Can't believe it is happening
I am very blessed with a wonderful husband and two beautiful children. Also lucky to have caught this fairly early. I am trying to enter Guinness Book of World Records for longest breast cancer survivor. Have read someone surviving at least 52 years (that would put me at 88). Anyone want to join the challenge? It is good to have goals!
Comments
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Attitude
You have a great attitude!! The waiting and the not knowing are some of the worst parts of this journey. There is pain & discomfort from the treatments but that gets better.
Just out of curiosity, why did you choose mastectomy for DCIS? If you don't wish to answer, please don't. I have no wish to make you uncomfortable.
Maureen0 -
Hi!
Hi MomMichelle and welcome. I'm glad you found this board-I was diagnosed 8 days ago and talking with people on here and just reading through the posts brought my first sense of relief since I began this crappy journey. Our stories are similar, I'm 34, also with 2 children (Camryn is 9 and Lia is the baby at 19 months), and a super supportive husband. I have invasive (or infiltrating) ductal carcinoma, a 1.5 cm mass in my right brest. I haven't had surgery yet, but tomorrow I meet with my surgeon to give him my decision on the surgery and get it scheduled. I will also be having a mastectomy, and actually I'm having both breasts removed, with expanders put in so that I can begin reconstruction.
I am a Guinness World Record NUT - i think I have the last 15 years of books in our library here at home, and I am thrilled to join you in your challenge!
-Heather0 -
Maureen,EveningStar2 said:Attitude
You have a great attitude!! The waiting and the not knowing are some of the worst parts of this journey. There is pain & discomfort from the treatments but that gets better.
Just out of curiosity, why did you choose mastectomy for DCIS? If you don't wish to answer, please don't. I have no wish to make you uncomfortable.
Maureen
Thank you for your
Maureen,
Thank you for your post. Trying to keep a very positive attitude, I hear it helps.
After speaking with the surgeon and looking at the mammograms, the amount of calcification scattered throughout the breast was extensive. He indicated that some might say I could have a lumpectomy with radiation, but he thought the area was just too large for that. My husband and I agreed that if the biopsy came back positive for cancer, we would go ahead with the mastectomy. It was a relief to have the decision made. I am also glad to have the surgery finished. Little hurdles lead to big progress.
Never worry about making me uncomfortable. I feel like letting everyone know about everything. The more I can share, the better chance I have of helping someone else...just like me searching all kinds of message boards. It is good.
Michelle0 -
Hi Heather!Heatherbelle said:Hi!
Hi MomMichelle and welcome. I'm glad you found this board-I was diagnosed 8 days ago and talking with people on here and just reading through the posts brought my first sense of relief since I began this crappy journey. Our stories are similar, I'm 34, also with 2 children (Camryn is 9 and Lia is the baby at 19 months), and a super supportive husband. I have invasive (or infiltrating) ductal carcinoma, a 1.5 cm mass in my right brest. I haven't had surgery yet, but tomorrow I meet with my surgeon to give him my decision on the surgery and get it scheduled. I will also be having a mastectomy, and actually I'm having both breasts removed, with expanders put in so that I can begin reconstruction.
I am a Guinness World Record NUT - i think I have the last 15 years of books in our library here at home, and I am thrilled to join you in your challenge!
-Heather
Sorry to be on
Hi Heather!
Sorry to be on the journey together, but at least we have each other. We seem very similar. I am sure, just like me, you weren't expecting your life to be turned around so quickly. My two kids are Noah (5) and Emma (3). They are the biggest joy in my life. I have really been blessed, to the point where I have said I feel like I live a fairy tale life. The wonderful husband, great kids, good part time job so I can be with the kids more, and we just built a house in November. I was so excited to nestle in and plant our roots. This threw a bit of a wrench in the story. Don't most fairy tales have a happy ending though?
I will warn you, you better bring your A game to the Guinness challenge...I am a fierce competitor. I really look forward to keeping in touch with you throughout this. I actually saw your post which prompted me to post because I saw we had both just been diagnosed, both at about the same age, and both with kids. Hopefully we can be a good support to each other. The surgery for me was not as bad as I expected and tomorrow will be a week. I have had tons of support with the kids though. Make sure you will be able to get some good rest for recovery. If you have any questions, let me know.
Hope to hear from you soon!
Michelle0 -
Hi Michelle
Welcome. I think there's an excellent chance you will reach your guiness book goals. It's always a shock to be diagnosed, but DCIS is as good as it can get. Many people (the majority) go on to live their normal life spans. I'm planning to and I had very aggressive invasive cancer. Anyway, I wish you luck. So glad you found us here.
BTW, I was 34 at diagnosis and found this website for women under 40 with bc very helpful: www.youngsurvival.org -- go to the bulletin boards to chat with many young women with similar issues, young children, etc.
Mimi0 -
About DCIS and mastectomyEveningStar2 said:Attitude
You have a great attitude!! The waiting and the not knowing are some of the worst parts of this journey. There is pain & discomfort from the treatments but that gets better.
Just out of curiosity, why did you choose mastectomy for DCIS? If you don't wish to answer, please don't. I have no wish to make you uncomfortable.
Maureen
My DCIS was so widespread that my breast surgeon said mastectomy was the only choice. My mammogram looked like a starry sky. (Afterward, ILC and LCIS were found, also.)0 -
Hi, Michelle!
So sorry that you are here but it looks like you have a great attitude and you have already made some of the tough decisions. I wish you the best on this journey and we are all here for you any time you need us!
Chris0 -
good attitude
Hi Michelle,
I am an 11 year survivor. I had a lumpectomy,tumor wasn't encapsilated then decided to have a mastectomy. Followed by chemo, I am well. It's important to keep a positive attitude to get you throgh whatever life brings your way. I tried to volenteer ay my local Cancer Care office, but they said I wasn't needed. I think that the only people that understand are the people who have walked in your shoes. I try whenever I can to meet and talk to breast cancer individuals. They greatest fear is not know what to expect. Keep smiling.
Michele in LI0 -
I just got final pathologyChristine Louise said:About DCIS and mastectomy
My DCIS was so widespread that my breast surgeon said mastectomy was the only choice. My mammogram looked like a starry sky. (Afterward, ILC and LCIS were found, also.)
I just got final pathology results. Lymph nodes negative, extensive DCIS with a focal invasion of .7mm. Doctor seemed pretty happy with the overall results. Not sure what that might mean for further treatments. Originally was told with straight DCIS and no lymph node involvement, mastectomy was enough. Hoping it still is. I see the oncologist tomorrow.0 -
I thought I replied back toMomMichelle said:Hi Heather!
Sorry to be on
Hi Heather!
Sorry to be on the journey together, but at least we have each other. We seem very similar. I am sure, just like me, you weren't expecting your life to be turned around so quickly. My two kids are Noah (5) and Emma (3). They are the biggest joy in my life. I have really been blessed, to the point where I have said I feel like I live a fairy tale life. The wonderful husband, great kids, good part time job so I can be with the kids more, and we just built a house in November. I was so excited to nestle in and plant our roots. This threw a bit of a wrench in the story. Don't most fairy tales have a happy ending though?
I will warn you, you better bring your A game to the Guinness challenge...I am a fierce competitor. I really look forward to keeping in touch with you throughout this. I actually saw your post which prompted me to post because I saw we had both just been diagnosed, both at about the same age, and both with kids. Hopefully we can be a good support to each other. The surgery for me was not as bad as I expected and tomorrow will be a week. I have had tons of support with the kids though. Make sure you will be able to get some good rest for recovery. If you have any questions, let me know.
Hope to hear from you soon!
Michelle
I thought I replied back to you last night, ugh this memory of mine has been non-existent lately! I know what you mean about the blessed life, we did some updates to our house, decided on having another baby, my husband is a small business owner so we decided I'd do the stay at home mom thing after she was born, and here I am, not even 2 years later...Glad to hear the surgery wasn't as bad as you thought. My appointment for tomorrow to schedule my surgery was rescheduled for next Wednesday, so we're rounding up our troops who have all offered to help us out! I can't remember if you said earlier or not, did you have anything done regarding reconstruction? I'm having a double mastectomy with expanders put in after the surgery & wondering what that's like.
Take care Michelle
Heather0 -
This board is the greatest!MomMichelle said:Maureen,
Thank you for your
Maureen,
Thank you for your post. Trying to keep a very positive attitude, I hear it helps.
After speaking with the surgeon and looking at the mammograms, the amount of calcification scattered throughout the breast was extensive. He indicated that some might say I could have a lumpectomy with radiation, but he thought the area was just too large for that. My husband and I agreed that if the biopsy came back positive for cancer, we would go ahead with the mastectomy. It was a relief to have the decision made. I am also glad to have the surgery finished. Little hurdles lead to big progress.
Never worry about making me uncomfortable. I feel like letting everyone know about everything. The more I can share, the better chance I have of helping someone else...just like me searching all kinds of message boards. It is good.
Michelle
This board is the greatest! I see you have found a kindred spirit. It is so good to have someone kinda going through the same thing--not that nit's good for the beast to get a hold of anyone--but it makes it easier to have someone to talk to. I know having all my sisters in pink helped me with the process.
Maureen0 -
You made the right choice onlaurissa said:Hi Michelle
Good luck with your treatment. Keep strong.
You made the right choice on having a masectomy. I am sure it was not an easy choice to make. I had a masectomy done in Novermber 11, 2008, i was diagnosed in July 2008 with Inflammatory breast cancer. I do not know if you may have read my post, but i have recently had a reoccurence and i am back on chemo. Will you also be have chemo. There is a lot of info here if you need it. I am 54 years old, so I am so saddened by the amount of woman in their 30's posting with breast cancer and young children. There are so many new treatments now, just stay as positive as you are. Take care.0 -
Heather,Heatherbelle said:I thought I replied back to
I thought I replied back to you last night, ugh this memory of mine has been non-existent lately! I know what you mean about the blessed life, we did some updates to our house, decided on having another baby, my husband is a small business owner so we decided I'd do the stay at home mom thing after she was born, and here I am, not even 2 years later...Glad to hear the surgery wasn't as bad as you thought. My appointment for tomorrow to schedule my surgery was rescheduled for next Wednesday, so we're rounding up our troops who have all offered to help us out! I can't remember if you said earlier or not, did you have anything done regarding reconstruction? I'm having a double mastectomy with expanders put in after the surgery & wondering what that's like.
Take care Michelle
Heather
Sorry to hear your appointment was rescheduled. I know for me, I have been head down full steam ahead and the waiting days have been the hardest. I did not do anything toward reconstruction yet. My surgeon recommends waiting for a bit before reconstructing, so I would have had to find another surgeon plus plastic surgeon to get the surgery done. We had a big family vacation planned first week in August and I didn't want to mess that up if possible. I have three sisters and we all rent a house with our families and our parents and spend the week. It has been planned for about 8 months! I have had mixed feelings. I would love to feel "normal" again (not sure that will ever happen), but I am not sure I want to take time out to do the surgeries required for reconstruction. I will have to see how I feel as time goes on. Plus, if I am positive for the gene, I might have the other one done too. Then I won't feel so much pressure time wise and I can plan on reconstruction then. What made you decide to have a double, if I may ask? I know I asked the doctor about it but he said in my case, it would probably just be better to do the one. It is so hard because everyone has a different situation.
I got my biopsy results yesterday. Again mixed feelings. Originally we were hoping for all DCIS, but there was one small area of microinvasion so now I am not sure what that changes for treatment and overall outcome. The surgeon didn't seem to think it was a big deal. I see the oncologist today. I am nervous, but like everything else, I know it is something I have to do.
Have a good day!0 -
Heather,Heatherbelle said:I thought I replied back to
I thought I replied back to you last night, ugh this memory of mine has been non-existent lately! I know what you mean about the blessed life, we did some updates to our house, decided on having another baby, my husband is a small business owner so we decided I'd do the stay at home mom thing after she was born, and here I am, not even 2 years later...Glad to hear the surgery wasn't as bad as you thought. My appointment for tomorrow to schedule my surgery was rescheduled for next Wednesday, so we're rounding up our troops who have all offered to help us out! I can't remember if you said earlier or not, did you have anything done regarding reconstruction? I'm having a double mastectomy with expanders put in after the surgery & wondering what that's like.
Take care Michelle
Heather
Sorry to hear your appointment was rescheduled. I know for me, I have been head down full steam ahead and the waiting days have been the hardest. I did not do anything toward reconstruction yet. My surgeon recommends waiting for a bit before reconstructing, so I would have had to find another surgeon plus plastic surgeon to get the surgery done. We had a big family vacation planned first week in August and I didn't want to mess that up if possible. I have three sisters and we all rent a house with our families and our parents and spend the week. It has been planned for about 8 months! I have had mixed feelings. I would love to feel "normal" again (not sure that will ever happen), but I am not sure I want to take time out to do the surgeries required for reconstruction. I will have to see how I feel as time goes on. Plus, if I am positive for the gene, I might have the other one done too. Then I won't feel so much pressure time wise and I can plan on reconstruction then. What made you decide to have a double, if I may ask? I know I asked the doctor about it but he said in my case, it would probably just be better to do the one. It is so hard because everyone has a different situation.
I got my biopsy results yesterday. Again mixed feelings. Originally we were hoping for all DCIS, but there was one small area of microinvasion so now I am not sure what that changes for treatment and overall outcome. The surgeon didn't seem to think it was a big deal. I see the oncologist today. I am nervous, but like everything else, I know it is something I have to do.
Have a good day!0 -
Mimi,mimivac said:Hi Michelle
Welcome. I think there's an excellent chance you will reach your guiness book goals. It's always a shock to be diagnosed, but DCIS is as good as it can get. Many people (the majority) go on to live their normal life spans. I'm planning to and I had very aggressive invasive cancer. Anyway, I wish you luck. So glad you found us here.
BTW, I was 34 at diagnosis and found this website for women under 40 with bc very helpful: www.youngsurvival.org -- go to the bulletin boards to chat with many young women with similar issues, young children, etc.
Mimi
Thank you for the
Mimi,
Thank you for the encouragement. I also really appreciate the website you recommended. I will check it out. It has been difficult because every person, every cancer seems to be slightly different. Hard to find people in the exact same situation.
It sounds like you definitely have the right attitude as well. Not sure what your treatment entails, but I certainly hope everything goes well. Are you still in treatements or are you finished?
Take care!
Michelle0 -
Thank you so much!greyhoundluvr said:Hi, Michelle!
So sorry that you are here but it looks like you have a great attitude and you have already made some of the tough decisions. I wish you the best on this journey and we are all here for you any time you need us!
Chris
Thank you so much!0
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