Calling all TNs
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Hi all,
Such happy news for all today! CA-so happy to hear they had trouble palpating the tumor! That is great news! Allydp-woohoo go and celebrate!
Cocker Spaniel - enjoy your day of leisure! Ps do u have cockers? I have 2....
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WooHoo Ally!!! So hall for you!
Amy, sounds like you're doing great! Good to hear!
Another, I'm so sorry to hear about your friend. I'll pray for you and her family. HUGS!!!
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CarolinaAmy so glad you are doing well. Yes I believe attitude does play a big part in the fight of cancer especially humour. It's good they can't palpate it, a really good sign. Keep up the good work and it will be over before you know it.
Another so sad to hear of your wonderful friends passing. 9 years is almost unheard of with pancreatic cancer so she must have fought very bravely. So glad she got to see and do what she most wanted. 32 years is a long time to have such a loving, loyal friend but at least you will know she is free of pain now and you can remember the good days. Sending big warm hugs to help you through this.
Murphy yes I have my Tessa who is a cocker spaniel. She has a golden and blonde coat and is seriously gorgeous. When my old feller is on late's and I go to the wood shed she is right by my side protecting me. She's such a beautiful girl. THEN, I have Chloe who is a tiny maltese terrier. A different kettle of fish altogether. When she was going through the terrible two's (and believe me they were terrible!!) she would chew whatever she could get her teeth into. Now she is four she sits on the back of the armchair each day so she can see out of the window. As soon as a big dog goes by (and they often do as there is a big park down the side of our house) she screeches at the top of her lungs and runs moaning and screeching from one window to another. If we take her to the Lake for a swim she starts on every big dog that comes along but runs from the little ones!!. The big dogs just look at her as if to say "push off punk" but that doesn't deter her. She is shocking but when she looks at me with her sweet, so sweet, eyes she is beautiful. During the terrible two's I threatened to pack her bags and book her on a flight to America but nobody took me up on the offer!!
Yesterday we took our 14 year old cat Bitsy to the vet as he sounded like he had a cold and was sneezing. $154 dollars later we came away with one antibiotic for him. So for that price I hope to hell it works.
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Cocker, Oh the fires! The 3 or 4 of the very largest are each about 30 or 40 % contained, I think. The death toll is rising as inspectors go thru the debris. Hundreds of homes and thousands of structures have burned to the ground state-wide. Our air was so thick with smoke we were told to stay indoors. School kids couldn't play outside and some schools even had to close. Our fire season lasts into November. We had a rare bit of rain here Monday/Tuesday. I cleared some of the air. Southern California got a 2" rain in just a few hours. All sorts of trouble with that. Reading. I just finished All the Light We Cannot See which slowed down my household chores. I waited a year for the book from the library system. Just started The Nightingale, but it seems too familiar, like I read it recently. hmm. Always love your doggie stories. I remember your stories about Cloe's trouble-making. So glad she grew up.
Ally, Happy Dance Party Tonight.
Another, I'm so sorry for the loss of your friend. Such a wonderful long friendship you had.
I'm raiding the freezer for dinner tonight. Pork chops and french fries. Fresh tomatoes from my garden. DH shouldn't complain too much, I hope.
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Too sleepy for all the personals tonight, but I had my port placed today! So thankful my doc put me completely under, because I don't handle this stuff well.
Looks like we will be starting chemo next Thursday, and between now and then, I have an MRI, bone scan, and CT scan. She also let me know that if my BRCA is positive, she will be changing up the original plan a bit, and adding CarboPlatinum (or something like that?) and will end up with weekly treatments, instead of biweekly.
Sleep is again calling my name, so I better listen!!! Night
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Good night Aggi. Jan pork chops yay!
Hello Cocker! Hello Murphy! Carolina I am Happy for you! Hello Al, Jan, Luvie, Lillie, TNBC
Ally, thank you God
Another, so very sorry for your loss. I am without words of comfort except to say I love you.
Feel Better Jen!
Any one I missed, Hello, and all have a great day
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Hi Everyone...I've been going through this roller coaster for 6 months but this is the first time for me in this discussion group. I just read a bunch of your posts and thought I would chime in as well.
Aggiemegs: You just got diagnosed with my exact dx in march. I can really identify with your emotions at this early stage - and I wanted to tell you , especially - that you can make it through this - and you will. Triple Negative sounds so scary - but what is not always said - is there are actually a few "advantages" to it - believe it or not. Apparently, its fast-growing nature - typically can make it faster to kill with traditional chemo -so just because they can't use some of the other targeted drugs with the hormone receptor positive cancers - it doesn't mean it won't die! Also, when it does die - and stays dead for 3 years or more its more unlikely to recur. So, fewer years of worrying - perhaps. Also, you won't have to take years of hormone therapy.
OK - about me so far. I am 54 yo and was dx in March - Triple Negative - 4 cm in my left breast - Grade 3 - Stage IIb - with at least 1 postive node detected on biopsy. I had absolutely no family history - and was as healthy and strong as can be when it was found on my routine mammogram. My oncologist recommended neo-adjuvant chemo and I'm so glad she did. I started chemo in April - and after the very first chemo - I could no longer feel the hard walnut sized tumor. I did the entire regimen of DD AC / Taxol - and then had an MRI - which did not show any cancer left! Then - they gave me the choice of lumpectomy or mastectomy - and I decided to go for the whole enchilada , because I just want to get aggressive as I can with this thing. 3 weeks ago I had my bilateral mastectomy and they placed Tissue Expanders in. They sent the tissue of both breasts and 4 of my lymph nodes to pathology - and a week later I got unbelievable news....I had what they call a pCR - pathological complete response - which means no cancer cells found anywhere!!!! According to my MO and my BS - its as good as it can be with ANY patient - not just TN. They said I probably have a 95% positive prognosis! Nonetheless - my MO is conservative - and because like I said earlier- I want to kill anything if there's even a chance - I'm scheduled to begin radiation on October 23rd. That gives my 5 weeks to get fills in my tissue expanders and be the size I want to be first. I figure after that - I'm good ---and I can get back to the new normal.
Granted, this has been - and will continue to be - a rocky road for awhile. I know how you're feeling. The worse part of this whole experience has been at the beginning - right where you are now. Believe it or not - losing my beautiful hair, chemo, traveling 220 miles out of town for every dr's appt, treatment ,etc...even the surgery I'm still sore and beat up from - is better than the fear of the early diagnosis.
At this point, I still have one drain in - I'm hoping it will be gone at my next visit Tuesday.
I'm glad I stumbled on this site - I wish I would have found it earlier. It is so nice having the support of other strong women!
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ally- yay!! Wonderful news lady! Very happy to hear it's nothing! I'm sure you feel much better!
Amy- That is great they can't feel it! It means your on the right track! Keep it ip! Chemo flies by (it really does!) 💛 Attitude is helpful but make sure to let yourself have down days! I think it's important in the whole process... To feel what you feel and express it! Just my opinion though
Cocker- I have a Maltese and a yellow lab... I know how you feel! My Maltese is insane and my lab is a wonderful old girl 💕 it's the little ones that are insane! I used to have a Springer Spaniel and she was by far the best dog in the world! I miss her!
Another- I'm very sorry for your loss
I can't imagine having a friend for 32 year! That sounds wonderful but losing her sounds unbearable... I lost my dad and only sibling in the span of 3 years and it's a ache that never goes away... I try to take moments each day to think about them or do something in their honor it helps me feel close to them and keep them alive in my world.Aggie- sounds like you have a great plan! Just keep showing up lady... The months of treatment will be a blur when your done! Between all the appointments and small children you won't time to think! Seriously... I'm only month out from treatment and I don't remember the last 6 months... I just went to treatment and took care of my baby... It goes by fast, thank god!
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Welcome georgie61! Glad you found us! Congrats on the PCR!! Keep us posted on your progress. XOXOXO!!
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I've been reading this thread for a while. Georgie61- your dx and how it was found pretty much matches mine. I'm 39, had a routine mammogram where they found one mass. After an MRI it was measured at 3.4 cm and found a second mass at 9 mm. They also confirmed one lymph node positive but saw a total of 3 enlarged nodes on the MRI. Bone and ct scan showed it hadn't spread.
I've just had my third dose of AC. One more to go, then I start Taxol. So far, the cancer has physically shrunk to feel like nothing after the first chemo. I'll have an ultrasound in two weeks. I've also been reading up on weekly vs. dose dense Taxol and leaning towards weekly to try to avoid neuropathy side effects.
Then it's trying to figure out surgeries and then I'm overwhelmed.
So glad to see everyone's stories.
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Another... my heart breaks for you. I have a friend like that here with me during this and the idea of losing her makes my heart twist. I can't tell you how sorry I am for your loss.
knitnpurl, this is great news!!!
Hi georgie! Glad you're here (though sorry you need to be). I love hearing about people with pCR!!! And I'm also relieved to hear so many women choosing BMX even though they COULD have done with a lumpectomy. My husband thinks it's overkill but I don't think he realizes the emotional toll that radiation (which extends the treatment inconvenience just as a mastectomy does) and semi-annual exams and scans would be for me. I realize it's not a guarantee against recurrence, but if it happened, I'd at least feel that I'd done everything I could possibly have done to prevent it. KWIM?
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Congrats knitpurl on the shrinkage! It's a very good sign - it means the chemo is working. I would have done the weekly had I not been travelling so far - but thankfully it worked out good. No neuropathy and it made the session shorter. My MO told me at the time, that I could start the DD - and if it was too much I could switch to weekly - and for each DD taxol I had - it would make up for 3 weekly ones. So maybe that would be an option, too.
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CarolinaAmy- your train of thought is exactly why I did the BMX. I want to know that I did everything I could. xoxo
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CarolinaAmy- your train of thought is exactly why I did the BMX. I want to know that I did everything I could. xoxo
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CarolinaAmy,.,I had an appointment with my BS to have the bilateral mastectomy before I was diagnosed the second time. In a million years, no one could have told me I would be dealing with this crap again, and TNBC on top of that???? I always wonder if I would have taken the Arimidex for 10 years instead of stopping at 5 years, if it would had made a difference. I'll never know. I asked my MO if I should continue and she left it up to me. I hate that doctors don't tell us what to do.
Knitpurl...so happy that you are responding well to the chemo,
Georgie...welcome. Glad you are having good results, and even though I shouldn't say this...I am happy you had the mastectomies.
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Well
Well yesterday I went for my consult with the surgeon about my plans to have a bilateral mastectomy and forgo the recommended radiation. The surgeon was very nice and explained all the options that a BMX was probably overkill in my case . He said having a BMX would maybe decrease my chances of recurring breast cancer from 5 to 8% to 3%. He said the BMX would take about three hours without reconstruction and 6 with. I assume the 6 hours would not include completing the recon. Just starting the process. He said the surgery had to be my decision. If I felt that I just needed to do that for my peace of mind that that was an important factor to consider but he wanted to make sure I understood the possible drawbacks and risks of having a BMX as opposed to the drawbacks and risks of having radiation. I am not interested in having reconstruction done but he still wants me to talk to a plastic surgeon before undergoing the BMX. I am fine to do that and will see a plastic surgeon the morning of my last Chemo day Oct. 2nd. He will also want me to have an MRI of both breasts before the surgery. I am fine with that because I haven't had an MRI during this whole cancer process and I am interested in seeing what that shows, hopefully nothing of significance! I have a tentative surgery date of November 10th. I can't say that I am excited about the prospect of a BMX but I just feel like in the long run and short run it is the best course for me and my peace of mind. I don't doubt that radiation would be an easier less painful choice but I just don't trust my dense breasts anymore. Anyone else out there have an opinion , advice, information , experience or input on this issueI would love to here their thoughts or suggestions
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I do want to hear what my doctors advise, but I go back and forth on whether to have a single or double mastectomy. I need more info, but I feel the same as you guys: I want to do everything I can that's within my power to keep it away. Fortunately my husband is behind my decision, whatever it is, one hundred percent.
CarolinaAmy Glad to see you're doing well too. I think we were dx around the same time.
Thanks shorfi!
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http://www.kaaltv.com/article/stories/s3908607.shtml
To my triple negative sisters, with love your triple positive sister. XO
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I read the article - from Txmom - thank you for posting it - if for no reason to show how there is so much misinformation is out there. Nothing but radiation to treat it?? Chemo can do an amazing job - and of course surgery of some sort is ALWAYS in the cards - the only option is radiation!
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welcome Georgie! Congrats on the Pcr! I ended up with one too, which shocked everyone! My docs didn't even know what to say! They had me all signed up for more chemo and rads! Then I had a BMX with no nodes and my treatment ended! I'm still having a hard time with no treatment but I'm happy with a Pcr of course! I didn't realize it was 95%?!? My docs won't give me stats.. They just say this is good... Haha
Cinderella- I totally get what your saying and my BS told me the same thing... I did meet with a wonderful plastics guy and he explained the whole gruesome process of expanders Ect... You need to really make a choice for YOU! I'm only 30 but I'm also a mom to a 10 month old and work for a fitness studio... And I have dense breasts... So for me recon was out.. I didn't want the long surgery or the long recovery (plus you have the option to do so later) My BS pushed for the lumpectomy due to my small tumor and location and my age but I knew in my heart I needed a BMX for my own sanity. I spoke with a woman who did the lump and rads, only to get the BMX 2 years later! She had all that radiation for nothing... She regretted her decision. I didn't have recon and have been going flat for about a month now.... So far it's not bad and sometimes I enjoy the freedom of no bra
I honestly miss my hair more. My husband doesn't seem to care either. I was able to get right back to my exercise and daily routine. The big plus is no radiation which I was scared about at first but am now realizing the less I hurt my body the better... Plus as a very smart doc pointed out we have a lifetime limit to all this crap and I may need it for the future! My second opinion doc also explained to me that everything they do to kill the cancer (chemo, rads, surgery) is harmful and is hurting me. So why do something. Where the risk doesn't have enough benefit? It's all so hard and I have no idea if my treatment plan will yield a long life for me but I pray and I tell myself I made the best choices for me at the time. They did give me the mastectomy vs. Lumpectomy only gives you a 3% better outcome... I looked at them and said what are the chances of getting TNBC at 30 with no family history and being extremely healthy? They just smiled and agreed to the BMX! Haha Good luck weighing your options! Also I never had any scans and will not ever unless I have symptoms so try not to worry about the MRI thing! They might not do it if you choose no recon. They told me they didn't need to see anything because they were taking the breast and not cutting into my muscle. This has also been really hard for me but again we can only go by what the docs tell us is right!
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LillieRose thanks for your input. You have really reinforced my opinion on having the BMX instead of radiation and exposing myself to the added risk of that and maybe MDS or leukemia down the road. Already you put yourself at additional risk of that just having chemo but I knew I had to treat the TNBC. I am 63 and as I say my years of being a Victoria's Secret model are long behind me. I also thought about having the radiation and then down the road something else would turn up in my breasts and I would have to have a mastectomy anyway after udergoing radiation. Interestingly my BS made the point that a lot of older women such as myself were more hesitant to have a BMX than younger women because the older you were the fewer years you were looking at down the road to have to worry about a recurrence of breast cancer so why put yourself through the surgery. I hadn't looked at it that way but once he mentioned that I could definitely see the logic behind it. I think he worried about offending me by implying I was old and over the hill but I assured him that I took no offense at that at all. It sounds as if you had a fairly uneventful recovery from your surgery. Did you find the recovery process and surgery to be easier , quicker less painful or complicated than you expected? I am 63 but I have always been a very healthy , active 63 with no preexisting medical history or complications until this stupid breast cancer came along and hit me!0 -
Carolina Amy, hope your second chemo treatment went well yesterday by the way. Hang in there
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Hi all,
I am glad the discussion is focusing on mastectomy vs lumpectomy. I was unaware of my receptor status when I had my lumpectomy. Had I known, I would have chosen to have the mastectomy. But, my breast surgeon talked me into the lumpectomy saying I would be healthier going into chemo. Then I found out my cancer was triple negative and my margins post lumpectomy were positive. Grrr.
Since I will be having my 3 rd chemo treatment next week I asked my oncologist if I could meet the breast surgeon soon to discuss a mastectomy. He told me "mastectomies are way overdone now, I should give another lumpectomy and radiation a shot." However, this is my body. I am young with a young family. I want to do everything I can to prevent this from coming back. Another lumpectomy isn't an option. I am trying to keep an open mind, but with this decision, I am final.
Lillierose, I love how you managed your drs. I might try that with my oncologist. "What are the chances of me getting TRneg since I am young and healthy and no family history!? " maybe they will support me after this.
CAmy-hope things are going well for you. #2 is over. You can do this!
Cocker Spanial- I have 2 baby girls. One is a black cocker and the other a chocolate cocker. They lay beside me all day when I am at my worst with being sick from chemo. They do not move unless I do. I feel so loved and cared for by them.
Hope everyone else is doing well. Hugs to all!
Cindy
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Cinderella- don't listen to me! Haha decide for you! Losing your breasts is not and easy road! I did what I felt was right for me. My recovery was fast... My drains were in less then a week but I am very small and small chested so they told me my recovery would be easier and my surgery less invasive. I also weighed the fact that I was 30 and had a bigger chance of rads giving me cancer.... If I were older I don't know if my choice would be te same? Really think about it and do research! No going back once they remove the ladies!
Murphy- thank you! I'm not actually very good with the docs and I annoy them with my stats and research but I always speak my mind and that one did shut them down! I had chemo first so I had a long time to make my choice... Had I done surgery first I might have tried the lump?
Again we all do what feel is right and listen to the docs who are suppose to save our lives! Plenty on survivors get lumps and rads and plenty Mastecs! Unfortunately we don't have am enough data to say which is really better with TN...
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Welcome to all the new ladies. So sorry you are here but hopefully we can help in some small way towards your recovery.
Mastectomy v lumpectomy. My cancer was not a lump but was widespread and I didn't have an option of lumpectomy but I don't think I would have had one anyway. I wanted the breast off and my surgeon reassured me that he had given me an excellent margin. I also have dense breasts, this seems to be common amongst us ladies. Plus it was in four nodes. I had all the scans and it wasn't anywhere else in my body so that was a bonus. If I have any regrets its that I wish I had, had a bilateral mastectomy as the prosthesis is a bit uncomfortable at times and I don't like to feel lopsided even though I am not. Your surgeons will offer you their opinions but you have to do what you feel is right for you. Make sure you feel comfortable with your decision after you have weighed everything up and then go for it. I did have chemo and radiation because of it being in the nodes but I see many of you don't have to have radiation and God forbid it ever comes back you will have that arsenal up your sleeves. My heart goes out to you whilst you make this hard decision but I know you will make the right one for you.
Cindy (one of my daughters names is Cindy). Yep those cockers are wonderful. When I was at my lowest and couldn't sleep at night I would be sitting crying because I felt so awful whilst my old feller was asleep and Tessa would put her head in my lap and my tears would wet her fur but she never moved. She is a dog in a million and I love her to bits. Of course I love Chloe too but she is so different to my Tessa and so cute and sweet when she's not screaming at big dogs lol.
Jan my friend what a terrible time you are having with those awful fires. It must be so hard to breath what with your hot summer as well. I will pray hard for rain for you in the hope that it helps. Keep up with the reading it will help to take your mind off the fires.
A big Hi to Meadow. Where is our Eileen, Shari and Arlene. Ally I hope will be celebrating. Have a great day ladies.
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Hi all.....Just my 10 cents here. ....I always was sure I would want a mastectomy....just to reduce the risks with recurrence. I have since learned I am BRCA1 so there isn't an option now. Something to bear in mind tho is of you are getting genetics and end up being BRCA1 it would suck to have to have a second surgery. Anyway peace and health to you all
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Feel the need to chime in here to say that lumpectomy for TN is a valid choice. Each of us needs to be supported in whatever choice we make.
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Yes Bluedog, thank you for the gentle reminder.
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Hi All
I read every day, but have had a busy couple of weeks. I just completed my second week back to work after a long summer recovering from chemo and recon sx. I also am back to the gym for weights and Spin...and IT FEELS SO GOOD! I am sore and tired...but in a better way than I have been in a looonnng time.
I am trying very hard to leave some of the past 9 months behind me.I see this thread is hopping. Welcome to new friends. I am sorry you have to be here, but I am glad you're here for great info and support. I am happy to see there have been good results from scans and chemo. Way To Beat This Crap!
Just to chime in on the LX vs MX vs BMX...I questioned my BS re: having a BMX as opposed to a Uni...and her answer was that TN would show up in my brain or lungs if it was going to come back, so why remove a healthy breast? YIKES! Her answer kind of floored me. So, I questioned my PS and MO, and when they agreed with my BS...I opted for a uni and a reduction/lift of my healthy right. I am very happy with the results. I was to have a LX, but the location of my BC would have left my cleavage area looking like a shark bit me. I look different, but Ok in clothes and a bathing suit...just have to lose 12 lbs of chemo weight. ugh.
Anothernycgirl, I am so sorry for your loss. I know your friend will Live Forever In Your Heart.
I hope all are feeling good.
Hugs
arlene
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Lump is definitely an appropriate choice for many of us, thank goodness. And I know we will all support each other no matter what decision.
LillieRose, I had the same conversation with a second opinion MO regarding neoadjuvant. She said she preferred to focus on the 80% who respond to the chemo regimen target than those who don't. I told her that I had already been astronomical odds I'm every crappy way to be sitting here talking to her, so she'd have to understand me not being so optimistic. Even with the additional risks of getting more chemo than I probably need (by not verifying stage and such with surgery), I need the peace of mind knowing whether I responded. That's just me.
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