2012 sisters

Hi, I need some advice for a friend.  I was diagnosed with bc in 2009 and am fine now. I have shared with her my experiences but there are some things I don't know.

   She was diagnosed last week after 2 biopsies. One came back cancerous. Her doctor has found 5 more lumps and biopsied them.  He now found one he cant get to with a needle and wants to do a more intense biopsy tomorrow.  Has anyone else had so many biopsies?   She was also told today she is stage 4.  I thought they wouldn't know that unless lymph nodes were tested.  anyone have this experience or hear of such procedures?

  thanks, Jean

Scorchy, I'm so sorry you got this news.  I hate this damn disease.

Michelle will be praying for you tomorrow.



Scorchy, that is so not fair! I hate this disease. Sucks balls. ((((((Hugs))))) hoping for the best outcome for you. Much love.

Scorchy... I am so sorry to hear your crappy news.    Sending you hugs and hugs and positive vibes honey... focus on that 80% eh?   

Mcook...holding your hand for tomorrow and yes that SNB dye hurts like nothing I have felt before and yes the cussing that came out of me when I had it would've made a sailor blush.  I am sure the techs have heard it all before.

So I get my drains out tomorrow, BS was running an hour late so he said he couldn't do them... damn him.   But the news he gave me made up for it - my surgeon got all the cancer - took 10 nodes, 3 of which were positive but he got them.... so officially today I am NED.  I still have to have rads (which I knew anyway). 

My face is aching with the smiling me and DH have been doing. Not out the woods yet cos of those bloody positive nodes... but as the surgeon said to me "As far as I am concerned, as of today you do not have cancer".

So chemo did a real number on the tumour - shrank it from 8+cm to 1.5cm so if those sneaky bugger cancer cells
did creep out, the chemo would've zapped them too - and I believe it did, I have to.

Good luck with the nanny hunt ramols.

Scorchy... I wish you could've had the same kind of news... I am so sorry hon.

Scorchy-So sorry about the change to stage IV, cannot imagine what you're feeling. This Breast Cancer shit really sucks! We're here to support you!

mcook301-Good to know you got through the dye injection and will be thinking of you tomorrow, hope to hear from you soon on the other side!

Tazzy-Yayyy for the drain removal tomorrow and you will see how different you feel after they remove them. So glad for your tumor to shrank, and yes you've got to believe that the chemo worked on every cancer cell. The mind is a powerful thing!

ramols-Sorry to hear about your babysitter, hope you get another one and things work out! 

To all the ladies who's in the BGC, praying for no SEs for you and welcome to all the new comers since I haven't been on too much to welcome each and everyone of you.

So I feel stronger everyday, I was at the gym tonight and it feels so good to be doing the weights again, hope that soon I'll be able to back to my pre cancer self.

Scorchy; FUCK!!! FUCK!!! FUCK!!! (((HUG)))



Mcook... More HUGS.



I basically quit my job today. Told them (human resources) I needed long term disability between the Crohns and chemo, and if they needed to replace me I understood. I will go see my boss next will and get my personal stuff and talk to him. The decision to stop struggling with trying to go back was made easier by the knowledge that I already have another job (offer letter signed and returned) with a start date on November 5th.



Going to try to sleep now. PT early tomorrow for my cording, which is getting better btw.

Went searching for a quote this morning that would help me make the right start on my day (a challenge when my 2-year old started our day for us at 5:30am!!!). Stopped when I saw this one:

"Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present." ~Jim Rohn

Some days BC makes it hard to get happy and enjoy the day for what it is - another day here with our family and friends. Time to take control of my days and make them what I want them to be - despite the obstacles that get thrown at me. Hope you can all make some happiness today somewhere along the way. 

Ramols - love the quote, thanks for sharing. Glad you seem to be making inroads on the chemo schedule and muga



Scorchy - not the news any of us ever want to hear, so sorry you received it, now for the chemo to do it's job and KCA! Sending positive thoughts and prayers that you will be able to give us an update after your treatment like Tazzy's - NED



Firestorm - you look great! I'm sure the chemo nurses have seen us arrive with all sorts of things to get us through our treatments, I like Bud for a name. How was the port insertion?



juneaubug - so glad you were able to make your work decision and will be able to rest and heal without the job stress to factor in. You mentioned your port yesterday. Mine also is very prominent and still not very comfortable, worked well for the chemo but I hope it gets more comfortable as time goes on, I'm looking at having it for a year



Cindyl - good news!



Tazzy - woo hoo! Drains coming out and good news



McCook - you also are in my thoughts and prayers today as you have your surgery



mrskimber47 - welcome



jeanl151 - I agree with others that unless scans have been done to show distant metastasis a stage IV diagnosis can't be made. He may suspect lymph node involvement but that still doesn't make it stage IV, many of us have had positive lymph nodes on this thread.



Silly mama - thank you! Your taking the time to post helps so much



Today is my Look Good, Feel Good class, I'm looking forward to it.



Have a good day everyone

juneaubugg: i'm sorry to had to leave your job. I know what u mean about stressing out about when u can go back. I lost my job. turns out u only have 12 weeks that they hold your job. So now im ending radiation soon and have to start job hunting.

It really pisses me off that I can't work at my job anymore. I am a nurse at an assisted living facility and have grown strong bonds with my residents and promised them I would be back. I still can go visit but its just not the same. I hate that something can shake your world so much. everyone always says to think positive and be greatful for what u have. well somedays i enjoy being angry and it just sucks. Hugs to all of u wonderful people who share the good and bad. its nice to read about reality instead of books

Soya... that's great you feel stronger every day - baby steps each day eh?

Cindy... I remember waking up from surgery and having to pee... and cos of the morphine I was laughing..."hey I have blue pee...heee heee " I thought it was funny anyway.

Juneau: good for you on the job front. Onwards and upwards.

Ramols - good luck with your Nanny search and thanks for that quote. So true !

(((Susan)))

Websister... have fun at the LGFB workshop. I so enjoyed mine.

2fried.... Religious or not... I think that is a wonderful way to live our lives. Really just making someone out there smile and feel special even for a moment is worth it.. you know what they say "A smile is infectious, you catch it like the flu.....". How simple is this... the other day I was grocery shopping and a little old lady was searching her purse for a 25cent for the cart so I just gave her mine...well if you could've seen the smile on her face... all for 25 cents... so I totally get where you are coming from with that.

Taraceta... sorry you lost your job too - I am sure as a nurse you will be in demand. It is OK to be angry somedays too.... I know I have been angry and mad on many days because of what bc tried to take from me.... Remember anger is better out than in.

Hope you all can find some sunshine and happiness today.

Well, saw the RO and PCP today.  Everything good on the cancer front.  All agree that the mammogram looks good.  The RO thinks the "thing" was a seranoma (sp). "You should have called me or your surgeon" "I did.  You were on vacation, as was the surgeon. Your office said I could come in and a nurse would look at me, and if I needed attention they could shoot me over to the ER, or I could go see my PCP." "Oh. Well I think it was a seranoma and got infected.  It may well come back.  If it does.  Call your surgeon, or call me and I'll get you in to see someone to drain it." "OK"

He thinks the sore back is stress, or maybe the tamoxifen.  If it continues we'll Xray.  "It could be the cancer has spread, but I don't think so.  Give it a couple of weeks.  GRRR  "Have another mammogram in six months and come see me then"  "You will be seeing the MO in a few months, right?" "November."

Then I saw my PCP. "It was not a seranoma.  It was a cyst.  I'm going to put you back on the antibiotic for a couple weeks to make sure the infection has all cleared up.  Your back is probably stress related.  You've had a rough couple of months.  You heel may be a bone spur, or planters fawatsits, it is inflamed, so I'll give you an RX to see if that will help, and hey how about some pt for the back?  You can see you le therapist for some stretching and strengthening exercises... Come back in a couple of months if your back and/or heel isn't a lot better.

So there it is.  I can't believe I used to go to the doctor once a year.  Now I'm lucky to make it a week.  

Moonflwr912, i know what u mean. Im scared I wont get hired because they will think i will miss alot of work. Hope u find something

wow this is an active group.  I miss a day and i have a lot to catch up on.  Working today again, sometimes that means i actually have more time to catch up than when I am at home...  I am getting back into the family life more and more.  getting the kids to their activities all the errands and shopping and doctors appointments.  Work is a day off.

I saw my RO for the first time since my diagnosis.  Getting things set up to start rads.  I have my planning CT scan next week.  Get some little tattoos.  On to the next phase.  I just started to get my energy back from the surgeries too... it never stops.

My arm is tight and hurts to reach out but I keep stretching and it gets better.  I hope to start running again in a couple of weeks.  I just need to heal a little more.

My port stuck way out too.  I hated it.  Glad i had it but glad its gone.  It felt like the skin was stretched thin.  Now i have a scar that i hate.  it shows with all my favorite shirts.  I have decided to get a tattoo (a real one not little dots for rads:) to cover it up.  Not sure what to get there though.  I have never had a tattoo before.  Any advice from any more experienced with tats?  KNow any good websites with design ideas?

Tonight is open house at my older two kids school.  I hate open house, too many people.  but the kids like to meet the teachers and see their new classrooms.  Will just suffer through the crowds.

I have some comments for those who have posted, will post in a separate note.  Will be long enough!

Taraceta, so sorry to hear about your job.  We all deserve to be angry.  We all deserve to vent and here is a great place to do it because we really understand what you are going through.  I hope that you dont stay angry for too long though!  

Mrskimber welcome to an awesome group of women.  I see that a lot of people have responded to you, and I agree.  if that pain doesnt settle get an MRI or further investigation of some sort. 

Sillymama, I am so glad to hear that life stops revolving around bc.  for now I would love to go through a whole day without thinking about it.  Thanks for the encouragement!

Cindyl, congrats on the clear mammo!  you did it!  Sorry the back is bothering you.  Its not mets but its good you brought it up.  We cant let any pain or bump go un investigated any more.  I hope it goes away fast but definitely keep your doctors following up on it if it doesnt.  Having an infected seroma doesnt feel good either.  hang in but take heart in that B9 mammo!

Jean, stage four means distant mets, as in other organs than the breast and lymph nodes are involved.  Usually seen on a CT or PET CT.  if she is really stage four i cant figure out why they are sticking every little bump in the breast, they would likely want a mastectomy.  But generally they would investigate multiple areas to see if there are multiple foci of malignancy.  if so a mastectomy would be much more likely to be recommended.  if all the other little bumps are benign a lumpectomy would be ok.  but stage IV would supercede all that i would have thought.

Scorchy!  fuck cancer! We have all gotten rotten news but you got an extra dollup there.  It sounds early, I know chemo and rads is coming for you, thank goodness these things really work.  HUGS

Bevg, haircut! yay!  I am jealous!

Yayyayyay Tazzy!  you are free!