Dis Breast Cancer Survivors - GAGWTA!

[Daxx]

GAGWTA!!

I am finally "back on my feet" after the biopsy and appendectomy combo. The biopsy went well (I think I posted this?) and wasn't as bad as I'd imagined it to be. I was very well numbed and I fit through the hole! Remember my concerns about being so flat chested that I doubted I'd fit!? They were more concerned about clamping me down far enough in the mamm. type thing than whether my breast fit in the hole! They got close to the n!pple (typed this way b/c I doubt it'd pass screening spelled the right way), so that did hurt a bit -- more of a pinching/burning sensation.

I received the results far more quickly than I had expected -- on Weds. night, I think (or Thurs. - the days are a blur). I am happy to report that the calcifications were benign. I am going back in 6 mos. for a follow up mamm. and we will see how it's progressing.

I thank each and every one of you for your thoughts, prayers, advice, words of wisdom, etc. that were sent my way. I will continue to keep all of you in my prayers and promise to check in w/you wonderful women!!!

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for everything!!!!! Love, Susan

 

[MerryPoppins]

Oh Susan, I'm so happy for you. Keep getting better. It feels so good when our prayers are answered, doesn't it? Please do check back with us.

My DD is home from school sick today. So I suspect it will be a quiet one. That's okay, because she'll get some much-needed rest. Sometimes teens sort of run themselves ragged.

GAGWTA! I'm thinking of each of you.

 

[Lessa of Pern]

glad to hear your good news, susan.

 

[laurabelle]

Great news Susan!!! I'm so happy for you!

 

[Hollyann]

Great News Daxx! What a relief!

MerryPoppins - enjoy your quiet day....

I'm getting back on my feet. Friday and Saturday were a blur....slept most of the time. I plan to go to work tomorrow. However, I'm taking an ice-pack with me. I've got some fairly significant swelling and I'm pretty bruised...the ice helps with the pain without having to take the meds that make me loopy!

I've been checking and the swelling isn't enough to go to the docs, so I expect it will go down. I have a large "hot spot" that's red, but I hope it will go down, too. It's about the size of a scoop of ice-cream.

Anyway, feeling better and hope you ladies are having a wonderful day!

Thinking of you....

 

[dvcmember & dvcmember's husband]

Hi there, dvcmember here, I too am a BC Survivor! Mine was found by the grace of a guardian angel. I'd had my annual mammogram just 6 mos. prior and everything was supposedly fine. I hit myself in the breast while closing a gate in our barn and when it bruised and there was a small lump I decided to go and have it checked, just in case. After having 3 doctors tell me that it was probably just a hematoma and there was most likely nothing to worry about I went for a mammogram and a sonogram just to be safe. The surgeon that I was referred to because neither the mammo or the sonogram was conclusive gave me the option of waiting a month or so to see if the lump went away or I could have a biopsy and know within a few days. I opted for the biopsy because I could not wait a month and worry. When he finished the biopsy, he said "I really think it will be fine" but 3 days later he called me to let me know that it was BC. Come to find out, it was missed most likely on my annual mammo. I feel like my guardian angel was wanting me to find this and that's why I hit myself, causing me to go and have it checked out further. I'm not sure if I really trust mammograms for myself anymore (I have an annual breast MRI now) but I think that everyone should have one and if needed, get a second opinion. I ended up having chemo and radiation and have now been on Tamoxifen for 4 years!! Praise the Lord!!!

I hope that I can figure out how to add the ribbon to my signature. Thanks so much for this great thread!!!

 

[MerryPoppins]

Welcome Sandi. Your angel was indeed looking out for you! Hope to see you here more often. We're a nice supportive group, if I do say so myself.

Hollyann, glad you are feeling better. Take it easy and get that swelling down. I'll be praying and thinking positive thoughts for you!

 

[snappy]

So glad to hear that the biopsy was benign, Daxx. I am betting
you will really bounce back from your appendectomy.

Way to go.

Welcome, Sandi. It is so good to hear a story where the patient is such a good advocate for herself. I am so glad you joined us.
I was able to get your ribbon to show on my screen when I right clicked on it.

 

[Hollyann]

Welcome, Sandi. It is so good to hear a story where the patient is such a good advocate for herself. I am so glad you joined us.

WELL SAID!

Welcome Sandi! I'm a newbie and now I can proudly say 4 times lucky - what a great bunch of gals to hang around with!

Merry - I tried to stay awake the same hours as work....didn't make it! I did take a nap and feel much better. Looking forward to work - I'm fortunate to have a fun job and a great group of people to work with.

Take care everyone!

 

[Amy]

Check out this story: Researchers Link Left-Handedness, Breast Cancer

And I quote: "They [researchers] found that left-handed women were more than twice as likely to develop premenopausal breast cancer as right-handed women." Something to do with hormone level in-utero. The article has a link to the study.

Don't know if I believe this one or not. Although I AM left-handed, I was pre-menopausal when I got breast cancer, and I had absolutely no other risk factors.

I don't know - I think this is one of those things where if you dig deep enough, you can make a connection between cancer and just about anything. What do you guys think?

 

[Hollyann]

I'm with you....I think being left handed gives you a 50/50 shot. What about all the folks that are natural lefties and were trained to be right handed...wouldn't they drive up the right handed groups numbers? I dunno....like you, I read all the articles and make my own decisions.

Think about it...you're left handed with no other risk factor and STILL got it.

I'm right handed with about every risk factor in the book and had my 4th negative biopsy.

Here's hoping your medical reports stay clean from here out....

 

[Pea-n-Me]

GAGWTA!

Welcome Sandi, great story! Funny how things happen sometimes...

Susan, glad everything went well and you received great news.

 

[Daxx]

Researchers Link Left-Handedness, Breast Cancer

What about those of us who are ambidexterous? I can print and do everything w/both hands. To this day, I do most things w/my left hand except printing, for which I favor my right hand -- although I can print quite well w/my left hand and could get by if necessary. I was never corrected as a child to use my right hand ... either by parents or teachers. Esp. since my father is left handed (mom right handed). So, does that make me more or less at risk?! That just seems odd or "hard placed"!

I don't know - I think this is one of those things where if you dig deep enough, you can make a connection between cancer and just about anything. What do you guys think?

I am tending to agree w/you. There are so many things that they tend to "tie" in that, if you look at it long and hard, you'll fit in one category or another.

On our local news, they did this report on this new "gadget" (for lack of better words) that is small, hand held and "glides" over your breast to read for lumps or irregularities. They said in no way should this replace mammograms, but it could be helpful in earlier detection (esp. since most women do yearly mamms and certainly not monthly or weekly or daily). In various tests they did, it was very accurate at finding lumps or irregularities. I can't remember what kind of technology it uses ... not lasers, but some type of soundwaves or something. Anyway, they're hoping to have it come out on the market by next year. You should have seen this thing ... the size of a pocket transistor radio and held together w/duct tape! The scientist who came up w/it says he hopes to have it on the shelves and selling for $100 by next year. I thought "how about free or w/a small copay?" At any rate, if it's as accurate as they claim, and if every woman had one and used it weekly (daily!), it might find cancers earlier than ever! Again, in no way would this replace a mamm ... but would give women another method to go along w/a bse! And, maybe a dr. could use it in-office along w/their exam. unfortunately, I cannot find anything on the local news website about this (dang!). If I can catch the news tonight, maybe they'll show it and I can take notes.

Merry -- I hope your DD is feeling better!!!

GAGWTA this evening!

Hugs, Susan

 

[MinnieM3]

Welcome Sandi. So glad you had your guardian angel!

Susan...great news! Congrats!

Hollyann... I also try to do a "practice" day before going back to work! Take it easy and don't rush it!

GAGWTA

 

[MerryPoppins]

I reluctantly let DD go back to school today. She feels terrible, but I'm pretty sure it's just a bad cold. She has no temperature. Thanks for asking.

I'm washing clothes and playing catch-up from my quiet day. I hate to double up the work, but it needs to be done.

I'm thinking of all of you. GAGWTA!

 

[Hollyann]

My first day of work was crazy-busy, but good. I'll sleep great tonight!

My surgeon called DH and asked that I give him a call right away....so - naturally - we immediately go into PANIC MODE! It turns out he got the pathology report. It wasn't encapsulated fat after all. Not cancer, but not fat.

It was a fibro-adenoma...a benign tumor. No worries for cancer, which is a relief! Whew....he had me sweating for a while, because just when I called - he went to LUNCH! Anyway, good news.

Hope everyone is having a good day.....I've been thinking of you....

 

[Daxx]

It was a fibro-adenoma...a benign tumor. No worries for cancer, which is a relief!

Great news. So thrilled for you. I'd be using exclamation points, but I think I've used up my allotment ... the key doesn't want to work. But, please know my enthusiasm is there. Hooray for positive results.

Warmly,

Susan

 

[Hollyann]

Hiya Daxx - how are you feeling? Appendectomy scar starting to itch? My hooter is itching, but it's swollen and bruised, so itching is worse than the itch!

 

[NHAnn]

GAGWTA ladies!! I would swear I posted in the last couple of days but I don't see it
Glad for the good news I see and sending "welcome" to newcomers to the thread and and "welcome back/hello" to those who have been busy...
kind of crazy here too.

I saw a little piece briefly on Good Morning America today about that left-handed study the bottom line, at least the way I interpreted both the reporter and the "expert" being interviewed, was take it with a grain of salt....it was a very small study group, so a significant percentage of a really small number, is still a really small number I wish the studies would focus on the things we can CONTROL or influence. It actually annoys me a bit that time and money goes into some of these studies...I mean, have they ever looked at whether left-handed MEN have a higher incidence of prostate or testicualr cancer? Sorry, I'm a bit cranky and tired

 

[Hollyann]

It actually annoys me a bit that time and money goes into some of these studies...I mean, have they ever looked at whether left-handed MEN have a higher incidence of prostate or testicualr cancer? Sorry, I'm a bit cranky and tired

NHAnn - you may be cranky and tired, but you made my day! Now THAT'S funny! As if men would ever sit down long enough to be studied!