Illinois ladies facing bc

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  • ritajean
    ritajean Member Posts: 4,223
    edited November 2011

    Thanks girls. I think my friend's surgeon led her to believe that radiation wouldn't be necessary with a mastectomy. She still doesn't know her hormone status, node involvement or exact tumor size and I thought perhaps that was not a true assessment and one that might influence her choice of surgery. Althoigh I know that this is sometimes the case, I didn't think it was always standard. I will show her your comments. Thanks a lot.

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  • Adey
    Adey Member Posts: 3,610
    edited November 2011

    Well, Tamox gave me the gift of an endometrial thickening.  So, when Ireland/UK trip is done and I am back from NOLA surgery, I get the pleasure of a biopsy!  Phssssst.  I'll think about that tomorrow.  (c:

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  • LisaMomOfFour
    LisaMomOfFour Member Posts: 465
    edited November 2011

    Rita in my case I had extra node encapsulation in the one node...and micro mets in the surrounding tissue. That was what differentiated my case and called for rads. My doctor too said that if I chose BMX I was highly unlikely to need rads.



    Adey -- boo! That stinks. My gyne did an endometrial biopsy on me last year...it was really quick, not much diff than a pap smear and he had the result back in just a couple of days.

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  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 17,186
    edited November 2011
    Yell Adey that stinks. Is it still too early for an AI for you?
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  • IllinoisLady
    IllinoisLady Member Posts: 29,082
    edited November 2011
    "Before you act, listen. Before you react, think. Before you spend, earn. Before you criticize, wait. Before you pray, forgive. Before you quit, try." Ernest Hemingway
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  • IllinoisLady
    IllinoisLady Member Posts: 29,082
    edited November 2011

    Sun again today -- very appreciated on this very cool morning.  My days seem ( always in hind-sight ) to be going awfully fast --- like speeding us up to the REAL winter weather.  Well, at least most of the leaf removal has been accomplished. 

    I hope you are all going to have a really good day and have a little laughter and warmth to add some spice to it. 

    I'll be seeing you again after work. 

    Big hugs,

    Jackie

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  • ritajean
    ritajean Member Posts: 4,223
    edited November 2011

    Brrrrrr..........Winter's arriving and I'm such a wimp! 

    Oh Adey, this is certainly not what you needed in your life now!  I'm so sorry that you have this issue to deal with.  Hugs!

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  • IllinoisLady
    IllinoisLady Member Posts: 29,082
    edited November 2011
    "When you find peace within yourself, you become the kind of person who can live at peace with others."

    Anne Frank

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  • IllinoisLady
    IllinoisLady Member Posts: 29,082
    edited November 2011

    Adey.....the endo problem...really the pits.  Life sure dumps a lot of challenges on us, doesn't it!!!  It's always something, as Gilda Radner said. 

    Chilly this a.m. and guess I'll have to get used to it.  I actually tolerate it all right, but hate that it does bother many.  Didn't have seasons much the 25 yrs. I lived in southern California and by the time I came home again for good.....I had enough meat on my bones to withstand seasonal weather fairly well. 

    Hope you are all going to have a good day and some sun to cheer you along. 

    Hugs, Jackie

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  • CorinneM1
    CorinneM1 Member Posts: 539
    edited November 2011

    Had my nipple reconstruction surgery today.  Still feeling a little hung over like from the meds, but no pain in my chest or breast area.   I was cleared to run, so plan on doing the turkey trot and still TBD on the Santa Hustle.

    This weekend is going to consist of putting all of the furniture back into place since the floors are done.  I will be directing, not moving. Then attending a school fundraiser called Trivinia.  You bring you own food and its BYOB, get a team of 10 together and have to answer 100 trivia questions--catagories have ranged from sports, science, saints/religion (its a catholic school) and pop culture. Its a lot of fun and my team and I always come in 2nd place.  But hoping this is the year! Sunday will be moving furniture again I am sure.

    NatsFan--have a wonderful holiday!

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  • IllinoisLady
    IllinoisLady Member Posts: 29,082
    edited November 2011

    If you wish to succeed in life,
    make perseverance your bosom friend,
    experience your wise counselor,
    caution your elder brother,
    and hope your guardian genius.
    - Joseph Addison

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  • IllinoisLady
    IllinoisLady Member Posts: 29,082
    edited November 2011

    Good for you Corinne.  Nice to have that over and going well.  Hope you continue on and don't need the pain meds.  I haven't done any pain meds for a long time.  Just don't need it most of the time.  I'm all for taking what you need.....but feel less is always better when it works out that way.

    Dreary looking Saturday, but I have enough to do to keep me from getting to into that.  We are still having wind here -- don't usually.  Might as well live elsewhere.  Hopefully this will change soon to what we are accustomed too a little  more.  Weather people did talk about green house gasses and expecting more different/more severe weather almost everywhere.  Boo.

    Hope you all have a fantastic day and are able to do everything you want to.  See you all later.

    Hugs, Jackie

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  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 17,186
    edited November 2011
    Corinne have you seem them yet. They make them giant but in time they are supposed to flatten out a bit. I'm of course still waiting. It's only been 6 weeks for me. Did you get an areola graf or are you just doing tatts. I'm just doing tatts.
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  • WendyTY
    WendyTY Member Posts: 112
    edited November 2011

    Happy Saturday!  I've had a great week.  Almost think the nurses gave me a pass with saline only but I know better.  Since I was feeling good I thought I'd try to catch up and say hello.  I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

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  • IllinoisLady
    IllinoisLady Member Posts: 29,082
    edited November 2011

    How great to hear from you Wendy.  So glad you are having better, and less trying circumstances.  I'm sure I can speak for all of us.  You make our day with your news. 

    I think you are a  twinkle in everyone's heart just now.  We love you.  Way to go.

    Hugs, Jackie

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  • Char2010
    Char2010 Member Posts: 532
    edited November 2011

    WendyTY - So good to see your post and know that you are feeling better.

    A happy weekend to all.

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  • wendyk13
    wendyk13 Member Posts: 1,600
    edited November 2011

    Hey Namesake...good to see a post from you, youngster! Any chance at all u might be up for a ride 12/3??? If not...I will be taking video!!!! This was everyone's warning....

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  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 17,186
    edited November 2011

    Hi Wendies! Glad to see you both (You too Jackie & Char)

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  • CorinneM1
    CorinneM1 Member Posts: 539
    edited November 2011

    Just got my first peek at them Lago.  Oh. My. God. They. Are. Huge.

    I know that they will go down in time.  But these suckers look more like small cotton balls than nipples.  I am just getting tatts.  Where are you getting yours done?  I am going to try out the new NW approved tattoo artist--Jeff. He is on LSD. Don't know his name, but was told that it would most likely not be covered by insurance.

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  • spunkyboobster
    spunkyboobster Member Posts: 738
    edited November 2011

    Wow. what a great group-so glad I found you.  Would love to hear if anyone is being treated at Loyola (Maywood). So much information from docs coming so fast feel overwhelmed.  Unfortunately, have to get this ball rolling though as my insurance changes Jan 1 and Loyola isn't covered by new insurer. Does anyone know if Loyola offers Nipple Saving Surgery?  Looking at mastectomy for busy breast (right) and lumpectomy on left.  Thanks-

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  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 17,186
    edited November 2011

    My PS will be doing my tatts. Insurance will cover tatts if they are done in a doctor's office. My PS is out of network so I don't know how much they will actually cover… I will be on a new insurance when I get the tatts.

    spunkyboobster. Welcome. So glad you found us. I don't know anything about Loyola/Maywood but as far as nipple sparing I think that has to do with your BS. My BS doesn't believe in them so he doesn't do them. Not sure if that would be true for the entire treatment center. I might suggest you get a 2nd opinion, maybe even a 3rd but it's so hard to get in and now you're dealing with a holiday. The other issue is when can the schedule surgery. I know I had to do an MRI before surgery then by the time they could get a date that worked for both the PS & BS as well as a surgery room it took 6 weeks! Granted most people don't have to wait that long. Are there any other treatment centers you would consider that the new insurance covers?

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  • IllinoisLady
    IllinoisLady Member Posts: 29,082
    edited November 2011
    In faith there is enough light for those who want to believe and enough shadows to blind those who don't.
         - Blaise Pascal, 1623 - 1662
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  • IllinoisLady
    IllinoisLady Member Posts: 29,082
    edited November 2011

    spunky...glad you found us.  Lago keeps pretty much up on things, but a few others are "doing" this number recently. 

    Raining here...boo.  Have to look on the bright side of how much I'll appreciate the sun when it hopefully reappears in two or three days.  Reminiscent of living in California ( the rainy season was winter there ) and undergoing a week of rain at a time.....I took dh to work....then the first child to school, then later the second, then a bit later picked them each up, and then ran errands, then picked up dh.  I would go a whole week and never be totally dry during the day -- 

    I hope you are all going to have a good day and hopefully no rain.

    Hugs, Jackie

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  • wendyk13
    wendyk13 Member Posts: 1,600
    edited November 2011

    Morning! I assume everyone is gearing up for a very busy week what with kids home, shopping/cooking for Thursday, shopping on Friday, decorating. Yikes. When did the Holidays sneak up?



    Spunkyoobster....welcome to our little corner! Sorry you're here tho. With time so short now...I like Lago's idea...maybe check around for a different hospital/treatment center. I only had lumpectomy so can't help with the nipple sparing. BTW.... When I typed your name my iPhone corrected it to spiny lobster! Lol!



    Jackie..lots of rain in SoCal! Sure was a lot of driving for you...



    Rita....happy #5!!!! Thank you so much for this thread... It's been a life-saver for so many, me included.



    Although no sun here (sorry Jacks!) but warm enough so no snow/ice do I'll take it!

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  • wendyk13
    wendyk13 Member Posts: 1,600
    edited November 2011

    Oops... Phone won't let me correct...Spunkyboobster! (personally Iike Spiny Lobster! Perhaps you could change your name?????). :)

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  • IllinoisLady
    IllinoisLady Member Posts: 29,082
    edited November 2011

    I find that it is not the circumstances in which we are placed, but the spirit in which we face them, that constitutes our comfort. -Elizabeth T. King

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  • IllinoisLady
    IllinoisLady Member Posts: 29,082
    edited November 2011

    Wendy...I'm coming to your house....get ready.  Two more days of rain here.  Wonder how much those light bulbs cost that mimic sun???  Well, I'll be working and probably won't notice it as much.  Going to my cousin's for Feast day.  I would do it very small scale at home, if there were no family here.  As is....Mary saves the carcass for me and I boil it for soup ---usually end up with 6 mos. of broth/makings for turkey-type dishes. 

    Hope you are all going to have a marvelous Monday.  I'll be checking in late....after work.

    Hugs, Jackie

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  • spunkyboobster
    spunkyboobster Member Posts: 738
    edited November 2011

    Wendyk13-I like spiney lobster, too. I chose spunkyboobster because I got sooo tired of people telling me how strong I was, what a fighter I was and the final straw-how spunky I was-which morphed into spunkyboobster (tip of the hat to punky brewster).

    Meeting with surgeon today to discuss options and hopefully schedule surgery.  Since my original diagnosis I've had 4 additional biopsies which found 3 additional spots-including LCIS and AHL. 

    Looking forward to hosting 10 (and 2 babies) for Thanksgiving. I think I may have gone overboard with a 20# turkey though. DH and DS will be "enjoying" turkey sandwiches for some time...

    Have a great day everyone. Feels great to "be with" all of you.

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  • IllinoisLady
    IllinoisLady Member Posts: 29,082
    edited November 2011

    Kelly/spunky --- was not going to get back on here but hearing how your name came about got to me.  I  too heard over and over how strong etc. etc.  I did not feel like being strong....I felt anything but.......every vulnerable sensation you could have was  gushing out of my pores and that is what I got from people.  It is one of the times in life when strength can almost be a detriment.  Had a go-round with dh who was the one saying it the most and finally was able to let it go and get on with working to get well.  I did and it is ok to be the strong one again.

    Understanding hugs,

    Jackie

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  • spunkyboobster
    spunkyboobster Member Posts: 738
    edited November 2011

    IllinoisLady-excellent point, strong is a blessing and a curse, but I'd rather be strong than not.

    Just returned from appointment with surgeon.  Leaning toward BMX with immediate reconstruction. Meeting with PS on Monday (he's on vacation this week) and will have decision finalized after speaking with him.  Although the decisions that have to be made stink, it feels good to have made some kind of decision.  Progress is good. 

    Now I can concentrate on Thanksgiving-my favorite holiday Smile

    Happy Thanksgiving to all.  Safe travels if you're hitting the road. 

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