CALLING ALL STAGE I SISTERS
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Salamanda- made it through surgery! eneded.up.hetting admitted to the hospital after i couldn't keep anything down...I did not react well to anesthia. should be springing loose later today. BS says I'll get the pathology report in about 5 days. they do an immediate dissection. on the table but send it off to the lab to make sure is no micromets
I'm looking at the positives. she only took two nodes. I was told by the plastic surgeon (and other) that if she had seen something, she would have grabbed more nodes for an axillary dissection. keeping my fingers and toes crossed
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Salamanda- made it through surgery! eneded.up.hetting admitted to the hospital after i couldn't keep anything down...I did not react well to anesthia. should be springing loose later today. BS says I'll get the pathology report in about 5 days. they do an immediate dissection. on the table but send it off to the lab to make sure is no micromets
I'm looking at the positives. she only took two nodes. I was told by the plastic surgeon (and other) that if she had seen something, she would have grabbed more nodes for an axillary dissection. keeping my fingers and toes crossed
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Glad things went well CHB87. I'm sorry you had to be admitted, though. Anesthesia can be hard and affects everybody so differently. I remember coming out of it once with the most horrible migraine. But that was the only time out of 6 surgeries & 2 colonoscopies that I had a reaction to it.
Hoping that you will get to go home soon! Praying for good path results! Thinking of you & sending hugs to you!
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CHB87..so good to have the surgery done and dusted .Good luck with the pathology..sounds like your surgeon is expecting good results !
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Good afternoon ladies!
I'm 47 and was diagnosed with IDC stage 1A Grade 2, left breast in September. I had a lumpectomy as well as sentinel lymph node biopsy October 16th. I did get clear margins and lymph node were negative (thank goodness). I have my mapping for radiation this Friday and will have 22 sessions. I met with my MO yesterday and she suggested after I finish radiation, taking Tam for 5 years. She did say more than likely after 1 year they will probably start me on another medicine because I am already peri menopause.
CHB87, sorry you had to be admitted. I'm hoping for positive results for you and glad the surgery part is over. It's a crazy whirlwind of emotion
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Hi DeeBB, welcome! Sorry you have to be here but glad you are!
Good news on the clear margins and negative node! I didn't have radiation so I have nothing for you on that subject. I can only wish you luck. I am on Tamoxifen. He said for 5 years. My Breast Surgeon told me he will most likely switch me to an Aromatase Inhibitor after 2 years with no period. I received paperwork in the mail after my appointment with the Survivorship Nurse Navigator. It was a recap of all of my visits and the plan ahead. It had me listed as switching after a year. So I'm interested to see if I will be switched when I see my oncologist on the 26th of this month.
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CHB87, I'm so glad you are on the other side of surgery. I hope you are home by now and recovering in comfort!
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Hi DeeBB, it's nice to meet another sister. We will be starting rads at about the same time.
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DeeBB..Welcome ..pull up a chair .. hopefully we can all support each other here .
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It was great to find this forum, it really has helped easy my mind some what. Looking forward to getting the radiation behind me. Please keep me updated on how your radiation goes
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I have visited several forums but I have found this to be my favorite. It has helped me SO much. I'm glad you found it too, DeeBB!
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Oceanbum I see you're in Ohio. Are you buried in ice and snow? I like this forum too.
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Hi DWiseley!
No, luckily our temps have been just above freezing all day so only rain. But has started snowing this evening. How about you?
I'm in southern Ohio. About an hour south of Columbus.
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Oceanbum, I'm in balmy NW Ohio... We had an ice storm which was marvelous bc I'm a school teacher. This is my first day off since I took a week off for surgery.
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Wow! We didn't get anything like that. I hope you enjoyed your snow day.
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Had my mapping and got my little tattoos to start radiation. I will have the dry run on the 29th and should start radiation 12/03. So far I'm only going to have 20 treatments and hopefully start the new year on a happy note. One more thing behind me.
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DWiseley, glad you got your snow day! We had the ice storm here too in central Indiana. I woke up to a cold house and no electricity 😂. But it came back on about 30 minutes after I was up and around.
DeeBB I hope your radiation treatments are smooth sailing! I meet with the RO on the 28th. How long was the process to get things started/ scheduled for the radiation
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DWiseley, it's been pretty quick, my first appointment with my RO was 11/09 for consult, the second appointment for mapping was today 11/16 and the 'dry run' is scheduled for 11/29 and she said I would start the treatments 12/03.
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Dani444, it's been pretty quick, my first appointment with my RO was 11/09 for consult, the second appointment for mapping was today 11/16 and the 'dry run' is scheduled for 11/29 and she said I would start the treatments 12/03.
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Dani and DeeBB, I had my mapping/tattooing last week. Sunday, I go for my dry run. If it goes well, I get to have my first tx that day bc my RO won't be as busy with other appointments, plus he's awesome. I just want this to be done. It seems like radiation is the most dehumanizing part of this process.
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Finally had my appointments today!
My oncotype score is 9. The medical oncologist said no chemo recommended - Tamoxifen only, ten years. I think she sent the prescription already. I liked her a lot.
The radiation oncologist was wildly positive about my outcomes. He also said there will be 0 radiation to the lungs and heart. He spent a lot of time with his phone in his hand or his laptop in his lap or looking at his smartwatch, and seemed overall pretty bored by my case. He seems to be very respected and participates in cutting edge research and I *liked* the content of what he was saying about all the 'good' things about my cancer. But wow. Hopefully he is really good at what he does and I won't have to deal with him much I generally find speaking with women doctors much less stressful/annoying. I loved his resident, who spoke with me first and actually thoughtfully addressed all my questions. But it turns out she will be rotating out by the time I really get started.
I want to just start everything already, but it sounds like simulation next week and probably not actually starting treatment until December.
I'm trying to decide what to do in terms of taking time off from work. Mentally I've had it, and I wish I could take off starting next week. I'm already fatigued from the surgery and stress. But physically it sounds like it will really start taking its toll after the first week or two. The resident said most women feel completely back to normal about two weeks after it ends. I gotta weigh the mental health and the loss of wages.
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Salamandra, I finished my 20 radiation treatments 2 1/2 weeks ago. I started to feel the fatigue 3 weeks in, and it lasted 2 weeks after; the last week was the worst. I found I did feel better if went for a walk each day; I tried to walk on my treadmill when I got up, since that when I had the most energy. I did find the treatmentsemotionally draining. I tried to plan something special each weekend as a reward for completing each week of treatments. I also am on a thread here with other women who started radiation in October. We all cheered each other on, vented when we had a bad day, shared what cream we were using, etc. I recommend joining the thread for December- or start it yourself!
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Salamandra, You and I have very similar OncotypeDX scores, diagnosis,and prognosis; but I suspect you're younger than I am as I'm taking Anastrazole rather than tomoxifen. While we have "boring" cancer, your RO should have been much more invested in your concerns, questions, worries, etc. What do you do for a living? I'm with you on the mental exhaustion from the diagnosis and treatment of this disease. I can't wait for Christmas break!
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DWisely,
I agree, I was so pissed at him but didn't feel like putting in the emotional energy to confront.
I'm a high school teacher. I can get through the day all right but when it comes to planning... and trying to teach without planning is just a shit show for everyone involved. I'm lucky that my insurance will cover a break and my job will be held, I know that's a huge deal in this day and age. On the other hand, I only have about 12 days of paid leave left. I also have the best self-contained class I can possibly imagine and I hate the idea of abandoning them right at the end of their first semester of high school. But it is what it is, right. Right now I'm fighting with myself about whether I can stick it out until Thanksgiving break.
Are you pretty committed to working through radiation?
I'm 39, so I guess somewhere along the 10 years I could need to transition from tamoxifen to AI, depending on menopause timing.
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Salamandra, I am a middle school ESL teacher. I despise getting ready for a sub, especially since I teach 3 grades and 5 levels. I am really committed to working through rads. First of all, as you can see from my signature I had cancer 3 years ago. I burned up through a great deal of my sick time during that. Plus it's just really hard for my kids to adjust to a substitute teacher and I feel better going to work everyday. Yes it is exhausting, but I'll be exhausted at home too, LOL. I am 56.
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Re: RADS. For what it's worth, I had chemo, then rads, so, my TX was different; but, rads weren't really that bad for me. I had 33 TX's. The time to drive there and back every day wasn't great, but the TX only takes a few minutes. I am mentioning this, bc you may find that working is a good distraction rather than physically difficult....plus, the financial strain won't be such a big deal. I am self-employed, so, I was able to work around my work schedule. The hard part for me was keeping my breast/chest "free" after a wk or two of TX's. Wearing constricting clothing was hard at times, but if you can get away with it, wear a sleeping bra or go bra-less.:). I think it was more mentally exhausting than physical. I don't remember feeling much fatigue, but I had chemo prior, so maybe I did, but blew it off since I was probably still in recovery mode. Be sure to ask the RO about the cream they recommend. I can't remember what it is. Stay HYDRATED!! Best wishes to all.
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Hi Oceanbum,
I see you are from southern Ohio. I grew up in Middletown, am in California now.
So glad to have this forum, where other people realize how hard all this is. I'm trying to be grateful that I have caring doctors and a treatment plan that is likely to work. Most days that works, other days I feel crabby. One day at a time I guess.
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Hi Salamandra, we are the same age, 39. Wanted to share that I was able to work through radiation. I experienced tiredness in the last week which lifted a week later. Other than that the days were ok, just tired in the evenings.
Oncotype 12.
All the best.
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Hi gregious,
I'm not too far from Middletown, maybe a couple of hours. I'm sure you aren't missing the Ohio weather this time of year!!
I am so grateful for this forum. I have found such comfort here, lots of helpful information, and very kind friends who understand what we are all going through!!
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Hi Oceanbum,
Bet there are a lot of us from Ohio!
This forum is so helpful for me, it's one of the first things I read every morning. Good to help each other where possible.
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