2013 Sister Warriors
Comments
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Cuetang- so glad to hear that you are in good spirits and good shape after such a big surgery!
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((HUGS)) Cuetang! Sounds like so far so good, I am so glad your happy. Enjoy that recliner! xo
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Cuetang - enjoy recliner time...well deserved warrior sister. Praying for speedy healing good reports restful nights & sunny days ahead. Soft healing (((hugs))). Take care:)
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You're amazing Cuetang!
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Cuetang,
Very happy to hear you are doing fine after the surgery. Wishing you a speedy recovery!
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Hello ladies. Today I guess I feel a little better than last week. But I have dr appointment tomorrow to check my white count. Hopefully I feel better and better as it goes along. I really can't describe how I felt or feel. Strange like its not me in my body. Just want this over so I can feel me again if I ever do. Pain is kept at bay with pain meds. Please bring out all our warrior defense items at full force. I wanna win this but it's hard
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Kimberly Im having the same thing...glad to know I have company in my misery. Had the immune booster yesterday and thought I was dying last night. Thank goodness I had pain pills left over. Hope you and I lol get to feeling better soon. Had no idea it would be this hard.
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Kimberly and Starynights- so sorry you are having a rough time. It must be a down week for the warrior sisters as I'm having a rough one too. I had my second TC treatment on Friday. I didn't have an allergic reaction the first time, but did this time. Came on quick, flushing, heavy chest, tunnel vision. They stopped the infusion, gave me some benadryl and more decadron and I was Ok in about 15 minutes, Then they restarted the infusion slowly. My MO said I'd have more fatigue with this round and man, she was right. I just want to lay around or sleep. Night before last I woke up not feeling good and remember heading to the bathroom. Next thing I know, I woke up on the floor. I must have passed out. Hit my head on something as I have 3 small cuts over my left eye. Note to self: when you are weak and tired, get up slowly!
Now I understand what you mean when you say you are a stranger in your own body, Kimberly. The fall made me feel pretty out of control of my own body. I hate feeling tired, weak and out of it. I keep trying to tell myself that its half way over as I have 2 out of 4 chemos done, but some days its hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
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"Ouch" to all going through the first steps of chemo suckage and its side effects!
. Hang in there gals!0 -
I just saw the responses to my post. I wasn't sure how to find them. I was diagnised after I went for my mammogram and they saw something in the images. I was very lucky. After the double mastectomy the pathology showed that what they thought was DCIS and IDC was actually both IDC. I was given a choice to have a lumpectomy and I would have had to go back and do mastectomy. My cancer was HER2 + so I have started chemo and have one down and five to go.
I hate being at home but I tell you it is hard to work when I have suprise diarreah everyday. I just started a really good probiotic with my doctors approval and I hope that helps. Dr. told me that they gave me to strong a dose my first round and will be lowering it.0 -
TMM60 I am so sorry to hear about your fall and passing out. That is awful but I can see how that could happen. I am going to be extra careful. I sure hope there are no more allergic reactions for anyone!!! It is hard enough with out all the extra side effects!
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Adavisart: Click on the Add to My Favorite Topics link at top or bottom of the page. When someone posts to this thread, you'll get a notification. (Really only way to keep track of topics/groups you are interested/participating in.
TMM60: Wow, what an episode! Hope you're doing OK and that you don't experience anything like that again.
Kimberly and StarynightS: Hang in there, and hope you're feeling better soon.
I got good news: BS went over my path report today. No need for more surgery or radiation. He said he would go through my report one more time with the pathologist to be sure (OK, sounds like a guy who didn't do his homework...), but he's confident that we're past this part. Ordered oconotype testing and I am set for a meeting with him and oncologist in three weeks. Said test results would factor into the decision. Got the sense he's leaning toward chemo. What is to be, will be. I'm just going to let it all go and focus on getting back to my life in the interim. My energy is great, and it's nice to get back to my old routine.
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Renee~That's awesome news!!! I'm so glad you won't need additional surgery!
I have 2 Taxols under my belt. So far, no nail issues, just loss of tastebuds for a couple days, and fatigue. I guess I just need to learn to work through it. As a wise woman once said.......The Only Way Through The Chemo Valley Is Through The Chemo Valley!!!
Blessings
Paula0 -
ReneeinOH-- good to hear the news on your path report and no more surgery or radiation! I think you mentioned previously you thought there were two lumps, was that the case?
I got a preliminary path report over the phone from the nurse navigator and won't meet the BS until another two weeks. Turns out my choice to have the prophylactic surgery was correct. They found a patch of DCIS on that side...so I would've been dealing with another round of cancer down the line. Regardless, I'm going to be waiting for the oncotype test as well.
TMM60-- hope your eye isn't hurt too badly from the fall!0 -
Wow Cuetang, good decision. Did you get an MRI/other screening of the "healthy" breast (and found it to be clear?).
I learned a lumpectomy wasn't an option after all. Feels good to hear, since I turned down the option to be biopsied more (opted for mastectomy right away). I didn't ask about the second lump (if that was cancer). Hard for me to read the path report and understand the details (medical-speak)...that mastectomy was positive for cancer, described as multi-focal--not sure if what I felt ended up being one of the positive cancer findings. It listed three tumor sizes: 1.1 cm; 0.7 cm; 0.6 cm.
I just realized my BS didn't tell me what stage I am at. I have to think Stage 1, given my tumor size (1.1 cm) and no node involvement. Learned from my path report that my tumor grade went from grade 1 to grade 2.
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Renee- sounds like good decisions on both our ends. Three different spots, wow! I wiuld tend to agree with what you think staging is for you as well. I had additional screenings, which included the MRI and biopsy that showed it being clear. I guess we are both again in the "wait" mode.
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That makes me a bit nervous (for me) Cuetang. All my screenings (mammo, MRI, physical check) came clear for my right breast. I do trust my BS, so I'm not going to worry about something that should not be there.
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Hi,
I just returned from my first visit with MO after my breast surgeon sent me for a CT and bone scan after a lumpectomy with 3/4 positive nodes.
I will be getting my port placed and my first chemo treatment on 3/22/13. In the mean time, I have to get a uterine ultrasound and a CAT scan because my CT scan showed a larger than normal uterus and 1 larger than normal adrenal gland.
I was relieved when my bone scan can up negative, but now am very concerned about the uterine and adrenal complication. Especially since my MO said that a grade 1 tumor showing in the lymph nodes was somewhat unusual. Did anyone else have similar findings?
Denise51
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Reneeinoh-- I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you or anyone reading this. We are all so different. I looked over my MRI again and realized there was a second spot that they listed as a possible fibroadenoma which the BS could not locate on ultrasound and didn't biopsy. I'm guessing that was the trouble spot. I'll sorry folks I'll keep some of these thoughts to myself because I realize we all are wondering and lots of what ifs on out bc path. This case only pertains to me and my choice in the type of journey.
. My sincerest apologies!0 -
Cuetang and Renee, glad for your good news, but sorry you are back in wait mode. Here's to hoping for low Oncotype numbers for you both.
Adavisart- sorry about your diarrhea- no fun at all. I haven't had it, but do have constipation and have to stay on top of it with senokot-S and loads of fluids. I try to exercise a bit every day as well, but the northeast weather hasn't made that too easy- pouring rain today!
Paula- you are so right to quote our sister who told us that the 'Only way out of Chemo Valley is through Chemo Valley'. Yea, though I walk through chemo valley, I shall remember that I am half way out and I'm looking forward to a nice vacataion and super spa day with friends when this is all over. Having something nice to look forward to makes it bearable!
Denise51- so sorry that you are getting ready to take your first step into Chemo Valley. What type of chemo will you be getting? Sure hope the uterine and adrenal finding turns out to be no big deal.
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Paula, you are truly a chemo warrior--keep it up!
No worries Cuetang. We're all just trying to figure this out. Bottom line we need to talk to our experts if we have any concerns about our dx and tx, and be comfortable with the direction we are going with our own care.
So sorry you got that news Denise. Might be worth starting a new thread (as well) with your question (if you haven't done so already). At some level, it has to happen (people with grade one tumors showing up in lymph nodes), or it wouldn't be protocol to do a node biopsy w/every lumpectomy and mastectomy. And your grade didn't change from original dx? (Mine did--went from grade 1 to grade 2.)
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Hi Renee,
Did not sleep last night, overwhelmed by the CT scan results - MO did not say if the tumor had been upgraded and I wan not togehter enough to ask.
Good point about the protocol and starting a new thread.
Denise51
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From seeing my spelling on that last post it seems that I still do not have it all together.
Denise51
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It's a lot to take in Denise. You'll get this figured out. (And spell better on future posts
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Well, hi ladies. I join this esteemed 2013 group with a diagnosis on 1/22/13 of IDC. Appreciate the conversation about puzzle pieces. I'm ER+/PR+, HER2-, 1.2cm, ancotype 19, and there's probably more I'm leaving out. Lumpectomy in February followed by another due to poor margins. The lab results picked up a couple of in situ cancers they didn't see on mammogams. Great! Has anyone had their film looked at again, searching for in situ locations? Hope I'm done with the surgery part; now see my oncologist Friday to see the treatment course he'll recommend. Wondering why there's no talk of MRI or baseline bone density before I embark on radiation and hormone therapy? Guess the Atlas Study just completed has said that women who complete 10 years of AIs less likely to have recurrence than those taking for 5 years. Wow, 10 years of meds makes me nervous.
Cheers and positive thoughts to all of us.......
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ReneeinOH,
May I ask you why you chose a mastectomy over lumpectomy? My diagnosis, stats, grade, size so similar to you - now I'm second guessing my choice?
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Pamalams- Welcome warrior & sorry that it took two attempts to get clear margins. I was told that it is not uncommon for a good BS to go back after margins so I was prepared. But still ugh
My tx has followed lumpx with BS sending me on to MO who discussed plan & bone density test, then sent me on to RO. RO requested another MRI (there were areas of discussion) got signed off by team and will start rads this week. Nervous my allergies are acting up and I'm miserable sneezing runny noise how do you hold still during laser tag?
The three work well together ... Require HT after rads but we will discuss options. I'm not keen on meds ... We will see
You can go to your profile page and add your dx&tx...
Keeping the positive thoughts flowing...
Cindy0 -
Cuetang & Renee - Happy Dancing for you
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Densise - Sorry about your news((. Hope you get a good nights sleep tonight...sending calming positive thoughts ((hugs))
Warriors we've come so far...keep fighting!0 -
pamalams: glad to share. I chose mastectomy because in addition to the lump that was found, I had five microcalcification clusters on my mammogram (and maybe some additional sites showed up at MRI?), and I just wasn't willing to go through an additional biopsy (or more). Honestly, I felt my breast was "contaminated" and thought it should go. My surgeon wanted to biopsy/keep the lumpectomy on the table, but after I asked him, even if all those sites came back benign, I'd be concerned, what do you think. He said I would be concerned and watching those areas very closely, so he agreed to a mastectomy. That plus two surgeons (him, who I chose to deal w/my cancer, and another, who I started this process with), both were highly suspicious that another area would show up cancerous or DCIS, which would just confirm need for mastectomy.
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I'll never forget that day in late October, one week after mastectomy. I went to see the BS to get a drain removed and go over path report. They thought I had a 1.5 cm tumor with several tiny ones. It turned out to be one tumor...5.6 cm. and 13/16 positive nodes. I was stunned. I don't think I spoke to DH all the way home. I was in a daze all evening.
Stage IIIc.
I posted on one thread that day. A wonderful lady from BCO, who has since become my long distance friend, ( we talk on the phone for 2 hours each week.) knew I was getting results that day. She started searching the threads to see if I had posted that day. After reading my results, she sent me a pm. She gave me an awesome pep talk. Told me that her aunt had my exact same diagnosis, same number of positive nodes, same size tumor 20 years ago. She is still alive living life to the fullest.
I really looked at things differently after that. When you're stage 3 they throw everything but the kitchen sink at you.
Blessings
Paula0
