Calling all TNs
Comments
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Heidi - Happy Birthday!!! Fingers crossed for good results - thinking of you.
Kad - Good luck back at work tomorrow! Take it slow and don't push too hard.
Paulding - Prayers & positive thoughts coming your way. Waiting SUCKS!!!!! {{{HUGS}}}
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Seeing Onc. TODAY!!!! at 3:00. Glad I pitched my little hissy yesterday to the receptionist.
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{{{Heidi}}} Thinking of you today!!
{{{Paulding}}} Waiting is simply terrible. But, I'm here to tell you that LOTS of things can cause lesions on your liver. TONS. Of course you are worried. Who wouldn't be? But, I want to plant a little voice in your head that says that this doesn't have to be cancer... {{{more HUGS}}}
Lovelyface~ Ooooooh, I *love* statistics. So here's the scoop: During the 1st 2 years your risk for recurrence looks like a bell curve. It goes up (till ~ 18 mos post-dx), peaks, and then declines. The shitty news is that it peaks higher than the ER+ gals. The oh-so-wonderful news is that it drops BELOW the risk for ER+ gals at 3 years. (Between years 2 and 3, our risk is similar to theirs.) At 5 yrs, our risk is the same as for the general (non-BC patient) population. How cool is that?? So, yes, the 1st 2 years are crazy-making... But, at that 2 yr mark, things get significantly better. So, you get to cram most of your anxiety into 2 -3 years rather than the ER+ gals who get to do it for 10 years. (Their curve is a wiiiiiide bell curve, peaking at 3 yrs and taking forever to decline.)
I've been an emotional wreck this week... I think it is a combination of lack of sleep (TE's are huuuge and uncomfortable), my baby starting Kindergarten, DH being a PITA, and general work crappiness. Then there's the who canceritis syndrome-- I feel like I'm being stalked... <sigh>
Heidi and Paulding~ Please post ASAP!
xxoo
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Michele - I'm sorry you're an emotional wreck right now but I have to tell you that you cracked me up!!!! "DH being a PITA".....LOLOLOLOL
It took me a minute to figure it out, but I love it!Hope your week gets better!
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Lisa - just to let you know I'm thinking of you.
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heidi: A very, very Hapy Birthday to you and I hope that the best possible outcome for your birthday would be a clean CT Scan! We will all be thinking of you today!
pauldingmom: I noticed you hadn't been around lately and I am sorry they are making you wait. It truly is the hardest part of having cancer--not knowing so that you can move forward with your life.
I hope that you both truly have a happy outcome. We are all here for you!
kittycat: So glad to hear you are doing ok. I worked in sales up until my diagnosis and I so know what you mean about taking care of your clients--I really loved what I did and even though I was not working, I still took care of everyone even through chemo. It's so important to allow yourself to get enough rest and drink alot of fluids so your body can heal.
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Heidi! Happy Birthday! It will be a good one!
Good for you Paulding Mom on getting in today even if took a hissy fit to do it..
I've been stressed out today dealing with my DD's college financial affairs office! I was seriously on hold with them for 4 hours.....all I could think of was that stress may cause cancer and here I was....
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PauldingMom: I'm sorry you have to go through this worry. My thoughts and prayers are with you and hopefully you will get good results soon.
Heidi: Hoping you will get the all clear soon so you can start celebrating. Sorry you have to go through this on your birthday.
I had to go through the waiting game a couple of weeks ago when the radiologist thought he saw lesions on my spine, during a MRI. It turned out to be nothing, but in the meanwhile I was kind of miserable. Hoping you both get good news soon.
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Heidi - so sorry you have to have this hanging over you on your birthday - no way should you have to be dealing with a scan on your birthday, but I hope you can manage to get some "happy" into it.
Paulding Mom - and so very sorry to hear that you too have a new worry. God, does this crap ever end for us???? I guess not, guess this is part of how we live for the rest of our lives. I hate this disease with a passion.
Both of you will be in my thoughts today.
Linda
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PauldingMom and Heidi, We are all thinking about you and we want to hear your results. I am praying for the best news possible.
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Dodged another bullet for now.
Cat scan showed nothing new since last one in March. That is the best news I could hope to receive. They still don't have an explanation for the swelling, but at least it doesn't appear to be cancer in the clavicle nodes.
Tumor markers take a few days to get results. I'm not too worried about them, as they have been in the normal range before. If they have increased I will have something else to worry about but for now I'm OK. A palpable, visual lump is a lot more worrisome than an ache, pain or tumor marker (unless it's WAY off the scale and even then many MDs don't put a lot of stock in them, as they can be unpredictable).
So, scary GD day, but all's well that ends well. Damn, I'm tired...0 -
Titan-College Financial Aid is the worse. Your lucky you got through at all. Hang in there, it pays.
YAH Heidi Good news.
I am getting a Biopsy on either Thursday or Friday. That's really quick and couldn't please me more. Onc. also said that with my TN status there was a 75% chance it's nothing. So I'm going to stay focused on that. He will see me on Sept. 2nd to go over the results. Of course I had to ask the "What if" question. He said that would be a BIG talk and the game would change dramaticly. (sp)
So I'm off to commit a sin. McDonalds. DH will be here in one minute with a swiss burger and large fries. My plan is to stuff my face, pray and sleep.
I can not express how much having you all here with me during this new journey means.
Pink Hugs,
Lisa
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Heidi~ yay, yay, yay!!! So happy for you.
Lisa~ Playing the "devil's advocate" here but why do you have to wait till 9/2 for your results if the biopsy is this week? For a biopsy, it has to fix for a day or 2 but then the slides can be read out... Frozen samples don't even need the "fixing" time. Maybe you could make a pest of yourself Monday and try to shorten your wait a bit! Good idea to stay focused on the 75%. That's a great #! But, I can certainly understand your stress. I'd be freaking out. {{Hugs}} I'll be siting on pins and needles till 9/2! (See, I really think you should get your results sooner! I can't stand the wait!! Scanxiety and canceritis are just terrible!!)
xxoo
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Heidi: I have to tell you, I had a good cry last night for all of us and what we have to go through. Congratulations on your clear scan!! What a great, but exhausting birthday present. I hope you can find the energy to celebrate!!!
Pauldingmom: I am hoping you too get the all clear! Enough of this GDF**ing cancer already!
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Hope all you ladies are doing well. I am off to the radiologist tomorrow and hopefully will get some answers as to whether I have to have rads when I am done with chemo or if I dont. My onc. does not seem to think so but is leaving the decision up to the "experts" what ever that is supposed to mean. I had a good 2 1/2 mm margin with one out of 15 nodes positive and Left mastectomy. Not sure if anyone knows if that means rads or not but any input would be great. Kinda nervous. Just want them to to say no so that I will know when I can be done with this crap and try to get back to a somewhat normal life (although I am not sure what that is anymore):)
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JenC: From what I have read, if there isn't any in the lymph nodes or anything on the chest wall there isn't any radiation done. It sounds as though they cleared the margins by quite a bit so maybe you won't need it after all. I really didn't want to have radiation and was just pushing to get reconstruction done first so I wouldn't have as many skin issues after radiation. I was pleasantly surprised when I was told it wasn't needed. Best of luck to you! BTW: I think it's called the "new normal". I got three opinions on this without the dr I ended up going with knowing what the other's had recommended so I wouldn't get an "opinion" of what I just wanted to hear.
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FYI: Read this today and thought I would share it:
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We thought we'd go out, but we are all emotionally exhausted. Hubby treated me to some goodies at my favorite local boutique on the way home from the scan.
So, it's pizza and a movie at home with my family. Doesn't get any better than that.
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Heidi: The weekend will be here soon enough to have a proper celebration--you must be exhausted. I bet this is going to be the best pizza ever!
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I am a 51 year old female who had no idea I had a mass and was found quite by accident.
Well this week has been the rollarcoaster ride from hell. About 3 weeks ago I developed explainable pain in my upper back then aching all over. I dealt with it for about a week then gave in and called my Primary CAre Doc.. she was on vacation. So I gave in and went to our prompt care. Walked out with a script for an antibiotic and pain med for a UTI he said. 10 days later pain unchanged and getting worse my primary care is back. Went to see her and blew a gasket becasue no labs had been done. Also decided the pain in my back and chest was NOT from an UTI. So next day I was to go for a CT Scan of abdomen and pelvis. While on the phone scheduleing this the clerk says well we have an order for your annual mammogram do you want to do this at same time. Well sure lets do it all in one day.
Next day -- ( last Thursday ) mammogram found mass in left breast very close to the midline of the chest 2 cm -- immediately sent for Ultrasound and emergent core biopsy. 2 days later ( saturday) it came back with invasive ductal carcinoma Stage 1. CT Scan came back negative for any tumors anywhere else. They are not sure how the pain is related but sure that it is . Monday ( yesterday) 2 days later I saw my Primary and next day ( today) I saw the surgeon and the oncologist. Plan is for a bilateral Mastectomy next week provided insurance clears it. But to be safe my oncologist was writing a letter of need for the bilateral due to my horrible cardiac/respiratory history (CHF, COPD,Asthma)and Insulin dependent diabetes. While at the office I found out it was Triple Negative. Then 1 month after surgery he plans to start TC regimen chemo.His first choice of drugs I cant have due to my cardiac history.
So now its just a waiting game until next week. They did take me off work already for my body to rest before surgery. ( I a RN and work in critical care) The said I didnt need the stress this week.
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MBJ - Thank you for the info. Keeping fingers crossed.
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You've come to the right thread. Many of here were treated with TC. It seems to be the drug of choice for most oncs for patients with TNS. Keep us updated on your treatments. My onc didn't want to use the A because of the heart problems associated with it and I don't have heart problems. So don't worry. Good Luck
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MBJ - Thank you for the info. Keeping fingers crossed. 0
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Cathy559 - So sorry you have to be here but welcome. I had the AC but have no history of heart issues in my family and made it through fine but understandable with your situation. Things do move quickly so keep your chin up. (HUGS)
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Cathy: I hadn't felt good for a few months before my diagnosis, and was treated with TC only and a unilateral MX and so far so good. TN's respond well to chemo and they are right--you will need lots of rest and no stress while dealing with this. Best of luck to you.
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Not sure if I really fit in this category but will post anyway. I was diagnosed with IBC in Jan of 08. I just recently realized that I am also triple neg. I always knew I was er/pr- & her2- but I didn't realize that meant triple neg. The ironic thing about it is that another teacher in my school has triple neg, so I checked it out. That is how I figured it out, doc never once said triple neg.
Either way, I just thank God I am still NED especially since both have a high rate of early reoccurance. Just thankful I can come here. I have learned so much just since I joined in May.
Your bc sister. NJ
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NJ..you definitely "fit" in here! You are TN and so are we...welcome home! I think you will like us..MJB likes to talk, Heidi has a potty mouth (JK)...we are all different but have one thing in common..we hate cancer and hanging here together makes us strong.
Oh yeah Heidi..good news for sure! Just rest up a little and go out partying later! It was a good birthday after all...
Pauldingmom...75% is a good number..my SIL's onc said to her once..would you take an umbrella if there was a 25% chance of rain? No...you wouldn't...think of this situation that way...from reading on some of the other threads we all have stuff on our livers and throughout our bodies that are "nothing"...
Cathy..I had to chuckle a little about putting you off work because of stress...like you haven't had enough already...
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Welcome, Cathy and mrsnjband, I'm sorry you had to find your way here, but you will find a lot of support here.
Heidi - so glad to hear the good news
Lisa - sorry you have to go through a biopsy and wait game, ugh!!! It never seems to end.
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"Heidi has a potty mouth"...
Screw that!
MBJ-yeah, it was pretty good pizza, but as usual, the chocolate my son bought me was better! It sweetens my potty mouth...
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Hi Ladies - Glad to hear Heidi's scan was good. Pauldingmom, fingers crossed all is good with you. Hi, to all the newbies to this thread.
I've been away on vacation so I'm trying to catch up on all the pages of posts that I've missed. I missed hearing from everyone while I was away.
Sherri
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