CALLING ALL STAGE I SISTERS

Sherryc

auntinance welcome this is a great group of ladies here that will give you tons of support.  Don't hesitate to ask questions.

annettek

auntinance- as some of said, welcome but sure wish you didn't have to be here. Having said that, buckle in for you have found yourself surrounded by some of the most amazing women on the planet. all from the heart, which is the best stuff of all:)

samsue

Annettek, how are you doing. I didn't see an update from your surgery.

sheila888

When we call her name Annette shows up

Anneeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeette

sheila888

Welcome auntinance we are all here for you.

How did you make out today?

Hugs 

sheila888

survivor11

Welcome Aunt...

My Onco test was 19 and because of my age at dx(39) it was suggested that I have chemo and I did. Wasn't always fun, but doable. Hoping that you don't have to worry with it.

Great group of women, I think you'll find that we understand when noone else seems to. Good luck at your MO.

auntienance

Wow -- you all are awesome -- thank you!  Well, there were really no surprises yesterday.  My MO is recommending chemo even though it probably won't reduce my risk more than 3 or 4% (currently at 17% based on my score).  Of course, he left it to me and did say another doc might recommend otherwise.  I am pretty much leaning toward going with the chemo.  Anything I can do to keep from going through this again!  I just wish my mind wasn't in such a dark place right now.  I wonder if I'll ever enjoy my life again, at the same time I know I'm wallowing -- things could be so much worse.  It makes me mad, because I'm not that person.  One more thing to hate about cancer -- it brings out the worst in me.  My wonderful husband has been just great -- whatever I decide, he's in for the long haul.  Which is another thing that upsets me -- he deserves so much better than this.  Anyway, I'm done crying now (figuratively, if not literally).  Thanks for being here!

survivor11

Auntie, this really is the dark time. You have so much ahead of you and you don't know what to expect. It seems stupid to say, but really just take it one day at a time, one treatment at a time. By the way you are intitaled to feel down, we deserve that much for going through all of this.Hang in there and anytime you need to moan, bi_ch, or whatever, we are here.

annettek

Auntie- big hugs to you sweetie...be a little easier on yourself my friend, this is scary stuff and it hits us all like a ton of bricks.

I heard ya Shelia! This last surgery kicked my *ss which is nuts since it was supposed to be a little fat sucking and injecting it back in to smooth the boobs....ACK....I certainly cannot get why anyone WOULD EVER DO THIS hahahaha...black and blue...cranky...queasy from the double antibiotics and wearing a lovely restrictive IRON MAIDEN garment...other than that, it was a breeze:) So silly, I think the kickbutt part came just from the mere fact that I have had four surgeries under general anesthetic over the last 10 months after only having it once in the previous 50 odd years. It is cumulative on our bodies. I am feeling better every day - steaming to sunday when I hit the magic double nickel birthday and will celebrate that I took a licking but I keep on ticking@ Like all of us- SO YEAH!!!!

jo1955

Auntie - Welcome and just know we are all here for you anytime you need us.  Like survivor said take it one day, one treatment at a time.

sheila888

Good Night

TinaT

auntienance - Such a roller coaster ride, but totally understandable.  We all have good days and bad days.  When a bad one comes along, recgonize it for what it is and let yourself off the hook for feeling cranky or shedding some tears.  Things will get easier once you know what your plan is.   

Hang in there - you can do this!!!

SAB

Has anyone read about angiogenesis or angiostatin?  Yesterday I went to a 2 month check up with my surgeon and he checked me for new tumors! Evidently when the original tumor is removed it can spur the growth of new tumors.  I think that I would have appreciated knowing that so that I could discuss it with my RO or MO, before delaying rads.  I don't understand how this squares with the 3 month window my RO claims.  So confused and frustrated at how dificult it is to advocate for ones self in this complicated situation.  Sorry--venting.  I promise next post will be more cheerful.  

Happy birthday in advance annettek.

jo1955

SAB - This is the place to vent girlfriend.  You don't always have to be cheerful and upbeat.  The information you shared is very interesting.  I find that I learn something new every day on this website. I will have to look those two things up.

SAB

Jo, have just been reading anti-cancer (again) and it says that primary tumors prevent distant tumors from growing by blocking the growth of new blood  supplies. (p. 49 if you have the book.) Sort of a self-limiting mechanism, and so when they are removed it allows new blood supplies to be established, and thus new tumors.  The book is advocating the prevention of cancer through a reduction in inflammation (diet and environmental factors) that will help prevent new blood supplies from growing.Meanwhile, a line of research was established for blood supply and cancer control about 1994. I'm not sure if that line of research panned out or not because of course the author Servan-Schreiber eventually succumbed to his own brain cancer. 

mimi1964

Auntinance welcome aboard! It's a hard time right now deciding what to do... it's really wonderful to have the support of a loving family that means more than anything in the world.  I didn't have chemo with breast cancer but I had it 32 yrs ago with Hodgkins Disease.  It is has improved a lot since then and even back then it was doable.  The radiation I had to do for breast cancer was doable as well.  I hope to never repeat it but I would if I had to. 

Annette... Happy Birthday (early) and may I add you certainly do not look like a double nickel is your age  I would have guessed much younger.  I was thinking late 30's...  Girl you look great!!

You need to tell us your secrets

Sheila I love your new pic at the top of the page (it definitely describes what I've been going through of late). 

Hi Granny, Val, Ducky, Barb and anyone else I've missed.... Love and Hugs to you all

Renee

jo1955

SAB - Would you be so kind and give me the name and author of the book you are reading.  I would like to see if Barnes & Nobles has it available for a Nook (e-reader).  I could download it and read it at my leisure.  Thanks

ann329

SAB, I learned of it somewhat by accident.  About two weeks after my first needle localization and diagnosis, my surgical oncologist (who hadn't performed the first procedure) asked if I'd taken extra strength tylenol immediately post op.  I said I had, they gave it to me in hospital and I asked why scared he would say I shouldn't have or something.  But to the contrary, he said it was a good thing because once a malignant tumor is disturbed, it can disrupt the other cells and form new tumors; he said the tylenol prevents the inflammation and keeps the cells "calm", so to speak.  Needless to say, I took only extra strength tylenol after my re-excision (done to get clean margins).

hugs to all

Ann

bcisnofun

Hi auntienance - I'm new here too.  I had an oncotype of 12, but my doc recommended chemo.  I'm 45 with a 7 year old.  I think he's more aggressive than most docs because he's a brain cancer survivor himself.  I really debated - way more about chemo than about the BLMX decision.  Probably only bought me 2% and there are risks to chemo too.  But in the end, I did it.  It was not fun but do-able.  Thinking of you and wishing you well. 

SAB

Jo the book is Anti cancer A new way of life by David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD. I found it referred on these boards.  It really is informative, but I do find it a lot to digest and have to keep flipping back through it.  It has started a lot of life changes for me, including (especially) diet, giving up my beloved sugar.I first read it the same weekend my DH rented the movie "Forks over Knives."  Double whammy. I have had maybe 6 ounces of meat in the last 2 weeks. I do feel pretty good though.

Ann I'm off to find my Tylenol  

Susan 

auntienance

Hi everyone -- well today is another day and I've decided to go ahead with the chemo.  I actually feel better to have made the decision and all the feedback from everyone here  has been SOOO helpful.  Even though I don't have a start date yet for chemo, I made arrangements with my stylist today to shave my head when the time comes and to my delight, a dear friend treated me to a pedicure today.  I may be hairless soon, but my feet will look GOOD    So, I'm ready to move on.  Thanks to everyone for your input, I really appreciate it!

zumbagirl

SAB,

Have you read the book "The Pink Ribbon Diet" by Mary Flynn, RD and Nancy Verde Barr, it is a diet cooking with extra virgin olive oil, and it keeps you from getting breast cancer or having a reoccurance.,I am just a few pages into the book, and I am fasinated. I am going to try it out next week.

Sherryc

I am reading the Anti Cancer book right now and it is very good, but there is alot to digest.

SAB

zumbagirl, it is going on my list, thank you. I am going crazy trying to think of meals! There is some help here--it's a thread called "The good thing I ate today" but it's not been a very active board lately! 

jo1955

SAB - Thanks for the book information.  I am going to research Barnes & Nobles and see if they have it.

GmaFoley

Hi there Ladies: I haven't been on this week as I have been busy learning a new computer job... Son's boss hired me for 2 weeks to see if I could fill in for the gal on vacation... I am doing a better job than the gal on vacation... My first week learning I did 4 releases an hour compared to her 1.3 an hour... They are already talking about hiring me full time.. The only killer about this job is it starts at 4am pacific time... I've made it this week, one more week for this fill-in job.. Going to be traveling home after lunch I think - 3.5 hours hopefully the new "coding" music that the son downloaded for me, to keep me awake in the wee hours, will work for the drive too

Ducky and Granny - I'm driving home braless - and NO I haven't found or bought any new bras and I have given up a while longer... I still wear the shelf bra tanks but the one I wore driving up was hurting me so figured just go braless while driving... Missed you all this week...

tarry

I'm stage one with a large area of dcis plus microinvasion. I had a lumpectomy with great margins, and i don't mind the way it looks. But what I learned from the path report is making me wonder if I should rethink it. The BC didn't suggest that, and I'm too slow to get to "maybe we should rethink the whole thing," on my feet, as it were. I see the radiologist in two weeks.

TinaT

Tarry - Hi!  So much second-guessing as we get educated and delve into this new world, right?  The more we learn, the more questions we have!

I'm not sure if you're asking a question or just thinking out loud (either is OK!).  So - you had a large lumpectomy with clear margins and the current plan is for radiation?  What about the path report has you wondering....and are you wondering about the surgical approach or your treatment plan or ???  Have you seen an oncologist yet?

tarry

Hi tina, the excised area had "innumerable" invasive bits of 2-5 mm, and some comedonecrosis. The BS shared with me that there may be an underlying problem with the whole breast. That's very scary, but she seemed to think rads fix it, or at least she did not say I should have an mx.



I haven't seen either the onco or the rads yet. My surgery was 9/6.



You are right. It is comforting to remember new knowledge can raise as many questions as it answers.