Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!
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My radiated breast at first got much bigger. Now it’s back down to where it was before surgery (slightly smaller than the other, but actually rounder and perkier, and I’m back in my old bras). Right cup gets a tad wrinkled up top, but not so much that I need to pad it yet to even things out--for awhile the right one was so much bigger from the rad-enlarged seroma & fibrosis that my cleavage actually skewed to the left! Centered now.
Michelle, prayers for your mom, and good on your sister for insisting she be admitted. Judy, how wonderful for your friend that she made it through surgery & is on the mend! Hope she makes a full recovery. I lost a friend to an aortic dissection because he waited too long to call 911--drove to his GF’s house instead and told her he didn’t feel well. He bled out in the OR. Then there’s Jonathan Larson, who wrote “Rent” and died the day it was supposed to open on B’way because the idiots in the ER told him he had a tummy bug and sent him home--he had a ruptured AAA.
I sort of front-loaded my weekend: drove up to Madison, WI to do a concert (and our Badger drove all the way from Platteville to see us). At intermission, a vaguely-familiar-looking guy came up to me and asked for my autograph. I joked “sure, as long as it’s not at the bottom of a check.” He said, “no, I’d like you to sign your picture,” and from his backpack pulled out a copy of my high school yearbook! (Tilden ’67, back in Brooklyn). I gasped! He was a classmate (back then, he had glasses and more hair) whom I hadn’t e-mailed since he was trying to put together a reunion 20 yrs. ago. Striking parallels: we are both retired lawyers (he switched to social work and is now a professor at UW), use fountain pens and play mountain dulcimer!
Didn’t get home till 3:30 am (my singing partner & I had late dinner, as is our post-show custom) due to seemingly endless road construction on both sides of the state line, and rain that hit shortly after I crossed over into IL. Turned in a few minutes before 4 am and slept till 10:30. Just hanging out--may go out to replenish some veggies and printer cartridges. Tomorrow, a friend is throwing a birthday bash to celebrate his 65th--he will be serving his home-brewed ales (he’s a really good brewer) and guitars will be passed around. He lives about a mile north, in southern Rogers (No)Park--so to avoid that problem as well as drink a bit, I’ll likely Uber it up there. (Seems crazy to walk 4 bl. to the CTA, take it one stop, then walk another 3 bl.).
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Sandy, how fun to run into your classmate! The world does get small, doesn't it? Are you having a 50th h.s. class reunion next year? Glad you got home safe and sound if a bit late. Smart to use Uber! Why use CTA and have to do all that walking? Ugh.
HUGS!
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I had both breast remove,tissue.a double mastotomy had a tumor on left breast I just had reconstruction done booth breast put inplants in may 05 now I'm feeling a large mass under my left breast where I had my tumor I'm hoping it's scar tissue don't have appt, yet for scan and Altro sound feeling worried
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We're kicking around the notion of a 50th reunion--the 40th was cancelled, and the “all-years" reunions tend to attract only the most recent grads--who are of a very different demographic--because the school became "majority-minority" long ago and most of the still-living alumni prefer holding the event at the type of nightclubs (with the style of entertainment) that few people over 40 tend to frequent. (I'm tiptoeing very delicately around the obvious--this was a high school in the heart of urban Brooklyn). And the school closed more than five years ago because it was deemed “underperforming." Not sure if the building even exists any more--my mom was in its first graduating class, 1937 and I followed 30 years later. We were even “secretaries" to the same teacher!
Few of the class of '67 live in Brooklyn any more--we're scattered to the winds, but the winds carried more of us to SE Florida than to anywhere else.
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I am glad all of you are doing well. Did any of you watch thr lunar eclipse on the Harvest Moon Friday night.
I am back in the hospital. WBC was zero. Had chill and a fever of 38.8C . I was admitted, but there is no bed in Oncology, so I am still stuck in the Emergency department. Still running a low grade fever and taking two different antibiotics . Ya'll have fun for me too
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Mariae, Welcome! I'm sorry that you're so scared. I understand. Please get that scan as soon as possible! Not knowing is worse than whatever they find. Once you know what it is, then you can start treatment or quit worrying. Where are you located? If you can, please fill out your profile and make it public. Others will be able to answer your questions better than I can.
HUGS!
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Sandy, in a way your high school sounds like mine. I graduated in 1963 and my city and school were well integrated. Considering how divided the country is now, things were different then. For most of us, color didn't matter much, we were Chiefs! And stood shoulder to shoulder defending our school's honor on the football field or basketball court against our crosstown rival that was not integrated. My class is still that way. Many of us still lived in the area though most had fled to warmer climes with retirement. My sons graduated from the same high school and had some of the same teachers I did. They graduated in 87 and 90. My youngest son went to his 20th reunion and their class was tight as ever. By the time he graduated the school and city had changed, too, but the spirit was still strong. All of us were lucky that race was never a determining factor in friendship. My school is no longer a school. But we are a very committed group of alumni and we are all still Chiefs first. Whether I will be able to attend another reunion, I don't know. I think with large schools and large classes multi-year reunions don't work as well though some classes have combined 2 or 3 years and that has gone well.
HUGS!
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ElizabethAM, was this your third round of chemo? I hope that you get stronger and can finish this up. Do you have one round left to go? My radiologist cautioned me about jumping on the chemo bandwagon without weight risks and benefits. Would you do anything different after this experience?
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On an adventure this evening. Some new friends who are originally from India have invited us over for dinner. Looking forward to a new cuisine! Charming couple...married 46 years after an arranged marriage. He retired from a career as a Futurist. Should be an interesting evening!
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mariea, welcome and sorry you are having to worry about a possible recurrence. You may want to start a thread in Not Diagnosed Worried about a Recurrence forum for more support.
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I am home all weekend taking care of my DS who is very sick.
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Molly, what does your DS have?
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Michelle, he probably has pneumonia. Since he's special needs and on hospice we don't usually do chest x-rays. We just go by symptoms. He's respirations are very high, fevers, on a lot of oxygen. We started antibiotics yesterday. Hopefully he'll feel better by tomorrow.
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Sue, your evening DOES sound like an adventure. Have a good time.
Molly, I'm sorry your DS is so sick. Wish I could do something to help you. My prayers are with you. And sending lots of hugs, too.
HUGS!
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Hi all! Happy weekend. Went for nice walk this am at local mountainous trail. DH has had some vertigo for a couple days so thought we'd keep things low key this weekend. I had some stomach issues last week for our anniversary and my birthday so hoping we both feel well next weekend and can enjoy a night out. Mom is not doing well either so it keeps us nearby.
Only 6 more rad appts! Doing the boosts now. Although breast is still quite swollen and skin is several shades darker, rough and thick, managing well. I saw MO last week. I was surprised he told me he pretty much was leaving the Tamoxifen decision up to me. We talked about pros and cons and decided to try it and if SEs are tolerable I'll stay on it and if not then I'll stop. I'll start it about 2 weeks after ending rads. I felt good about it until I picked up meds a few days ago. Literature that came with Tamoxifen was written for patients with "high risk diagnosis or DCIS only" and really cautioned patients that possible SEs may outweigh benefit for anything less than invasive cancers and should be carefully decided. Now I'm left wondering if I should take that risk... Don't have to worry about uterine cancer as I've had a hysterectomy. Am worried about stroke or blood clots. No personal high risks except my dad had several debilitating strokes but was a heavy smoker, drinker and meat and potato eater everyday. Mom's had TIAs but was a heavy drinker too. I'm not any of above, in good health and exercise regularly.
Any thoughts?
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Molly...sending healing mercies to your son and thinking of you and your family. Take care of you while taking care of your precious DS if you can. Hugs!
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Molly, hopefully he will get over this bout of pneumonia. I did not realize that you had a DS in hospice. My heart really goes out to you. Both of my sisters work with special needs individuals, one in a school setting another in a community setting.
Beezbabboob, I would look at the statistics and see if the benefits outweigh the risks. With a 2cm, grade 2, I would probably try and see how I did on the medication. I don't know if you are a candidate for the Oncotype DX test, but it can provide valuable information about future probabilities.
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Molly, I’ll say a Mi Sheberach for Wyatt--hugs to you both. Beeb, if my tumor was DCIS and not IDC and my MO told me endocrine therapy was “optional,” I would not have exercised that “option.” Adjuvant therapy is to address remaining tumor cells, and with a fully-removed grade 1 or 2 DCIS it is unlikely anything would have escaped the duct. Though many women experience no serious SEs, it’s a quality of life issue--and besides the usual stuff like hot flashes and weight gain, tamoxifen can increase the likelihood of endometrial cancer (or retroperitoneal if you no longer have a uterus), blood clots and cataracts (or accelerated ripening of those you already have). If you have had any clotting or vein problems such as DVT or severe varicose veins, and if you are already at elevated risk for ischemic stroke (or have a family history of it). I would pass on it unless your MO says it’s necessary. If you are also on an antidepressant that works well for you but is contraindicated with tamoxifen (e.g., bupropion), you would have to switch antidepressants and it could take several weeks before a new safe one may take effect. Believe me, if tomorrow a test were developed that could predict how well endocrine therapy (in my case, an AI) would work for me, and could precisely predict that it would not extend my life, I wouldn’t be so willing to take the letrozole that I must for the next 5-10 yrs. I would love to get my old metabolism, libido and good blood lipid levels back, as well as fewer & milder neck sweats, joint pains, trigger thumbs, and softer moister skin. At 64 I looked and felt 54; at 65, I look at least 60, and closer to 65 and feel like 75. If that means I’ll live till at least 85, I’ll take it. But if I feel like 100 at 80? Well, tough call.
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Thank you ladies. I truly appreciate your prayers and good wishes. My DS is a very special guy. He turned 18 this year and has lasted far longer than anyone predicted. He's a sweet guy and everyone who meets him falls in love.
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Ditto to what Sandy said about Ai's except I am on Arimidex. Wish I had a crystal ball! But, am Her 2 pos AND grade 3 so no playing around. Have to throw everything at it I can but damn...the SE's. The Teva brand Arimidex has been MUCH better but, still...not what I once was...haha.
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Mollly, prayers for a speedy recovery for your DSYou are so inspiring and amazing!
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Beeb, I'm on Teva's Arimidex and haven't had any problems. No weight gain. No nothing. But Tamoxifen is different. It's really hard to know what to do, isn't it? You don't want the BC to come back and you don't want to take meds if they aren't really needed. ARGH! Good luck with your decision.
HUGS!
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Thx Michelle, Sandy and HH. Your opinions and information are so valuable to me. Just so scared of making wrong choice. Agree with both sides which makes things so difficult. Can't undo SEs of stroke and cancer though! Tamoxifen's 50 % reduction in chance of reoccurrence after rads comes out to about 7%. But it also cuts chance of new bc in either breast by 50%. Grrr...have to do some more reading and contemplating.
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Beezbabboob, There are probably studies out there comparing taking SERM to not taking serms for early diagnosed breast cancer. As for radiation, there was a landmark study over a 10 year period, that compared getting radiation after a lumpectomy to not getting radiation after a lumpectomy. Now radiation is the gold standard for early diagnosed breast cancer.
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Thanks Peggy. It is hard. And I have the easiest version! But I am so appreciative of all the input
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Prayers for you and your son, Molly. I know you all have been through a lot. I pray he has an easy night so you all can get a little sleep.
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Hi all: I have not had a chance to check this site for so many weeks. I have been working such long days and I have to get up at 4:45am for work. I have not been getting home from work until approximately 7:30pm. When I get home, I am making it a priority to walk. I have been walking 5 miles per day after work.
Therefore, I have not had the time to visit the BCO website. I miss you guys. I have not read any of your posts. Sorry. I will try to catch up but I don't know if I will have the time to read all of the previous posts. I will just start again from today and look to the future. I hope that everyone is doing well. I am sending hugs to everyone.0 -
614, what an awful schedule! Good for you getting in your walking. Bet you feel better. Take care!
Beeb, sure would be nice if BC treatments were straightforward: do this and this and this and all will be fine.
HUGS!
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Molly -- thinking of you and your son
Michelle -- to answer you question. I am her2 positive. I need to take the Herceptin for this item. In Canada the protocol is to do Chemo and then Herceptin. So there was really was not much of a choice about it. If I had been her2 negative the story would be different. Yes this was round 3 of the AC portion of my chemo, so I have one more round of AC and then 4 rounds of Tamoxifen
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Elizabeth, I remembered about your Her2 status after I posted that. Sorry. You are a champion and you will get through this. Feel better soon!!
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