CALLING ALL STAGE I SISTERS
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Also, I forget there is spellcheck on here, so do not think I am illiterate, I type fast and post without edits
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I think stress, real stress, has something to do with it. When I am concrened over a health issue, I tend to tense up as I sit in front of the computer, I have to make myself aware of it, and consciously relax. I was hurting pretty good before this last surgery, but now that it is over, and I don't have the anticipation hovering, I feel much better.
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Hi all, I'm stage 1 (I think!)
I will be having bilateral mastectomy on December 31 and I am really hoping there will be no more surprises after surgery with lymph nodes...
I started a thread but I'm not getting much responses! I guess no one is having mastectomy at the very end of 2009! :-) I am scared and still a bit confused about it all this since diagnosed! I'm having bilateral but am always questioning myself if I'm making the right decision! I am not considering cancelling surgery, though!
Have a great holiday everyone!
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Welcome, Erika. Everone has to do what they feel most comfortable with. Although the holiday season is heavy for medical procedures in order to get it in during the insurance year, not many people choose to have surgery between Christmas and the new year. That may be why you haven't received much response. Hope you find the support you need here.
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Hi, I completely understand your decision for mastectomy! I'm stage 1 (I think!) and I will be having bilateral mastectomy on December 31 and I am really hoping there will be no more surprises after surgery with lymph nodes...My decision to remove both was a very had one to make! I am scared and still a bit confused about it all this since diagnosed! I'm having bilateral but am always questioning myself if I'm making the right decision! I am not considering cancelling surgery, though!
I will not be able to cope with the anxiety of screenings and the thought of another lump, another, bc, recurrence and so on...
Best of luck to you and Have a great holiday!
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Erika09
Sorry you had to join us, but glad you are here!
I made the choice for a BMX and have not second guessed it once. The peace of mind it brought me was amazing! I am in the middle of reconstruction and love the results my plastic surgeon is producing!
If I can help in any way, let me know.
Kimberly
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Thank you all for the warm, wonderful welcome! How great to meet all of you and how heartwarming it is to be around others who walk the same path. It is great to have a cheering squad!
I am now off of work for the next 2 weeks. My son came home from college for a brief visit and will be back again middle of the week.
Best wishes everyone for a great weekend!
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Thank you, Kimberly!
What type of reconstruction did you go with? I'll be having immediate recon skin sparing expanders + implants later as I was too thin to use my own body tissue!
One of my concerns now is if lymph's involvement and the need for radiotherapy with the expanders. I guess I shouldn't be worrying ahead of time!
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Welcome Erica...You'll find great support and information here.
Sheila
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Hi Sheila! Thank you for starting such a nice thread! I have already found so much information here since thi morning! I've been glued to the internet these days.
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Hi, all! It's pouring snow here in good ole NJ...yikes, we're supposed to get between 14-21 inches. I hate snow (sorry for everyone who likes snow!) but it is pretty for Christmas. I just think of all the shoveling I'm going to have to do. We have a very long driveway and sidewalk.
Nicole-we are very similar, lol...same age, kids, overspending (bought 60 presents total for my 4 kids! whoa! I usually by about 5 each. I attribute it to post traumatic stress disorder, LOL...my spending is the only change I've noticed since the bc, but alas...there it is. I'm not going into debt, so who cares!!!), neuroses, ha ha! I totally know your anxiety right now. I bet it is a muscle thing or like you said, the lymphedema. Will be a prayin!
Sue-61--thank you for all your help and you are right... I started feeling better this week, but once he said I'm fine, I really have barely felt the spasm thing. I also talked to a friend who got bladder cancer at age 30 (and came back 3 more times!!!!), and she said if I had cancer, my pee would look like cranberry juice. And it's a slow growing cancer (fyi).
Erika--welcome
I am getting a double mx and Diep reconstruction February 18 because at first I wasnt sure what I wanted to do cuz I was so confused, so I got the lumpec and rads. But I kinda really wanted the mx right from the start because I'm one of those people who think ok, if I have no breast cells, then they wont turn malignant. The lumpec healed nicely, but I just cant rest until I have minimal breast cells left, LOL. I think our first gut instinct is right most of the time, and had I followed that, I could have avoided radiation, but oh well...I'm kinda glad that I got it. I dont regret my path; I am glad I had time to be sure to knock off the puppies 
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Hi to all. I can't keep names straight anymore and don't feel like scrolling back and forth hundreds of times.(sorry) I hate that I can't remember things like I used to, not even just reading what's above. Maybe once I recover from this round of surgery it will be different. Four days out and feeling pretty good. Still on vicodin and antibiotics and restart Femara tomorrow. The real boob looks good considering it's full of stitches and bruised all over, very perky(lol). The implant doesn't look quite like I thought it would. Dr. says the skin is still stretching so I think I just need to give it time to relax and fall in place. Only time will tell. Will get some of the stitches out Monday afternoon.
DH and I are finishing up Christmas shopping after dinner tonight. Will do some baking next week. It's been raining here and very windy. I don't like snow either, that's why we moved to FL. I did like it on Christmas, though. It's just too bad it and the cold stuck around for so long.
My thoughts and prayers are going out to everyone on this thread. It has been one tough year so far but looking forward to 2010 being better. We're fortunate in this day and age to have places like this to share with others with similar experiences. Take care ladies and have a great night.
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Nicole, I thought I clicked to submit earlier , but it did not appear on site. I also had to shut down.
TE means tissue expanders, although on new meanings I saw temporary expanders.
I chose this route because I had mx of right breast, fearing that if cancer came back if I had a lumpectmy?? radiation could not be done twice. On the tissue expander site, it has been called barbaric. This afternoon as the snow started I took 2 tranqies to calm my nerves with this expender. You gals who have been through chem and/or radiation are my hero warrioresses.
When people ask me how I am doing and I am thankful for where I am now (cancer free) I am fine, expect when I explain the TE. Then I break down.
I hope all you gals have had a safe warm day with the snow.
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Nicole, I would like to add that I was not a candidate for the tummy tuck operation and or skin from the back.
That is also why I chose the TE. Again, I am not an authority on the actual terms, and I certainly did not mean to scare anyone with this TE. Yes, it is uncomfortable, but I do have to count my blessings.
Again, peace to all and a good night.
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Awww, thanks Ronna for the clarification... I just wasn't sure what TE stood for... I had a partial mastectomy but told I am not a candidate for reconstruction... has to do with where my tumor was located. But, now that some time is under my belt, the dr says I can revisit this topic. So, in 2010 I just might do it. I have an appt Jan 4th but I get so anxious about it... it brings back some not so fond memories... when I was diagnosed and had to go in for a few surgeries to clear the margins, I told the dr to just "take them" and I would start over. Because of my type they said there was no benefit of taking them, the prognosis is the same if I just had lump., with this said, they took more than they expected but told me not to worry we could reconstruct at a later date. The later date came and then they said I was not a candidate... it all just became too much trying to work and fit in appts... so I think I may not do recon because I can't imagine being out of work again.
Sorry for my long post!
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Nicole, you are a brave lady. Whatever you have to do, my prayers and thoughts are with you.
Let us all have a better and healthier 2010!!!!, and this will all be a memory.
Again, to my snow bound sisters, stay safe and warm.
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Hi, Nicole!
Well...if you decide to do recon, we can be all laid out and immoble together. How exciting!!!
Let us know what happens at your appt Jan 4.
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Well crap! I've tried three times to post those pictures to no avail!! I put the North Pole village as my avatar, but you can't see it very well... oh well, I'll try again sometime.
Have a wonderful Sunday everyone! I'm going to my brother & SIL's for "our" Christmas ~ dinner & presents. FUN !!
hugs
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PAT
I think all new england weathermen are always hyping the big storm. We have STORM TRACK 5 on the local news channel. The local stations shove very chilly looking folks out on the roads to watch the snow fall. It is nearly 8 AM here, and yes it is snowing but I bet we have less than 3 inches right now. I dare not look at my famous LLBean indoor/outdoor thermometer as I know it is cold out there.
Good day to everyone. I also cannot remember all the names on this site, but wish you all a warm and cozy Sunday.
Sue
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I guess you just need to stay away from the airports. But, they did say that the snow is closer to the water than usual.
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Hi Stage 1ers,
I had my first post treatment surgery on my right breast last week. I was REALLY nervous that it would be painful and that they might find something. My radiation was completed in early Aug. The tech was nice enough to have the radiologist take a look at it while I waited so I didn't have to wait 2 days to check with my oncologist. She said, "It looks good". I said, "Do I call my doc to get the results?" She said, "No, everythings fine." I couldn't believe it! I was completely convinced I would have to check with my doc because that's what the oncologist said when she made the appt. What a great Christmas gift!
Roseann
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Congratulations, Roseann. I don't have to wish you a Merry Christmas. I know you are already experiencing it! That is wonderful news!
Meece
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Sue, I am in MA too, closer to the southshore. We have at least 15 inches of snow and it's still snowing!
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I live about 45 mins from Boston, surrounding towns are Lowell, Billerica, Westford and Carlisle. We have about 12 inches of snow and it is also still snowing like H-E double hockey sticks. I love watching the birds at my bird feeders, you would think I was the only one in town with food.
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Roseann♥0 -
I had my consult with the oncologist on Thurs the 17th. My boyfriend went with me. I had given him some stuff to read on the drive there so he would be a little bit knowledgable about what would be going on.
The way the oncologist explained the onco scoring was that with only surgery I would have a 38% chance of re-occurrence. When you add in the Arimidex and radiation it brings it down to 26%. When you throw chemo into the mix it drops the rate to 12%. We had decided in the car on the way over that it would have to drop to at least 15% for me to consider it. So needless to say I am going to take the chemo.
I will be having 4 treatments 3 weeks apart. The infustion time will be about 2 hrs. I will be getting Cytoxan and Taxotere. My doc promised me there would be no vomiting. I am to take 2 Dexamethasone tabs the night before treatment. They will give me Zofran at the time of infusion and I will take 2 more Dexamthasone tabs that night before I go to bed. The following day I will go back to the hospital and get a shot of something to immediately boost my white blood count. Maybe Neulasta, not sure. Supposedly my hair will all fall out about 15-17 days after the first treatment.
After the chemo ends, I will have a 3 week break then the 7 weeks of radiation will start. At the same time the radiaton starts is when I will start taking the Arimidex. She wanted me to start on Christmas Eve, but I have family plans for that night and for Christmas day. So now I am starting on New Year's Eve. My appt is 8:15am. I will go back on New Years Day for my shot.
Hopefully work will give me off Thurs and Fri and I will have the weekend to rest up before going back to work on Monday.
I went out wig shopping yesterday after work. Oh boy, to me they all look like I have a dead cat on my head. The woman in the shop tried to explain that is was some sort of brain disconnect and it didn't look as bad as I thought. Of course the first thing she says is "oh my, you don't have wig color hair." Everything was either too blonde or too dark. I looked weird in the frosted ones. I told her my hair needed to be dyed. She told me to come back after I colored it and to bring someone with me who could be objective. Have any of you felt like this when wig shopping?
I think I will feel so self conscious like a giant neon arrow is pointing at my head going "bad wig, bad wig".
Sorry it took so long for me to get back here. Thanks to all of you for the well wishes.
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