Just diagnosed--also with new baby!

allisontom911

I just wanted to introduce myself. I am 37 and have a 7 week old son and got my offical diagnosis yesterday 12/8. I do not have the hormone receptor results yet..hopefully tomorrow.

The path report from what I remember said I am a III/III. The doctor said he would put my stage between 2 and 3. So I guess I need some clarification from him. I do have node involement...test positive for the same kind of cancer cells and same level/grade during the biopsy.

How do you know how many nodes are involved? Surgery? How do you know if it has spread to anywhere else in the body?

I am waiting for my appt with the oncologist and also to have my MRI. They are saying chemo first, then surgery then not sure what.

I would love to hear others stories or any advice. 

39mom2babies

I just responded to your other message.  Check it out.  PM me with any questions that you may have.  I see in your signature line you put mets.  Do you have mets other than the nodes?  Most do not consider this mets.  It is locally advanced, but even with node involvement the treatments can be very effective.  There are many woman with large tumors, multiple nodes who are her many years later.  I plan to be one of them.  

aly72982

My name is also alison, I was diagnosed in 2007 ...multifocal. OK 2010 I am still around..

Take one step at a time. lots of hugs your way.

Cafelovr

Hi Allison! Congrats on your baby. Enjoy this time, as it goes very fast. My baby is almost 7! My name is Linda, and I was dx on 10/19/09. I do chemo first as well, followed by surgery next spring, rads, and recon. I know this is scarey, but it's doable!!!

They do an initial staging to determine the best form of chemo for you. After you meet your onc, he will schedule a PET scan, CT scan, echo, a bone scan, and any other test he sees fit. This will tell you you have mets. Node involvement would show up in an mri, but not the extent. They will find out the amt of involvement in surgery. Mets occurs when it has left the breast area. If nodes are the only thing invoved, you will stay in Sge III. I have one hot spot on my liver, alas, Stage IV. My onc still treats me as if I'm III.

There are so many tx out there! I will have to deal with this for the rest of my life, like a chronic illness, but I walk this journey with my head held high! Feel free to PM me anytime. This is a wonderful site, as you will see you are not alone! Good luck!

allisontom911

I just got word that I am ER-/PR- and HER2+. So it sounds like I will do herceptin(sp) via the port for 1 year.

I go tomorrow for MRI and blood work for the BRAC1 and 2, Monday with the Oncologist and tuesday is the port placement.

I updated my file as I think I hit the wrong thing for the mets.

Thanks for all the support gals.  

hlya

allisontom911:  Sounds like they already did SNB and know that you have nodes involved, but they need to confirm how many nodes involved (by surgery) - it will finalize your stage,  if your positive nodes are within 3, you will still be on stage 2,  and if more than that,  will be in stage III.

Also, node involvement doesn't = "mets". "mets" means the cancer cells already travelled to other parts of the body.  Lymph nodes job is to catch cancer cells before they start to travel.  PET scan will check whether the other parts of  body have cancer shown up.

Hope it helps. 

allisontom911

Yes they did a biopsy on my lymph node. It is over 4cm and the one in my breast is 3.8. They both tested positive for the same type of cancer. The surgeon said my stage is 2/3. I guess we wont know for sure since I am not having surgery until after chemo.

I did update my profile ....I thought I clicked no on the "mets" since I dont know yet.

Lauren3

Welcome to the boards, so sorry for what you have to go through but this is a wonderful place of support and information.  Congrats on your new baby.  I was diagnosed when my son was 21 months old -- there are definitely added challenges when you have a young one at home but on the flip side, I have found my son to be a wonderful distraction over the past 7 months.  Hang in there and feel free to PM!

nanadada

Welcome....

I was diagnosed on sept 10th and im also 37 yrs old, it stinks on soooo many levels. I remember thinking...this cant be happening, I have 2 children this cant be happening now!!! then I found myself on this site and you read and learn and you begin to tell yourself  that youre gonna make it... You will, its just hard right now! I am 2 months in and its still raw so I know its hard where you are right now. I had cancer on my right breast and i opted to do a BM, for me that was the right decision, I am going through chemo right now, actually going for my second tx on wed the 16th, it stinks, but you just DO It and get through!!! I had a catscan and bone scan and thank god they both were negative, as far as the node involvement, My oncologist told me that the nodes are there to catch the cancer before it gets a chance to go happy! I had 2 node involvement, You will be Ok, just stay focused and do youre best to stay positive, althoough I know its hard some times, just look at your beautiful baby and youll get youre strength, thats what I do! I look at my babies and they lift me up when I feel like i cant. Take care!!!!

mrsloghouse

I was 37 and with a new baby 4 1/2 years ago . The herceptin is marvellous stuff ...bring it on if you need it !  Chemo well that is a chapter in itself ...the only thing to focus on is getting it done .The journey is very tough with a little baby to care for but it is so great to have those little bundles of fun and love when it is done ! My daughter hasn;t a clue what I've been through she thinks all breasts are weird and didn't notice that I barely could care for her for 8 months ! I had query 1 node involved they were never really clear about it's importance but I think these days even with nodes .. with all the new drugs it is full speed ahead get treated and odds hugely on you will be fine ! I had chemo next to two girls in late 30s who were childless and that was very sad. Tough for them when it was all over having to come to terms with both the cancer and the loss of their fertility.

As strange as it seems now  when you are in some kind of living bad dream you will one day be in a place when you have stopped worrying about being there for your child and your feet are firmly on the ground and actually you are shouting at them to stop messing around in the car when you are driving ! or to eat their fruit ! I think it makes you a richer parent to have had such a tough experience!  

Good luck with the treatment get all the good medicine you can and do less is more on the surgical side there is always time to sort out the aesthetics later when you are feeling more balanced again would be my advice .

allisontom911

thanks everyone for the replies. Makes total sense about the herceptin.

My brain MRI came back negative!!!!!

I had my port put in today..super sore. Gonna go and rest before I have night duty with my son.

coonie

Hi Allison...I think you'll do real good. Herceptin is a miracle drug. If you haven't seen the moving called "Living Proof" with Harry Connick playing the doctor who invented Herceptin......you need to see it. I think alot of women are alive today because of Herceptin. Good luck to you and congrats on your new baby!!!! Before you know it, he'll be graduating from high school ... (((hugs))))

nikkidonahue

Hi, Allison.  I am 36 years old and was diagnosed 6/17/09, my littlest son was 7 weeks at the time also.  I had a very large tumor and lymph node as well.  I did 20 weeks of chemo and just had bilateral mastectomy 2 weeks ago.  My pathology report post-surgery came out totally clear.  I am healing and doing well.  I was very thankful that my baby was so small at the time because he was easy to transport to all the appointments and everything I had to go through.  He just ate and slept most of the time.  The hardest part was putting him on a bottle, as I breastfed 4 out of my 5 children for 1-2 years each.  If you'd like to chat about any more details, feel free to send me a message!

JennD1117

Hi...I'm 31 years old with a 6 month old baby. I have the most supportive husband and family I could ever ask for. I was diagnosed with Est+/Prog+ and HER2NU2+. Two hotspots showed up on my PET scan..one on my sternum and another on my hip. I had a sternum biopsy on Friday...awaiting the results. But I know with all the treatments available I will survive! I am going to fight each and every day for my daughter...it's my only choice! She needs her MOTHER! This site is great. Thanks for the support. If anyone knows anything about bone mets please feel free to fill me in!

allisontom911

JennD1117 - Sorry you have been diagnosed!  I too have the best husband and family. I will say a few prayers for your biopsy!

Keep us posted on what they find out and what treatments you will be getting.

Merry Chritmas!

Pure

Hi there,

I am 9 months preg-I was diagnosed 4 months ago. I am halfway through chemo. If I can be of any help let me know. I certainly know the fear of being stage 3 and wondering if I will be here for my baby.

Feel free to pm me with any questions. 

Pure

You may want to join us in the stage 3 tread. The girls there are great, very supportive and some many years out.

makmak

Just got my results yesterday and have a 2 month old and two teens.. Just wanted to join a group of those in my situation.. I'm so scared and of course all the negative what ifs are going through my head.. Have a meeting with the breast surgeon tomorrow and an MRI next week to see if its as bad as it will get or worse.. All I know so far is that it's grade 3 and the infiltrating part is 1.5cm while the whole mass is 4cm. I'm 39 so I'd really like to keep my breast and of course so worried about Chemo.. my grandma had radiation and tells me that's not as bad.. I'm the breadwinner and was set to go back to work in 3 weeks.. but looks like this thing got me and have to have the surgery fast.. it's doubled in size in 3 months... what a situation to be in...