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Stage 2 Sisters Club

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Comments

  • Molly50
    Molly50 Member Posts: 3,008
    edited February 2016

    Wonderful news, congratulations to you both.

  • NisaVilla
    NisaVilla Member Posts: 505
    edited February 2016
    Way to go MJ-kiddo! 👏👏👏👏 What a great feeling to pass an important exam at first try. Hope you mom helped him celebrate today. before a ride in Chicago in a limousine, I want a ride in your motorcycle. I have never ridden in one, so I am ready!

    For those of you avid readers, moms or teachers, there is a book I think you will enjoy reading if you haven't already. It's called "The Nurture Assumption: Why Children Turn Out the Way They Do" by Judith Rich Harris, a great author with a fabulous sense of humor who shook up the psychological academic world in 1998.
  • mjsgumbas
    mjsgumbas Member Posts: 323
    edited February 2016

    Well Nisa, you can do both in Chicago...imageMarty would gladly take you for a ride

  • logang
    logang Member Posts: 144
    edited February 2016

    Just joining the stage 2 sisters club. Hello everyone. I was just diagnosed on 1/8/16, so my journey has just begun. I love the support on this site!

  • PNY
    PNY Member Posts: 90
    edited February 2016

    Logang, Welcome, Hoping your recovery and journey go easily.

    Phyllis

  • logang
    logang Member Posts: 144
    edited February 2016

    Thank you Phyllis! I hope you are recovering nicely from your reconstruction!

  • NisaVilla
    NisaVilla Member Posts: 505
    edited February 2016
    Logang - First, a big welcome hug. I like that you got rid of those 31 little nodes. I wanted all mine gone but my surgeon ignored my request. Second, a reminder that the collective wisdom of this group agrees that the journey gets easier once you have a good action plan. So with surgery out of the way, what's next for you?

    MJ - OMG how cool is that! You look just like the happy person I imagine you to be. You tell Marty one day (yea summer day) I will happily accept a ride on his bike. I have never been on one! It wasn't on my bucket list but it is now 😊
  • Molly50
    Molly50 Member Posts: 3,008
    edited February 2016

    Welcome logang. I hope you are recovering well from your mx. That's a lot of nodes removed!

  • mdoc524
    mdoc524 Member Posts: 18
    edited February 2016

    Hello Stage 2 Sisters - hoping to jump in and join your club - been on BCO for about 9 months and just found this forum - glad I did!

    I am Stage 2 with Positive Lymph nodes - had BMX plus AC + T Chemo regimen and now just started Radiation - 34 treatments over 7 weeks...

    Hope all are well here and glad I found you!!

    Mary

  • Molly50
    Molly50 Member Posts: 3,008
    edited February 2016

    Hi Mary, I have seen you around. Nice to see you here.

  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 47,586
    edited February 2016

    Welcome, Mary!

  • logang
    logang Member Posts: 144
    edited February 2016

    My surgeon said he didn't feel comfortable leaving those lymph nodes because they didn't look right. He described them as rubbery. I believe that because my MRI described them as looking abnormal compared to the unaffected side. At least I can rest peacefully knowing that there were no signs of cancer in any of them!

    I am currently waiting on my oncotype dx results to determine the need for chemo. I will pursue the prophylactic left mastectomy in a few months and begin bilateral reconstruction at that surgery. I plan to go back to work for a bit prior to that. Hoping not to need the chemo. For those that pursued recon with expanders, how long were you out of work?

  • NisaVilla
    NisaVilla Member Posts: 505
    edited February 2016
    Mary - glad you found us! One more push and April 19 will be here, and then you will be able to put treatments behind you and start the new and exciting (not without bumps) road to recovery. We are here to walk with you so ask questions. We have amazingly helpful and well-informed sisters here. So sweet to have twins, are they identical?

    Logang - thanks for update, nice to hear . I did recon with expanders (hard and pointed things that could be considered weapons) simultaneously with bilateral mastectomy and took about 3 weeks to be ready for work again. I hope it is less for you.

    Sisters - Had CT-PET scan and by evening today I was celebrating not to have heard back, assuming that no news is good news. Except that I did hear from my Onco at 8:30pm and I am being sent for additional work. I might have cancer in my thyroid, how odd is that? PET showing a nodule with a lot of activity in that area. Wouldn't be ridiculous to have a new primary? At least this time I was not a false negative as I was in 2013. Thank you PET 😉 I am not looking forward to a biopsy and whatever comes but I am ready and will keep you posted. Somehow my wrinkles don't seem such a big problem tonight, lol. Hugs, Nisa
  • Molly50
    Molly50 Member Posts: 3,008
    edited February 2016

    (((Nisa))) I was just reading yesterday about a connection between breast and thyroid cancer. I will keep you in my prayers.

  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 47,586
    edited February 2016

    Nisa, hoping for nothing more to show up, but if it is thyroid cancer; know that it is one of the most curable of all cancers. One of my cousins had thyroid cancer a couple years ago, which is why I know a little about it. Treated correctly, the cure rate is extremely high (even at a more advanced stage; my cousin was diagnosed at Stage III, and the doctors were totally "We've got this. You will be fine." and she is!).

  • octogirl
    octogirl Member Posts: 2,434
    edited February 2016

    hugs Nisa (((((Nisa))))). Please do keep us posted. Hoping it is nothing, will be in your pocket...

    Octogirl

  • pboi
    pboi Member Posts: 148
    edited February 2016

    Nisa...saw your post about your thyroid nodule and thought I'd chime in. I had a PET during chemo last year, which incidentally discovered a nodule. Was diagnosed with stage 1 papillary thyroid cancer. Very thankful it is a very treatable cancer. I had a thyroidectomy, RAI therapy, and now take synthroid. Monitored with labs every couple months to make sure it doesn't return.

    Both my MO and endocrinologist have told me there is no link between my two cancers, but after researching on my own am finding this is not true. For some reason thyroid cancer is on the rise and there is a link to breast cancer. So ladies please be aware and have your thyroid levels checked and be on the lookout for nodules or changes in the throat area.

    Nisa...hope your nodule does turn out to be benign, I think 90-95% of thyroid nodules are.

    PB

  • mjsgumbas
    mjsgumbas Member Posts: 323
    edited February 2016

    Nisa - my surgery sister (((HUGS))).... I hope all of this is being over-cautious... I don't know what to say, except keep us posted. I wish we were closer so I could give you a hug.... it must be something in the air, because I just had my 4 mo. follow up with my MO and blood work. Got the call today my CA 27-29 #'s are slowly rising...and now I need to schedule a PET/CT. They were 6.3 in Jan 2014, 9.1 in Jan 2015 and now 13.7. He said nothing to be alarmed about, but wants to see if we can see a reason why.

    UGH... why do we have to go thru this? Just trying to take a deep breath... just when you feel everything is ok - you get blindsided by someone flying a kite too close to your head!!! SillyHeart Trying to keep my sense of humor...

    Hugs to all you wonderful ladies!!!!!!

  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 47,586
    edited February 2016

    Makes you just want to become an ostrich and put your head in the sand, doesn't it. Let us know how things go too, mjs.....for what it's worth, my CA's have always hovered around 12-14 and no doctor has ever said a thing about that being too high.

  • Molly50
    Molly50 Member Posts: 3,008
    edited February 2016

    mjs, Hopefully it's nothing. Medicating

  • mjsgumbas
    mjsgumbas Member Posts: 323
    edited February 2016

    Thank you Ruth & Molly - Ruth that is reassuring.... I think his concern was the spike more than the number, which he said is well within normal range. Having a feel sorry for myself day - which is therapeutic once a year :). You ladies are the best!

  • mdoc524
    mdoc524 Member Posts: 18
    edited February 2016

    Thanks for the warm welcome Molly50, ruthbru and NisaVilla ... glad I found you! Yes my twins are identical 9 year old boys and the loves of my life. I am also a twin (fraternal twin brother)..

    Nisa - sorry for the added stress with thyroid - a few years ago I had nodules that were being "watched" and they actually decreased in size and were nothing so hoping the same for you! Hugs to you!

    Mary

  • Kimmer33
    Kimmer33 Member Posts: 90
    edited February 2016

    Hugs Nisa!

  • NisaVilla
    NisaVilla Member Posts: 505
    edited February 2016
    I am reading all your wonderful and helpful posts and will be responding tomorrow... literally too tired to type tonight. I have no news other than order for ultrasound has been placed. I am a little less freaked out than yesterday. Sorry to read dear Pboi about the craziness of 2 primaries back to back, unbelievable! Hugs to all and more tomorrow. Nisa 💕
  • PNY
    PNY Member Posts: 90
    edited February 2016

    Nisa You are in my thoughts and prayers. Good luck.

  • thinkingpositive
    thinkingpositive Member Posts: 564
    edited February 2016

    Welcome to all the newcomers I hope you're all doing well. I've been reading a lot of your posts and it seems like a lot of you've had pet and CAT scans after treatment during treatment.

  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 47,586
    edited February 2016

    I haven't. I think they are just ordered if there is a specific reason for doing so, not as part of the regular general Stage II protocol or follow up.

  • Molly50
    Molly50 Member Posts: 3,008
    edited February 2016

    I had an MRI prior to my umx but no plans for anything other than mammogram and breast MRI alternating every 6 months.

  • thinkingpositive
    thinkingpositive Member Posts: 564
    edited February 2016

    Thanks for the repsonses. I feel a little better now. Still hard to tell what joint pains and muscle pains are caused by the Fermara and now Actonel for Osteoporosis. Never really have any pain or discomfort other than upon getting up after laying down or sitting. I guess if it were constant pain or getting worse thats when I need to worry. Other than that the only other problems I am having now is my hair seems to be getting a little thinner and my cholesterol is on the rise. Fermara related?

  • specialk
    specialk Member Posts: 9,258
    edited February 2016

    thinking - my hair has thinned and my already high cholesterol (which was low, but rose due to an early hyst/ooph), went higher - Femara has defini8tely affected both.  My good cholesterol far exceeds the bad which has driven the total number higher but my PCP is not concerned.  I had previously been on a statin but discontinued it because I was concerned about higher blood sugar and muscle pain caused by it. 

    nisa - thinking of you

    I was scanned due to being Her2+ with positive nodes.  I had a pre-chemo PET, a post-chemo PET, and a post-Herceptin PET.  After that no scans until
    I had a symptom.  My MO didn't hesitate for a second to order scans - bi-lat hip MRI and lumbar MRI - when I had unrelenting sudden and severe left hip pain in Nov of 2014.  All turned out to be ortho related, new lumbar and thoracic degeneration as well as pre-existing lumbar issues, and an injury I didn't know I had, which exacerbated the new and pre-existing ortho stuff, but I was glad to know for sure what it was.

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