new girl
nanaschild
Member Posts: 5
Hi everybody,
What a loving welcoming attitude you all have here, how nice!
My name is Anne, I'm 47, married, with 4 sons, ages ranging from 15-24. I'll be a first time grandma this summer, twin babies due Aug 1!
Last Thursday, I was diagnosed with IDC, stage 2, my tumor is 2 cm. I have had no other testing, and I don't see the surgeon until June 1.
Perhaps its my magic magnifying (fearful) mind that tells me my nurse navigator may be minimizing things...She said I might only need a lumpectomy and radiation.... and then used words like tiny and outpatient.... and some patients need other 'medicine'... much as I like this lady and would love to believe her!
I took the next two days off from work, as DH would be home, and I'm on vacation all this week... (I'm supposed to be camped in the hills w/ the family and horses but there's an outbreak of a bad horse disease, so no one's taking horses anywhere)
My mom and friends have been over planting flowers and cleaning house, I feel so loved and supported, Husband is loving and great & will go with me to the surgeon appt.
The last really hard thing I had to do was quit smoking 4 yrs ago. I knew it was a lifestyle change, and that I would need support in every corner. I have a feeling that will be a walk in the park compared to this. I can still hardly believe I have breast cancer.
The other side of that are the glimpses from a very new view, that is special in some way. I find this very interesting and I almost treasure it. ??
I'm hearing people can keep working thru this.... which is unimagineable to me~ I only want to be home. I work in a place full of negative people, no one appreciates anything, let alone life itself.
Thank you ladies, for being here for each other like you are, and for making room for the new,as I've seen you do. There is such strength in love and no limit of it.
God Bless and Thank You!
Anne
What a loving welcoming attitude you all have here, how nice!
My name is Anne, I'm 47, married, with 4 sons, ages ranging from 15-24. I'll be a first time grandma this summer, twin babies due Aug 1!
Last Thursday, I was diagnosed with IDC, stage 2, my tumor is 2 cm. I have had no other testing, and I don't see the surgeon until June 1.
Perhaps its my magic magnifying (fearful) mind that tells me my nurse navigator may be minimizing things...She said I might only need a lumpectomy and radiation.... and then used words like tiny and outpatient.... and some patients need other 'medicine'... much as I like this lady and would love to believe her!
I took the next two days off from work, as DH would be home, and I'm on vacation all this week... (I'm supposed to be camped in the hills w/ the family and horses but there's an outbreak of a bad horse disease, so no one's taking horses anywhere)
My mom and friends have been over planting flowers and cleaning house, I feel so loved and supported, Husband is loving and great & will go with me to the surgeon appt.
The last really hard thing I had to do was quit smoking 4 yrs ago. I knew it was a lifestyle change, and that I would need support in every corner. I have a feeling that will be a walk in the park compared to this. I can still hardly believe I have breast cancer.
The other side of that are the glimpses from a very new view, that is special in some way. I find this very interesting and I almost treasure it. ??
I'm hearing people can keep working thru this.... which is unimagineable to me~ I only want to be home. I work in a place full of negative people, no one appreciates anything, let alone life itself.
Thank you ladies, for being here for each other like you are, and for making room for the new,as I've seen you do. There is such strength in love and no limit of it.
God Bless and Thank You!
Anne
0
Comments
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New Too
Hi Anne,
I am so sorry to hear of your recent diagnosis.
I am new to this club, too. Diagnosed on April 19th.
Don't be afraid to ask for another navigator if you feel you are not jiving with her.
I fired my navigator after the first two days and got a new, great lady.
This is your ride. You should only have people on board whom you want with you!
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Hi VigeeVigee said:New Too
Hi Anne,
I am so sorry to hear of your recent diagnosis.
I am new to this club, too. Diagnosed on April 19th.
Don't be afraid to ask for another navigator if you feel you are not jiving with her.
I fired my navigator after the first two days and got a new, great lady.
This is your ride. You should only have people on board whom you want with you!
Glad to meet you!
i
Hi Vigee
Glad to meet you!
i like what you are saying... I'm not sure , what is the role of the navigator? She remains part of the team? I like my lady very much, it's probably my worrying brain reading things in. I couldn't imagine having a job where you get to deliver hard news like that. She started off by saying "its a good thing you had a biopsy" which kinda twisted in my brain for a nanosecond before I got what she was saying~0 -
Welcome
I am so sorry you have to be here, but I am so happy you have found this place. I was diagnosed last June and remember very well being right where you are. I remember being incredibly grateful for all the support I was getting, but not being "sick" and being amazed by it all. People just need to let you know that they love you in a tangible way.
The delay before you see the surgeon is very normal. Don't let it throw you. This is not an "every second counts" kind of disease. That said, it is wonderful that your tumor was found relatively early.
My experience was similar to what the nurse told you. I had an out-patient lumpectomy in July, started 4 rounds of chemo in August, and started 35 rounds of radiation in November. I finished active treatment Jan 7th.I chose to go through chemo - it increased my survival chances enough to make it worthwhile to me. You and your oncologist will make that decision after your surgery. Chemo was no picnic, but it wasn't as bad as I expected. I was tired during radiation, but not sick.
I'm fortunate and do not work outside the home. I can not imagine going through chemo while working, but I know many do.
You are in my prayers. Be kind to yourself. You will find that you are stronger than you ever thought possible.0 -
Welcome to you both!nanaschild said:Hi Vigee
Glad to meet you!
i
Hi Vigee
Glad to meet you!
i like what you are saying... I'm not sure , what is the role of the navigator? She remains part of the team? I like my lady very much, it's probably my worrying brain reading things in. I couldn't imagine having a job where you get to deliver hard news like that. She started off by saying "its a good thing you had a biopsy" which kinda twisted in my brain for a nanosecond before I got what she was saying~
I am sorry you both have the need to be here but you will find a wonderful group of people here with great info and advice. I was diagnosed right before my 49th birthday. I was dx with IDC on Jan. 29th-10 stage 1 grade 1 Had lumpectomy on March 22nd-10 followed by 4 rounds of Cytoxan and Taxotere and 30 rads. As we say here it is doable. I did well through all my treatments and did work through them. I love my job though so that does make a difference!
I did not have a navigator but please do get someone else if you are not completely comfortable with her, you are your own best advocate. God bless
(((hugs))) Janice0 -
Welcome Anne and Vigeenanaschild said:Hi Vigee
Glad to meet you!
i
Hi Vigee
Glad to meet you!
i like what you are saying... I'm not sure , what is the role of the navigator? She remains part of the team? I like my lady very much, it's probably my worrying brain reading things in. I couldn't imagine having a job where you get to deliver hard news like that. She started off by saying "its a good thing you had a biopsy" which kinda twisted in my brain for a nanosecond before I got what she was saying~
It's a very scary, crazy time when you are first diagnosed. My brain went crazy imagining the worst scenario. Try to let everything sink in, relax (not easy) and focus on positive things until you know for sure what you are dealing with. I never thought I could handle all the things I've gone through--lumpectomy, axillary node dissection, re-excision, 6 rounds of TAC chemo and 33 rads. But, I did. And it wasn't nearly as bad as my mind imagined it would be.
Best of luck and positive energy coming to you both. Come here often. This place is wonderful and everyone is amazing. I've come here with scary questions in the middle of the night and gotten reassuring answers.
Hugs, Renee0 -
Just wanted to say Hi Anne
Just wanted to say Hi Anne
You seem to have a wonderful attitude and outlook on things & that will be one of your biggest assets in this journey. We will be another great asset to you. Please ask & post away. I was diagnosed last June at 34 years old, mom of 2 young girls, and was utterly terrified. The wonderful people on these boards have supported me across the miles & been there for me every step of the way, and made a super crappy situation much more bearable for me. Best of luck to you as you begin this journey, Anne. You will find that it's not a roadblock, just a short detour on the road of life.
*hugs*
Heather0 -
Hi Anne, Hi Vigee,
I hope
Hi Anne, Hi Vigee,
I hope you both find this board as helpful as I have...I still have my sanity thanks to the wonderful people here! (My hubby and kids don't always agree, LOL) Whatever might be going on, you'll find someone here to offer advice, support, and just plain ole' love. Come back often and let us know how you're doing.
Hugs,
Linda0 -
Congrats on the summer grandbabies!
Hi Anne,
So sorry you had to find this site but it's great that you are here so early in your journey. I stumbled here after chemo was nearly over and I was about to start rads, this is an amazing site with sooo much valuable info that would have been so useful in the beginning. It's wonderful to be able to vent to ladies who can understand exactly what you are going through, especially since even the most supportive husband and family seem to get a bit tired of hearing about the battle AND I hate to have our entire lives revolve around the big C. I took 2 weeks off work for my mast., I had to take chemo day off each 3 weeks but could have worked after that. My employer had made other arrangements so a lot of the time I would take 3 days total for chemo, I was spoiled. Now I am doing rads - 8 of 33 done - and am working 8 hours plus driving myself 1 hour each way to the hospital, just not much energy left when I get home. I understand about only wanting to be home, for me it was as if the bad stuff couldn't get me if I stayed home.
I am sending good thoughts your way,
Jennifer0 -
Welcome Anne
I am so sorry for the reason you are here - but this is a great place to be.
I know your fear and I am so sorry - but truely it's not as bad as your imagination would let you beleive. It is doable and sometimes I still can't beleive I went through what I did. We are stronger than we know. I had alot of support. I suggest you take someone with you to the appts. My daughter went with me and took notes - thank God becasue I didn't remember half of what he said. My daughter is sharp with a college graduate and she remembered every minor detail - I still refer back to those notes to this day. She didn't go to everyone just the first few where I saw the oncologist and got all the importnat info.
God Bless You and know you are not alone in this.
Love, Kelly0 -
Anne
welcome to the site of pink sisters. I'm sorry for your recent dx. I'm 62 and have 6 grandchildren ranging in age 6 mos to 7 1/2. You must be so excited to be having twin grandbabies. While hearing the news you have bc can be overwhelming it is nice to know there is something positive to look forward to. I'm the 5th in my family (grandmother, aunt and 2 sisters plus 2 aunts on father's side) with bc. One sister had lumpectomy and rads 10 years ago and had a recurrence last year in other breast (another lumpectomy & rads). She took Tamoxifen for 5 years. Other sister had lumpectomy, chemo and rads 9 years ago. She took Arimidex for 5 years. They both worked full time while going through treatment. The one who had chemo did so on Wednesday, got her Neulasta shot on Thursday and slept all weekend and back to work on Monday. I have not worked in 3 years because of a permanent disability. I had Invasive Lobular Carcinoma 6 cm in one breast and Lobular Carcinoma in Situ in the other breast. I had bilateral mastectomy June 2010, 6 rounds of Taxotere/Cytoxan chemo, 28 rads (finished Feb. 15, 2011). I started Arimidex in January 2011 and will be on it for 5 years. It's my 1 year cancerversary. I see my breast surgeon next month and will have xray instead of mammo. I know it's scary at first because of the unknown. You will know a lot more and be able to make decisions once you have met with surgeon and oncologists. We are all different and one never knows what treatment drs will recommend. I too quit smoking. It will be 12 years for me in August. I had smoked since I was 12 yo. I quit cold turkey with no regrets. The problem is I substituted eating in it's place. I have struggled to lose the 80#s I gained after quitting and going through menopause. I will win the diet battle as I have won the bc battle. Stay strong and post any questions you might have. Someone here will know the answer. We are great listeners even if you just want to vent.
{{hugs}} Char0 -
Hi Anne and Vigge
Nobody wants breast cancer but if you have to have it, this is the best place to be. There is a lot of informal education and support here. Worries are often put into perspective so bring those worries here.
I already have grandtwins born on Aug 1. However, I am sure Bobby's and Doowats would be glad to share the birthday. (thier nicknames for each other)0 -
Well, we're not glad you
Well, we're not glad you need to be here but we're glad you found us! This is a great board full of support!
You may indeed only need a lumpectomy and radiation but your surgeon will determine that when all the surgical pathology comes back. If there is no lymph node spread, you happen to have a low grade tumor, like grade 1 and they do an oncotype score and yours is low, that may be all the treatment you need. I am stage I but still needed chemo because my tumor was a grade 3 and my oncotype was on the higher side. So, don't throw in the towel yet. Whatever you need, we'll be here to support you and help you through.
Nancy0 -
Welcome
Sorry that you had to find this site. I was diagnosed with BC on November 8...IDC, tumor size .9cm and DCIS. My breast surgeon (1st and 2nd opinion) said that more than likely there were other DCIS sites which would not be found until surgery (and that was true). I could not have a lumpectomy because the tumors that were seen would have taken about 1/3 of my breast to clear. I had a skin sparring mastectomy and DIEP flap reconstruction. I was off work for 11 weeks mostly because of the reconstruction. I did not have chemo or rads, but am on tamoxifen.0 -
Hi guys!
Nice to meet you both...just wish it was under different circumstances.
Anne, going through this you'll feel every emotion you can possibly feel. And I'll bet that "treasured feeling" is tied in with the fact that when you realize just how fragile life is, you become more grateful for the little things, appreciative of people you love. You don't want to take things for granted. Contrary to what cancer represents...life becomes sweeter, because you want to enjoy it more...does that make sense? That's what I feel.
I did work throughout my treatment but I was fortunate to work with wonderful people who were very understanding.
Hope and pray all goes well.
Hugs,
Sylvia0 -
Welcome
Hi Anne,
I am new also, My tumor was 2.7 cm. I had a lumpectomy followed with High dose Radiation
using a mamosite Rad treatments twice a day for 5 days. The only side effect I have had from RAD is fatigue, it is getting better, worse some days than others. I am awaiting the oncotype test of the tumor. That will tell us if I need just hormone therapy or Chemo.
They took out 23 lymph nodes and all were clean.
I am so sorry you work in a place full of negative people, that is awful.
Take care
Hugs
Marcha0 -
Hi Anne & Vigee
Welcome to this site. I am sorry you both have to be here but you have come to a wonderful place. Everyone here is so supportive and full of information. We are all different and have different experiences to share. We are also all the same, we are all fighting the same beast. Just remember that you are strong and can get through this.
Hugs,
Georgia0 -
Thank you, Reneemissrenee said:Welcome Anne and Vigee
It's a very scary, crazy time when you are first diagnosed. My brain went crazy imagining the worst scenario. Try to let everything sink in, relax (not easy) and focus on positive things until you know for sure what you are dealing with. I never thought I could handle all the things I've gone through--lumpectomy, axillary node dissection, re-excision, 6 rounds of TAC chemo and 33 rads. But, I did. And it wasn't nearly as bad as my mind imagined it would be.
Best of luck and positive energy coming to you both. Come here often. This place is wonderful and everyone is amazing. I've come here with scary questions in the middle of the night and gotten reassuring answers.
Hugs, Renee
Thank you. Good Advice.
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Hi Anne
Congratulations on the grandbabies - I know they will bring you such strength and joy! It sounds like you have a wonderful and caring family. They will help you get through this. I am newly diagnosed as well. April 25th - triple negative invasive ductal carcinoma. My cancer is stage 1, grade 2 and I'm scheduled for a lumpectomy with sentinal node biopsy this Tuesday. The waiting and waiting and waiting has been the hardest part for me. But here it is already Sunday - two days to go! I am so grateful to have found this site and I'm even more grateful to have found it so early in my journey. I'm looking forward to getting to know you and everyone else on here. Please try not to worry (sounds cliche). What will come will come, and we can all get through it!
Hugs,
Stephanie
P.S. Congrats on quitting smoking. Even after my dx, I am still battling that one!0 -
Hello Everyone,ssmith37 said:Hi Anne
Congratulations on the grandbabies - I know they will bring you such strength and joy! It sounds like you have a wonderful and caring family. They will help you get through this. I am newly diagnosed as well. April 25th - triple negative invasive ductal carcinoma. My cancer is stage 1, grade 2 and I'm scheduled for a lumpectomy with sentinal node biopsy this Tuesday. The waiting and waiting and waiting has been the hardest part for me. But here it is already Sunday - two days to go! I am so grateful to have found this site and I'm even more grateful to have found it so early in my journey. I'm looking forward to getting to know you and everyone else on here. Please try not to worry (sounds cliche). What will come will come, and we can all get through it!
Hugs,
Stephanie
P.S. Congrats on quitting smoking. Even after my dx, I am still battling that one!
thank you so
Hello Everyone,
thank you so much for your warm welcome
)
Nice to visit you all again.. the juju feels pretty good around here. I'm excited and anxious for Stephanie as she nears her surgery time... what an odd bunch of feelings and thoughts around stuff like this...as we get to step thru each phase of the journey~
I've been so blessed w/ having this vacation time, to digest this new diagnosis and enjoy my nest. Weather's been warm and my college son is home for the long weekend with all his friends and exploits..My front room is a wreck, but its great having all the kids around.
In the mail I received a fat envelope of forms to fill out for the surgeon and another lab thing in the mail....this felt weird... I already delegated a file box for all this medical stuff.
Husband comes home from work w/ positive stories the guys have told him of their wives' issues w/ cancer, I'm glad he's talking about it with people. He really hates the idea of mastectomy, shoots that possibility right down, because they suggested lumpectomy at the biopsy appt. He's always been a boob guy~ ;o)
blessings to all!
Anne0 -
Welcomemissrenee said:Welcome Anne and Vigee
It's a very scary, crazy time when you are first diagnosed. My brain went crazy imagining the worst scenario. Try to let everything sink in, relax (not easy) and focus on positive things until you know for sure what you are dealing with. I never thought I could handle all the things I've gone through--lumpectomy, axillary node dissection, re-excision, 6 rounds of TAC chemo and 33 rads. But, I did. And it wasn't nearly as bad as my mind imagined it would be.
Best of luck and positive energy coming to you both. Come here often. This place is wonderful and everyone is amazing. I've come here with scary questions in the middle of the night and gotten reassuring answers.
Hugs, Renee
I welcome both of you to the family,i mean that,because i can't find anybody that really can relate other than these ladies I'm truly sorry that we had to meet like this,I've had two people in my life that's had breast cancer diagnoses in the last 4/5 months I've told them about the website but i haven't seen then on here yet so your definitely 0n the right track for all your answers to get answered.@Anne i see you have horses? I live in the southeast and we have cows i saw you have a barn for your picture.~HUGS~ MollyZ0
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