Calling all TNs

browerl....we understand..do not be upset that you feel you are posting "petty" stuff.  Losing your hair must be greived also..We all know that this crappy disease could take anyone of us and that is why we are here for each other.  To comfort each other at any stage that the other is experiencing or perhaps has already suffered.  I have been on this site now for a full year and I love my sisters here so much.  They have helped me through every aspect of the journey from DX to surgery through chemo and rads and even now as i try to figure out what has happened and who i am now after all of this.  I feel different and cannot quite describe it.  Not really sure what has changed me the most.  Am i stronger or weaker?  do not know for sure...but know that you can come here at any time to say anything that you need to.  We are here no matter what.  you are so beautiful in your wig and you are rocking it!

Tazzy---take care love and heal well. 

mags

KIRKLAND - Lisa Marie Worthington was born Sept. 17th, 1977, in Yakima, WA to Ed and Nancy Worthington. Lisa was raised in Yakima, surrounded by lots of friends and family, active in Bethel Church of the Nazarene in her formative years. Lisa made a decision early on in life that she wanted to impact her world in a positive way, and little did she realize the impact she would have. Lisa graduated from Davis High School in 1995, and that fall she started school at Pacific Luthern University. In the fall of 1996, Lisa headed off to Northwest Nazarene College and little did she realize how her life would be changed. Lisa met her future husband, Michael "Gessner" Brown when they were working on their bachelor’s degree at NNC in Nampa, Idaho. Gessner changed Lisa’s life from that moment on. Born with Cystic Fibrosis, Gessner would need all the love and attention she could possibly give during his short lifespan. This debilitating disease necessitated frequent hospital stays and extensive home care.



Lisa graduated summa cum laude from NNC in December, 1998. Lisa returned to Yakima after graduation and on January 2, 1999, she married Gessner.



Shortly after, Lisa and Gessner moved to Winston Salem, NC, where they both started their careers. Lisa became interested in obtaining her law degree while working as a paralegal with a national law firm based in Winston-Salem, Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice. Lisa applied and was accepted at the University of North Carolina (UNC) law school in Chapel Hill, NC. She and Gessner moved to Raleigh, near the school, and it was at a flea market there that she and Gessner found Beauty, their beloved beagle.



In May, 2003, Lisa graduated with honors from UNC with her Juris Doctor. While attending school Lisa also provided pro bono assistance to various groups including the Civil Legal Assistance Clinic and worked on Guardian Ad Litem and Innocence Project.



Lisa and Gessner moved to Seattle in 2003 where she studied for the Washington bar exam and began her legal career. She was admitted to the Washington State Bar in November, 2003 and worked as a law clerk for the Honorable H. Joseph Coleman of the Washington State Court of Appeals of the Ninth Circuit.



In 2005 Lisa accepted a position with the law firm, Dionne & Rorick, in Seattle and at Geirsbach & Kraft in Bonney Lake, WA until 2009. During this period Lisa continued to deal with the deterioration of Gessner’s health and she began working part time. Gessner succumbed to his disease on November 2, 2010. Lisa impacted the CF community immensely by her open and candidly honest blogging concerning the horrible CF disease. She was involved intensely on the internet encouraging those with CF, and enjoyed traveling around the US meeting other CF patients to give them much needed hugs and encouragement.



The following year in April, Lisa was diagnosed with breast cancer and courageously battled. During this time, she also continued to blog, and encourage other breast cancer patients, as she herself struggled with the disease. On August 1, 2012, Lisa beat the pain and disease, when she entered into her rest, in Kirkland, Washington.



Lisa is survived by: her mother, Nancy Campbell (Sam), grandma, Edith Nance, father in law Tom (Lynn) Brown, mother in law Barbara Brown, siblings; Della Osbourne (RD) Eddie (Leah)Worthington, David (Kari) Worthington, and Brandon Thompson, sister in law, Diana (Dan) Hall. She was also an amazing aunt to 9 nieces and nephews. She is also survived by 2 1/2 brothers and step brothers and sisters and numerous aunts and uncles, and cousins. Lisa was preceded in death by her soulmate, Michael Gessner Brown, and her grandfather Melvin Nance.



There will be two celebrations of her life over the next week. In Seattle, an informal get together will be on the rooftop of her apartment complex, Leva on Market, 1545 NW Market Street, Ballard, beginning at noon. On Tuesday a service will be held in Yakima at Bethel Church of the Nazarene, 1103 W. Mead Ave, beginning at 11:00 AM. In lieu flowers, please consider making a donation to the charity of your choice.

...Blondelawyer

thinking of mandy..hugs MOM..believe the guy..if tests show diff..then ya can worry..

easy to say huh?

Annie - I agree with everyone that while it's hard not to worry because it's your daughter, it's likely something benign.  80% of lumps are benign, and younger women's odds are better than us older gals.  Positive thoughts coming your way!

Busy weekend, so I'll just say that I hope everyone is havvig a good one!

Hugs to all,

Michelle

Annie - I know you must be thinking the worst, having experienced it. I can only imagine the hell, waiting is for you. But, as others have said, the odds are in her favor. It seems like she is making all the right decisions, and will get to the bottom of this. Knowing your history, I think the doctor would be cautious, in saying he didn't think it was anything to worry about. Holding your hand...

(((Hugs))) to you Annie and Mandy.   I cannot begin to imagine the worry you are going through Annie (not having children myself).  

Michelle, you always have such great advice and a calming influence.

Fern... I agree with Kathyrnn... not a baby, but a chemo patient and yes you are doing brilliant.   Dont be too hard on yourself, be kind to you.

Thinking of you all and sending hugs and positive vibes. 

kcgal: It's not unusual for nerves to be cut during surgery - is that what may have happened? What does your BS say?

After my Lx and ALND, I was completely numb in my armpit, the inside of my upper arm, parts of my breast and nipple area. I'm happy to say that most of the feeling has now come back (many many months on), but I still have one small numb area in my armpit that I guess will never recover.   

Luah - when I called y BS, she sai she "wasn't near any ajor nerves".  I see her for a follow up on Tuesday, o we'll see what she says then.  She did go into 4 areas (I had 3 wire localizations and the SNB).

Stephanie - I know exactly how you are feeling -- I was there 4 months ago!!  But TN usually responds really well to treatment - I had Taxol (chemo) an rads prior to surgery and my huge tumor (6cm+) essentially disappeared prior to surgery.  I went for 3 opinions before deciidng to go with my team of docs - once you deciide on a course of action and set your mind to beating this, you will feel better!!! I have 3 young kids as well.

Kim

Hi ladies- you have been busy this week! We went to Omaha this weekend and took the kids to the zoo and visited with my cousin-in-law who is currently in treatment for BC.

Annie- we are holding your hand. I know you must be worried sick and nothing we can say will change that. Just know we are sending as much good energy your way as we can!

Welcome- Stephanie and kcgal.

Tazzy- glad you are feeling well enough to post!

OBXK- Thank you for sharing Blonde's story. I imagine she is so happy being reunited with her husband.

Hope60 and Inmate- where are you? Thinking of you both.

Cocker, fingers crossed for your daughter - the waiting is the worst!

Susan

Ladies thank you so much for your support especially when you have your own worries and problems to deal with. I have managed to get Mandy in a week earlier so its next Monday she see's the specialist but it still seems a long way away.  I even began bargaining with God today, me for her, just as long as she is ok.  Thank you all so much I feel so much better now that you are holding my hand. Bless you all.  Annie

Hope 60 and inmate, hope you are doing well,i think about the ladies on this site often,you are helping me get through this. Annie,hope all goes well with your daughter,can only imagine your anxiety

The5Owens: Riley summed up the reasons for TN's scary status very well... and its receptivity to chemo is a good thing. I will add that there's a lot of research going on right now to find a targeted therapy for TN - and that's also a good thing, though we are all impatient to see clinical applications. You might want to check with your onc about clinical trials; it may benefit you... and the research results will certainly benefit those who follow. Also, there is a fair amount of evidence that a low-fat diet and regular exercise reduces the odds of recurrence quite substantially.. so that is our own little "therapy" we can do for ourselves. I think we have all experienced the initial terror you are feeling; once you have a plan in place and get going with treatment, you will feel better. There are thousands and thousands of women who have survived TN - a large majority do! (we all need to keep reminding ourselves of that.)