Canadians in British Columbia
Comments
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Marian Jan 9th works great for me..the odds my husband will surprise me with a tropical holiday for Christmas are almost nil. Like really nil lol so I will be there with bells on.
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marian I may be able to make it this time lol if the date is set for Jan 9 I will request a vacation day from work just wish I had weekends off to be able to attend things
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Hi Koshka,
I leave in about 20 minutes to go see my doctor. I called yesterday and the results had not arrived so hopefully they are there now. She still wanted me to go to see her today as she will be away for a week and wants to see how I'm doing after the surgery.
Keep you posted.
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Anamerty I looked for you today~~the lines were fast but it was nuts inside! It will be January 9 as it seems that most people can make it that day. It would be great if you could get the day off and come and join us! I am sending you at PM.
GoldieOne1, keep us posted and am hoping she had the results. My BS only got my results the morning of my appt.
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Hi Marian,
Same as you, she got the results the same day, so that was a relief. Well, very good news. They took out 4 nodes and they were all negative. The margins all around were negative too, except there are a few cancer cells at the base, where the lump was sitting, close to the muscle. She explained to me that these cancer cells that remain are non-invasive so there will not be a possibility of them infecting the muscle and there is no need to go back in again and scrape them off. She has referred me to the BCCA and an oncologist will be in touch with me for an appointment to start radiation. I think these are the best news that I could have had.
Not sure when I will be starting radiation but she thought that most likely it will in the new year, so I think for sure I will be able to attend the pot luck on January 9. Just let me know the details once you have them.
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Goldieone1, good news indeed. PM me about the radiation oncologist~~you should have a choice and if I had not been so stressed my first appt. with my RO, I would never have stayed with him. So glad we will have a chance to meet you.
Marian
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Goldieone1: You must be very relieved that the nodes and margins are negative. I must admit that I am a bit confused about the non-invasive remaining cancer cells at the base, does it mean that this side of the margin is not clear? Does non-invasive mean there are DCIS cells? Sorry for my questions as I had a margin issue that took a while to sort out.Still can not see your DX. Take care!
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Hi BeachLife,
Thanks for your question. It is fine to ask and I appreciate that because it also makes me understand more about this issue. I just listened to the recording that we made of the appointment and she was saying that the deep margin is pre-cancerous. Pre-cancer doesn't grow into anything and that basically at the moment I am cancer free. The radiation will help me get rid of any cancer or pre-cancer cells in my breast. Hope this helps.
I haven't added my diagnosis yet. I was waiting until I got the results to add them. I'll try to figure out how to do that in a bit. Take care and can't wait to meet you all on the 9th!
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Doldie, It is good that you seem comfortable with your surgeon's explanation. I don't know about pre-cancer cell behaviours, and it sounds like they are counting on RO to deal with that. I have been advised by all the "veterans" (esp. in the States) that always get a second or even third option even though it is not as easy here with our healthcare system as in the States. I found (through a naturopath) a clinical prof. and med. oncologist who does that in Vancouver. I am in no way to alarm you, but to me to learn before is often better than after. You can PM me if you are interested in the contact info. It is also covered by MSP with a referral from your GP. Take care!
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4 years cancer free
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Ossa: Congrats! Enjoy!
I will say that in 4 years! Take care!0 -
Yay Ossa!
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beachlife
we will be here to celebrate your four years with you
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Marian reading through the thread most woman thankfully are beating cancer that warms my heart. I on the other hand am stage four so I may feel a bit awkward doing the pink ribbon thing at your potluck. Thanks for the invite but I think I will bow out this time. It's a balancing act I'm happy for all of you but my situation is different. Wishing you all the best hugs to all.
Wendy
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Wendy3 have you seen this? 18 months -->18 years. Take care!
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BeachLife, Thank you so much for your concern. The reason I'm comfortable with that diagnosis is because I was reading in this website above non-invasive cells and here is the definition that I found: Non-invasive cancers stay within the milk ducts or lobules in the breast. They do not grow into or invade normal tissues within or beyond the breast. Non-invasive cancers are sometimes called carcinoma in situ ("in the same place") or pre-cancers.
So because of this I am bit more comfortable. Also, would the oncologist provide for a second opinion? I will PM you shortly requesting that information that you mention about that oncologist for a second opinion. Thank you so much for your messages, they mean a lot to me and make me do more research on the topic.
Wendy3. Too bad that I won't get to meet you on January 9. It would have been nice to chat with you. I hope to be able to meet you at other opportunity. Take care!!
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Wendy3 Please reconsider joining us, we are there to support each other no matter what stage we are
We have a few stage 4's in our little group as well.
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Wendy, I'm also a stage 4'er, mine spread to my bones...but since I am spending a lot of time in Palm Springs this winter, I won't be able to make the potluck😔. I find the warm weather really helps me with my bone/joint pain...
However I went last year and I met a bunch of great ladies!!! I don't think the different stages really made a difference, although last year I was considered Stage 3. I did feel a bond with them, and though everyone's story is different, we all had a common denominator.
Hope you'll reconsider...
Carrie.
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Wendy3, there have never been any pink ribbon rah rahs at the previous get-togethers. As you can see above there are Stage 4 women who have come. It is more of a chance to spend time with other women who have many shared experiences. I actually don't consider myself cancer free~~NED or no evidence of disease is the best I have for now. Also I have never liked the breast cancer warrior term nor do I consider myself a survivor. But I really do enjoy spending time with breast cancer women as it is not often we have the chance for face to face time. Yesterday I got to spend several hours with a buddy I met first on BCO chemo Sept. 2012. 15 of us on that thread met in Vegas in 2013 and we still share. She and her young family (she was diagnosed while breast feeding her youngest) had a layover in Vancouver yesterday. We are decades apart in age but share so much.
Long winded but I too hope you change your mind and come on January 9!
Marian
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Hi ladies,
I have a quick question and I hope you might be able to help me with this. Do you remember when you had your surgery, did the area where you had the sentinel nodes removed hurt you or bug you? I have this constant discomfort. It is not too painful but it just bothers me all the time. The clothes rubbing into it, the skin from my arm rubbing into it. I can't pin point exactly what it is but it is there a bit of a not a good feeling. The other scar where they took the lump is fine, that doesn't bother me at all.
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Marian and all you other sweet ladies are very kind. I have my emotional ups and downs and I think the day I posted not coming was a very down day. I had as well the previous evening met a friend of a good friend of mine who was visiting from out of town this woman had had stage one cancer and was dancing around I'm cancer free and everything you are doing is wrong so I was pretty bummed. Wanted to find a hole and crawl in. I'm nervous about losing my cool and bawling my head off. Not very fun for everyone else. I wish you all a super weekend enjoy this marvellous weather we are having.
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Wendy3
I am glad to hear you are feeling better. Having cancer is very emotional, I still get emotional, don't know what brings it on, It has no rhyme nor reason. When I said I was 4 year cancer free I did not mean I was cured as we all know there is no cure... I have no evidence of disease (ned) I am going for my blood work today and seeing my Onc Dec 7. I stress every time I have to see my Onc. I have a lot of scar tissue and sometimes wonder "is it scar tissue or?")
Our group is not at all about "the pink thing" I did do the BC run twice with friends who had been diagnosed within a year of myself (4 of us) But we all decided the pink thing was to much, Feeling they were "sugarcoating" cancer. Breast cancer is not pink and fluffy, It is dark and grey. This group has been a great help for me, both here on the net as well as the times we have met in person.. These ladies have lifted me up many a time when I needed it. Only people who has gone through this truly understands Please let us be there for you, Hugs
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Thanks Wrenn, I guess I just have to be patient with this. It is so good to have a support group like this supporting and helping each other.
Wendy3, I'm really hopeful that I would get to meet you on the 9th. It is a very emotional lives that we are living now and together we have a lot of support. I'm new to this group and don't have much experience with all this but you guys have made it special for me and giving me hope. I hope I could do the same for you one day.
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Had a call from a friend of a friend today who is going thru chemo I invited her to our potluck on January 9. I hope she can make it as she will be in the middle of Herceptin and taxotere? treatments. I am saddened by how many new ladies are joining us, bit I am glad they found us and are reaching out to us.
Have a great weekend everyone, enjoy the sunshine
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I'm no longer a west coaster, but was for 65 years. Now live in wine country, the south Okanagan. This is the first discussion board I have ever joined. I need the support. I have been going through the breast cancer mill for 9 months and am not doing too badly now that it's over, all things considered. Husband has stage 4 pancreatic cancer and just hasn't been able to "be there" for me.He remains in denial about his cancer and prognosis, as well. Last month's CT showed disease progression. Since he'd had a 7 week break from chemo, they are doing 2 more cycles, to be followed by a CT to determine if it was the break that caused the progression or he's no longer responding to treatment.
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DeltaLady welcome I'm so sorry your here and in this situation but these threads are a godsend. Wonderful ladies with tons of useful information, and when that's not required gentle support. I'm sorry your husband is ill I'm also newly diagnosed stage four MBC it's a hard one to deal with on a day to day basis I'm sure he is feeling overwhelmed . Funny I moved to Vancouver from the Okanagan we still have our house at Gardom lake everything changed. Is your husband in pain? This may be way off base but have you thought about medical marajuana? It may help your husband a great deal I have been using it for a few months now and I have to say I feel great. Sleep improved , appetite improved and my tumor is actually shrinking. Anyway I hope you are taking care of yourself and I wish you the best.
Wendy
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Hello Wendy,
Thank you for your good wishes, and right back at you. The emotional strain you're under must be overwhelming. My Med. Oncologist said we don't have to be guilty about feeling hard done by about our own situation when we know of other people who have it much worse, otherwise only the worst off person in the world would have the right to feel sorry for him or herself. So occasionally I wallow in it and then carry on. You are very gracious, considering your new diagnosis. My GP, whom I affectionately call Dr. Quack, (a story for another day), says he's constantly amazed by the grace with which his patients handle their disease.
Hubby is an 18 month survivor. He has no pain right now. Sure has chemo brain though.... Medical marijuana is probably on our list for the future when the pain comes back. Or whatever happens. I read something about hemp oil? I guess one of my frustrations is the total lack of communication. He just won't talk about it. Not about treatment options, his wishes, nothing. Denial has always been his coping method and although it works to a certain extent, it's been difficult to deal with during his illness.
DL
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DeltaLady I hear you but what if you could give him hope in surviving or at least living with the disease for a long time. I'm coping with my dx because I believe in what I'm doing to slow progression. Diet exercise and no sugar or red meat or achohol . Of course I use hemp oil as well and moreover CBD pills. People have cured themselves with this stuff. I know that may sound naive but I feel better now than when I was diagnosed. I go every morning to the gym for an hour. Get him to watch on YouTube "run for the cure" Rick Simpsons Pheonix tears it's an older documentary but interesting. Also Kris Carr crazy sexy cancer she has had liver and lunch cancer for 12 years and is thriving. He needs to get proactive also "the truth about cancer" it's pretty controversial but lots of good info. Get him some CBD capsules he won't get high they contain no THC. It's worth it believe me I know women in Vancouver who have vRious types of cancer and are shrinking it. I hope I didn't freak you out I'm fairly passionate about spreading the word. Also I want everyone to flip cancer the bird.
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Wendy3, weather changed today but I still got out for a walk. I hope that you have more good days than those scary hard ones that aren't helped by those who aren't always as perceptive as they could/should be. Saying that, I do hope you join us January 9.
DeltaLady, hoping we can provide some support. I suspect that you and I must be around the same age as have been a west coaster for 66 years not counting when we have lived abroad~~I am now 66! Same hormone receptors as you but I am on Anastrozole. Double whammy with your husband and his stage 4 and him unable to support you. Well, we are here to support you even via cyberspace. It took me a long time to allow myself to not feel guilty and especially when I have really had down times. Now I know that we have to allow ourselves as individuals to feel and do whatever it is when needed. Hmm, that sounds weird but hope you get the picture.
As for diet and alcohol, I use moderation and have fun. Exercise, well that one for me has got me through this. I led two 10 day treks in Nepal in 2014 as my reward for finishing all the chemo, rads and surgeries. That was what I did pre BC and it was important. I just led a trek in Bhutan this fall and wow was it challenging! But I think that is what makes me happiest~~planning and doing. Have to say that the anti-depressants I started in July and have now got on a lower balanced dosage, that life is pretty good. I still think that the AI I am on created my depression and anxiety but until I stop the AI I will not know. With a 47% chance of recurrence without it, I have no problem taking Venlafaxine!
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Marian I am so touched by your comments and kindness I would be honoured to come to your potluck. Thank you for your kindness. Yes I just took my dog for a gloriously long walk into Stanley park found beaver lake and fed all the critters I love the forest.
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