TRIPLE POSITIVE GROUP
Comments
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meglove - Go for it!0
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Thanks so much for your encouragement. I will give it a short and let you know how it goes. Love you all.
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Good luck Meglove!
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Good luck Meglove!! I am also considering a job change-my prospective employer has held this job for me since my dx last yr. I was dx right as I was about to accept offer and for obvious reasons, had to turn down job. So no, just because u have cx, doesn't mean u aren't perfect candidate for job!
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meglove - sorry you were outed by friends! My BIL is a pastor in a church in N. Carolina. He and my SIL asked if they could add me to their prayer list, which I thought was nice. Shortly after that their church decided to put their newsletter online for members and it shows the prayer list with people's dx next to their name! Apparently the secretary didn't think this through! So now if you google my name (as a future employer might) it shows up with BC right next to it! I was not happy - told them to take the dx off, and warned them they are opening themselves up to trouble (can you say lawsuit?) by publicising this without people's consent. In church on Sunday they do not mention why people are on the prayer list. I too say go for it - the person making the hiring decision may not know or be concerned about your dx, may only be interested if you are the best at what you do!
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Wendy I too, have 2 lumps,bumps or whatever we want to call them
in my left breast. (right breast was the one with cancer) One is underneath the mastectomy incision and the other is near the alloderm. I noticed the one underneath the incision before I had my port placed and my BS assured me it was scar tissue, the other one was felt by my oncologist during my first exam and he also assured me both were scar tissue. The plastic surgeon will take care of the incisional one when I have my nipples done. I guess I will have to get used to the other one. (which I must say, I check ALL the time for changes) From what I read, scar tissue is quite common
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OMG this is too funny. Remember Star Trek the movie? This one even has a port. Wonder if she too was triple postive or just HER2+
And to think you guys laughed at me when I told you to tell people (when the asked) that the port was a communication device to keep in contact with the mother ship.
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meglove It's certainly unfair to have your diagnosis shared by someone else-it should always be done on your terms. However, don't hesitate on the job. As Lago said, for all you know someone interviewing you may be a survivor as well.
The year before I was diagnosed I was in an intense leadership program in my organization-very rewarding but stressful. The woman running the program is a highly respected power player in our region. I did quite well and had the winning project for my facility-was diagnosed with BC one month later. Anyway, a few months later this woman sent out an email to our "class" suggesting a reunion. I hesitated to reply for a few months because I knew I'd be in chemo and didn't know how I'd feel about seeing everyone again during that time. I finally sent her a personal email explaining my diagnosis/situation and her response was a very supportive and inspirational email telling me that she is a 12.5 year survivor of stage II BC with BMX and lymph node involvement. I would never have guessed and I doubt that many people in our organization know this about her.
If your prospective interviewer is not a survivor, their mother/sister/daughter, etc may be-the understanding is more widespread than we think. I also believe that if BC is the reason you are not hired (of course you won't be told that) it's the wrong place to work anyway. Don't let your diagnosis stop you-just go for it!
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Bucky, and all:
The ultrasound on my 'bumps' showed NOTHING. It just looked like layers of paper stacked up, not the big, black hole like the original tumor (as if I have any idea what I am looking at) Anyways, YAY!!!!!
She said I might have to follow up with my surgeon, but it looked to her like it was just a 'thickening.'
Now I can get back to my obsession -- watching my hair grow!
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meglove, go for it! It is none of their business and legally they cannot ask you about it. Heck, they may not even know about it!! Assume they do not and go forward as though it is not an issue, because it is Not. An. Issue. At least not for them.0
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lago, I love that image!! When I was explaining my port to a friend in the IT department, I called it my USB port and she said it sounded more like a firewire port! I'm a Trekkie, so I may have to change my story to fit with the communicating with the Mother Ship story. I love it!0
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NWARTLady be sure to double tap the port and say "Yes all fine down here" after you tell them.
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Well, I took a leap of faith today and scheduled my port removal for Feb. 15th. I hope I am doing the right thing, but I think I am ready to move on. Mine is always bugging me, and periodically is actually painful - so I think it will be a relief to have it gone. Other than the tamoxifen and all of my new heart meds, after this hopefully this BC will be "in my rear-view mirror" to quote a friend of mine.
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Woo Hoo IL!!
You're gonna looooove having it out. Mine pulled and was just generally painful if hit...which I did a lot with weights.
It feels so much better out!!
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Thank you all sisters for the encouring words.
dragonfly1, you are right. If they make a decision based on the disease, it is not a good place to go. I am sure the interviewers know about my diagnosis because I still have some connections there. But I will give it a try. We need to feel good about ourselves, but not to get stressed. There was one time when I went to the onc for my herceptin, some patients asked me if I was a nurse there. I am still on a wig but that reminded me I did looked "normal"
. I sent out an email to the friend who spreaded out the word of my diagnosis asking him to keep the fact that I am looking for new position to himself and told him I will apply for the position. He is not only my friend, but also my previous supervisor and one of my references. He sent back emotonal words saying I should ABSOLUTELY apply. Although I am a little upset that he told everyone else about my diagnosis but I know he did not expect that would harm me in any way.
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Lago, I am LOL at that picture! I guess Klingons get to keep their eyebrows!
SK DH is doing well in Law School, I actually have been traveling for work 4-5 week living out of suitcases & hotels.. 1 more month to go..
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nmoss - excellent report on the DH, are you resting enough if you are traveling?
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nmoss she is either using the Anastasia duo or these temporary eyebrow tattoos:
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lago, the picture looks very funny. In fact, she might just wear a disguise on top of her head too because it is hard to not see any hair stub after being shaved.
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IL, congrats!!! Its a big milestone to get that thing out!!
On another note, I am on a list to call of women who have used the cold caps to save their hair. About twice a month I get calls from just diagnosed ladies from all around the world asking about using the caps...but it often turns into a bit of a counseling session. We have all been there...know that fear. I always wind up getting so much more out of the calls than the women do....but I am notiicing more and more triple positives. The women seem to be young and otherwise healthy. Weird.
One lady yesterday had 2 tumors, each about 1cm ish. They are doing neoadjuvant chemo then surgery. Then they will make the decision about rads. Her doc said they wouldnt truly know her stage since chemo might change nodal status etc. He does chemo first in all cases of her2.
I would love not knowing my stage. My only concern would be that post surgery, the decision was made to not have rads. I am not a big chemo fan...but rads is another story. I hated them, but did feel I needed to do it.0 -
Dear geewhiz,
don't worry about stage, I was said it's IIa, later studying about my own, I found I should be IIIa because of more as four nodes, was terrified, but my Onco said I shouldn't be concerned it isn't essentially affecting to the complete proceeding.
Best
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lago - I wish my port was as attractive as hers!
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Geewhiz-- my MO indicated he didn't get many triple positives, and then was surprised that a few weeks later that he had 3 new +++ patients come in after me!!
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Kelloggs LOL mine is smaller than hers and in a better location. I got a kiddie port because "I'm so small" I kept hearing that everytime I met a new doctor.0
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nmoss1000, I kept my lashes and brows throughout chemo so I looked kinda like that picture of the Ilia probe (and I was that thin too - not!
). But now that I'm in radiation, I'm losing my lashes and brows but the hair on my head is returning! Weird!And dare I say it, I kinda am missing my bald head... I want to see how my hair returns (out of curiosity) but I am contemplating shaving my head in the near future...
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Lago - mine looks like a damn pill bottle under my skin and the BS put it right where 98% of my bra straps ride on it! If it were dainty and colorul like hers I could rock it like an accessory! lol
Actually, real question about ports - mine seems to be red and irritated after each treatment for about a week. I actually went to see my MO after my last tx because it was so angry. Not infected though. Anyone else have this problem?
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Mine takes a bit too heal but since it isn't noticeable under most shirts, not that red though. I only now have it accessed every 3 months I can deal with it. I had a surgeon who pretty much mostly installs ports. It's only in the way of my sports bra. Other bras no problem.
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Hi, does anyone know the "biomarkers" for breast cancer?
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starella -
http://erc.endocrinology-journals.org/content/17/4/R245.abstract
This basically talks about ER/PR/Her2neu, plus tumor markers used in blood tests for circulating cells, Ki67, and some potential for genetics.
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Thank you Special K..I am currently looking into a trial at the Univ of San Diego, it is a six month trial that has three arms. Metformin is being tested. I tried to cut and paste, but it did not work. The last sentence says they will "test" for biomarkers at the beginning and at the end. Do our current blood tests include this test for biomarkers? I emailed my onc, but he hasn't replied. I'm confused, if we are post treatment, will we have these biomarkers? And if we do why arent we being treated?
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