I was not surprised....it was my turn!

deecaf1
deecaf1 Member Posts: 56
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I am the fourth sister to come down with breast cancer and I think I was stunned at first but then realized....why should I not get it? I cannot believe I was fortunate enough to have DCIS while my sisters had very aggressive forms of breast cancer. One sister had three different types of cancer in her breasts. I am scheduled to get genetic counseling for my daughter and grandgirls....it is sad to think of passing on something like this to them. My half sister got breast cancer 45 years ago and at that time they removed both breasts, muscles and most of her arm. We are fortunate today that such radical surgeries are not routine anymore. My sister is now 82 years old and still doing great. There is hope and there will be better methods of treatment every year. This is my first time in here and I am struck by the courage and compassion I have seen here. And yes, humor too....I know it has gotten me through bad times. I am happy to have found you and I wish each of you God's blessings. Take care,
Dee

Comments

  • mjdp2
    mjdp2 Member Posts: 133
    #2
    I just attended a support group mtg. last night and there was an identical twin sister who was diagnosed just after her twin. One required chemo and the other did not. She told me that family history could pertain to your paternal side as well as maternal side. My mom didn't have breast cancer but my paternal aunt, and cousin did. I was advised to have my daughter start her mammograms at 10 years prior to my age of diagnosis or age 40 whichever is earlier. Take care and God bless. Margaret
  • judyd
    judyd Member Posts: 124
    #3
    Hi Dee, this cancer is a strange thing. I didn't have any breast cancer in my family. Of my Mom & my two sisters I am the one who faithfully does self exams, go for my yearly check-ups, the whole works & yet I am the one who gets it. I am thankful though that I do take all the precautions because I found mine so early. The oncologist also told me to tell my daughter to start mammograms when she turned 30. She turned 30 in Nov. That was a hard thing to think about & have to tell her. What a horrible thing to think you may have passed on to your daughters or grandaughters. that was my thought exactly. Thank goodness for the new treatments & technology these days though. This is a great site. The ladies here are just wonderful. I wish you the vest in your treatment. I will keep you in my thoughts & prayers. Judy
  • deecaf1
    deecaf1 Member Posts: 56
    #4
    mjdp2 said:

    I just attended a support group mtg. last night and there was an identical twin sister who was diagnosed just after her twin. One required chemo and the other did not. She told me that family history could pertain to your paternal side as well as maternal side. My mom didn't have breast cancer but my paternal aunt, and cousin did. I was advised to have my daughter start her mammograms at 10 years prior to my age of diagnosis or age 40 whichever is earlier. Take care and God bless. Margaret

    Hi Margaret,
    Thank you for the reply...I did not realize that breast cancer can come from paternal as well as maternal sides of the family. That sheds a whole new light on the picture...yikes! Take care...Dee
  • deecaf1
    deecaf1 Member Posts: 56
    #5
    judyd said:

    Hi Dee, this cancer is a strange thing. I didn't have any breast cancer in my family. Of my Mom & my two sisters I am the one who faithfully does self exams, go for my yearly check-ups, the whole works & yet I am the one who gets it. I am thankful though that I do take all the precautions because I found mine so early. The oncologist also told me to tell my daughter to start mammograms when she turned 30. She turned 30 in Nov. That was a hard thing to think about & have to tell her. What a horrible thing to think you may have passed on to your daughters or grandaughters. that was my thought exactly. Thank goodness for the new treatments & technology these days though. This is a great site. The ladies here are just wonderful. I wish you the vest in your treatment. I will keep you in my thoughts & prayers. Judy

    Hi Judy, thanks for the reply. I also was the one who did the exams faithfully, etc...but thank goodness for that or they would not have found it at all. Initially they only found a few small calcifications. It was only after several failed attempts at doing sterotactic biopsies that one alert radiologist spotted something everyone had missed on all previous mammograms. They did ultrasounds and different mammograms and found several other areas...all were diagnosed as DCIS on biopsy but one was extremely aggressive and could have become deadly. So I am greatful for the exams and good doctors. I have a 30 year old daughter and did not realize she was at an age for mammograms. I will tell her to see her doctor and get started on her exams. Thank you for the tip. Yes, this is a great site. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers...mine are with you also. Dee
  • webaur
    webaur Member Posts: 104
    #6
    Hi, Dee!!

    Welcome to the group. I agree that we are so fortunate that the methods of surgery and treatment are getting better all the time. I was diagnosed just over 6 weeks ago--had a modified radical mastectomy 6 weeks ago and started on chemo almost 3 weeks ago. I was lucky that they didn't have to take any of my pectoral muscles. (You can read my "dissertation" if you go back to my first posting on 2/20.) How about you?

    My oncologist (and my gynecologist, too) also suggested that my daughters get a baseline mammogram when they turn 30---even though there is not history in my family. They also told me that a lot of the breast cancers do not have a family history---that makes it even more scary, I think. I will have a mammogram on my remaining breast next week. One more test to get through---waiting for the results. UGH!!! It never seems to end.

    Oh well, glad to have you in the group. Feel free to contact me any time that you wish. Whatever support I can lend is yours. You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.

    Blessings....Wendy
  • deecaf1
    deecaf1 Member Posts: 56
    #7
    webaur said:

    Hi, Dee!!

    Welcome to the group. I agree that we are so fortunate that the methods of surgery and treatment are getting better all the time. I was diagnosed just over 6 weeks ago--had a modified radical mastectomy 6 weeks ago and started on chemo almost 3 weeks ago. I was lucky that they didn't have to take any of my pectoral muscles. (You can read my "dissertation" if you go back to my first posting on 2/20.) How about you?

    My oncologist (and my gynecologist, too) also suggested that my daughters get a baseline mammogram when they turn 30---even though there is not history in my family. They also told me that a lot of the breast cancers do not have a family history---that makes it even more scary, I think. I will have a mammogram on my remaining breast next week. One more test to get through---waiting for the results. UGH!!! It never seems to end.

    Oh well, glad to have you in the group. Feel free to contact me any time that you wish. Whatever support I can lend is yours. You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.

    Blessings....Wendy

    Hi Wendy,
    Thank you for the welcome. I had my mastectomy last December. I too am lucky they didn't take any pectoral muscles...I'm doing okay....had quite a bit of phantom pain and had my last "draining" this week...still retaining fluid at the site but my surgeon assures me it will "go away" soon. I will go back and check your posting on 2/20. I just had a total body scan this past week too. Waiting for the results of that one. So only treatment now is tomoxefin...not my favorite as I have uterus and ovaries to worry about...but I know it is important. Still go back and forth on "should I be taking it" or not....I know ovarian cancer is a lot harder to find than breast cancer....isn't it amazing how your whole life changes from the moment you hear "It's all cancer and you need a mastectomy".....wild ride so far....but I have excellent family support and a good sense of humor to get me through it. It does help so much to talk with people like you who have gone through it too. I'm so glad I found this site. Hope to talk to you again. Prayers to you and yours too. Take care,
    Dee
  • pamtriggs
    pamtriggs Member Posts: 386
    #8
    deecaf1 said:

    Hi Judy, thanks for the reply. I also was the one who did the exams faithfully, etc...but thank goodness for that or they would not have found it at all. Initially they only found a few small calcifications. It was only after several failed attempts at doing sterotactic biopsies that one alert radiologist spotted something everyone had missed on all previous mammograms. They did ultrasounds and different mammograms and found several other areas...all were diagnosed as DCIS on biopsy but one was extremely aggressive and could have become deadly. So I am greatful for the exams and good doctors. I have a 30 year old daughter and did not realize she was at an age for mammograms. I will tell her to see her doctor and get started on her exams. Thank you for the tip. Yes, this is a great site. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers...mine are with you also. Dee

    Hi Dee
    No one in my family has had BC either but my daughter is now going to be very careful. She is 28 & already has her first mammo booked. She has done sel examination since teenage as I had my BC when she was only 8. It's awful to think what we may pass on but maybe it's for the best we don't know or we would never reproduce. Thinking of you. Love Pam
  • deecaf1
    deecaf1 Member Posts: 56
    #9
    pamtriggs said:

    Hi Dee
    No one in my family has had BC either but my daughter is now going to be very careful. She is 28 & already has her first mammo booked. She has done sel examination since teenage as I had my BC when she was only 8. It's awful to think what we may pass on but maybe it's for the best we don't know or we would never reproduce. Thinking of you. Love Pam

    Hi Pam,
    Wow,it's bad enough to get breast cancer but how awful it must be to have it when you still have small children to care for...it is so hard as a Mom to find time to care for yourself. I came down with lupus/ms when my kids were preteen and teens and I remember how difficult it was to have the energy to deal with everybody and still pace myself.I wasn't very good at pacing myself...still aren't but I'm getting better. I feel sad for my youngest child as she didn't have the healthy energetic mom that the older kids had...but it's all she's known and she's okay with it. I know my daughters and daughters-in-law are all very aware of bc now and keeping close watch on themselves. When we were young I don't remember any family members ever talking about bc and I don't know if any of my older female aunts or other relatives had it or not. Times change...thank goodness it's out in the open.
    Take care and bless you and your family, Dee

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