Dis Breast Cancer Survivors - GAGWTA!

[NHAnn]

Hi - GAGWTA--
I am home. It went really well (maybe that's the Valium talking )
Actually...they started a tad late ...waiting in the waiting room I started to get a little annoyed/antsy about it being 5 minutes past my appt time but then I took a deep breathe, put on my walkman with oneof my soothing CDs and closed my eyes. The sun was shining through a window right onto my face. I did my deep breathing and for some reason I kept visualizing a soaring eagle...like the first time I saw one in the wild in fall 2004 out in Estes Park, Colorado. Don't know why that majestic image cameto me, butthat's what did DH told me later that my deep breathing was pretty loud but neither he nor the other people coming in and out disturbed me. I assume the valium I took before leaving home was kicking in and I had a good 5-10 minutes of just peace/meditation/prayer or whatever. Then they came and got me ...and I had another wait once in the johnnie...found out later it was because my films were "upstairs" in the Breast Care Ctr surgeon's office from yesterday morning. With the absence of the coordinating NP who lost her husband over the weekend-funeral this morning, there was a glitch apparently in getting the films back downstairs to the imaging area.. But anyway,once they got those, (it was after 8 by then)...it moved right along. Couple more regular mamms and then uponto that sci-fi looking table with the digital imaging stuff underneath. I was pleased they did not have too much difficulty locating the area and getting it done..and they played my CD for me in there too...so with that and the 2nd valium before they started ...I could pretty much just focus on my music and my eagle and my postive thoughts that they were going to get what they need to prove these are harmless little specks !! The radiologist was really great during and after with explanations and conversation, (bringing DH in too) about the the whole thing and the films. So now...a day of R and R (glad I've got a laptop now!!! ) Then the wait for results.

Linda...the story of the little girl gave me goosebumps...I too believe in that "stuff" . DH's sister is quite a mystical sort too. She (they) have a bit of Native American blood and SIL is "adopted" by a tribe and very much a "healer" as well as having been an RN at the hospital psych ward before her early retirement. I had a very comforting conversation with her last night and she was going to be playing some healing music and thinking of me this morning too. I do feel that those energies....from people praying or just dending postive energy and comfort for you...really do help. I know I felt it this morning from her, from all of you...and other friends/family.

Pixie/Kelly...hope you get good news and soon!!!

Donna...wonderful to hear from you and news of Monique

Laurabelle...hope you are doing OK!!

snappy....you're right about how tough it is going through this stuff and the doubt about earlier interpretations/decisisions But on we must move! My sister is having a f/u mamm and ultrasound tomorrow...a spot they wanted to check back on after I made her go for a baseline six months ago. So at the risk of being greedy this week, if you could keep her in mind tomorrow too, that's be great!!

Well I am really writing a book here...so maybe it's time for fresh ice and snooze.....

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Ann, glad it's over for you and that you were relaxed for the procedure. Interesting about the eagle, seems it came to you just when you needed it the most. That's wonderful. Keeping you and your sister in my prayers.

 

[snappy]

Very cool story about your mom seeing that little girl. After my dad died in 1998, there were so many little signs when we were preparing for his memorial service in Charlotte that I knew for sure he had a hand in. My sister is a very musical person, she has numerous instruments. She wanted to sing a special song at the service and accompany herself on the guitar. She did not bring one of her guitars with her when she flew into Charlotte right before he passed. We had very little time to put the service together, one afternoon to search for a guitar. None of us were familiar with the music stores in Charlotte, but we called around and finally struck out for one to rent a guitar. The place was located behind another retail space and the person giving directions did not mention that fact. We were all a bit stressed by recent events and very jumpy. We were about to give up on finding the place and just skip the guitar. My sis was very disapointed, heck we all were. When we turned to make a U turn and return home, one of us caught a glimpse of the store sign and we were got our guitar after all.


Hi Susan Glad you posted. I am happy that taking Tamoxifen is not giving you a problem.
Another neat thing, my dad loved watching all the wildlife from his den facing the woods, especially rabbits. When we arrived at the church for the service, we spied a small rabbit by a small tree. He stayed put for awhile so we could see him and comment on it, and then off it went.

Stuff like this sure brings peace.

Sorry your daughter needs surgery but I am glad you have found some peace about it.

 

[Pixiedust34]

I got my sonogram results today. It's a benign lump. Whew......

They might remove it sometime. I have to go back in August to have it looked at again. Between now and August, if I decide that I want to have it removed, I can schedule that. She said that she would remove it now if I wanted her to, but she recommended waiting on it a bit longer. I'm going with her recommendation. I just have to make sure there is no change in tenderness/size/etc. I imagine that if the lump is still there by August that I will want to have it removed.

Thank you for all of the prayers and good thoughts. I will still pop in if that is OK because you women are my heroes and I'd like to follow up on all of your circumstances.

 

[snappy]

Great news Kelly!!

Of course we want to join us here anytime. You are a sista in spirit now.

About removing the lump, a former neighbor of my mom in Charlotte just emailed me something about the necessity of removing these things.

Even Benign Breast Lesions Must Go
Breast lesions should be surgically removed even when needle biopsies find them to be noncancerous, according to a new study from New York University.

The reason, say the scientists, is that the benign lesions can still harbor small clumps of cancerous cells that can cause major problems later.

"Our study shows that all papillary lesions of the breast should be surgically excised to avoid missing a cancer," said Dr. Dr. Cecilia L. Mercado, an assistant professor of radiology at N.Y.U. Medical Center.

Current treatment for these lesions includes radiographic follow-up and surgical removal, depending on a doctor's recommendation.

Even though the lesions may be diagnosed as benign, they can harbor adjacent atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH) and ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) -- cancerous cells confined to the lining of the milk ducts.

Dr. Mercado and her colleagues analyzed the imaging and histologic outcomes of 42 patients diagnosed with benign papillary lesions after core needle biopsy. Doctors performed 43 biopsies on the 42 patients. Of the 43 biopsies, 36 (84 percent) of the lesions were surgically removed and seven (16 percent) received long-term imaging follow-up.

As a result of surgical removal of the lesion and laboratory follow-up, the diagnoses of nine of the 42 patients (21.4 percent) were upgraded to ADH or DCIS. That percentage is much higher than reported in previous research.

"This is one of the largest series and shows statistically significant findings. The results of our study revealed a considerable upgrade to either ADH or DCIS at core needle biopsy," Mercado said.

"Therefore, all benign papillary lesions of the breast should be surgically excised, since a considerable number of atypical lesions and malignant lesions could be missed."

The study appears in the March issue of Radiology.

I had a lump on my right breast that came up as benign from the needle biopsy right after my left was diagnosed with cancer. I have not done anything with it. Nothing shows on the diagnostic mammo. I am not sure
what to do. My 2nd opinion surgeon felt it, so I let her do the needle biopsy. The doc who did my left breast could not feel anything. I am not sure if anything is there or not, she felt something very deep, not something I can detect. I have wondered about it but I guess since I am being followed up closely, I 'll just let it ride.

Ann, glad you are home and resting. Loved the eagle image, what a beautiful symbol for surviving, soaring, etc. I will keep your sister in my prayers for tomorrow.

Linda, SanDestin is in the western part of Florida, just east of Navarre Beach and Ft. Walton, its a little over 300 miles from us. It is a resort inside Destin I guess. My sister went for the time share I think because she could see that there were activities she could manage there (she is permanently disabled). She cant't swim in the gulf but she enjoys doing pastels sitting in a chair on the beach. The heated pool was therapeutic for all of us. And she rode her scooter down the bike paths. There also are a number of places you can go to listen to live music, which is her main hobby. We even saw WalK the Line in the movie theatre in the building. Sis calls it an adult WDW.

There are a number of golf courses and lots of tennis courts. You get 4 hours of bike rentals per day, one hour using a kayak either in the gulf or in the bay, a certain amount of tennis court time (can't remember how much) and the tram transportation throughout the quite large resort. there are a ton of upscale shops and fancy and casual restaurants in the village. I am going to check vrbo for this area, see if any private owners rent directly.I think my family would like this, especially since with the tram service my teens could have a little more independence.

Linda,

 

[THE HAT]

hi all, i just wanted to drop by and say hello, and to thank all of you for keeping me in your thoughts. i think of all of you quite often through out the day!!
i pray that those waiting for results hear the right thing for their situations (myself included), that those who are recovering have a fast and mild one. that those who are in the middle of the fight, can find the courage they need every day, and if they feel down find someone to help lift their spirits!!

tomorrow i go for my ultrasound on each breast(finally). the anxiety is enough to drive you crazy!! i think that having a week to wait for it has been half my problem, you play mind games with yourself.
i know all of you understand where i am coming from.
thanks again
i will let you all know how tomorrow goes.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Great article, Laurie. I know when I had a benign fibroadenoma my surgeon and oncologist had a disagreement about whether to remove it during my breast surgery. Now I wish they'd just taken it out. That resort sounds so nice, will have to file it away for future reference.

Pixie, I'm glad you had good news. Such a good feeling when you're going through this type of thing. I have to say one thing, though. Although they can say that something "appears benign" on ultrasound, the only way to know for sure is through biopsy - the actual sampling of tissue. (And sometimes, even when the biopsy comes back negative, they still want to take out the lump and biopsy the whole thing, since there is about a 10% false negative rate on biopsy.) Since radiologists see these types of things all the time, they are pretty good about telling the difference between something that's worrisome and something that's not. But it's not an exact science, really. Just want to make sure you know that so that you can truly be informed. As you know, breast cancer is a quirky disease, and usually pretty treatable the earlier it is caught. Some decide to go the route of leaving no stone unturned until a definitive answer is found. Not to make you feel awful again, but wouldn't feel right if you weren't aware of this. Best of luck in your decision making, hope you continue to visit us here and let us know how you're doing.

 

[Pixiedust34]

Thanks. I'm going to think about what you said about having it removed.

It sounded like she wanted to wait because she was being consertative. The lump is deep and she didn't want to cut if she didn't have to. She also said that it could go away on its own. Has anyone heard of that? She is a lymph node specialist, well respected from what I understand, so I'm putting trust in her approach. It sounded like she'd like to wait and evaluate in 6 months, and I went with her recommendation. But, if it gets more tender or if there are any changes, I can go in sooner.

I'm leaning toward the wait-and-see approach *for now*, but if it is still there in a few months, I may get it removed for once and for all. If it is still there in August, I will probably ask for removal then.

Keeping you all in my prayers.

 

[MinnieM3]

GAGTWA! Just trying to bump us up to the first page!

Majorly depressed after Dana Reeve's death exactly one week from my lung cancer surgery. That and spending this last week with my class just pushed me over the edge yesterday and somewhat today.

I will only post when I feel better!! Hopefully, that'll be tomorrow!

 

[snappy]

I am sorry you are down, Beth. What a week for you. I can't tell you how I admire you for the way you are spending this week getting your sub up to speed.

Hoping things look brighter for you tomorrow.

Saying a prayer for you right now.

 

[NHAnn]

(((hugs))) and prayers Beth. hope we hear from you tomorrow. Feel better soon.

Pixie/Kelly...I'm thrilled for you!! and would love to have you stay and post here often!

THE HAT--best of luck tomorrow...my sister is having an u/s as well

GAGWAT to all again..........

and goodnight ...I'm off to bed early after my day of rest

 

[snappy]

Prayers this morning for all having tests, waiting for results, or recuperating today.

 

[donnabres]

Good Morning,

kelly, so glad to hear of your results.

Ann, let us know when you get your results, praying for you.

Linda, 2 of my grandkids had their tonsils out when they were about 5 or so, they both did great. Sore for a couple of days, but that was it. Best of luck with your husbands job.

Talked to Monique yesterday, still having some issues with the drainage, can't wait for removal. Other than that she says she's feeling better.

The Hat, good luck and I hope you have as good news as Kelly.

Everyone else, Have a happy, day. I spoke to one of my clients the other day, a male in his early 40's. He has lymphoma, probably spelled wrong, and it's actiing up again. He told me that when it first happened he asked for 10 yrs., it's only been 6. He is the nicest man with 2 sons. He's going to our local breast dr. here in town and is very happy with her. I was recommended to her, but as Linda said, why stay local when I can go to Boston? One thing he said to me that really hit home was, when I look out at the blue sky, it is a lot bluer than it used to be!!!!!!!!!! He has such a great attitude. Could we add himto our prayers? His name is Chuck.

thanks, Donna

 

[snappy]

Praying Chuck gets his full 10 years and then some.

 

[MerryPoppins]

I'm still reading this thread and praying for all of you. Real life just keeps getting in the way of me posting.

DH started his new job. He's so happy! And in another week or so our insurance woes will end. The only down side to this new job is that DH will have to travel a lot. He'll be going to New York for a month and then home for a month for about two years. After he's trained, the travel should be minimal though. I just keep telling myself we'll have tons of frequent flyer miles.

I'm in the middle of packing for our spring break Disney trip. We're leaving tomorrow afternoon. I'll be thinking of all of you and will check in when I can.

GAGWTA!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

GAGWTA!

Have a great trip, Merry!

Will keep Chuck in my prayers. Prayers for all who need them.

Ann, how are you doing today?

 

[snappy]

Congrats to you and your DH on starting the new job.

Have a safe and wonderful trip to WDW.

I guess spring break has begun.

My high schoolers were out a week at Mardi Gras (last week).

They are also off starting Good Friday through the Friday after Easter.
DS15 has quarterly exams next week.

When we were departing the Sandestin area, it looked like some college age kids were starting their break.


GAGWTA!!!

 

[snappy]

How are you, Ann?

The Hat, how did the sonogram go?

Hoping to get good news for both of you.

Laurie

 

[laurabelle]

~~~***GAGWTA sistas***~~~

Pixiedust Kelly- Whoooo hooo!!! So happy to hear your good news is confirmed! It sounds like it's up to you...I'm sure if you really wanted it out, the surgeon would take it.

Beth- I've been thinking of you so often. I know every cancer death is a kick in the stomach, especially when it happens so quickly. So sad to think of their son without both parents.
I hope leaving your classroom this week won't be too hard on you. I know it's been a blessing being there, and you'll be back again ASAP!

MerryPoppins- So glad to hear your hubby started his new job and your ins. issues will be resolved! Enjoy spring break at Disney! It's a beautiful time of year there- enjoy those flowers and blue skies!

THE HAT- I hope everything goes well for you today. Hopefully they will give you preliminary results while you're there.

Ann- I'm glad you had such strengthening, encouraging things to focus on yesterday...I hope you get that good report SOON!

Donna- I sure will pray for Chuck...

 

[donnabres]

Thanks for adding Chuck to your list. I won't be seeing him for another year, with the tax business, we usually only see our clients once a year, unless they need some tax planning. After the 30 years I have been doing this, so many of my clients are like family to me. I have many elderly clients, and cry with a lot of the husbands and wives when they lose their spouses, or partners. I guess that until I had my dx of cancer in Oct. I never really realized how many people it did affect.
I have come to realize that even out of the devistation of having cancer, a lot of good things have come out of it. One of the biggest is being led to this board by my niece, and getting to know you even if only thru the internet. We all have something in common, and as laura says, we are sistas.

Monique had good news from her surgeon yesterday. The invasive cancer was gone, and the only cells they saw were DEAD!!!! Also in the lymph nodes there was fiberous tissure, which was scar tissue where the cancer was. She emailed this to me today, so I thought I would share the good news. I told her you were all thinking of her.

Best wishes to all who are going, or awaiting results,
Merry, have a great trip to WDW, I am so jealous, but God willing I have 2 trips planned, 1 in May, and 1 in June.

Thankyou all for being there for me..........
Donna