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Comments

  • slgarcia05
    slgarcia05 Member Posts: 154
    edited February 2012

    Good luck Rachel with tx #4!!!!!  I hope it goes smoothly for you!  I hate the eye twitching, it is so annoying!  Hi Ginger!  Thank you for following my CB page.  I love having your support on there!  I come on here and read, I just don't post very often.  I guess I need to more.  Lots of hugs to you all.

  • Kelleyod
    Kelleyod Member Posts: 125
    edited February 2012

    . . . buzzing around the boards tonight and thought I'd check in on my fav thread . . .wow!  You guys are alive and kicking . . .I can honestly say that I've missed this thread. . . and right now I need y'all.

     Just had my proph MX on right and TRAM recon two weeks ago. . . went in today for last drain removal - woohooo - moving on with life!   Wait - no - not so fast . . .

    Got a call from the BS enroute to cancer center with path report on right / "healthy" breast . . .6mm spot of invasive cancer . . .  one "dot" on lymph node.  (She called it micromet - does that make it positive or negative?  forgot to ask that today) . . . low grade, stage 1 . . .

    I'm numb. . don't get me wrong, I know I'm lucky in alot of ways. . .this was just a shock . . .   still waiting on receptors status and then we'll probably do an onctype score. . . . treatment as of yet is not determined obviously.   I'm just shaking my head thinking, "Oh, I'll take another housefire instead of this, please. . . "

    Anyone have any words of advice - things to ask?  Points to make sure I cover?  With Invasive I'm on entirely new ground I think (vs. old DX of DCIS in the left breast) . .  .I'm open to any pointers, things to check on, etc. . .

    And I so appreciate it.   Glad to hear a majority of us are moving forward in a positive way!    Hope to hear from y'all. . .thanks in advance for any response.

     kelleyod

  • ginger48
    ginger48 Member Posts: 1,437
    edited February 2012

    Kelleyod- I am so sorry you have been hit again with bad news! What a terrible shock to get right when you are ready to move on.  I also had prophylactic BMX after my initial lumpectomy due to my BRCA2+ status and they found atypical precancerous tissue in both breasts. I was shocked because I had clear margins on my initial surgery. On the positive side; it is a good thing that you had the MX and got rid of the tissue.You made the right choice.Sending hugs your way tonight! Be sure to check back in and let us know what you find out. Your October sisters are always here to lean on!

  • rachelvk
    rachelvk Member Posts: 564
    edited February 2012

    Kelly - That must have been so hard to hear. But as Ginger said, better to find it now almost by chance than discover it later. Good luck over the next few weeks as you learn more and have all these new decisions to make. We'll still be here for you. I hope you can avoid chemo, but if you do head down that way, feel free to ask any questions. I have tx #4 out of 6 on Thursday. It's not easy, but I'm doing my best to keep kicking back and not let it completely wipe me out.   {{{Hugs}}}

  • CookieMonster
    CookieMonster Member Posts: 90
    edited February 2012

    Sorry to hear your news Kelly. Hang in there and fingers crossed for no chemo for you. Lean on us as much as you need. Hugs and positive vibes coming your way.

    -Judy

  • slgarcia05
    slgarcia05 Member Posts: 154
    edited February 2012

    Kelley---You know I love you girl, and I am here for you always.....even on my "blue" days!

  • Kelleyod
    Kelleyod Member Posts: 125
    edited February 2012

    Oh you guys. . . . .

    I'm not alone!  :)   thanks. . . so much for all of the virtual hugs.   I am just beyond grateful. 

     I did learn today that I'm ER+, PR+ and HER2 - . . . also found out the micromet is 2mm . . .    no treatment mentioned YET. . . bone scan and CT scan scheduled for 2/24 . . . back to the waiting game - arrrggghhh!   hahahaha . . . .    vuja de - eh?

     I am trying to get my head back in the game and realize - I'm still fighting baby.   I am hating the insurance company nurse case mgrs who like to call and "offer their guidance" but really just make me feel hopeless when we all know I'm not in a hopeless situation!  Arrrgghhh - who are these people?  hahahaha - have they ever HAD cancer?  I'm thinking that should be a requirement for someone in that position. . .

     Praying y'all are doing well . . .maintaining the front line in our fight . . . healing and moving forward as well. . .

    Gentle hugs, lots of peace. . .

    kelleyod

  • Eema
    Eema Member Posts: 403
    edited February 2012

    Kelly, we are in the same place. I had my ct last week, bone scan wed, now waiting for biopsy. Dammit.

  • Eema
    Eema Member Posts: 403
    edited February 2012

    Kelly, did your doc say how DCIS became mets? That is my question. I was told "no way"

  • Maria_Malta
    Maria_Malta Member Posts: 667
    edited February 2012

    Sending gentle healing peaceful thoughts your way Kelleyod and Eema.. one thing at a time, slow deep breaths, try not to think too far ahead of yourselves...and as Rachel said, if you need chemo many of us have had it or are having it, and you will manage too!

  • Clams
    Clams Member Posts: 34
    edited February 2012

    Nipple tattoos for the Mrs this afternoon.  Stopped by the forum for some info and found this helpful thread...

     http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/44/topic/782181?page=1

    I've been checking in and lurking every now and then.  Hope you are all hanging in there.

  • Kelleyod
    Kelleyod Member Posts: 125
    edited February 2012

    Eeema baby (tits in my pits. . .I always laugh and think of you. . . )

     DCIS did NOT become micromet. . . .what happened was I went in for PMX on the other / "healthy" breast and boom!   pathology found a "clear breast" but a "dot" (just found out it was / is 2mm) on sentinel lymph node (they only took 1 - this was prophylactic after all) and went back to scour the breast and boom!   Found a 6mm invasive (IDC) cancer in the "healthy" breast. . .  who knew? 

    Surgeon was dumbfounded and simply believed that it was too small to find on original mammograms.  So - totally not a DCIS related issue. . . . which would REALLY piss me off ....

     What's your scoop?  How COULD that happen?  Any results on tests for you?   Looks like we are in this one together Eema. . . .  let's get our heads in the game baby.

    Peace to you . . . .hugs to all. . . thanks AGAIN for the support. . . .   hope to have greater idea on treatment recommendation sooooon . . . .

    kelleyod

  • Dukes_Up
    Dukes_Up Member Posts: 112
    edited February 2012

    Eema and Kellyod~ Sending giant love to both of you!   And Kelley~ I can totally relate to your insurance nurse case management frustration.  I remember getting several of those calls throughout my melanoma scare--- only served to compound my fear/anxiety.  I know they're just doing their job... but geesh!   

    Clams~ Is your wife doing the 3D nipple tattoos or did she already have nipples reconstructed and now tattooing areolas? 

    Maria~ Good to "see" you!

    Rachel~ How are you doing after Treatment #4? 

    Patiently waiting for my Rheumatology appointment on Tuesday.  I'm finding more enlarged nodes throughout my body in addition to my groin nodes--- cervical, axillary, and now even a lump on the side of my ribcage.  While I'm relieved that my groin lymph node bx was negative for malignancy, I cant help but worry about these other nodes that keep popping up (or perhaps they've been there for a while and I am just now feeling them...argh.)

    I'm glad to see so many of us back in communicado.  Have missed our group a lot. 

    Thinking of you all~

    AJ 

      

  • Eema
    Eema Member Posts: 403
    edited February 2012

    Yes!!  Thank G-d no more titsinpits!  But one of the alloderm slings broke and my implant slid down.  Very uncomfortable.  I just scheduled the surgery, but forgot I want to go to Israel in May and not Cancerland if I don't have to, so I'm going to reschedule for June.

    Here, please read what I just wrote:

    https://cancerchmancerpoopoopoo.wordpress.com/2012/02/17/radioactive-metastatic/

  • Clams
    Clams Member Posts: 34
    edited February 2012

    Dukes - She had nipple reconstruction a few days after Xmas, so it's just the areolas (I never know how to spell that word!).

    Question for all of you ladies... have any of you seen a therapist to help deal with emotional issues related to BMX?  If so, has it helped? 

  • Maria_Malta
    Maria_Malta Member Posts: 667
    edited February 2012

    AJ, nice to 'see' you too!  Good luck for Tuesday, keep us updated.

    Eema, just read your cancer shmancer blog...I loved it, and wanted to laugh and cry at the same time.. thanks for sharing it with us...I presume you write for a living..what and where do you write? I also presume that you're Jewish..as is my husband by the way. Best best best of luck with biopsy and let us know.  You too Kelleyod!

    Clams, haven't had therapy myself but know a number of women who have, not only for issues related with BMX, but with the emotional after effects of the whole cancer surgery and treatment picnic..they all said they found therapy very helpful, and I think it's always worth a try, there is nothing to lose.

  • ginger48
    ginger48 Member Posts: 1,437
    edited February 2012

    Eema- just read your blog. Somehow you manage to make crappy things entertaining. I hope you always keep your sense of humor as you go through all this crap. Sending big hugs your way!!!

    Hang in there, October ladies, we will make it through!

    Clams- nice to see you here. I think talking to a therapist is a great way to handle all this.

  • Clams
    Clams Member Posts: 34
    edited February 2012

    The tattooing went great.  In and out in less than 2 hours.  No pain.  They look really good.

    Re the therapist, this has been in the works for a week or so.  Her first appt is next week.  Hopefully it'll help.

     Thanks! 

  • slgarcia05
    slgarcia05 Member Posts: 154
    edited February 2012

    Hey Clams!  Glad to hear Mrs. Clams is doing well!  I have seen a therapist a couple of times, and I believe it is helpful.  My advice though.....if she goes, and it is not a good fit, find another therapist.  It is so important to be comfortable with whoever she goes to.  My therapist came to see me when I was put in the hospital after my last round of hard chemo.  Really nice.  Hope it helps her!

  • rachelvk
    rachelvk Member Posts: 564
    edited February 2012

    Kelley, AJ and Eema - Wishing you all good test results and advice. All these different journeys we keep finding ourselves on...

    Clams - So glad to hear the tattoos went well and that she's doing well overall. I hope the therapist helps smooth anything else over. I did go for a few sessions after my dx, but it was someone I already had seen and knew she was a good fit. I have a great support network of friends and family, but I really needed someone that I could sit down with and say "This S**KS and it's NOT FAIR!" Wishing you all the best.

    Doing okay after tx #4 - so far, less taxing than #3, but I'm doing a better job at hydrating. Today's plan - sit on the couch, read, and watch the birds. I put my feeder back up for the first time since the late summer hurricane so I could participate in the Cornell Lab of Ornithology 'Great Backyard Bird Count.' Only a few visitors so far, but they're keeping me happy.

    Happy weekend everyone! 

  • Eema
    Eema Member Posts: 403
    edited February 2012

    Just got good news! Still need lymph biopsy, but radiologist found An MRI from 2009 and lesion is stable! Another scan in. 3 months! Thank you, G-d, and you for praying!

  • iLUV2knit
    iLUV2knit Member Posts: 65
    edited February 2012

    hey all....I am back visiting my all time favorite forum and WOW!!!  There is a reason why I felt the need to check in.  Oh my word...everyone seems to be having so many different issues going on.  I am so glad that we are still here for one another!!  (MargieC....I am STILL trying to find you on facebook!!?) 

    I keep in touch with a couple ladies here from our October group, but call it a need or something, I just find it so helpful to keep coming back and checking in.  It is such a bond we have all formed here and who can understand us, except us, right??

    I went in two Mondays ago to the general doctor as I had done something to my back.  Oh, how it hurt...the lower left pelvis area.  It literally throbbed.  I took vicodin, left over from my BMX, AND two Aleve and it still hurt.  So anyway, he was a good listener and sent me down for an xray.  On the lab slip it stated, "xray lumbar spine, history of breast cancer".  It just hit me like a ton of bricks.  They will be forever 'watching' us, won't they?? 

    The good & bad news is that it was only arthritis changes due to my degenerative disc disease.  I guess years of riding horses and getting bucked off, and all that bouncing is catching up to me??  argh.   I am turning 50 in two weeks...everything is falling apart.  At least I shall have perky foobies!!

  • ginger48
    ginger48 Member Posts: 1,437
    edited February 2012

    Yay, Eema! So glad to hear your good news.

    ILUV- nice to see you here. I think it is true that we will always be watched...I guess it is better than no one keeping an eye out for us. I hope the pain goes away soon.

    Rachel- hope you are still feeling good after tx #4.

  • CookieMonster
    CookieMonster Member Posts: 90
    edited February 2012

    Yay for good news Eema!

    Thanks for checking in everyone!

    I just took my 1st Tamoxifen pill about an hour ago. I hope for few to no SE's but we'll see. I almost feel more nervous about this than I was about some of my other treatments - which is odd, this is just a little pill. But the possible SE's and required follow up seem daunting. We'll see how it goes, I suppose.

    We spent the weekend at a soccer tournament and I noticed that I barely thought about it, nor did I notice it. My UMX was Dec. 15 and this was truly the first time that I really didn't think about my BC and recovery from the UMX. At dinner on Saturday a parent mentioned someone who had lost his wife to BC (just in passing in a story she was telling) and I realized that I hadn't thought about BC that weekend. Maybe some normalcy is returning to my life? That would be nice.

    Take care all!

  • rachelvk
    rachelvk Member Posts: 564
    edited February 2012

    cookiemonster - congratulations on starting to see that normalcy! I've had one or two days or periods like that, and I'm sure we'll all have them more often. I hope you handle the Tamoxifen well.

    iluv2knit - Yes, I guess we're all carrying things like that on our records. But I guess if nothing else, at least we have extra sets of eyes watching for things like that. I hope you can get some relief for your back.

    eema - So glad for the news.

    #4 is definitely harder than the last one, but this time I expected it and have tried to take it easier early on. So hopefully I won't be blindsided in the next few days like I was last time. Just wish my fingers on my left hand weren't starting to feel funky; I really, really didn't want do deal with neuropathy, of all the possible SEs. I haven't thrown up once, and I'd gladly clutch the toilet if it meant my fingers went unscathed. (Remind me I said that if indeed things change....)

    Two more.... ugh. But I know I have to handle it. 

  • Kelleyod
    Kelleyod Member Posts: 125
    edited February 2012

    Hi guys. . .

     compelled to check in on this lovely Monday evening.  . . .

    EEEEMMMAAA - rock on!   Just great news . . .I am VERY happy for you. . .this is the first step!   you go girl!

    ILuv - excellent story . . .thanks for reminding us that normal happens!   I felt distinctly normal in January in the three weeks I worked prior to PMX 1/31 . . .  I am holding on to that in my heart, hoping it will come back. . . .  

    Cookie - I so empathize with you . . .I am not yet "there" with strategy on next steps to know if Tamox is in my future but  this is one I reason (of many) I did the PMX --- to avoid the drugs and SEs.    You are on my prayer list - keep the faith and here's to a boring time on this drug. . . .  hang in there. . .

    Rachel - You take it one step at a time.   My sis in law did quite the round with chemo (she was closer to your diagnosis) and any neuropathy she had faded nicely.   So keep the faith . . . your strength is one I'll be laying into if it's in my future.  

    Ginger - how are you doing?

    I'm hanging in there ready for Friday's scans . . .   get more details underway to know where I am headed and get it on.   I did make contact with Cleveland Clinic for some further conversation on treatment vis a vis my  crazy genetic syndrome (PTEN).  Hoping to get up there in next week or two. . . .so. . .   good to have that resource happening.

     Hope you all are gearing up for a great, positive, healing week!

    Gentle hugs -

    Kelleyod

  • slgarcia05
    slgarcia05 Member Posts: 154
    edited February 2012

    Hey Rachel.  I have treatment #5 tomorrow.  Treatment #4 landed me in the hospital, so I am very nervous about tomorrow.  I have really tried to hydrate better, and know I have done a better job, but not sure if I have done enough.  I have pain in all of my fingertips, and my fingernails are hurting very much.  They also look funny.  I understand how you feel.  Hang in there!  I will be thinking of you.  Hugs to you!

  • rachelvk
    rachelvk Member Posts: 564
    edited February 2012

    Sigarcia - I'll think of you tomorrow! Hang in there. Have  you looked into some of the supplements for neuropathy, or iced your fingers? I'm doing b-complex, but my MO asked me not to take acetyl-L-glutamine, even though I've seen some research suggesting it might help. Take care of yourself.

  • iLUV2knit
    iLUV2knit Member Posts: 65
    edited February 2012

    I just was throughly entertained by reading Eema's blog site....wow...talent that is funny, and also shares in 'our' experiences!!  I think that perhaps a new title for a blog segment should be "Cancer is not a planet".  My friend recently told me that she (had lump/rads, and declined the suggested chemo) that "cancer is not a planet she is living on".  My friend, smokes, drinks and generally is in self destruct mode.  For most of us that are not in LaLa Land, cancer IS the planet we will live on for the rest of our lives.  I would rather be empowered by cancer, than depleted by it. 

    I have changed my ways of eating --lots of servings of healthy, green, plant parts called, broccoli, kale, brussel sprouts, spinach...and lots of servings of fruits that used to be the 'dessert feature' when we stayed at Grandma's house when we were little.  "Grandma, what is for dessert if we eat all our supper?"....Grandma: "oh a nice piece of fruit".....LOL 

    what changes have others made to help with the Cancer Planet??  Thought it may help to share a few ideas. 

    Thanks again, to Eema for the wonderful blogging!!  

  • iLUV2knit
    iLUV2knit Member Posts: 65
    edited February 2012

    I just was throughly entertained by reading Eema's blog site....wow...talent that is funny, and also shares in 'our' experiences!!  I think that perhaps a new title for a blog segment should be "Cancer is not a planet".  My friend recently told me that she (had lump/rads, and declined the suggested chemo) that "cancer is not a planet she is living on".  My friend, smokes, drinks and generally is in self destruct mode.  For most of us that are not in LaLa Land, cancer IS the planet we will live on for the rest of our lives.  I would rather be empowered by cancer, than depleted by it. 

    I have changed my ways of eating --lots of servings of healthy, green, plant parts called, broccoli, kale, brussel sprouts, spinach...and lots of servings of fruits that used to be the 'dessert feature' when we stayed at Grandma's house when we were little.  "Grandma, what is for dessert if we eat all our supper?"....Grandma: "oh a nice piece of fruit".....LOL 

    what changes have others made to help with the Cancer Planet??  Thought it may help to share a few ideas. 

    Thanks again, to Eema for the wonderful blogging!!  

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