Thank You Melissa and Tami

Anonymous
Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
edited June 2014 in High Risk of Recurrence or Second Breast Cancer
Melissa and Tami: It always amazes me how you try and stay on top of things. All I can say is bc.org is the greatest. I have been coming here everyday since I was diagnosed April 2005. And, I would be lost without it. I have made too many friends and have learned so much about breast cancer.

I just wanted to say thank you for this new Forum.

Nicki
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  • melmedic06
    melmedic06 Member Posts: 96
    edited October 2006

    yes- thank you melissa and tami- i think this will be a very popular forum- i was dx with ILC in october of 04- it was a small (0.9cm) tumor with negative nodes- i did not need chemo- had my 33 weeks of radiation and started on arimidex- my biggest concern was either ILC showing up in the other breast or as my oncologist kept suggesting DCIS- sure enough just as i was getting ready to start my paramedic studies my mammo showed a suspicious area in my other breast- i had a steriotactic needle biopsy and my radiologist -who found my ILC a year ago and pushed for the biopsy even though the surgeon did not think it was warranted- told me it looked fine and i only had to worry if i heard her voice on the phone in two days and not one of the receptionists- so needless to say when i answered the phone and it was her- i knew it was bad news- DCIS -very small but back to the surgeon i went- they both agreed another lumpectomy would be the best plan so i agreed- post-op the doctor told me it was the healthiest breast tissue he had ever taken out- that the DCIS was so microscopically small that it was a miracle my radiologist saw it- (i always considered her my miracle anyway so this just reinforced it) 33 more weeks of radiation and back on the arimidex- so- a long- painful road but i feel very lucky- they never mentioned a mastectomy- they were both very pro breast sparing surgery and i trusted their opinion then and still do-

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited October 2006
    Nicki -
    Hey there fellow Illinois girl! I totally agree with your message to Melissa and Tami!

    melmedic06 -
    OMG - your Radiologist is incredible! I am so happy you had her "by your side". Rock on.

    Laura
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  • Jaybird627
    Jaybird627 Member Posts: 2,144
    edited October 2006
    Oh, I definitely belong here since I'm BRCA2+ and have chosen to go off Tamoxifen!

    Hello Nicki and Laura! (Go Bears!)

    Janis L
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  • Erica3681
    Erica3681 Member Posts: 1,916
    edited November 2006
    I agree that this is a welcome new forum. Wish it had been here in June when I found out I needed a biopsy of my left breast (after cancer three years ago in the right breast), but glad it's here now.

    melmedic06, you were fortunate. I had DCIS plus tiny invasion (3mm) in right breast three years ago. Had wide excision plus radiation and was feeling great. Then this summer, left mammo showed calcifications. My surgeon expected something tiny and contained. It was DCIS, but not tiny. After wide excision and re-excision and still no clean margins, mastectomy was recommended. While I was at it, I decided to have the other breast removed too, so I wouldn't have to go through this again. The pathology was all good and other than the DCIS in the left breast, no other cancer was found. Because the DCIS was so widespread, though, I had to have a sentinel node biopsy on the left side (3 nodes, negative). I'd already had an SNB on the right three years ago (also negative). So now, although the risk is small, I am at risk for lymphedema on both sides. Just had a flu shot in my thigh. Still, I'm very grateful that both cancers were caught so early. I chose not to have reconstruction (I'm 57 and thin, not much there for tissue recon, and an implant would have been risky on my radiated side). So far, I'm feeling fine about my decision. Next week, I finally go for my prostheses fitting (I'll be 5 weeks out of surgery).

    Barbara
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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited November 2006
    Oh my this is a good thread. Hi Laura and Janis!

    Janis: I dont blame you for going off the tamoxifen. Im er/pr negative, but my mom was on it. Sometimes ya just gotta do what feels right inside. I sort of did the same thing with herceptin. Had 12 rounds, got heart problems and said stop it, Ill take my chances.

    Barbara: my you have been through alot. Hope you have taken care of business now.

    Im high risk cause I am BRCA2 positive and HER@ positive, and my sentinel node was positive. But to date, I am NED.

    Tomorrow will mark my 11 month post chemo point and I gotta tell ya, I feel really good. Hard to believe last year at this time I was getting chemo and was so sick.

    My sister who has bc and is er/pr positive, diagnosed 3 mnths after me, she is BRCA positive also. We are being studied at Mayo Clinic.

    Nicki
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  • ARKIEMAMA
    ARKIEMAMA Member Posts: 9
    edited January 2007

    I TOO WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU MELISSA AND TAMI IF I HAD NOT THE CHAT ROOM HERE IN 05 I DON'T THINK I'D HAVE MADE IT THRU TREATMENT A/C AND TAXOL MADE ME SO SICK I WANTED TO QUIT BUT THE GIRLS KEPT ME IN A POSITIVE STATE THEN 33 RAD TX BURNED ME UP THEY WERE STILL THERE FOR ME NOW HERE I AM AGAIN ONC IS CONCERNED FOR WEIGHT LOSS AND OTHER DISTURBING FACTORS SO WANTS BONE SCAN,COLONOSCOPY,AND CAT SCAN DONE SO I'M SURE I'LL BE BACK IN CHAT THANKS AGAIN

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