Just got my PET results...

good luck with whatever your treatment is. Sorry you have to go through this. A tiny silver lining, I was 40 when I started on this path. I am now 55 . Hope that made you smile a bi

((((Prettyblueyes)))) Hugs and just know that the Stage IV boards are filled with women who are surviving and even thriving in some instances. I know that you are likely very confused and frightened and rightly so but please make sure you join the ladies on that board after your doctor's appt. with any questions. They will help you through these initial scary days. They are extremely knowledgeable and compassionate cause they do know how you feel. Damn, I hate this disease so much!!

so sorry for your new dx. Everything can feel overwhelming in the beginning. It is a steep learning curve. You will gain the knowledge you need and it does get better. There is lots of wisdom and support here.

My small piece of info today is that radiation oncologist (RO)are the best at reading and explaining pet scans. If radiation is part of your treatment plan likely the RO will go over scan with you. Sending positive energy your way today.

I am sorry to hear about your scan results. It is just wrong that you are reading them in your file before someone spoke to you about them. You must be numb, confused and in complete shock at this point.

I was diagnosed at the end of last year while pregnant at 38. Although I felt like I was in a bad dream in the beginning, once things settled and I got on a treatment plan, things improved. I am currently doing well with treatment and living a "normal" life. I work full time, raise my baby and run/do yoga, etc. I would say my quality of life is excellent right now despite this terrible disease.

It is probably hard to imagine right now but there is hope and things will get better.

Whoa to the entire medical profession: what substandard world are we in that a lovely young lady should not have extensive counseling before surgery. She should understand everything. I am not the least bit understanding of that surgeon unless he somehow made it up today.

Blessings to you and your children pretty blue eyes. Know that there are better days coming. Be strong as hard as it is . My heart still aches that you should have this issue. Carolyn from Music City

Orettyblue,

Happy Birthday.....

Prettyblueyes I'm sorry you find yourself here, but you are in the right place. We will wait with you for the pathology report. I too was diagnosed Stage IV from the start (exactly 1 year ago today), so I know that 1-2 sucker punch well. I just turned 42 in May.

Your head is going to be spinning for quite some time. If possible I suggest someone goes with you to all of your appointments, because you won't remember half of what was said. I had a second biopsy that I simply forgot about! How does that happen? I agree that asking for anti-anxiety meds is totally appropriate. I had never taken anything before, but Ativan helped me sleep in the beginning, and sleep is important. Eventually it will get better.

I'm so sorry this is happening to you. It isn't fair. It makes me angry on your behalf. Sending you warm hugs and not that anything will make you feel better today but the doctor was wrong to predict your lifespan. He doesn't know. Take care. I hope you can sleep x

prettyblueyes, I'm just reading up on your posts. Wow, a lot has happened in a short time. Even a birthday! I do hope you were able to celebrate that.

Well, it's time to put on your fighting gloves cuz it's going to be a fight. We've all been through it. And we are here with you. So you keep your eye on the prize...those lil lovebugs who need you. And there will be tears and anger along the way. That's natural. But you do what you can do.

Do you have a good support system? People who can watch the kids? Make you dinners? Go shopping for you? Do your housework? Where do you live? Take all the help you can get. My friends even set up something called a "meal train" for me and they organized meals that were delivered to my house. One organization even sent books and materials how to talk to your kids about BC.

I know lots of support and ideas will be coming your way through BCO.

Keep us posted so we can be your virtual lifeline of support. Feel our love, dear prettyblueyes! One day at a time....

Bluey,

I'm so sorry you received this news but at have to throw in with everyone else here and say that it's wrong for the doctor to stick a number on your lifespan. One of my good friends and herceptin buddy ( we sit together for our herceptin) was diagnosed stage IV over nine years ago. The doctor originally gave her about 2 yrs....then they started herceptin and a lot changed,, she's still stage IV but she's working, her kids are now in college, she just living her life. No one knows how much time anyone has but to stick a number on anything before you've begun is just plain wrong.

OH NO! I am so sorry. As the others said, the doctor should NOT have given you a set number of years to live. Still, when you do outlive his 3 -- 5 years (at best) prediction, you can always remind him of his poor forecasting skills.

I second what Letranger said about gathering a support network for assistance. I had a friend who set up a page for me on the "Lots-a-Helping Hands" website, and people signed up to bring meals, supplies for my sons' lunchboxes, and help picking up my daughter from her various sports events. People WILL want to help; they just need to know what your specific needs are.

I agree with Holeinone that it might be helpful if you get some meds for anxiety/depression. Before cancer, I only took one med, for high blood pressure. After cancer, I've come to accept that sometimes, we have to resort to "better living through chemistry."

I also did the Adriamycin and Cytoxan cocktail. It made me spacey and lethargic, but I'm one of the weird ones who worked through it.

Not clear about your cancer's profile --- ER+/PR+? That would be good news. There are a variety of meds which may contain that kind of cancer. Grade 1, 2, or 3? I'm Grade 3, which doesn't sound too good, except that chemo does an awesome job of attacking fast-growing cells. I know you're still waiting on your HER2+ status. In the past, HER2+ was associated with the worst outcomes for breast cancer. However, thanks to targeted therapies like Herceptin and Perjeta, HER2+ ladies are doing better than ever.

Sending you and your family gentle hugs. Hope you visit the Stage IV threads and see that there are many women who are hanging in there and living full lives.

Prettyblueyes,

I hope what I am about to say will be helpful to you. My mom was given 2 years to live, 15 years ago, when she was diagnosed with metastatic Stage IV breast cancer. She is still alive and living for 15 YEARS, and still with Stage IV metastatic cancer. She had some great responses (and some not so great responses) to therapy despite the fact that she never became NED (no evidence of disease) during the entirety of these 15 years, and as soon as one therapy failed, another one was discovered and came along. Please know that nobody knows how long you will live, and you may have many many many years ahead of you. I am so sorry that you have to deal with this.