MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish
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kleenex, can I send you my x-rays so you can doctor them up & get me out of vaccuming-that is my LEAST favorite household chore-that & ironing!
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Dr. Kleenex, my films are coming your way. I have a feeling emptying the dishwasher is the culprit here. Oh, and cleaning aroung the base of toilets.
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I hate to empty the dishwasher, but for some weird reason enjoy vacuuming. I like the way the noise blocks out the rest of the world:)
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Dr K., I want to send you my x-rays too. Can you please get me out of cooking? I know the stirring and reaching for ingredients and chopping and serving, etc. are causing me problems!
Edited to add: Elimar, here's thinking of you and praying for a B-9 visit with the doc.
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Suz, it was not a B9 or otherwise type visit. I was not worried at all and believe me I'll let ya know when I get worried. My biggest worry about going today was whether I could resist taking a handful of caramels out of their "good patient snack bowl." Turns out I couldn't, but I was a good patient, at least.
The nerd in me has been saving my Trekkie happy dance for an occasion like this. My check up with RadOnc was Good, Good and more Good. Here's the breakdown of goodness...He gave me a thorough breast exam, not just laying back but in the upright position also. Every other doctor I have just does 1-minute exam with me in the suppine position. He commented that the hardness of the scar tissue was resolving nicely. (That's his PC version of saying righty was getting saggy once more.) He said skin looked great and the 2 shades of tan should keep getting lighter. Then, the big moment I had been waiting for...looking at x-rays! The good moment was when we looked and both my lungs looked the SAME, that is to say that I did not have any visible lung scarring AT ALL. It's almost a year later and scarring would have shown up by now if I were to have any pulmonary fibrosis going on. SO YAY, YAY ,YAY! (Recap for Newbies: I freaked last year to find out that the rads were hitting 20% of my lung, pitched a fit, so they got it down to 13%. I then reduced my freaking by 7% accordingly.) This was just incredible news, that my lung came out pretty unscathed, at least as would be seen on regular x-rays.
Then, I also had an A-Ha! moment! On the x-ray, at the SNB site, there were clips (markers) in my body! Well, I had read other women on here mentioning that they had clips at their surgical sites, but no one on this end had ever shot me a memo that I had any in there. And I was just complaining a page or two ago about "twinging" in that area after all this time. NO WONDER!
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Chekov & Uhruh were always my favorites. Love how animated about your news E!
So here I go again, showing my ignorance....why would the clips be left inside after surgery?
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I don't know the reason for that either. If no one on here comes up with the answer, I'll call the BS office tomorrow and find out. I didn't see anything "clippy-looking" near my lump removal site, so why the nodes?
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WORD FROM 3jaysmom
3jaysmom asked me to let everyone here in the middle know that she is okay, only her computer has broken down. I've been concerned about her. Woke up from a hot flash (sound familiar?) and took another look. At last, there she was! She will return when computer is once again in operative mode.
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Thanks for passing word along for her, and give her our best if you are able to make more contact. We'll be here waiting for her return, as middle-aged as ever!
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Wow! That happy dance was very timely. Here's a Yahoo headlilne from today:
Study: Flamboyant male dancing attracts women best
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100909/ap_on_sc/eu_britain_male_dancing
Happy dance aside, and judging by some of our previous pics (of the male dancers, errr, I mean helpers,) I think we had already figured that one out.
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Send those x-rays over, ladies. I sense that all of you are participating in dangerous and ill-advised activities like toilet bowl cleaning and bed-making and laundering and even cleaning up after making food. It's got to stop!
Elimar - I have something like 20+ "clips" visible in the area where my tumor was. It's like they threw a whole box in there. I don't know if there are any near my snb site, because I've not had that imaged, really. Although there's the snb incision under my arm and then the area where they took out the nodes, which is sort of on my chest...
Yay on the no lung scarring!
And yay on the flamboyant male dancing... but instead of dancing, the men should be taking care of the aforementioned dangerous activities!
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Off the topic. What happened to Nebraskagrandma?
She use to have an avatar with her grandson.
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Whooooohoooooooooo for Elimar!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's a BIG day in Middie-town.
The full color proofs for my picture book arrived today!!!!!!!!! Five years, and two dx of BC, and yet this day has indeed arrived!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I approved everything and we shipped it back over night delivery, so the printing can begin!!!!
More happy dancing!!
See evidence on my blog.
www.rainbowswithinreach.blogspot.com
xx00xx00xx00xx
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Bravo, Faith! So happy that your book is ready to roll (on the printing presses) soon. That is quite an accomplishment! (BTW, I love that pic on your web page where you are "Waldo" hiding amid the tie-dye kids.)0
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Anyone with kidney disease or reduced kidney function, you might want to check this out about this warning about contrast dyes used in MRI imaging:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100909/ap_on_he_me/us_imaging_drugs_fda_warning
Just putting this out FYI, 'cause we are not strangers with the MRI.
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Great News Elimar!!!
Congratulations Faith!!!! Could you give me more information on where to order?
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Elimar, I have to have a blood test for creatinine levels before each injection of contrast. I finally asked what the test was for at my last one, and they said for kidney function. If the levels aren't right, they won't give you contrast.
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Congrats, Faith. You are the the poster child for "Getting it done".
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Meece is right--it's supposed to be routine to check blood work for kidney function before giving contrast for MRIs, CTs, or any other test/scan where contrast dye might be used.
The clips are used to seal off small, medium and large blood vessels instead of cauterizing or tying them off with stitches. The clips are more dependable than cautery or stitches. Clips cause less irritation (supposedly, after hearing what I have on this thread I'm beginning to doubt this report) than stitches and cautery. Clips provide a visible record of surgery in a part of the body, and prior surgery can affect future surgeries in that area (like we can't tell a doc what surgeries we've had and where). We really should be told when clips have been used because they are metal and usually mean we should not have MRIs--the magnetic field can pull clips out of place. Enough clips in one place can set off metal detectors at airports and federal buildings. Also, the metal clips can heat up if ultrasound is applied to the area. This is more of an issue if there are several clips in one area than if there are just one or two. The metal can heat up enough to burn the surrounding tissue.
I once took care of a man who had to have surgery to remove the clips and surrounding tissue. The clips were put in during prostate surgery, then the clips interfered with the radiation treatments causing serious tissue burning and damage, He had no idea the surgeon used metal clips, and the radiaition doc never checked the operative report where it was clearly stated that more than 100 clips had been used.
Faith--Congratulations! Good for you! If you can write a book, then I can start working on my doctorate. Thanks for being an inspiration!
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kleenex--I'm with you-- a bc diagnosis should exempt us from ever having to do house work or any other unpleasant chore ever again!
elima--Great news, so happy for you! I loved Trek, too and that clip is just fabulous!
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Hello ladies. I am new.. first post! Was not sure where I should post first, but liked the fact that this area is for "middle age" woman. I had my every 6 month mammogram the week before my 51st birthday, a few weeks ago. They have been keeping a close eye on me for a number of years now.. having me go every six months. Never has fazed me.. take in in stride. I have dense breast, hard to read.. and apparently they had been watching areas of calcification that this time had increased in size on the right breast. I was called before I even got home from the mammogram... luckily my 18 year old son actually gave me the message (does not always happen, lol). I called back, they got the radiologist doctor on the phone who explained what she was seeing, how they wanted me to have a stereotactic biopsy and we set up an appointment for two days later with an oncologist surgeon. Met him, he did a physical breast exam, and set up the biopsy for the following week (was taking mentioned 18 year old to college so had to put off for a few days). Had the stereotactic biopsy on August 27. Took myself in.. did not tell anyway (did tell my husband that night,, hard to hide the steri strips!) The following Tuesday I heard from the surgeon's office and was told atypical cells were found, Lobular Carcinoma in situ. Had an appointment with the surgeon the following day. He wanted me to have an MRI, and also said regardless of what that showed, he wanted to do a surgical breast biopsy too. If everything came back negative, we would then discuss my being closely monitored and perhaps going on Tomixifen. Had the MRI a week ago, Oct. 2. Results of that received this Tuesday showed a "suspicious" area on the left side. So, yesterday went in for a breast MRI, vacuum biopsy. Fun stuff!
I will get the results of that next week, perhaps before my appointment with my surgeon which is on Wednesday. We will set up the surgical biopsy in the right side, and if atypical cells are found thru yesterday's MRI biopsy, I would have the left breast surgically biopsied at the same time too! So......... that's my 3 1/2 week, quick introduction into the world of breast cancer. Never had heard of so many of the terms used before! I may be lucky, have everything come back negative, and will then just have to proceed as a future high risk patient. I have been enjoying reading from the various boards here.. and appreciate all the love and support you give each other. There is nothing like "sisterhood".Ellen
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Ellen- You sound like a real fighter Sending you a sisterly hug ((((Hug))) and hopes that your results next week are all good. You found a great group of women here.
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Welcome Ellen1dg, you are in good company with all of us. We all know about the waiting and the worrying. I will be praying for you that the results come back negative.
Peace and laughter,
Cheryl
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Welcome Ellen. We can relate to how you are feeling, because we all have gone through some of it, or all of it.
Yesterday was my one year anniversary of being on the boards. You ladies helped me get through that awful Vaccum Assisted Stereotactic Core Needl Biopsy! Head in for my six month follow up on Thursday. No word on the results from last weeks US. Whe should be awarded for our patience!
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ellen1dg, Not only do you have dense breasts, which tend to hide things on the mammo images, but you also have LCIS, which can be diffuse and harder to image. A lot of us did not have to go through the many diagnostics that you are having, but you still have a chance of everything coming out B9. LCIS is a condition which can become invasive, but it does not always happen in many cases. It is said to increase your risk for B/C, so you would probably be asked to stay on that 6 mo. screening schedule if nothing further is found. Let us know the results of your biopsies. While you waiting you might like to check out the forum on here "Waiting For Test Results" or check out the thread "Abbreviations for Newbies." I put the link forthat below:
http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/62/topic/735716?page=44#post_1952160
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Welcome Ellen! While I was reading your post, it brought back the days, weeks of dr. visits, biopsies, waiting, more dr. visits, scans, & more waiting, etc. It seems to move slowly but, seems to move at lightening speed at the same time. We are thrown right into it, aren't we, and we learn more than we ever wanted to know.
We are waiting with you & we are here for you. Please keep us posted. Keeping good thoughts for a B9 result, with just a watch & see future.
{{hugs}}
♥
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elimar ~ Yay! No lung scarring!!!! Wonderful news! ♥
NativeMaine ~ Thanks for explanation re: clips used in surgery. I have printed that info & will ask my Rad onc if I have any at my lumpectomy - SNB sight when I see him Nov 16. And I am off to pull out my operative report to read that as well. That should tell me before I even see the Rads onc.
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Hello Everyone,
I am not having a good day. Just got back from the Oncologist and got my Oncotype score which was 31. So they recommend chemo. 4 sessions 3 weeks apart of TC. They say it decreases the chance of recurrence by 20%. So the next 3 months are really gonna suck. I am pretty down right now. Trying not to think the worst of all the side affects and remind myself that it will be temporary and when it's done it's done. So I am going to get a 2nd and 3rd opinion just because and get more info on all of this.
Hope you are all doing better than me right now.
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welcome Ellen. I am a lobular breast cancer girl myself. Biopsy confirmed cancer in my right breast, suspicious spots in my left (this was in May) and I had a bilateral mastectomy on June 14. Left breast proved not to be cancerous but I wanted them both gone. Chose not to bother myself with so many mammograms and more biopsies in my future .... then end up (most likely) having another surgery. It's doable and you'll find that you've got what it takes to do what you need to do if you have to.
Or perhaps this will be nothing for you. Come back and let us know either way please ~
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Carrol2-my onco score was 42...it is the pits to have the higher #, but I can tell you from personal experience that T/C, while not a piece of cake, is very do-able & you should be given enough drugs that your SE will be minimal. With T/C hair loss is without question, around day 17 or so after 1st treatment. My main tip is be sure & suck on ice chips throughout the entire administration of the drugs; I didn't have any problem with mouth sores, etc from my treatment by following those words of advice from another person who had done T/C. Good luck, feel free to PM me if you need/want to.
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