Dis Breast Cancer Survivors Part III - GAGWTA!

[Candy30]

PNM- Happy Wedding Anniversary! And Happy Cancer Anniversay! When I read what you said about your kids I started to cry too. I went through the same thing and I can relate. My kids were 5 and 9 at the time. When I get upset or mad at them, I stop and think, you still have them to cherish. Thanks for the reminder. I agree with annrae. You are special.

LMP- Yeah for your trip!!!! I am excited for you. The Vanessa Williams boat ride sounds great. I am happy for you and your hubby! Thanks for following my trip report. I can't wait to read yours and JACKS.

Jacks- I know what you mean about the science fair. My daughter was assigned a plant experiment in the middle of winter. It was hard to find anything, seed, soil, anything. She was embarassed because nothing grew but they still had her set up a table at the fair. This year they are starting early. So we will see. I hope the kids stay with the play. It would be a good experience. Thanks for reading my trip report!

Sha-How are things with your Mom? I am praying for you.

Joanne UK- Welcome! You have come to the right spot. You will find a group of special women here to help.

Snappy- I hope your trip comes together. Your chicken for dinner sounds good.

I have an interview with the new company tomorrow and with the Neurology department too. 2 in one day. I have to work on my questions for the new company. I am praying for guidance on everything.

Fortunately, I have my PET scan this week (I am allergic to the die) before I go on the new "lame" insurance. I have taken both the kids for their check ups and dental before we go to the new insurance. Gotta get it all in before hand. I wish I could have had my treatment in before then but Oh well.

 

[lookingforward]

Linda, congrats on your anniversary and also on being six years past BC! You always give such great information and support here on this thread. You are a really great person!

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Good afternoon ladies

Joanne - Welcome, You are such a thoughtful friend to be so concerned for your friend, I am sure she greatly and deeply appreciates you. Wishing her all the best

Linda - Yeah, I had some tears and a big ol lump in my throat when I read your post. I know my kids are older but I thought that way all the time know like with ds passing his driving test the other day etc. Your wealth of knowledge amazes me. I dont like the word "metastatic". I actually saw that they wrote that on my chart etc. I guess because its in the lymph nodes and stage 4? Is this also common, since I read this in some hosp. newsletter they just sent to our house, they said...when a newly dx cancer pt. comes they have a tumor board meeting with onc., surgeon etc? Do they do this for ALL cancers? Oh and happy anniversary!! Hope the remodel is gong good,. I have wilsonart on the counter. Hate it, would like something else.I guess that was popular 15 years ago.

Candy - I hope things go well on the job front with the interviews. I actually got to stay on the neurology floor when I had the radiation. I guess that is where they keep the radioactive rooms. Good luck with the pet scan. I know what you mean about the ins. We had to have it pre authorized, double checked etc. They told me this is a $6,000 test around here!! OMG!!

Sha - Thinking of your mom and wishing her all the best at the biopsy tomm.

Monique - I hope things are o.k. with you. Thinking of you. Update us when you can

Well ds21 has borrowed my van for college, he will get an oil change on his car tomm. Ds 19 has off from college today and asked me for money for a haircut. O.K. He comes back with a partial mohawk and a ballistic mother!! I told him go and get it fixed and I am not paying for anything else to get it fixed etc!! Its horrid, I want my son back!! And of course, he didnt tell me he was doing this ahead of time.
Last night something scary happened to me. I was eating the pizza and felt a huge pain in my L jaw, the side where the neck dissection was. It felt hot and liked it swelled up. I asked dh to feel it he thought the same. He wanted to take me to the hosp. No way of course. I just took some tylenol. Its gone now. I dont know what it was and I hope it doesnt happen again. The surgeon for that is away this week anyway. sigh, sigh. Typed 6 pages of stuff for dh last night.

GTAGWTA. Thinking of you all.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

GAGWTA, Ladies!!

Linda, happy late anniversary to you!!
How wonderful to mark the passing of another year of life and love.

Candy, we have never tried to use plants for science fair. Outdoors they would wilt from heat or freeze from cold. Inside the cats would nibble them, then puke the remains on my carpet. This year we are attempting to corrode pipes with household chemicals. This is the project we wanted to do last year. But last year I could NOT find glass jars! I looked EVERYWHERE! Who knew JARS were seasonal? I recently saw them at the grocery store and figured "Great!" Went back to buy them - GONE! Shelf was stripped bare. Luckily a guy went and dug them out of the stockroom for us.
Good luck with your interviews!! And your PET scan!!

Maryann, take care of yourself! That pain sounds scary!

 

[honugirl]

GAGWTA everyone!

Well, I talked to my endo last night and I'm really deflated now. He's now convinced that my being so unstable on the keto is making me a bad candidate for the BLA (bilateral adrenalectomy). Now he wants me to get another pituitary scan and then see a radiation person and radiate the pit gland. I don't want to do that. Radiation may kill any remaining tumor cells, but it also kills the gland so in 10 years or less I will be on FULL hormone replacement (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, thyroid, growth hormone, cortisol, aldosterone, etc.) I'll only be 41 and having to do that. I think the keto is causing my issues and interfering with my body's absorption of the hydrocortisone causing the low periods, but he doesn't believe me. Docs really should LISTEN to their patients. Some of us actually do know what we're talking about... So I'm really in the deep dark hole right now. I'm looking for a therapist to try and pull me through this. I'm really scared and really nervous about my future.

Hugs to everyone and Happy Anniversary to Pea-N-Me.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Good evening ladies

Lisa - I am sending you a and am so sorry that you have to go through all of this. I know it must be so aggravating to not be taken seriously. Its Your Life and the docs should listen. I know you are so strong and courageous. Hang in there sista! I am sure its gets weary having to advocate for yourself all the time. But YOU are so worth it!! Always remember that!!


Well I had alot of pain in my stomach last night. O.k. I was moaning a little. Today I went to physical therapy and darn if I wasnt bait and switched for Mr. Coffee today. Well I think I spoke up in my horrid sounding voice and embaressed him and he actually did stuff today. He was working on another lady and said, Maryann take a break. I said, no I am not taking a break. The dr. said its not good enough of what I am doing (making progress etc)., I said I am not going to get better by taking a break, I have to work. So I actually spent alot of time in there today. He did the stretching but not as good as the other guy. He didnt even drink any coffee..and guess what...his coffee cup was..Mickey!! Omg!! Well then dh calls and said the surgery scheduler has called him to verify Nov. 11. He tells her I had alot of pain last night. She says, oh maybe he can see you today. D h calls back and says, we have an appt at 3:20. I say, I really dont want to do this and will tough it out etc. I am only going for you. So Dr. M. and my angel np look at me. He says its now a "semi-emergency" of me, and he got a cancellation and he is going to operate on me THIS Thurs. Oct. lst. The pre-op is Tomm!!. And now since things are gettting worse he said he might start off laprascopically but have to end regularly. So pray for me sistas!!

GTAGWTA, Thinking of you all.

 

[Sha]

Hi ladies... I was able to observe mom's biopsy today. Went well. The doc let me in because of who he is, and because of my medical background (I guess). Was interesting to see. Mom just woke a bit ago and said she is fine, no pain. We wont get results for 4-5 days, so that will be after the weekend I am sure. We are going to WDW with my sister and neice for the weekend. Mom hadnt told them yet. She will when we get together. I have been vague on FB because of her wishes.

Thanks for the thoughts and prayers. I could be wrong, but to me, it felt larger today but not by much.

 

[honugirl]

Thanks LMP. This really is a big blow to me. I'm trying to stay strong, but I'm tired. Every time I think I see the light at the end of the tunnel, I realize it's really just a freight train coming to run me over. I'm not sure how much more I can take. I'm really beaten down and really depressed. I can't take anti-depressants because I have a really bad reaction to them. I've searched for a therapist, but I can't find any I'm compatible with. They don't understand how to deal with an athlete with chronic illness. So I'm trying to just keep my head above water and just keep treading. Maybe eventually someone will throw me a lifeline.

I hope your surgery goes well. You deserve to be pain free.

Sha, glad to hear your mom's biopsy went well. Hope you get some good results. Have a good time at the World.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Honu, sending you big hugs! I am sorry I don't have any sage advice.

Maryann, I hope your surgey goes well!!

Sha, good thoughts for your mom! Waiting for those results is the worst.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

My DD is in the hospital, quite sick. Please keep her in your prayers.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Linda, OBM and I are sending you many well wishes for your DD!!!

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Linda - saying prayers for your precious dd

 

[Sha]

Linda.... definitely in my prayers!!! Please keep us posted.

Mom saw her regular MD today, and gave her a copy of the visit last Thursday. Bottom of the letter, suspected for malignancy, (something) category 5. Is this the same as stages??

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Sha, I don't know. But hoping for a good outcome for your mom!!

 

[Candy30]

Sha- I am glad your Mom's biopsy was good and how cool you got to watch. I don't know anything about grade but I hope everything works in your Mom's favor.
LMP-I hope your surgery goes well. I am glad you hubby made you go to the Doctor. Glad he didn't listen to you.
Jacks- How is practice going for the play?

PNM- Hugs and prayers for you and DD. When you can, keep us updated.

Honu- I wish we could all rally around you and have a drink together. Hang in there girl. You can do this.

 

[Candy30]

Sorry I hit enter and it didn't take all of my reply.

Work. (Sigh) I had both interviews yesterday. The one with the company that is taking over went well. I actually felt relieved. But the insurance is crap on a stick.

The second with the Neurology department did not go so well. I said a prayer before going in for guidance and started the interview with 2 people. One was the doctors administrative secretary and the other was the office manager. It was going well and they began to talk about the duties. Now I am busy at my job but there????? I would be his clinical secretary. He has 2 clinics, med students (which is a job all by itself), 2 studies, and wants to start publishing (which means I would do the research). One clinic is about 45 minutes away from me and I would have to drive and park there. This conflicts with taking my daughter to school. So I thought ok I can do this? I said a quick prayer and asked what is the doctor like to work for. The adm secretary started talking about him and just then he busted through the door and said "I have been searching for you". She introduced me and he shook my hand and quickly left after telling her to see him right away. There was my answer. So it looks as if I may be here until I can find something else. GAGTWA

 

[honugirl]

Thanks everyone! I wish we could all get together for a drink too. That would be really nice. I kind of just feel numb right now. I am going to ask the endo about doing a unilateral adrenalectomy instead of a bilateral one. If he thinks I'll be so unstable with both out, maybe he'll take one out to lower my cortisol making ability some, but still leave some residual ability to make stress hormones. I just don't feel right about the radiation and the effect it will have on me down the road.

Pea-N-Me, I hope your daughter is doing OK.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Candy, YIKES! I don't think I would care to work for that Dr. It also sounds like he is looking for the impossible - one person to do the job of several.

Play practice just started yesterday, and today DS is off at some Band thing. It isn't even a Band thing where these kids are playing, they are observing the high school kids. If I have things my way, DS will go to the Arts high school where the ISN'T a marching band! But he does love drumming. So anyway, he isn't at play rehearsal today. If he wasn't at the Band thing he would be at his community theater class, so either way, he wouldn't be at rehearsal.

The community theater called me today and asked me if he would audition for their Christmas show. I got the audition notice, but they are requiring the kids to miss seven mornings of school. ALL of his academics are in the morning, so that would be tricky. But now that he has been cast in the school play as a lead he doesn't have any extra time. The community production probably wouldn't be a speaking part (at least not a big speaking part), so the school play will be better experience for him.

Linda, hoping for some good news from you soon!

Honu, I hope we will hear good news from you, too! It sounds like you have really done your homework here and have some ideas to discuss.

 

[snappy]

Linda, I am so concerned for your daughter. Please post again when you can. You know we are all praying and will continue to do so.

 

[snappy]

Linda.... definitely in my prayers!!! Please keep us posted.

Mom saw her regular MD today, and gave her a copy of the visit last Thursday. Bottom of the letter, suspected for malignancy, (something) category 5. Is this the same as stages??

I am confused what the letter was. When I had my first diagnostic mammogram, it was a BiRad Category 4. It is low level of suspicion I think.

Was the letter related to the mammogram or the biopsy? the word "suspected" makes me think mammogram.
Mammograms don't determine grade or stage. The stage comes from the biopsy but is further defined only when and if there is a lymph node dissection afterwards. The grade I think also comes from the biopsy, but the biopsy results can not be conclusive either if the sampled areas is not indicative of the full extent of the tumor (not clear margins).

My sister had a BiRad 4 as well and had no malignancy found with the surgical biopsy. I think a BiRad 3 is normal. I am not sure what 5 is.

I am sorry, I am sure I am confusing here, you need to talk with the doctor.

I think I did a lot of googling at the time to figure it out. I think reading mammograms is one big grey area with different docs coming up with different levels. Truly, the biopsy is the definitive test.

When do you expect those results?