Illinois ladies facing bc

Id like to come too so let me know the details!

Katie - my breast surgeon was at University of Michigan...we moved her in August and Dr Fine only did my last surgery for nipples and areolas.  I really liked him.  He did a good job on my nips/areolas.  I was a candidate for lumpectomy but wanted to be aggressive with treatment to hopefully better my odds.  I decided to do BMX because I was at increased risk of getting BC in my other breast and I wanted to go a bit bigger with reconstruction...I was small chested before.  I did both also because it would make it easier to match my breasts - my doc said with a clean slate it is easier to achieve better results.  It is a tough decision and I am sorry you have to deal with this at such a young age.  You do lose feeling in the breasts which is disappointing, but I am adjusting to that.  Oh Katie...if you want to see photos - PM Timtam.  She manages another website with photos of reconstruction and rads.  She will verify you and grant you access.  I posted photos of my final surgery a few weeks ago...they removed an elipse from my breast including the nips with my skin sparing surgery.  Oh and I am happy to show you if you like...(Is that weird that I am offering to show you my foobs??? LOL!)

Joan - so glad the meds are working!!!  Good news!

Laura - I am up for lunch!  Will PM you now.

Corinne- yea thats how i am too.... At rush the BS decides the incision so thats y i was asking... I feel like i find myself obsessing over scar size but really whats an inch or two... Scars are unavoidable yea seeing some results in person would be so helpful pictures are good but real life is better!

Katie:  At U of M I saw Dr. Michael Sabel (surgical oncologist - does tons of breast) and Dr. Edwin Wilkins for Plastics (he does mostly breast reconstruction).  I loved both of my surgeons.  If you have other questions, PM.  I don't mind. 

Hi all - have been off-line for a little, so haven't had a chance to catch up on posts/news, but saw the last few posts to Katie and wanted to chime in that I chose BMX because I had dense breasts, a family history of BC, and have a lobular cancer diagnosis which (as I think Corinne pointed out) has a higher risk of recurrence in the opposite breast AND is harder to detect via conventional screening (self exam, mammo).  I just had my surgery on Dec. 15, so am really still recovering, but I am happy with my decision so far.  I think the anxiety of mammograms/mri's in the future would have been difficult to deal with, and I had fairly large breasts, so symmetry would have been an issue as well.  As it is  now, I have tissue expanders in, and when I do reconstruction, I am planning on downsizing from where I was. 

I would definitely be interested in one of the get-togethers - will check calendar and then check back in.  Must run now to get dressed and send kids off to school.  Hope everyone has a good day.  Lisa

Good morning everyone,

Hope things are ok with you and your DD, Susan.  I am thinking of you as always. 

As far as get-togethers and for you new ladies....I would say, I think everyone seems to feel enormous benefit in "meeting" up during the monthly luncheons and other get-togethers  Just sharing and talking with others who are not faceless or nameless, but who are on the same path as you, seems to give quite a boost to the spirit -- and make it easier for most to go forward with a little less anxiety.  You do see how much life goes on and I think it is always good to feel a lot less isolated. 

As well, it is too I think a good way to see that this disease is equal opportunity.  It does not care if you have had no family history, done everything right, have no risk factors, etc.  You will know many who have done "everything wrong" and they go along their merry way.  It is what it is, so you do what you can but along the way seeing and sharing with others who are much like you will IMHO give you grit, determination and strength and help what always seems a fairly rocky path in the beginning. 

Thinking of all of you and wishing you well, always.

Hugs, Jackie

Do you ladies ever meet in the evening?  Working full time makes it impossible to meet for lunch.

Jenn- we are neighbors! Yea i loved my surgeon but to be honest their radiology dept. also missed my grandmas cancer years ago, and my. Aunt knows someone in a lawsuit with them now. Please go someplace else for your imaging! I took their images to the university of chicago and they saw them... So its the radiologists that are the problem. Also did you get the oncotype DX? Since you had nodes neg but if you did its a great tool... I had to demand that GSH orderit but im glad i did..

I'm trying to plan another Chicago get together for February. I plan these for nights or weekends. Still waiting to hear from Onward about her feb. availability... Onward?

So, I STILL have one drain in (still a bit too much output), but PS says he will take it out next week. So annoying.  Met with oncologist yesterday, who I liked very much, and have a general plan, but still have to get drain out and wait for a scab on left breast (had a blister that is now scabbed over on left breast area) to heal more before starting chemo.  Also need echo.   Working on trying to juggle appointments around so I can fit more than one into some of the days I am
coming into Chicago.  I am going to start back to work the week after next, so I am trying to get things done in preparation for that as well. 

Ok, trying to catch up a bit. Jeanne and Katie, welcome!  I am pretty new to the boards,
but am so glad I found this one and the wonderful, supportive women here.  I am glad that you found it, too, though sorry you have to be here.  Katie, I live technically in Woodstock, but close to Crystal Lake, so we are not so far away either.  Lisa7290, sorry you have been having to deal with administrative hassles - I know that's the last thing you feel like worrying about right now.  I
will be thinking of you on the 12^th. Spunkyboobster, hope you are feeling ok; we had our surgeries close together, so I have been thinking about you. I think I have some appointment on the 13^th, so I don't think I can make the suburban lunch, but I will probably be downtown on the 19^th,
so maybe I can connect with MDG and anyone else there on that day.  LauraGTO, I just now noticed that you had an ILC diagnosis (me, too) - so encouraging for me to see that you are doing great 6+ years out!  MDG - changed my avatar photo to show you skater kid #2. Onward, have a great trip.  Joan, hope the antibiotics are working for you,  Lago, I would be interested in the
February get-together.  Hello to everyone else, and sorry for this rambling post! Lisa

Lemondrop...I just noticed the photo when I saw your post!  Adorable!  Now I want to come see your kids skate! 

Katie - I was a figure skater and trained at Detroit Skating Club for years.  My neice now skates there.....maybe we should plan a skating party instead of lunch!!  Ha ha!

Onward...so jealous you are headed south while we freeze up here!  Have a fun and safe trip.  Have a cocktail on the beach for us IL BC gals freezing while you are gone!

Who else is downtown on the 19th?  So far possibly Robo and Lemondrop.  I meet with Dr. Fine at 11:15am.  If all goes well like yesterday with traffic I should be downtown by 10am or so.....I can hang for a bit after for a quick lunch but then have to head back so I can be here to pick up my son at 3pm in the burbs.  Anyone else interested in meeting up???  It would be fun.....

Lago - let me know about a Chicago meet up.  Evenings are hard for me as my DH doesn't get home from work until 6pm usually so I can't catch a train until after that.  Let me know though.  Maybe it will work out.

Jenn - agree with what we all have in common. This is a really caring group of ladies!!

Jackie - I struggle with BC being an "equal opportunity disease".  I tried to do everything right....workout, keep body weight under control, no fast food, no fried food, eat whole grain and BC still found me.  It stinks but there is nothing I can do about it.  Glad you all understand and I have dear friends to turn to through all of this crap!

Well today I am still battling a cold but did manage to workout a bit...I was pooped though.  I put a pot of veggie barley soup on the stove and am chillin'.  I got to talk to Lemondrop!  She's a sweetheart!  Can't wait to meet her and more of you gals.  I did post more nip/areola foob photos on photo board last night.  Still healing up...grafts take forever.  The 9th it will be 1 month post OP for me.  No tattoo's til spring....I have to be completely healed for 3 months before that happens which is fine.  Hope you are all enjoying the sunshine and warmer temp today!  Wish it was spring though....I just keep waiting to get a huge snowfall at some point soon.

mdg and lemondrop... I am downtown on the 19th for a 230p appt with my BS at NW.  I always take the METRA train down and back.  Wouldn't mind getting in earlier and meeting anyone for lunch.  I also have another appt downtown on Monday, Jan 16th at 1130a with PS at NW.. so that is another possibility.

We are reluctantly starting to pack up things and get ready for the big road trip back north.  Darn it.  Wish we had planned to stay until mid-April.  Next year!  We have had such beautiful sunny and warm weather.  May be coming back down here later this winter to look at purchasing a property.  Still toying with that idea. 

Wow!  So much activity here! 

I visited with my former colleague at school today.  Both her mom and sister endured the treatments for breast cancer.  She also supported me when I was teaching and dealing with treatments.  Too many people have this disease.  Why? And, they are getting younger, or so it appears to me.

Joan, my parents lived in Phoenix (I think I mentioned that) and DH and I went down there to close up on estate;  we were stunned on home  prices.  You can get so much now!  Of course that was not happy for us as sellers, but good heavens, those prices look great for the buyer.  DH and I feel we live too far way and the airfare is so high that it would not work for us.  I know, however, that you can probably get reduced airfare, so there you go.

I know so many people who received superior care at GSH, so maybe these are isolated cases??? 

Have fun at the luncheon.  As I told Laura, I am working that day, but my thoughts will be on you ladies getting together for some good talk among you all.

 Happy New Year everyone.  I don't post often because I'm just busy, busy, but I thought I would stop in for a break.  I hoped New Year's would be a clean cut-off for a great new year, but alas, it seems my son is going to have to have some surgery, so that plan didn't exactly work out.  

Katie I did BMX for similar reason as the others.  I had dense breasts that mammogram couldn't even see the tumors.  My "clean" breast was already on six month watch and I never wanted to see that radiologist's face again!  I have a life to lead and didn't want to spend every six months doing mammo, ultrasound, MRI, biopsy and then wonder when I got done if I was really clean.  So for me it was simple.  But yes, the reconstructed breasts don't "work" so that's always something to think about too. 

Zap, remember that they have marvelous care for high risk pregnancies now.  I actually know two women who have had various issues this year and things are turning out fine, but very nerve-wracking nonetheless.  I hope everything goes smoothly.     

Corinne, I second Door County for vacation.  We have stayed many times in Ephraim.  I love it because the state park is right there, and the water is very shallow and therefor warm.  If you have little kids, its great because they can go out quite a ways and its not deep.  You can rent a boat if you like, ride bikes through the state park, or just hike.  Crystal Mountain in Michigan was nice in the summer too.  They have a pool with activities that kids 10 and under would like.  You can ride the chair lift, rent bikes, do the climbing wall.   

I have been looking for a health club too as my New Year's resolution, or maybe just a class..  I have been really good at exercising in the pleasant months, but I don't do as well when it gets cold.  I just don't want to go outside. 

I'm in so far for the 19th unless a job happens.

Zap my sister's first pregnancy was high risk. She was (supposed to be) on bed rest for at least the last trimester. My niece is now 21 and just came home from a semester in Europe.