First time post - really need reassurance
Hello. I am DESPERATELY in need of hearing from someone who is doing well after being diagnosed with a recurrence of triple neg invasive ductal. I need to hear a success story so very badly right now. I am 43 with two wonderful school age kids. I was just diagnosed with a very small recurrence (possibly new primary) in the same breast. I have not had my PET/CT yet and I am nearly paralyzed with fear. I already know I will need a mastectomy and probably chemo to be on the "safe side", whatever the hell that means. I just feel sick with fear and grief. I so need to hear of someone who is well after a similar diagnosis. I need some hope right now.
Thank you!
Comments
-
Hi miriam. I know others will be along w/same experiences to share. It's so hard not to let fear race ahead. But if it gives you any comfort whatsoever, everything I've read says if you're going to have a recurrence - a local one is best. Many hugs to you.
-
Miriam:
I know you are petrified with fear right now, I would be too, so that's totally normal, but as you get more info and a plan into action, you will fight this nasty beast and kick it to the curb. As Janet said, it's best to have a local recurrence. I hate it for you that you have to go through all this again, but you can and will kick this beast to the curb. When was your original diagnose and what was your treatment at that time? Hang in there, Miriam, be strong and know that you can do this. Have any ativan or xanax, if so take it - if not - get it!
Hugs and strength being sent to you,
Linda
-
Hi Miriam,
I'm so sorry that you are dealing with this. I was recently dx with a recurrence but I'm not a TN. A node in my supraclavicular region lit up on a PET scan and I'm anxious to start treatments to prevent it from 'traveling'.
The length of time until the surgery drove me crazy. I'm doing much better since then. Once you get your treatments started, you should feel more in control.
Hugs,
Annie
-
Dear MiriamL,
I'm sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I'm an employee of Memorial Sloan-Kettering and am writing to share some resources that may help you cope with your diagnosis and treatment.
The American Cancer Society has a program called Reach to Recovery, in which you can talk to a breast cancer survivor who has been faced with a similar diagnosis. Here is the link with more information: http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/SupportProgramsServices/reach-to-recovery
The National Cancer Institute and American Cancer Society both offer good information on managing the emotional effects of cancer and treatment:
NCI: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/coping/emotionaleffectsACS: http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/EmotionalSideEffects/index
The American Cancer Society also provides guidance on finding support programs and services in your area: http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/SupportProgramsServices/index
Livestrong may also be of help finding one-on-one support: http://www.livestrong.org/Get-Help/Get-One-On-One-Support
Another excellent resource is Cancer Care. They offer free on-line support groups and individual counseling. CancerCare social workers can also guide patients and family members to counseling and support groups in their own communities. You can reach them through these links: http://www.cancercare.org/get_help/counseling.php and http://www.cancercare.org/get_help/supportgroups.phpYou might also be interested in reading the following pages from the National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society, which offer advice on how to talk to your children about your diagnosis and how to provide security and stability for them during this difficult time.
http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/ChildrenandCancer/HelpingChildrenWhenaFamilyMemberHasCancer/index
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_6X_Dealing_With_Diagnosis.asp
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_6X_Dealing_With_Treatment.asp
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/when-someone-you-love-is-treated/page6
I hope this information is useful and wish you the best of luck finding the support you need. -Esther
Categories
- All Categories
- 679 Advocacy and Fund-Raising
- 289 Advocacy
- 68 I've Donated to Breastcancer.org in honor of....
- Test
- 322 Walks, Runs and Fundraising Events for Breastcancer.org
- 5.6K Community Connections
- 282 Middle Age 40-60(ish) Years Old With Breast Cancer
- 53 Australians and New Zealanders Affected by Breast Cancer
- 208 Black Women or Men With Breast Cancer
- 684 Canadians Affected by Breast Cancer
- 1.5K Caring for Someone with Breast cancer
- 455 Caring for Someone with Stage IV or Mets
- 260 High Risk of Recurrence or Second Breast Cancer
- 22 International, Non-English Speakers With Breast Cancer
- 16 Latinas/Hispanics With Breast Cancer
- 189 LGBTQA+ With Breast Cancer
- 152 May Their Memory Live On
- 85 Member Matchup & Virtual Support Meetups
- 375 Members by Location
- 291 Older Than 60 Years Old With Breast Cancer
- 177 Singles With Breast Cancer
- 869 Young With Breast Cancer
- 50.4K Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis
- 204 Breast Cancer with Another Diagnosis or Comorbidity
- 4K DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ)
- 79 DCIS plus HER2-positive Microinvasion
- 529 Genetic Testing
- 2.2K HER2+ (Positive) Breast Cancer
- 1.5K IBC (Inflammatory Breast Cancer)
- 3.4K IDC (Invasive Ductal Carcinoma)
- 1.5K ILC (Invasive Lobular Carcinoma)
- 999 Just Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastasis
- 652 LCIS (Lobular Carcinoma In Situ)
- 193 Less Common Types of Breast Cancer
- 252 Male Breast Cancer
- 86 Mixed Type Breast Cancer
- 3.1K Not Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastases but Concerned
- 189 Palliative Therapy/Hospice Care
- 488 Second or Third Breast Cancer
- 1.2K Stage I Breast Cancer
- 313 Stage II Breast Cancer
- 3.8K Stage III Breast Cancer
- 2.5K Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
- 13.1K Day-to-Day Matters
- 132 All things COVID-19 or coronavirus
- 87 BCO Free-Cycle: Give or Trade Items Related to Breast Cancer
- 5.9K Clinical Trials, Research News, Podcasts, and Study Results
- 86 Coping with Holidays, Special Days and Anniversaries
- 828 Employment, Insurance, and Other Financial Issues
- 101 Family and Family Planning Matters
- Family Issues for Those Who Have Breast Cancer
- 26 Furry friends
- 1.8K Humor and Games
- 1.6K Mental Health: Because Cancer Doesn't Just Affect Your Breasts
- 706 Recipe Swap for Healthy Living
- 704 Recommend Your Resources
- 171 Sex & Relationship Matters
- 9 The Political Corner
- 874 Working on Your Fitness
- 4.5K Moving On & Finding Inspiration After Breast Cancer
- 394 Bonded by Breast Cancer
- 3.1K Life After Breast Cancer
- 806 Prayers and Spiritual Support
- 285 Who or What Inspires You?
- 28.7K Not Diagnosed But Concerned
- 1K Benign Breast Conditions
- 2.3K High Risk for Breast Cancer
- 18K Not Diagnosed But Worried
- 7.4K Waiting for Test Results
- 603 Site News and Announcements
- 560 Comments, Suggestions, Feature Requests
- 39 Mod Announcements, Breastcancer.org News, Blog Entries, Podcasts
- 4 Survey, Interview and Participant Requests: Need your Help!
- 61.9K Tests, Treatments & Side Effects
- 586 Alternative Medicine
- 255 Bone Health and Bone Loss
- 11.4K Breast Reconstruction
- 7.9K Chemotherapy - Before, During, and After
- 2.7K Complementary and Holistic Medicine and Treatment
- 775 Diagnosed and Waiting for Test Results
- 7.8K Hormonal Therapy - Before, During, and After
- 50 Immunotherapy - Before, During, and After
- 7.4K Just Diagnosed
- 1.4K Living Without Reconstruction After a Mastectomy
- 5.2K Lymphedema
- 3.6K Managing Side Effects of Breast Cancer and Its Treatment
- 591 Pain
- 3.9K Radiation Therapy - Before, During, and After
- 8.4K Surgery - Before, During, and After
- 109 Welcome to Breastcancer.org
- 98 Acknowledging and honoring our Community
- 11 Info & Resources for New Patients & Members From the Team