Lucky

percy4

You can all see my diagnosis. My prognosis is good, but we all know recurrence can happen for years. Probably not for most of us, but it can. I have often pondered how I would handle that. The idea of losing my breast and possible chemo in the future is daunting to me. So. Just recently, a co-worker of mine was diagnosed with cancer of the tongue. Surgery, rads to the whole mouth. My radiation burn from the whole-breast radiation was difficult, took a long time to heal, etc., but is now fine. Imagine that in your mouth. They are now not sure they got all the cancer, with her. More biopsies coming. I just want to say that, in contrast to what she is going through, I now feel lucky, even if there is ever a local recurrence. I can have reconstruction, and if I don't want that, can have a beautiful tattoo there, and wear a bra filled in on one side. I can still look and feel pretty much like me. She, however, already has a horrible speech difference, and if more is taken, well, how will she talk, eat, be employable at all, etc., etc.? So. I feel lucky.

chrissyb

No matter what we find horrific there is always someone who can make us feel that what we have suffered is nothing. May your co-worker survive and thrive.

Love n hugs. Chrissy

percy4

Thank you. My heart bleeds for what she is going through.

percy4

Just want to say, Chrissy, that you are an inspiration to all of us. I know you are Stage IV with the bone mets, but you seem to be doing OK; better than OK. I hope so. From what I see, people with bone mets can still have a long and a good life. And that's wonderful, especially in your case, because you are still here to give grounding to all of us, we people who worry about the possible future. For instance; my shin is hurting like hell. As I am a waitress, I presume it's shin-splints; something mechanical. Still; after an invasive cancer diagnosis (even if small) one's mind always goes there. xx

chrissyb

Thank you Percy. To help put your mind at ease a little more, mets to the shin are extremely rare so you are more than likely right when you think about shinsplints which are very painful.

Yes I'm doing very well and am living a near normal life but I also know women who have brain mets and are living near normal lives as well for a good amount of time. One lady was dx with liver, lung and brain mets and the docs didn't hold much hope........that was nearly six years ago and today her cancer is stable and she is living well and happy.

There is always hope.

Love n hugs. Chrissy

marijen

percy4 I don't understand your dx? Do you have DCIS or not? What does the microinvasion mean

percy4

I had low-grade DCIS upon biopsy. Upon lumpectomy, they said they found low and intermediate grade DCIS, no necrosis. A week later, after I had told my kids and parents there was no invasive cancer, they amended it to tell me I had a non-aggressive micro. All done; prognosis is good. Still.

marijen

OK, so non aggressive micro doesn't spread? I'm still looking for answers on my own dx. Missing primary, no rockleft unturned: )

percy4

ANY invasive cancer (even micro) can technically spread. Spread from micro is a real fluke. So; no. I am not worried about it.

ballet12

Hi Percy,

An unfortunate coincidence with my friend (and dance instructor) and your co-worker. My friend was diagnosed with tongue cancer, as well. She was also treated with surgery too conservatively at first. Left with really no margin. She is now undergoing, today as we speak, five hours of surgery, and she may face very invasive radiation which affects jaw/teeth, etc. And yes, she will lose her ability to speak and needs to find a way around it with speech therapy. So our issues (yours and mine) are tiny in comparison. She is, remarkably, a survivor of inflammatory breast cancer and triple negative breast cancer (one in each breast). My heart goes out to your friend and to mine today. I know that your situation is different from mine, in that you had a microinvasion and your risks are greater. I don't even think about the future, with regard to breast health. Whatever it is, it is.

percy4

Hi there, Dear. Yes; that is a terrible coincidence about our friends and tongue cancer. I can't even imagine the fear level, so, yes, we are both lucky. While it is true your DCIS "only" is better than having a microinvasion, I have been told it's only a little bit better. Changed my survival chance from something like 98% with just DCIS to maybe 96 or 97% with the micro. So I do feel we are in similar boats. Our friends, however; wow. Even if they survive just fine, they will be so impacted. My friend already had the rads to the mouth, and her whole mouth , inner cheeks, tongue, all mucous-membrane, always hurt terribly and she has ongoing sores from the rads, not to mention that she sounds like she's drunk when she talks (and she has to meet the public at work), even after the speech therapy. This is the GOOD news, if there is no more cancer. I think my feelings about the problems and fears in my life are valid. Compared to some other people's issues, though, I also think I need to get over myself.

BLinthedesert

My aunt had throat/tongue cancer and had half of her tongue removed and radiation to her whole throat and mouth. This was after breast cancer at 27 years old (in the old days when radial mtx was the only surgery -- removal of breast, chest wall, and muscles of the arm), uterine cancer, then the other breast at 40. I did not realize at the time just how strong of a woman she was - she just kept on going ...

Best of luck to your friend/co-worker.