Canadians in British Columbia

BeachLife, Thank you so much for your concern. The reason I'm comfortable with that diagnosis is because I was reading in this website above non-invasive cells and here is the definition that I found: Non-invasive cancers stay within the milk ducts or lobules in the breast. They do not grow into or invade normal tissues within or beyond the breast. Non-invasive cancers are sometimes called carcinoma in situ ("in the same place") or pre-cancers.

So because of this I am bit more comfortable. Also, would the oncologist provide for a second opinion? I will PM you shortly requesting that information that you mention about that oncologist for a second opinion. Thank you so much for your messages, they mean a lot to me and make me do more research on the topic.

Wendy3. Too bad that I won't get to meet you on January 9. It would have been nice to chat with you. I hope to be able to meet you at other opportunity. Take care!!

Wendy, I'm also a stage 4'er, mine spread to my bones...but since I am spending a lot of time in Palm Springs this winter, I won't be able to make the potluck😔. I find the warm weather really helps me with my bone/joint pain...

However I went last year and I met a bunch of great ladies!!! I don't think the different stages really made a difference, although last year I was considered Stage 3. I did feel a bond with them, and though everyone's story is different, we all had a common denominator.

Hope you'll reconsider...

Carrie.

Hi ladies,

I have a quick question and I hope you might be able to help me with this. Do you remember when you had your surgery, did the area where you had the sentinel nodes removed hurt you or bug you? I have this constant discomfort. It is not too painful but it just bothers me all the time. The clothes rubbing into it, the skin from my arm rubbing into it. I can't pin point exactly what it is but it is there a bit of a not a good feeling. The other scar where they took the lump is fine, that doesn't bother me at all.

Marian and all you other sweet ladies are very kind. I have my emotional ups and downs and I think the day I posted not coming was a very down day. I had as well the previous evening met a friend of a good friend of mine who was visiting from out of town this woman had had stage one cancer and was dancing around I'm cancer free and everything you are doing is wrong so I was pretty bummed. Wanted to find a hole and crawl in. I'm nervous about losing my cool and bawling my head off. Not very fun for everyone else. I wish you all a super weekend enjoy this marvellous weather we are having.

Thanks Wrenn, I guess I just have to be patient with this. It is so good to have a support group like this supporting and helping each other.

Wendy3, I'm really hopeful that I would get to meet you on the 9th. It is a very emotional lives that we are living now and together we have a lot of support. I'm new to this group and don't have much experience with all this but you guys have made it special for me and giving me hope. I hope I could do the same for you one day.

I'm no longer a west coaster, but was for 65 years. Now live in wine country, the south Okanagan. This is the first discussion board I have ever joined. I need the support. I have been going through the breast cancer mill for 9 months and am not doing too badly now that it's over, all things considered. Husband has stage 4 pancreatic cancer and just hasn't been able to "be there" for me.He remains in denial about his cancer and prognosis, as well. Last month's CT showed disease progression. Since he'd had a 7 week break from chemo, they are doing 2 more cycles, to be followed by a CT to determine if it was the break that caused the progression or he's no longer responding to treatment.

Hello Wendy,

Thank you for your good wishes, and right back at you. The emotional strain you're under must be overwhelming. My Med. Oncologist said we don't have to be guilty about feeling hard done by about our own situation when we know of other people who have it much worse, otherwise only the worst off person in the world would have the right to feel sorry for him or herself. So occasionally I wallow in it and then carry on. You are very gracious, considering your new diagnosis. My GP, whom I affectionately call Dr. Quack, (a story for another day), says he's constantly amazed by the grace with which his patients handle their disease.

Hubby is an 18 month survivor. He has no pain right now. Sure has chemo brain though.... Medical marijuana is probably on our list for the future when the pain comes back. Or whatever happens. I read something about hemp oil? I guess one of my frustrations is the total lack of communication. He just won't talk about it. Not about treatment options, his wishes, nothing. Denial has always been his coping method and although it works to a certain extent, it's been difficult to deal with during his illness.

DL

Wendy3, weather changed today but I still got out for a walk. I hope that you have more good days than those scary hard ones that aren't helped by those who aren't always as perceptive as they could/should be. Saying that, I do hope you join us January 9.

DeltaLady, hoping we can provide some support. I suspect that you and I must be around the same age as have been a west coaster for 66 years not counting when we have lived abroad~~I am now 66! Same hormone receptors as you but I am on Anastrozole. Double whammy with your husband and his stage 4 and him unable to support you. Well, we are here to support you even via cyberspace. It took me a long time to allow myself to not feel guilty and especially when I have really had down times. Now I know that we have to allow ourselves as individuals to feel and do whatever it is when needed. Hmm, that sounds weird but hope you get the picture.

As for diet and alcohol, I use moderation and have fun. Exercise, well that one for me has got me through this. I led two 10 day treks in Nepal in 2014 as my reward for finishing all the chemo, rads and surgeries. That was what I did pre BC and it was important. I just led a trek in Bhutan this fall and wow was it challenging! But I think that is what makes me happiest~~planning and doing. Have to say that the anti-depressants I started in July and have now got on a lower balanced dosage, that life is pretty good. I still think that the AI I am on created my depression and anxiety but until I stop the AI I will not know. With a 47% chance of recurrence without it, I have no problem taking Venlafaxine!

Marian, have you checked out coffee enemas? They really lift up the mood and relievepain etc. along with detoxing the liver which we all need as BC patients

marianeliza & Wendy,

Thanks so much for welcoming me to this site. Love the tee shirt! I just decided to get off my butt and start walking again, and yesterday my knee got sore, before I even had the chance. Every time something new hurts I wonder if I did it or it's the Tamoxifen. Grrr. I'm a tad older than you; will be 73 in Jan. I'm shocked every time i think about it.

Knowing how statistics can be manipulated I still feel ok about having had radiation and taking the pills. I was one of the 10% whose "probably nothing" was actually something, but I do like the odds (2%) of a recurrence in the same breast in 10 years. By then I'll probably have the family dementia and won't really care.

Believe me I've tried to get D to take some responsibility for his own health, but it's not going to happen. He's oblivious. I look after him to the best of my ability, (former RN, which is both good and bad). But I now realize I have to look after myself equally well. Hence the board here. I won't go all vegan etc, but do believe in moderation and cook everything from scratch. Well, almost everything. Did you hear that drinking 5 to 9 cups of coffee a day is now supposed to be beneficial? Can't make it past 4 on a good day, myself.

Interesting what you said about depression. I was on Prozac for 2 1/2 weeks to counteract hot flushes and the fact that if anybody even looked at me I'd burst into tears. Had to stop when I went on Tamoxifen because they don't play well with together, but by then I had sort of come through the other side anyway. Dr. Quack doesn't look for the root cause of things, he just wants to write another prescription. I am going to see a psychiatrist at the Cancer Agency on Tuesday - a one timer, because there's no way I'll drive to Kelowna and back, a 4 hour round trip, regularly in the middle of winter. I'm hoping she can give me some tools to deal with what has been and what is to come.

Cheers, DeltaLady

Carrie, you can to get your oncologist (or GP) to refer you to the Compassion Club. I guess all the pot shops are also able to provide these days? I got the referral from my MO and at the time my issues were more about weight loss and depression~~this was just post chemo and mx and pre rads. I got the edibles and though I did not use much it was helpful for me to eat "shortbread", go for walks with food, water and music and hang out on the river nearby.

What I liked about the Compassion Club is their many years of experience thus their professionalism and ability to tell you what best to buy~~in your case pain and sleep. Please keep us posted on the bronchoscopy results.

DeltaLady I am on Venlafaxine (in the US known as Effexor) and it was also prescribed in hope that it would help with hot flashes from the AI. 50% of women approximately it is said to help for hot flashes and luckily I was one.

I 2nd the MBSR. They are having a 3 day (free) silent retreat next week at Edenvale for past participants in the class. I find it really useful in a pinch (I don't practice as much as I should) to remind myself to be in the moment if I start to panic. The body scan CD they give you is also very helpful for sleep.

Wrenn, I am going to the retreat next week~~are you? I also lucked out this summer with a 6 week one to one MBCT at BCAA with a senior psychiatry resident. Like you I need to "practice" more but it all helps.

DeltaLady: As I read about "cancer personality", one of the traits is care-taker type, or pleasers. Sometimes one has to re-learn to focus on oneself as other adults can make their own choices (be it denial, drinking,etc.). I am doing that now. As you mentioned drinking coffee, you may also be aware that coffee given in the form of enema is much better for the body than drinking. I am yet to find someone who tried and did not like the results. I have only tried a dozen times, and could not have gotten the same results with any drug, for getting rid of gallstones, etc.

http://www.naturalnews.com/038429_health_benefits_...

The following is from the website of a lady who visits the same naturopath as I once did.

http://www.organicgladiator.com/?page_id=153&from=...

Wendy3: you have probably looked into apricot kernels?

Marian & Wenn: how can one get into the retreat? It sounds very good.Thank you!

Wrenn: Thank you! Have a good night