January 2017 Surgery Group
Comments
-
DCISinAZ: I had my ovaries out when I was 49. Since that put me into "surgical menopause", I know I won't be taking Tamoxifen, but there are other hormonal treatments for post-menopausal women. One type keeps the estrogen produced by your body (after menopause, your adrenal glands & fat cells produce estrogen) from feeding the cancer cells & they essentially starve to death. Wouldn't it be great if liposuction were an effective treatment to reduce the amount of fat cells producing estrogen? I'd volunteer for that clinical trial lol! My laziness prescription has expired, PS said I can start walking, I'm feeling so out of shape too! I'm not very athletic, needless to say...
But, since you had DCIS & not IDC, maybe losing the ovaries would be enough "estrogen reduction". Worth asking about since most women hit menopause in their 50s anyway (I think....one of the things that bugs me about the hormonal treatments is they go on for at least 5 years...
Dyell32: we're all here to support you...
To all the newbies, welcome...it may be helpful as you ask questions or share your experiences if you made your diagnosis & surgery & treatment "public." The default is "private", you can change that in your settings...then those in the same boat, so to speak, can respond...
0 -
This is an interesting article to keep in mind when meeting with your MO
http://www.breastcancer.org/research-news/untreate...
0 -
Wow! We're like a rock band that got started by Docmama and BeachBabyK !😀 We do rock! I'm so glad you two started this. I keep imagining what it would be like to meet you all in a dream.
Shelleybeans thanks for sharing the Mary Tyler Moore pic. That's so true. We can't be warriors if we don't fight a battle. We are stronger than most. That's what my sister told me.
Welcome joy faith.
Maybe I'll try to post a picture of myself
0 -
0 -
How do I put this by my name like you girls do
0 -
you go to my profile . Scroll down to avatar and upload there. Then save it .you are so pretty ! ❤
0 -
Hi ladies - so many updates today and newbies that are joining us. Welcome one and all to the friendliest group of warriors ever to kick BC's ass! I'm finally getting into a better place emotionally. I have had and continue to have my weak moments but I had a realization so here goes...
Something I haven't necessarily shared is that I have a daughter with autism. She is high functioning and the most amazing person on the planet. Truly - if you were ever lucky enough to meet her you would never forget her. Well, when she was diagnosed I collapsed. I was devastated for all the things that she would miss out on in life. I truly saw it as such a terrible things she would be enduring the rest of her life. But, after a while, I realized that my feeling sad and crying all the time was not what she needed. She needed her mom to be strong - to be her greatest advocate - to make sure she had the best care, treatment, education, and was with peers who were neurotypical and not. I read books, I attended classes, I hired therapists to treat her at day care and at my home. I became a fighter and she was and is my prize. And you know what - 12 years later she is in 6th grade, she is in figure skating (in Florida, no less!), she has a very wide circle of friends, she writes amazing stories, and she is going to grow into a lovely woman one day and have a family or be whoever and whatever she wants to be. Everyone who meets her cannot believe how far she has come but I have witnessed first-hand her daily struggle. Friends that didn't understand and having to study twice as hard to learn basic facts.
When I got busy, things changed. So that's what I'm going to do now. My daughter doesn't need me to roll up in a ball and cry. She needs me to be a warrior again - for me this time. Because I know that I can do it.
So that's my story for this Thursday evening - just a few days before my BMX (or BMW
when things get really real. I keep saying I want everything to begin so it can begin to end and I mean that - I am ready for this diagnosis to end. I want to be the mom who kicked butt - autism, BC, whatever the freaking world wants to throw at me. It's on and I am so grateful to have this group to be with on the long and crazy journey. Thank you all for your friendship. A big virtual hug to you all. I'm humbled to be a part of this group.
0 -
shelly, such a beautiful story!! i have goosebumps - thank you for sharing that! what a lucky girl to have a kickass mom like you! you can do this - just a few days away. lets get this over with and out of the way so you can continue to be the amazing mom you are. sometimes you pick your battles, and other times your battles pick you, but either way, you have shown the strength and courage it takes, and that it doesn't matter what gets put in your path, you can kick it aside and keep going. YOU GOT THIS!!!!! xxoo
0 -
take that cancer! we don't have time for you!!
0 -
Shelleybeans .. Thank you for sharing. You are such an inspiration in having shared this with us. You will definitely reign vicotorious over this too. We all will ! You are so right about this group of warriors and friends. We all have each others backs. We are in this fight together .
I am also so excited for all the ladies who got good news yesterday . That is so awesome!
Shelleyb your baby girl has abeautiful strong mother and I am sure she knows that. I am going to regenerate now and say g'nite to you lovelies 😉
0 -
yes yes yes!!!
Love you annoyingboob! No time at all
for this sheezla
0 -
ShellyBeans - thank you for sharing your and your daughters story. You are an amazing Momma. You are strong and brave. annoyingboob gave you the best pep picture! I love it. You've got this girl. We will all be waiting in the cabanas for you with a cold fruity beverage after surgery.
dyell32 - We will all help you in anyway we can. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. I hope you have family close that can help with your babies? I would come help you if we live close to each other.
PugsMamma - I don't understand what's taking so long on your results? I am sorry if you do have to have chemo, but I agree with your BS, you are strong and healthy and you will be even stronger knowing your cancer is completely gone. I'll be your biggest cheerleader if you ever get down.
Annoyingboob - thanks for always giving us girls great visuals and such uplifting comments. You're awesome!
3bears - you're so cute!
BeachBabyK and docsmama - thanks for starting this group. I'm sad that there are so many of us here but glad we have all found each other. I was off of here for 8 hours today and had 2 full pages of posts to read when I just logged on again. Amazing!
Today was a good day. Sweet dreams ladies.
Xoxox
0 -
Joyfaith - Welcome hunni and givin you some shuga. I had 3 drains myself and they were ugh! But I did have
the numbing sensation in the back of my left arm and it hurt, you might want your Doc to prescribe a pain med.
Vargdoll - Yas hunni this weather is something else.
0 -
I seen my Onco and she wants me on Adrimycin for 8 cycles and then Carboplatin for 12 cycles, dont know if im calculating it right but a total of 16 weeks. To back up a step I went on the National Comprehensive Cancer Network website and read the regimines for Stage II, HER 2 negative which is: dose-dense AC, four 14 day cycles then paclitaxel four 14 day cycles which all total in 4 months. I asked her about this regimine and others and it went thru one ear and out the other, she even shot down the Onco dx and mammaprint. Need to remind you all this is my 2nd onco dr. she never told me that my treatment is based off how big my tumor was (tumor was 2.5 cm, size of small grape) path report stated 16 nodes pulled, 1 cancerous(tumor), mass in breast was so small it barely registered but spreaded to the lymphnode, margin was free, so why the heavy stuff? Isn't there a lighter chemo for TNBC? As of right now I have to wait til March to get a Circulating Tumor Cell test and I have opted to do radiation. Because she not EVEN trying to hear me on chemo options she just straight focused on the heavy hitters for clean up. Ok im done venting. ~givin double shuga~
Link to NCCN: https://www.nccn.org/
It won't let me link the booklets, but under the
"NCCN GUIDELINES FOR TREATMENT OF CANCER BY SITE"
Select "breast cancer" and then "NCCN Guidelines"
0 -
just got home from dinner with friends visiting from out of state and so tired so skipping the individual responses except to say, Shellybeans, I cried reading your story...not sad or happy tears but the kind of yes girl, yes, proud tears for the amazing woman you are! Secondly, I love that some of you are putting your beautiful faces out! It is so awesome to put a face to everybody who I feel so close with. I think it was 3bears who said she dreams of meeting everyone and it's kind of like that for me...I'm thinking about you girls all the time. One more work day to knock out this week so going to bed now bit just have so much crazy love for this group and I'll doze off smiling. The shit fairy won't bother me tonight! ❤️❤️❤️
0 -
Wow! What a day of posts! While I haven't posted often, I've faithfully read every day - thoroughly enjoying the love and support that each one of us receives from here ❤️ .
My post-op was yesterday and BS confirmed clean nodes and margins. I should be more excited but I still know with my TNBC diagnosis that my treatment will very likely be chemo and radiation with a possible higher rate of reoccurrence. I have a MO and RO appt. on 1/31. Hope to finally hear of a "plan". The BS mentioned hormonal therapy - and then I reminded him that I have TNBC. He probably wished he would have read my file before he came in.
I think it is a great idea for this thread to continue on........it's at the top of my favorite list!
Good luck to all of you sisters coming out of surgery. You've made it to the other side and on to beautiful blue waters and unlimited space at the bungalows.
For everyone healing, waiting for reports, treatment, ----- I hope you all receive the same feeling of "you are not alone" that I get from belonging to this wonderful group of awesome ladies. 💪
0 -
I hope you find the answers . I do not know much about the treatments for TNBC . I am still at the stage of just having had my Sentinel Lymph node biopsy . Following the lumpectomy I had earlier this month. But if your Oncologist does not address your concerns or give you any feedback to your inquiries, I am not sure I would feel comfortable going through it on just blind faith. I think you need answers , acknowledgment of your concerns at the very least and options .
It sounds super frustrating for an already devastating situation . I tried that web page link and nothing ! Could not access it .
I hope someone with a similar diagnosis can chime in to help you figure out other options .
Much Love going outto you my friend and fellow warrior!
💗
0 -
Thank you Elem ☺ I was worried about my sentinel node biopsy and it turned out to not be as bad as I thought it would be. Eliminating the blue dye is something else! Drink lots of water
. If the initial meeting with the oncologists does not go well, I've already decided I'm movie' on. I live near Seattle so at least there are other options. Much love back to you also......
0 -
Oops!! I almost forgot bda 's birthday - I think you mentioned same day as surgery? Here are some nipplepops for you - happy birthday and happyhealing!!!!0 -
Wow, I take a few days off from thinking about BC and come back and scroll through the posts and I now have tears streaming down my face with emotions from the unbelievable support and love this group has. It is very powerful and something truly special!
If anyone is going to go through chemo and wants a list of how to prepare, let me know and I'll put one together. For some, hearing about the side effects is too overwhelming, for others being prepared helps them. I'm in the latter camp, I need to be prepared and I love making lists. Not everyone gets every side effect that's for sure. I'll tell ya, chemo is doable. I was so scared because I saw someone interviewed on Oprah years ago who described it in such a way that I was so scared and it was not anywhere near that bad, and believe me, I am a wimp and was in poor health before chemo.
I'm going to go back and read the posts I browsed now and hopefully not cry anymore as it's giving me a headache, lol!
Still waiting to recover enough to get my surgery date, ugh!
Love you ladies!
0 -
Hi ladies - here's a post-op summary, in humorous style:
Convo with check-in nurse:
"Ok, please stand on the scale now." "Huh, like surgery isn't enough, you're really trying to depress me today?' 3 seconds later, after seeing this scale showed 3lbs lighter than the one at work..."whoo hoo! This is a great day! I love your scale! Can I take it to work with me?"
2nd convo with check-in nurse (but completely in my head), en route to mammo dept for wire loc:
Oh lord, we're going down the main elevators, through the main lobby!!! Oh no, now we're going past the cafe overflowing with people!! Here I am, in hospital robes and that unflattering blue cap! Please let nobody know me! (I hold my folder next to my head so they can't see me). Whew, I made it.
Convo with mammo techs and dr:
First of all, these 3 are great and obviously a wonderful team who work well together. When I arrived and was telling one of the techs that my overseas results (from dec 28 biopsy) had not come in, her demeanor changed from easygoing to super-serious instantly..".let me go and make a phone call right now", she said. And she did.
"Folks, I really think you're wonderful, but I hope I never see you again unless it's over a glass of wine or at the grocery store."
Convo with orderly returning me to await surgery:
(I could tell instantly we were returning via a different route.) "hey.....are we going a back route upstairs?" "Yeah, we don't want everyone out there seeing you like this....this is my secret route." "You're my hero! Please tell the other nurse your secret route! It's too late for me, but others can be saved!"
Convo with nurse in surgery room.
After hooking up my compression boots, and they were working: " these feel awesome! This is better than being at Willowstream!" (A very nice spa)
Convo with anesthetist:
"I'm just going to give you a mild sedative first till the surgeon arrives. It's kinda like having a few drinks at the bar." "Well, I'm a lightweight, it doesn't take much!" 30 seconds later, high as a kite......"hey...this is giving me flashbacks to my youth." Him - "shhhhhh." "So, you know how you guys say you're gonna count back from 10? I've never reached any other number!" ( this time I got no further than, 'you're gonna feel the cold going up your arm!')
Convo with surgeon:
He arrives a bit flustered cuz we weren't in the OR he expected: me: "take deep breaths. Remember, this is my favorite boob. Be gentle with it."
Convo with my legs at bedtime (I'm wearing compression socks for 24 hours and never sleep with anything on my feet/legs)
"Ok guys time for bed." "Umm what about these white things? You're taking em off right?" " nope they gotta stay on." "Awww man we're gonna suffocate, this is so unfair." "Hey rightie, you get to be on top tonight....all night....wink." (Rightie) "yesssss!" (Leftie) " that's no fair, you know I like being on top too." "Suck it up sunshine." Well, I've been awake since 2:30, neither leg was appreciating the compressions.
Came to in the OR with my 27 yr old niece who is an OR nurse, standing over me saying "hey auntie barbs....", so that was really awesome. Expected to see a big bandage but just have a slightly bigger than normal steri strip, 2" long! I've heard great things about my surgeon which is why I wasn't too stressed beforehand. He did my aunts surg as well, and when she was at Dana Farber, word spread around the hospital re her incisions and how awesome they were, and she had loads of people coming in to check out his handiwork! Only surprising thing was the wire loc. I never looked at any images beforehand, so my mind had conjured up something like an extended paper clip with just maybe an inch extended. This looked more like a dart, or like I had been stabbed with a pen, lol, and jutted out a good 4". Wish I could've taken a pic but no phones allowed. Today I'm a bit sore, nothing terrible, don't need meds, not yet anyway. Will stay home today from work anyway, just to let it heal up, let my body rest up, and to save everybody else from seeing me in these compression socks!!
Hope it went as well as possible for my co-surgery ladies yesterday!! And good luck to those of you going in today!
0 -
Good morning ladies!! Beachbabyk, do have a surgery date for yourself yet? I have not had time to read all the posts but noticed no date listed for you. My surgery is actually this afternoon!!! I found this forum a little late but am trying to make the best of it. I keep rubbing my boobs, saying goodbye 😪.
I am remarkably calm and peaceful though, I guess sort of numb to it. I suppose that is my coping mechanism. I thank Jesus for giving me peace!!!! I elected for a prophylactic MX on left, even though BRCA neg. There were calcs seen on a 2015 mammogram, and even though it was not brought up on the 2016 mammogram, there was a suspicious area seen on MRI. Ultrasound cleared it (mammary node), but I figured why take a chance, it could have been wrong. If I end up needing surgery on that breast later I really don't want to go through all of this again!!! STUPID CANCER, UGGGHH!!!
Anyhow, I pray for blessings on everyone here sharing their stories, and for those who choose to quietly read posts for support but choose to remain silent. We are warriors, we will overcome!!! We are blessed to have this outlet, to love and support each other. I am off to do a preop Pedi.😄
0 -
Good morning ladies!
Wow I last checked in just before I picked up my grandson and I had quiet a bit of checking up to do.
Shellybeans, first off, your name makes me smile. Our oldest daughter, Michelle who died unexpectedly in 2013 was always called Shellybean. When I see your name I think of Michelle's gypsy spirit and her love of nature. Your story is so beautiful. I have been slow to post anything about me because I'm so afraid someone local will see my profile and tell everyone that I have BC. I just posted my picture last night. Taking a real leap of faith. I to have a child with different abilities. She is 27 and she us the love of my life. She is always by my side and I have an audience for everything I do. She is not actually mine. I have had her for 17 years. She was only 10 years old when I met her. She is like a toodler. Always happy and curious about everything. She will always be "our baby". My grandchildren love her and she is always the first playmate they have so they grow up with her. Your daughter is so fortunate to have a Mom who is a fighter! I know you are probably thinking you are fortunate to have her and knowing what really matters in life. So when I was freaking out about missing work now everyone knows why. My work is my life. In 17 years I been away from her 11 days. I will be away from her 2 days after my surgery. I have been stressing out about her care not mine..
3bears, you are beautiful! This is one group of beautiful ladies inside and out! So honored to be apart of this group no one wants to be in!
Much love and "shuga' as windchimed always gives us (freaking love that)
0 -
Shoregirl, get those toes done!. Thanks for checking in with the group. Wishing you an uneventful surgery and painfree recovery. Your seat at the bar will be ready when you get here!
0 -
Shoregirl, get those toes done!. Thanks for checking in with the group. Wishing you an uneventful surgery and painfree recovery. Your seat at the bar will be ready when you get here!
0 -
Every time I read these posts, I am more in awe of you ladies. Your spirits, amidst great personal upheaval, are truly inspirational. I am loving getting to "know" you on a more personal level. There is so much more to all of us than this dumb diagnosis and I'm so happy to be learning more about you all! I wish I could just hug all of you
0 -
Hi,
I've been a lurker for awhile. I spend many many days of reading through the pages of BCO and found it very informative.
I want to join this thread even though my surgery will be on Feb 3. I will have bilateral mastectomy with no reconstruction. I am 42 y/o and was diagnosed with bilateral bc.
I initially chose lumpectomy + radiation as my BS said it is also equivalent to mastectomy. I don't want mastectomy then bec of fear of lympedema. My job is very physical. It entails pushing, pulling and lifting.
But then few weeks before my surgery, I felt another lump, away from my initial lump. I went to see BS and had US and talked to radiologist. She told me it is nothing. She said if it is greater than 2mm "we will catch it" .. What if it is smaller than that??? So I know I can't live with constant fear. I don't know what is normal anymore. I am doing BSE all the time. And I compare left and right. Never did I know that they are both abnormal because up until now I can't feel the lump on my left breast.
BTW, my right has dimpling above the nipple which prompted me to go to family doctor. They found a mass there.When they do the left, they found 2 more there which is non palpable.
I was sent for genetic testing because of young age and bilaterality. Results won't be back in time for scheduled lumpectomy so I called BS office and opted for BMX instead.
It's a hard decision. But it will give me a peace of mind. The waiting really freaks me out. I lost 10lbs in 1 1/2month of waiting.
Thank you for reading.
I will be praying for our fast recoveries.
Grande
0 -
Good morning ladies, so much going on here.
shoregirl, good luck today. You'll get thru the surgery just fine.
amul79, so sorry you are hurting and hope it gets better soon.
bdagal, great stories and glad to hear you are a surgical "work of art"! My pre-op travels included being taken back and forth over a busy street in an enclosed walkway, in my wheelchair and lovely hospital gown. Aren't hospitals strange?
shellybean, you have a wonderful daughter!
A happy day to all!
0 -
Hi Vicwytch: my lymph nodes were clear but my tumor ended up being bigger than what the MRI showed (MRI showed 8mm, in reality it was 2.2 cm). Over 2cm makes me Stage IIA vs IA, so that may be tipping the scale for me in the chemo direction. I'll have to see what the MammaPrint shows...
Grande: if you're considering reconstruction, pre-pectoral implants may be a good option for you since you need to retain your upper body strength. The implants go over the pectoral muscle & that muscle ends up not being cut. There's a good forum here on this & I think there's a PS in Toronto that does them. Feel free to private message me if you have any questions https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/44/topics...
Bdagal: love your sense of humor! I cracked up reading your post!!
A-Boob: keep those great pictures coming! What morale boosters!
1214Survivor: congrats! I love hearing from you gals who are further along in the process & blazing the trail for us!
I also love reading the personal stories & being able to put a face to the names! There's so much more to all of us than BC! It's no surprise that if you give of yourself here, you're also giving of yourself in your "real life" & are tremendous role models to those looking up to you... Makes me love you all the more!
Win-chimed & GT1965: you remindme how important it is to be knowledgeable about our BC & how we need to be our own best advocates. We're not just a file on a doctor's desk!
I'm going to go for a nice walk with hubby into town today. My first foray into exercising in quite a while!
0 -
Bdagal- love the humor this morning! It did get serious to me when I got to the "wire" talk. I haven'tlooked any of that stuff up either! I have to get mine at the cancer center then go to the hospital. That's a 20 minute drive, plus parking then walking in the hospital. So depending on the traffic for the drive there and what parking issue I might run into it could add up to 45 minutes Is it safe to assume I won't be able to wear a bra after I get this "wire". I to imagined a paper clip sized wired maybe a few inches out of my boob!
0
