Calling all TNs

LuvRVing, I'm sorry to hear about the latest PET results. That sucks. This damn cancer doesn't know its place. I hope your trip provides a much needed reality break!

My counselor pushed and pushed me and got me a PET/CT scheduled - at 7 am this morning. And she has her secret ways and was able to get me the results as soon as they were done - all clear, except for the stupid breast tumor! Whew, I was so worried about my liver or lungs and the constant bachache I have... but it's not cancer. So I'm around to battle the beast once more. Preliminary path reports say TN. Now they're talking chemo as well, which I don't want top do - I really want rads first!

Luvrving:

I am very sad at hearing your news. I am so sorry that you have to gear up yet again to fight this horrible beast.  God knows you have already fought so hard.  Please know that I wish you a wonderful trip to Paris, and a time in which cancer is a forgotten word, and that you come back with renewed strength and courage to kick this crap to the curb.  We will all be here for you and with you.

Linda

((((((((((Luvrving))))))) So sorry to hear your news....FC. Try to enjoy Paris and we are here to support you when you're back.

Annie - No worries!! I love that you care about me. Three rounds with cancer, makes insurance something I can't get. I may get a ca 27.29 test done first.



Minxie - so glad you were able to get a fast scan and results! You must be so relieved!

Glad that you have some answers Minxie, now you can work on a plan of action and move forward. 

CS: I had TAC for my chemo and had terrible heartburn, too.  I started taking Prilosec and it did the trick.  Also was told to stay on it for a few months after TX.  When I tried to come off it, the heartburn returned.  So I started back on it and now I take it every other day and that seems to work.  Call your Onc and see what they recommend.  No need to suffer.

OBXK (and others) - FYI: CancerCare.org (800-813-4673) are very proactive in finding/proving financial assistance (for insurance co-pays, help with no insurance, etc) to people who qualify.  Don't hesitate to call them.  No need to stress about $$ too.  They also have great teleconferences on various topics of interest, that you can sign up for, for free. 

Minxie - great news



Titan -now you need some champagne for those strawberries to ease your day.



Cocker - I had serious GERD, before I started Taxol, and it only took a couple of weeks before I had symptoms of ulcers (had several bouts of them over the years). Try the pepcids, nexium, etc, but if they don't work, my doctor put me on a drug called Dexilant. Worked like a charm!

LuvRVing......Crap! Crap! Crap!  Those are the most intelligent words I can muster right now.  Sending you my love and support!

Michelle - Great Idea about dipping the strawberries in Chocolate and enjoying them with Champagne.  I like your humor in the midst of what you are going through.  So sorry about your bad news, but there is nothing like Paris to take your mind off the crap for a while.  Have the most amazing time of your life in Paris and don't give this thing any thought while there.  I will be praying for you, you know that.

Titan - It sounds like a busy and stressful morning for you. Call the CEO over and shut his mouth with chocolate dipped strawberries, sounds yummy! Just kidding!

BernieEllen - Keep in touch as we will miss your posts.

Kathyrnn - Amazing ski trip story!  You were quite amazing in your younger days, I never did anything like that.  I believe what is actually in your heart and intention is what counts.  I think even God laughs at our meaningless angry swears sometimes.

Bak94 - Sorry about the duct tape feeling in your chest.  I have heard good things about aromasin, I hope it works wonders for you.  I can't believe the peach tree has peaches on them already, that is a Laurajane miracle.

Riley - Sounds like you've got a good doc who will check for cysts before giving cortisone shots.  Good luck on the findings!

Missy - Did you try this website for info. on Xeloda?

Minxie - Whew!!!! What a relief.  All clear Pet/CT!  Congrats.

Annie - For heartburn I took Prilosec the whole time. Do you have  Prilosec in your country?

Saying Hi to Linda, Sugar, Kim!

Okay - so here is my update on thyroid.  I saw the Endocronologist yesterday. It turns out it is only one nodule in my right thyroid lobe, medium sized, 21mm X 18 X 18. It is a solid nodule, which is what scares me.  Doc said it is so common for women to have thyroid nodules, that if he opened shop in a mall with an ultrasound machine, he would have no problem making a really great living.  I asked him if it was just middle aged women, he said, no - starting from age 20, all ages of women.  Most women don't get ultrasounds so they have no idea they have a nodule.  He would like a biopsy to rule out things, although he warned me that even a biopsy could be "indeterminate", if they don't find enough cells to do the tests on. He said that he hoped I did not insist on getting the node surgically removed.  I said I wouldn't as I don't like surgeries.

Laides, what scares me is that I have had a pain in my neck since last Sept. Doc said the pain which I am describing is not coming from the nodule.  The pain is a few inches away from the nodule. Could this nodule be cancer spread?  Does anyone remember that bad feeling I had one day?  Once before I was diagnosed with BC.... and again recently, that ugly bad feeling which I can't describe. I told you about it in an earlier post.

Doc said that nodules are caused by radiation and he believes environment. He asked me if I was exposed in Japan, or some state in US?  He said in my case he does not think that my rad therapy caused my nodule. Rad finished in Mar, pain started in Sept.  I had a pet/CT scan on 7/18/11 which says "thyroid and salivary glands are unremarkable".  2 months later, the pain in my neck started. I think that scans are doing a number on my body. Did you guys know that it has been proven by doctors and scientists that radiation is causing cancers, then why not CT/PET, even if they are small amounts?  It does hurt tender tissues such as breast and thyroid. I asked the doc how come the nodule is not showing on the PET/CT in July? He said a PET/CT does not pick up thyroid nodules as well as US does, as it is close to the skin. He said, however, he is happy that my PET/CT did not show any hypermetabolic in the thyroid area, which means this may not be cancer.  I believe there was no nodule during the PET/CT and that maybe the rad from the scan caused it.

Anyway, all my thyroid hormones, such as TSH, FSH, etc. have normal levels, so I don't have hyper or hypo thyroidism.  My estrogen is less than 11.8 (maybe a zero), and total testesterone is 17 (30 and above is in the normal range).  Imagine having no estrogen and testesterone - why wouldn't I be lethargic, right?  Doc said, that is just menopause.

I am getting a biopsy soon.  He asked me if it was okay to tell me my results via phone, I said yes I am used to that.  I think I will be freaking out quite a lot next week.  Wow!  what the hell is going on in our world.  what the f****k is going on in my body and what the hell is this environment thing they keep mentioning?  I am really mad, ladies.

My wrist MRI will be Monday morning. Pretty quick, huh? In even better news, I had the best sleep last night I've had in over a year and woke up rarin' to go this morning. And I am so NOT a morning person! Score one for Lunesta! It's sunny and a little cooler here today, so I've been puttering outside, while trying not to stress the wrist. I can use the garden snips with either hand, so the weeds got cut.

Thanks Linda.  I feel so alone with my thoughts, except sharing with you guys.  Thank you so much for being there for me, otherwise, I honestly don't know who to share stuff like this with.  All morning at work, I am reading on this subject on the internet, statistics look so good.  I am thinking then why I am not feeling well, why do I have all these looseness and lethargy, pain in the neck, etc.  It must be the nodule hitting on a nerve or something that is causing the neck pain, right?

Well, on a positive note, my tumor markers are absolutely normal, my pet scas showed no hypermetablic stuff, blood hormone levels (FSH, TSH) are all normal for menopause, so there can't be any cancer.

Please pray for me.  Thanks again.

Thanks so much Linda for walking with me with this nightmare.  It will be a long wait.  They are waiting for authorization from insurance which can take up to a week sometimes.  I am just numb right now.  You are absolutely right about this one not being as serious as BC.  Everything seems positive.  I am just trying to concentrate on my life.  My daughter in law is graduating with her master's degree this weekend, I need to go get a dress and shoes for the Saturday occasion.  Trying to gather my strength, my dear.  Thanks again, it means a lot to me to have you guys be with me at this time.

Lovelyface - here's hoping the dress hunting and ensuing graduation celebration takes your mind off things for the weekend. We're here for you.

Titan - I can so relate about the photocopier.  Hope your arm's okay and that you didn't get toner all over your clothes. The photocopier near my office is always broken. LOL...I think the technician should be invited to our company events (golf tournaments, dances, picnics, etc.)...because he's at our office more than some of the employees  

Thinking of all you ladies who've come to mean so much to me these past couple of years. 

On my Dad's side of the family, breast cancer is all the rage. My Grandmother had it twice and yet lived to be 100. Most of my aunts and a cousin dealt with it with various degrees of success or failure. I always figured if I got through life without getting it, I would be extremely lucky. My luck ran out last December. However, being a high risk for breast cancer, I was taking part in a clinical drug trial for exemastane, which unfortunately has no effect on triple-negative (and I was actually getting the drug, not the placebo). Because of the drug trial, I was being very carefully monitored and my tumours were detected by an MRI so they were very small (1.6 cm and 0.6 cm). Because there were 2, I opted for a mastectomy rather than a lumpectomy. I had 6 sentinel and 1 non-sentinel lobes removed and all were negative. I also had the BRCA gene test which was also negative. I am presently going through chemo. I get Taxotere and Cyclophosphamide every 3 weeks for 4 treatments. I had my second treatment 10 days ago.

I have been reading some of your posts prior to signing on here and I've already learned a few things - besides the fact that you seem like very nice, supportive women who genuinely care for one another.

Doreen 

May you remember to enjoy life as it happens, live each day to its fullest, and make memories from life's little moments. You only get one chance at life!