Calling all TNs

I've cut down on my red meat, but had done that before diagnosis.  For the most part we eat chicken, turkey meat and seafood.  We do eat the occassional roast or steak, but it's not weekly or even bi-weekly.  Every few months I'll cook it up because my family loves roast and my DH loves steak.  I do try to eat lots of fruits and vegetables, but some days I have to admit I fall short on the vegetables.  One trick I've started doing  to add in a few extra vitamins is adding fresh spinach to sandwiches rather than lettuce.  I've got my family doing it too.  I can't eat dairy, so I do substitute soy products (i.e. icecream & cheese).  I think it goes back to - moderation and movement.  If we eat all things in moderation, balance it out and move we're doing good. 

As for the bypass discussion, a friend of mine had it last year and she looks great.  She's lost a lot of weight, she's been exercising, her skin tone looks great, attitude wonderful and is very careful to eat the right foods in order to get in vitamins and protien her body needs.  If she's coming up short, she'll drink a protien/vitamin shake.   And........the medical problems she had before the surgery gone!

I wanted to share a little story that made me feel good today. I was standing in a long line to check out at warehouse sale today. Two lades in their late '60s or '70s were standing ahead of me and commented on how they liked my hair, which is very short as I'm 16 weeks out from chemo. I thanked them and for some reason told them why it was so short.  They both then told me they were bc surivors. They were sisters and one had had a mastectomy and chemo 30 years ago (she was very young at the time).  The other sister had her's 6 years ago and she had lumpectomy, chemo and rads and nothing else because it was hormone negative.  Turns out they were tested and are both BRCA positive and were both hormone negative.  Neither got Tamoxifen or anything and they are doing well.  Not sure if they were Her2+ but since the one who had it six years ago didn't get Herceptin...I'm thinking she (of both) were Triple Negative.  They were so sweet and gave me hugs and lots of encouragement.  I wanted to share with you!

Oh, and my fortune cookie at Chinese buffet tonight said, "He who has hope, has everything." ...and I did have a few tiny desserts at the buffet...but they don't count, do they?

Sugar:  What an uplifting story - thanks for sharing!

Pamelajo: I know what you mean about ice-cream - it's my weakness too.  But I'm amazed at how good some of the frozen yogurts taste, even chocolate. I'm a convert - so is my husband who has lost 5 pounds which he swears is only from switching from ice cream to yogurt!  I never had a high-fat diet to begin with, but I've definitely lowered it more - red meat 1-2 times a week max, more fruit and veggies, less cheese. 

As for sugar, I agree, everything in moderation.  Does anyone know of any studies that look at sugar's effects on trip neg tumours specifically?  Sometimes I think a lot of what we read about BC is skewed toward estrogen positive BC as that is most common, and we know that our cancer doesn't feed on estrogen which is what I think sugar activates.      

Sugar, Chinese sugar doesn't officially count. 

I've found some decent Low-Carb, Sugar Free Bryers ice cream in the store. Of course one serving size is a total joke.

I went to the neighborhood pool party this weekend and, of course, everyone was telling how good I looked (they were expecting the walking dead I suppose). An older lady over heard some people talking and pulled me aside. Her docs. found a lump a year ago and she never went back for the biopsy or anything. She stated that she didn't think she could pay for something like B.C. at the time. I really wanted to shake her and possibly give her a little slap upside the head, but like I said she was an older lady and my advantage over her would have not made it an even fight. Instead I told her there was lots of help out there and that I would be more than happy to give her more informations. I told her that B.C. is the "popular" cancer and that was a good thing for us. I offered to take her to her appointments or what ever. I also told her that B.C. did not mean double MX like it did years ago.I thought about flashing her but that didn't seem appropriate either. All in all she seemed relieved and encouraged to seek out medical help. Her daughter, whom is my age, came around and I think she's part of the problem. She seemed upset that her Mom would discuss her personal boobie problem with me.     That would have been a more even fight.  

I love that story, Sugar!  Love your screen-name as well

My own sister didn't go in for mammos because they hurt.  Even after I got my dx she wouldn't.  Her husband's first wife succombed to BC, and he couldn't make her go.  I have heard throught the grapevine that she is finally going.

Want me to send her a picture of my shark bite foobs Meece???  LOL

My sister nearly wet herself when I lifted my shirt to show her what can happen.  She was complaining about it hurting.  Boo hoo.  Doesn't hurt as bad as gettin em whacked off.

I have no idea if my sister will be going regularly or not.  But it seems stupid that I have been having mammos since I was in my late twenties, and she waits until she's 50.  Well, age doesn't always make us wiser.

Pamelajo-you are hilarious-"Boo hoo."

PauldingMom- I am so glad that you didn't "possibly give her a little slap upside the head" but I truly appreciate the sentiment. It's amazing.  And  Maybe the daughter is trying to get the inheritance.

Sugar-I appreciate the survivor sisterhood story. I was recently on a retreat and got in a kayak solo for the first time. A lady and her husband watched me & our group quite intently and were kind enough to smile without laughing. I saw her in the gift shop the next day where she shared that she was a 3 year survivor. TOO MANY OF US IN THIS CLUB!

Trying to wean myself (again) off of sugar/sugar substitutes. Keep your fingers crossed & say a prayer.

I cannot believe how women think that mammos are just an inconvenience.  They should try living with the reality of BC every single day.  Talk about an inconvenience!!!

Sugar: Great story!  Thanks for sharing.  I find that the more I talk about it the more people "come out" and share.  Way too manhy of us to count.

My cancer never showed up on a mamogram.  My breasts are too dense.  It only showed up on an ultrasound long after the fact.  I accidently found my lump.  They need to start offering other alternatives or include yearly MRI's that don't hurt.  I am lucky that in California, if you don't have insurance, it's covered by state MediCal.  If you have insurance here and it doesn't cover everything MediCal will also cover the difference. 

Sugar is a bitch (not you sugar77 LOL).  It's the one thing I have the hardest time giving up.  I have been an addict since I was very young.  Hey, maybe that's what causes TN!!  We all seem to have a sugar thing!  Seriously, it's a good thing I am more aware now.  I eat much better then I did before diagnosis.  I get more excercise.  I am more healthy all around. 

MBJ,  I don't know about sugar causing breast cancer - maybe it helps to feed it.  I do not have a sugar thing and have eaten a diet that would make Dr. Oz squeal with joy for the last 25 years.  I even limit fruit sugars.  I use agave nectar IF anything as a sweetner.  I really try to watch carbs because they act like sugar in the system.  I've been walking an hour a day at least forever.  My theory is that even TN starts off hormonal.  Having my children really threw me off hormonally.  I believe TN starts off hormonal then loses its receptors and is able to grow w/o the hormones.  I have seen several women now have a hormone positive biopsy and a triple neg pathology following surgery. 

Oh I doubt that sugar causes cancer, I just found it interesting that so many on this thread are obssessed with it LOL!  Of course I would get the wicked cells but I gave mine the wicked chemo and all that was left of my mass was spongy and dead.  It won't come back if it knows what's good for it!

Violet:  I was a vegetarian for over 12 years when I got my diagnosis.  A car crash threw all of my hormones into a chaotic frenzy and nothing was working right.  I thought is was thyroids but then found out before the cancer diagnosis that I have Adrenal Exhaustion.

As you've probably seen in my earlier posts....I didn't have a palpable lump and had the tissue out before I knew what I had. However, my breast was sore in and around the area where it was removed and the muscles used to get really tight. I have not had that pain since I had the surgery.

Sherri