Dis Breast Cancer Survivors Part IV - GAGWTA

Ladies I have been MIA, but now I need some advice. I have Brca1 and have yearly MRIs but this time I got a call saying I need to have an ultrasound and biopsy. This is my third mRi, my mum had bc at 73,oc at 77. I am 51.

Worried, and my test is not until sept 8.

Any thoughts?

S
 
sly, I am sorry you are facing this additional testing. I would think that due to your BRAC status and family history, the radiologist is being even more cautious.

Waiting is the worst part of all of this, I am sure it is agony waiting until September 8th.

You could ask for more info and ask specifically about the report from the MRI. But as you know the biopsy is the only way to figure out what is going on here.

I hope you can find a way to deal with the worry which is very normal.

Do you know about the website, facingourrisk.org? I found it helpful for obtaining info related to reconstruction years ago.

Please keep us posted how you do.
 
Cheryl....Zoe is just beautiful!!! again, I am soooo happy that things are going better for you!!! :hug:
Slg, Hi there fellow BCer.... I am sorry you are going through this stress. I get an MRI in the fall, and a diagnostic mammogram in the spring. After the mammo in the spring, they sent me for an ultrasound. I was in full panic mode. They left me waiting in the ultrasound room so long waiting because she wanted the specialist to come have a look. Of course the very worst case is going through your head. I was literally laying there with tears running down my face. But it ends up they were just being extra cautious, getting more than one opinion and making sure. I was really grateful for that after, it's just while it's going on it is hard to deal with. This test was also done in the same hospital our son died in 3 years ago, and I thought I would be ok with it, but I know I will be going back to the hospital in the city for future test for a little while longer :sad1: who was it on here that said their husband said "don't bleed before you are shot!" I have always thought that was pretty clever, but at that point in time it is very hard to do!! Try to find something to distract yourself with.... the weather has been so amazing this summer and that helps to get outside. Sadly they say we are getting some rain for the long weekend :( but maybe go out for some nice meals, go to see a show, have you been to Butchart gardens lately? or Craigdarroch castle? (I think I spelled that wrong!) Anyway, I still have not got my genetic testing done :scared: I am in a bit of a denial mode. I keep saying it's because we are so busy...but I know it's not really. this fall, when I have to go in for the MRI anyway, I will go do that as well. Take care, let us know how you are doing! :hug:
 

Has the genetic testing gone down in price, and therefore easier to get? I know the patent was expiring sometime soon. Thinking maybe I need to see about getting it. Of my Mom's three sisters, two have now had BC. One in her 40s, and she survived until age 90. Another diagnosed recently at 83! Mom died of CML leukemia, but I don't think that's one of the related cancers. I've got a daughter and two nieces.

Slg, great advice to find things to get your mind off it. Nothing you can do about it until you know for sure. Sorry you are going through this.
 
Has the genetic testing gone down in price, and therefore easier to get? I know the patent was expiring sometime soon. Thinking maybe I need to see about getting it. Of my Mom's three sisters, two have now had BC. One in her 40s, and she survived until age 90. Another diagnosed recently at 83! Mom died of CML leukemia, but I don't think that's one of the related cancers. I've got a daughter and two nieces.

Slg, great advice to find things to get your mind off it. Nothing you can do about it until you know for sure. Sorry you are going through this.

For Slg and myself....being here in Canada, fortunately we do not have to pay for it. Universal health care. My sister is on her 3rd different kind of cancer....one of which was breast. my other sister died from it, also my grandmother on my dads side. my grandmother on my moms side had it but did not die from, my mom as well. I really need to get in there and get it done....
I too have 2 daughters and 4 grand daughters....need to do it for them if not myself!!
 
I am not sure if it is because I am a survivor but my health insurance policy with Blue Cross covered my BRAC testing a couple of years ago.
 
slg, whatever they see, rest assured it is very likely super EARLY!! Which is the whole purpose of your having MRIs - to find something, if it comes up - really early, where the likelyhood of it causing damage is very low. :thumbsup2 I have them yearly, also, for the same reason (as many of us do, I'm sure) but have had BC in the past. The biggest issue with MRIs is the frequency of false positives. But better safe than sorry. I doubt you have much to worry about. :hug:
 
Winding down a very busy summer. Finally have a little peace and quiet here. DH had back surgery last week, which I was pretty concerned about, but, like a miracle, it has relieved most of the symptoms he was experiencing, which were quite debilitating for him. (A first. He has had disc problems before, but this time was really bad, with a portion of his disc pressing directly on the nerve going down his leg, making his leg feel like it was on fire all the time. :guilty: ) It is so nice to have him back to feeling himself again. :goodvibes Had a big baseball party last night to wind up the season, then begin fall ball next weekend. DS had a great season. And DD is doing really well, too, looking forward to starting school next week. Missing my girl, still, but enjoying the company of the little terrier. Loved all the pics, and you are all always in my thoughts and prayers. :grouphug:
 
Linda, good to hear the surgery for your DH was a success. Back surgery can be hit or miss. Glad he got a "hit!"

MaryAnn, I hope your trip with your DS is going well, not too hot or too rainy.

Baseball season ends, football begins. . . first LSU game last night, first one out of town.

The craziness begins here soon though. We live entirely too close to campus.

DD18 seems to have settled in well. She even decided to take on a part time job, close to campus. All three of her room mates are working, maybe she was by herself a bit.

I took mom for a visit to surgeon #3, the one that surgeon #2 (who she and my sister loved but who is located at least 3 hours away) referred her too.

Although we had an extraordinarily long wait int he waiting room (he has been seeing patients at a teaching hospital I think that sees mostly the underserved) he is starting to see patients at the physician tower adjacent to the largest hospital here.

Anyway, after talking with my brother and sister, I think his surgical plan in the hospital OR under general anesthesia with sample cells along the margins reviewed by a pathologist while she under, further surgery if the margins aren't clear and immediate reconstruction is the best course. mom wanted to avoid general anesthesia because of her age but I the surgeon recommends this approach since there could be serious complications. It also allows the potential to avoid another sugary if the margins aren't clear, and the reconstruction will make her more comfortable healing. Although this surgeon is relatively young he has done 45 of this type of surgery which is very are, 15 of whom were around mom's age. He also has traveled extensively to speak about this method.

Regardless he wants to do it during the next few weeks, and my DH is having cataract surgery too during this time frame so I will be busy.

I am relieved she is in the hands of a doctor using the latest surgical methods. What we know though is that it would have been better to address this years ago as the while still relatively small it sounds like at the longest, the tumor is 3 cm. Since the bone will be exposed, he will "tease" fat cells from the inside of her cheek and migrate them to cover the exposed bone and use a splint that they took an impression of Friday to cover and protect the incision and the reconstructed area.

Keep her in your thoughts.
 
Laurie - Prayers for your mom

Linda - prayers for your dh

Quick update from me and the energizer bunny,ds3. Today was animal kingdom, hollywood studios and now we are going swimming.

Tomm is MNSSHP and MK.

Its been hot and I have been having ds push me around alot. I thought I would pass out on sat afternoon in epcot. wowsa. Peg I dont now how you do this.


Love the frozen fireworks and frozen sing along
GAGWTA
 
Mary Ann, it has been a beastly summer. It seems like the worst one since we moved here ten years ago. Very hot and humid. Temps have not exceeded 100 degrees, but the heat index certainly has! To make it worse, it always feels hotter in the parks. The heat radiating off the pavement is a killer! I am so looking forward to winter!!!!

Hope you are having fun despite the heat!
 
slg - wishing you all the best with the testing

Laurie and Linda - thinking of your mom and dh

If you have a spare prayer, please say one for ds3 today. While we were on vacation he got a call from Alyssas mom. She has a friend who works in a hosp. that ds applied to and supposedly today someone from hr and her friend are going to be talking about ds3 resume. This one position is for a very prestigious nursing fellowship in pediatric oncology/hematology. Its a large hospital system so if that does not work out there might be something else. But its pretty far away so he would probably have to move and get an apt.

The trip was hot and tiring. I am glad ds pushed me alot. I told him there was no way I could walk alot since he never took breaks or wanted to rest etc.

It was always go, go and go. The Dolphin was nice. A little spread out. We got upgraded to a resort view which was nice and we got to swim in the pool once.

Also at the Yacht club we got upgraded to a water view room. We had an amazing view of the lake and looking at the espn club.

Ds favorite thing was La Nouba. I thought it was a little too much sensory overload for me.

The MNSSHP was ok. I liked the headless horseman and we really didnt see characters but we did some rides, trick or treating and saw the parade twice and the fireworks and 2 other shows. I dont think we would do it again. The lady outside the haunted mansion was cool and we liked looking at peoples costumes.

None of our meals were all that memorable but ds was thrilled that we got a tankside table at Coral Reef. It was so hot I ate a lot of kids meals for lunch.

We liked the frozen fireworks, sing along and the other things they had at the studios. We got to see AI before it closed the next day.

Hope everyone has a good week end.

GAGWTA
 
If you have a spare prayer, please say one for ds3 today. While we were on vacation he got a call from Alyssas mom. She has a friend who works in a hosp. that ds applied to and supposedly today someone from hr and her friend are going to be talking about ds3 resume. This one position is for a very prestigious nursing fellowship in pediatric oncology/hematology. Its a large hospital system so if that does not work out there might be something else. But its pretty far away so he would probably have to move and get an apt.
I'm sending positive vibes his way! It's nice to have an insider who can keep you posted.

I see my oncologist today for my regular follow-up. I am just about 1 year post-op :thumbsup2.
 
Waiting on a call from the hospital telling me what time to be there. going back in for an outpatient procedure. PS is opening my right side back up and "powerwashing" it out and re-inserting the expander. My drain fell out Saturday, and I called him and he said just to cover the opening w/ gauze and call him if I get a fever. He called me back yesterday and said it woke him up in the night worrying about it and wants to do this to try and make sure we don;t lose the expander and have to start over. I was supposed to be going back to work today. Oh well!!!

LMP - glad you had a nice trip! I was hoping to try and do a quick trip in a couple of months before exchange surgery, but I'm afraid to make any kind of plans right now. Prayers for your DS and the job!

robinb - good luck at your appt! My sis has her mammo this am, will be 1 yr since her diagnosis.

Thinking of everyone else's goings on. GAGWTA!
 
Made it through, got home yesterday around 6PM. He washed it all out, put in a new expander and a new drain. I don't think he filled this one quite as much because it's nowhere as tight feeling as it was. Still on the IV abx.

GAGWTA!
 
Lisa - so sorry you had to go through all of this again. Glad you are home and resting. Hope this surgery does the trick and that you will be on the fast track to a speedy recovery

robinb - how did your check up go?

Laurie - how is your mom

smiley - how is your sis?

Cheryl - 2 days till Garth!!

Linda -hope your dh is recovering

My R hip was hurting me alot yest. no surprise, but annoying. I am finding aleve is working better for me these days than tylenol.

Tomm. I have a meeting. Its always financial doom and gloom at the school but everything else is usually ok, so we shall see.

Dh has informed me he is going to Calif. next week. Its 4 days. Then he informed me they want him to speak somewhere in Oct. oh joy.

GAGWTA. Thinking of you all.
 
MaryAnn, sounds like you and your son had some nice quality time together on your trip! Too bad it was so hot though. Any word on the hospital application yet?

Straitlover, glad everything went well and, hopefully, things will go much smoother from here on out!

Robinb, hope everything went well at your appt

Laurie, I image you are very busy with your mom and all....does she have a surgery date yet?

Linda, good to hear that your DH is feeling better!

Sig, how are you doing?

MaryAnn, I don't know how you remember so much stuff! But yep, going to the Garth concert Thurs night! So excited! And, truth be told, (don't think I'm too crazy or anything!) we went last weekend too! Had a chance at some really great seats and just couldn't pass that up. The show was awesome!!!! Me and my cane were really rocking it! LOL

Physical therapy is still going well. I'm amazed at how much it has and continues to help. Wish I had started it much sooner. Chemo is going OK.

Zoe and her mommy and dad came and stayed overnight again. So nice to have them here, and I get lots of baby time! Can't beat that. :lovestruc

Not a whole lot going on here otherwise. DH is in the process of building a pretty big shed for lawn equipment and such, so he is happy about that - he has been wanting to build it for several years.

GAGWTA
 
Hi ladies! Cheryl, again...so glad to hear you are doing so much better!!!
Straightlover, sure hope you are doing better!!
Robinb sure hope your appt went well!!
LMP, what a dream, a trip with your son! so envious of you for that, but very happy for you too.
Peanme, sure glad your hubby's surgery went so well!
Snappy, prayers going out for your mom and your hubby!
summer is hanging on here, it's been one of our best ever! broke a heat record today, 74F, for us here in the usually rainy cool pacific northwest, that temperature is very welcome at this time of year! I have appointments lined up for the end of october for MRI etc. trying to not think about it. Been fighting with depression, like our daughter said, all of the sudden it feels like...."ok, that's enough of this now, it's time for him to come home" and the realisation that is not going to happen is really hitting hard. don't know why. I feel like it is almost worse now than before. I need a project to distract me I think. ::yes::
 
Slg, did you receive the results from your testing yet/

Robin, it is good to see you posting. don't be a stranger.

Cheryl, your recent posts sound so good. I am glad to hear you are feeling better and getting out to go to concerts! You go girl! Post some more pictures of you and Zoe!

MaryAnn, I am glad you and your DS3 found things you both like to do at WDW. I figured it was either going to be unbearably hot or rainy or both. It sounds like you made the most of it. Any news about the job for your DS?

Straitlover, I hope the redo for your implant heals well. Sorry you are having to deal with so many complications. I hope you have turned the corner now.

Janet, I am sorry you are feeling down. I am sure your sadness about your son is always there, just below the surface. I think you are right about tackling another project. Do you have any ideas in mind?

Also, I am glad you are enjoying the last of summer. We had a little cool front this weekend that cooled us off a bit. Back into the nineties this week though.

Thanks for asking about mom and DH everyone. Mom's surgery is this week. DH had the first eye done this past Wednesday and if this eye is good at his next followup appointment Thursday, then they will proceed with the second eye next week.

I have been busy cooking meals for mom that can be blended for her post surgery since she will need to eat pulverized foods for a few weeks. A few more things to pick up and we will be ready. She is mostly buying frozen veggies, so my sister and I are working on getting foods with proteins.

I had a memorable birthday this week. Fully dressed and ready to head out I decided to tighten the faucet in the shower since there was a drip. The faucet broke off and both the faucet and I fell into the shower. I ended up hitting my rump on the metal guide where the glass door closes quite hard. It happened so fast! I was eventually able to figure out I could get up but it hurt like holy heck. I guess I was in shock, but my sister and her husband came to check on me, bring lunch and get me to my doctor. My sister understood how scared I was as a fall at work in 1995 left her with serious life long physical limitations.

It was feeling better in the afternoon after applying ice every 30 minutes and taking advil so I figured I had not broken my tailbone, just a very large black bruise there, and the doctor confirmed it.

It taught me not to attempt any plumbing for a while anyway!

I am getting back to my normal activities and was able to accompany DH on walking Naj this weekend, but I rested a lot each day. I did not even leave the house Friday evening through this morning except to go to mom's house. Trying to reserve energy until mom's surgery date.

I am feeling a bit long in the tooth this morning. Falling certainly makes you think about what you are doing. I feel like I am walking on eggs. This is ridiculous.

Anyway I am not quite ready to sign up for assisted living.

GAGWTA!
 


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