Who here is from Ontario??

Beesie,

Thank-you for the helpful information. I will try to get a referral asap.

Take good care of yourself too!

Jo 

Joe:

I too had a Doctor that kept me in the dark.  In January 2007, I had a C/T.  In February I was gasping for breathe and had to see a thoracic specialist.  A nurse let it slip that the pleural effusions were evident on the scan but they didn't tell me because I was asymptomatic.  I was losing energy and having difficulty breathing.  Are those not symptoms?  After the treatment I went home but I made it clear, that I wanted to know what was in my scans.....

Two weeks later my family doctor ordered an xray - both pleural effusions were there, just smaller.  I had 8 chest xrays before leaving the hospital... they knew but again failed to tell me.  I changed hospitals and doctors.  Now a nurse practitioner will sit down and explain everything.  It is no fun being in the dark.

I hope I am not too late. Although I have been a lurker for several months. I am a new member.



I am from Stouffville, Ontario.

I'll jump into this thread also.......from Port Dover, Ontario.....think Arbor Dogs and Friday the 13th.....sucks to have to be here......but atleast we can hang together.....

Jax

Port Dover is about 40 mins from Hamilton......on the shores of Lake Erie.....small beach community....thanks

Hi Ontario Gals,

Yes the snow has left and the green grass needs cutting, and the black flies and mosquitoes are now out in full force.  Husband and I are trying to paint a house while slapping bugs.  Fun. The best part THE SUN is OUT!

I just read an article that Tykerb is under review by Health Canada for approval.  This is very good news for those of us with Her2. I will keep calling M.P. Tony Clement's office and writing letters.  I had the craziest experience with our political system.  Hon. Clement left a message on my answering machine stating that someone from the Health Dept. in Ottawa will be calling.  I spoke to this person and she inturn gave me the number of the drug company, for answers. They inturn gave me the Canadian phone number and this gal said that the trials were finished and I should talk to the Minister of Health.   I came full circle.  So, on Monday, I will start the process again. Wish me luck.

Hi all,

Just found this thread.  I live in Ancaster-a suburb of Hamilton, Ont.  I love The Arbor in Port Dover and we got our dogs at Lake Scugog!  Too bad we all have bc in common, too.  This board is very helpful and informative.  I start dose dense chemo on June 10, so I'm starting to freak a little. 

I'm in Cobourg, Ontario.  Does anyone else here go to the Cancer Centre in Oshawa?

Hi All

Lucy from Brampton Ont. We are all in this together. Stay strong my Ontario sisters

Hey everyone

Thought I'd put in a post in case any Ontario women out there are still latched onto this thread.  I live in Toronto and am scheduled for my first chemo next Wednesday.  This is my second 'go' at bc - first was 14 years ago.  This time I had a mastectomy with tissue expander and am now up for chemo as mentioned.  Anyone out there on Taxotere + Cyclophosphamide?

Sue

Hey Crazydaisy

Sure sucks to do it again but I would not change a thing about the treatment decisions I made last time.  I had a small tumour (6mm) and had a lumpectomy+radiation and then five years of tamoxifen because although I was pre-menopausal then I was  ER+.  This time it came back in the same breast so no choice on the surgery options: mastectomy.  I opted for tissue expander reconstruction which has been going very well despite the fact I had radiation on that breast (sometimes that is a problem).  As I have said in my post on one of the other Canadian threads I have just found out that I will not need to do chemo but will be taking Arimidex.  This tumour is very ER+ (100%) as well as being 95% PR+.  This apparently makes me a good candidate for Arimidex.  Any Canadians out there want to tell me GOOD things about how they have felt on Arimidex - all I am finding is all the horrible side effects!!  I had no side effects on Tamoxifen so am hoping I can ride the wave again!

Getting Br.Ca. again after 14 years was a big shock but it is doable.  There are so many more things that can be done now versus 14 years ago.  Keep the hope going, women.  We are going to conquer this.

Sue

Hi  i am from leamington   20 east of windsor     lots of probs    for a year but no diagnosis yet     any  thoughts  or advice are greatly ppreciated     nice to meet you all

Hi all

Nice to know there is company out there.  It certainly helps the journey.

Dreamwriter:  it makes my blood boil to hear that doctors are still speaking to cancer patients in that way.  I worked for Willow Breast Cancer Support Services for ten years and 80% of my work was presenting to health care professionals on psychosocial support skills.  Most of my students were nurses but occasionally I presented to med students and I liked to think that oncologists had joined us in the 21st century of patient communication.  Seems like some are still in the Dark Ages.  It is so much harder to do this if you cannot communicate as a human being with your health care providers.  I am so relieved you switched.

Prestressed: I highly recommend that you keep pushing for a definitive diagnosis.  You only have one life and should never feel uncomfortable about making the most of it.  I am not sure what the services are in Leamington but have you been referred to a breast centre in London.  I am not an MD and do not know what you have already had done but an MRI might be the most useful diagnostic for you.

MKE: So sorry to hear that you had to face a third go-round.  After all the stress of the past three months I have more or less decided to have a prophylactic mastectomy of my 'good' breast.  I think my chances of a recurrence in the other breast are more than 50-50 so it just isn't worth it.  I am having reconstruction on the mastectomy side: tissue expander followed by implant - and it has been going very well so I feel emboldened to do the same on the other side.

CrazyDaisy: I am having the reconstruction done through Womens College Hosp. in Toronto where I have been a patient of the breast centre for more than 20 years.  The plastic surgeon doing the tissue expander reconstruction is a guy called Brent Beber.  He has an office on the Danforth and is a sweetheart.  He put the expander in at the same time as the mastectomy and I go for pump ups every couple of weeks.  It has been a practically painless process and so far I am glad I opted for this kind of reconstruction.  Hope that helps.

Take care all of you.

Sue