TRIPLE POSITIVE GROUP

Miss Nicky...big congrats on dancing with NED  

Wow Congrats on NED Nicky...you give hope

Thanks for all the great support ladies! It's 8.30 am for me - I just got up to read all the lovely posts, it makes a good start to the day 😊



Vballmom, of course I don't mind sharing what happened. I had been cleaning the windows in my house, on a small step ladder to reach to top. The step ladder 'tipped' over and I jerked myself to straighten it before it fell. In the process I took the top of the step ladder to my left Breast and across my sternum an I bangedy knee. To be honest, that day I moaned more about my knee - I had a huge bruise!

I had no problems with my sternum at that stage, I just felt a little bit bruised and winded. 2 weeks later while giving my son a hug ( he was 11 at the time) I noticed a pain where his head was resting; not the pain of a bruise, it was just painful. Then within days the pain got worse to the extent that suddenly one afternoon to breathe was painful. If I took a deep breath I got stars in front of my eyes. I went to see my doctor, told him about the stepladder, that that was the only thing that had happened but that it hadn't been serious. In the meantime my breast was still tender and slightly swollen where I had banged it. She sent me for an X-ray. The system here is slightly different - for X-rays and blood tests you go to radiology and lab services that are independent of the hospitals, small facilities where you get seen quickly and get your results straight away after talking to the radiologist.

Anyway, went for the X-ray which proved difficult because my ribs kept getting in the way and we couldn't get a clear image! They decided to do an ultrasound which confirmed the fracture, but the radiologist said he thought there was more going on, the sternum in general didn't look good. Because of the swelling on the breast, he decided to do a mammo as well - I was 41 and hadn't had any done previously, would have been called for my first one probably 6 months later. The rest is history. The mammo showed a large mass which couldn't be felt, my GP sent me to a bs who oranised ct's and bone scans. The bone scans showed my whole sternum, left shoulder, numerous points on my spine and neck and my left hip all had mets. The ct showed a met on my liver.

I was completely shocked. I had had absolutely no symptoms until the step ladder, am slightly under weight so don't understand how I could have had a mass so big in my breast without finding it. I can honestly say even looking back that there were no signs that anything was wrong. Go figure.



It's a bit of a missal, but you did ask!!

Nicky

NickJ...

Thanks for sharing. Fascinating...that fall from the ladder was fateful.....

Do your doctors in France recommend any dietary guidelines? Alot of the girls here were in a funk recently about not being able to enjoy a glass of wine or drink occasionally.

Bordeaux must be beautiful this time of year....

Ashla,

I count my blessings that I decided to clean the windows that day....

With regards to diet, I didn't actually receive any advice, other than on the first day of chemo when my nurse told me to eat anything I liked!!!

For the first few months of my tx, I was in my own little world. To get me through it I made a conscious decision not to google and just to listen to my onc. I didn't even find the boards until I was already 6 months in!

Then, though, I came to realize that I had to live with bc and that it was time to arm myself with information.

I'm lucky in that there's a huge emphasis on eating fresh food here - there isn't even a take away in the town! The french arent big on processed food. Meat is bought it its natural state; its very rare you'd find even breaded chicken, or meat in a sauce in the supermarket. If you want to eat it like that you have to prepare it yourself 😊. Fruit and veg are what's in season; very little out of season produce.

I've lived here 10 years, so I'm well used to cooking this way. Instead of sugar, I use a lot of unrefined honey and also fresh fruit. But it's hard sometimes to pass the boulangerie without buying one of the delicious gateaux!! And I live in a major wine region - not easy! I do sometimes still have a glass of wine but in moderation. As I said, I have to live with my dx; I want to enjoy whatever time I have!!

Nicky

NickyJ,

Thx..It's nice to get a take on how women in other parts of the world are treated. We have a few Brits , some kiwis, several Australians..of course Canadians and Americans. Must have left a bunch out. It appears that with a few exceptions, we are getting very similar treatments and guidance.

I didn't find these forums until I was halfway through chemo. I do wish i had found them sooner. I'm so grateful to the women who stay here ..I'd name them but I'm afraid I'll leave out some.... Years after they have completed treatment to help ease the way for others.

Nicky J,

I have met so many women who have either had or have been recently dxd w breast cancer...seems likean epidemic ...and have only met one triple pos in person. She was your age and stage 3 b but she didn't want to know or talk.

Ashla,

I know what you mean. I hear about more and more people and I do try to pass on any information I've learnt. Luckily I haven't come across any other stage IV 's, but it does mean I feel a bit isolated sometimes

Nicky

Thanks for those links, lago. 

Good Morning all---I've caught up reading--good thing u are all very interesting or my head would be in the keyboard snoring away.

Nicky U'r story is amazing--all from a ladder--Wow and I did just notice today u'r from France and treatments are very similiar. I give u credit for not googling so in the beginning especially--there is so much thrown at u, *especially u) so it was good to just go with it and then start finding answers and others to talk to. I was lucky about chemo tho all in one big room so we talked alot and yes we did laugh alot.

As u can see the ladies on here are WOW any question, any worry--u can easily talk about and ask, but u seem pretty together for all u'r going thru. But being in France how can u not drink wine? I'd be sloshing in the streets, well maybe PBrain would with me. LOL Well I'm glad u found everyone here and they are very caring too.

Vballmom I feel sad when I read that u think something u did causes this. Nothing u did caused this--it just is--and I've told this so many times but sometimes there is a need to repeat it--My mom ate so healthy and lived healthy--all verggies from our garden and fruit too and no sugar ver little sweets and no smoking or alcohol and excercised--not for vanity but she just knew it was good to do--walked everywhere no car and myAunt lived just like her and 1 block away.

My mom was in her early 40's and had both breasts removed and I don't know about lynph nodes. And no chemo or rads or meds and 45 yrs later she was still moving furniture around the house to make it look different even tho my dad was blind and got all confused. She always said he'll learn. And my aunt later in life (mid 70's) got colon cancer--mo chemo, meds, or rads lived anither 12 yrs with no side effects. So no one should blame anything they do on getting this, also thik of the people who totally don't take care of their body--they get nothing. So don't overthink this it;s not worth the energy.

Dance

Vballmom - yes it's stats like that one that make me want to throw things. Granted, I didn't start walking down the "crunchy" road (as my husband calls it) until after my firstborn started solids (so right at 7 years ago). But, I've always been thin, reasonably active, and other than allergies /asthma that have totally gone away after being pregnant, I am healthy. I breast fed both my boys for what most people considered a ridiculously long time.

In the past seven years I started seeing a chiropractor, cooking almost completely from scratch (chips and crackers were my two hold-outs), eating only organic / local. I quit using commercial cleaning products, and switched all my personal care products (which is soap, shampoo and deodorant - I don't even do make-up) to ones which get low scores on the skindeep database. I don't microwave food, refuse to eat out of syrofoam, won't eat beef unless I know the farmer who raised it, I could go on, but you guys get the picture.

The number of changes I made in my life because they were healthier and because the alternative "caused cancer" is unbelievable.

But here I sit. I honestly had a hard time the first few months when I talked to people who used to pick on me(in a good natured way) for being so crunchy. I felt like I had lost my excuse in a way.

My husband, though, looked at me one day and said, "just think of how much worse it could have been if you hadn't done all those things". So, we're still spending $ on the local, organic, crunchy stuff. I'm not giving up vices completely - I plan on still enjoying desserts and having an occasional glass of wine.

I guess it just goes to show you - we don't really know what causes it . . .

Well. I am going on the everything in moderation boat. Before my knees went on me, I would bike 10 miles a day. Then before all my joints went, I woulfd swim a mile a day. I had four kids. Breastfed them, walked, spent time st the beach, but didn't sit and tan. Going out to eat was a treat, do MCDONALD'S was rare. Growing up. I remember the times we went out as the three times were SO rare, (ten people to buy for was quite expensive) we grew a lot of our food, including chickens, bought our meat from farms. Desserts were treats and also rare. I gained weight with less excerdise. Otherwise my life style was .pretty good. I got BC. So did my mom. So did my aunts. None of us were soda drinkers. or smokers. My mom was an alcoholic, her sisters not. I drink rarely. I am not going to stop. I'll enjoy a wine every now and then. I'll have a treat every now and then too, but I can't do that too often as I am diabetic. When my mom passed from BC, I thought about what would I do if, and then went on withy life without worrying about it. I got it, my sisters, no. WHO THE HELL KNOWS WHY. All I can Di is live my life making the best choices I can, and LIVING my life, limping my way through or not. (Well, limping it has to be right now, LOL) .Much love to all. Just live. Enjoying is NOT optional!

Yea well before my BC ate lousy diet, overweight need to lose now...quickly...no sun...I feel like chit...Who the hell knows all I can do is change and pray and hope...hope I lose 75 lbs quick