Calling all TNs

minxie

Hi all, I had my surgery today. They removed the tumor, the implant, and some muscle. They were able to close the wound and PS said I could think about TRAM flap down the road if I wanted.

It really hurts on that side, especially moving or taking a deep breath. I've mostly been sleeping.

From Saturday until the day before the surgery I was at a beach that felt like paradise. I was able to keep this horrible reality away most of the time, so was great swimming, walking, sunning. Wish I was still there now and this wasn't happening!

Have to try and catch up with whats going on with you all - hope things have been well!

Lovelyface

minxie - I could use some beach time myself, I am glad you experienced paradise before your surgery.  I hope you heal fast.

Annie - I agree with Titan, I also can almost hear you talk.  Thanks for your uplifting posts.  My mom and sister live in New Zealand, they and their kids also sort of talk like you.  I guess each place has its own culture, own way of talking. Annie, I like your idea of a bigger picture on the left side where all the space is being wasted.

Inmate - Sorry to hear you are going through a tough time.  Get yourself better and everything else will fall in place.  When you feel good, everything feels great, isn't it?

Ladies, tomorrow I will most probably hear the results of my thyroid biopsy.  I wish one of you could be here taking my news for me and then quietly relaying that to me. 

Cocker_Spaniel

Hi Ladies

Well I finally made it and even walked for 15 mins but when I finally staggered home there was no welcoming committee to cheer me on  and even the dogs weren't on the drive way to clap for me. So my moment of glory went pear shaped.  But I'm not a giver upper I will think of my hero Titan and stagger on regardless of the pain and suffering (small blister). I'll be out there tomorrow morning come rain or shine (well shine anyway).

Titan - my old fellar swears he can hear my voice a lot as well. lol

LuvRVing - 17.5 hrs.  Woo hoo.  If you need me to come and carry your bags just call me.  Have a great time.

Inmate - you are really going through it with your chemo and family issues.  But it will all come right. Just hang in there as you have told me to do before.  Sending you my hand to hold hoping it will help you cope.  Thinking of you lots.

Phgraham - wonderful news.  All clear. Nothing beats that.  I too am looking forward to my month off before radiation. Will be nice to have a break before the next lot of treatment.

Caroline71 - Welcome. You will be fine just listen to these wise, kind  ladies on here they will help you through it. Taxol is a lot easier in a lot of respects than the AC. I didn't get sick at all thank goodness.  You will get through this.

To the ladies who decided against chemo.  This is a very personal choice and you must do what you feel is best for you alone.  No judgement here either.  Looking back I am very glad I did it as I feel it has given me the best chance of beating cancer. There were many times that I felt I wanted to give up and I would come on here and the posts would pull me through. Sometimes if I felt ill I would tell myself that I wouldn't go for the next one and the next day I would feel ten times better and I would feel  I could cope again. Really the time has flown by quicker than I thought it would.  But I am 100% sure that I could not have done it without the support of all the ladies on here. You have all been my saving grace and I love everyone of you for it. I hope I don't but if I ever have to have it again I dare say I will even if its just for my beloved girls and my old fellar again. Look at Inmate she has found the courage to go through it all again.  I feels sure that at times she wants to give up but I know she won't.       

Oh I have a beautiful sunset out of my office window. It's made my day.  Glorious colors. It must be for Inmate.

Well I went to the Doc's this afternoon to get my heart checked because of my puffy feet. She told me I had a heart (Bonus) and it was beating strongly but I had to cut down on my salt.  So I smothered my dinner in tomato sauce. Was quite nice with half a bottle on it. 

Enjoy your holiday weekend ladies and your hot dogs.  I will just be sitting here slogging away as usual at typing cause I haven't done much today while you are all out enjoying yourselves or in Paris.  Nobody to talk to cause you have all gone to the beach. No really have a great weekend and enjoy your lovely weather.

Annie

   

Cocker_Spaniel

This is for you Inmate

mccrimmon324

Well Done on your walk Annie!!! 

LuvRVing - All excited for you.  I really hope you have the weather we did, absolutely beautiful.  And, keep meaning to recommend.  Alice's Pizza.  Or some Zebra restaurant.  Both or tiny, crowded and worth every second.  I'll check with hubby shortly and get the addresses for you.   

Inmate - happy to hear from you but wish you were feeling better.  Glad at least you feel like your old self for this week.   

Think my fingers are getting sore from all of this online job application summission.  Still can't complain, can't express how wonderful it is to be home.  Tonight is the first night I actually have no plans.  Trying to decide if I'd like to invite my Mum over for a glass of wine or veg out with a good book.  Currently reading Fifty Shades of Grey.  Very popular and VERY adult.  Think I'm gonna opt for wine with Mum though. 

Enjoy your day ladies!

Fighter_34

McCrimmon-I am too I have just started with the book, but I keep getting interrupted by Word w/ Friends. I love beating my aunt and nephew. This gives me JOY! LOLOL I know I am bad family member.

Smile ladies it's almost the weekend....

TifJ

Luv- Hope I caught you before you leave- just wanted to wish you a wonderful time in Paris! Please take lots of pictures to post!! Oh, hope your daughter is doing better!!

LuvRVing

Thanks, Tif!  And Heather, I'm taking Fifty Shades with me on the plane...half way through the first book and the other two are sitting on my counter waiting for me.  My daughters read them all and so I am all set. 

I will post some pictures here, but be sure to check my blog for most of the details.  I decided that going to Paris is an important part of my breast cancer journey, and my loyal fan club deserves something more fun than the results of the latest PET/Ct scan...LOL!

Tazzy

Hi ladies, I was recommended to visit this board by Luah so hope you dont mind me jumping in.

Quick background on my diagnosis: Age 52, diagnosed 52 - Clear mammo in July 2011.  Found lump in right breast Dec 2011. Doc sent me for further mammo then biopsy and diagnosed with IDC/DCIS/TN Jan 12/12 - first chemo (protocol ACD) treatment Jan 27 - last one June 22 (nearly there - yippee).   Meet with RO and surgeon on June 13/14 respectively for next chapter.

To all the Sisters in the States, enjoy your Memorial Day weekend.

Cocker_spaniel.... if you wanna chat I'm in BC, Canada so will be here too if you get the urge to chat - no 3 day weekend for us.

Luah

Tazzy, glad you found us over here. Welcome to the TN thread. You'll find a wide mix of wonderful women here, all connected by our diagnosis and the unique trials and tribulations that go along with it. Quite a number have done chemo first as you are doing, and many have talked about how their cancer seemed to appear out of nowhere and grew quickly. Most of us have thankfully gone through treatment and come out the other side, getting on with our lives, in a new kind of "normal." Sadly, we have also lost a few dear members here and others are fighting recurrences, with the hope, inspiration, ideas, and information shared so freely here. It's a great bunch... we talk about everything! (though it seems uncharacteristically quiet this afternoon, I suspect because of the upcoming holiday weekend in the U.S.). 

Ladies, I haven't posted much lately, but read regularly. You're never far from my thoughts, but I'm grateful not to think constantly about cancer anymore. Just got back from a fun 2-day trip to NYC with DH.

Big hugs to Inmate - I hope things go better soon, you are one strong chick! And hi to mitymuffin - nice to see you back. Titan, I feel sick when I hear about young women like your friend's daughter. McCrimmon - good to hear your move went okay and you're getting settled. Cocker - it starts somewhere, baby steps, and before you know it, you'll be counting miles. Lovelyface, hoping you get some good answers on your scan. Luv - have a wonderful trip, you deserve it! I know I am missing many others, sorry. Just wishing you all a great weekend... with a few peaceful, SE-free moments to enjoy life.   

Luah

Forgot to mention, an exciting study that was in the news today... looking at a drug that attacks cancer stem cells. It included study of effects on TN BC cancer cells... so this may be a promising area for future research and treatment options.   http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/new-health/conditions/cancer/other-cancers/drug-could-attack-the-root-of-cancer-cells-study/article2442826/

There is more here, including a link to an interview with the lead researcher from McMaster U in Hamilton, ON:  http://fhs.mcmaster.ca/main/news/news_2012/targeting_human_cancer_stem_cells.html

Tazzy

Thanks so much for sending me here.    

When my doctor first said to me that I was also TN (as well as DCIS/IDC) I said to her... `that's a good thing eh?`  I had no idea.   I look back now and just think how sometimes ignorance is bliss.    But onwards we move and come out the other side better for it.

I feel a little in limbo now... waiting for the RO & surgeon appts.... I know what to expect with the chemo - radiation and surgery-recon are a different thing altogether.  

Am glad to have all of you to share this journey with.

Tazzy

Oh and thanks for the links Luah... I will read them shortly.  I am going into my yard to plant some flowers in the sunshine.

ksmatthews

Luv I am now on book 3 love them!  Have fun on your trip!

Tazzy welcome to our board!  This has to be the best group of ladies ever!!!  Chemo is the worst part of treatment, radiation is a breeze!   

Cocker_Spaniel

Tazzy - welcome.  Great you are here.  I agree with ksmatthews this has to be the best board. We are very active and post regularly.  The ladies are wonderful and kind and full of all kinds of advice for every situation. I sure as hell couldn't do without them. I am on Taxol and doing well with it so don't know about radiation yet so I am hoping ks is right and its a breeze.  You will be ok and with the advice on here treatment will be over before you know it. Annie

        

Cocker_Spaniel

Ok ladies, listen up, I have heard through the grapevine that 50 shades of grey is a very very frisky book. So you had better prepare your husbands for tonight!!!. Might have to read it myself cause there's life in the old dog yet.   

borntosurvive

I have been reading and keeping up but haven't posted in awhile.  Welcome to all the new sisters.  Sorry you're here but you will find all the support, love and information you need.  I know how scared I was to be TN but also know a few women who are going on 15 years NED and they're TN.  My husband's Aunt was ER+ but couldn't take the drugs for that so she's now considered to be TN and she has been fine for 12 years.  There are always success stories and always those who we lose to this horrible disease. 

As for no chemo.....my MO said that it's a crap shoot.  She said that some of us are "cured" after surgery, some after surgery and treatment and some of us never are.  There is no way of testing to see which we fall into.  Chemo is personal choice and at the end of the day it's about quality of life and what is best for you.  I felt that chemo was not optional for me because of my young children, my young age and my husband.  I was scared to death of chemo but knew I had to do whatever I could to fight.  So that's why I chose chemo.  I respect everyone's decision and whatever decision you make, it's the right one for you.  

Happy long weekend to the US sisters.  I have 25 bags of dirt to spread after digging out all the weeds and overgrown plants in my garden out back.  It's going to be a busy and dirty weekend!!!  

OBXK

Taxzy - Welcome! Ah, the unknown!!! How brave we all are. If you have questions, Just ask. Take good care.

mags20487

Welcome Tazzy.  I finished my chemo on dec 29th..and then did 35 rads ending on Marxh 16th.  I really breezed through the rads with no horrible side effects that could not be managed.  I am still awating recon once I get some lymphedema under control on my left arm and hand.  Hang in there you are almost done with the toughest part.  Be sure to join the thread with others who are starting rads when you are so you can compare notes with them!

Bon Voyage LVRVING!!!

Maggie

Tazzy

Thanks so much for all the advice and welcomes.  

I am really looking forward to no more chemo.... although compared to some I know I have been very lucky with the SE's.  Chemo is without a doubt a very personal choice - it was the right one for me.  There is no right or wrong.

I will definitely look out for the threads on rads and others starting around the same time as me.

I have started on the drug trial for denosumab... anyone else ?  I started a new topic on these boards and have had a couple of responses... just wondering about you ladies.   When my MO mentioned it to me... after careful consideration I just thought 'why not'.   I mean it is a double-blinded trial, I just figured that if it can help another woman down the road (if not me) then its a good thing.   I always said (before being diagnosed with cancer) that if I ever got a disease or illness and could be a 'guinea pig' for some new drugs I would.... never actually thought I'd have to make that decision - but here I am.

minxie

Ow. Very very sore still, in spite of pain meds. And I just found out - no swimming for 4 weeks! Argh! There goes the weekend at the lake.

Chemo - so I did AC/Taxol first time around. Obviously it was not completely effective, as here I am back with a local recurrence 3 years later. I certainly want rads since I didn't do them last time. I'm a little more on the fence about repeating chemo. If they'd offer a different type, with more chance of success, then I'd consider it. But right now I'm not sold on the idea.

But TN first timers, I'd definitley suggest chemo since it's one of the few weapons us TNs have in our arsenal. Just hoping they can better tailor chemo regimens to types of cancer in the future. When I think about all the miseries I went through with AC/Taxol, just to have this hideous beast rear its ugly head again - well it makes me sad, upset, and angry.

Lovelyface

My thryroid biopsy came out inconclusive, there weren't enough cells taken in the sample to give me any sort of result.  Very disappointing.  The doc gave me 30 seconds to talk when I called their office to find out my results.  I find that many of these doc offices don't know, don't care about us BC patients.  He said I should have another biopsy.  What? what the hell!  He said there is only 80% chance that a biopsy will have enough tissue to give a result.  He advised against a surgery, maybe he hasn't heard me say a million times that I have symptoms of neck pain, and looseness, lethargy in my body, which seems to me is coming from this thyroid nodule.  Someone had written (maybe Christina) about her thyroid nodule before.  Please tell me what you think of this?  Should I have another biopsy which again might be inconclusive or should I have a surgery.  When they do surgery, can they just take the nodule out, or would they have to take the whole thyroid out?  Please write if you can, I do well when I have a plan.  I myself doubt seriously that this could be BC, doc said, he seriously doubts BC can metastasize to the thyroid, although I have realized that many of these docs have no knowledge about BC, absolutely none.  Or what we go through for that matter.  He was very unkind to me, and said to me I had 30 seconds on that first call.  When I called his office again, he said, he did not appreciate getting two calls from me today.  I don't think I ever want to go back there again.  Not sure how I am going to deal with this problem with two bad doctors now, my primary care and now this endocronologist.  I had previously written about how great he was, check out my last few posts.  Now I am truly realizing how awful it was to hear him say such things when I am so stressed about this brand new problem, a large nodule in my right thyroid.

Titan

Luv...have a great time in paris..can't wait to see pics...although maybe not the frisky ones Cocker talks about...

Cocker...BC is serious business but you make me laugh soo much...thank you , thank you thank you...and way to go on your walk...can't believe those dang dogs didn't show their appreciation...

 Hey Tazzy...nice to meet you lady...alot of us tn's found our own lumps..clear mammos..then wham..there is this lump...makes you kind of wonder doesn't it...give me a good manual breast exam every 3 months...rather than a mammo.

Lovelyface..I understand your frustration....all you need to know is what is going on..I don't understand why you are having to go through this...it isn't right...I guess you can hang on to the thought that it probably really isn't anything...but you need to know FOR SURE....start screaming or something..stop being nice..you are the patient here and paying the bills

Tazzy

Thanks Titan.   Its so great to be able to share our thoughts and fears.

Not sure if anyone else felt this way, but now that I am coming close to finishing chemo (only 2 left... June 1 and June 22) I am thinking more and more about having TNBC and all the fears that go with it.  When I was first diagnosed everthing seemed to happen so quickly and treatment start so quickly that I never really had time to think.    Plus chemo was going to zap anything and everything in my body that shouldn't be there... wasn't it??? 

At the moment I feel as though I am nearing a cliff edge and although still have to go through rads and surgery the closer my chemo gets to finishing, the closer to that cliff edge I am.....

OBXK

I think I'll get the 12 year old to show me how to hook up the wii and start doing yoga on wii fitness. I've been mad at it, since it told me I was fat

I did do a little on the pilates platform today - like Annie - Titan inspires me!!



Taxzy - for me after chemo, radiation was cake! I hope you are getting the trial drug and that it works wonders.



Lovely - I'm sorry you are right back where you started! I hope

they get you sorted soon.

Lovelyface

OBXK - this is too funny! ha! ha! ha!  As I was reading your post, and you mentioned "cake".  Now I feel like going to get some cake, and believe it or not, I might just really do it. I have to go and get myself a nice big chocolate or sponge cake and shove it down my throat.  This is the trick that will be good for me tonight.  Thanks for mentioning that amazing word.

Tazzy

Lovelyface after your day today... you deserve cake.... enjoy!   Mmmmm... cake

Teka

Lovelyface,

Maybe, just maybe, how you feel has nothing to do with cancer.   I made myself physically ill just worrying about yearly mammogram done this month.   Is the 2nd biopsy being scheduled?  

OBXK

Lovely - damn now I want some!

DorMac

Lovelyface - Wow, hard to believe that any doctor could actually be that insensitive! I think if I was you, I would 1) find another endocrinologist and 2) ask him/her if the "only 80% chance that a biopsy will have enough tissue to give a result" is accurate. You need to have an answer of some sort and it doesn't sound like you're going to get it from Dr. Brushoff. If the second doctor says it is unlikely to get a result, ask their opinion about the surgery and what that opinion is based on. It's bad enough to be going through what you are without having to deal with bad doctors. Good Luck!

Tazzy - I know it's easier said than done but try not to think about the negatives related to TNBC. For one thing, chemo is very effective against it. For another, since you had chemo first, when you have the surgery, they should be able to tell how effective the chemo actually was by how small and dead the tumour is (at least that's what I understand from these posts, since my treatment was different).

I had surgery first (left mastectomy), now 4 tx of TC chemo and no rads scheduled. I have 2 more tx left - next Tuesday (May 29th) and June 19th. You can't help but have negative thoughts at times but we are all strong women who are determined to beat this FC and I certainly intend to kick it's butt to the curb.

Happy weekend, ladies!

Doreen