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Stage 2 Sisters Club

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Comments

  • Skittlegirl
    Skittlegirl Member Posts: 138
    edited February 2016

    I got my pathology results today. I had a complete response to chemo. There was no evidence of cancer left.

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

    Awesome! What wonderful news!

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

    Great news Skittlegirl!

  • PNY
    PNY Member Posts: 90
    edited February 2016

    Great News Skittlegirl, Stay well

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

    Awesome news, Skittlegirl!

  • NisaVilla
    NisaVilla Member Posts: 505
    edited February 2016
    Skittle -Wonderful news and especially great news for your little kids. If you are wondering "what now" the response is often "focus on getting stronger and enjoy your life." Thanks for teaching me how pre-surgery staging is done. Stay well and celebrate today's news!

    This link if for those with thyroid issues http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22313412.

    Nisa
  • Hawkeyeheath
    Hawkeyeheath Member Posts: 4
    edited February 2016

    Hi! I'm new here too. I'm 44 with 3 kids at home -- 13, 10 and 8. I was diagnosed January 14th with idc. At the time they thought the tumor was 1 cm so scheduled a lumpectomy to be followed by radiation. The day of surgery, a 2nd small spot was found and in the pathology report it states that the tissue between the 2 was also cancerous. So, I ended up with a quadrantectomy (25% of my breast removed). Final pathology lists the tumor as 3.1 cm so I am stage 2 instead of the 1 I was expecting. No lymph node involvement and clean margins of 1 cm around. At my surgical follow up last week, BS assumed chemo would now be added to my treatment. Met with MO and she wanted onco DX results before making a decision - doesn't necessarily think size alone warrants chemo. So, I wait for results again. While I would love to skip chemo, I worry about missing possible cancer that got into the bloodstream. Glad to meet you all.

  • PNY
    PNY Member Posts: 90
    edited February 2016

    Welcome aboard HawkeyeHeath. Sorry you are going through this. I too am pretty new to this site and find it so helpful.

    I too was diagnosed as Stage 1. I had two very small tumors (both under 1cm) in the same quadrent of my breast and they saw no lymph node involvement. But at the time of surgery one sentinel node and 1 additional node were positive. I did not do the Oncotype since I had the two positive nodes and the MO agreed I should have four rounds of TC chemo. But I had met with the MO prior to my surgery and she said chemo is not always beneficial. So its good that your MO is making sure it will be of benefit to you. I can understand your concerns especially once we go through something like this.

    Good luck hope things go well and easily.

    Phyllis

  • NisaVilla
    NisaVilla Member Posts: 505
    edited February 2016
    Hawkeye - I wrote a welcome post yesterday and clearly did not submit. Welcome and hope you are doing ok while waiting for oncotype result. Not an easy wait but it will be over soon. Turn around time was about 10 days and the Genomic folk were amazing at answering (very patienly) questions. Crossing fingers for you to get a low number and skip chemo.

    HB - how was your class/workout? I hope you enjoyed it. You don't have to enjoy it, you just have to go 😉 I got lazy this week and my bones are telling me they miss my long and fast walks. I must return to my little exercise/walking routine starting tomorrow!

    Love to all, Nisa
  • mjsgumbas
    mjsgumbas Member Posts: 323
    edited February 2016

    Thanks Nisa... Just got home last night & started laundry 😩 It was awesom and wanted to share with my sisters 1 picture from outside our cabin window in St Thomas... I found the end of the rainbow. It was truly amazing- made me smile all day as I spoiled myself jewelry shopping lol. Hope you have your answers soon!!!

    Sorry I read through quickly... Will post more later- hugs to all!! Hope this picture makes you all smile just like it made me smile 💖💖

    image

  • grandma3X
    grandma3X Member Posts: 297
    edited February 2016

    mjsgumbas - beautiful photo! Here's my photo for today :) Vacationing in Vail - great weather, at least for those of us who are not skiing {)

    image

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

    Nice photos ladies! Nisa, how are you doing?

  • NisaVilla
    NisaVilla Member Posts: 505
    edited February 2016

    MJ - Wow, so sweet, it is truly the end of the rainbow! You had plenty reasons for smiling during this vacation. Looks so romantic and easy and true island rhythm. Feeling jealous 😊

    Gmax3 - Here I was thinking oh poor girl you just recovering from your surgery while YOU vacationing in a sky resort LOL. You are pure grit. I don't know of anyone going across country with (almost) drains on. Good for you!

    So lovely to see photos and hear topics other than cancer-related. Thank you for posting. If I make it to Iceland as I was thinking back in Janaury, I will too share photos with you sisters. For now, I'm planning a quick trip to FL. My brother's brain cancer is advancing, he no longer is the person I knew, so I will go visit as soon as I get clarity on my health situation.

    Molly - I'm about the same. Still inconclusive results. This week have appt with a doc whose opinion will be my last consultation. I will do whatever he says. And if he says surgery, I will bite him and run home 😊 How are you? How is your son? I haven't forgotten we are going to meet up for lunch with other SoCal BC girls.

  • Hawkeyeheath
    Hawkeyeheath Member Posts: 4
    edited February 2016

    thanks for the welcome, ladies!

    Just got my onco score-- it is 6! I'm guessing when I see mo on Wednesday she will recommend radiation only. I'm just ready to have a treatment plan and get going!!

    Love the vacation pictures! I personally just got back from a girls trip to DC. Was so nice to get away from the reality of cancer for a few days

  • grandma3X
    grandma3X Member Posts: 297
    edited February 2016
    Hawkeye- wow! That's great! I don't think I've ever seen a score that low :)

    I'm still waiting for my Oncotype. It's been 2 weeks, but my MO checked last week and found out they never received it! Hope to get more information this week. I had a mini-meltdown when I heard they didn't have it (what if it's lost forever and I'll never know?) but my DH said it's unlikely they sent the whole humongous tumor (5x4x2cm) and they will just have to send another piece. Meanwhile my MO assures me that he will not recommend chemo even if it comes back intermediate, since the pathology report was so favorable. Still...I'd like some confirmation.

    Walked 6 miles yesterday and so far today nearly 5 miles. Weather has been nice - low 30's but lots of sun.
  • Molly50
    Molly50 Member Posts: 3,008
    edited February 2016

    Nisa, my son is doing okay for the moment. Thank you for asking! I look forward to that lunch at some point. :) Oncotype of 6 is wonderful, Hawkeye!

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

    I am trying to get back home after a girlfriend's trip to Florida. Tons of mechanical and weather delays made the 8 hour trip into a marathon 23 hours, and the last leg home will be an hour late. Sadness! Plus, half way through the trip my slight cold turned into a raging one. So I have been pretty miserable. It is particularly rotten to feel awful in a beautiful setting. Boo hoo.....image

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

    Nice number, Hawkeye!

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

    23 hours? Sorry you are miserable, Ruthbru.

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

    I have pneumonia....boo hoo.....no fun for me for awhile!

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

    Ruth, so sorry to hear that...feel better soon!! Hugs!

    Octogirl

  • logang
    logang Member Posts: 144
    edited March 2016

    Hope you get well soon Ruth.

    Grandma, I hope you get those results soon!

    Hawkeye, 6 is an awesome oncotype!

    I see my MO today. Just a little anxious. After getting my oncotype result of 57 last week, today I find out my chemo regimen. I think I will feel better once I know all the details. I really hate the not knowing!

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

    Good luck with your appointment, Logang. Yes, you will feel a lot better once you have a plan in place and can get it over with. I didn't find chemo to be that bad; and when you know that you need to do it, chemo is actually a good thing, because it's like chemo is the Navy Seals working FOR you, searching out and killing terrorist cancer cells. If you can put it into a kind of perspective like that, I think it helps.

  • logang
    logang Member Posts: 144
    edited March 2016

    Thanks Ruth. I know once chemo is over with, I get my left prophylactic mastectomy , and take tamoxifen; I will feel like I have done everything I can to prevent recurrence. How are you feeling today?

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

    Lets just say that I had about 100% more energy while on chemo. This is rough stuff; hopefully I will perk up after a couple more rounds of antibiotics!

  • mjsgumbas
    mjsgumbas Member Posts: 323
    edited March 2016

    Ruth - hope those antibiotics kick in soon and you feel some relief!!!!

    Nisa - thinking of you

    Heart

  • grandma3X
    grandma3X Member Posts: 297
    edited March 2016

    so I finally heard back from my MO about the Oncotype. Seems GHI never received my tissue because they had never requested it (the doctor puts in the order first, then GHI has to request the tissue sample from pathology). So meanwhile, its been 3 weeks and I'll have to wait another couple of weeks to get the results.

  • logang
    logang Member Posts: 144
    edited March 2016

    Grandma, I can't believe what you are dealing with. Do you think the doc intentionally forgot to place the order? I think I remember you saying that they didn't think it was necessary. I would be easy to scream!

    I saw my MO yesterday. I am having a port placed on Friday and I believe chemo starts next Friday. I will be getting 4 rounds of Adriamycin and Cytoxan, then 4 rounds of Taxol. I will be going every 2 weeks for 16 weeks. I will also be getting Neulasta after every treatment and requested the on body injector if insurance will cover it.

    I go back to work Monday. I am glad, but worried because I don't have everything arranged for chemo to begin.

    Hope everyone has a great day!

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

    Good Grief Grandma, that is awful!

    Logang, glad you know your plan. I got the Neulasta shot too, which I loved because then I didn't have to worry about infections etc. and could pretty much carry on with my normal life (I was teaching at the time). Do you plan to keep working during chemo? If so, Friday is a really good day for your infusions because then you can lie low over the weekend when you will probably feel the worst. I would say that if anyone asks if they can do anything for you, say YES, and then tell them exactly what you need. My school friends put together a food tree and brought over dinner a couple times a week all through the time I was doing chemo. I really appreciated that, and I think DH and DS (who was 17) appreciated it even more! I also hired a cleaning lady and let a lot of things just go.

  • Skittlegirl
    Skittlegirl Member Posts: 138
    edited March 2016

    You can also look into Cleaning for a Reason in your area. I have really appreciated having them come over once a month to clean.

    I saw the RO yesterday. I got my mapping done, including the 4 tattoos. Radiation treatments start on the 14th and will finish the end of April.

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