CALLING ALL STAGE I SISTERS
Comments
-
Hi Grama5,
You will find this website very helpful for all of your questions... If you are asking if you need help after a lumpectomy, my experience was relatively easy. I needed someone to drive me to the surgery and home after. I was sore for a few days and needed to rest but it was not too bad. I had a reexision the week after my lumpectomy because it did not clear the margin... in this instance, I had a partial mastectomy and I needed more help, as well I had the port put in for my chemo.
If you will be going through chemo treatments, my hope is you have a friend in the area who can be your support system during it all. It makes a world of difference and physically, you can use the help.
Have a good Thanksgiving everyone..
One more note, what different vitamins do you all take daily?
0 -
Hi grama...Thanks for finally joining us. Believe me once you start posting you find yourself around. Like if you want to make this one your favorite go on the top of the page in the middle where it says Add to my favorite topics click on it and you will never loose it. Do the same with any other thread after reading it just click the same thing when you come back all you have to do is click on MY FAVORITE TOPICS next to where it says My Home and you are ready to go. You don't need to bump anything.
I also had a lumpectomy over 4 years ago. I'm DD cup .I didn't wear a bras in the beginning because I was uncomfortable and my scar was right under my breast. If you need to wear one make sure its cotton and soft.
Good luck with your surgery on Monday and if you have any questions about it please ask. We are here to help you with your journey
Have a good Night.
Sheila
Edited to change and correct some things.
0 -
Nicole...I don't take any vitamins but I would like to start with B12 because my energy level is not high, some days I feel very tired. You are another regular who let us know how you are every night. Thanks.
Good Night
0 -
grama5: 11/11 was my ''discovery date" last year. I had a lumpectomy/SNB. I was sore but not too bad. Took pain pills at night and tylenol during the day for a few days. I was able to move around without too much trouble. I didn't drive until I was off the narcotics at night. Sorry you had to join us, but this is a great place for information and support. I am blessed to have hundreds of new friends since I found this site.0
-
Thanks for the info nichole112 I will do that, maybe I should save his trip home for radiation and what ever . I might need it more then. How long before you went back to work. I sell appliances at Sears.
0 -
kt57 what kind of treatment are you getting? rads? chemo? tomoxifen? How did you decide?
0 -
Grama5,
We are all different on the back to work topic... my life became w whirlwind after diagnosis, everything happened so fast... I had my lumpectomy, then my reexcision, followed by immediate chemo, I had a Grade 3 tumor so they wanted me to get rolling... so, I decided to take the 4 months during chemo off and worked through radiation.
This worked for me as some of the side effects from chemo would have kept me from working even if I wanted to. I have networked with many woman who have worked through chemo... and not to make light of radiation but it was more manageable than the other procedures... just wears on you through the course of it all.
We will all be here for you and your questions.
good night:)
0 -
This is the pill box I use. Its compact. They also come transparent.
0 -
Grama5,
I think you do need someone around for a few days. I stayed at my parents two days, sleeping in a recliner after my lumpectpmy/SNB. I have had 4 breast surgeries and one Stereotactic core biopsy. Each time, getting up out of bed or off of the couch, took help for a few days. You want to make sure you aren't pulling stitches or anything. And you probably won't feel like standing in the kitchen preparing meals either.
Do you have a good friend who could come stay with you until you feel comfortable? Someone from church or a social group you belong to? The hospital will not let you leave without a designated driver. I suppose a taxi would work, My DS wanted so badly for me to have him come home from the USAF, but I had him come home during chemo for his visit.
Some women go through it a lot better than others. Butmy recommendation is that you have a back-up plan for help.
As for work, I worked in a school/classroom for behavioral problem children from 1st through 8th grades. I had surgery on Friday morning and went back to work on Monday. I worked 5 hours a day. During Chemo, I missed one day of work due to surgery, one due to nausea, and some partial days since the taxol chemo took longer.
(((hugs)))
Meece
0 -
I bought my first pill box last year at the ripe age of 32. Now I need to buy another that has AM, afternoon and PM to keep me straight. I was telling my DH one drug needs to be without food, another needs food, etc..., etc.... Then to make them more fun I have started gagging when I take medication
. It makes for a fun day IMO. I had a double mastectomy and I was driving in about 5 days. I hate been waited on and the idea of waiting until someone could drive me around drove me crazy.....
0 -
I had my mom's meds in a plastic pillbox, to help ME dispense them to her. (She would get confused on what DAY it was anyway so who knows which compartment she might pop open on her own!) I always remember my Tamox in the morning, but by evening it slips my mind so I'm taking it at all hours of the night. Don't think the timing matters that much on it though.
0 -
I got the pill box that could hold the most pills, My calcium and vit d are fairly big. Now I just use the box for reg. meds, and just load up a baggies with the vitamins. I get confused with the eat with this one, before meals with that one, don't eat or drink for 30 minutes.....
0 -
Hi, All!
I'm new to posting on the board. I've read and can relate to many of your posts and wish you all the best. I have a question. It's been 1 1/2 years since my surgery and I'm now going for another session of 6 month follow-up pictures. My mammo was fine; however, my MRI is showing an axillary lymph node of "questionable significance" on my cancer side. Does anyone know what that terminology means? I have a horrific history of BC in my family on my mother's side. Within the past 5 years, I've lost my mother, grandmother, three aunts and a cousin to BC. My father past away last year of cancer, one month before my diagnosis. And....to add to this, my husband suffered a heart attack in April of this year. <sigh> I'm at my breaking point. Last week, I saw my surgeon who couldn't give me a definitive answer as to what to do about the lymph node. He finally said we'll do an ultrasound with biopsy. I'm 52 and want to make sure that I do everything within my means to maintain peace-of-mind. I cannot live with uncertainty. I feel at times that no one really understands the anxiety which we live with. Anyway, thanks for listening. Hugs and best wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving holiday!
Dona
0 -
Hi Dona,
I'm sorry you have to go through this waiting game. Although I do not know what the terminology means... I know there can be things that appear on the MRI and they need to do an ultrasound for clarification. I, too had an area of interest from my MRI which happened to be right over my tumor bed. They scheduled an ultrasound where we concluded it is scar tissue and fluid. I have recently been diagnosed with truncal and breast lymphedema.
So, I know it is hard to do but try and not let your "mind" take you there until you get the concrete facts. (My hubby would laugh at me if he knew I was giving this advice as I am always uptight until everything comes back!)
0 -
Donna, I don't have ny information to help you but wanted to offer you a hug. Hang in there.
When I had my MRI, I was told to be ready for a biospy since MRI's pick up EVERYTHING!!! I wanted to have it done because I would rather be safe than sorry.
(((((((((((((((((HUGS)))))))))))))))))))
0 -
Ladies, this research study has me highly concerned, and I am confused by what it really is stating. This is on the bc home page http://www.breastcancer.org/risk/new_research/20091109b.jsp and it is a study that woman with highly dense breast have a 6 fold increase in recurrence... of course, I have to fall into this category!!!!
If one of you knowledgeable ladies can read this and tell me the following:
My onc says statistically speaking I am 94% unlikely to have a recurrence. This research says there is a 20ish% chance of recurrence for highly dense breasts. Does this change my % to 76%; or does this study imply that within the 6% chance of recurrence I have 20ish% higher probablity????
Does my question make sense?
0 -
Hi Dona....Peace of mind is very important. You are right, people who didn't go through this journey they cant understand. I'm glad you found us. Let us know about your tests. I care about all my sisters.
You have a Happy Thanksgiving too.
<<<<<<HUGS>>>>>
Sheila
0 -
Hi Meece, nice to hear from you. I have a daughter that will come down for the surgery and I can go up there if I need to, but I would rather be in my own home if I can. I got the results of my MRI today and what a relief! My surgeon says both breasts are completly clear other than the tumor already found. I was worried about having both arms out of commission. I was thinking the same thing you said, I might need him more during treatment than now after surgery. You didn't have rads? I'm understanding that I will plus tomox. chemo is pending pathology. I sure don't understand why such a wide range of therapys with you ladies and yet we all have stage one. I'm learning as I go. Thanks all for being out there.
0 -
Grama5,
I am a triple neg. I had lumpectomy with SNB, 4 x AC, 4 x Taxol, and 30 tx of rads including 5 boosts. I was given the option of lumpectomy or mastectomy, and given reasonable assurance a lumpectomy would safely take care of the CA. My vanity, and fear that no one could ever love me without two breasts, led me to the lumpectomy decision. I know, I was stupid. But I was scared and single and alone. I also was mistaken that a lumpectomy left you looking normal. It did however leave me cancer-free and that is the ltimate goal of all this. From diagnosis to completeion of rads was 10 months. Within those ten months I found my future husband and he loved me no matter. We were married 13 months after my last chemo. and we celebrated our fourth anniversary this year. I have had 4 different surgeries since we married, and he's still here. Worn out, but here.
0 -
Nicole,
I'll take a stab at your question. You said:
"My onc says statistically speaking I am 94% unlikely to have a recurrence. This research (on BC.org) says there is a 20ish% chance of recurrence for highly dense breasts."
Did your oncologist base your recurrence risk on your Oncotype score? If so, I the oncotype recurrence rate refers to your risk of distant metastisis (outside the breast, to other organs).
The research in the article is talking ablout local recurrence. (in the breast) The article states,
"Mammographic density did not appear correlated with metastasis to distant sites."
So you may have a higher risk of local recurrence, but the 94% risk of distant recurrence would be the same.
Best to confirm with your oncologist. Good luck!
0 -
Good evening ladies,
I hope you all had a good day, and that everyone is getting ready to have a peaceful and joyful Thanksgiving.
grama5, I am so glad that you found us. I will keep a good thought for you on the 1st. I had bilateral mastectomy with TRAM reconstruction, so I am no help on how long to take off. I would say however, that having your support system there for you helps no matter what. I am really glad to hear that your MRI was good. We are all really different even though we are all stage 1. I think some have more aggressive treatment because of grade or oncotype (further genetic testing on the cancer). Hopefully you won't need chemo, and your rads will go smoothly. We will be here for you no matter what, so keep posting and let us know what you need.
Dona, I hate that you are caught in the waiting game. It is no fun, and causes so much stress. I will be thinking of you and hope that all of your tests go well. One of the reasons I decided to have bilat was to avoid future MRI's and biopsies, that was the worst part for me. I ended up having extensive pleomorphic LCIS on the right side, so my Dr's were glad that I had that side removed. At any rate, waiting is hard and we are all pulling for you. Try to relax and enjoy the holiday!
Nicloe, I haven't had a chance to read that article, but I also had dense breasts as do my daughters, so I will read it when I get a chance and see if I can help. Have a good holiday!
Shelia, you are the best, I love how supportive you are of everyone.
Okay, ladies, I am actually getting excited to go pick out my pill box. I seriously need to get a life, lol!
Sweet dreams all.
Hugs,
Susan
0 -
grama..What a welcome news. When I had my lumpectomy my 2 daughters were still living with me. The first 2 days couldn't do much, no pain at all never took a pain killer, but you will feel uncomfortable.
Maybe you should do all your heavy shopping before the surgery and if your friends offer to bring food just take it. I know I'm very independent myself.I don't ask for help sometimes I used to get yelled at in a nice and caring way because I didn't want to bother anybody.
When is your surgery again?
Good Luck
Sheila
0 -
check out
http://youtube.com/watch?v=OEdVfyt-mLwIt's funny!
0 -
Grama5 - I had my lumpectomy last year on 12/1 - the only thing I will add is that it was a little tricky the first tew days to reach up to do things like shampoo, brush my hair, but after a few days was much better. I think it was the sentinel node biopsy that was more painful than the lump. Great news on the MRI - that is a relief.
Susan - you are so funny - excited about the pill box! But, I have to say - I really do love mine -and it is so much easier!
DonnaP - sorry about the MRI - they do have a tendency towards false positives so hope that it is nothing but I can imagine how you feel.
0 -
For my Stage one Sisters:
0 -
Awww, Meece, that is so sweet! You and Shelia, and others whose names I can't retrieve or I will lose my post, always have such nice graphics. I haven't figured out how to post those yet, but I sure enjoy what you all post.
I am thankful for all of you and wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving too.
Hugs,
Susan
0 -
Happy Thanksgiving to all my stage one sisters!......
0 -
Happy Thanksgiving to you too!! And everyone!
0 -
<<<<<<HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL MY SISTERS>>>>> 0
-
Hi, Ladies!
Thank you so much for your replies to my post. My surgeon's office called and I'm scheduled for a biopsy on 12/17. I explained to him that if there is ever the slightest, most remote doubt or question with a test result, I want definitive answers, not differences in opinions from one doctor to another. I want to take care of any issues now, not later. I don't want the wait and see approach. After all, weren't we always told not to put off 'till tomorrow what can be done today? We shouldn't have to leave with uncertainty. So 12/17, I'll have the biopsy and then be able to move forward, hopefully into the New Year with a clear mind.
I hope you are all feeling well, and best wishes for a HAPPY THANKSGIVING. We're heading north for the holiday; but, home the same evening for work on Friday. I'm looking forward to the pumpkin pie. Enjoy....
Dona
0
