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CALLING ALL STAGE I SISTERS

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Comments

  • iatigger
    iatigger Member Posts: 269
    edited May 2013

    Hi Ann, good luck with your 2nd mx.

    Yesterday I got rid of the TE's and got my squishies, cant wait to see them. Ended up with drains because he was fixing some extra skin issues from the first surgery. I can deal with them, plus makes my DH feel needed:).



    I think most of us share openly here because the outside world can never totally understand what we are going through and it is comfortable.

  • AnnBR
    AnnBR Member Posts: 345
    edited May 2013

    iatigger, good luck with your squishies!

  • Sherryc
    Sherryc Member Posts: 4,503
    edited May 2013

    Welcome Ann and good luck with your BMX, I don't regret mine at all

    iatigger so glad you got your squishes.

    Happy Belated Mother's day to all my lovely bc sisters.  I was busy with my kids and grandkids all weekend and did not have time to get on.

  • seabeal
    seabeal Member Posts: 108
    edited May 2013

    Welcome Ann and good luck with your surgery. I don't think I can put it any better then iatiger that this is a comfortable place, our safe place where we can whine, cry, scream, vent, tell our story, express our feelings and laugh with those who truely understand the road we've traveled and the choices we have had to make. These are the friends that you may never physically meet but know each other more intimately then others you've known all your life. Thank God for this safe place and all you wonderful ladies.

  • moonflwr912
    moonflwr912 Member Posts: 5,938
    edited May 2013

    Welcome Ann! tigger, happy for you and your new squishies. Much love to all.

  • AnnBR
    AnnBR Member Posts: 345
    edited May 2013

    Thanks ladies! I appreciate your words of support.



    Today I went to church and asked for prayers, which is always a comfort to me. I came home, washed 2 loads of laundry, planted my flowers, cleaned the house and got a few casseroles in the freezer. My DH is a great help so my to do list was done in half the time. I have a SNB scheduled for Tuesday and the mastectomy/TE surgery is Wednesday. I am anxious to get this next step behind me.



    Oh, I also took a picture of my remaining breast, is that crazy or what?!?



    Ann

  • eph3_12
    eph3_12 Member Posts: 2,704
    edited May 2013

    Ann-not at all!  Did the lone rangeress smile for the camera?

  • seabeal
    seabeal Member Posts: 108
    edited May 2013

    Maybe I should have done that, now I can't. hahaha

  • Sherryc
    Sherryc Member Posts: 4,503
    edited May 2013

    I never took pictures but I have gone back and looked at the pictures the PS has taken along the way.  It is amazing to compare the before and after, different but very good.

    Ann good luck this week and keep us posted.

  • seabeal
    seabeal Member Posts: 108
    edited May 2013

    My new ones are definitely better looking than my old ones. Maybe should have taken a pix for sentimental reasons or just to remind me how much better they look when I'm having a pity party.

  • mimi1964
    mimi1964 Member Posts: 851
    edited May 2013

    Good luck Ann with your second MX and iatigger with your squishies and drains... hope all goes well.  Please to all who have gone with the recommendations of your surgeons- don't beat yourself up! I did the same thing, I only had the partial mx on the advice of my surgeon and did the radiation.  I really ended up a lopsided annie.  LOL! but I received a wonderful breast reduction on my good side and a repair to the irradiated side.  I now have 2 nicely reduced matching breasts that are the size that I wanted before BC... plus I received a nice lift also.  The best part I can go braless is I want.  No I don't have implants, I'm ah naturale.  But yep I have kicked myself in the buttocks many, many times for not going ahead and doing a BMX.  Oh well! Hope I don't ever have to now! don't want to go through that ever again. And Lord I pray for each and every one of you that you may never have to experience that again either it you've already been through it.  May they find a cure asap so that no woman, man or child has to ever experience breast cancer ever again. 

  • Meece
    Meece Member Posts: 10,618
    edited May 2013

    Amen

  • Sherryc
    Sherryc Member Posts: 4,503
    edited May 2013

    Amen mimi!

  • iatigger
    iatigger Member Posts: 269
    edited May 2013

    Thanks Mimi, I am doing well. He is concerned about constricture so I am back on Vitamin E and doing displacement with the gals twice a day. Other than that seem to be healing well so far.

    I just love that braless feeling. My shoulders love me for it.

  • hawk
    hawk Member Posts: 255
    edited May 2013

    Hi all - I am checking in and just realized that I have not been here in a while.  Catching up on my reading but welcome to all the new women in the group.  It has been 18 months for me and it seems that as the time goes by, life really does go back to normal.  Or at least a new normal. Mimi - so so happy for your 7-3 shift!  Amen!   Hugs to everyone.

  • mimi1964
    mimi1964 Member Posts: 851
    edited May 2013

    Thank you Hawk! now if I could just stop having all these darn sinus issues.  The building I work in is old and moldy... it was built back in the 60's and they keep it entirely too hot in there.  I stayed sick all winter because of the heat and the resident's stayed sick so everyone just passed it back and forth.  I was into the doc about every 2 to 2 1/2 months with and upper respiratory infection or sinuses.  It really stunk.  I haven't been sick this much since I stopped working in a nursing home as a floor nurse yrs ago.  I guess my body on top of everything else has just gotten beat down.  For the last 18 yrs I've had a desk job and did management.  Hopefully I regain some of the immunities I once had or find a better job for the winter where it's a lot cooler.  lol  I keep telling my hubs I want to move to Alaska!!!

  • joan811
    joan811 Member Posts: 1,981
    edited May 2013

    Hi Stage 1-ers
    Nice to see new ladies here...wishing you all well with your procedures are recovery.  This was my first stop here on BCO and it will always feel like "home"
    Hi Mimi, I'd go to Alaska in a day...love it there but have not spent a dark winter yet...I'd have to project blue sky and sun and clouds on my ceiling, I'm afraid.
    I also feel like my body is not as strong in immunities as it was.  I've had a few URIs in the past year (vs. usually none) and also UTIs (usually none).  I don't like changes...but will try to find out what 's lacking and rebuild health.
    Have a good tomorrow and rest of the week.
    J

  • dwill
    dwill Member Posts: 248
    edited May 2013

    Hi all! Glad to join this thread.  Sort of new to the site but learning to get around it.  Looking forward to meeting others and sharing experiences.

  • Meece
    Meece Member Posts: 10,618
    edited May 2013

    I can actually say that I have had less of the regular colds and URIs than I used to.  Mainly because I am overly cautious about being around people who apear to be sick.  I don't mind telling people I work with that they need to be considerate of others and stay home or stay away when they are ill.  I understand how that isn't possible for you, Mimi.

  • sheila888
    sheila888 Member Posts: 9,611
    edited June 2013

  • mimi1964
    mimi1964 Member Posts: 851
    edited June 2013

    Hey ladies I made my 6 month trek to my Med Onco and got my good report.  No visit again until Dec 9th, then it's time for my yearly mammo again.  I saw a sign posted that said they now have 3D mammography!  this is totally new and should be interesting.  Scheduling called to set the time up with me today, but hey! I was at work and my phone was turned off.  Duh!! LOL... I'll try to call them tomorrow.  Anyway headed to bed.  Have a great day tomorrow.

  • cricketsandfrogs
    cricketsandfrogs Member Posts: 15
    edited June 2013

    Hello All - I am still feeling so new to bc. I am so inspired by all of your stories and am glad you are here for extra support. I read a few times here that the outside world just does not know what we are going through - and I have already found out that is so true. I find that not only am I physically tired, but I think I had been emotionally tired for a few years now.

    Is it bad that I am using this time after surgery to take a step back and look at life? I don't want to be throwing my heart and soul into my job and have done so for almost 20 years. I have always had the fear that if I do step back, I will lose my job. In my head, I don't see how that is possible - my heart is not in sync with my head though.

    Mimi - that is excellent news for you and I congratulate you!

  • wren44
    wren44 Member Posts: 7,947
    edited June 2013

    Crickets, I think most of us look over our lives and decided what is really important. Perhaps you can make space in your life for other things while continuing to do a good job.  It does provide a chance to stay still and listen to our inner self. 

  • valjean
    valjean Member Posts: 1,110
    edited June 2013

    Welcome, cricketsandfrogs! I am glad you have found us. I love this wonderful group of ladies, they are so caring. Many of the ladies, & some gentlemen, too, on this entire forum have become very good friends in spite of the reason we have come together.

    No, I don't think it is wrong or bad to look back at our life or even the direction our life has taken us. And, yes I do mean that our life has taken us. I surely did not want where I was lead that brought me to this place, but..... I truly think, at times, we have to look back in order to move forward. Just an evaluation of sorts.

    It's usually a bit quiet on the weekends around here. I have been busy helping my DH tear out our old tub/shower & put in a new one. Shouldn't have to even be doing this - stupid people that built our home many years ago didn't install it right & now we pay the price of having to correct it. UGH!!

    Have a wonderful Sunday!

  • wren44
    wren44 Member Posts: 7,947
    edited June 2013

    Valjean, We've been working on our shower and bathroom for weeks. It seems the more you know, the faster you go - and if you don't know, well....  We're almost to the painting stage, however, and got the paint yesterday. It will have a new shower curtain and rug, plus new towels. How fancy can we get?

  • seabeal
    seabeal Member Posts: 108
    edited June 2013

    I don't know Wren if it makes a different how much or how little you know when it comes to plumbing. It seems to be one of those chores that even as you think of it something else will go wrong. Maybe because it so resembles this disease and it's treatment, its my least favorite chore!

  • mimi1964
    mimi1964 Member Posts: 851
    edited June 2013

    Welcome to you cricket and thanks for the kind wishes.  I find these days and even in the days immediately after my treatment I dug my heels in and sunk in deep into my work.  I am working less hours now doing the kind of nursing work that I do than I use to do.  I think for my physical body and my mental sanity I had to.  But I stay quiet busy.  It passes the days and keeps my mind occupied.  When I'm at home after hours I usually have my granddaughter and she is a handful at 4 yrs old.  But really I wouldn't have life any other way.  It simply doesn't give me time to dwell on negativity.  I only think positively.  Best of luck to you.

  • bluepearl
    bluepearl Member Posts: 133
    edited June 2013

    I had second primary 8mm, ER/PR+ Her2 negative, no LVI, grade 3, 0/3 nodes and am only taking tamoxifen (age 63). First primary in other breast was 1cm, grade 1, the rest the same except 0/7 nodes. MO said he doesn't recommend chemo but I didn't do oncotype test and too late now. Anyone else doing well with similar stats? I worry some.

  • cricketsandfrogs
    cricketsandfrogs Member Posts: 15
    edited June 2013

    Seabeal - I LOVE your analogy of cancer to plumbing!

  • Meece
    Meece Member Posts: 10,618
    edited June 2013

    I don't think I've seen you here before, Bluepearl.  Welcome.  Give it some time and someone with similar stats will most likely pop up.

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