Anyone from Montreal, Qc?

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  • debsie1
    debsie1 Member Posts: 74
    edited June 2010

    Hi....I was running late today but did step into Second Cup and did not see a group of ladies.....now that I checked my PM I understand why!!! You guys were at Starbucks!!! I'm glad that you all enjoyed seeing each other and hopefully next time I will be able to meet you all...

    Stay well,

    Debbie

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  • marie111
    marie111 Member Posts: 119
    edited June 2010

    Great seeing you all this week. We will have to do it again !

    Have a great weekend.

    Marie

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  • YoYo44
    YoYo44 Member Posts: 203
    edited June 2010

    Sorry we missed you Debsie.

    And it was nice to get togeter again.  Look forward to next time.

    Tomorrow is radiation #31 and the last one!  Yay!!  Cannot believe it is finally almost over.  Now hopefully the Tamoxifen does not make me too grouchy!  Innocent

    take care,

    Yo

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  • my560sel
    my560sel Member Posts: 1,065
    edited June 2010

    YO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

    CONGRATULATIONS!!       Yippppppppppppppppppeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! LAST RAD !!!!!!!!!!! How great must that be!!!!!!!!! Now you can relax and enjoy the summer......... I'm doing a happy dance for you!

    Not everyone has the "grouchy" side effect from Tamox and hopefully it won't have that effect on you...I can't imagine you grouchy, you're always so sweet and upbeat.

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  • YoYo44
    YoYo44 Member Posts: 203
    edited June 2010

    Thanks Terri-my husband and friends would laugh.  Funny, I am more upbeat since I had cancer than before...Major change of perception!!

    I love not driving to the Jewish every day and getting all that nasty tape off.  Life is good!  Just letting it soak in some more.  By next Monday I think I will be pretty happy about it.  Still getting over being tired and sore.  I can't believe it is finally over!!

    BTW, Dr. D says to come see him September but he thinks xchg in Jan.  rats!  oh well...

    take care all!

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  • my560sel
    my560sel Member Posts: 1,065
    edited June 2010

    Yo....things are only going to get better from here on..... As for Dr D., he may be right, slower is better. Your skin has to heal properly before  you have another surgery. Better to wait than to risk problems later on. Maybe he'll give you a nice Xmas present of  new boobies like he did for me!

    Terri

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  • YoYo44
    YoYo44 Member Posts: 203
    edited June 2010

    Yeah, I agree.  It's funny how we get upset about this news, a bit of "shoot the messenger", but really it is just what it is.  It's part of the lack of control, crap shoot nature of this bc thing.  There is no one to blame, it just is what it is.  deep sigh...

    I am fine with it now, but it would be nice to move on sooner.

    Today is the start of the mystical Tamoxifen!  Hoping for nothing to report.

    Take care all.

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  • my560sel
    my560sel Member Posts: 1,065
    edited June 2010

    Yo, As crappy as it is to deal with, I guess the saying "everything in it's time" rings true for us BC gals. May Tamoxifen be boring and uneventful for you. When I was taking it, I took it at night around 9pm. That way if there are any side effects you'll be sleeping through the worst part..... just a thought.

    Terri 

    Edited becaue I haven't as yet learnt to take the time to run the spell check!

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  • lebrecht
    lebrecht Member Posts: 68
    edited June 2010

    Hi Yo:

    I am in to my 4 th week of 7 weeks of radiation. I feel very tired but I am 75 years old so maybe it is my age. I will then start on Arimidex as I am post menopausal. I did have a choice but my  radiologist said that the results on Arimidex are superior to Tamoxifen. Whatever that means. Reading the side effects on both is really scary.

    I joined this group since I was born in Montreal and though I now live in California I thought it would be nice to compare our medical procedures. I am so convinced that Canadian is better.  I am suspicious of all here as MONEY is the top consideration to all treatments. I always feel I am being told only half of the truth.

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  • YoYo44
    YoYo44 Member Posts: 203
    edited July 2010

    Hello lebrecht, 

    Good luck with your treatment.  I was certainly happy to be done with rads.  I do agree that sometimes money influences things and that is why we always need to be our own advocate.

    take care,

    Yo

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  • bridetobe
    bridetobe Member Posts: 50
    edited July 2010

    Hi Mtl ladies,

    Hoping some of you can give me advice. I am a 30-yr old Montrealer currently undergoing chemotherapy for IDC at the JGH. I'm also BRCA1-positive... I know sad... The good news is that I responded well to chemo (tumour and 2 positive nodes no longer palpable). The bad news is there still is evidence of cancer in the breast. The team opinion is that I should get a bmx, which I don't disagree with. My BS at the JGH (Dr. Basik) thinks it may be possible to do a skin-sparing and nipple-sparing surgery. Problem is the PS (Dr. D) doesn't do this type of surgery. In an earlier consult I saw Dr. Schwarz who really impressed me and does do this procedure (as some of you have undergone with him as well). My problem is that I love the team at the JGH and my BS, but I am not willing to compromise the esthetic results (I am only 30 and getting married next summer).

      My questions are: 1) those of you operated by Dr. D, would you recommend him and are you satisfied with the quality of his work? 2) would you recommend switching to the MGH for the surgery and if so do you have any BS to recommend? 3) Have any of you been treated at 2 different centers? Did you feel you got adequate care?

    Thanks so much! 

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  • kerkle
    kerkle Member Posts: 147
    edited July 2010

    Hi Bridetobe: I had my mastectomy at the RVH with Dr.Fleiszer and he was/is an amazing Dr and he does his work with Dr.Schwarz who I also find incredible....however, I see the Oncologist at the Jewish General as I find Dr. Panasci there just amazing. So you could go where you want, but it is easier to stay in one hospital. I am always torn about who to ask my questions to and both hospitals don't have all my info so I have to update each time and they each have different blood work results...it is not the wisest. Seeing that you are underoging chemo, I would stay put as the Jewish has amazing Dr's too. Can I ask why you would want to keep your nipples? There is breast tissue in the nipple and the whole purpose of the mastectomy is to rid yourself of as much breast tissue as you can. I would not and did not keep my nipples. No need to go through all this and still have worry. There is a woman, my560sel (Terri) who used Dr. D and I think she was really happy. You can Private Message her. Good luck and if you have many questions, this is the site to get them answered. The girls here are amazing!

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  • my560sel
    my560sel Member Posts: 1,065
    edited July 2010

    Bridetobe,

    I'm sorry that you have to join us here on this thread....this diagnosis is never an easy one. There are some on this thread who have been treated at 2 different hospitals and hopefully they'll be able to give you some input. Keeping track of file info may become a bit tricky but it's certainly doable as Kerry mentioned.  I'm being treated at the JGH and I absolutely love all my Dr's. I also tried to get a skin/nipple sparing MX and was told that they don't do that there. My breast surgeon at the JGH was Dr Sigman and my PS was Dr D. After asking many questions and thinking it through, I decided that it would be safer NOT to have a skin/nipple sparing surgery. As Kerry mentioned, when doing this type of surgery, there is always  breast tissue that is left behind. Seeing that you are BRCA-1 positive, I would try to put as much in my favor as possible. Everyone is different though and I do understand that you are young and getting married and worried about esthetics. I have to say that I'm very pleased with the outcome of my surgery and would highly recommend Dr D. I have to add though, that everything went right from the get-go and that I didn't have any complications and so that helped enormously with my end result. It all depends on how your body reacts to the initial BMX surgery, tissue expanders, fills and finally the implants.There is a picture forum that you can ask to have access to and that may  help you with your decision. I'm 51 and  personally the fact that I do not have nipples/areola's does not bother me. I can always have them added at a later date. I got my implants in Dec last year and am just trying to give my body a rest after having had 4 surgeries in one year.The JGH has a wonderful cancer center and I'm very pleased with the way I've been treated by the staff. Personally, I don't regret my decision to stay there but of course, it's your decision in the end. I did meet a girl (in her 30's) in Dr D's waiting room who was BRCA-1 positive and had a BMX. Her PS was Dr D. She had 2 children and as a precaution she had her ovaries removed. If you like, I could get in touch with her and ask her if she would give you her opinion on Dr D.

    It's really a personal decision and if you feel strongly enough about the esthetic look/feel of your breasts and have weighed all your options, then you need to do what's right for you. I hope everything works out for you and please keep in touch and let us know how you're doing.

    Terri

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  • bridetobe
    bridetobe Member Posts: 50
    edited July 2010

    Thanks for all the advice,

    I'm so happy to hear both of you are happy with your results. I am so encouraged to know we have this level of talent in this city!

    From hearing both your opinions, I think I at least owe it to myself to consult with a few surgeons before making my decisions. After all, I only have one body, and I'd rather be sure about who I choose to do my surgery even if that means having to split my time between different hospitals.   

    As for my choice to go with nipple sparing surgery... well I realize that it comes with a slightly bigger chance of recurrence (an extra 3-5%), but considering cancer unfortunately doesn't come with garantees and everything is about weighing odds and probabilities, I feel that at this time in my life, these are odds I can live with. That being said, I am aware that if the margins aren't clear this won't be possible. But throughout this whole ordeal I've wanted to preserve as much normalcy as possible and as vain as this sounds, keeping my nipples is a battle I'd like to at least try and wage.

    I am so happy to have come on here and met you girls! Truly amazing!

       

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  • Madeline236
    Madeline236 Member Posts: 1
    edited July 2010

    Anyone have Dr Karl Schwartz for reconstruction surgery? I found a PS in Toronto with great reviews who won't accept RAMQ and she recommends him. I can find his website but no reviews...

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  • my560sel
    my560sel Member Posts: 1,065
    edited October 2010

    Ladies - Sylvia and I had a great time in Las Vegas on the 2nd annual TaTa Sisterhood Reunion! Last year there were about 20 or so women, this year there was almost 60! I had a wonderful time and it was nice to finally meet the women that I had been chatting with on this site for over 1 year. It was 4 days of bonding  that I will never forget. I am so looking forward to going again next year. I highly recommend that anyone on this forum who's interested have a look-see on the 2nd Tata Sisterhood thread for more information. It truly was a very unique experience with alot of very special women who all share something in common............BC.

    Terri

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  • my560sel
    my560sel Member Posts: 1,065
    edited December 2010

    Hope all my friends here are having a great holiday season and I wish all of you the very best of health and a cancer-free 2011 and for many more years to come. Health and happiness to you and your families.

    PS... Anyone up for meeting over coffee in the future??

    Terri

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  • my560sel
    my560sel Member Posts: 1,065
    edited January 2011

    OK, where are all my Montreal gals??? Hope everyone is doing well and that you aren't online due to "getting on with your lives" !!

    Sending warm wishes to all of you....

    Terri

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  • kerkle
    kerkle Member Posts: 147
    edited January 2011

    Hi Terri,

    Great to hear from you! Life is good, very busy and "getting on" is where I've been, but I cant forget how amazing everyone on this site was for me. Hope you are all well and our fellow Montrealers are doing amazing also.

    Stay in touch! xox

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  • Linda-Renee
    Linda-Renee Member Posts: 31
    edited February 2011

    Hi,

     I just found this thread - so glad to find others in Montreal! I was diagnosed on Dec 21 (last day before they closed for XMAS) at the Ville Marie Clinic. Everybody I have met there is incredibly supportive.

    I had a lumpectomy done by Dr Otaky on Jan 7 but have still not completed the staging. I feel like I'm learning a new language! I am to appear at a Tumour Board next Friday to decide about chemo. I don't understand everything in the pathology report but know that the tumour was 3.5cm and the sentinnel node was clear. I also know that it was estrogen and progesterone positive. So far, I know for sure that I will need radiation and Tamoxifen so it has been really useful to hear how others have fared with it.

    I recently discovered the Wellness Centre in Beaconsfield and they are really great, with yoga, meditation and all sorts of things I have not yet explored. What an adventure this is turning out to be.

    Cheers,

    Linda

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  • my560sel
    my560sel Member Posts: 1,065
    edited February 2011

    Hi Linda and welcome to this board. We all understand how you're feeling right now. Some of us have been through most of our treatments and others like myself have finished and are trying to get back to some sort of normalcy in our lives. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask - we're all here to help each other and will answer your questions to the best of our ability/knowledge. Do you know if your tumor was HER2 positive? What hospital are you with, I haven't heard of Dr Otaky? I guess the good news is that your case is passing in front of a tumor board which means that you will have the benefit of having many Dr's looking at what's best for you and coming up with the best treatment plan.I had the same thing at the JGH where I was treated. I opted to have a bi-lat mastectomy so I didn't need to have the radiation but I'm sure someone here can help you out with what to expect. I've heard about the Wellness Center  but have never been there myself. I understand yoga is great for relieving stress although I've never done any myself. I'm not sure I can even bend my body that way...lol

    I hope someone will pipe in soon and give you some info regarding radiation. 

    Regards,

    Terri

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  • Linda-Renee
    Linda-Renee Member Posts: 31
    edited February 2011

    Thank you Terri! I do not yet know my HER2 status and I don't yet have the bone scan result. Dr Otaky is with the Ville Marie Breats Clinic and the operation took place at the Jean Talon Hospital (I didn't have a clue that there was a hospital on Jean Talon before...). My pathology report is in French and although I can translate it, I don't fully understand it. My head gets fuzzy when I have to see any of the doctors - in future, I will keep a running list of questions and try to remember to bring it with me. I'll keep you posted.

     Linda

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  • my560sel
    my560sel Member Posts: 1,065
    edited February 2011

    Linda, for now, the best news is that your nodes were clear! Focus on taking care of yourself - eating  healthy, exercise and stay POSITIVE..that's very important. The most important thing is to take one day at a time. This can all be so overwhelming.

    A few of us ladies get together every now and then for coffee, you're welcome to join us whenever we have our next get-together. Are you from the west island?

    As mentioned before, if you have any questions, feel free to ask - we're here for you. 

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  • Linda-Renee
    Linda-Renee Member Posts: 31
    edited February 2011

    Hi Terri,

     I'm in Pointe-Claire. It would be great to meet others for coffee!

    I'm re-joining the Y tomorrow - I really miss regular exercise!

     Linda

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  • my560sel
    my560sel Member Posts: 1,065
    edited February 2011

    I'm in St Lazare.

    We'll try to do something in the next few weeks. It's hard to get everyone together since some ladies are working. We usually meet on Monkland Ave. which is central to everyone.

    In the meantime, I wish you luck for your app't on Friday - Let's hope you get great news!

    Terri

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  • Linda-Renee
    Linda-Renee Member Posts: 31
    edited February 2011

    Thanks!

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  • Ma_rta
    Ma_rta Member Posts: 20
    edited February 2011

    hai everybody, i wanna share info. i did my biopsy on december, i've to wait for almost 6weeks to know the results, about 3weeks ago i meet my doctor then the biopsy result / diagnostics they don't know exatcly what it is so they have to send to another doctor in another hospital, so today i come back again then my doctor told me that he has to remove nodules on my breast (he said probably by this month but don't know when) then they will analysis again if it's cancer its not spread i've to do chemo, radiation (i don't know yet) or  not or if spread they have to do masactomy

    my breast have'not change, my ultrasound/mamogram said it cyst/benigh micr. birad 3

    my doctor is general surgery doctor at jean talon, today i go to ville marie breast clinic and will go soon there bring my files

    martini

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  • marie111
    marie111 Member Posts: 119
    edited February 2011

    Hello Montreal Ladies !!

    I haven't posted in a while but hope you are all well. I see we have 2 new members. Welcome !

    Linda-Renee: Dr. Otaky was also my surgeon and he is absolutely WONDERFUL. I am very happy with him and trust him immensly. The Ville_marie Clinic as a whole is a great place to be at and they will take good care of you. I also had my case reviewed by the tumor board at St-Mary's hospital, my oncologist is Dr. Stern, and have received wonderful care there as well. So you are in good hands. Focus on the positive and stay strong.

    Ma_rta: I know this is a very stressful time for you right now but it does get better once you have answers and a plan. You will be well taken care of at Ville-Marie. I wish you good luck with your results. Fell free to PM me again if you need to.

    Hope the rest of you are doing well and life is keeping you busy !!!

    Marie

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  • Ma_rta
    Ma_rta Member Posts: 20
    edited February 2011

    yess, i want to go to my general surgery doctor to ask my result then will bring it

    to ville marie clinic 'cos so far i haven't get details info. from my surgery doctor

    i'm thingking brest specialist will explain to me



    it's been almost 3months but still waiting, then now have to wait

    hospital to call about my surgery date, and i don't know 'til when i've to

    wait for final result



    i'm working at cote st luce area, anybody wanna gathering/

    meeting at coffespecially on weekend feel free to contact me or email

    tienbahar@hotmail.com



    marta

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  • Linda-Renee
    Linda-Renee Member Posts: 31
    edited February 2011

    Thanks Marie!

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