MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish
Comments
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Diana - I think we are all breathing a bit easier now that you have some answers. It is good that the cancer was in the ovary and that IT IS GONE! I am very happy that you got all of your answers today. We will all be in great shape as we jump those hurdles with you!
If you are able to see the monitor during the bone scan - don't be alarmed if you see lots of spots lighting up. I am not sure what it is but I have had a couple of scans that are very sparkly and they have all come back clean.
Get to healing now girl! I hope the next couple of weeks pass quickly for you so that you can get the path back and find that NED is lurking around and not those damned mets!
xoxo
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Diana, I am so glad your onc yelled at the lab and was able and willing to give you the straight dope. One thing I have learned from cancer treatment is to trust my instincts, as you also did. Several times my onc thought I was overreacting, and every time it turned out to be the right call.
I fervently hope these were stray cells and that the surgery will mean the end of the suckers.
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Diana - so happy your onc did a good job of explaining all of this AND is getting another path report. It pisses me off that your other one was so poorly written - so careless for something so important. So heal up fast and well and glad you are forging ahead with the Queen of Tarts!
Chocolate should help things along...
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Dianarose, I can relate to what you are saying about finding out what the chemo did. Yes, it should be able to note the appearance of the cancer that was still left. For example, I had that rads/chemo combo before surgery. I do know that my 5cm tumor was shrunken down to a mere 1mm x 6mm strand and all removed. I know less about the nodes, about the active cancer that was still in them. I never did ask if it was a lot or a little. I do know that my cancer was graded at moderately differentiated from the biopsy, and then as well differentiated in the surgical path. So, it seems like the worst mutant cells died and what was left was closer to normal, tho' still cancery. In the end, knowing every last detail would not have changed the course of what came next, so I did not pursue my line of questioning any further. I think a big part that needs to be answered for you is whether the HER2 was correct or not. That is going to make a difference in treatment, I think.
The radioactive tracer for bone scans is not exactly like the PET material, which also relies on uptake of glucose. The bone scan is one of the least expensive scans and the radiation dose you get is nowhere near that of a CT. I'm a fan of them for those reasons, but I have heard that while the bone scan is very good in showing abnormal growth of bone (blastic lesions) that it does not do as well on bone breaking down (lytic lesions.) None of these scans, no matter the cost, seems to be perfect. If you have ever gotten scans at two or three in a clip, you will see how image shapes and sizes vary from report to report. How annoying!
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breathing heavy sighs of relief, both from being out of the pocket (I have an imprint of an overall strap on me. How did that happen?) and for the tentatively wonderful news that doctor gave you. I knew giving him the stink-eye would help!
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I'm rooting for NED, Dianarose. Glad your doctor could give more clarity on the report and is aggressively following up.
Thanks for offering me a PP, Barsco! I'm going to Mexico just for the weekend and my son is coming out on Sunday to celebrate Fathers Day......so I won't have too much time to dwell on the test (can you believe it is Tuesday at 8:50 PM!!!? That's almost my bedtime! It was either that or wait until July and I want it done before my next appt w/ my MO on July 1,)
Surprise to me! I received a call from Nordstrom's that my "authorization" for new bras was in! I didn't think I would be eligible since I've had the first part of DIEP and don't née a prosthesis anymore.....but my new boobs aren't fitting the old bras well.....so I'm going to take advantage of the benefit!0 -
Dianarose - Well, well, some answers. I'm cheering for NED also. Sounds like your MO has taken the proverbial bull by the horns. Gosh I know I would have wanted a 2nd opinion on the path at least if not a 2nd MO opinion. Way to go. So when can you expect to get more definitve answers? Will keep you close in prayer.
Chachamom - Who the heck schedules tests at 8:50 pm? Well that will be late for me but count me in for a PP. Name your favorite snacks and we'll supply them.
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Hmmm....favorite snacks sorbet, spicy hummus and spicy men :-)
......and I'm addicted to carbs, so anything from the "Queen of Tarts" bakery would be yummy!!!......since it will be so late, I'll skip the margaritas and have some red wine!
Dare I say I'm looking forward to Tuesday night? Well.......more than before!0 -
Chachamom - I think we definitely have the spicy men taken care of. Those Aussie's are welcome to join in anytime. I have a new recipe for avacado hummus that I can spice up for you.
Our local hospital does MRI's 24hrs/day so you could have a test scheduled for 2 or 3 AM. YUCK!
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OHH Barsco I would love your avocado hummus recipe. Have to attend a mexican food party weekend after next and recipes are always welcome. Well let me say with Eli's approval.
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luv - sent you a PM with the recipe. Hope you enjoy!
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In order of importance...Barsco, I'd loce you to PM me that hummus recipe too!
Diana, I'm not a fan of scans with contrast for lots of reasons, but the bone one was by far the easiest of those I had. Hope that's the case for you too hon.
Chacha, have you had 7 Zin wine yet? Really tasty, so I'll take care of that. Mind if I go to sleep on your table though? I don't snore (much).0 -
Barsco, I want the Avocado Hummus recipe too. I have been eating both lately, so why not together. Please post the recipe in the thread. I won't try making it til food sounds good again. It was a Cream of Wheat night for me. Days #3 & #4 of the chemo cycle are when food really does't appeal to me. By days $12 & $13, I can enjoy BBQ sauce and things with a tiny bit of a kick to them. Thanks!
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Dianarose,
Wow, I love the glimmers of hope you've been given! I'm rooting for NED, of course! We all want him! I'm glad your MO was forceful with the lab and explained things to you. I will have lots of questions myself about lobular traveling to ovaries at my three month checkup on Monday. Love you, girl.0 -
Geez, Jeannie57! I just noticed you had 39 nodes out. That has got to be some kind of record!
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Yum! I want the spicy avocado hummus recipe too!!!
Marlegal, yes...I love the 7 Zins wine! .....and I'll probably be the loudest snorer....that is unless one of those spicy guys Barsco promises shows up! I think I could stay awake for him!0 -
Would love to join this group/thread/forum. I am 52 years old and diagnosed with bc a little over a month ago. Caught on a routine mammogram. Challenges are that I have a 16-year old daughter watching some nasty things happen with her mom.....full time job that I have been questioning for years. Not really dreading the thought that I might have to take time off and others might have to assume some of my responsibilities - it has been so crazy for so long.
I have a weird/warped sense of humor and certainly don't feel like I am in my fifties (How in the world did that happen?)
Lumpectomy last month and surgery again today to install a drain and to cleanse/re-seal my incision.
Would love to receive and offer support and humor......it is all good
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Dianarose--It must be terrifiying to be dealing with inaccurate path reports. So much depends on that report, it HAS to be accurate. Glad you are getting a second read on that. Soft tissue is good. Normal tissue is soft. Cancer and other diseases can make tissues hard and is abnormal. There has been some info floating around that recurrences or mets of bc should be ER/PR and Her2 tested because these markers change more often than previously believed, thought to be a reaction to exposure to chemo or rads or A I s or a combo. You do need some healing time before the CT scan, healing tissue will light up much like abnormal tissue. I had a bone scan a few years back.. Went in the am, they started an IV, put in some radioactive type stuff, pulled the IV out and sent me out to the waiting room for 4 hours, then did a bunch of x-ray like tests. Except for the IV it was a lot like getting a bone density test. In a couple of weeks call the doc's office and remind them you are waiting for his call about the second look path report. Glad you got answers, that always helps!
Welcome, cricketsandfrogs!
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Ok ladies - I will post the recipe here since there are a few who would like it. I just didn't want to start a trend of clogging the thread with recipes. Anyone who is on facebook will know how this can happen. I actually got this recipe from fb. Sounds delish and you can make it as spicy or bland as you want. Enjoy!
1 can white beans (chickpeas)
1 avocado cubed
juice from 1/2 lime
1 Tblsp + 1 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Blend all ingredients until smooth.
Easy huh?
Welcome cricketsandfrogs - are you an avid naturalist by any chance? So glad that you found us here. Your weird/warped sense of humour will fit in nicely. You will definitely have one or two or 20 of us with you virtually at any given time to hold your hand, jump in your pocket to accompany you to a test, scan appt etc, listen when you need to vent and help to answer any questions that you may have. If you post your dx in your signature it often helps when you do have any questions.
Be honest with your daughter. She will appreciate it being old enough to understand. My son was 17 when I was dx. I told him enough to keep him in the loop but none of the real fears that are rolling around in my head on any given day. I think he has an idea but ......... if I need to express those fears, I do so here at bco without fear of judgement or planting those fears in my sons head.
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Thanks Barsco. I have all the ingredients already and a son that recently developed an addiciton, so will whip some up this very day. I appreciate your hesitance to just start throwing recipes out there for the reason you mention, and there are a couple good recipe threads on BCO for us already, but we do like our deliciousness around here and I don't mind if we have an occasional recipe put up for something particularly easy and yummy.
cricketsandfrogs, welcome! Sorry to hear your wound healing did not go better. Those drains are pretty nasty, but neccessary. I had a two teens (boys) when I got my Dx and they didn't seem to ask many questions, but I did tell them the basics as I went thru each phase of my treatment plan. I'd say try and keep your daughter in the loop of what is happening, but don't overwhelm her. You want her to be doing all those carefree high school things and not worrying too much about you, yet you are a role model for something she may encounter in her own life at some point, so you do have to "keep it real." (Heaven forbid, but it hits one in eight women even without genetics being a factor.) I'm guessing once you heal up, rads will be the next step for you. We should be able to help with any questions on that, and it is also good to find a rads thread on BCO for the months you actually do them because you can compare notes with others going thru' it right at the same time. Glad you found us. We are a group who doesn't let cancer take all the humor out of life.
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Hey Middie-Lady-Sister-Girls...
Since you've had B/C, I know you all have experienced cash departure to pay those bills. Wouldn't it be great to find some unexpected moola? Are you up for a real life treasure hunt?
Probably will turn out to be a dead end for most, but you never know until you dig a little. (Don't forget my commission!)
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Jeannie- hi, love it when you post. We get to see your beautiful smiling face. Yes, we all want Ned, Let's clone him.
Nativemainer-MO wants me to wait a few more weeks before we do any scans. I also want the new path report back before I do anything. I want it noted that these cells were either dead or alive. This dam path report not only is vague but has contradictions in it. After meeting with the MO and talking to him about his phone conversation with the pathologist I am not trusting anything in it. Just because someone is in a professional field does not make them professional. My daughter says that 90% of the people she treats in the OR for cocaine use are lawyers, other doctors, etc.... very scary. Does soft tissue mean the cancer hasn't been there long, not very active, not a lot of cancer???? very confusing. Where the hell is the sunshine. Tired of the rain in Maine.
Eli- how much longer is your chemo? I hope it goes by quickly for you.
A friend was diagnosed with cancer 3 weeks ago and passed away this morning. He had just turned 50. By the time he went to the doctors it was too far gone and he wasn't strong enough anyways.
I am going to go paint the inside of Queen of Tarts tomorrow and just keep living and moving forward. A lot of work to do still to open so I better get busy.
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Crickets, welcome! You found one of the best threads on bco in my opinion. We combine humor, empathy, common sense and honesty and that makes a rather cool blend! So sorry you need the extra surgery, hope you heal totally and quickly.
Barsco, thanks for the recipe...I'm thinking Sunday sounds good to try it out!
Eli, I'm gonna click that link in a couple minutes...will report later on that!0 -
Thank you all for the warm welcome - doing better this evening. I was pretty discouraged last night.....and yet, I know I am very lucky this was caught so early. Doesn't mean that I don't feel like whining. I am not a "naturalist" per say......this is just what I was hearing as I was trying to create a user name. As I am typing now, I can hear the crickets and frogs and that sound comforts me.
Had fresh pineapple for dinner tonight. Is there anyone besides me who cuts off the top of the pineapple and immediately thinks about putting it on my head so that I can be the "Chiquita Banana Girl"?
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a cousin of mine, years ago, had a stillborn birth. She lived in the wilds of the San Juan Islands in WA & the state required a name to be on the birth cert. My cousin hadn't wanted to name the child but since it was insisted upon, she named the babe "Frogs in January" as that was what she heard while going through the home birth. I always that was a cool way to handle it; satisfied the state & in her mind, it wasn't a name, per se.
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eph, what a story. it was a cool way to handle the sad situation.
crickets, welcome! who doesn't think about putting those pineapple tops on their heads?
So the crickets I've been hearing are from hearing loss. I really thought there were crickets around for the longest time, until it was the dead of winter and I asked my son if he could hear the crickets and he gave me his "are you crazy" look. I had my hearing test last week and picked up my hearing instruments (read aids) today. Man, do I feel old. But they can barely be seen and I am amazed at the sounds I have been hearing, the rain drops falling, the dog's toe nails clicking on the floor as she walks down the hall, my breathing, etc.... Of course, when the smoke alarm went off while I was "cooking" dinner, it was excruciating!!!!!!
So diana, the rain in Maine is falling mainly on the plain?
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cricketsandfrogs - We have a field across the road that contains a marshy area full of frogs. I love the sound of them every evening as they lull me to sleep. Now the crickets in my ears can take a hike.
I have never thought about putting the pineapple top on my head - will surely be thinking about it now! Never really thought about putting a turkey on my head either until I saw the Friends episode where Monica did just that - still makes me laugh.
Dianarose - so sorry to hear of your friends passing. Good luck with the painting today - will try to send some sun shine your way. Hope you are remembering to rest up so that you can heal from surgery.
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Diana, sorry about your friend.
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Diana so glad you are getting another lab to redo the path report. And also that your MO was forceful with them and answered all your questions. We welcome NED, you have a bakery to open!!!
Cricket glad to have you here. I am also on a thread for Stage 1, grade1 you might want to join.
Went to my PS yesterday and even though my left rads breast has dropped more we are going to wait and see how things go. He said my rads skin is so very thin he hates to do more surgery unless absolutely necessary. He said since I look good in in my clothes and look good in a bathing suit he would rather wait and see if I can live with that. I told him I could because I really feel that if this is all I can live with it. If it moves more we will have to consider surgery. Hopefully since I am 6 months from last surgery my pocket is healed and this will be it but time will tell.
Also my DIL got her mothers recores for MD Anderson and they did in fact do the BRCA testing and her mom was negative. I am so happy for my DIL. Don't know if you all remember but her mother died of bc a few months ago and her mothers sister died about 10 years ago from bc. The local MO had not done BRCA testing on her. So thankful MD Anderson did.
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Did anyone read the news about Myriad lab loosing the battle at the supreme court about being able to hold the patent on the BRCA genes. Here is a link on the news article. What a great thing this is that the supreme court ruled. It will be goo for all health care.
http://news.yahoo.com/court-says-human-genes-cannot-patented-143605456.html
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