Nurses with Breast Cancer

I am not a nurse; I dropped out of nursing school after completing the first clinical year of a bs program after I realized I would never work in a hospital setting. I started reading this thread out of general curosity and noticed someone mentioned a higher incidence of brast cancer in nurses who work the night shift. I wouldn't be surprised. While I was in the hospital for a bilateral mastectomy, four nurses told me they had also had mastectomies. Seems like a high percentage of the female nurses I came in contact with.

We also have to realize that as nurses we usually deal with the general population. Not usually a specialty area .A surgeon or oncologist is specialized and the expert on the subject. Still once you are put in patient mode your nurse mode can abandon you.

djb1960,

Hey, the story got even better on Monday - almost unbelieveable, but I swear it's true !  When he gave me that check for the nurse, I hugged him, kissed him on the cheek and told him he was a wonderful man for doing such an incredible thing for a co-worker...and told him that something good will happen to him someday because what goes around always comes back around when it's a good deed. He called me at work on Monday (he works his other full time job at a different hospital during  weekday hours) and he said "remember when you told me something good would happen..."?

Well, he won $10,000 in the lottery!!!!!!!!!! Got 4 of the numbers!!!!!!!!!!  I wish he had won a million because he sure deserves it, but that 10K was fantastic too. So he got back 4X what he gave her in just one week. I'm not a religious person, but I have to admit this made me really wonder.

The nurse has gotten the promise of another 32 hour a week job, but it's in a skilled nursing facility working 3p - 11p - not the greatest hours for a soon to be 64 year old but they're not using computer programs to chart, so hopefully she'll do OK. The doctor who is the assistant director of the ER wrote a letter to administration asking them to reconsider letting her go. I'm not sure if that had anything to do with it, but her time with us has been extended for an additional 2 weeks.

We had her "going away" party last Wed and about 25 people showed up at the restaurant. Lots of crying and hugging. In total, we collected just over $3,300 for her and paid 6 month of her house property taxes, paid a $1000 credit to her heating oil company, paid her October home mortgage payment, gave her $150.00 in gasoline gift certificates and another $150.00 on a grocery store certificate. It was a glorious night.

MarieKelly,

That is the most incredible thing I have ever heard. I cried when I read this one too. Sounds like you have some great people to work with.

Another nurse here. Graduated BSN in 1978.  Worked midnight shift fulltime for 6 years on Pediatrics before coming to day shift as Peds supervisor for 3 years. They closed the Peds unit in 1986 and I went to part-time House Supervisor on eves and weekends at 2 hospitals for 10 years. In 1996 went back to a fulltime position in the IS Dept as a Clinical Coordinator to teach nurses to use computers for electronic charting and I built several Access databases for various hospital departments. Had my first dx of BC during this time. Was able to work from home during chemo and went back to work during rads. Hospital got bought out in 2000 and I was moved into the Quality Assurance Dept as a coordinator to do chart reviews and policy review. After 4 years working with the new corporate politics I decided it was time to retire and explore other options. Retired in 2004 after 26 years service at my primary hospital.  Got my second dx of BC 18 months later.

Hi everyone! My name is Angie and Im from Troy, NC. I am 46 years old and have been a nurse since 1981. I was a LPN for 11 years and a RN or 16 years. My entire RN career has mainly been in the ER. I worked 15 of those years in the ER at a small community hopsital in my hometown. I have recently been diagnosed with Breast Cancer and I am also HER2 +. I have had the lumpectomy and sentinel node removal last week. I will be seeing the oncologist next week to see what treatments I will have to have. I found this site this morning and was thrilled to find this one for "us nurses"!! I think even though we have some knowledge it is still very scary when you are told you have "CANCER". I am now working for a travel agency and doing the travel nurse thing! My agency has been wonderful so far. The director of nursing there is a breast cancer survivor so Im sure that helps. The director for the ER that I'm currently at, working my 2nd contract, has also been wonderful and supportive and is willing to help me with my schedule so that I can continue to work. I have a great support system within my family and friends but it's great to meet others, while unfortunate it has to be thru this, but who is going thru the same. I look forward to talking to you all. Have a great day!!

 Hey everyone, another nurse here,

I worked midnights for the better part of 15yrs back in the day, I no longer work nights but it is really amazing to me to hear the amount of nurses with BC.

I work on a busy post surgical orthopedic floor now but have worked neurosurgery and neurology in the past and loved it all.

I love nursing but hate all the politics and bullsh*t that goes with it these days.

Tina

Hi Nurses,

 I''m hoping I meet a normal Oncologist this Tuesday: one who will not ask me to pay more than my co-pay for his treatments and will not complain about Medicare and how little they pay.

hugs and God Bless everyone,

Mina

Hello to all,

MarieKelly...thank you for the follow up on your story.  I am so glad to hear when a fellow nurse really gets into trouble there are people (beside nurses) that will step up to the plate and help.

Jo_Ann_K...good luck on your path reports.

Mina....I hope you find a good oncologist (you have enough to worry about).  Keep looking until you find one...don't settle.  I had to switch my oncologists.....I went so far as getting one in a different state!   I am so glad I did.....I found out that my original oncologist was going to treatment me incorrectly. I know BC is a numbers game, but I want all the advantages I can get.

kim

My oncologist cancelled my appt today  2 hours before  I was due in her office. She was in a meeting and couldn't get away.   Her staff said she would get back with them and then  she would get back to us with another  appointment. I never heard from the office.

Short of her losing all her money in the financial markets this week I can't begin to believe what happened to me today  via this doctor's careless breaking of my appointment. I have never had a doctor cancel an appt  ever ...without a day  or two notice ( a sick child or a death in the family)

 My Rheumy called me on my cell phone to tell me her apt was flooded and to wait for her at the office. I did. I have never had a doc cancel period. I am a patient with Cancer. What is going on with me? I was always afraid of Medicare advantage plans and I was right... I give up. I actually have no idea what I'm going to do. I will call NY-Presbyterian Cornell tomorrow morning and see if I can get into the Breast Clinic or  with my former docs before I lost my secondary insurance. I feel like I am going to die now...for sure. I am four weeks from my first AC  with no place to go. I was almost tempted to get back to that doctor who belittled my Medicare plan but my friends talked me out of it.

When I  stop and think how long my  cancer  was probably in my breast before it was captured on palpitation and mammogram, I  have to hope that I will survive thisl

Kim,

Nice that you can be stationed somewhere besides Wilford Hall during treatment. Back in the day, that was your only option. I found my first lump while attending SOS, right before going to Turkey. I had visions of cancer treatments in San Antonio. Fortunately, it was benign. Those were the days when no imaging was done, and the AF surgeon was going to remove my breast if the frozen section came back malignant. We've come a long way, baby!

Here's hoping you'll be flying again soon. There's really no reason to be boarded out, to me. hang in there.

Anne

Hi everyone,  YEAH, I can finally join you  and start on the rest of my journey.

I finally have a caring compassionate oncologist; I'll have my port placed next week. A few days after placement, I'll receive my second AC treatment in his office. He has a huge chemo population, which makes me feel better. The doctor who  was so negative  about my insurance had very few patients, even though he was,  as is this doctor, well educated with excellent credentials. 

I am Diabetic and am concerned about nail-bed lifting and  foot problems. My fingernail beds turned purplish-blue the second week after my first AC treatment, but my doctor told me that I must be treated aggressively, in spite of  discolored or lifting nail beds, or any other SE.

  I need to warn  others  to be careful of peripheral IV chemotherapy especially if they have  yucky skinny veins like mine. I had chemo via my Left antecubital vein September 10,2008; my vein can't be accessed for blood draws any longer. I don't know if it will ever be a good vein again. Plus it was my only good vein, discovered 22 years ago, when I was pregnant, hospitalized  with Diabetes, and had blood draws  done more than once a day.

arrgh.

Hi Anna,

Welcome to the board, although I am sorry that you are a member of the BC club.  I did not have a mastectomy, so I'm not sure of the forum you are seeking.  However, when I was diagnosed, my breast health nurse gave my husband a wonderful book called Helping Your Mate Face Breast Cancer by Judy C. Kneece, RN, OCN.  My husband found it helpful.  Good luck on your surgery.

Helloooooo Anna !

Was just sitting here in triage thinking about calling you, but decided to look here first. Nice day here today. Baaaaaaaad day yesterday.  Did you get my message (left it with your daughter) about Deb's biopsy? It was benign!!

Do you have a surgery date yet? We are all thinking about you and hope this all is behind you very soon. We love you!  Call me anytime  if you need to talk. If I'm not working the next day, I honestly don't mind a call in the middle of the night.

Marie

I am so glad I found this thread!  When I was first diagnosed and searched this website, I was very discouraged and was doubting my treatment decisions.  I decided to give it another go and found this thread.  Thanks!  I have been an RN since 1981 and an NNP since 1997.  I have worked in many areas (med/surg, level 1-3 nurseries, mother-baby, peds, school nursing) and in many roles (staff nurse, management, nnp, instructor).  Also, put in 6 years of full time nights plus call as an NNP.  I am currently teaching at a community college.  I take my students to a cardiac floor in the fall and to pediatric rehab in the spring.  Work has been great about all this!  My biggest frustration right now is scheduling my radiation.  They think nothing of changing my appointment times, even though it has a big impact on my schedule.  They seem to have "emergencies" all the time!  Won't matter in a couple of weeks as someone will take over my clinical groups in November and finish out the semester for me.  I just have to hang in there.  I do not tell anyone I am an RN either as it is assumed I know everything.  My husband announced it the day of my lumpectomy, but I quickly announced that surgery/oncology was not my field.  Seemed to go OK from there.  There are some great posts here.  I will try and get back soon.