 2nd instance of breast cancer. I finally went thru with the lumpectomy on November 7th, 8 month since diagnosis, without sentinel node biopsy. I had several conversations with my surgeon, my medical oncologist, and my radiation oncologist to go over the SOUND study and also base on my ultrasound and MRI imaging of my lymph nodes. Both imaging didn't show any issues with my lymph nodes. After all those appointments we moved onto surgery without any lymph node removal. Right now my recovery is really good and moving onto the next steps. My medical oncologist wants to have me on medical menopause, which after my horrid experience with Lupron, I said NO. Then my only option is tamoxifen , which she wants me on the full dose (20 mg) for 10 years. That is a LONG time and I don't think the toxicity of 20mg is good for my body. So if I were to start, it would be at 5 mg and see how my body tolerates it.
As for radiation, I am also hesitant on this as there was a recent paper out from the University of Chicago, that can cause more tumor growth instead. Reason I came across this or search for this is related to my long delay in between diagnosis and surgery.
After initial diagnosis, I wanted to move fast and get double mastectomy. My husband was really against me on this, even though he kept on saying its your body your choice. So I countered on what do you want me to do then or what can we do. He pushed me to try chinese herbal medicine and where I pushed bas asking where can we find a good one in our state. He asked around, and his parents gave him a name. I saw this herbalist twice before he went back to China. He was an exchange student here and have graduated, and made the decision to leave due to current US political environment. In my meeting, there was pulse read, moxa treatment, and acupuncture with a herbal formula. He said he could help me purge this tumor in 3 months. He has a theory on why I have these happening in my body and once that blockage is cleared, my body will feel better and better able to deal and purge with these toxins. So I follow his advise diligently until August (we still communicated via WeChat after he went back to China). I had 2 more ultrasounds and I did not have the miracle that I was hoping for, tumor still there but without much growth via ultrasound imaging (orig 8 mm in March, 10 mm in June, and then 8 mm again in Aug). So the herbs didn't help me in terms of the tumor size but my mental state was getting so much better. I was able to stretch my acupuncture sessions from 2 weeks to 3 weeks. My overall anxiety and depression were better. I also changed my weekly therapy sessions to bi-weekly. All without side effects such as nausea, dizziness, lack of appetite, etc.
So that was the good, then in September I finally reached out to another herbalist in California and we have been having biweekly telehealth sessions. He gave me a new formula and have a different theory on where the blockages are. He did not give me a statement like the prior herbalist but rather he wants to get my body as healthy as 'cleared' as possible going into surgery. His formula make me so much better than the prior one. I have felt my anxiety and panic attacks lessen more. And then as an added bonus, the brown spots on my face have cleared a bit. I asked about this and his response was that the clearing has started and that was a result.
So now that surgery is done, I have been on his 'recovery' formula since a week after surgery and I think it helped on the healing. On our next appointment we should be moving onto the cleanup part. He was the person that pointed me to the article on radiation.
The radiation oncologist is going to see if she can order the DCISionRT to see if it can tell if I can benefit from radiation. There are no specific correlation/causation that the radiation could have cause a tumor to be on my right side as there were no MRI prior to surgery back in 2023. The tumor on the right could have been there since then. I have a CT Scan where there was a 3 mm something on the right lung. I dont want to risk that possibility of what could be. So I was hesitant on radiation this time and thus why we are now awaiting on the DCISionRT results.
One thing that my medical oncologist noted was she was a little surprised that there were no stage 1 on the pathology report. It was almost 8 months since biopsy and it was tumor grade 2, so I can see why she did think it could have moved onto stage 1. The pathology report did not note the size but said microinvasion noted, no actual invasion, cleared margin, ER/PR +, tumor grade 2.
I hope that my experience in this can help others understand that your care is in your hands. Advocate, push and ask for what you want as it is your care, your body, and your decision. The one thing to be mindful on is that you have to and can live with whatever decision you make. I am kind of at peace. If I can have at least 7 more healthy years, I think of that as a blessing/miracle. By then, my youngest would have graduated high school. I would love another 20 or 30 years but I am ok with 7 or 10. I meant healthy as living as me right now, without any toxins or side effects that make me NOT me like what lupron did to me in 2024. I cant live like that and not cause misery to not only myself but my whole family. That is not living, but a true living hell.
zen1028
Here I go again
I was originally diagnosed back in 9/2023 on my left side, 13 MM stage 1, grade 1 DCIS/IDC. Had lumpectomy with 20 sessions of radiation. Tried Lupron, which gave me hell for almost a year. Cant deal with Tamoxifen. Finally did a lot of holistic stuff and trying to live life again.
Thought I was doing good and getting some semblance of normalcy back. BAM, found a 4 MM foci on the 8/2024 MRI. Label as Birad 3, redo in 6 months. Just had MRI, it was now a 8 MM, label as Birad 4. Just had ultrasound guided biopsy on Tuesday. Biopsy results, just now says, DCIS with intermediate grade.
Both the 2023 and current diagnosis were 91-100% ER+/PR+. Waiting to hear back from the surgical team. Originally I had an appointment to see oncologist upcoming Monday as a follow up, guess we have something else to talk about now. Life sucks. I just want my life back, a real life, not this shitty mess call Cancer.
Debating if I should have DMX next and/or removal of ovaries at this juncture.
zen1028
Re: Newly diagnosed and scared
I’m sorry to hear about your results. That sounds like a really tough decision to make. It also sounds like you really put in a lot of time looking at all of your options. I hope making the decision brings you some peace.
My biopsy results showed a sclerosing lesion which my surgeon says we can leave since it’s small. I’m scheduled for a lumpectomy on 12/19. I got pretty fed up with all of the waiting this week and managed to get a surgery date and an oncologist appointment scheduled. I’m glad to finally be moving forward.
I’ll be thinking of you.
cosun10