Sister was diagnosed in November

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srnjpharmd
srnjpharmd Member Posts: 1
edited June 2014 in Caring for Someone with Breast cancer

My older sister who is 34 was just diagnosed with stage 2 invasive ductal carcinoma which is HER2/neu positive +3 and is a class 3 tumor. She just had a right modified total mastectomy. I'm lost. I have no idea what this means for her. I know it means a year of chemo and the loss of her ovaries but what about long term? The doctors suggested genetic testing, do I do this? What would I do about the results? I am so overwhelmed and frightened. And I feel guilty that I'm afraid about myself. My brother died from cancer 13 years ago and the thought of going through this again is horrible. I'm so lost.

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  • LuAnnH
    LuAnnH Member Posts: 8,847
    edited January 2007
    First thing to do is take a deep breath! Your sister is going through an ordeal and having cancer in your family will naturally make you wonder about yourself. Your sister is going to need your support while going through this. There will be times when she needs a shoulder to lean on and other days she will just need you to show up and do something around the house to help her out without asking. Genetic testing can be done, but usually it is the person with the cancer that gets the testing first. This is a very expensive test and insurance companies don't just jump up and agree to pay for it. This test is looking for a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene. If you have one of these in your bloodline then you run a higher risk of getting breast cancer. If she is positive then family members may want to test. The downside of that is insurance companies will need to be told you have this gene and you could have complications when it comes to health or life insurance. It is a nice thing to know you carry this gene but the insurance companies zap you by not wanting to pay out due to pre-existing conditions.

    This site is a great site for information to get through this battle. Good luck to you and your sister!

    LuAnn
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  • awjkej
    awjkej Member Posts: 133
    edited January 2007
    I am sorry that you have to be here posting, but it is a great place to be for support and information. The feelings you have are natural b/c no one ever expects to be diagnosed with cancer, and you probably feel surrounded by it b/c of your brother and now your sister.

    Please know that breast cancer is not a death sentence. Even when it spreads, it is treated like a chronic disease. So take a deep breath or two and try to relax alittle bit. In order to help you and your sister to feel that you are being an advocate for yourselves, and moving in a positive direction, you may want to get a notebook going which would hold copies of her test results; calendar of procedures and appts; doctor's names, phone numbers; questions to be asked, and their answers. A notebook may also be beneficial for you as well, so that you can keep track of your questions and concerns.

    With the new drugs coming out, leading to new discoveries, the treatment protocols are becoming more finely tuned to meet the needs of the individual. If you are near your sister, hopefully you can give her emotional as well as physical support for her during this time. (e.g. Driving her to doctor and chemo appts, helping her around her home - doing laundry, running errands). As you help her during this journey, the two of you can learn together.

    Also, check out the other forums and don't be afraid to ask any questions. These are wonderful women here who will help you in a heart beat!

    Anne
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