mom diagnosed july 1st

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readytofight
readytofight Member Posts: 1
edited June 2014 in IBC (Inflammatory Breast Cancer)

Hello all! My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer july 1st, originally believed to be sarcoma and had masectomy scheduled to be followed with chemo...ct scan showed spots in her lungs and stomach, behind her lungs, in the lymph nodes, and was told the bone scan results were 'not good'. Masectomy canceled, more testing to be sure organs can handle heavy chemo and rediagnosed as ibc. I talked her into going to Illinois cancer treatment centers of america, will get there monday for a second opinion...my questions are is there anything I can do to make this easier for her? Is there anything specific I should be prepared for? Any advice? not looking for prognosis or anything like that, we will take this day by day.....but I am the only family she has left and I want to do the best I can....she deserves no less. any advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

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  • pp729
    pp729 Member Posts: 135
    edited July 2013

    Readytofight, I am so sorry to hear of your mom's diagnosis.  I was there only a few years ago when my mom was diagnosed with BC.  And I too am the only direct family my mom has (my dad and brother are both deceased, but we are fortunate to have aunts, uncles, etc here with us). 

    At first, we thought it might be IBC but it ended up after visits to her cancer center at home and a second opinion with Dr. Cristofanelli at Fox Chase in Philadelphia that she has IDC.  It's a crazy time, but this board is an amazing place to ask questions and gain knowledge as you go along.  So going to IL Cancer Center is a great idea for a second choice.  If you desire a third one, MD Anderson in TX and Fox Chase in PA are wonderful centers with extensive knowledge in IBC.

    My advise to you at this time is to take a deep breath -- it's a frustrating ride at times but you WILL get through it.  Also, I encourage you to allow friends, neighbors, etc. to help in any way possible as you and your mom can feel overwhelmed at times.  And, get a notebook that you take with you to all drs appointments, etc.  You will be bombarded with info and writing down notes that you can refer back to will be helpful. 

    I am sending my prayers to you and your mom for peace during this process.  Please PM me if you'd like.

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  • pp729
    pp729 Member Posts: 135
    edited July 2013

    Bumping... Hi Readytofight, is there any update on your mom and the second opinion?  I am thinking of you as I know how stressful this can be.  Just breathe...

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