Dis Breast Cancer Survivors - GAGWTA!

[NHAnn]

laurabelle....wish the news was better....but you have such strength and determination I know you will get through this too. Hang in there, and vent away


GAGWTA!

PS....does anone know why our pink ribbons inthe signatures are red X's today? ...or is it just my computer?

 

[snappy]

why our pink ribbons inthe signatures are red X's today? ...or is it just my computer?

The ribbons look pink on my computer screen, not sure what you are seeing??

Disney Debbie, I have the one piece suit. I guess it must just be me. It just does not look natural to me, so I guess I am not relaxed when I wear it, thus it is not comfortable.

 

[Disney Debbie]

My pink ribbon isn't working either.

Snappy - maybe you could try the tanktini top? They could be made differently. I orderd that top with a skirted bottom from a completely different style and they really look cute together - as cute as they can on a fat chick anyway!!

 

[MerryPoppins]

I didn't like the suits with pockets that I tried, so I made my own pockets in suits I liked. It was pretty easy and worked pretty well. I know what you mean about feeling funny about a swim suit. At first I felt pretty uncomfortable. Mainly, I was afraid Betty would pop out or something. But I also had a reduction, so my prosthesis isn't as large as it would have been and I got comfortable with the idea.

Laurabelle, sorry about your news. Hang in there. You can deal with this too. It's just another hurdle to leap. Try to stay positive. I think God throws survivors into our paths when we need a positive boost.

 

[MinnieM3]

Really in and out these next few days with school starting! But i'm thinking of ya'll and Laura, sorry about your news.

GAGWTA
(my pink ribbon is gone, too)

 

[laurabelle]

GAGWTA! IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!!!
I'm so happy to be alive another year!

DH had to go to work, he couldn't take today off since he stayed home with the girls yesterday. We did some celebrating over the weekend. The kids said they want to take me out to breakfast later -which means mom paying, and waaay later this morning, since they have really embraced the art of sleeping in this summer!
I'm not sure what the rest of the day will bring...we can do whatever we want! I love summer birthdays!
Thanks for all the good thoughts and wishes about my scope results.

 

[NHAnn]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LAURABELLE!!!!!!!!!!

 

[snappy]

Enjoy a relaxed morning, Laurabelle and a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Enjoy your day, Laura!

 

[Mom2Ashli]

Happy Birthday Laura! You are a survivor and you will make it through this.

All of you amazing women are in my heart and I talk about you all the time to my 3-day walking buddies. You are truly a Great Group of Amazing Women.

I just wanted to add that I was at a 3-day expo this weekend and they had a breast there and it had several small size lumps in it. The lady asked me to find them. I could not find them to save my life. I tried and tired. Than she pointed me in the direction of the pea sized lump and low and behold there it was. I was totally amazed. No wonder so many women don't find them. I am going to start checking myself a little more carefully from now on. I just asummed they would jump out at me and they didn't.

Also I have been thinking about this allot since I read it. I think it was Pea-n-Me that said she sent a picture of a pimple on her breast to her Dr. Why is that important? I get them all the time and never thought twice about until I read your post. Hope you don't mind answering the question.

 

[Miss Mickey Mania]

Have a very happy birthday Laurabelle!


My mum went for her last (6th) chemo today and AS USUAL was sent home again. White cell count was too low, same old same old. This has happened every single time. She has had her chemo every 4 weeks, never 3 weeks. She fully expected this to happen again and wasn't bothered in the slightest.

This was after having 10 daily injections of neupogen. Fat lot of good that did .

So back she'll go next Tuesday instead. She was so sure about this that she's had it written on the wall calendar for the 16th for the past two weeks.

She was also told that she won't be getting Tamoxifen initially. As it increases risk of blood clots, they didn't want her to start on it before her surgery. She'll be taking letrozone or letrozole instead. We're not sure which as we can't read the doctor's handwriting!

So she's rolling along ok right now. Feeling great and looking forward to finishing up with chemo in a week.

Take care everybody,
Louise

 

[Pea-n-Me]

LOL Mom2ashli - In my heart I knew it was just a plain old pimple but the day it happened I became a bit nervous when I saw it. Things weren't going too well for me at that time - I had just been through a scare for real and was already shell shocked and weary from so many doctors appointments and tests. I shared the story because I knew the ladies here could relate to the worry over silly things we all sometimes have and the feeling that you don't have it in you to travel even one more time to the doctors (not to mention rather proud of my ingenuity ). My team still kids me about that one. I later had to send a picture of the family to make things right.

So don't worry, little pimples aren't usually anything to worry about. (A dimpling or large area of redness might be, though). Thank you for the nice sentiments about our group here. You've been a good friend to us. I love the fact they had a breast you could practice on. I've never seen that anywhere. If you were able to find a pea sized lump on the model I think that's great! They ought to have those in more places. Many women I've spoken to feel unsure about whether they'd be able to recognize a lump on their own breasts. I think in actuality they would, but a model like that helps build confidence about it. Thanks for posting. aw:

 

[Miss Mickey Mania]

I just wanted to add that I was at a 3-day expo this weekend and they had a breast there and it had several small size lumps in it. The lady asked me to find them. I could not find them to save my life. I tried and tired. Than she pointed me in the direction of the pea sized lump and low and behold there it was. I was totally amazed. No wonder so many women don't find them. I am going to start checking myself a little more carefully from now on. I just asummed they would jump out at me and they didn't.

Wow that is interesting, and a little scary! I often wonder if I would actually be able to feel a lump. That sample one you saw sounds like an excellent teaching tool. I think they should make that sort of thing compulsory for girls in late high school, like aged 17. Show them how to check for lumps properly. I'd go to that class myself!

What you experienced at the expo just proves that while it's all very well to say "do the self checks", it's maybe not so simple in reality at times.

Hmmm, some food for thought.

Louise

 

[Lessa of Pern]

happy birthday laurabelle!

 

[snappy]

I worked for a Fortune 500 company in New Orleans for a number of years before relocated. One of the benefits for employees was that periodically workshops were presented on different health issues. They brought in a breast specialist once, years ago, I think it was Dr. Stolier, a prominent doc in N.O. today anyway. He talked alot about self exams and had one of those models Mom2Ashli described. It was very difficult to find the lump. I also thought the model was fairly small. It is even more difficult to find a lump in a larger breast.

Do you think this is a non-cosmetic reason to have a reduction, to make detection easier? I am concerned that the scar tissue would make the mammos trickier. Any thoughts, ladies?

GAGWTA, everyone!!!

 

[Mom2Ashli]

LOL Mom2ashli - In my heart I knew it was just a plain old pimple but the day it happened I became a bit nervous when I saw it. Things weren't going too well for me at that time - I had just been through a scare for real and was already shell shocked and weary from so many doctors appointments and tests. I shared the story because I knew the ladies here could relate to the worry over silly things we all sometimes have and the feeling that you don't have it in you to travel even one more time to the doctors (not to mention rather proud of my ingenuity ). My team still kids me about that one. I later had to send a picture of the family to make things right.

So don't worry, little pimples aren't usually anything to worry about. (A dimpling or large area of redness might be, though). Thank you for the nice sentiments about our group here. You've been a good friend to us. I love the fact they had a breast you could practice on. I've never seen that anywhere. If you were able to find a pea sized lump on the model I think that's great! They ought to have those in more places. Many women I've spoken to feel unsure about whether they'd be able to recognize a lump on their own breasts. I think in actuality they would, but a model like that helps build confidence about it. Thanks for posting. aw:

I do have dimpling in my breast but that has been there for a long time. And it only gets red just around the pimple area.

Susan G. Komen takes that breast to Colleges and does a presentation about looking for lumps and self breast exams. It was a real eye opener for me.
She told me there were 3 lumps could I find them. As I was doing it, she kept telling to push a little harder than I was. I still couldn't find them.

They were telling us that they took it to the USF campus and a girl about 19 year old came by and asked what was going on. They explained it was a breast cancer seminar and she had no idea what Breast Cancer was. She had never heard of it. She said within 15 minutes of that girl walking away she had a 21 year old girl come up and tell her story. She was a breast cancer survivor. She found her own lump thru a self-exam. Totally amazing the difference between two women in a span of 15 mins.

 

[MerryPoppins]

Do you think this is a non-cosmetic reason to have a reduction, to make detection easier? I am concerned that the scar tissue would make the mammos trickier.

No idea if this would be cosmetic or not. My reduction of my remaining breast took place at the same time as my mastectomy. It was not considered cosmetic, so insurance covered it. They've had no trouble reading my mammograms. They've never asked for another shot or anything.

I think we should press for high schools and universities to have Susan G. Komen come out with the breast. I know many young girls don't have a clue how to examine themselves.

 

[Mom2Ashli]

I think we should press for high schools and universities to have Susan G. Komen come out with the breast. I know many young girls don't have a clue how to examine themselves.

I think that would be a wonderful idea.
I am 35 and thought that I had a clue. It just proved me wrong.

Next time I see my 3-day coach I will see how to contact them to do things at schools. I know several of the 3-day walks are already completed so the awareness should be flowing strong in the following areas.

Dallas/Ft. Worth, Kansas City, Twin Cities, Boston, Michigan, and Seattle are completed. Chicago is next in line.

 

[laurabelle]

GAGWTA this morning!

I know of a group in the Baltimore area, Haddassah (sp) that has a program that goes around to high schools (colleges too I think) and has a survivor tell their story and has a medical professional explain the importance of self breast exam and gives them lots of information. I was supposed to speak to them once, but something came up and it was cancelled. Young Survival Coalition also does alot of community outreach to this age group and young women in their 20's and 30's. They get support from Komen who, as you said, also does a college program. I know they are also around college health fairs too and will hand out highlighters and nail files and shower cards with reminders to do SBE. It's around...though not everywhere, but these are places that educate young women and teens about their risk of bc.
I'm not sure how it's done, if the programs solicite the schools or the schools ask for the programs. But if you any of you feel led in this area, you could certainly contact your local high school and ask if they are educating their teen girls about bc. And yes, I know some very young bc survivors...

snappy- That is a valid reason for having a reduction. Talk to a plastic surgeon about it. Decent insurance would cover it I bet. Your surgeon's office can tell you for sure.

Mom2Ashli- I hope your doc is keeping a close eye on that area.

 

[Mom2Ashli]

I am not sure that my Dr. and I have discussed this issue. But I will be going on Thursday to start my Research Drug for Endometriosis and I think I will see my Dr. at that time. So I will mention it to her. That way the research company might end up paying for the Mamogram.