Any ladies from WISCONSIN??
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Hi suzfive! Where were you born in MI? I was born in Kalamazoo. I lived there and Battle Creek until I was 13, then moved back again after college for 14 years. I am in Farmington, right outside of West Bend.
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Hi six, I am in Port Washigton, not too far from either of you.
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Auto correct, suz
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Suz, where do you go for tx? My center is next to Sollys
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...found the snow now.
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JBug -I was born in Detroit. Still have lots of family in the metro detroit area. The snow is very pretty when you are inside looking out at it. We got more than they were predicting.
Moonflwr912 - So is mine! I see Dr Zukowski. I am actually 6 years out from treatment. Go next month for my 6 month checkup. When I was having chemo their office was at Columbia.0 -
suzfive: I see Dr Zukowski in Slinger. He is there one day a week. I will visit with him this next week and talk hormone strategies as I just finished rads this week and have already done chemo and bmx.
I used to go to Troy for training when I worked at AT&T. We would go for 4-6 weeks at a time. It was fun to go to the mall there and see all the extravagence, wondering which celebs might get out of the limos in the valet parking. (Yes, I was in my 20's at the time.) It was sad to see MI get hit so hard in 2008. Detroit turned into a ghost town. I hope that you family weathered the economy allright. That was when we left.
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I Have Dr Z too! Cool! He is wonderful. Its good to hear people make it out the other side! I am just starting tx. Had my 2nd Herceptin, another next week thane Big Chemo TC # 2 the following week. I am so glad to hear you guys, I also worked at Columbia St Marys before this happened. Dr Z did not want me to work while in active chemo - maybe because I returned there after BMX and eneded up with an infection after only 4 days back? LOL? My daughter used to live in MI in Canton for a bit.
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Suzfive, I'm from WFB also. Many years ago I travelled to Detroit a good deal with business.
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I am in Eau Claire, and just heard on Wednesday that I have cancer. Have not seen the surgeon yet, so all I know is what the radiologist told me, which is very little. Anyone else from this area?
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Ice, I am sorry you have to be here, but happy to meet you. I used to live in RedWing, MN. Three is a lot of comfort and support on these boards. Hang in there, take it one day at a time, and be prepared to hurry up and wait. The wait is the hardest. Be sure to look all over the site to find info, and also please remember everyone is different. Good luck!
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hi ladies, I'm in the southwest corner of the state and work in Madison.
icefishinglady, sorry you find yourself a member of the club but welcome.
My tip is to bring a tape recorder or a person to take notes at appts. You'll get so much info, it's hard to take it all in. And it's kind of hard to focus after someone says you have cancer. ((hugs))
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Badger- my DD took copious notes and I didn't remember anything- I was glad for the notes. My son lives in Madison and 3 of my kids graduated from UW Madison.
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icefishinglady: Did they give you any idea yet of tumor size? That is often the first piece of information. When you start learning about how they stage cancer, with TMN markers, tumor size, metastasis, and number of nodes involved - that is the one of the first pieces of information that will help you get a handle on your prognosis. What information did they give you so far?
I am so sorry that you are here, but glad that you reached out to gather up a network to surround you.
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Icefishinglady - welcome to our little corner - sorry you had to come, but welcome. Badger has some good tips for you.
Moonflwr912 - I also worked at Columbia-St. Mary's in the micro lab. I left the year before my diagnosis. Now I work out of my home doing medical transcription. I have family in Canton.
J-Bug - Detroit has been in a bad way for years. Fortunately, all of my family still have jobs. It is sad to see the changes when I go back to visit.
Badger - have you walked 2055 miles since your diagnosis? I need to get out my pedometer and start moving.
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Hi Ladies!
I have been on this forum since September but I just saw the Wisconsin thread. I live in Grafton and get treatment at Froedtert. I have had two surgeries, chemo, and have completed 22/33 rads.
Icefishinglady-so sorry you had to join us! There is so much support here but be careful to not think everything you read will be you. The waiting for the next appointment can be very difficult. I second Badger's advice because it is so hard to remember everything. Also don't hesitate to get a second opinion. Have you been able to ice fish much this year? We have had such a mild winter in the southeastern part of the state. The snow we had last night was so beautiful!
Have a great weekend everyone. Mary
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WiMusicMaker: Ice fishing has been a bit spotty this year. I got a new puppy at Christmas time, and he suffers terribly from motion sickness - that really limits how much I can get him (and me!) out on the ice. He's also a handful - almost 30 pounds of pure energy and puppy naughtiness. When I *have* taken him out on the ice, I do not get much fishing done, and he likes to find whatever sushi people leave on the ice, too...
J-Bug, I know so little at this point. "We found cancer" and "Fortunately, we caught it early". That's it. I wish I'd asked for a copy of whatever they received from the pathologist right away when the biopsy results came back on Wednesday.I don't even really know what to ask for. I don't know what sort of information might be contained in that report or the radiologist's notes and whether it would be useful. I know I'll likely find out more when I see the surgeon next Wednesday, but I would like to be aware of whatever info is available prior to that meeting. Now, of course, it is the weekend... so I cannot do anything 'til Monday.
The mammo showed microcalcifications. They were apparently visible since 2009; I did not know that 'til the radiologist showed me the changes between that image and the current ones. Should they have been looked at back then? I don't know what the 2010/2011 images showed, either. I'd like to know that, just out of curiosity. I had a stereotactic, vacuum-assisted biopsy (hope I am describing it correctly) Monday.
They've not assigned me a go-to person yet. I called and asked to talk to a nurse in the surgery area, to ask some questions, but was told that until they see me that won't be possible.
I'm frustrated.
Moon, one of my sons is in Madison too :-). I've been there quite a bit in the past year (including staying in my tent in Walkerville - what an experience).
Badger, I know my DIL will be very helpful. She's fiercely protective... knows what to ask... has access to the folks at the Piper center in Minneapolis since she is a RN at Allina... good advocate to have!
I have a lot of life decisions to make that are connected to this, including the possibility of moving. It's pretty complicated right now, and I do feel quite overwhelmed. Lost my hubby (34 years!) in 2007 and I am feeling that absence very keenly.
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WiMusicMaker: Ice fishing has been a bit spotty this year. I got a new puppy at Christmas time, and he suffers terribly from motion sickness - that really limits how much I can get him (and me!) out on the ice. He's also a handful - almost 30 pounds of pure energy and puppy naughtiness. When I *have* taken him out on the ice, I do not get much fishing done, and he likes to find whatever sushi people leave on the ice, too...
J-Bug, I know so little at this point. "We found cancer" and "Fortunately, we caught it early". That's it. I wish I'd asked for a copy of whatever they received from the pathologist right away when the biopsy results came back on Wednesday.I don't even really know what to ask for. I don't know what sort of information might be contained in that report or the radiologist's notes and whether it would be useful. I know I'll likely find out more when I see the surgeon next Wednesday, but I would like to be aware of whatever info is available prior to that meeting. Now, of course, it is the weekend... so I cannot do anything 'til Monday.
The mammo showed microcalcifications. They were apparently visible since 2009; I did not know that 'til the radiologist showed me the changes between that image and the current ones. Should they have been looked at back then? I don't know what the 2010/2011 images showed, either. I'd like to know that, just out of curiosity. I had a stereotactic, vacuum-assisted biopsy (hope I am describing it correctly) Monday.
They've not assigned me a go-to person yet. I called and asked to talk to a nurse in the surgery area, to ask some questions, but was told that until they see me that won't be possible.
I'm frustrated.
Moon, one of my sons is in Madison too :-). I've been there quite a bit in the past year (including staying in my tent in Walkerville - what an experience).
Badger, I know my DIL will be very helpful. She's fiercely protective... knows what to ask... has access to the folks at the Piper center in Minneapolis since she is a RN at Allina... good advocate to have!
I have a lot of life decisions to make that are connected to this, including the possibility of moving. It's pretty complicated right now, and I do feel quite overwhelmed. Lost my hubby (34 years!) in 2007 and I am feeling that absence very keenly. I am in a not-very-good relationship at present and there will be absolutely no support coming from him, not even a tissue when I need to cry. (He told me to put my big girl panties on and said, "It's not like you're having an arm or leg cut off" - I knew right then that I need to end this relationship NOW.)
Enough of my rambling for now.
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icefishinglady, sorry for the loss of your husband. Mine was a godsend and you are right, you will need someone supportive to lean on.
I had a screening mammo in Oct 2009 which showed a cluster of microcalcs as compared to the previous mammo. That lead to a diagnostic mammo the next week, and a stereotactic biopsy in Nov, and a surgical biopsy in Dec. Was officially diagnosed and staged right before Christmas 2009. So that was nearly three months. The waiting is the worst. It's still hard, but a little better once you have a treatment plan.
I am different than a lot of ladies in that I didn't want copies of any test results. Figured it would only confuse and frighten me. But many women want copies of everything, you're entitled to it, they are your records.
I work right downtown so our paths have likely crossed. :-)
thanks suzfive, yes I have walked all those miles. Watch my sig line, that's how I keep track. Got a five-dollar pedometer and started a walking program after surgery but before chemo, just about two years ago. It's been great for both mind and body. If you need motivation, come on over to Fitness forum, there's a great group of women - in all phases of treatment - posting in the Let's Post our Daily Exercise thread and you're welcome!
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Ice- You can do lots of reading before Monday. your BS will go over all your options, and you will have decisions to make. BUT you will be able to make a decision and once made, you will feel better. Much love and small SEs.
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Ice fishing lady... My theory on the cancer diagnosis was research what needs to be researched so you know what the medical people are talking about, but not enough to freak myself out. With my surgeons visit, she laid out the various options recommended for my situation and lined up appointments with the other docs I needed to see. It's good to be informed, but a lot of the posts you read may not apply to your situation, so keep that in mind. I found the waiting and uncertainty to be the worst part BY FAR. Once you "have a plan" hopefully you will feel better. By the way... I'm in Antigo, and while I feel sorry for you outdoor people who like the winter sports, I am loving this snow-less winter, so I can walk my 2 beagles. Your puppy is adorable!! Hang in there and concentrate for the next few days on the things you can control. BC treatment is becoming more tailored to each person's specific needs, so there are likely lots of good options for your treatment.
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GottaloveNED: I agree on the research. You can only take so much information, especially in the beginning. Go for the broad strokes of information, how staging works, reading up on microcalcifications, etc. Then, breathe deeply. Find encouragement in the people who know how to support you well.
I do know one person who has microcalcifications that show up in her mammos and she does not have cancer. They do watch her pretty closely though.
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Ice, how did it go? Do you have quesstjions you thought of after you left the Dr office? Hope it went well.
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Had my 1st followup mammo after my treatment last year...April 7 will be my one year cancerversary. My mammo was clear which is awesome. However my mother i just found out my mom found lumps in her neck last june and just now this week told our family and had biopsies done. SHe is positive for carcinoma in her thyroid and some lymph nodes in her neck. They wont know what type of carcinoma or where it originated from unti; monday. she hasnt had a mammo in 6 yrs but has one scheduled for April 2nd. She has been dealing with severe depression and PTSD for the past 8 yrs so she didnt get regular health care. We had been estranged for the past 8 yrs and just the past year since my diagnosis started healing our relationship. I have seen much improvement in her the past few months. Her 51 yr old brother passed away end of February which caused her to then seek treatmentfor these lumps. I sat with her at the hospital and her home after the biopsies so she wouldt be alone...she is only 63... she has been talking very morbidly the past few weeks since her brother passed.... saying she is getting a tattoo so her family wont have to identify her when she dies. She went and made her funeral arrangements. She has been organizing her home and cleaning so her husband wont be left with a mess and will know where things are....she says she knew since last June when she found the lumps it was cancer so she is not that upset about....she said she wont do chemo or radiation as she saw what i went through with radiation last year...but she found out the chemo can be done here in town so maybe she will do that if we push her to see how many people love her and still need her around. I hate this frickin waiting game until monday to ge the full results. Does anyone here have experience with metastatic cancers ?
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Sorry, Blue, Just too d*mn bad that this happened now. But give your mom time. She may think it over. But it is her decision and you just have to ride it out. waiting is the hard part.
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found out today what she has is pappilary carcinoma of the thyroid....and she said something about "tall cell"... said dr. wants to do radioactive iodine treatment but no other surgery necessary or chemo. I did some reading online and saw that there is also pappilary carcinoma of the breast....which now makes me wonder what type my ductal carcinoma in situ was....they never said a name of what type of carcinoma it was what was in the ducts. Should my dr be able to tell me the exact type i had ?
From what i read online the main treatment for my moms type is surgery AND the iodine...im concerned that she said they only want to do the iodine.
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I would suggest to her that you would like to help support her through this as you are able to, and ask her if you can go with her to the next dr appt. Tell her it will be good for you too. Then you can ask those questions and be more at peace with whatever direction she decides to take.
I have experienced some family situations like this where no one outside the person with the health problem got those answers, and for years - everyone wondered if things could have been different and why they happened the way they did. We make up these stories in our heads about those questions and right now you have an opportunity to get the real answers.
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Knife has a good idea, I hope that works for you. Much love.
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Hey! Glad to find this thread. I am 26 and from the Milwaukee area. I currently live in Fox Point, but just bough a house in Brookfield. I was dx in January, had surgery, and now doing tamoxifen with hormone therapy. Hope everyone is having a nice weekend!
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Hi and welcome. Weather is beautiful here in Port. Enjoy your weekend.
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