Exchange City
Comments
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And our "own" Dr. Susan Love rallying it on.... pffffffffffff
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A call to action. I think contacting state and federal reps is a good start. Women who belong to a union should contact their union reps--huge lobbying power--the media should be flooded, BUT know where this came from and don't confuse it with the health insurance bill, or the importance of both will be diluted.
This is a horrible idea and 3% matters when you or a member of your family is in that 3%. Also, this will disproportionately impact women of low means, if insurance or social support will no longer pay for mammograms for women under 50. Low means women might be unable to pay for their own mammogram, where high means women could pay for their own mammograms if they desired. The implications are Draconian to women's health.
To find your representative at the federal level, see below
https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml
Many states have a program like this one http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/bcc/index.shtml
I'm sure these groups will be active, try Googling your state and see if you can connect with them.
Here is the articale from the New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/17/health/17cancer.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
KarenW
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Hi Deen--I'm good, shoulder is still a mess but used to it and waiting for it to get better. One year ago this very minute I was having my BLM. Last night taking the light rail home from school I passed my hospital and had the biggest smile--so many changes in one year--some really good. How are you?
OK--Some of you may remember when I traveled Boulder a couple of months ago one of my breasts became noisy? It has started again, feels and sounds kind of gurgly, intermittently. Thoughts?
Allison, I'm so sorry about the infection.
Janloy--I wear a sleeve on both arms when I fly as I had mild LE after surgery. Get up, move around, pump your feet, drink plenty of water.
Hugs--Karen
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Count me in as another Ta Ta Sister who maybe wouldn't be here if it weren't for my routine mammogram!! As Laura said, "Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!" Since this was a "government panel" which came to these conclusions, it's hard to not jump to the conclusion that perhaps this is their way to curb the cost of government-run/paid health care......Heaven help us all..........IMO, that is........
Jane - I was supposed to fly to my parents' 50th anniversary pary two weeks post-exchange also, but my ps wanted me to wait another week. We changed the date, so I was about 3 1/2 weeks out. I had flown a few times with the TEs, and had some discomfort from the pressure changes; didn't have that this time. Just be careful and don't lift your suitcase!
Shoshi - so happy you have your surgery date!
KEW - So....today is your one year.....I'm a HUGE date person, and that is the one anniversary that I'm already dreading - it's in about a month......What a heck of a year it's been for you, my dear! Please do something nice for yourself today....bubble bath?.....Chocolate?...oops, seem to remember you gave that up thanks to soy lecithen (me too
)......HUGS!((((((((Alitman)))))))))
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Val--It has been strange leading up to today, but I feel relief today. My plan? I'm off for massage, facial, mani, pedi--then cupcakes to surgeons and staff, and then flowers to the person who is in my room at the hospital. I'm going to give them to the nurses and ask them to give them to the patient in 801, then dinner with my charming son, and a Pilate's reformer class although not using upper body due to shoulder. I'm even feeling OK about lung ct coming up on Friday.
I did have lots of sadness the last month or two, fretting about today, I was surprised as I expected to be happy--but I have really been grieving, maybe it is common to have complex emotions about this date. As the train passed the hospital last night, I just knew it is all going to be OK.
Hugs--Karen
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i am so upset abt this whole mamo thing this "independent panal" (that of course gets Gov"t funding has announced. How dare they? How many women lives have been saved. I am taping GMA , but heard part of it today & this "dr" said that out of thousands of womens lives, maybe 1 can be saved if we continue to screen from age 40 1x a yr. So who is this 1 woman thats life is spared? Is it their wife, sister, other...Who the H*** r they to tell us this? i voted for Obama , but if Obama is for this, i am even more upset. I must find the US NEWS article w/ Michelle Obama & Masectomies. She said to many women are going for uneccessary masectomies. Now u tell me, if it was her that had cancer or her daughter (g-d forbid), would she be saying this too? I am so sorry to ramble, but i am outraged. We women MUST stand together & fight this...so what n 10 yrs from now after so many women have either died or have invasive cancer, will they realize they r wrong?
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Ladies....
Ditto on the mammo guidelines...
Just a quick FYI...I have listened in on several conferences hosted by Living Beyond Breast Cancer (www.LBBC.org) They have a conference call tomorrow evening that all can register for on Follow up Testing 101. It may be old info for many, but since these things seem to change from day to day, thought I would share. I am cutting and pasting info. By pre-registering they will email info to you and the presentation handouts.
God Bless!
Follow-Up Testing 101 - New Evening Time!
Our November teleconference will focus on the National Cancer Institute's guidelines for follow-up testing and why follow-up care may vary from doctor to doctor
Speaker: Nancy U. Lin, MD
Register for this free teleconference.
Join Living Beyond Breast Cancer for our next free teleconference, Follow-Up Testing 101, at the new time from 7:00 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on Wednesday, November 18.
Nancy U. Lin, MD, of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, will give you practical information about follow-up testing, including:
- The National Cancer Institute's guidelines for follow-up testing
- Why follow-up care may vary from doctor to doctor
- The differences in follow-up care between early-stage and advanced breast cancer
- The importance of a long-term survivorship plan
- How to communicate post-treatment concerns with your doctor
About Our Speaker
Dr. Lin is a medical oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute specializing in the care of women with breast cancer. Her research focuses on developing new therapies for women with brain metastases and women with HER2 positive breast cancer. Dr. Lin is an active member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and a recipient of an ASCO Foundation Young Investigator Award and Career Development Award.
About the Program
Our speaker will give a brief presentation, followed by a question-and-answer period. To participate, you need only a telephone or computer (listen-only) with Real Network Player or Windows Media Player. Social workers may be eligible to receive continuing education credits; see our registration form for more details.
New Features for Online Participants
A slideshow presentation will be available online during the program. You will also have the opportunity to submit questions for the question-and-answer session online
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Add another outraged person. I would not probably be here if I had to wait to be 50 for my mammo as DCIS was found when 37 with no family history. My daughter was told to start her mammo's at 27 years old. And she will be getting them... she's seen me go thru enough surgeries.
Janet
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Hey all, tomorrow is the big day for me when I have my exchange. I'm so looking forward to getting rid of these hard "coconut shells"! My exchange comes almost exactly a year after my first chemo infusion.
Nipple sx is 12/28 and I'm flying to be with family two days later.
Meanwhile, my husband is having knee replacement sx next Monday and he's on crutches now. We're quite a pair! Any household chores such as lifting, pulling, pushing etc. will have to wait. I don't think we'll be able to do too much decorating for Christmas this year.
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Regarding the Mammo issue ~ It is so discouraging to see this even happening when we have come a long ways to bring breast cancer awareness to so many! And...to say even that self-examination is not worthwhile??? Wow...are we going backwards!?!!! I did not find mine through a self-exam. A routine mammo showed DCIS at it's earliest of stages...with the new guidelines, I would have had to wait another year for a mammo? Only high risk? What about the nearly 70% that do get dx'd with no family hx. It is a shame!
To all those with exchange surgeries this week...there are many! ~ many hugs & prayers go with you!!
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Angel: Thanks for the information. I will participate. It may be old information but it is information I need right now.
Texas357: Good luck tomorrow. There is an immediate relief getting rid of the tissue expanders.
Val61 & Karen: I do have sleeves for my arms. I will no doubt take the flight to Chicago (1 hour) well hydrated wearing support hose, compression sleeves and allowing my hubby to be my pack mule.
Mammogram Guidelines: I was outraged when I first learned of the new guidelines. After hearing Dr. Love on GMA - I'm not sure. The thing I hate most about myself is I am so very easily persuaded and she made some good points. Mamos did not pick up my Stage III locally advanced cancer. I found it.
Love and prayers,
Jane
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Hi again!!! When I saw my "PS" on Fri. I've had uneasy feeling since. He did not take measurments (is this normal) & took pix w/ his cell phone b/c something was wrong or the camera wasn't there. Left message w/ my BS saying should i go w/ someone else..am I wrong? I have no one else to share w/ but u guys..I have a b/f, but she has not been thru this & well my "DH"......that's another story!! LOL any responses would be gr8. I was also told today that he does not use Allorderm with the implants & everthing i'm reading seems topoint in the direction that it isially is used w/ the 1 step..i have asked this on that forum too..
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Shoshi - Pics on the CELL PHONE? Sounds less than professional......I can understand your uneasy feeling! Was that ps recommended by your bs? Around here, the bs usually has a small group of ps's he/she works with, so they usually have a strong working relationship. As for the alloderm, maybe you really DON"T need it if there's adequate skin to cover the implant.....don't know much about it.....
KEW - I LOVE the idea of flowers for the patient in your room! What a beautiful example of "paying it forward." If you don't mind, I think I'll steal your idea. Hope you enjoy your day of pampering!!
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just wanted to post this again... I finally used the search feature and found it...I didn't go back enough pages when I was trying to find it.
Cleaning for a Reason
Any woman currently undergoing Chemo, There is a cleaning service that provides FREE
housecleaning - 1 time per month for 4 months while she is in treatment.
All you have to do is sign up and have your doctor fax a note confirming the treatment. Cleaning for a Reason will have a participating maid service in your zip code area arrange for the service. http://www.cleaningforareason.org/
Please pass this information on to bless a woman going through Breast Cancer treatment. This organization serves the entire USA and currently has 547 partners to help you. It's our job to pass the word and let them know that there are people out there that care. Be a blessing to someone and pass this information along.my co-workers sister is going to start chemo so I want to pass this onto her
thanks for sharing it the 1st time Judy and anybody else that did : )
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Do you realize we have crossed the 8,000 mark on this board?? A testament to the caring loving Ta Ta Sisterhood!! JUDY
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Texas 357 Blessings on your exchange tomorrow. I have mine in 12 days. Last year I had my BLM on 10/28/08 and my husband had a total knee replacement on 12/01/09. You are right, we did whatever we were going to do for the holidays before. Take care and best wishes to you.
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I remember when we decided to start this thread...who would have ever guessed how popular we would be : )
Luv to all my sisters (((HUGS)))
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Texas357--You will love how you feel, totally different than the TE, good luck tomorrow and keep us posted.
Hugs--Karen
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KEW - what a touching and thoughtful commemoration of your day (the gifts for the current resident of room 801) and I love all the self-love in your other plans. So glad you made it to now -- congratulations!
Cheers,
Lilah
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(((Alitman)))
And best wishes to our sisters w/ surgery this week! Hugs my friends.
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Oh, it works again. Thanks Deborah!
And Sandy, yes, it is so hard to believe that we were here a year ago getting ready to put our names down for exchanges. Today I went for my follow-up w/ my PS. She calls me a success. I feel like one.
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Kew,
The way you are marking your "one year" is beautiful - soulful, energy outwards, just gorgeous!
Geena
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EXACTLY a year ago....
EXCHANGE CITY was started..... IMHO... by the grace of our God.
Thank you dear Jean.. for taking a chance... and starting the group..
Thank you Dear Sandy for jumping in from the very start and teaching all you knew... along with Linda... oh... and so many many more...
Thank you Deborah... for continuing the VAST VAST knowledge.. and for your NEVER ENDING.. never pausing help... I thank you for your learning.. and passing ti on to us... I/ we thank you for being.. our Ghost whisperer... all these months..... WOW
and for ALL of you... that are cheerleaders.... supporters... SWEET SWEET sisters... WE ALL THANK YOU!
Ladies.... this is our time... we are a year old and a year young... and... we are AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love and Blessings... To EC.... to all of us.... keep on helping and loving girls!
We are the Ta Ta Sisterhood... we really are...
Laura.
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Thanks for your thoughts about today. I was just at Pilate's and even doing things to avoid hurting my shoulder, I kept giggling to myself. When I was having the massage today, on the table, I thought, "wow, really different from last year." Reaching out to the person in 801came from the healing and safety I've felt here, so in a way it was from all of you.
I think when I first came to this site it was page 99, I should double check. I remember reading everything and seeing the closeness everyone was sharing, and I was afraid to post, then when I did everyone was welcoming. We continue to welcome.
Thank you all --Karen
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KEW: You are the Martha Stewart of the great Northwest Territory! I wish I was that woman in Room 801......
Shoshi: No way! If you are having a one step - you want all of the benefit of Alloderm. WHO IS THIS GUY ANYWAY? We need you to go see someone else. Would you please PM me and tell me who you are using so that I can check him out a little? I have the name of a PS in Baltimore and one in D.C/Georgetown. Can you go to Georgetown? This is just sounding sort of scary.....
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I was here for the first post as well, the year has gone by quickly...It was a rough year for some, but we're here and that's what's important!! As a certain someone would say... WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO !!
JUDY
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Just curious ~ What is the down time for just a breast lift vs. a breast lift & exchange?? Any inputs? It would seem that if both are done at the same time it would be more involved than just augmenting only one breast thus effecting the recovery time? How much pain are we talking about with such surgeries?? I chose to accept the surgery which is scheduled Nov. 24th so that I can have the Thanksgiving holidays to recoup but will I be ready to go back to work the following Monday?? Hmmm....I will ask at tomorrow's pre-op but thought I would get your opinions also.
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Wow Kew -- that is exactly how I felt reading this site before I started to post. I lurked for a long while (relatively speaking) trying to read all of the more like 200 pages (more probably)... then gave up trying to read all of it and just started reading forward one day from the end... and then after that I think I posted without thinking about it (forgetting my fear). This IS a most welcoming group of women
Happy Day!
Lilah
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On another note (and some time later)... I just watched the GMA program I recorded from yesterday morning and now I am confused because of what the woman from Susan G. Komen said about mammography overexposing me to raditiation since I started with baseline in late 30s and continued annualy in my 40s. Is she saying the radiation from the mammograms could have caused me to have this cancer I have? I am so depressed right now. It feels like a lose lose situation no matter what.
Lilah
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Hi Lilah--That was not a Komen rep, that was Susan Love--at least I didn't see a Komen rep and it would surprise me because they are so into early detection. I started mammograms at age 30 and had them every year until 2008, when I got my dx. I do not beleive in anyway that this caused my bc, as was pointed out you get more radation exposure flying across the US. We didn't give ourselves bc--genes and/or environmental triggers did--which we can argue some of which we may have exposed ourselves to, but we didn't give this to ourselves. Cancer just comes, to little children, grown ups, people who have lived organic active lives, party animals, thin and not so thin, it just comes, and the best we can do it fight it in a way that we believe will save our lives.
Hugs--KarenW
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