MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish

I worked quite a bit after surgery, I was able to work from home. During chemo I tried to keep working, at least part time, but ended up taking more and more time off due to some side effects that severely limited my ability to work (I had eye issues that didn't allow me to read or look at the computer screen and that's what my job was). Then I had to get my rads 90 miles away from home, so ended up staying there during the week - that's when I totally quit work.  Remember though every body handles the treatments differently and every treatment is different.  I wish that I had just stopped working at the very beginning and planned a year off or so, I think that I made it harder on myself because I tried to push myself to work as much as I could, instead of concentrating on taking care of myself while I was (I got this from Susan Love) butchered, poisoned and burned!  Even if it seems you're flying through the treatments, they are hard on your body.

Now that being said - I volunteer at the local infusion center and many women manage to work close to full time through their treatments, they only take a day off here and there. On the rads day they take the little local cancer bus to the center and come back and work a 1/2 day.  The cancer center is 30 miles closer to the radiation center than where I live.

Some women have to work, cancer is covered under the American with Disabilities Act and your employer needs to make concessions for you during treatment - ie flexible hours, working from home, allowing more breaks - there's a great site on working and cancer - they have tons of information on working through cancer treatments from a legal and practical standpoint - http://www.cancerandcareers.org/en

Feel free to PM me if you have any questions or concerns. 

firework-or he could go typical teen-dom & go alien on you!  Be prepared!

Diana, foob deflation? Do you still have TEs/

cindyl, I hate to be the bearer of bad news and burst your happy bubble, but there is NO "magical" 5-year mark in breast cancer!!! There is NO cure for breast cancer. That's why there are "Run for the Cure" races all around the world. Breast cancer is a different beast, they don't even use the term remission anymore. You are NED if you have no evidence of disease. That's it. You have breast cancer until the day you die of something else, though most of us say we "had" breast cancer. As to this 5-year mark, I am ER+ which is a slower growing breast cancer and my dangerous time is coming up NOW at year 4. This is the time I would be more apt to recur, the further out I get. So I have to be more vigilant now. In fact my onc has brought me to 6 month visits instead of yearly.

firework, be prepare for how much they EAT!!! My sons are 30 and 31, but I remember we'd have a roast beef dinner with mashed potatoes and gravy and veggies and then they'd get up from the table and make some pizza pops!!!! Also, they sleep a LOT!!! Don't be scared and don't try to keep them awake. They NEED that sleep. Good luck!!!

firework, good luck with that...I hope you can keep up, but also recognize your limits at the same time.

Lorall, I did work during chemo (8 rounds). I'd have my infusion on Thurs and not work that day, but would work Fri. Sat/Sun were generally my "I feel it" days so it worked out well for me. When I did rads, I was fortunate enough to be able to work from  home. The hosp where I did tx was close, so I'd go early for the zaps and be home by 9:30. I took short-term disability and only worked about 25 hours a week. Lots of factors to consider and you need to do whatever works for you.

Cindy, I know the fact is there's no cure for breast cancer, but I have no doubt in my mind that I rid my body of cancer through my course of surgery, chemo and radiation. It's been over 7 yrs for me and who knows if I'll get news to the contrary someday, but that's my belief and it serves me well! I'm a firm believe in a positive attitude having a huge impact on physical health and well-being so if I choose to wear these rose-colored glasses for this issue, I'm fine with that! Of course, that being said, I still see my surgeon every 6 mos so her trained eagle eyes (and fingers) can keep me on the right path too. Once I finished my course of tamox, I was discharged by my med onc, so I'm fine with my surgeon keep close tabs on me. I'll look forward to celebrating with you when YOU are 5 yrs out

Marlegal- I like your positive additude. I was feeling down today as I have to have my left foob deflated tomorrow so I get do the mapping on Friday to start rads. Someone hacked into my bank account and got 60.00 and then tried to get 99.00 out later, but my checked hadn't gone in yet. Thank God. Now I have had to cancel my debit card and checking account and the bank is working on it. Then I was watching TV and a dam mouse ran accross the living room floor. I have an old house and they manage to get in. I hate them. Traps will be set tomorrow.

Your post made me feel better. Thanks.

Marlegal, why are you seeing a doc every six months then? That seems often for being 7 years out! I don't WORRY about it recurring, but I am vigilant. I am stunned by women who say they were "blindsided" by breast cancer. Are you kidding me??? You have breasts!! You are female. You are getting older! It's more like WHEN are you going to get breast cancer!! I wasn't blind-sided at all and moved quickly once it was found. No hesitation or confusion or a scramble to research my options. Any female that isn't aware right now of their chances is a fool. 

Sorry, I seem a bit cranky about this, but like I said, it still amazes me when a woman is surprised. Heredity accounts for only about 8% of breast cancers. How can you feel "safe" just because it isn't in your family?? Maybe the organizations are right and AWARENESS still needs to be funded! I'd rather see all that money go into CURE, but obviously some people haven't kept up with the times...sigh.

I NEVER said "why me?", in fact it was more like "why not me?" I never cried as that is a waste of energy and cancer didn't "take anything" from me except my breasts. I was prepared for a double mast the second cancer and my name were in the same sentence and it was done 6 days later. I don't moon and gloom over a recurrence chance, but like I said, I'm aware and vigilant. If you are vigilant, then you are just like me!! Marlegal, you think about it or you wouldn't see your doc every six months. Sure our bodies are rid of cancer, but they know the recipe.

Off my soap box and apologies to anyone I've pissed off tonight. I just prefer to be a realist. Rose coloured glasses are for real life, not breast cancer...hehehehheeee (notice they're PINK!!!!)

"LE with lumpectomy - not unless they cut or screw up (twist?) your lymph flow system. Some lumpectomies may take out a node within the breast tissue but that would be a pretty deep lumpectomy!"

I must say that I had 5 nodes removed when I had my lumpectomy & it was not due to a screw up or a deep lumpectomy. It all depends on where the lumpectomy is done; mine was close to the surface at the ten o'clock outer quadrant of the rb.   

And even if one does not have nodes removed with a lumpectomy, if they have Rads near or that encompasses the lymph node system, they are at risk for LE. I know of one sister who had no nodes removed at all but had Rads after a lumpectomy & developed LE two years later.

Sorry for the rant, I just wanted to insert my two cents.  

Surprised to learn that lymphedema can show up so far out from surgery. Will the poster who had it appear 2 years later bump her comment, or share more info? One more thing to worry about!!!



Thanks!!!



(And while my Oncotype score was a low 8, I did have node involvement and chose chemo, in consultation with my MO...just wanted to throw everything at the bc. Now 9 months PFC and on Arimidex and in Metformin clinical trial...)

Valjean, good point about rads to add to the risk of LE. I had rather large breasts and was under the impression that my nodes were closer to the chest wall (where my tumour was!) I thought nodes were more in the muscular part and not the fatty part. Though, if someone had smaller breasts then that would cover both areas!

LE has been known to show up as late as 20 YEARS later!!! Though how they can truly "blame" a surgery that old....

I removed both breasts for symmetry and to avoid reconstruction or prosthesis. I wish they'd ask "real" people their thoughts before they write the articles! (My "good" breast was full of ADHP and was the one they were watching all those years...doi!)

Wave, as soon as you have node involvement that trumps any Oncotype score so you did what most of us would do.

Just want to add to my rather harsh comments from last night:

You get a  mammogram to check for breast cancer. How can you not be thinking about cancer while you sit there?

Hi  Just lurking about   and hope I can introduce  myself  !  waving from  Qld  Australia .  I am 58   and  on my birthday  4th Oct  this year  I was diagnosed with  Multi  Cancer  in Left breast . No symptoms beforehand   they  found it in my annual mammogram !  Within a month I was in   hospital  having  the left  breast  off . No biggy  I thought . The  playpen  and now the playground have  past the use by date   and as long as it   "fixes "the problem    all will be good .Must be honest   I  am also recovering  PTSD from  surviving the grantham  Floods  last year . My husband Peter and I  were in our house   while  the water was moving it off the foundations ,we finally  settled   in a farmers field  in  8 feet high  water  hanging on to a fridge  while  screaming for help ! Quite frankly  after surviving that ordeal  of   3 hours  with  a rebroken wrist  and all the other horrors of the past  18 months ,the diagnosis  of cancer did not even compute ! I have been brought to earth with a thud !  I  am not a quitter  by any stretch of the imagination but on the other hand  I  also  enjoy the fruits of my life    and  don't want to compromise that  by putting myself  through the torture of Chemo ! If my time is up    my  attitude   is I have  had a extremely good life  with many blessings so   I am ready , trouble is   nobody  else can accept that ! I have learnt very quickly  that you  have to become self centred  with cancer . It is not what  other people want for you  it is what is best for me  ?  Quality more than quantity  is my catch cry  and  it is hard for  others to accept that  too .  Hoping  we vcan help each other on this unplanned part of our journey  . Thanks  . Marie   from down under !

Totally agree  with you  Barbe  . I was not    surprised by the diagnosis ,I have my  regular mammograms   and it is always there at the back of your mind   the stastitics .What does blindside  is  all the tests they put you through   ,some of them are worse than the cancer ! And what is all for anyway  ? As my   breast care nurse says  we  all are going to die  and so  we  also  all have to die of something ! I like her attitude . If from this things can be learnt to make it better for the next generation I am all for it .I would love to see research go into better options than chemo ! The biggest   beef I have  is  most of my life  I  have   lived  chemically free   mostly natural   life   avoiding  "cancer   prone " things . Now  because of my diagnosis  the   option is  this poisonous vicious   cocktail of    chemical that supposedly is going to save me ! Surely there has to be  a better way to survive  our time here on earth ? I realise that maybe  because of my age  my   reasoning is different. But   Quality is always superior to quantity in my book ! And that doesn't  mean I have given up  or   anything like that  it  just means  for  me  life is to be enjoyed not endured. Have a great   day or night depending on where you are  !

Eli, wake up! It stands for FU 5 times