Hey girls

maryannecb

Just popping in to say that I had follow-up with my PS last week. I did a single lat dorsi flap with no implant hoping to match my good side in Nov/07.

We decided that the resulting recon was too small and did not adequately match my good side....so he offered bilateral expanders which ,if i like them can remain in.He said most people like them and do not switch them out for the silicone implants later. I will get to pick the size as I will be expanded over time...wow...feel like I am going through puberty again only this time i get to pick the size...LOL.

He offered to do the nipple recon at the same time.

Seems like most have their nipple recons much later to see how the breasts settle, easier to decide the location i guess. I think I will ask him to wait on the nipple recon.

I have surgery booked for May 1st...yikes only two weeks away!

I am excited but a little nervous too.

Carol1220

Maryanne - good luck with your surgery - I have expanders now, I did not realize that some PS's leave them in permanently.  Mine are a little uncomfortable, my sister who just had hers exchanged said that the silicone is much more comfortable.  She said it doesn't feel foreign in her body. I think doing the nipples later are probably the way to go, make sure they are in the right position.  You must be very excited, it will be here before you know it.

How was the lat flap surgery and recovery?  I have to have it too.  Best of luck to you - almost done!  Carol 

Bugs

Maryanne,

Good luck with your surgery!  I have decided that next year is my year to reconstruct.  Even if I don't have the finances for my portion of it.  It's only money, right?

Take care,

Bugs

DCMom

I am half way through my chemo this Thursday and have been posting with the March Group, but  always check this site and find it so helpful to "lurk" on conversations with other IIIA'ers.  It's sometimes overwhelming and it does help so much to hear about life going back to "boring".  I keep that in my thoughts whenever fear sneaks in.

Thank you so much for continuing to post and let us newbies know that life does go on!

DCMom

maryannecb

Thanks for your words Carol. The lat flap was a little tougher than I thought. I was glad I had taken some tome off work. I was driving again baout 2 weeks after surgery and doing normal things 6 weeks posop. I have ome stiffness when I stretch over the back area. The breast that was created is soft and feels naturalbut as I am not very big and have not much fat it was too small a match for the other side. I am glad I did it though as now I have no-irradiated tissue to tuck the implant under.

Bugs I waited a full 2 years before I gave recon a thought! I was expecting to continue through life with a single breast. As life got more back to normal though it seemed to be the last thing that was really bugging me. I like the first stage of my recon and am almost certain the next step will be even better...barring any complications.

DCMom, I too remember looking at the women 2-3 years ahead of me. Life does settle back for many of us, truly.

Fists up!

candaceK

thyroid nodule? just dx stage III from biopsy. recent blood results puzzled us because thyroid level had dropped and i take thyroid med. have not seen oncologist yet. what can i expect?

footprintsangel

Hello Friends, I am getting ready to do the Relay for Life the 16 and 17 of May and I am very happy to see the support that is here. I love to see a winner of a mom like you Carol and winner of a great Daughter too! The only sad thing is some of my donations on line are gone, But the Cancer  donation place is looking in to it. I will still be walking for all the friends fighting and the ones that have won (passed away) Thanks for sharing. Hugs Debbie

jdash

i am waiting for the results of a biopsy of a thyroid nodule

is it common to get that when one has bc?  any correlation?

jdash

debbie 

just got back from doing relay with my daughter who is in a sorority at umass amherst   it was an amazing nite

i walked the survivors laps and we lit lumineres for her late dad and a few other special people

it was an awesome experience! enjoy it!

xoxoxo

j

kimf

Just popping in after a long absence. All is fine, just moving on with life. The kids keep me extremely busy, especially in the spring with all three playing little league. I go for my 6 mo Onc appt on 6/26. I feel all will be fine. I have my mammo that day, too. So, will hopefully have good news by the end of that day.

As for the thyroid questions...sorry I'm so tardy in responding. There is just one correlation between thyroid and breast cancer that I know of...it is called "Cowden's disease" (sp?). There is a blood test that can be drawn to test for this through a genetic counselor. My results took 10 mos to get back and I was negative. My thyroid cancer was dx'd after my breast, but the nodules and goiter were there from the onset. They were two completely separate cancers. Just another way I try to be an overachiever, that's all. The thyroid cancer was very early, did not spread and with it being removed and one radioactive iodine treatment, I haven't worried about it since. Stage IIIC breast cancer worries me enough anyway!  Let me know how you both made out with your appointments.

MaryAnne, so you finally did it? Had the recon and it didn't turn out they way you hoped. Did you do the expanders? How do they feel? Do you feel better? I'll be thinking of you and hope to hear that everything matches up this time. I haven't done the nipple yet, either. Its been over 3 years for me. Not sure I will or not. Heck, I still haven't had the lift and I have one hell of a saggy, breastfed three kids, breast going on there. What am I waiting for????

Take care everyone. Hope this finds all my stage III sisters feeling and doing well. Janis, you are in my thoughts today and everyday.

Kim

StefS

It seems like it has been forever since I've visited here. Not too much to report. Check ups have all gone fine. Have to schedule my mammo for August and I think that's when I see my rads onc next. I need to find the appointment card and write that down before I forget it. My memory is so bad and before bc it was so sharp.

We took my dream vacation in March. Went to Playacar and went to the ruins at Chitchen Itza. I have always had a fascination with their pyramids (and the ones in Egypt).  It was a very relaxing trip. Probably half of that relaxation is the fact that we weren't checking VM or email. lol

Take care everyone. ((Big hugs to you all)) 

SpunkyGirl

Kim and Stef,

Thanks for checking in with us and letting us know you are doing so great.  Hope is a beautiful thing!

Hugs

Bobbie

kimf

Hey Bobbie,

I have friends in Carlisle. I graduated from Ship (I know, its been decades, but still...small world.) Thanks for your kind words. I'm off to NY this week for my 6 mos check up. Everyone keep your fingers crossed!

Kim

SpunkyGirl

Kim,

If you are ever down this way, look me up.  That would be a hoot.  I think you'd be surprised at how many nice restaurants Carlisle has now!

Bobbie

HensonChi

Bump

Zzap

Wow, I hadn't realized that it had been a year since I posted on this thread until I just looked. 

Well, I'm still here, 2 years post diagnosis and NED as far as I know.  It's been an exciting year for me, being accepted to Nursing school and finishing my first semester with 4.0.

 So, again, I wish everyone a HAPPY, HEALTHY 2009!!!

 Jenn

kimf

Hey Jenn,

Glad you bumped this up. Happy 2009 to everyone. I'm still NED (have my 6 mo appt this month with annual MRI). How is everyone else?

Kim

Bugs

Hi all!  I started 2009 out with the news that a lung CT was negative!  A great way to start a new year...dancing with NED. Things are great...good to see you guys.

..Jenn, a 4.0?  Congrats!!!

Bugs

kimf

Bugs....so glad to hear that sista! Woo hoo! K

Luv2laff

I have stage 3-C Breast Cancer I finshed my last treatment Dec 21.  I was reading your post how come so many of you have Throid problems to?  Did you get it after the Breast Cancer?  Is this something else I get to look forward to.  Isn't the weight gain enough.  Life is hard.  I fear that it is is going to come back.  I just don't know if I could go through all this again.  I will be tested in April to see if the treatments worked.  April seems like such a long ways away.

Zzap

Bugs!  Excellent news about the lung CT! 

Kimf, glad to hear you're healthy too!

The New Year has started off on the right track.

 Yep, somehow I pulled off a 4.0.  My second semester starts tomorrow morning, I hope I can do it again!  I'm sure gonna try...

kimf

Jenn,

Good luck tomorrow. A 4.0 is amazing. With my lack of memory, I don't think I could pass a single exam, let alone score such wonderful grades for a semester. Proud of you!

Luv2laff, my thyroid cancer was dx'd after breast cancer, but it existed prior to chemo. Unfortunately, it biopsied negative at first. The surgeon decided on the thyroidectomy from the start, cancer or not, due to the number of nodules (7) and the large goiter that I had. So after chemo, rads and a year of herceptin, I had the thyroid removed. At the follow up appt I found out it was cancer. Could have knocked me over with a feather. The type I had was a really benign type of cancer - nothing like IDC. No node involvement, no spread outside the tumor, all contained, couldn't have asked for a better cancer - ha!

Hang in there...these treatments that we all have had kick cancer's butt, so think for the best.

lkc

Bugs, Great  great news onyour C sac, Celebrate big time.

Jenn, A big congrats to you on your 4.0. Believe me I know how hard it is.

You're doing great!

Carol1220

Hi Girls, It's been ages since I have been here.  Jenn  - a 4.0 - wow you go girl.  That is fabulous.  and Bugs, I didn't know you had a scan for the lung, glad it's all okay.  Me too - dancing with NED - PET scan on Jan 6th was all good. Best wishes to all you girls for a healthy 2009.  Carol

Bugs

Carol,

Fabulous news on the PET.  NED is one guy we don't mind passing around!

Bethie1

Hi everyone.

I'm 38 years old, and newly diagnosed with IDC breast cancer as I found a lump this past Thanksgiving.  I'm scared! I didn't get the diagnosis til Christmas, and was told that not only do I have a grade 3 IDC, but that this is also aggressive.  As of this posting, my lymph nodes in and around the breast have been biopsyed, and their cancerous, and the team of doctors feel its a stage 3; (this stage is not yet confirmed).  My surgeon is recommending a mastectomy on Jan 23, after attempting to do the recommended lumpectomy (based on my age and good heart) that was performed on Jan 16.  The cancer is NOT in the other breast, bones, or organs. If I could get some insight as to why some people choose a double mastectomy over a single, that wold be appreciated.  Thanks

SpunkyGirl

Bethie,

I'm sorry you had to join us, but what an awesome group of people here.  Regarding a double vs. single mastectomy, it's really a personal decision.  Some women want the other breast removed to decrease the risk of getting BC again.  I originally got the first one done, then waited a year to get the second one removed.  There was no sign of cancer.  I have no regrets.  During that year, it was very difficult to achieve symmetry in clothes, esp. when I was wearing a bathing suit or a t-shirt.  Good luck in deciding what's best for you.

Bobbie

Bugs

Hi Bethie,

Welcome to our forum...sorry you had to join us!  I chose bilateral (double) mastectomy mainly because I didn't want to worry about it coming back in the other breast.  Another is for the symmetry reason that Bobbie mentioned.  I haven't had reconstruction yet, but when I do it will be easier for the docs to make them "balanced" lol.    It is a very personal decision and you have to go with your gut.  

Bugs

ps. you may get more responses by posting this question in it's own thread.  It may end up getting lost in this one.

Bethie1

Hey Bugs

 Nice to meet you, and thanks for the suggestions.  Life is a balancing act yes, but did we ever imagine ourselves trying to deal with this in our lives.?  If I had had a lumpectomy, I would've done a tummy tuck too! , but this mastectomy will need plenty of recovery time

kimf

Bethie,

So sorry you joined our ranks. I had a single mastectomy with a free tram reconstruction (tummy tuck). I had 3 small children (my baby was only 2) and the recovery required someone to be with me with the kids for weeks. I couldn't be happier with the cosmetic appearence of my new boob and my flat tummy. I do, however, regret not having both done. I have to have my other breast checked every six months (once by mammo and once by MRI). The fear is worse than anything. But, it would really be nice if I could get a bra that matched both breasts - none do. Clothes don't fit as well with one breast larger than the other or saggier than the other. It is a personal choice and I am not advising you, I'm just explaining my personal situation.

Best of luck to you. Kick cancer's butt!