Dis Breast Cancer Survivors Part II -GAGWTA!

[NHAnn]

GAGWTA!!

OK, speaking of St. Patrick, I want to share this .... My oldest brother forwarded it to me. The sentiment made me think of you ladies, and the pics and music are beautiful too...

http://www.e-water.net/viewflash.php?flash=irishblessing_en

 

[snappy]

Thanks for that wonderful Irish thing, Ann.

DH just got home (early for once) and we watched it together.

He is very Irish.

It was lovely.

Nice moment for us. Inspriring.

Thanks.

 

[SHAYMARAYSMOM]

May I join you guys? I just found out last week I have breast cancer again.

 

[snappy]

SHAYMARAYSMOM, of course you can! You are very welcome here. Although I have to say I wish you could have joined us under different circumstances for sure. I am truly sorry you have a recurrence.

Whenever you feel comfortable, tell us your story. We'll be here for you.

Love your St Patty's day decorations by the way. I am the proud wife of a Guinness drinking, card carrying, Irishman.

BTW everyone, do y'all celebrate St Patty's like we do down here? I mean parades and beads and vegetables and such?

I WAS trying to get DH to commit to which weekend we would go to Jazz FEst (late April/early May). We decided we would go both weekends, we DESERVE it. I need a babysitter for DD12. Any volunteers?

 

[annrae]

GAGWTA!!

OK, speaking of St. Patrick, I want to share this .... My oldest brother forwarded it to me. The sentiment made me think of you ladies, and the pics and music are beautiful too...

http://www.e-water.net/viewflash.php?flash=irishblessing_en

This was beautiful Ann and thank you so much for sharing. Barbara

 

[NHAnn]

SHAYMARAYSMOM--of COURSE you are most welcome here....this is a great group, some of us are here quite regularly, others come now and then, we have long time survivors, women in various stages of treatment currently, and we also have family members and friends of survivors join us too.
It's a great support group...for info and encouragement, for venting, and also for fun....and trip planning (we often joke that Disney therapy ought to be covered by insurance!)

We also have a few felow Red Sox Nation folk here...me, and Linda (Pea-n-Me) to name a couple, so baseball "therapy" is good too!

I'm so sorry a recurrence has brought you to us, but glad to "meet" you...jump right in with whatever you are comfortable sharing!

 

[SHAYMARAYSMOM]

Thanks
Well for starts I am 43 and this is my second round with breast caner. My first time was 15 years ago. I am dealing with Daner Faber and Bigham and womens Hospital in Boston. I will be getting my surgery date next Monday. I have done all my MRI'S and blood work and all kinds of xrays.
What has held them up from doing it already is the fact that I have Lupus and the needed to check how the meds are going to work with treatments. So I have been in a tail spin. Thank God my husband John is so good. I rthink I would be lost with out him.
Kellie

 

[laurabelle]

GAGWTA!!

OK, speaking of St. Patrick, I want to share this .... My oldest brother forwarded it to me. The sentiment made me think of you ladies, and the pics and music are beautiful too...

http://www.e-water.net/viewflash.php?flash=irishblessing_en

Ann- I loved that...so poignant and beautiful...What a blessing... Thank you! I want to get a celtic knot tattoo over my port scar someday when I'm well enough to do it!

SHAYMARAYSMOM- Kellie I'm glad you are here sista.

 

[lookingforward]

Thanks
Well for starts I am 43 and this is my second round with breast caner. My first time was 15 years ago. I am dealing with Daner Faber and Bigham and womens Hospital in Boston. I will be getting my surgery date next Monday. I have done all my MRI'S and blood work and all kinds of xrays.
What has held them up from doing it already is the fact that I have Lupus and the needed to check how the meds are going to work with treatments. So I have been in a tail spin. Thank God my husband John is so good. I rthink I would be lost with out him.
Kellie

First of all, hugs to you, you will get through it! I am 46 and currently in treatment for BC. I am glad you found us, I have gained a lot of strength from the women here and you will too! Let us know how things are going, we are all behind you!

 

[DeeCeeSW]

GAGWTA Ladies! Welcome SHAYMARAYSMOM.

Thank you for all of your support. Tomorrow afternoon is the Breast MRI which means (finally) some definitive answers/findings by next Tuesday. I am considering getting a second opinion once all of my results are in. As a true New Yorker, it may be hard to take what these New Jersey doctors are saying as truth. LOL No, seriously, I have already made an appt. to consult with another surgeon in NY (3-week wait, of course). I know that I need the sentinel biopsy regardless of who I end up with, so the timing with this is weird. I just know that NJ doc will schedule the biopsy on the day that I am scheduled to see NY doc! I am satisfied with the care I am receiving so far, and we are still in the early stages, so there is still time. Chances are I will cancel the appt. with NY doc, but for piece of mind, maybe not...

I hope everyone is having a good day. The sun is shining here. The weathermen predicted snow.

Dawn

 

[MerryPoppins]

Welcome SHAYMARAYSMOM! We're glad to have you here.

Dawn, why are they doing sentinal node as a surgery on it's own? Are they wanting to have that info before you come up with your plan? I'm not questioning your doctors, just wondering why?

I'm wondering because when I opted for a mastectomy, my doctors did the sentinal node biopsy at the same time. Is that not an option for you if you go that route? Remember, I hate surgery. So I'm wondering from the not having to have even more surgeries standpoint.

I haven't been around much. Got some sort of lovely bug from DD. I'm still not feeling 100%, but better.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Just a quick hello and welcome to SHAYMARAYSMOM.

 

[DeeCeeSW]

Dawn, why are they doing sentinal node as a surgery on it's own? Are they wanting to have that info before you come up with your plan? I'm not questioning your doctors, just wondering why?

I'm wondering because when I opted for a mastectomy, my doctors did the sentinal node biopsy at the same time. Is that not an option for you if you go that route? Remember, I hate surgery. So I'm wondering from the not having to have even more surgeries standpoint.

Glad you are feeling better.

Doc says he wants to do it so it can help with the plan--radiation or not?
I, too, despise surgery. Doc says mastectomy of the right is inevitable, unless the tumor is smaller than he anticipated. In that case, he says I can opt for chemo before considering mastectomy. However, he says most women with my widespread calcification situation end up asking for the mastectomy anyway, due to the uncertainty of all of the cancer being removed, and, of course, threat of recurrence.

Since this is the case, I will opt for mastectomy on the right, and most probably prophylactic/preventative for the left. So I guess I should be asking the doc why he just doesn't check the nodes during mastectomy surgery? I don't want to have any extra surgery!!!

Thinking back on our meeting last week, I think doc may want to do the sentinel node so that he and my plastic surgeon know if I am a candidate for reconstruction. Clear nodes=no radiation=immediate reconstruction.

But I haven't made a decision about reconstruction yet! Now I am really confused. I suppose if I told him that I want to wait on reconstruction that he would do the mastectomy and sentinel node biopsy together, much sooner after tomorrow's MRI.

Hmm....no pressure!

 

[SHAYMARAYSMOM]

Hi everyone,
Today for some reason was not a good day. I try to get thru each day but today was tough. I am just for some reason wanting this to all go away and be some bad dream I am having. I normally am not like this. So I am not sure why I am feeling this way today

 

[NHAnn]

SHAYMARAYSMOM- sorry today was a downer for you. Tomorrow will be better

DeeCeeSW- maybe I'm reading something you've posted wrong ...and at the risk of confusing you more, I'll throw this out there: I thought the SNB or any lymph node biopsies were to determine if chemo is necessary (not to determine if radiation is necessary). The lymph nodes status I thought influenced the chemo plan since it helps determine the likliehood that stray cancer cells have gone out from the breast through the lymphatic system to potentially metastisize somewhere else in the body. Radiation treats the breast tissue locally, as insurance against cancer cells remaining in the breast that the surgery did not get. My understanding from the ladies I know at my local support group, is that those with invasive cancer that had mastectomy did not have radiation, as there is not any or enough breast tissue to even radiate after mastectomy, but radiation after lumpectomy is generally the standard of care, whether chemo is needed or not. I hope I did not confuse you more, I think I confused myself more ! AACK!

Having computer issues here...well the router specifically....after a brief power blip here last night, our "secured" wireless network (for the 2 laptops -3 when DD is home) is not "in range"...like it fell off the face of the earth or something ...the only way to connect to the internet is through an unsecured linksys network- so DH is giving me the evil eye for being online- DD (who set up the "network" ) isn't here and says to call the help line for linksys, but I don't feeeeeeeel like dealing with it tonight. (WHIIINE)

So I better get off.....GAGWTA!!!!

 

[DeeCeeSW]

I thought the SNB or any lymph node biopsies were to determine if chemo is necessary (not to determine if radiation is necessary). The lymph nodes status I thought influenced the chemo plan since it helps determine the likliehood that stray cancer cells have gone out from the breast through the lymphatic system to potentially metastisize somewhere else in the body. Radiation treats the breast tissue locally, as insurance against cancer cells remaining in the breast that the surgery did not get. My understanding from the ladies I know at my local support group, is that those with invasive cancer that had mastectomy did not have radiation, as there is not any or enough breast tissue to even radiate after mastectomy, but radiation after lumpectomy is generally the standard of care, whether chemo is needed or not. I hope I did not confuse you more, I think I confused myself more!

Maybe my doc is thinking that I will not opt for the prophylactic mastectomy after all. Because I could swear he said that immediate reconstruction (silicone implants) would not be possible if I had radiation (may distort shape?). I understand--double mastectomy means no need for radiation. If nodes are clean/clear then I may also avoid chemo and maybe Tamoxifen will be enough (again with double)?

Please forgive me. I thought I had this right, but I guess I have been talking about it so much over the last week that I have managed to confuse it all.

ETA: DH just helped by recalling the conversation with the doc. He remembers doc saying that the SNB would help determine chemo plan (if any) but also if the cancer has spread outside the lymph nodes to chest wall --does this sound right? If cancer has, in fact, spread, then radiation may be needed, therefore eliminating option for immediate reconstruction.

Maybe we both got it wrong?

 

[TulsaDisneyFamily]

Hello ladies, my name is Melanie. My DH is Randy. He recently posted. I would like to join in and add my thoughts, if you don't mind.

Dawn,
I had a MRI of the breast to tell if the lymph nodes were invoved, to look at the other breast and to confirm the size of the tumor. I also had CT scans (now they do PET scans) looking for anything else in the body. My Breast Surgeon (all she does) then sent me to talk with the Medical oncologist and a plastic surgeon if I wanted a mastectomy and reconstruction.

If they are concerned about the lymph nodes they can perform a fine needle biospy in the office with local and tell if there are any cancer cells before surgery. Ann is correct about lymph nodes and the need for chemo. Radiation is generally reserved for large cancers that are too close to the chest wall or already invaded the chest wall. The MRI and PET scans can answer most of the question.A lumpectomy with radiation has the same "cure rate" or is equal to a mastectomy. Chemo is only needed if the cancer if in the lymph nodes.

I will pray for you and for wisdom for you doctors and your treatment.
Melanie

 

[MerryPoppins]

So I guess I should be asking the doc why he just doesn't check the nodes during mastectomy surgery? I don't want to have any extra surgery!!!

Thinking back on our meeting last week, I think doc may want to do the sentinel node so that he and my plastic surgeon know if I am a candidate for reconstruction. Clear nodes=no radiation=immediate reconstruction.

I really wasn't questioning your doctor's plan. When I hear something different I'm just curious...maybe your doc has a really good reason for choosing to do it that way and if so I'd love to know. Just mainly wondering why my doc offered to do both at the same time. It may be because he's wondering if you could start reconstruction at the time of your surgery if you knew. That makes sense. I guess maybe they thought they could just forget the beginning of reconstruction (with me) if it looked like nodes were involved? Remember, I'm the one who had an extender put in at my surgery and later reversed. Or maybe your doctor has another reason.

Welcome Melanie!

I'm sorry you had a bad day SHAYMARAYSMOM. I hope after a good night's sleep it all looks better. We've all been there.

The weather was beautiful here today. DH and I walked the dogs around the lake this afternoon and it was lovely. The robins were out, so those of you in the frozen north...I'm starting to see signs of spring. I'll try to send you some sunshine.

 

[DeeCeeSW]

I really wasn't questioning your doctor's plan. When I hear something different I'm just curious...maybe your doc has a really good reason for choosing to do it that way and if so I'd love to know..

Oh, I didn't think you were questioning his plan, however, you did make me realize that I am not clear on the plan!! This is helpful.

I just finished reading Susan Love's book and she also mentions sentinel node during mastectomy surgery. Once the MRI results come in, doc will call me (or call me in), so I will go over it with him again. There is so much to know, absorb and decide that I am literally confusing myself.

 

[violetshelby]

Hi everyone and Welcome SHAYMARAYSMOM and Melanie,

I finally had my last chemo today ! Woo Hoo!!
Can't wait to get thru the next couple of weeks to start feeling a little better, I know I will still have some fatique but at least no more chemo.
I will still be going for Herceptin every week right now then it will change to every 3 weeks. Radiation will start in about a month, but I can handle all of that.
Hoping to celebrate as soon as I am feeling up to it.

Violet