*** UPDATE ** 5/31/2024
UPDATE 5/31/2024: Had double mastectomy 4/25. Great news. Path report showed clear margins! Thank God. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. Haven't been able to visit my husband in Memory Care but will go this Sunday with my daughter. He is going downhill more rapidly. So sad to watch my once strong Marine going through this. Last time I visited he got tears in high eyes and said "we'll get through this" — but he doesn't know what "this" is.
UPDATE 4/19/24: Had chemo until 2/28 when I stopped it because I was so weak I could hardly walk across the floor (I'm 75 yrs old). The chemo did shrink the cancer but since 2/28 it's grown back a lot. Very fast. Double mastectomy will be 4/25. My anxiety is through the roof. I don't know whether to throw up or burst into tears. Primary doctor wanted to put me on Mirtazapine but it would take 2 weeks to work and then I would have to wean off of it before surgery. So I didn't take it.
I transferred my husband from a private facility to a VA Memory Care Facility. He is on medication for agitation so when I visit he's not very talkative. He's getting great care there though. It's just so sad seeing him like that. He is a diabetic & got an infection in his foot and I was so worried about that. They gave him antibiotics and the nurse said it's 99% healed. So good news there. Pray he doesn't have to be hospitalized.
Appreciate your thoughts & prayers. Pray for clear margins.
Diane
UPDATE 12/1/23 - Good news. PET Scan showed cancer is only in breast and has not spread in my body. Still have to do the MRI for my brain. Treatment starts next week. PORT in Monday, Wednesday chemo. Then chemo following week and rest a week. After chemo, radiation. IF that reduces the cancer then after the first of next year will have a mastectomy.
Found a Memory Care Facility to take my husband for 30 day respite care and evaluation and at the end of the 30 days if he's going OK they will admit him permanently. It's near my daughter's home so we can visit. I have to just drop him off and leave. That's breaking my heart but it's best for him. The director and nurse will explain it to him and get him settled in. Visiting him will be risky so I don't know when I will be able to. I will have to be careful with my immune system compromised.
Thanks for the continued thoughts and prayers.
Diane
Sorry I haven't done my profile.
UPDATE 11/26: Results of punch biopsies are that I have a rare, aggressive breast cancer called Angiosarcoma, caused by radiation I had in 2017. I am devastated and terrified. Treatment: chemo, then radiation. IF that helps, a radical mastectomy. Not a good prognosis. I spreads through the blood stream so mastectomy won't help. Please continue to pray. I am now looking for a Memory Care facility for my husband as I won't be able to care for him going through aggressive treatment. I told my husband this morning and he cried and said he doesn't want me to be sick. When I said I have cancer, he asked "what's that?" 😪
Previous post: I recently posted about my side effects from 2017 radiation including lots of fibrosis, redness & swelling. 2 months ago I noticed purple bruise looking places on the radiated breast, swelling, pain. I had a mammogram in June which was ok. So I made an appointment with an ARNP at a Breast Surgeon's office. They did a breast MRI (torture) and recommended further evaluation via Ultrasound & punch biopsy to rule out angiosarcoma. Ultrasound was yesterday, punch biopsy tomorrow 11/16. My husband has Alzheimer's & I can't tell him. He wouldn't understand or remember. My sister has dementia. I don't want to worry my 2 kids. I'm scared, anxious, nauseous with worry but feel like I'm all alone. Please pray for me and my husband.
Comments
-
Hi @sdianel,
We're so sorry you find yourself back here with these worries. But we can assure you, you're not alone! We're all here for you and are rooting for benign results. Until you get the results, try to stay calm and positive.
We're sending good thoughts your way. Please keep us all posted with what you find out. We're in your pocket for tomorrow!
Hugs!
—The Mods
0 -
UPDATE 12/8/2024: My husband & soulmate passed away 8/12/24. I miss him so much it hurts but am thankful he's no longer suffering from Alzheimer's. My Nov 14th Pet Scan was clear! Thank God. I'm getting a CT or PET Scan every 3 months. I'm still having severe nerve pain & lymphedema in the side where they did the flap. One of the surgeons gave me a referral to PT but due to my husband's death I haven't been able to make the appointment. It's on my list. The other surgeon recommended Acupuncture but I'm not sure I want to do that. Has anyone had any good results from acupuncture for nerve pain? Also my Step Dad had a stroke 2 weeks ago & has no other family so I've been going to visit him when I can. Please continue to pray for our family. It's been a really tough year. Hugs to everyone. Wishing everyone love & strength this Christmas season. 🎄🙏
2 -
@sdianel , Condolences on the death of your husband. You have certainly had many challenges but it’s good that your pet scan was clear.
Acupuncture can be helpful for nerve pain caused by radiation. I had multiple complications from radiation including nerve pain in the entire field. While acupuncture did not eliminate it I noticed a definite improvement. The acupuncturist included a Japanese protocol for radiation exposure developed post WWIi. I was a bit skeptical at first but I’m glad I did it.
Best wishes for your stepdad’s recovery and less pain for you.
0
