Another new warrior...

I just wanted to say HI - I'm also 35, four kiddos.  It's a scary and wild ride in the beginning.

This board is a wealth of info and a great help along the twisting BC road.

 I'm sorry you're joining us on that twisty road.  But you will find all sorts of strength within yourself that you never knew you had.

Madismommy719 - Welcome, and sorry you had to join the 'club no one wants to join'.  These boards are very helpful.  As you go through the treaments you choose to have be sure to check out the different forums, especially the chemo threads since it seems like you will be going down that path.  They are all so helpful in dealing with the treatment and side effects and provide great advise using both conventional and complementary methods of dealing with them.  At least that is what I found.

Hi again lovetorun, yes we are all strong women and we will all get through this.

I am now 46, two teenagers, scratch that one is heading to college in the fall, and also had a 'surprise, you have positive lymph nodes' moment.  Not fun.  In fact I think this information threw me more than - 'Yes it is cancer'.   I am actually coming to the end of the 'invasive' treatments now and will be starting Tamoxifen in about a week, then it will be monitoring for me.  These boards have been so helpful to me.  The advise and support of others, including the men on here, has been invaluable.  This is a great safe place to go when you need to vent.  

Best of luck and remember we are all here for each other. 

Madismommy - Sorry you are hear but you have found a great resource.  I was diagnoised at 36 with two kids.  First was told just DCIS, later found a microinvasion with biopsy of mastectomy, told just .7 mm.  2nd opinion said 4mm.  Two doctors said no chemo, one said chemo.  Decided for me, I needed to do everything I could.  Did the chemo (also wanted the hecreptin).  Doable with kids and good support system.  Early time is the hardest, once you make your decisions on treatment, the rest is easier.  I found great support when I decided to do chemo with the August 2009 chemo thread.  So nice to have a whole group (although also sad) of ladies who know EXACTLY what you are going through.  Nice to be able to bounce side effect questions and stuff like that off each other.  If you do the chemo, look for a group at your start time frame.  It was so helpful for me.  If you need anything, feel free to PM me.  You will get through all of this and soon it will be in your past. 

Michelle

Hi Jenn,

We were diagnosed on the same day.  4/29/11.  I think I will never forget that date - maybe we will someday - or maybe we'll celebrate on the number of years we've been cancer free from now on!  I had my bilateral mastectomy with lattissimus dorsi flap reconstruction and tissue expanders on 6/1/11.  I'm walking 4 miles at a time now, so you will just keep getting stronger.  Still most days I find something new I can do that I couldn't do before.  Feel free to private message me if I can help you in any way.  Good luck anniversary sister   Pam

Jenn, I had shortness of breath and armpit pain too too and even went to the ER a day or two after getting home from hospital for the shortness of breath.  After a CT that showed no problem, we realized I was trying to wean myself off the pain meds and the shortness of breath seemed to come from the tissue expanders when I was past due.  But still, don't ignore shortness of breath if it continues.  My surgery was 15 hours, so the risk of pulmonary issues was there.  Of all the incisions, the armpit pain was the most uncomfortable.  I slept sitting up for a couple of weeks with pillows under each arm.   

Wow - you do absolutely deserve an Oscar.  You win the prize!  I could not have fought the fear at disney like you did.  So, you are a terrific mom.  I would have been crying all through "it's a small world" .  I felt so much better after surgery.  

I'll private message you my info in case you need anything.  If you're new to the site, just look at the top once you're logged in and there's a private message tab.  Best wishes.  Pam 

Hi Chadneyann - Did you meant that you are getting an SNB - a Sentinel Node Biopsy?  If so, I just wanted to let you know that I had an SNB and found that it was quite painless.  The gave me little local anaesthetic in the breast, then injected the dye.  There were 3 other ladies having it done at the same time (it was a large hospital with several surgeons operating during the same time period) and none of them seemed to be bothered by the SNB either.

 This is the toughest time you are going through now - with the shock of the diagnosis and not knowing what to expect - but as you move on through the process and get into treatment, you will feel much calmer and life will eventually get back to living your life without focusing on bc.

 All the best to you.  Stage 1b has a good prognosis.

Hello, ladies. I am also a new warrior. Diagnosed on June 30th on my 46th birthday.  That night I went out to dinner with my husband, three kids (ages 9, 11 and 15), and parents and smiled throughout because we have always made a big deal over birthdays. June 30th will definitely take on a new meaning from now on.  I started a topic on "interval breast cancer" because I hadn't seen any mention of it.  I had a clear mammo and US Dec. 2010 but less than 6 months later I had a lump in left breast which turned out to be a cancerous mass. Microinvasive DC. Doctor said it's interval breast cancer.  Was really struggling with my doctor's recommendation of mastectomy given that the mass area is large (4.6 cm) and involves two quadrants. MRI also shows a suspicious area at the 9 o'clock position.  After reading so many posts, I am starting to feel so much more reassured that mastectomy is the way to go.  No issues with right breast so only unilateral mastectomy of left breast. I do want to have immediate reconstruction and was considering implants but the more I think about it the less convinced I am of having foreign objects placed inside of me. The posts on DIEP were so positive.  Anyways, I am SOOO happy to have found these boards and to be able to communicate with others who know exactly what I am going through.  My prayers and many blessings to all of you.

Hi Faithstrong,

I was diagnosed in Dec. 2010 and chose to have a bilateral mastectomy even though the cancer was only in the right breast. I also chose no reconstruction. I was never that attached to my breasts anyway, and I figured that they did their job of feeding my two daughters   I'm very happy with my decision and have gone on to have 3D nipple tattoos! I'll get older, but I'll always have the chest of a 12 year old LOL! Stay strong and make the decisions you have to make, yours. You'll be so much happier that way

Vikki