APRIL Rads Anyone?

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  • kjbell
    kjbell Member Posts: 974
    edited June 2009

    Bettylou-I am keeping my fingers crossed for you! I am hoping for a clean scan so you and your hubby can have many, many happy and healthy years together!

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  • BonnieK
    BonnieK Member Posts: 655
    edited June 2009

    Bette -- today makes it one day closer to Wednesday, so the waiting time is a bit shorter.  That scan just has to be clean!  Take care and try to get some rest.  --bonnie

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  • dkerler
    dkerler Member Posts: 75
    edited June 2009

    Bette- I am also keeping you in my prayers.- Debbie

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  • Jane_M
    Jane_M Member Posts: 1,549
    edited June 2009

    Me, too, Bette

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited June 2009

    Many prayers heavenbound for you Bette. 

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  • marymoir
    marymoir Member Posts: 245
    edited June 2009

    Bette, fingers & toes are crossed for you to get through the dang waiting (always the hardest part IMHO)!!!  Prayers UPPPPPP!!!

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited June 2009

    Catherine, thanks for your prayers. I am also praying for good news. The swollen nodes and lesion could be from rads, right?

    Tom just called, and he is taking two days off from work to come to all my appointments with me. Tomorrow is the onc, and Thursday is my mammo and follow up at the Breast Center at Johns Hopkins. He is truly a blessing to me.

    I am feeling good and positive today.

    Bette 

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  • eadsla
    eadsla Member Posts: 217
    edited June 2009

    Bette--You keep staying positive!  And yes, swelling and lesion could be from rads or it could be from an infection that may have been made worse from rads.

    I'm sending out more good and positive thoughts your way.

    Catherine

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  • Britt
    Britt Member Posts: 731
    edited June 2009

    Hi Bette -

    Been AWOL for a while but just want to wish you the very best tomorrow! 

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  • Jane_M
    Jane_M Member Posts: 1,549
    edited July 2009

    Bette - You are in my constant thoughts.  I hope you will be feeling up to posting after you see the doctor tomorrow.

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited July 2009

    Catherine, Britt and Jane, Thank you for your prayers and good thoughts.

    We are up early, praying and packing for the trip to Johns Hopkins.

    Bette 

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  • Lainey64
    Lainey64 Member Posts: 740
    edited July 2009

    Bette,  I am having a little bit of a scare myself at the moment. I will tell you what my friend said to me in an email.  I can't say it any better....

    Bette, I trust that it will just be a scare because remember....no weapon formed against you will stand.  Amen.  You've battled through bigger lumps and you've won.  Remember who your God is, and remember that He won't leave you or forsake you.  It is a PITA, and I am sorry you have to face this but I have great faith in you, in your doctor, and in GOD.  It will be okay.

    Love, Elaine

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  • Lainey64
    Lainey64 Member Posts: 740
    edited July 2009

    Gals,

    My gyno's nurse found a small cyst in my radiated boob yesterday.  She thinks it's nothing but because of my history, she wants me to go see my BS.  Dangit!!  I'm scared and pissed off at the same time.  She said it feels squishy and like a fluid filled cyst.  How can this happen just 7 wks after rads?  I've been reading a lot and think it could be fatty tissue.  My BS examined me last month and she said it was all good and my diagnostic mammo in March came back perfect.  I can't remember what my BS said when she examined me last month but mentioned something about scar tissue and something else.  I did a BSE last night and again this morning trying to find the little lump but it's really hard to feel.  It moves around a lot.  The nurse said that is a good sign and really thinks it's nothing.  I guess nothing is dismissed as "nothing" anymore, is it? 

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  • susan13
    susan13 Member Posts: 732
    edited July 2009

    Bette-thoughts and prayers are with you for an all clear on your scans!

    Elaine-I am sure it's nothing. You just got radiated!! It does take a while... months and months for the scar tissue to heal. I was told 3-6 months.

    But I can understand your fear.  I think from now on everything little thing that pops up with us is going to have our minds in a tizzy.  Hang in there!

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  • Lainey64
    Lainey64 Member Posts: 740
    edited July 2009

    Whew, thanks Sus.  That's just what I needed to hear!!

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited July 2009

    PET scan showed three areas of possible cancer. A biopsy is next on my schedule. If it is stage IV disease, the treatment may be hormonal or chemotherapy. I have to stop taking Femara due to side effects.

    Right now, I am at DD's home in Baltimore, resting up for a day at the Avon Foundation Breast Center at Johns Hopkins tomorrow. Emotionally I feel numb. I am making an effort to praise God for all the good things in my life, including Tom, family and friends.

    Bette

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  • eadsla
    eadsla Member Posts: 217
    edited July 2009

    Lainey--From how you describe the lump, it sounds like something benign.  As long as the lump doesn't have a hard pebbly characteristic to it, then it is classified as benign.  Squishy and moving around is a sign of a benign cyst.  Right before my lumpectomy, they found a simillar lump on the same breast about to be operated on.  So, they had me do an MRI nad then a biopsy.  It was nothing.  If it had been something, it would have changed the whole landscape of my operation.  Yeah, I freaked out.

    Because of BC, at least it alerts everyone involved to be extra cautions, which, in the end is a good thing.  But the freakouts are never fun.

    Bette--Still sending the best of thoughts to you today!

    Catherine

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  • Jane_M
    Jane_M Member Posts: 1,549
    edited July 2009

    Bette - what's the time table?  We were only diagnosed a week apart and I really find it hard to believe that you could have mets already.  I don't want to believe it!  I'm still holding onto it being something else.  Not that cancer is fair or that I would wish stage IV on anyone, but it's just not fair, Bette, to go through all you've gone through in the last year and be stage IV.  I've said my piece and I've counted to three....(anybody remember O' Brother Where Art Thou with George Clooney)

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  • BonnieK
    BonnieK Member Posts: 655
    edited July 2009

    Bette -- Please know that you have many BC sisters there with you in spirit.  Stay strong and positive.    --bonnie 

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  • Lainey64
    Lainey64 Member Posts: 740
    edited July 2009

    Bette - I will be praying hard for you, sister.  *big hugs*. 

    I saw my BS yesterday.  They couldn't find anything on the sonogram and she said it felt like a little piece of fatty tissue.  It was a relief.  She asked me to come back in a month so she could take another look but told me not to worry because it's nothing.

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  • susan13
    susan13 Member Posts: 732
    edited July 2009

    Bette-I am so sorry you are dealing with this. I am finding it hard to believe myself. I am not sure but are pet scans 100% reliable?  I had something show up on a pet scan last year on my ovary so they sent me for an ultrasound, wound up being some sort of physiological(sp?) activity and not a cancer. We'll hope for the best for you, please keep us posted.  You are in my thoughts and prayers. Hang in there.

    Elaine-Yay!! Told ya:-)

    Enjoy the holiday weekend everyone!

    Sue

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  • desdemona222b
    desdemona222b Member Posts: 776
    edited July 2009

    Lainey -

    Your docs may have already told you this, but if a lump is "soft and squishy", symmetrical, and easily moved, it more than likely is not cancer.  Cancerous lumps fixed themselves into the tissue, so they don't move around easily, and they're usually very hard and assymetrical - my oncologist put it like this:  a cancerous lump feels like an old, dried up piece of cheese.  Weird analogy, I know, but...

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  • eadsla
    eadsla Member Posts: 217
    edited July 2009

    Bette--I understand your being emotionally numb.  I'm a bit at a loss as well.  Three possible areas isn't the same as three definite areas.   It just sucks that you have to go back to the rodeo of tests and waiting for results.  I'm not familliar with PET scans, only MRIs which are known for their false positives.

    But make use of the emotional numbness and take all the time you need to process this.  And know that we are here for you.

    Catherine

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  • bethaib
    bethaib Member Posts: 125
    edited July 2009

    BETTE:  "possible"  what an interesting word that is...to one person hearing it, it means oh, no, I have cancer...to another it means maybe I do and maybe I don't.  I tend to like the maybe senerio myself... not is entirely "possible". I know it is easy to assume the worst, but try to keep in mind that "possible" can still mean there is nothing to be concerned with. I'm very sorry you are having to go through all this so soon after rads.

     Waiting for the biopsy will no doubt be difficult, I hope they do not make you wait long. You're in my thoughts. It's amazing how a few months ago I knew none of you, and now there is this emotional connection...pretty powerful stuff.  I hope your appt today went well.

    LAINEY: I'm so glad your doc said not to worry. I have this pretty big lumpy area on my breast near my surgery site that my doc said is probably scar tissue. She wasn't concerned. Our bodies have gone through so much, they have to heal. It doesn't mean there aren't dips along the way to cause us worry...

    Hope everyone shares some special memeories with family this July 4th holiday....

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited July 2009

    Positive and encouraging visit to Johns Hopkins today. Things are not as bad as I imagined. I still may be able to get reconstruction in six months. My mammo was clear!

    We are staying in Baltimore one more day as the biiopsy may be scheduled tomorrow.

    Bette

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  • BonnieK
    BonnieK Member Posts: 655
    edited July 2009

    Bette -- Thanks so much for sharing the good news of your day at Johns Hopkins.  Now that you know the mammo was clear, just remember that there is also a very good chance that your biopsy results will be B9.  Take care and get some rest.   --bonnie

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  • eadsla
    eadsla Member Posts: 217
    edited July 2009

    Bette--Hear hear!  I'm with Bonnie; get some rest both mentally and physically.  You deserve it!  Great news about the mammogram and recon.  Keep it coming!

    Catherine

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited July 2009

    Bonnie and Catherine, I took your recommendation and rested today after returning from Baltimore with no biopsy yet.

    We are planning to celebrate with family tomorrow and not think of this too much.

    It was a good trip. We are much encouraged. 

    Bette 

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  • bethaib
    bethaib Member Posts: 125
    edited July 2009

    Bette- I am soooo happy to hear about the clear mammo. I am sure it was a great relief to you to hear the news.

    Take a little time each day to do something special for yourself, even simple little things will work, to help you relax and rest from all the worry.

    I have this great relaxation CD my BS made and gives to all her patients at the first visit, that practically puts you to sleep, very calming. Maybe you have something similar already? If not, I'd be happy to try to copy it for you and send it your way.

    Went to listen to our Symphany Orechestra before fireworks last night. Enjoyed it, but it was a sad time for me. Started to cry, my husband thought maybe cause of the patriotic-ness of it at the time (they were honoring the service folks/families). Not that it wasn't moving when you think about all those people whose lives are effected by serving their country, but it was because of past summers where I would take my Mom to the park near us to listen to the Symphony every year, and I can no longer do things like that with her anymore. I couldn't tell my hubby what was really wrong as I felt I would cry even harder....

    Hope everyone enjoyed their 4th!

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  • bethaib
    bethaib Member Posts: 125
    edited July 2009

    Guess I better starting re-reading my typing before I post...man a lot of additional letters! lol     memeories?  Orechestra ??? lol

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