New and Scared....

kcpainter77

Good Day Everyone,

I am new to this message board but am loving what I am reading so far.  Researching about Triple Negative BC gives me chills, knowing that it is my diagnosis makes me queasy.  I was diagnosed in June 08, had bilateral mastectomy in Jul 08 and started 4 doses of TC in Aug 08 (last chemo treatment will be Oct 23).  This is the hardest, scariest challenge I have ever encountered. 

I am curious....how do you ladies do it?  How do you get through your days?  How do you live with this dark cloud lingering overhead?  I know, right now, I am going to beat it, this time around.  I am so afraid of the future and what may happen.  I read all of your post and I find so much strength in each one of you, how do you do it?

Sincerely Impressed with Your Courage and Strength,

gramof4

Kelly,

I am glad you found this site!  It is an awesome group of ladies that post here.  I was diagnosed triple negative, grade 3, micromets to one node, stage IIB in August of 2006.  I was shocked. Always had my mammos, no family history.  I walked around in a daze for a long time.  First thing I did (other than crying) was to jump online and went to 'cancer college'   I learned everything I possibly could about this nasty beast.  It does get easier, I promise!  Before you know it your chemo will be over.  One day you willl wake up and your first thought won't be cancer.  It takes time but it will happen.  Just take it one day at a time and sometimes one hour at a time. Hang in there....better days are just ahead! 

Joyce

triple negative august 2006 grade 3 stage IIB.

pattypoo53

Hello Kelly,

 I don't post much on the board but read daily. I do like to post when I see someone just starting this journey. I know how desperate I was to hear survival stories when I was first diagnosed.My followup went great all bloodwork was great, had my vit D levels checked they were 39, my tumor markers are an 8 ,they have been low, I didn't even have one done until I was a year and a half out from diagnoses, my onc believes in them as part of the whole picture, he doesn.t really on them solely, but as a part of all the other bloodwork. I was diagnosed Dec 03, at 50 yrs old ,stage IIA, atypical medullary, 2.8cm, triple negative, no vascular invasion, no nodes involved out of 28, clean margins, lumpectomy. 4xAC then 4x Taxol, then 33 rads. I am four years out from treatment, and 4 1/2 years out from diagnoses. My onc is very optimistic about my prognosis. Although I know there are no guarantees that my cancer will never come back, I am really trying to move forward with this rollercoaster ride.I am meeting with a genetic counselor soon, I am considering the testing. My mom had breast cancer at 65 yrs, masectomy only, she didn.t die of breast cancer. Thanks for all the support on this board it is wonderful, I don.t post much, but read daily.

Hugs

Patty

kcpainter77

I had the genetic testing done and got the results the day I left the hospital after my bilateral mastectomy.  The results were inconclusive, which means they seen a mutation but they have only seen this mutation in 4 other cases which means they have no clue what it means.  I am meeting with an Ovarian Cancer Specialist to find out if he feels my ovaries should be remove.  This entire diagnosis still seems so unreal to me.  I watch lifetime, religiously, watch the movies about women fighting this disease and my heart always went out to them.  I remember always thinking "thank god I don't have a history in my family, what would my family do without me."  Never thought in a MILLION years did I dream I would be a lifetime movie.

Thank You for sharing, 2 years sounds good, 4 1/2 years sounds GREAT to me!

gramof4

I had the genetic testing done also and thankfully was negative for BRCA1 and BRCA2.  I have a grown daughter and two granddaughters and I sure don't want them to be at increased risk of getting BC.   The ovarian specialist is a good idea.  Chemo put me into menopause so I really should have the ovaries removed, I don't need them for anything anymore!   I have found that, in my case anyhow, I have to be very aggressive in my health care.  I have to ask for, and sometimes almost demand, scans.  Right now I am awaiting a CT guided lung biopsy for a nodule that was seen on a PET scan that my doctor insisted I did not need.  I won that argument, Thank God!  I am praying that it is not cancer, I really don't want to do this all over again!   But, if that is what the biopsy shows, then I have no choice.  That is one thing that really pisses me off about the cancer.....your choices are taken away from you.  You either do it or face the alternative. 

Joyce