TRIPLE POSITIVE GROUP

Ashla Re: the worry/anxiety. It's an interesting thing. I think it's a process and it can change over time. I chose a lumpectomy knowing that I'd have to face the dreaded mammos. I've never been an overly anxious person but BC and this treatment put me in emotional places I never expected.

I'm 42 and I look back now and realize that surgery, chemo, sudden "chemopause", Rads and Herceptin took a physical and emotional toll on me (not to mention the changes in weight/hair loss/physical appearance). I think we are all doing well to remain sane under those circumstances when you think about it:) It's a year of nonstop stress and treatment overload and I think heightened anxiety is normal considering what we endure. A year later everything is done and I'm just taking Tamoxifen and dealing with some leftover SEs.

Finally, I''m getting a glimpse of what Lago, Amyisstrong, Omaz and so many others have talked about i.e. I don't worry or think about BC all the time. I feel like I'm getting my life back by not being so bogged down in constant appointments and treatments and now the anxiety/fear only crops up when I face a scan and even then it's over as soon as I get the results. 

Prior to BC my personality was mostly the optimist, carefree. live for today, etc-definitely low anxiety. After the diagnosis I became incredibly anxious and stayed that way through the past year of treatment. Now that treatment is over I feel the anxiety falling away and I'm getting back to my old self. My point is that for some people BC can throw you into a place of worry and anxiety which is totally normal in my opinion AND you may find that it resolves after the treatment ends.

Sorry for being so long-winded. I've just been amazed at this transition since I finished Herceptin and got through my first post-BC mammo. I feel like I've been holding my breath all year and finally gave myself permission to exhale! It's so hard to believe it or see it in the midst of the storm but life does look and feel brighter at the end of this treatment. We have to keep encouraging one another through this...

Dragonfly....

42 ,dancetrancer 43.....I am so, so sorry that you have to face this at your age.....

I'm 44 (43 at diagnosis) and am always the youngest one in my chemo center - when my husband's aunt (who's 83) goes with me I always tell her not to fall asleep because they'll be trying to give the chemo to her - LOL!  

dragonfly - very nicely written!

I am also the youngest at my center (diagnosed at 44), but I have met many women on this site much younger then me. It was difficult going through treatment, being surrounded by people much older then me, that had brought their children who were my age.

2 paternal aunts.  No one in immediate family. BRCA neg.  Random! 

I am the family history. No breast cancer on either side. No aunts, grandmothers, great aunts, great grandmothers, sister or mother. Don't know about cousins on dads side but none on mom's side either.

65 at diagnosis, 66 now.  (ugh)  it was random for me as well.  

47 at diagnosis. Only one in my family. I have an identical twin who does not have cancer.

Dragonfly....couldnt have said it better. We must have similar personalities as I was the same pre bc. Upon diagnosis, I developed panic disorder and had to go on an anti-anxiety med. Just waenwd myself off. We will see how it goes.



This whole week is so cool! We have been downtown on Super Bowl Village several times and it is fabulous. Daughter is doing red carpet interviews at all the top parties and having a blast.



One thing Indy does for all our events is extensive local legacy projects. (i used to be part of senior management for the organization that brings all the sport events to town).



Do you guys know one of the projects is the Indy Super CUre project, where they collected healthy breast tissue for studies? Here is a link. The local effort was headed by my first boss out of
college.



http://www.indianapolissuperbowl.com/indy-super-cure/



Couldn't be prouder of the work my former coworkers have done.....and so glad that I am not on the other side. As much fun as it is, I wouldnt have seen my home or sleep for months!

I'm the first (and hopefully the last) in my family.

Missy, I hope you're looking for a new obgyn! I haven't been too pleased with my primary doc and asked my oncologist for some recommendations for a new one. It's so important that we be comfortable with our doctors if at all possible.

I have one paternal aunt who had BC.

41 at dx in june 2011. No family history.

My paternal aunt died of BC 30 years ago, but lived 18 years after surgery! I was dx-ed at 70 in 2009, last year my sister got it at 57! It's family history!