Howdy PINKS!

MsGebby

It's been a while since I posted about my journey. Radiation is very tiring. I've got 12 more visits after today. AND today is a special day because I have a CT scan to mark me up for the BOOST. I thought it was going to be 1 as in singular treatment. I will have 8 total. My poor little booby is in pain from the rads as it is. Are these BOOSTS going to add to my misery? I was told there is more radiation targeted to the cavity so I am thinking I will be burnt to a crisp by time this all over.

BUT ... even though I dread going I know it's over soon. Gawd ... how I really hate this stuff.

I will be seeing my medical oncologist on the 21st. I have much to discuss with her. Those couple of pesky nodules are still residing in my lungs and the more I read about them and check my reports, the more nervous I become.

I really NEED to know what they are. DO I finally just say "I want them out?" OR do I just sit in wait like a duck in water waiting to be shot? The problem for me is that these nodules are in BOTH lungs. I know I can't have both re sectioned. OR can I?

Looking for anyone who might be able to help me with this decision.

CANCER SUCKS!!! I need a Marguarita ... who else wants one?

Damsel in Distress

carkris

I would certainly ask the
I would certainly ask the question. but I dont know the answer. I know I would worry too. but I also know my worry is not always rooted in actually fact. I know lung surgery can be tricky. Just ask the questions until you get the answers that give you peace. They may monitor them and that may give you the answer if they dont grow. Also I was just thinking, how many docs dont like to give a lot of tests as little nodule thingies show up all over the place that are just fine. So my non answer is ask the questions, ask the risks of biopsing, ask for explanations of things you have been reading and worrying you. Get your info!

grams2jc

A stiff drink does sound good
I don't know the answer to your question about your lungs, but I do know the agony of waiting to see what is going on.

Be sure to write down all of your questions, I sometimes even type them up and make copies for me, doc and nurse (anal, huh?) I also take someone with me to take notes of the answers so I don't forget.

Wishing you luck in finding the info you need.

Yes indeed, Cancer does SUCK!

Jennifer

SIROD

Arimidex Will Kill Them Off!
Mary,

Nodules in your lungs are to hard to access. That is what the hormonal therapy will do. Kill them dead!

My issues, the shortness of breath, the coughing spasms, loosing my voice when I began to talk, the pain in my ribs that I had since October, I believe have resolved. The ct scan in December showed it was time to start the AI (Femara) again.

No longer is anyone inquiring with great concern as I struggle to speak. No longer am t I putting a lidocaine patches on my chest where it hurts, shortness of breath and coughing spasms are greatly diminished.

This is because I have been on Femara (kissing cousin to Arimidex) long enough now to show improvement. I am willing to bet that my next scan will show most of the cancer gone.

I do expect to have a few of them still hanging around. They will be going to sleep dreaming of the days when estrogen was theirs to gobble up. They will be wondering what happen. I know the leader of the pack (tumor) will eventually remember that the instructions to deactivate Femara it knows. I am hoping that day is at least 6 months away. That is the amount of time another lady had on another forum. Maybe I will hit the jackpot and have more than that, maybe 8 months, maybe more!

Arimidex once you begin will take care of any cancer radiation didn't hit. Why would you want invasive surgery? When they did the VATS on me, they were not going in to hit a certain tumor, they just took the ones they hit first and I had a lots of them to pick off. Finding those nodes to remove I would imagine it to be very difficult. There is a lot between the outside and where they are located inside.

I doubt that you would find a thoracic surgeon who will remove nodules in the lungs. Especially when you really haven't started Arimidex. AI's takes about six weeks to kick in.

Have faith, dear friend that Arimidex will kill them off if radiation didn't already.

Best to you,

Doris

MsGebby

SIROD said:

Arimidex Will Kill Them Off!
Mary,

Nodules in your lungs are to hard to access. That is what the hormonal therapy will do. Kill them dead!

My issues, the shortness of breath, the coughing spasms, loosing my voice when I began to talk, the pain in my ribs that I had since October, I believe have resolved. The ct scan in December showed it was time to start the AI (Femara) again.

No longer is anyone inquiring with great concern as I struggle to speak. No longer am t I putting a lidocaine patches on my chest where it hurts, shortness of breath and coughing spasms are greatly diminished.

This is because I have been on Femara (kissing cousin to Arimidex) long enough now to show improvement. I am willing to bet that my next scan will show most of the cancer gone.

I do expect to have a few of them still hanging around. They will be going to sleep dreaming of the days when estrogen was theirs to gobble up. They will be wondering what happen. I know the leader of the pack (tumor) will eventually remember that the instructions to deactivate Femara it knows. I am hoping that day is at least 6 months away. That is the amount of time another lady had on another forum. Maybe I will hit the jackpot and have more than that, maybe 8 months, maybe more!

Arimidex once you begin will take care of any cancer radiation didn't hit. Why would you want invasive surgery? When they did the VATS on me, they were not going in to hit a certain tumor, they just took the ones they hit first and I had a lots of them to pick off. Finding those nodes to remove I would imagine it to be very difficult. There is a lot between the outside and where they are located inside.

I doubt that you would find a thoracic surgeon who will remove nodules in the lungs. Especially when you really haven't started Arimidex. AI's takes about six weeks to kick in.

Have faith, dear friend that Arimidex will kill them off if radiation didn't already.

Best to you,

Doris

Hey Doris
I think the reason
Hey Doris

I think the reason I am worried is because no one knows if they are from the breast cancer. How can a doctor know if they are hormone driven or not? If the Arimidex does nothing to kill them off, then what? This is my main concern. The thoracic surgeon actually wanted to get them out. He said they are semi solid and that's not good news. My MO said to me before I started rads to the breast, not the lungs, that it is up to me. She didn't want to it while I was doing rads.

Some of my worries have been triggered by another cancer death. A friend of mine had ovarian cancer 14 YEARS AGO and it came back in November. She passed this weekend. This is weighing heavy on my mind. I know bc is NOT ovarian cancer, but knowing how this cancer can metastasize makes me so nervous.

Doris, I am just plain scared.

I wish for you all the best care in the world. Hearing that you are in a bad way makes me cry. I hate having cancer and I hate that others suffer so much.

I just want to SCREAM!

Frankie Shannon

The unknown is all ways the
The unknown is all ways the worst.I don't know anything about nodules but I'm sure what you and your onc.decide it will be right for you.Yes cancer does suck.I would love a Margarita.Keep us posted on what you decide to do.

Hugs Frankie

camul

MsGebby said:

Hey Doris
I think the reason
Hey Doris

I think the reason I am worried is because no one knows if they are from the breast cancer. How can a doctor know if they are hormone driven or not? If the Arimidex does nothing to kill them off, then what? This is my main concern. The thoracic surgeon actually wanted to get them out. He said they are semi solid and that's not good news. My MO said to me before I started rads to the breast, not the lungs, that it is up to me. She didn't want to it while I was doing rads.

Some of my worries have been triggered by another cancer death. A friend of mine had ovarian cancer 14 YEARS AGO and it came back in November. She passed this weekend. This is weighing heavy on my mind. I know bc is NOT ovarian cancer, but knowing how this cancer can metastasize makes me so nervous.

Doris, I am just plain scared.

I wish for you all the best care in the world. Hearing that you are in a bad way makes me cry. I hate having cancer and I hate that others suffer so much.

I just want to SCREAM!

Ms Gebby
Good luck to you on whatever you decide. We are all different, and maybe they can do a needle biopsy, or something that isn't so invasive. I would certainly talk to my mo when you see him/her and see what your options are as far as removal or biopsy. Where they are located may make quite a difference on which approach they take.

I too would want to know and once you get more info on the actual procedure, it may make your decision easier.

Good luck and prayers to you and scream if you want to!
Carol

SIROD

MsGebby said:

Hey Doris
I think the reason
Hey Doris

I think the reason I am worried is because no one knows if they are from the breast cancer. How can a doctor know if they are hormone driven or not? If the Arimidex does nothing to kill them off, then what? This is my main concern. The thoracic surgeon actually wanted to get them out. He said they are semi solid and that's not good news. My MO said to me before I started rads to the breast, not the lungs, that it is up to me. She didn't want to it while I was doing rads.

Some of my worries have been triggered by another cancer death. A friend of mine had ovarian cancer 14 YEARS AGO and it came back in November. She passed this weekend. This is weighing heavy on my mind. I know bc is NOT ovarian cancer, but knowing how this cancer can metastasize makes me so nervous.

Doris, I am just plain scared.

I wish for you all the best care in the world. Hearing that you are in a bad way makes me cry. I hate having cancer and I hate that others suffer so much.

I just want to SCREAM!

Peace of Mind
Hi Mary,

My deepest sympathies about your friend. It is hard to watch another die from cancer. I didn't know ovarian cancer came back in the same manner as breast. My best friend died of ovarian 15 years ago. She was diagnose at stage IV and lived 3 years. I didn't think her oncologist was doing all he could for her.

Why not ask for another scan to see how those nodes are doing. It's been about 3 months or more since you had one.

A FNB might be an option as Carol suggested. I never had any luck with them and when my oncologist suggested it when I was dx in '08, I said never. I always had inconclusive, it was a shot in the dark.

For peace of mind, I would inquire what can be done.

Best,

Doris

jnl

grams2jc said:

A stiff drink does sound good
I don't know the answer to your question about your lungs, but I do know the agony of waiting to see what is going on.

Be sure to write down all of your questions, I sometimes even type them up and make copies for me, doc and nurse (anal, huh?) I also take someone with me to take notes of the answers so I don't forget.

Wishing you luck in finding the info you need.

Yes indeed, Cancer does SUCK!

Jennifer

A stiff drink can't hurt.
A stiff drink can't hurt. lol I do what Jennifer does, I type my questions up and give them to the nurse and the doctor. That way, I don't forget anything and they can clearly see what I want.

Good luck to you,

Leeza

Noel

MsGebby said:

Hey Doris
I think the reason
Hey Doris

I think the reason I am worried is because no one knows if they are from the breast cancer. How can a doctor know if they are hormone driven or not? If the Arimidex does nothing to kill them off, then what? This is my main concern. The thoracic surgeon actually wanted to get them out. He said they are semi solid and that's not good news. My MO said to me before I started rads to the breast, not the lungs, that it is up to me. She didn't want to it while I was doing rads.

Some of my worries have been triggered by another cancer death. A friend of mine had ovarian cancer 14 YEARS AGO and it came back in November. She passed this weekend. This is weighing heavy on my mind. I know bc is NOT ovarian cancer, but knowing how this cancer can metastasize makes me so nervous.

Doris, I am just plain scared.

I wish for you all the best care in the world. Hearing that you are in a bad way makes me cry. I hate having cancer and I hate that others suffer so much.

I just want to SCREAM!

My rads oncologist did not
My rads oncologist did not want me on any kind of hormone therapy while having rads. I wish you good luck and wish I knew something about this to help you.


Hugs, Noel

VickiSam

Frankie Shannon said:

The unknown is all ways the
The unknown is all ways the worst.I don't know anything about nodules but I'm sure what you and your onc.decide it will be right for you.Yes cancer does suck.I would love a Margarita.Keep us posted on what you decide to do.

Hugs Frankie

Ms. Gebby .. So nice to get this update ...
I am sorry that you are struggling to find answers to questions weighing heavy on your
mind, body and soul.

12 more radiation treatments to go --- Yay and Hallelujah!

Do you have the opportunity to get a 2nd or 3rd opinion -- perhaps you have already
done this -- continue to push to resolve your questions and concerns.

Gentle hugs, and prayers for strength.

Vicki Sam

MsGebby

New Gradation Date
I can't believe this. I am so ready to get on with my life, but my treatments keep getting pushed back. The first date I was supposed to be done was 2/23, then 2/28, then 3/1 and NOW 3/2! The machine broke down. It's been 2 days! O M G ..

In a small way, this could be what I needed. I have 2nd and 3rd degree burns and my cuts/scars are separating. I am not using a burn cream and on "skin check" for the duration of my treatments. I have one more regular treatment and then 8 BOOSTS. I need this to be over.

The burns really need to heal. I know this. The scars are in the areas of where the boosts will be targeted.

Life goes on and so must I