TAC - Sisters 2006 - Roll Call

Hey!  I'm a TAC sister, started chemo March 2006...ER/PR+, invasive lobular  but with 6/16 postive nodes so hard to stage but probably 3.  Doing well...just saw both my breast surgeon and my oncologist and I'm moving to a once a year mammogram and once a year MRI (MRI found the more serious lobular cancer in my right breast after mammogram found DCIS with micro invasion left)...others were Marcia and two Karens and a bunch of others...would also love to have updates.  Leigh

I was diagnosed in May 2006 and started TAC in July 2006.  That thread was a lifeline for me.  A lot of the women were half-way or almost done when I found that thread.  I read all of their posts and it was a road map for me as I went through TAC.  I'm scheduled for reconstruction (DIEP) on March 9th so I spend a lot of time on the reconstruction threads now.  I hope more women post; I would love to know how everyone is doing now.

Darlene

Hi Terry, Yes it is good to be a TAC survivor.  There were times when I thought the treatment would finish me but here I am 2 1/2 years out of chemo and rads and 12 weeks of herceptin.  I see my hemo/oncologist every 4 months for tumor markers and my rad onc every 6 months with a mammogram every January.  But I still don't feel the way I did prediagnosis.  I guess I should warn a few sisters about not going to the doctor for a bad cold.  I developed two back to back colds in Sept/Oct  2008 and coughed a lot.  But I was tired of going to doctors so I toughed them out with over the counter meds.  I developed acid reflux.  I had rib pain and soreness in my midsection and had a CT of abd and pelvis  in Nov which was normal.  My reflux is better with nexium but still have the rib soreness.  I had my visit with my radiation MD last week and was told I probably have rib fractures and damage from the radiation from 2006.All that coughing took its toll.  It may take months to heal due to the damage.   But heck I am alive, have hair and so far still Cancer free.

I salute my TAC sisters everywhere.  I wouldn't have kept my sanity without them.  I think of them often and I hope others have the support that that thread was to me.  Thank you for asking about the TAC sisters.   I hope you continue to do well

Take Care
Marcia

Terry, I am still waiting to find out what my new normal will feel like once everything calms down.  Seems like I take a long time to heal.  Believe me I can relate to your feelings of uncertainty when it comes to planning in the future. I remind myself that If I continue to fear to plan a future, then cancer wins for sure.  I know you have heard ad nausem from people that nobody is promised tomorrow, you can get hit by a bus tomorrow, yadda yadda yadda.   Well, I am not going to say that but I will tell you that although I do have my moments of self pity and angry for the time I lost undergoing my treatments, I have most recently had an epiphany.  I kinda came to terms with my diagnosis and the prospect of a future.  I told myself that If God has plans for me to be a survivor, that it would mean I had something still worthwhile to do with my life and that I would try to find what it was that I am meant to do or be.  If it isn't meant to be then I don't have anything to worrry about.  So, for me I decided to take an RN refresher course and see where it takes me.  It is challenging for me, just like my treatments were but then nothing worthwhile is ever easy.  

Take care Terry,  Maybe we will surprise ourselves and be one of the many that live long lives after cancer.

Hugs, Marcia