Dis Breast Cancer Survivors Part IV - GAGWTA

[Feralpeg]

Melissa, I won't tell you not to worry. You will no matter what anyone says, but I have had several biopsies that turned out to be nothing...and that was after already having had cancer prior.

Over the years, many ladies have come to this thread with similar concerns. It is very normal to be scared. Fortunately, more cases turn out to be nothing than those that turn out to be cancer. Hang in there. Not knowing is the worst! I will be praying that you get good news. Please know that, either way, we are hear for you!

 

[MelissaE1]

Hi Laurie and Feralpeg,

Thank you so much for responding. It’s hard not to feel alone out here right now! You are right, the waiting is not fun, and the storms and COVID have set everything back. Creativity is great for Disney trips, but not so nice when worrying.

Laurie, I think both biopsies are under a local. I live on the Florida Panhandle so not a huge area for giant medical facilities. Really just a lot more worried about the node one as that seems to signal a more dire diagnosis. Just typing it scares me. I guess some people still do beat it or live with it. It sounds like treatments have come a long way recently.

Feralpeg, thanks for the support and the reminder to wait and see. Are you currently in treatment?

Since I’m hoping you’ll keep me company while I wait (or go through whatever), I thought I’d tell a little bit about myself. I grew up within an hour of Disneyland, and had many happy trips there as a child and young adult. We moved to NW Florida when my son was 2 but never went to WDW until one of my scout moms invited me to come with her and her 5 kids. My son was 6 and daughter 2. (These were the days of the $99 4 day hopper. So hard to believe.) After 2 days I realized we did not get along at all and I called my DH and asked him to come down. And I created a family sized monster.

I started on the DIS when my mom offered to pay for a cruise for our 10th anniversary; DH didn’t want to go without the kids, so I found a great resident rate on DCL and the monster got bigger. Being a resident helped a lot. I’ve gotten so much help and info here through the years.

Currently both my kids live in Orlando and attend UCF, so pre-COVID I had plenty of reasons to visit Disney. My son is 26 and a software engineering major. He’s quite ADHD and took a while to figure himself out, but he just landed a nice job for post graduation from a summer internship. My daughter just turned 22 and is a senior. Communications and legal studies.

I feel this is going to continue to be a rough wait, so thanks again for responding and for any future posts to keep me sane! (Although some would argue that I started there anyway, lol.)

 

[Feralpeg]

Melissa, yes, I am currently under treatment for stage 4 breast cancer. Let me follow that by saying that I hate the staging process. One person's stage 4 is not another's. I am doing okay. I have been at this for 37 years. That's right...37 years! I was first diagnosed at age 31. I am now 68.

No one wants to consider the idea of having cancer, but there are many times it turns out to be nothing. And, there is always hope. Treatments today are amazing compared to when I first began this journey!

Please continue to keep us informed. You have a lot of support here!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Welcome, @MelissaE1, the place we’re all glad is here, but none of us want to be! Glad you found us. I understand your fear. Before my breast cancer, I never wanted to read anything about it, either. And after my diagnosis, I was terrified reading about it, too. It’s a sad, lonely time. So that’s why this thread was created. We all understand those feelings all too well. We’ll be right here while you go through your testing, gladly. I will say that even if the worst occurs, and you get a diagnosis of BC, chances are excellent you will survive it, like so many of us have. (About 17 yrs for me, too, even with two nodes positive under my arm.) But as snappy and Feralpeg have said, chances are good that won’t be what it is, hopefully. Either way, we’re here. Try to relax as much as you can, and take care of yourself. Let some things go. Rest. Treat yourself to flowers, etc. whatever it takes to get through it. My kids are around the same age! Lucky to be so close to WDW and DCL! Future trips will be even more special after all this!! Here we call them “therapy”!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Melissa, yes, I am currently under treatment for stage 4 breast cancer. Let me follow that by saying that I hate the staging process. One person's stage 4 is not another's. I am doing okay. I have been at this for 37 years. That's right...37 years! I was first diagnosed at age 31. I am now 68.

No one wants to consider the idea of having cancer, but there are many times it turns out to be nothing. And, there is always hope. Treatments today are amazing compared to when I first began this journey!

Please continue to keep us informed. You have a lot of support here!

Peg, you are amazing! Such a strong lady!

 

[MelissaE1]

Feralpeg, it sounds like you have some experience with this! I am guessing you have many interesting stories to tell. Thank you so much for sharing, and your words of encouragement. Amazing and strong for sure! I love your screen name, btw. So clever.

Pea-n-Me, thank you for posting! It’s so nice to feel like I’m not alone in what I’m feeling, and know that others have made it through these feelings. It does seem sad and lonely and scary right now. But less so with this thread for sure.

I wanted you all to know that your posts helped so much that I was able to relax for a little and enjoy a nice evening on the patio last night with DH. And I ate a big dinner. I often don’t feel like eating when I’m really stressed, so that was helpful. We bought a cheap projector at Walmart recently and rigged up a super inexpensive outdoor theater and it’s been really nice. Surprising quality for sub-$200 all told. Beat Bobby Flay was our dinner company. Always better if you have food – it’s a bad show/channel to watch if you’re hungry, lol.

I’d love to know where everyone is from if you want to share. And thanks again for giving me somewhere to connect.

 

[snappy]

Melissa, glad you relaxed and enjoyed a good evening last night.

I live in Baton Rouge, LA. Love the Florida panhandle, it’s our favorite beach area. We have been many times, 5 or 6 times in the last 6 years, twice this summer to Carillion beach on the west side of Panama City beach. We are thinking of returning this winter but still undecided.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I am from the Boston area of MA!

 

[JimMIA]

I'm changing my avatar in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

DW was, for many years, the coordinator of our Miami-Dade Police Department team for the American Cancer Society's "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer" Walk in Miami. Our department is 5,000 strong and very much a family, so our campaign is kind of a big deal.

Hundreds of employees, from the department director to academy classes raise money for the cause and over the years a lively competition has developed to see who could raise the most. DW retired in May, so a new team has taken over and will do a fantastic job.

Last year, our police family raised more than $100,000!

One of the innovative ideas from one of our district stations was a Challenge Coin. One side of the coin has our badge (in pink of course), the name of the department, and "Never Give Up.' The other side of the coin is pictured in my avatar. A pink ribbon, boxing gloves, a thin blue line, and our slogan, "In this family, no one fights alone."

The coin sold for $10, and they sold out in a matter of 3-4 days.

So as we begin to acclimate ourselves to retired life in this crazy time of Covid, it seemed fitting to change my normal avatar in recognition of this important cause, and DW's many years of leading our effort.

Here's what the challenge coin looks like:

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I'm changing my avatar in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

DW was, for many years, the coordinator of our Miami-Dade Police Department team for the American Cancer Society's "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer" Walk in Miami. Our department is 5,000 strong and very much a family, so our campaign is kind of a big deal.

Hundreds of employees, from the department director to academy classes raise money for the cause and over the years a lively competition has developed to see who could raise the most. DW retired in May, so a new team has taken over and will do a fantastic job.

Last year, our police family raised more than $100,000!

One of the innovative ideas from one of our district stations was a Challenge Coin. One side of the coin has our badge (in pink of course), the name of the department, and "Never Give Up.' The other side of the coin is pictured in my avatar. A pink ribbon, boxing gloves, a thin blue line, and our slogan, "In this family, no one fights alone."

The coin sold for $10, and they sold out in a matter of 3-4 days.

So as we begin to acclimate ourselves to retired life in this crazy time of Covid, it seemed fitting to change my normal avatar in recognition of this important cause, and DW's many years of leading our effort.

Here's what the challenge coin looks like:View attachment 529572

I love that, Jim! Thank you and your wife and everyone involved.

 

[China Expat]

I finished my nine months of breast cancer treatment on July 10. Other than my hair falling out, I did not find the treatment bad at all. I will say that I wonder every day if it will come back somewhere else in the future, so I go go go and live every day to the max!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I finished my nine months of breast cancer treatment on July 10. Other than my hair falling out, I did not find the treatment bad at all. I will say that I wonder every day if it will come back somewhere else in the future, so I go go go and live every day to the max!

Congratulations on finishing!

 

[snappy]

I'm changing my avatar in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

DW was, for many years, the coordinator of our Miami-Dade Police Department team for the American Cancer Society's "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer" Walk in Miami. Our department is 5,000 strong and very much a family, so our campaign is kind of a big deal.

Hundreds of employees, from the department director to academy classes raise money for the cause and over the years a lively competition has developed to see who could raise the most. DW retired in May, so a new team has taken over and will do a fantastic job.

Last year, our police family raised more than $100,000!

One of the innovative ideas from one of our district stations was a Challenge Coin. One side of the coin has our badge (in pink of course), the name of the department, and "Never Give Up.' The other side of the coin is pictured in my avatar. A pink ribbon, boxing gloves, a thin blue line, and our slogan, "In this family, no one fights alone."

The coin sold for $10, and they sold out in a matter of 3-4 days.

So as we begin to acclimate ourselves to retired life in this crazy time of Covid, it seemed fitting to change my normal avatar in recognition of this important cause, and DW's many years of leading our effort.

Here's what the challenge coin looks like:View attachment 529572

All I can say is WOW! And of course thanks from both myself and my mom, both of us survivors.

I hope you and your wife enjoy your retirement.

 

[goofy4tink]

Melissa, yes, I am currently under treatment for stage 4 breast cancer. Let me follow that by saying that I hate the staging process. One person's stage 4 is not another's. I am doing okay. I have been at this for 37 years. That's right...37 years! I was first diagnosed at age 31. I am now 68.

No one wants to consider the idea of having cancer, but there are many times it turns out to be nothing. And, there is always hope. Treatments today are amazing compared to when I first began this journey!

Please continue to keep us informed. You have a lot of support here!

Oh man...I've been away for a bit. Way too much happening in my life over the past 18 months. Anyway, I'm so sorry to hear you're still fighting. You and Kendall have had way too much on your plates.

I am from the Boston area of MA!

I'm from just east of Worcester. It's great to live in an area where we have such terrific medical facilities.

I came back here to see how everyone is doing. Way too many new people fighting this fight. I'm approaching my two year surgery mark...Oct 13. I'm doing great, the anastrozole I take does have some of my hair leaving my head. But, my hairdresser says I can well afford to lose some!! I do worry about 'it' coming back, but, can't live like that.
So, how has life been? Not great. Evidently my husband had been having an affair for almost two years, but when he found I was diagnosed with cancer, he put his hidden divorce on hold. The night of my surgery? He dropped me at home, saying he needed an AA meeting. Of course I said to go. But, I found out, via his cc statements, that he met his girlfriend and took her to dinner, before possibly heading to his meeting. You see, that's where he met her. He consequently hid thousands of dollars, got terminated from his job (just before my surgery, so that was a medical insurance nightmare), I had to drain savings to pay bills (not knowing he had more than enough stashed away), our daughter went hungry in Florida rather than ask us for help. We brought her home (May 2019), and he secretly filed for divorce that week! I found divorce file by accident, while he was away, with his mistress as I found out later!!! Nice guy. He lied on paperwork, in court. Sold the house, no place to go until my church rector suggested my daughter and I use the rectory since he and his family were moving the week before we had to leave our house. So, here we sit, living on church charity. Daughter was laid off in March, still can't find work. I started a little p/t job just to get out of the house. Waiting for spousal benefits in order to buy my own small condo. All during this miserable pandemic. And as you all know, you never really forget about possible cancers growing somewhere.
But, I'm really healthy for my age, in great shape. I'm moving forward. Boards, such as this one, remind us how many have their own issues, some worse, some not as bad as what we are going through.

It's good to have friends!!!! And Melissa? It's easy to say don't worry. But, we all worry. The unknown is a horrible thing. I'm going through it now. And I well remember going through it before I had my BC plan in place. It's so much easier to deal with this when you are actively doing something to fight it. Sitting and waiting isn't a fun time!!! Hang in there, and try not to read too much. It gets really scary!!!!

 

[snappy]

What a trying time you have had, goofy4tink. I hope you are able to continue to move forward. Your ex is quite a louse, particularly pulling it while your were recovering. Glad you have a place to live and I hope you get the spousal insurance benefits straightened out soon. Please stay in touch.

 

[NFLDERS]

I'm like Melissa I too am new here. I've had my biopsy and started waiting since Thursday for a two week minimum biopsy results period. My one breast started to exude which lead me to initiating a visit to my family practitioner. I've had no other symptoms. Other than the four medical visits I've had during Covid; I'm doing ok. My concern is my Dh (we are seniors ) he is having difficulty with all this... sigh.

 

[snappy]

I'm like Melissa new here. I've had my biopsy and started waiting since Thursday for a two week minimum biopsy results period. My one breast started to exude a discharge which lead me to initiating a visit to my family practitioner. I've had no other symptoms. Other than the four medical visits I've had during Covid; I'm doing ok. My concern is my Dh (we are seniors ) he is having difficulty with all this... sigh.

NFLDERS, I am sorry you have a 2 weeks minimum wait for the biopsy results. That is a very long time. We will wait with you.

My husband was emotional after my diagnosis, and he is not normally one for that. It’s all just unexpected and a shock to experience. We were both early fifties at the time, and have been together for many years. We also had a late in life child who was only 8, getting ready to make her first communion. I felt guilty being a distraction for her special day so we waited until after her big day to tell our kids.

I hope your husband gets to a better place. It does help to have a loved one to lean on to go to appointments, wait for results, etc. None of this is easy during Covid, when especially us seniors are on edge about our vulnerability to the virus. I imagine that stress is a factor for your husband too.

 

[Feralpeg]

Wow! So sorry to hear all each of you are going through. Times are hard. Life is hard. There are days when it takes a lot of effort to remain upbeat, but I know that better things are always to come. At least we have each other! Hang in there ladies! Prayers and good thoughts to all!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Wow, life still goes on despite Covid, doesn’t it? Well wishes to @goofy4tink and @NFLDERS nice to see you both despite the tough circumstances.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Oh man...I've been away for a bit. Way too much happening in my life over the past 18 months. Anyway, I'm so sorry to hear you're still fighting. You and Kendall have had way too much on your plates.

I'm from just east of Worcester. It's great to live in an area where we have such terrific medical facilities.

I came back here to see how everyone is doing. Way too many new people fighting this fight. I'm approaching my two year surgery mark...Oct 13. I'm doing great, the anastrozole I take does have some of my hair leaving my head. But, my hairdresser says I can well afford to lose some!! I do worry about 'it' coming back, but, can't live like that.
So, how has life been? Not great. Evidently my husband had been having an affair for almost two years, but when he found I was diagnosed with cancer, he put his hidden divorce on hold. The night of my surgery? He dropped me at home, saying he needed an AA meeting. Of course I said to go. But, I found out, via his cc statements, that he met his girlfriend and took her to dinner, before possibly heading to his meeting. You see, that's where he met her. He consequently hid thousands of dollars, got terminated from his job (just before my surgery, so that was a medical insurance nightmare), I had to drain savings to pay bills (not knowing he had more than enough stashed away), our daughter went hungry in Florida rather than ask us for help. We brought her home (May 2019), and he secretly filed for divorce that week! I found divorce file by accident, while he was away, with his mistress as I found out later!!! Nice guy. He lied on paperwork, in court. Sold the house, no place to go until my church rector suggested my daughter and I use the rectory since he and his family were moving the week before we had to leave our house. So, here we sit, living on church charity. Daughter was laid off in March, still can't find work. I started a little p/t job just to get out of the house. Waiting for spousal benefits in order to buy my own small condo. All during this miserable pandemic. And as you all know, you never really forget about possible cancers growing somewhere.
But, I'm really healthy for my age, in great shape. I'm moving forward. Boards, such as this one, remind us how many have their own issues, some worse, some not as bad as what we are going through.

It's good to have friends!!!! And Melissa? It's easy to say don't worry. But, we all worry. The unknown is a horrible thing. I'm going through it now. And I well remember going through it before I had my BC plan in place. It's so much easier to deal with this when you are actively doing something to fight it. Sitting and waiting isn't a fun time!!! Hang in there, and try not to read too much. It gets really scary!!!!