Calling all TNs
Comments
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Anyone over 70?...As I've reading through the forums, I'm coming to the conclusion that I might be the oldest woman here with TNBC‼️ I'd love to hear from anyone over 70 with this diagnosis. I'm over 70 but I'm the new 50‼️ Active, young in mind and spirit. Not one other medical problem. My breast didn't get the "Healthy Body Memo"
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Arlene - I'm glad you're home resting and all went well! Gentle hugs to you and well wishes for fast healing!
Amy - that sure is a lot of stress
I'm so sorry you've been through so much. Will be praying for a pCR for you, but please know that's not the end all be all when it comes to recurrence. Plenty of women without one go on to live very long healthy lives. And unfortunately some women who did get a pCR end up having a recurrence. As most of this seems to go, it really is a mystery. All you can do is try to move forward and live your best life for today. Praying the coming days bring you peace with your decision. xoJust a little update on all that reflux nonsense I had going on a while back... I finally had my scope a couple days ago and my esophagus and stomach look good. No inflammation or ulcers. I'm happy to report I'm completely off the Nexium and Zantac and controlling it with diet alone and absolutely no NSAIDS...as I think those are what caused the flare to begin with. I take OTC Gaviscon about once or twice weekly as a rescue med. It works wonders and allows me to enjoy a decaf coffee or glass of wine once in a while.
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CarolinaAmy, so sorry you've had to endure so much! I'll be praying for you for a pCR!
Cathytoo you're funny!! All of us may not be 70 but that's ok. I'm about to be 40, but sometimes wish I was older especially since I feel that way with the hot flashes and my period can't make up its mind of it's going to stay or leave! Hahaha! Give cute Scooter a kiss for me!
Ally, I'm so happy your scope was clear and you're feeling better! That's wonderful!!
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ditto what Luvie said!
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Cathytoo. My dear friend is 70 and she had TN. She finished her treatments 6 months before me. She had the Diep reconstruction as well. She's amazing. If you want me to have her contact you send me a PM.
Ally. So great to hear the update. I'm so happy to hear that has resolved. Yippie!!!
Carolina. Continued prayers for you. As Ally said we don't know the why's or the how's but we will live each day moment to moment. Please keep us posted. Praying for PCR.
Arlene rest and take it easy. I'm glad you are home.
hugs everyone.
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Ally do...I have to agree with you about Gaviscon. It's a wonder drug. For years nothing worked for my acid reflux. Finally, I realized that Prilosec, Nexium, etc were making things worse. My doctor said to try Gaviscon. End of story. I chew a tablet whenever I feel reflux coming on. Stops it almost immediately. Only negative is it's like chewing a block of chalk
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chiming in on the topic of stress. After reading so many of our posts on the topic it is nice to know I am not alone in thinking that stress was a major contributor to my cancer developing. In 2014 I was also under extreme stress at work and working for a boss that caused my stress. I worked 6 days a week and 12-18 hour days at times. And I was a part time care giver for my mom who was declining and lived with me. In June of that year I felt like I was having a mental breakdown and couldn't handle the stress any longer. I tore the meniscus in my right knee in June and needed surgery in September of that year. In October my mom had a mini stroke and went into rehab, then assisted living in December of that same year. In October the original mass was found on my routine mamo only to be told to wait 6 mo and watch due to its location on my chest wall. Six months later Mass doubled and I was dx as tn.
Now 3 weeks post rads and after 10 months total of treatment I am scared of reoccurrence due to stress. I finally went back to work the end of Jan and find I am more protective of myself against things or people that induce stress. I am actually scared of stress. I find myself avoiding people that stress me or situations and cause stress. Crazy right? I know I can't avoid stress the rest of my life but at what point does it cause cancer?
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ally, so glad to hear!
shopgal, I'm always worried about recurrence due to stress. as for avoiding people that are stressful? I honestly think it's a good idea. hard to do when it's family (like my mother who is also in assisted living) but I try to avoid everyone else as much as possible. it's not worth it!
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I hope everyone is doing well today! My parents arrived yesterday to help during the initial recovery, and my husband gets back in town tonight. We head to the hospital at 5AM and off I go! I'll do my best to check in, though I can't take any responsibility for what I might say under the influence.
LOL
Cathytoo, you have to be the youngest 70-year-old I've ever seen. I thought you were in your 40s!0 -
CarolinaAmy...I'll be thinking of you until you post again. Be strong. Everything will more than OK. And, thanks for the complement. 70 for me is DEFINITELY the new 50‼️ When we are both through with our treatments we can hang out together.
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Thinking of you CarolinaAmy. You will do great, check in when you can.
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i am scared of the reccurence..
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Thanks so much everyone! It's nice to not have the daily chest pain causing me so much stress. I also recently had a follow up with my onc who scheduled a chest CT for June to check up on that lung nodule. But now that I've got the chest pain and reflux under control, the shortness or breath and cough are gone as well. I think the reflux was so bad it was causing some asthma type symptoms. I'm not too worried about the nodule at this point, but at least the follow up is on the books.
Lots of prayers to you Amy! So glad your parents and husband will be with you. You're going to do great! As others have said, please check in when you can. xoxo
Cathy - I use the liquid form. It's pretty gross, but works better for me than the tablets. It's instantaneous relief. So glad you've found relief from it as well. And YES! I could not believe when you said you were 70! You look 40...if that!
4everStrong - I'm so sorry you're dealing with the nasty fears of recurrence. You're definitely not alone. Try to take it one day at a time. And even talk to someone if they become too much. I did and it was really helpful. Sending you hugs.
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hi all
Thank u for the good wishes. I am bruised up and sore, but feeling good. Must be the meds. Lol.
Wishing u good luck and an easy recovery, Carolina.
Glad for good news, Ally.
And as for recurrence thoughts, I am trying to live "in the moment," and i have to say the SSRI IS DEFINITELY HELPING ME. Oops all caps, on my fone and silly from meds. Sending Hugs
Arlene
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and Cathy, I am 58, but we can be 39 together! :
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Cathytoo, I would never have pegged you at 70!!! Definitely more like 50
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greenae...I loved 39. Would do it again in a heartbeat
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Thanks, everyone for the age complements. You're making me think I never should have told the truth about being 70.
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Cathy I have had the gaviscon tablets and yes it is like eating chalk so I went on to what Ally takes, the liquid kind. The only trouble was you had to wait a while for it to work if you woke in the night because it said on the bottle not to lie down for a while. Now there is a gaviscon out that you can lie down straight away. Having said that I take Losec now for heart burn and my hubby takes Omeprazole which is the generic of Losec. It works well for me. Regarding age, I am 69, just. That "just" means a lot, it means I am not 70 until October this year lol.
Ally so very glad your pain has now gone and is under control. I was getting really scared about that. So glad you are not "stressing" about the nodule.
CarolineAmy in your pocket today and sending big hugs for pCR.
Greenae hope the bruising is not so bad today. If I had looked like you do at 58 I would have stayed at that age. Just beautiful.
4everStrong I think you will find that everyone on here is afraid of recurrence. I know I am and it always seems to be at the back of my mind. I just push it away when it comes and concentrate on something else. The more I do that the better it gets. It also helps to stay off Google as that is a stress builder. Sending big hugs.
LUV haven't heard how your new home is going lately. Is it built yet?
Have a great day lady. It's Friday here in NZ and its a drizzly day so not much is going to get done by me cause I have a good book.
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CaolinaAmy, - Good luck tomorrow! May all go smoothly and easily! Take good care, - and update when you can!
Arlene, - so glad you are doing ok! Today's weather is beautiful, - were you able to get a breath of fresh air? Can you believe that SNOW is predicted for Sunday?! Keep healing and feeling better and better! (ps What is ssri?)
Ally, - wonderful that you have relief from your pain! So happy that you are feeling well!!
Cathytoo, - yes, - 70 is the new 50!! (and I am not too far away from that! Applying for Medicare soon! Hard to believe that we are this age! 60s are what i always thought my parents were, - not me!!
So lets be 39 together, as Arlene said!
Cocker, Meadow, Luv, Shop, SA8, Stef, and all here, - Hope you are feeling GOOD! (and having a Happy St Patrick's Day!
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CarolinaAmy, so glad you have your parents there to help. I'm praying and I'll say another prayer at 4:30 AM when my goofy male dobie wakes me up to go outside to pee. Check in when you can, even if you are loopy! We will all be with you in spirit tomorrow. HUGS!!
Arlene glad you're feeling good! Thinking of you.
Cocker, they started building our house last week so we still have a ways to go. It's ok with me though because right now I'm real close to the Doberman rescue! Enjoy your book.
AnotherNYCGirl good to hear from you. Trying to hang in there!Hope you're well also.
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COKER
Thanks for your answer.. agree google is killing me with statistics and I dont know what to do? any adice diet? exervice? alternative cure you found helpful in your case?
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4everStrong Google kills everyone and the trouble is when you are newly diagnosed you go on it all the time because you are looking for some hope or if you get a strange pain back you go to Google. I hate the darn thing because it plays with your mind and half of the things on it are untrue and out of date. I don't want to read the statistics on recurrence. I'm fighting each day to live and certainly don't want to go the looking up the recurrence route. Not only that and I have said it before, when you are newly diagnosed, in active treatment or just at the end of treatment you are so vulnerable and scared so these statistics only increase your anxiety ten fold. The thing is if you have had the standard treatment, feel well, eating well you are unlikely to get a recurrence BUT if we do we will deal with it with our doctors and oncologists and without the help of Google. Regards to diet I think you should eat exactly what you feel like but not to overdo it. The old, old saying works - a little bit of everything does you good. I have cut out a lot of sugar but other than that I eat exactly as before. It's ok in the summer because you eat lots of salads but I do eat meat and I eat lots of veges. Exercise is the key, if you have a dog great, if not set a little time aside each day just for you. It's true when they say stop and smell the roses because it does help. Laugh as much as you can. Read books. Even take up colouring books I did this and its great. Start a hobby. Think of all the things you have always wanted to do and pick one. I make and decorate cakes, birthdays, weddings, for friends etc and its very therapeutic. You don't have time to worry about recurrence when a cake has to be made and delivered by a certain day. Enjoy each day, look at sunsets, and even enjoy the rain (although I find that one hard to do as I am a sun bunny, not lying in it, just the lovely summer days when you feel so much better and can do so much more). I'm sure all of the wonderful ladies on here will come on with some more suggestions but every time an unwanted thought comes into your mind shove it to the back and pick up a book, spade for the garden, your running shoes, anything to take your mind off it. We are all here for your good and bad days. You will know if there is anything to worry about, believe me you will know, and we will always be in your pocket to help you through any tough times. . Love you girl. xxxx
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Cocker...how well expressed. I only have one infusion left and I've been thinking constantly of a possible recurrence. I read that this would happen because you're like a ship set out to sea alone. Having infusions made me feel that I was doing SOMETHING‼️ Of course, I still have rads to do, so that should help put me back in the frame of mind that I'm fighting to be well again. It's constant "self-talk" to keep from being frightened. i have to say that I am so happy I found this wonderful group.
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Thank you Cocker, for being you.
Cathy, we are so glad you found us.
Arlene, can I have some of that happy stuff you are on today? lol
Happy St.Patty's Day everyone!
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Cathy you are so right. Going through chemo we felt we were doing something to fight the cancer and help ourselves to get well again, hoping for a cure, and as much as we were terrified of the chemo and the length of it, it flew by in a flash. Rads will be much easier for you, just remember to cream after each treatment liberally but don't put it on before a treatment or you will burn. You have had as much stress as you can take with losing your husband and as sad as that was and still is for you, you still have a life to live and a beautiful little dog to live for. You are still young at 70 and have a lot to fight for. Fill up your days and it won't be long before you find that you are one year out, two years out........ and the recurrence fear and anxiety will get less and less. You do feel alone at first and you do self-talk a lot but come on here to rant and cry if you are having a bad day, we all get it and will help you through. Love and big hugs to you my friend. You can do this. xx
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Cathytoo & Cocker,
I am 69. Also Cocker, I turn 70 in October (20th). I am glad that we are in different stages of the "C" crap! I am just over 3 years out. Love my yoga, but arthritis sometimes reminds me to be careful.
My best to all.
Marsha
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Cocker and Meadow and the rest of you wonderful women.. It's remarkable to me that in a space of loss, sadness and fear I have found such wonderful "friends" in this cyber space world. When my husband died some friends became invisible...just dropped away. And then when I was diagnosed with BC, some others disappeared also. Guess it was bad luck to hang around with me. LOL I don't want to seem as though I'm moping around. Actually, I have a large support group. Five children and 13 grandchildren, all living close by. And, I do have incredible friends who are a daily source of support. My life is filled with lots of interests and activities. But, the last year has been harder than any year in my life. Even though we have family and friends beside us..,the loss of a husband at a time like this is very hard. So, I thank all of you who took the time to send a word of comfort over the past few daysto boost me up from the "recurrence doldrums". I am blessed to have found you. Now...on to a fun filled weekend for all of us
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Way to go Cathy. You've got this. lol
Looking my birthday is the 22nd October so you are younger than me lol.
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So the 69s and the 70s have got together! Do you know that according to recent health terminologies 70 is not old ..it is termed as " Young Old"
It is wonderful to see us all, chat together... I am 37 and I got diagnosed when I was 34..a month before my 35th birthday and my daughter was in kindergarten. She is now in 2nd grade.. Its strange, how the way we look into things changes with changing circumstances... Wen I crossed 30, I wanted time to move really slow. The first grey hair that I spotted, when i turned 33, sent a warning signal
But now after all this... I want time to move really really fast... Cant wait to turn 40, 45, 50...n so on!! cocker..my birthday is 3 days after yours!!
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