Starting chemo Dec 2007

I was thinking (scary, I really shouldnt think) I would like to tell you all a bit about my story.

About me........

August 15 2007, aprox 10:00pm. I was kicking back in my lazyboy chair... Russ (dh) was talking with an employee returning from work downstairs (that is usually 30-60 or whatever min) I lifted my arms and raised my right hand to scratch my left pit/breast (had an itch) OMG.... I felt a lump or mass, I knew right away that it was not supposed to be there. I am not kidding when I say I paced and hyperventilated until I could rationalize calling our (Canadian) nurses hot-line. I hid and told the nurse what I had found and info about me. Honestly...... she told me unless I was in distress to take a hot bath and then a sleeping aid so I could go to sleep (if I had one) as our local hospitals did not do mammograms. Also I should see my gp asap to arrange a mammogram.

I so love this woman as she saved my life and sanity that night. She spent at least half an hour on the phone.

I went through hell and jumped through loopholes as locally there was a 6 week wait list for a mammo & ultrasound. After 24 hr research on dh part, He found I could get both done anywhere provincially that had the ability to do both (24 hrs later)....then much later I needed biopsy..... Long story short..... Lumpectomy 2.5cm tumor idc, one node attached .5 cm as well as 1 out of 21 nodes involved.

Seriously, I itched, I scratched and found cancer. The rest is now history. I was 45 years old and had never had a mammogram.

I just thought I would like you all to know and I would really truly like to here any of your stories of how you found BC.

Much love, Suz

Amy -- Heres my stats... thanks for asking!

Jeannie - 43- Unilateral Mastectomy Dec. 3, 2007- IDC, 6 cm,Stage II, Grade 3, 9/21 nodes, ER+, Her2+... Treatment Plan - 6 treatments every 3 weeks of Taxotere/Carboplatin - and Herceptin every week... while undergoing Tax/Carb then continuing w/ Herceptin every weeks for a year and Tamoxfin for 5yrs...  4 treatments down and 2 to go... Treatments are on Fridays-- last 2 are on 3/21/08, and 4/11/08.....Followed by 6-8 weeks Radiation.... 

Jeannie

Amy, Yes, I live in Connor Township.  It's about 10 miles north of Caribou.  I don't know what the population is, but they do have an elementary school. 

My story is a bit different...  While living in New Hampshire almost five years ago now, while showering I found I had lumps on both breasts.  My doctor scheduled a mammogram, then I had an ultrasound, and then they told me they were just fibrocystic lumps (not sure about the spelling there) and they would watch them.  I had regular mammos until my husband's job was terminated because the state dropped his job.  After three years of living off our savings he finally found a job and we moved up here.  Since we had no insurance until this past summer, I hadn't had any mammos and I have to say I told my husband last spring I was pretty sure I had cancer.  He told me he didn't think I did.  I had a mammogram and then an ultrasound and was told it was suspicious.  So in October, I had a lumpectomy although the surgeon told me he didn't think it was cancer.  After surgery he said the same.  However, the lump he removed had cancer, on the right breast.  I made the choice to have a full mastectomy even though my doc thought it was extreme as they were sure it wasn't any more than one lump that was cancerous.  It was found I had three small cancerous lumps all under three inches.  Also, I'm pretty sure it was 14 out of 17 lymph nodes they removed had cancer.   For some reason they combined the meaurements of the lumps and said over 5 cm.  So it altogether put me at stage 3.  I'm not sure if it's A or B because my onc told me not to worry about that or statistics of any sort.   According to my doc I had to have had cancer even back when they first checked.   At first I was kind of angry that they hadn't found it earlier, but then I realized something.  If they had found my cancer in New Hampshire, our medical insurance would have disappeared with my husband's job.  The amazing thing to me is God worked this out perfectly.  My husband is in the reserves and had gone away to England this past summer to get insurance so I could get checked out.  While there, the Air Force decided to let reservist start buying medical insurance again, so now we don't lose it.  God's timing is perfect.  I must trust in Him. 

I also wanted to ask you all for some advice.  I really want to eat healthier and basically have a high fiber, low fat diet.  High fiber as colon cancer is stron in my family.  Cancer itself, actually.  My grandma and aunt both had colon and stomach cancers.  My brother had non-hodgkins lymphoma and my aunt also had skin cancer.  I want to try to get healthier.  I was working on this before I got cancer, but now I'm even more determined....any advice? 

Kate

Hello ladies,

Welcome to Jeannie Bell! 

I have been back for 6 days and had a great trip to see hubby.  I was quite tired but all went well.  It took me longer than usual to recover from my previous chemo, not sure if it was just cumulative SE or additional effect from the Neulasta shot.  That scared me a bit as for one or two nights I had the sensation of racing heart and shortness of breath.  These are SE's of Neulasta that can indicate serious problems, and I came close to calling the hospital on one of those nights as I found myself having to take deep breaths from time to time as it felt as if I wasn't getting enough oxygen or something.  Anyway, this thankfully passed and the day before I left (the 2^nd)I was feeling better.  They were thinking of giving me Neulasta again after this tx but these SE and the fact that it is the last tx convinced them that it isn't necessary.  After the one Neulasta my wbc is higher than it has ever been since I started chemo.

I am most definitely looking forward to today being the last chemo!  I am sure we've all had the sensation of dreading to have yet another tx.  On Friday when I went for bloodwork I had to wait for quite a while, and the waiting room is adjacent to the chemo ward, so a couple of times I caught the scent of the poison wafting out of the ward and I just wanted to get the heck out of there as quickly as possible. 

I never did completely lose the eyebrows and lashes, but they have been at least 75% gone.  I think the lashes may be recovering a bit.  I have read, though, that they will fall out again after tx and then grow back.  We'll see.  I used false lashes for a while but it is a hassle and I am getting tired of being so high maintenance.  I've also had the teary eyes but fortunately not as bad as you, Suz.  I find it happens more towards the second half of the cycle.  I am leaving the stubble to grow now, with hopes that a few weeks after treatment some other hair will start to grow to join it.

My story:

It was around July 1^st.  I was in Cuba, lying in bed on my side with hubby, just chatting in the morning.  I was just goofing around and patted the side of my breast, and I felt the lump.  I felt it.  He felt it.  It was about the size of a small grape.  I said, well I guess I'll have to get that checked when I get back.  Then, I just forgot about it.  Put it right out of my mind and enjoyed the rest of my trip.  When I got back I was very very busy and actually still forgot about the lump until about 10 days after, when I noticed it again while showering.  I then resolved to call the Dr. right away.  I saw him around the 23 of July, and the mammo appointment was set for the 16^th of August.  I was a bit worried but managed ok.  It was a long wait.  The mammo pretty much convinced me it was cancer, even though they didn't say it was.  They spent a lot of time, many pictures for the mammo and then ultrasound, then the radiologist came out and examined me and did more ultrasound.  I saw the thing on the ultrasound screen.  It LOOKED nasty.  Like a bud of cauliflower with sparkles in it (calcifications).  I pretty much knew then that this was not good.  There were also a couple of small cysts, and by comparison they looked completely different from this tumor.  They sent me to see the surgeon, as my doctor was on vacation at the time.  I saw the surgeon on August 27^th and he sent me for the biopsy on the 30^th.  During the biopsy they also sampled a couple of nodes as they looked irregular on the ultrasound.  This scared me.  I was now convinced it was cancer.  On September 6^th I went back to get the results from the surgeon.  He confirmed that it was.  It was completely anticlimactic as I just knew even before he told me.  The lump had grown (I'd say doubled) since I'd first noticed it.  Lumpectomy and SNB on Oct 4, and chemo began on Dec 3.

So, this afternoon is the last chemo.  I saw the rads onc on Friday and she says they will give me a course of rads and at the end some more intense rads specific to the tumor/scar area, I forget how many treatments - around 20-25 in total.  It will start in around 1 month, so I'll have a month free of any treatments, to start to feel "normal" again.  By the end of May I should be done with all of this.

Congrats to the ladies who are DONE with chemo!!!  Suz and Sal, I am so happy for you that you are finishing this week also.  You have really had a gruelling run.  Easter dinner this weekend will be a real celebration for me.

Hugs and best wishes to all.  FUBC!!!!!

Laura

Kate, some tips I'd recommend for improving your diet:

Fibre - I bake more of my own stuff these days - I rarely eat bread that is not multigrain, bake muffins with bran and fruit (anti-oxidant rich berries are best - fresh or frozen).  I cut back on rice and eat more brown rice when possible.  Oatmeal is also great to eat as a hot cereal or mix in baked goods, or add when making hamburger (lean) patties or meatballs.  To get more nutritious carbs I rarely eat potatoes and eat more squash and yams as they are more nutritious.  Butternut squash has a nice texture.  You can steam cauliflower and mash it up to mimic potatoes.  Vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, brussel sprouts are very nutritious and have anti-cancer properties.  For dinner I often eat salad as my carbs, with meat/poultry/fish, with no rice or potatoes or pasta.  In a salad, use a variety of leaves - the darker and more colorful the better (include spinach).  In general, eat vegetables/salad rich in color (green and orange).  Cutting back on fat is important - trim fat off meat, skim fat from pan juices etc.  A good way of reducing fat in your diet is replacing a couple of meat protein meals per week with protein from legumes - you can google for recipes and find all kinds of soups using different peas, beans, lentils, garbanzos, etc.  -excellent source of protein, fibre and no fat.  You can add veggies to these soups for extra nutritional punch - even if you don't like eating spinach it is completely disguised if chopped into a soup.  I love sauces but they tend to be rich - you can thicken a sauce with no fat yogurt instead of sour cream (I like stroganoff and Hungarian goulash done this way).  I also like eating vanilla low fat yogurt with fresh fruit - strawberries, pineapple, etc.  This also helps with Vitamin D and calcium which are very important in bone health and have anti-cancer properties.  Don't forget to eat fish a couple of times per week, the fats in fish are more beneficial than other fats.  Also, when using oil (unless frying, which you should avoid anyway) use olive or other polyunsaturated vegetable oil.  I stopped using butter/margarine on bread a long time ago and I really don't miss it at all.  For me it's now a special treat if I go to a restaurant.

I'm getting hungry now

Good luck with improving your diet!

Congrats Laura on finishing your chemo tx.  My last one is next week and unlike other times I cannot wait!!! I just want to be done with this part! 

Jeannie I also was diagnosed on 11/21.  The day the world stood still for us.  It was pouring with rain and dreary and my husband lost his debit card lol UGH.

My cancer was found with a routine mammo subsequent u/s.  I had the mammo 11/6 and a regular physical with my gp that friday.  My dr did not feel anything btw.  Anyway I was called back for more pictures at the time being told my pics came  back too blurry on the left side.  Well the left side mammo was painful to me so I thought perhaps i flinched and caused this.  I did freak out for a few minutes and then thought what's the point.  Anyhow I went  back for the 2nd look which included an u/s as well.  Turned out I had a small area of microcalcifications AND a suspcious area.  I had a needle guided core biopsy a week later on the suspcious area. Results came back positive for cancer and at the time they thought ILC.  It turned out that it was IDC and two tumors connected with a skinny line making it look like a dumbell.  1.8 cm and 1.2.  I was sent by my gp the same day as she gave me the results to a good friend of hers who happens to be a breast surgeon.  I was freaking so much and it was right before Thanksgiving and my dr didn't want me waiting with all my questions for 5 more days.  Anyway this turned out to be a godsend.  I saw the PA there and she was wonderful, eased my mind about the diagnosis and prognosis etc.  She then suggested I do what they call a discplinary clinic where a team of dr studies your case and them comes in examine you and give their opinions. This team includes, surgeon, onc. radialogist, dietician, breast cancer survivor and a social worker.  It was alot to take in but through this I found the wonderful oncologist i have today. I was then told that they wanted me to have chemo first to shrink the tumor.  I had the port put in a few days later and the first chemo was 12/14.  Things moved very quickly.  I was put on TCH and it has worked well for me.  I have side effects of course, including increasing fatigue, and alot of sinus issues (including heightened sense of smell the first week after chemo).  Man does stuff stink!  lol In the meanwhile I also had another bioipsy on the microcalcifications.  I ended up with 3mm DCIS as well which led me to having to have a left side mastectomy.  Next week day after my last chemo I meet with my surgeon to discuss this.  I have decided on immediate recon. as well and hope that I can do it.  I have chosen a wonderful plastic surgeon and am so ready to move on!!!

Thanks for the diet tips!!  Also, Congrats, Laura!  So happy for you.  You too, Suz!  Tomorrow I go in for next to last.  I think I'll be the last to finish...or close to it.  I'm not looking forward to this coming weekend and all that taxol pain, but I am so happy to be one more closer to the end.

Is anyone else besides me stage three?  At first, I thought that meant I was going to die, but my onc says it means I have a 30% chance of recurrence.  Pretty high, but not impossibly.  As my mom says, usually if there is a 30% chance of rain it doesn't rain, but if it's 40% it's more likely.  Well, anyway, it does no good to worry about it, so I'm just going to do my best to get fit and stay as healthy as possible. 

Today the weather is pretty nice, but tomorrow we're supposed to get 6 more inches of snow...ICK.  I am so sick of snow right now.  I want sunshine and warmth.  Ready for spring I am. 

Hope you all have a great day!

Kate

Evening All,

Well its DONE!!! Im very tired right now, didnt get home until 6:30. Thank you so much everyone for the well wishes and congrats. Laura loved the snoopies!!!

You were all with me in the chemo room today. I had a  pink ballon for each one of you with your names on them and hung them from an IV pole. I thought of each and every one of you and our journey today. Then I had to have a (benadryl) nap. Time for a happy dance now.

Sal, Your turn tomorrow, You go girl!!!!! 

Love you All {{{hugs}}}  Suz

Suz, I logged on just quick enough to say "I'm ready for today" when I scrolled down and saw those funky cats! OMG!!! Even my husband was laughing.

And then the awesome picture of you, watching "House" . I'm bringing my camera with me too, so maybe I'll post something later.

Well, later on I'll need to check the posts that I've missed, beause I'm already running behind schedule. I am SO pumped for today. In case anyone missed the memo...

IT'S MY LAST CHEMO DAY!!!!

Love you all VERY much,

Sal 

Suz, I am in tears.......the balloons......what a great idea. SO true how much you all are in my thoughts every day.

I am doing cartwheels for you graduates !!! Go Suz, Go Laur, Go Sal........You did it ladies !!!!!!!!!! I am sending you warm and admiring hugs. I wish you the smallest bag of se's for you final round.

Way to kick some BC booty ! Lots of Love, Cindy

Sal, WHOOOO HOOOOO!!!!!!!!! YOU DID IT. Congratulations, One last giant leap through the chemo land. Now onto just feeling better day by day.

Found another pussy cat doin the happy dance for you.

Big hug to you sweetie and hope the se's are tolerable.

 Much love & Hugs, Suz

Always enjoy the kitty antics!  Too cute!

Ladies, I've been following your post every day, but too busy to post.  Today I have to, but don't really want to!   BUt I do keep you all in my thoughts and prayer and rejoice when you reach those last treatments and feel sorrow when you suffer more SE's!

I saw my reg doc for a pap (long overdue) today.  While there, I mentioned a small 'lump' in the 'good' breast that I'd been feeling.  he did a check and while palpating I felt pain when he found a second one.  First one I had found does not feel round, or painful or what I had first go around.  Dang it, I'm just done with chemo 6 weeks ago. Enough already!  B/c I'm not having periods (since dec) I can't tell if it's cyclic, but really not happy today! 

Please just keep me in your thoughts and prayers for the mammo tomorrow afternoon!  I HATE This crap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  HATE IT!

thanks...