March 2010 Chemo Start

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  • hmh23
    hmh23 Member Posts: 306
    edited May 2014

    Carolsue;  fantastic news!!!  NED it will be.  You are in my thoughts and in my prayers. Heather

  • sandiek9
    sandiek9 Member Posts: 54
    edited May 2014

    So happy you're feeling good! This is an important year for us all. xxoo

  • Charley
    Charley Member Posts: 255
    edited November 2014

    Hello all fellow Marchers! We are nearing our 5 year mark. I hope that you all are busy with your lives and have no more concern for the beast that brought us to this website 5 years ago. Most of you will not even take a peek at this discussion board but know that you and your posts, concerns and mostly your support are a part of my life. I have been lucky... No further problems. I wish the best for each of you and pray that you are healthy, happy and living wonderful lives. Thank you for helping me through it. My 5 year mark is 12/24/2014. I will be forever changed.

    ((Hugs))

    Charley

  • horsedoc
    horsedoc Member Posts: 512
    edited December 2014

    Hi everyone who may still check this.... I've been absent for a while. Charley congrats on your upcoming 5 year anniversary!

    Carolsue I'm sorry to hear about your mets dx last year. I hope the treatment has been successful and you are still feeling well!

    I'm having a couple "issues" that may or may not become a problem. My most recent mammo showed small abnormal spots. The new diagnostic center (I moved almost 5 years ago and it was becoming a bigger problem to drive almost 2 hours every time I needed to go to Dr.'s) saw my old pics and determined they were new spots, so I had an ultrasound, and the report said "probably benign." Apparently that is a real Radiologist diagnosis; called BiRads 3, Probably Benign. I don't really like the word "probably" in there, but it's medically acceptable. For the some reason the history on the form sent to the pathologist just said "history of breast reduction" that I had done when I had the unilateral mastec. so I don't know if the dx would've been different if it said hx of breast cancer. Just recommended a recheck in 6 months. (that was 3 months ago.)

    Just prior to that I had a uterine ultrasound as a follow up to one I had 2 years ago from my periods being very abnormal and sporadic (after they had returned to normal 6 months post-chemo.) There is a "lobulated cyst-like lesion" on or next to an ovary. Did a CAT scan and didn't get much more specific results. Recommended recheck in 3 months. That is now. So I'm about to schedule that.

    I don't know if anyone will read this or have any input. I don't really know how I feel about it.


  • sandiek9
    sandiek9 Member Posts: 54
    edited January 2015

    Hello From Portland, Oregon! We moved form Seattle a year ago to be near our new granddaughter, Juniper.

    Last month was my 5 year anniversary and I'm still healthy. Saw my oncologist last week and she released me from care!

    I had late-stage cancer, 3C, and apparently the high -risk years for mets or recurrence are yrs 2-5. After the research is showing that there is almost no chance of it coming back! It's the first tie that I understood I am no longer a cancer patient.

    Of course I have a lot of side issues from treatment, the main one is severe lymphedema in my right arm, and depression from the loss of my right arm. I have excellent treatment for it and a solid spun-silver arm sleeve and glove. The usual leg joint pain from the drug. But I'm cancer free and on to starting a new life!

    Carolsue, I'm sending you healing energy for your journey into Stage 4. How unfair life is. But I know that stage 4 can be lived with for a long, long time, much as diabetes is. I wish you an easy time with the drugs and a long life with no pain. Keep us posted.

    Horsedoc, I always ask for a second read of x-rays that have indefinite results. Love the euphemism for mastectomy (history of breast reduction). I think a radiologist may read it differently if it had your proper history had been on your chart. I hope you will call the radiology chief and have a conversation, ask for a second read. I believe we all are responsible for 2 things: our education and our healthcare. We must speak up when we have doubts.

    How did the cyst recheck go? I'd like to hear the results. Please update!

    Heather, you look great. We had same cancer, and we're both still here! Congrats to you and to all our March 2010 sisters! xoxo


  • badger
    badger Member Posts: 34,614
    edited March 2015

    Greetings fellow Marchers!  Checking in from five years out.

    Will finish five-year course of tamox in another few months.  Onc has already prescribed anastrozole (generic Arimidex) as I'm officially postmeno.  In other words, too old for new protocol of ten-year course of tamox.

    Doing well, though.  This Jan I did the ten-day Sugar Challenge.  What an eye-opener, there's added sugar in nearly all processed foods.  Now I cook most of my own food, not a bad thing.  May use a bit of honey in tea or Greek yogurt but I know what's in there and how much.  Still doing yoga and walking for exercise.  Have logged 5,053 miles since that first slow shuffle to the mailbox and back.

    Hope this finds everyone happy, healthy and NED.  ♥ to all  

  • horsedoc
    horsedoc Member Posts: 512
    edited April 2015

    sandiek, sorry so long for me to respond.

    So I had the 6 month follow-up mammogram a few weeks ago. The reduction mentioned was the remaining breast that I had reduced to match the implant on the mastectomy side. So when I was there for the follow-up, I made a mention of the mastectomy side (it was still covered with the gown) and she was like "what?" and I said yeah, I had cancer 5 years ago and a mastectomy. And she said, oh, well that's not on your history! So she added it, BUT it was STILL messed up (or the radiologist didn't read it carefully) because this time it said on the history that I had a normal mammogram, had breast reduction, then had the abnormal findings, so he thinks its from the surgery. But the normal mammo he was comparing it to was AFTER the surgery. ugh. Anyway, I'm taking my mammos, ultrasounds, etc. to my original cancer surgeon this week. If HE says it's ok, I'll feel better!

    And the ovarian cysts are gone! Yay!


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