MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish
Comments
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((HUGS)) Sherry and strength. Welcome MadPeacock, great to have you here but sorry it has to be because of BC. Janis, hope your healing is starting and you have a better day today. Just got word that my DS won't be able to come up this fall. Plane tickets are just too much now and he has had jury duty so lost pay there too. I'm bummed, miss him terrible these days since my DX. Just want to hug him and let him know I'll be alright. Damn greedy airlines! Kitty
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Sorry this took me a long time to post. My appointment wasn't until 8:40 last night. They do radiation until 10, and my first week and a half of regular appointments are all after 8. Didn't get home until almost 11 and went right to bed. I waited about an hour to have the appointment, but it went very smoothly. I think it took about 10 minutes. I thought they were still taking x-rays or pictures when they told me it was over. The first one, they put some kinc of a shield on me and taped it around me. They didn't do that this time, so I thought they hadn't started treatment yet. They said that is "bollous"?? and they only do that every other time. So I think the appointments will be smooth sailing. And I took the advice on her and brought aloe with me and put it on before dressing right after treatment. We'll see if that helps my skin.
Bad news: this morning at 9 had an appointment with LE therapist. Basically they told me they can't do anything until I'm finished with radiation. They'll talk to RO and let me know what he thinks. They did measure me and said if RO okays it they'll order a sleeve, but the more I think about it, it makes no sense at all. You're not supposed to get a sleeve until you get the swelling under control. This would be just to keep it from getting worse and by the time they would even order it and it get here, I'd only have a couple weeks of rads left. Then they'd start trying to get the swelling down. Arggggg....... it's always something. But as Nancygv55 says, I need to put it in perspective. I just wish I could get some good news for a change and stop having to look at the bright side of bad news.
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Oh, Sherry, very sorry to hear about your Dad. (((((((hugs))))))))
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Kitty, has your son checked to see if the airline with give him a discount based on your diagnosis. When my father-in-law had cancer, we were able to get a steep discount to go help after his treatment. Might be worth checking into as I'm sure it is hard to be appart from him so much.
Kay: I am so glad to here your appointment went better. I don't know about all of them but my mothers sleeve was made while she had lymphoma and it has a wide enough adjustable velcro for when the swelling is up, although she doesn't have swelling much now.
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Welcome madpeacock - sorry you have to be here with us. In the beginning, the waiting is the worst part and once you really have a treatment plan in place it is not so bad. You just take one thing at a time, one day at a time. That is the easiest.
Kay - Wow! RO appts that late at night? I don't think I could do that. That is just as bad as having to stop in the middle of the morning or afternoon. Wish you smooth sailing and no rads issues.
Sherry - ((((HUGS))))
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Hi madpeacock and welcome! Although sorry you have to be here. I'm 48 too! Will be 49 in January. My MO keeps telling me I"m young also, I wish I felt like it!
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Welcome madpeacock! The gals around here are a great bunch. Just chime in with whatever is on your mind. Trust me when I say this we have all been there. I am so very greatful that I found this site because the gals around here helped get me thru one of the toughest times in my life.
Eli the title never bothered me it just took me by surprise that people think that. I may not know awhole lot but one thing is for sure. Cancer is a sneaky little bugger who can lay in wait until you least expect it.
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Welcome madpeacock!! I was 48 too last year when I was DX, 50 now--wait when did that happen??!! What is with 48??? You were also DX on my birthday. . .
. But sorry you had to join our little club. 
As you can tell, I have a sweet tooth and I just love to bake(UH, no, NOT really--why bake when other people can do it for you on the web??)
Eli-I want one of those t-shirts when you print them up!!! Just any color but pink. . .
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Welcome madpeacock! Though I'm sorry for the reason you're joining us...
I love the cake Claire!
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Welcome Madpeacock, this is an awesome thread.
Claire: Now that's a cake!!
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Kay-Glad you rads went better.
Sherry- My thought and prayers are with your Dad.
Madpeacock-Welcome. Take your time making your decision on which treatment path to take. Get all the inforamation you can and be comfortable with your choice.
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That is one beautiful cake! I am so jealous that I did not cyber bake it myself!!!
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Hi ya'll, I'm new here and waiting for answers myself. I really like what I have read in this forum. 49 and still not use to the "middle-age" tag, lol If this goes positive it won't be my first rodeo. '92 cervical cancer with full hysto in '95. My sister died 2 years ago Sept.13 from complications from lung cancer. My Aunt died from brain cancer and grandmother from lung/bladder cancer and a few other relatives from cancer. I've got to make some quick decissions about how I want to play these cards I've been dealt. My boobs served me well feeding my kids and if they need to go now, then oh well. My kids are grown and they are telling me just get rid of them both now so we will be done and won't have to worry about anymore biopsies down the road. Just not sure if my insurance will pay for recon. My job says I can't come back to work until I can lift the 50 pounds again. Been 4 days and I'm still bleeding from the Core Biop.
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welcome madpeacock!
claire great cake
Kay glad this appt went better, sorry about the LE.. hugs to you!
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Welcome madpeacock and barnyardkitty. I'm just a day older than the two of you here.
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Welcome barnyardkitty...I'm sorry you have to join us but I hope that we can all help. Hopefully, that biopsy will stop bleeding soon!0
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Hi Barnyard and welcome. Sorry you need to deal with this
Those core biopsies are rough! It seems to me with that with both your and your family's history you may want to get see about genetic testing. That could really help you make some decisions. It is rough that insurance has to determine so much of what we decide. Most seem to cover recon for breast cancer, but I know every one of them are different. 0 -
Rant time. I was reading commentary on Steve Jobs passing (one of my heroes) and someone had the gall to say that he died because cancer research money was being "siphoned off" for breast cancer. Can you believe that misogynistic crap!
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Hi barnyard and welcome to the club no one wanted to be in.
SAB its crazy when people dont get it. Im not one to go around shouting from the rooftop during Pinktober but IMO more $$$ have been raised because its so out there. It has nothing to do with the dollars being taken away. I never see other cancers being marketed the way BC is. If this person would step back and start campaigning like crazy and put focus on it and make people more aware. Also I do feel sorry for him and his family. He had mountains of money to pay for cancer treatment, but the thing about it is cancer doesnt care how rich or poor you are.
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I'm on my other half's insurance plan and he said that a wife of someone he works with had a total removal and the insurance wouldn't pay for recon. I looked today on the National Cancer site and found the new federal law that mandates they have to pay for recon if they cover full mast. We may have to play that card and if it works out then she can go back if she still wants it. I think she was a lot younger than me. But the fact that I would be having a total before an answer is in might make a difference. She said that with it being on the chest wall, she will have to take muscle from my armpit and lymps and tissue just to get to where the cluster is to take it out. That's more than half my boob right there.If they have to take that much then to me it makes more since to just take it all and then rebuild. That's where ya'lls advise comes in. I have talked to my cousin that is an RN and she's glad I'm thinking down that road. Surgury will be in 2 weeks. I don't have long to decide.
Iwarstler- not sure if they cover that, CS says most insurance won't cover it and it runs about $2000.
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Welcom barnyardkitty - So sorry you are having to deal with all this crap. If you can, take your time and decide on a treatment plan. I have to agree with Lee Ann that genetic testing is in order with your family history. Come often and let us know how things are going. Just jump in at any time.
SAB - Just when you think you have heard from all the morons - along comes another one. Steve Jobs fought a heroic battle with pancreatic cancer - that is one nasty bugger and survival rate is low. I know this from experience - my mother had it and from dx to her passing was 6 months of pure hell.
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My brother died from pancreatic cancer too....very nasty and only three months from diagnosis till his death...very sad indeed.
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My mother passed from pancreatic cancer on their 44th wedding anniversary. Now that really sucks!
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That does stink Jo....
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Welcome, barnyardkitty! Ask your breast surgeon for a referral to a Plastic Surgeon and try to get in for a consult before your surgery, so you will know your best options for reconstruction. If the BS and PS work together on this, they can agree on an approach to give you the best cosmetic outcome. Take a look in the Forum Index on this site and check out some of the topics in Reconstruction if you'd like.
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Barnyardkitty--by federal law if the insurance company covers the mastectomy they MUST cover reconstruction and any surgery needed on the other breast to acheive symmetry. I had a mastectomy due to complications of radiation, then has a mast on the other side and bilateral reconstruction. No promblems with insurance at all, even though I went out of state.
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Yes, pancreatic cancer is truly terrible, and I'm sor sorry to hear of your losses. Steve Jobs had a rare form that progressed more slowly, and he was able to make it 7 years, but I'm sure you all know how unusual that is. I want to make it clear that the person who said that comment was just a blog commenter. But he still got under my skin. The force of all of us women working together over so many years to fundraise was just dismissed by this cretin as though we were "taking" money from others.
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Oh, and Barnyard Kitty, many insurance companies will review your family history to determine if they will pay for genetic testing. I'm Ashkenazic Jewish with cancer in my immediate family and they did cover BRCA.
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Thanks for the info, I just talked to my daughter and filled her in on what I'm finding out. She reminded me of a couple years ago when she was wanting a tummy tuck from having her son. I told her that would not be something that I would do or a boob job. Her comment was that if sometime in the future if I were to get breast cancer then I could get both the boob job and a tummy tuck then no one would be able to tell if I was my oldest son's girlfriend or mother, lol. We all laughted it off because my son's soldiers all thought I was one of his "ladies" on line when they were in Iraq. Her theory is that as long as we have our life then the body can be rebuilt. God's little bonus to handling more than we should have been put through. I've cried twice through this and my kids haven't cried at all, their response was there was nothing to cry about, we can handle this! They are 28,25,and 21.
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Hi girls,
I don't want to hijack this thread but I do want to jump in for just a moment to make you aware of something.
Women between the ages of 40 and 60 and DES exposed have a much higher chance of getting breast cancer than women who were not DES exposed. The drug was given in the 1940's to 1970's to women who miscarried or had problems staying pregnant. DES, diethystilbestrol, is a synthetic estrogen and causes havoc to the reproductive tract. Now the information is out there regarding our risk for breast cancer. The info is becoming more available as this group of women age and experience hormone changes due to menopause. If you are on this board then likely you have breast cancer. If you suspect your mother may have taken the drug please go to the DES Action website for more info. There is a huge lawsuit going on right now in Boston, MA and they are asking any women who think they may have been exposed to contact the law firm of Aaron Levine in Washington, DC. I am one of the DES Daughters represented in the case against the drug companies. If you want more info, please either contact me or the above mentioned.
Thank you for letting me have your attention for a moment! Back to the subject.....
tucktertwo
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