2005 ROCK-TOBER CHEMO GIRLS

debbie444

What is strep?
We have strepsils ( lozenges) but i guess that is different.
Ok, off out to Catherines carol concert. Yes, she is our daughter and we support what she does, but she has just let slip that she thinks it last over 2hrs! If i had known i would have had tea before we went out!!
Debbie

ravdeb

Welcome back Tracy!!
Just thought I'd say that I have not received your famous cd. Hope they didn't think it was a bomb and blow it up or something!

Still haven't gotten my b-day card from my parents! Somebody is playing a mean trick on me!

Debbie..Sam is soooooooooooo cute!

Okay..chemo is back to haunt me. As though I didn't suffer enough with it when I was on it. Saw my dentist today and he said, "Well, Debbie (he calls me Debbie and not all those other names!), I'm sorry to say that you were in a stable situation before chemo and now your two back teeth have drastically deteriorated." He is positive that it's the chemo and he told me they need to be removed. He said that because my wbc got so low, there was nothing to protect them and with the dry mouth from chemo, there was no chance for them. I have another problem in that they are never used for eating because my teeth aren't aligned properly (reason why one should get braces when one needs them...my parents didn't think it was worth the money). He said I won't miss them.

What I'm worried about is what is going on with the rest of my teeth. He is taking it one step at a time. I'm past panic. I'm angry...angry at my cancer and all that aggressive chemo that has messed up my life, given me pains where I never had pains, and worse teeth than ever, now.

My dentist is very nice and is trying to get my insurance to cover all these costs so he told me to wait a few weeks before making any appointments. And, he doesn't do the extractions but wants to be there when it is being done.

I told my dh that by the time I'm 60 I will be both boobless AND toothless. I say that because I have a feeling that my cancer will return by then, and then I'll do the mastectomy. And of course, by then, I'll probably be putting my teeth in a jar at night, too!

The dentist even told me he is not sure he would be able to do implants in my mouth at all and he again said it was because of the chemo. He doesn't know. He said that time will tell after he removes these. He said that if I need implants and if he can do them, he will. But he has his doubts. I think he thinks all my teeth will eventually come out. I'm scared and I'm sad and I'm mad.

Anonymous

Right breast mast.
Left handed.

------------
Dev, it's not coming back. We are going to make it. Have you thought of getting a prophy so it can't come back??

ravdeb

Kelly..are you recording the left hand vs bc sides??
I'm technically right handed and had bc in left side. But I do a lot of things with my left hand that I can't do with my right hand, if that makes any sense!
So, maybe I'll just get a brand new bc in the right side to fit into this new theory!

And no..I'm not going to do a prophy. I don't believe that guarantees that it would not recur. It lowers the chances, though, but I'm willing to take the risk and wait it out. I do believe I'll get it again. One of the reasons is because it was grade 3 and I did a lumpectomy and I'm triple neg. Okay..that was 3 reasons not one! I believe I'll be free of cancer for at least 10 years, though. That will give my teeth enough time to all come out so that I can put my teeth in a jar and my boobs in the drawer at night.

Is it true that reconstruction is not done if one has had rads? I read that some where and started crying to my husband about it a while back. My husband is a "boob man" in an obsessive way. Years back I told my good friend that if I had bc, my husband would probably divorce me. I wasn't serious about this...I was joking..and my friend told me it wasn't funny. It wasn't and it didn't suit me to say that. I must have known deep down that I had bc..the tumor just hadn't surfaced.

I say this with a straight face because I have intuition about things and I'm often right.

I don't think I'll die of bc, though. I just think that it will recur and I'll have to go through chemo again. I guess I think I'm a prophet.

I'm sorry I'm so morbid tonight. I'm so angry about what the chemo has done to my mouth. I think my panic about going to the dentist each time is because I'm afraid of what he will find. He never hurts me. I've never felt pain. But, I'm so angry tonight about my cancer and my chemo and how sick I got and how it has come back to haunt me.

So..sorry.

Anonymous

ravdeb -
I feel bad you have to go through this. There's lots of options when teeth have to be removed. I've had two bridges in my mouth for the past 20 years and have had no problems what so ever. It's okay to be pissed off! I don't think it's true that you can't have reconstruction if you had rads. I had rads and my Dr. said I could have reconstruction (which I have decided against). I have to admit though...I was LMAO reading your post. Through it all...you maintain your sense of humor. You are very funny! Hang in there sister.
Laura

Anonymous

Hi Girls,
In Moving beyond...I started a thread with a poll to address the question: Left side more common than right? Please stop by there and answer it. (As if I have nothing better to do with my time! LOL - But I really have been curious for a long time.)
Thanks,
Laura

cathy987

Wow, Laura 22 replies to you poll already.

My daughter in law gave me a book when I was first diagnosed that was written by a pastor from Georgia who in my opinion is a quack. He believes all cancer is a result of spiritual breakdown in personal relationships. On the subject of bc he says women who develop cancer in their left breast have a problem w/their relationship with their mother–if the right breast then it's with their mother-in-law. That's as much as I read of her well intended gift. Still find it funny.

Gail, I'm not hiding just incredibly busy. I'll try to post later today.

Paula15089

can i throw a guess out there?

where does everyone carry their mobile (cell) phones? if in the bag, on which side? I'd hate to think there is a correlation - i can't live without my mobile.
I know mine is always in my bag on my left shoulder (i am right handed with left side bc)

Graycie

Paula, I carry my phone in my purse which I carry on my right side and BC was on left. I do sleep on my left side. I often wondered about that.

I hope everyone had a nice day. I spent all day in my onc office. My appt was at 11:00 and by 1:30 I started thinking they forgot about me. They even called a Grace and I was ready to go in and take her place....Then I remembered "that's not my name."...just kidding.. I finally asked and just like I thought I got lost in the system although they weren't admitting it. They couldn't find me in the computer. Just my luck!
Thanks for the info on Cancer markers Kelly. I finally asked about them and she told me my cancer markers were good. They took more blood today so I am hopeful they are still good. They did send me for an X-ray of my hip just to be safe since it still bothers me from time to time.

Victoria, I will get back to your PM eventually. I didn't forget about you. I have just been running out of time lately but wanted to check in and say Hi to everyone.

Laura, I will check out your other post.

Gail

Curlylocks

Hi Laura,

I am so excited, just got the package in the mail, late checking box today. Hubby said you have a package and I said what is it?

OMG we laughed,cried...just watched the cd with my hubby. You are a sweetheart for capturing the photos of everyone and their families. The music is uplifting and we truly ROCK!

You made my evening. My hubby stood beside me and watched in awe on the computer with me. Had to wipe away the tears.

I will definitely watch it again and show my family on the weekend!

Will post more tomorrow, almost ready for bed...tired tonight.

Your bc sister
Michele Wenz

ake

ok, i'm actually both left-handed and right-handed, so i'm one of those ambidextrious freaks. had bc on the right side. carry my phone and alternate on both sides. my little *&^&%$ 2.2cm bastard of a tumor didn't even invade the breast tissue...it went straight into the lymph nodes. my surgeon was shocked. small statistic to get breast cancer at my age, no family history, no gene, minority, i guess, in having it in the right side, stage 3, but not her+,...i guess i'm just a weirdo. i'm a weirdo who is not going to recur, that's for damn sure.

i'm saying good night because i have a virus. 100 degree fever. it's so hard working with kids sometimes and they cough and sneeze all over you and put toys in their mouths, etc. and then i flew on an airplane and i think that's what did me in. i feel like crap, so i'm getting into bed. really want to take off work tomorrow, but i can't...it's so hard to just cancel when you're a therapist. grrr. and i'm such a baby when i'm sick. seriously...i just want my mommy. and i'm 30!

love you all. night night.

ake

and my mother-in-law drives me batty sometimes, so that's funny, cathy!

Anonymous

I'm right handed, but...
bc in left boob - carry my purse on my left side - talk on the phone with the phone on my left ear - sleep on my left side - had tennis elbow on my left side - had ovary/cyst removed on my left side - hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...shall we call Watson? LOL
Can you tell I'm tired? LOL

RoseMarie

dEBBIE - so sorry about your dental visit. I agree with Laura, I love how you maintain your sense of humor in the midst of it all! You made me laugh and want to hug you at the same time!!
Victoria - you are so good with the research and the articles!! So glad we have so many smart people here! I still feel so clueless most of the time!
Paula - I'm right handed, left breast affected, carry my purse on my right shoulder, talk with the phone on left side....other than that, I sprained my left ankle once.
Cathy - sounds like a crazy book!! Both my mother and my mother-in-law drive me crazy!! (But they are both very loving and supportive too!)

Anonymous

RoseMarie -
Love your new avatar! You look adorable!

Victoria -
Nothing yet? I can't believe it! I will put another in the mail tomorrow.

Amy -
Hope you're feeling better soon...those damn kids! LOL Just think though, of all the immunities you're building up!

Michele -
So happy you got it, and liked it! But I can't believe you got it b/4 some of the girls here in the states. That's our crazy postal system!

Laura

ravdeb

Good morning..

I woke up this morning realizing why I'm so upset abut getting my two teeth extracted (that nobody will be able to notice and that I won't even notice). When I woke up the words.."they need to be taken out" reminded me of my tumor that needed to be taken out. It gave me a rush of confusing emotions and I felt like I had just been diagnosed with cancer..just like last year.

I can't seem to shake that feeling.

But, Victoria..you are probably right. I can't be a prophet for my own life. I can't be outside of myself enough to do that. I guess that's the same as treating yourself if you are a doctor.

More news..my girlfriend in the States who had melanoma insitu years back and goes for her follow ups..just had another mole removed. They couldn't say it wasn't melanoma insitu again, and so they went back and took another sample of the margin, leaving her with an ugly 2 inch scar across her arm. She's so angry. She's so upset. So am I.

I hate this stuff.

Yes, I can joke about some of this...and really..that's my survival technique. Lauging is good. But, inside I'm crying... You know this. But people here don't. They don't want to know. Like my dh.... He ignored my tears. I can understand him.

Laura..you made me feel better when you told me about your bridge. Doesn't seem like I'll need anything for these two teeth and that's good. He said that nobody will see it and it won't interfere with my eating because I don't use them anyway.

Hey..less teeth to brush at night. I'll save on toothpaste...

I got along with my mom just fine, Cathy, so why did I get it on my left side??

I used to carry my cell phone on my jeans in one of those cases that clips to a belt. I clipped it to my waistband on my right side. So, that doesn't correlate.

I sleep on my left side most of the time.

However...I was diagnosed a few years ago with this dissected carotid artery and that is on my left side. A woman from our congregation felt there was a correlation. I don't think so, though.

ravdeb

OMG..I just came back from having my hair "arranged" (direct translation from the Hebrew) and after he mowed my head and cut off my remaining curls in the front (he decided that except for the color, my hair is back to the way it was before)he blew it dry because he didnt want me to go outside with wet hair (it's not THAT cold out now..sunny and I'm just wearing a warm sweater outside). Okay..I agreed to it. I was in tears by the time I got home. He had totally straightened out the top and my hair tends to fluff up. When it was black, that was great. But now I look like a total cotton ball! Just washed it again and hopefully it won't look too different and just a touch shorter than before. Wondering what if anything, will curl up in the front. It is still curling on the bottom but that is how my hair always was.

I'm upset.
Lost my curls.
About to lose my teeth...

After this dries a bit I'm off to get a sweatshirt to bring to Adam. He gets moved tomorrow to a rehab and they told him he needs a zippered sweatshirt. His girlfriend is sick with something worse than the flu..like she's on her way to pneumonia..so he asked me to do this for him. A store is holding the sweatshirt for me to pick up.

debbie444

Ravdeb, I feel for you. My teeth are grotty, and i joke that when i get older ther will be more of me on the bedside table than in bed ( my eyes arent good either!!)

I am right handed, BC on left, carry the phone in my bag, usually in right hand.

OK, may sound dippy, but what are these different types of tumour all about? I just knew i had a lump that had to come out.

The carol concert last night was 2 hrs long, but it was fantastic. Dont think i have ever heard a better rendition of Ave Maria or Pie Jesu anywhere.
Catherine has gone on retreat with school until Friday night - hope the weather holds out. After school today i have Mark and as many of his friends as thecar will hold, coming for tea before taking them to Cubs. ( Rosemarie - you let then cook in your house?????)
Weather - it is so windy that i actually got pulled down the steps when i opened the conservatory door. Good job theres a bit to me, Deb and Laura would have been up up and away!!

DEbbie

RoseMarie

I was wondering the same thing about the tumors. I was going to look up medial tumor but got pulled away.
Yes, Debbie, they baked and decorated! (It was truly a mess!) A jar of sprinkles fell to the floor and I'm sure there are still sprinkles in between my floor boards! The other scout leader took pics so if I get them I'll post. Have fun with the boys!
Here's a question - what exactly is a conservatory. I know it's the beatiful new additon to your home but not sure what it is...just reminds me of the game Clue.

ake

ravdeb...i'm so sorry you're going through this. we just want to feel like ourselves, and then there are these consant reminders of what we have gone through. just coughing and having a fever last night...made me panic. why can't it just be a cold? i think we're still coming out of the battle so anything that resembles what we went through...like your dentist visit...brings it all spiraling back. i'm hoping that immediate response stops after a while.

victoria...i had lymphatic invasion. i don't know what that means necessarily and i really don't want to know what it means. i hate my pathology report and choose to ignore it and live my life. if i focus too much on terms, grades, etc. then i start to think about statistics and get discouraged. i refuse to live my life like that.

took the day off after a lot of guilt at cancelling my patients, but it's for the best and i'm just going to relax all day.

Anonymous

Amy -
Hope you're feeling better soon!
Laura

TracyNY

I think I'm liking this vicodin a little too much now! I take one at night and sleep like a lamb. My swelling is easing a bit but it is still uncomfortable to sleep.

The furniture guy is getting all my money, I saw three more pieces that I just must have. My dining room set is going to get worked on next week so I can get it in time for Xmas. I think I found the fabric I want to have the chairs upholstered.

Ravdeb: I can imagine how you feel about your teeth. I am a mouth hygiene fanatic. Hell, I even married a dentist! I'd hate to lose my teeth but implants are a piece of work. Expensive and painful while the work is being done but worth it. You know me, vanity, thy name is Tracy!

ravdeb

Ladies..
I just had a really long day after I left my computer...getting lost trying to find this one store to pick up a sweatshirt for Adam, then going to visit him, and then the grocery store....

And well..then I went to my mailbox and TRACY!!!!!...IT CAME!!!! THE CD!!!!!!! FINALLY FOUND ITS WAY TO ISRAEL AND MY MAILBOX!!!! I'm listening to it now with the case open checking to see who suggested which songs.

Tracy..it's wonderful and the cover is beautiful Thank you so much.

I love both the CD and the DVD. Both deliveries have just moved me to tears. I thank you so much for the effort that went into it..and for all the lovely thoughtful gifts that I've received..it's amazing how real we all are..really. I love you all so much.

It really made my day today since I've been sorta down...

Oh..and after I washed my hair out and let it dry naturally..guess what!!! I still have the same curls!!!!

Wow Victoria..I am touched by your words. You are one special woman.

Thanks to you all. Debbie..you are so funny..love what you wrote.

Rosemarie..sprinkles on the floor? I would have gone NUTS! YOu are a true saint!!! When my kids were younger and I hadn't had bc yet, I had absolutely no patience for things like that. I would go batty and get angry with anyone who had been in my kitchen! I've changed so much since then. Instead, I see it all as just a part of life..the mess, the fun, etc. I'm able to see beyond the time I'll have to put in to clean it all up! And, I guess that's how it should be.

I have lots of people using my kitchen now..my kids and their "partners" are here all the time. I am sure it would have driven me nuts before bc. Now I just think it's kinda neat.

Well, Adam leaves tomorrow morning by ambulance to a rehab center closer to Tel Aviv. It will be harder for me to visit him all the time. But, he will be much happier there as he will be getting the proper help. But he will have less visitors. I will call him daily, though.

I love this CD!! GREAT songs everybody!!!!

What a great group we are. Who said that we will stay together forever? Whoever it was..I'm sure it's true! I'm positive!

ravdeb

Oh Victoria..so sorry about your cards. I have this obsession that I never buy cards..I always make them. I haven't bought a card for any occasion for years! So, I can really feel for you that your card didn't come out right at the printers.

I didn't hide my path report. I guess that's because it doesn't depress me..it just gives more information about what I had and I'm somebody who has to have the information and understand it or I go crazy. I have copies of my path report everywhere!

RoseMarie

AHHH just got my LE glove and a new sleeve. I feel like the Creature from the Black Lagoon!!
No, I'm not a saint. Unfortunately I can be over the top when it comes to messes too but I just decided to not let it overwhelm me and just ate that elephant one bite at a time!!
All of you are so sweet!
TaDah - LOL! I can't wait to see your new pieces!!
Amy - I really hope you have a relaxing and rejuvenating day!! No guilt!!!
Victoria - you're amazing! What a shame about the cards. I hope you're able to do something to your liking!
Ravdeb - hope the rest of your day is great! All of you creative ladies amaze me.
I never read my path report. My husband read it. it was the only time he actually teared up during this whole ordeal. He was at the computer with the path report trying to decipher everything and when I saw his face I thought it was the end. BUT I'm either really moving on or I'm really in denial because I really do believe I'm going to be ok -

Paula15089

Laura - I GOT THE DVD!!!!!!!! What can i say... i was speechless. It is deep, beautiful, sweet, sad, uplifting. Thank you.

Victoria - i had lympovascular invasion. I have absolutely no idea how my tumor didnt get to the lymph nodes, as it had all the characteristics of an extremely agressive bugger - Grade 3, LVI, grown very fast to 3cm, was multi-focal (i had heaps of little tumours around the big one).
Can I ask, how did they determine your stage as 3B? With only one positive node and relatively small size, shouldnt it be stage 2? Or was it muscular involvement that pushed it over to the next stage?

I never had a desire to see my path report, or ask about my prognosis. Actually, it is only very recenly that i had the guts to look at my u/s films. I can understand why the radiologist was 99.9% sure it was cancer even before biopsy. It looked like an octopus... ugh.

Ravdeb - glad you keps at least some of your curls! Sorry about your teeth though. I can relate to dental problems - i am putting my dentist's kids through college i reckon. My calcium levels must be quite low, i hated milk when i was a kid. My nails and my teeth are suffering now... and with zero esterogen i can probably add bones to that.

take care all!

Curlylocks

It has been so crazy busy at work, come home exhausted. The last two days I spent working on bonus amounts for all of our 250 employees. It is just about done and then I can get back to my hundreds of other jobs sitting on my desk…..life certainly does seem to be returning to normal now.

My older dog Cody ripped off her dew claw yesterday morning chasing a squirrel in our backyard. She is 11 years old and thinks she is still a puppy and her poor body is letting her know she is not. This is the second dew claw this year since July that she has ripped off running. The vet said it is quite a common occurrence but geez twice within five months. The good thing is both her dew claws are gone now so no more to hurt. She has cost us a small bundle of money too, but we love our pets dearly and would do anything for them. We have no children so they are like our kids in a way, silly but true.

I went to our local Breast Cancer Support Group meeting on Monday and it was fun. We had a Christmas gift exchange and a potluck. It is nice to talk to other survivors, young and old. They are having a retreat in May at a resort about an hour north of where I live. It will be the Mother’s Day weekend starting on the Friday night, overnight stay in the hotel, workshops and breakfeast, lunch on Saturday, and laughter and fun with fellow survivors in our group for $40.00 a person. I thought wow that sounds like a good time and cheap too. The support group is fronting the majority of the cost, don’t know where they get the funding but it sounds like it is going to be a great weekend.

I can believe Christmas is creeping up so soon, haven’t finished shopping and am too exhausted these days once I get home from work to go…guess it leaves this weekend and next?

Oh yah, my tumour was on the left side and I am right handed.

Love the new avtars, Paula ---love that picture, those shiny Christmas ornaments are beautiful. Rosemarie – yours is great too.

Laura – I watched the cd again as I was enjoying dinner before hubby gets home, it is so moving and captures the survivors that we all are and how much we love our families. The children’s pictures in it are precious. Zoladex is an injection that I get in my abdomen every 3 months to chemically shut down my ovaries due to my age. My oncologist wants me to remain on Armidex as a first line hormonal theraphy due to my age, tumour size, highly er/pr + and I had 3 positive nodes. Chemo put me into menopause but there is no guarantee that I will stay there due to my age. I get the injections for 2-3 years and then maybe get my ovaries removed. Oncologist isn’t so big on taking them out right now. I can relate to you on the reading glasses. My eyedoctor calls them 40’s eyes, hee heeJ

Cathy – You are a two time cancer survivor, wow. I’m not sure what I would do if cancer hit me again…I know I would do whatever treatment, but it stinks to think about it.

Maryanne – what type of practice do you have? GP, Specialist? You are about the same age as my own GP. She is really up to date on women’s issues including bc and suggested I have my first baseline mamo at 40, also got me into see a surgeon the same day that I saw her last year about my tumour.

Tracyseattle – oh love, isn’t it grand…..so happy to hear you are enjoying your new love. Sometimes I forget to pace myself too and think wow, am I ever tired. Last night I was in bed at 9:00 pm.! Tracy cant wait to receive another present, you are so kind.

Victoria – it is interesting to read everyone’s stats. It is weird that a lot of us were affected on the left side. What kind of dog do you have, saw it on the cd? Looks pretty tiny compared to our two pups. No lymphatic or perineural invasion but had 3 positive nodes so either escaped my nodes or got through my blood stream.
It is wonderful that you have some nice memories of your friend. It hurts to loose loved ones but they live on in our hearts and through pictures.

Debbie444 – Sam looks so much better these days, a real ham! The medical system in England is so different from Canada or the U.S. Here in Canada and I believe the U.S. we are given a pathlogy report which explains a lot of the characteristics of the cancer, size, grade, type, number of lymph nodes involved, etc. I have read mine a few times and then tucked it away from my brain. To answer your question there are I don’t know how many types of breast cancer they are to name a few…invasive ductual carcinoma (idc) which is cancer that has invaded beyond the breast ducts, lobular cancer, paget’s disease or ibc , dcis (ductual carcinoma insitu) which means that the cancer is contained within the breast ducts and there are so many others.

Ravdeb – I hate to think what the AI’s are going to do to my teeth, have my 6 month checkup in February. Already had a checkup post chemo back in September and he said my teeth looked okay, fingers crossed for next time. Hope your girlfriend gets back B9 news. This disease really stinks sometimes….Woo hoo on the curls!!!!

Gracyie – you sound like me not enough time in the day, especially since I have gone to 4 days a week now, will be fulltime in January.

Amy – hope you are feeling better. Take care of you, you did the right thing by canceling your patients for the one day.

Rosemarie – sounds like fun with the kids. Do you do a lot of baking? I cant make anything usually buy it or I would poison everyone.

Tadah – I have no money to spend on furniture. Our lamps in our bedroom are from my parents house and look like something out of the fiftys. Would love to get a new bedroom set, new living room set, plasma tv and the list goes on….

Paula – my fingernails look really funky to since starting Armidex, almost like they have no colour in them?

Have a great evening.

Love to all my sisters here.
Michele Wenz

marymelodi

Just a quick Hello to everyone! Busy days and nights here. Each night I do a couple more things to get out house put back together again.

About cell phones . . . I have no cell phone. But, I do always carry my tote bag on the right shoulder, same side as my tumor. I don't think there is any correlation there. In my case, I think I have a body type the creates fibrous tissue . . .I have uterine fibroids and there was a fibroadenoma (benign, fibrous clump of tissue)in my left breast in 1991, 15 years ago. My theory is that a fibrous spot on my right side got "out of control" and that was my breast cancer. Perhaps it got out of control because I am overweight and do not exercise enough, as all the statistics point out. Or, maybe the estrogen, which seems to have been plentiful, had an effect. I'll never know.

I'm going to do that survey now.
Mary

marymelodi

Name: marymelodi (Mary)
Age at DX: 52
Date of DX: Aug 22, 2005
Which breast: right
Type of Biopsy for DX: needle core
Type of BC: IDC with lobular features
Size of invasive tumor/s: 2.2 cm
Size of in-situ tumor: none
Stage: 1a
Grade: 3
ER: positive 70% to 100%
PR: negative
Her2neu: negative
ki-67: unknown
Mastectomy or Lumpectomy: lumpectomy
When: Sept 15, 2005
If Mastectomy, single or double: n/a
Clean Margins?: wide & clean
Prophylactic Mastectomy: no
SN Biopsy: yes
Sent. Node Positive or Negative: negative
Axillary Dissection: no
How many nodes were removed: 4
Positive Lymph Node/s: no
If yes, how many were positive: none
Reconstruction: no
If yes, what type: n/a
Chemo: Oct 2005 to Feb 2006; 4 AC & 4 Taxol
Radiation: yes, March - April 2006
Tamoxifen: yes
AI, Arimidex, etc.: planned for the future
Herceptin: no
How was your bc discovered: preparing to shower, felt it myself
Did bc show up on Mammo?: yes
Did bc show up on breast MRI?: didn't have one
Did bc show up on an US?: yes
# of B9 biopsies prior to DX: none
BRCA 1&2 status: unknown
Lymphedema: mild swelling R breast and toughening of scars much improved after physical therapy
Tumor Markers?: unknown

Specific notes, complications, remarks, etc. re: your DX, treatment or current status:

Regret postponing mammograms prior to diagnosis. Might have discovered BC earlier at a smaller size for easier treatment. Feel blessed that I did find it when I did. Had a clinical exam by my GYN 1 month earlier and she did not feel it at all because I was lying down and the breast tissue fell up and out toward the armpit, obscuring the tumor. It was much easier to find when I was vertical. Important to have exams in both positions, especially if breast are large.

Plan is to switch to AI as soon as circulating estradiol levels go below the "menopause" level . . . most likely in the next year. I was approaching menopause when diagnosed and chemo sealed the deal.

Mary

marymelodi

Another interesting piece of data might be tumor location. Mine was in the 11 o'clock position (think of a clock face) on the right. A nurse friend told me most BC is in the upper, outer quadrants. What is our group experience? Upper, outer quadrants would be the 1 to 3 o'clock position on the left and 9 to 12 o'clock position on the right.

Interesting to see the data, huh?

Mary