MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish

chrissyb

Yay Lynn!  Doing the happy dance for negative bio!  Yahoo!

somewhereinbetween

I have read many of you ladies post and I must say that I just wanted to jump in and comment on a few of the encouraging words that I heard. I guess I like the real talk. I mean I like being informed and love learning new and exciting things, I just never knew I would be learning in this new and inspired way. So I thank you women whom I share a commonality with being diagnosed with b\c. 

chrissyb

Hi somewhereinbetween, welcome!  Glad you found us and are learning what you need. 

Love n hugs.  Chrissyb

jo1955

Welcome somewhereinbetween - What a fantastic group of ladies you have found.  They have been my inspiration.  But also sorry we have to met like this.  This is the place to be for information and support.

marlegal

Sherry, I didn't do any "cancer" related walks or fundraisers for a couple years after I was done treatment.  I just hated that I was all of a sudden everyone's poster girl for breast cancer and I wanted to be left alone.  After a while though I did participate in certain fundraisers, when it felt right to me, not because I was expected to.  For the past couple years, I've actually been very involved with some BCO activities ... there's a brochure out there with my pic and story in many dr's offices, and I took part in a video of survivors for the 10th anniv'y Rock the Ribbon in Phila (where I live).  Those things meant more to me because obviously BCO is near and dear to my heart.  We all have to find the things that mean something to us for our own reasons, not because it's expected of us after our dx.

marlegal

somewhere, you picked a good thread to join...hope you made us a "favorite".  We share all things related to our lives, not just cancer.  Having a bad day in work?  Tell us about it.  Like a certain movie?  Do tell!  Hub bothering you? Join the club   Just know that you can talk about whatever you want in here ... it's a great room for just - anything.  And occasionally we have really cool cyber parties - stick around long enough and you'll be shocked at how much fun we can have over the internet!  Your post doesn't give much info about where you are in the BC journey.  If you feel like sharing, we'd like to know more.  If you'd rather not, that's totally fine too.

Eli, I have no idea where you come up with these frame topper pictures, but they're always either fascinating (as this one is) or topically on point (like the Irish pics earlier this week).  Great job hon.

jo1955

Marlegal - You summed up this thread perfectly.  This is the place for just about anything.

3jaysmom

3jays

3jaysmom

cause we're always "all over the place!! welcome!!here..ahem somewhere3jays

BarbaraA

Lynnie, great news!! Hi gals, been AWOL for a few days. The weather here is just glorious and reminds me why I moved here. My little beach town is having a mini-carnival replete with fireworks every night off the beach (which I can see really well from my townhouse). It started with St Paddy's Day and a LOUD band that woke me up at 10. so I got up and enjoyed the music over the water. I can sleep with the windows open from around October through late April so am enjoying great sleeping weather.

Hope everyone has a great weekend.,

barbe1958

I felt weird at my first 'Survivors Walk' as I was still alive! Go figure...but then, I had no breasts, so I guess I did have cancer at some point, so I qualified!

BarbaraA

Great pic, Barbe!!

jo1955

Love the pic Barbe!

annettek

Lynniea- YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!

Somewhere- welcome, and while sorry you had to join us, glad to *meet* you:)

Barbe- what a doll:) You look like a damn kid instead of a gramma:)

lynniea

Hi ladies Good morning Made some soup for lunch.  Feeling a little better had no bm for a few days.  I feel a little better now.  Thanks for the happy dance.

leisaparis

lynniea - they always gave me 2 tylenol before they started treatment.

Newlasta shot sucked, but did it's job.

Good job ladies, glad you both are doing well.

somewhereinbetween

Thank all of the women that welcomed me. I wanted to tell Barbara you look really awesome and most of all you look happy. I guess I am glad to know that I can still live a fruitful life and don't have to be defined by my diagnosis. Thank you for words of encouragement and wisdom sent from the airwaves via the internet. You are right I have haven't posted anything other than what I know for sure; that I have breast cancer. I recieved pathology reports from initial biopsy performed and was diagnosied with IDC and IDCS. I just has surgery done March 16, 2011 for a right radical masectomy with removal of nodes to determine what stage. I have not recieved path reports back as of yet. I am still somewhereinbetween all of this. "Wondering now whether I should have had the left breast removed." 

jo1955

somewhereinbetween - It is old saying - shoulda, woulda, coulda.  The is disease always keeps us guessing and wondering if we are making the right decisions.  We just have our instincts to rely on - that and the information given to us.  Each of us have had some really hard personal decisions to make and you can always go back and have the other breast removed if that is what you want.  You do have some control over what happens.  Just breathe and let some of all this soak in first before doing anything else.

'These ladies are so supportive - hang out here - you will get through this. 

barbe1958

I agree with Jo, you can always take the second breast off...can you imagine if you were typing "I wish I had left the other breast on!"

jo1955

Barbe - I hadn't thought of that.  In the beginning - I second guessed myself for quite sometime.  I did have a lumpectomy - tumor was really small - but I kept asking myself if I should have had a mastectomy instead.  I have seen others with the same dx as me and they had the breasts taken off.  Then I stop and remember how much the word mastectomy scared the hell out of me - then I am back to being okay with my decision.  I'm telling you, this disease keeps you wondering.

NativeMainer

somewhereinbetween--try to hang in until you get the final pathology reports.  Future treatment choices will be determined by the combination of clean margins or not, node inolvement or not, ER/PR and Her2 status, maybe Oncotype scoring.  Once you have all the info you can begin intelligently researching the options.  There are a lot more things to think about than just the diagnosis when deciding on mastectomy or not.  Just keep in mind that there IS time to think and research.  Easier said than done, I know from experience.  And yes, the beast will keep you second guessing yourself if you let it. 

walker2222

Hi all - it is a personal choice that only you can make. I would say we all are comfortable with our decision.



My SIL made it through the surgery fine. She will have to live with a pouch for four months until her intestines heal. They will at that time if the surgery fixed the damage.

blondiex46

the only "walk" I do is Susan's in Philly on Mother's Day and I also didn't do it right away, have been doing since 1999 and was diagnosed in 1996 and now I just have to do it it, last year was the first year with the recurrence and this year will be there again......unfortunatelly I go alone cause my kids who are adults don't want to participate but that is ok, the twins who are now 17 have gone with me and taken turns but not anymore...still I will go...for me...not for them....

elimar86861

blondiex46, welcome to our thread, where we do our best "act our age" and once in a while actually succeed.  You made me check the calendar to see if the Relay was on Mother's Day.  I'm relieved that it is not.  I've had too many Mother's Days scheduled with Cub Scout camping and competitive soccer games starting at 8 a.m. that I am not looking to share the day with another activity.  This past Fall, my teen son volunteered with me for a Making Strides event, but I bet the novelty will have worn off if I do that again in the Fall this year.

somewhereinbetween, welcome also!   Do you know how many nodes they removed?  They told me that when i was in recovery...well, maybe because I asked them.  Keep us posted on your pathology findings.  

walker2222

I apologize not welcoming the new comers. My mind has been elsewhere, have been having more head aches. May need to talk to my Dr about it four days waking up with a sore head and is not because of indulging in too much drink. I am sure it is allergies it has been real windy here

Sherryc

Welcome newbies this is a great place for support. Hope everyone is having s great weekend

Thanks for all the comments for relay etc. I will probably be fine but will just have to do it and see how I feel about it.

marlegal

Jo, again, our similarities amaze me   I had "just" a lumpectomy too based on dr's recommendation and I chose her because of her credentials and I trusted her.  I was just too overwhelmed with information to decide on my own.  I've often thought "should I have ..." but that ship sailed, so I just keep the positive attitude.  I know it's not a magic number, but crossing the 5 year mark last August felt like affirmation of my decision in some way. 

somewhereinbetween, I hope the remainder of your treatment, whatever that might involve, goes well for you.

blondiex46

thank you for you welcome, appreciate it.

JeanH

Hi Middies,



Welcome to our new posters, this is a fabulous group of women and I agree a great place to share about anything in our lives.



Annette, so glad your surgery went well.



It is hard to know we are making the right decisions, but I have been comfortable with following doctors advice and going with the lumpectomy figuring I could go for more if needed but Like it was pointed out you can't put it back. It is most important that we are comfortable with our decisions and make the right one for us at that time.



I am done with first half of Chem, last EC was thursday, next round starts the 4 Taxols. Meet the rad doc just before the next session. Worried about them I sunburn easily and wonder if that means I will burn on the rads, Also worrried about left side heart issues Dad had heart issues and don't want to add to to my list , Doc is highly recommended so we will see what he says and research.



On a life note DS is home for spring break from college, we have not seen him in person since Christmas week. Went to airport to pick him up with DH, happy to have everyone home for a week.

Tomorrow a family dinner celebration for a sister who was just married. WIll take a nap before so I don't need one in the middle



{{{{{hugs to all}}}}



Love the Eichner puddle pic.



Jean

marlegal

Jean I have fair skin and did ok with rads.  In addition to the cream they told me to use, I used 100% aloe gel (cheap, any drugstore has) after each treatment.  Good luck!  And I hope you have a wonderful time at dinner tomorrow night ... I remember very well when our dd's would come home from college, a special time