learning to use this site

etanner
etanner Member Posts: 3
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I am a breast cancer survivor very fearful of re-occurrance and just wanted to talk

Comments

  • Leenie
    Leenie Member Posts: 33
    #2
    I to am a survivor. As time goes bye the re-occurance factor goes away at least in my case, It has just been a year for me. I still think about it once in awhile but other then that I feel wonderful....
    Leenie you can email me if you want to talk
  • krisrey
    krisrey Member Posts: 194
    #3
    Hi etanner,
    I too am a breast cancer survivor just completing treatment December 30. I also worry about re-occurrance especially because of my her2 positive status. I try not to dwell on it and live each day thankful to be here and feeling good, but those darn demons that creep in my thoughts is very scary. If you would like to email me, I would love to talk. My email is kristen8594@aol.com I would love to hear from you to compare notes.
    kris
  • Watercolor
    Watercolor Member Posts: 45
    #4
    I too am a survivor, though I don't feel I had much to survive -- only DCIS. Tomorrow is one year anniversary of my last radiation treatment.

    I'd love to look through these message boards, but I still have to be very careful of what I read and hear. I can get very easily scared. (On a message board on another site, all the mental anguish re cancer is referred to as "cancerhead".) Physically I'm fine. Actually, had easy time with lumpectomy and radiation. Not having any problems with Tamoxifen.
  • krisrey
    krisrey Member Posts: 194
    #5
    Watercolor said:

    I too am a survivor, though I don't feel I had much to survive -- only DCIS. Tomorrow is one year anniversary of my last radiation treatment.

    I'd love to look through these message boards, but I still have to be very careful of what I read and hear. I can get very easily scared. (On a message board on another site, all the mental anguish re cancer is referred to as "cancerhead".) Physically I'm fine. Actually, had easy time with lumpectomy and radiation. Not having any problems with Tamoxifen.

    hi watercolor,
    I have never hear of "cancerhead" but have heard of "chemobrain" which is really a true thing. It means you have a hard time remembering things or hard to stay focused. I totally understand about the information overload, it can be very overwhelming and scary. I think you will find this message board extremely informative without getting overloaded. There are truly a bunch of outstanding women on this site and I always learn so much valuable information.
    I am glad you are doing well, you can always check out the chatroom too, there are a bunch of great people there also...
    take care,
    Kris
  • tlmac
    tlmac Member Posts: 272 Member
    #6
    I'm new to the site also. Wish I'd known about it last year when I was going through my surgery and chemo. A year later, the worse times for me are the quarterly checks and periodic scans. I worry every time till I hear everything's OK. It is getting easier and I hope it will soon for you. This is a great place to come for support.
  • Watercolor
    Watercolor Member Posts: 45
    #7
    krisrey said:

    hi watercolor,
    I have never hear of "cancerhead" but have heard of "chemobrain" which is really a true thing. It means you have a hard time remembering things or hard to stay focused. I totally understand about the information overload, it can be very overwhelming and scary. I think you will find this message board extremely informative without getting overloaded. There are truly a bunch of outstanding women on this site and I always learn so much valuable information.
    I am glad you are doing well, you can always check out the chatroom too, there are a bunch of great people there also...
    take care,
    Kris

    On another site, I've also heard of "chemobrain". From what I read there, I gathered the meds acctually do have an effect on your brain / mind for a period of time. "Cancerhead" is simply all the worry, stress, fears, anxiety, etc., etc. due to cancer diagnosis
  • hummingbyrd
    hummingbyrd Member Posts: 950 Member
    #8
    tlmac said:

    I'm new to the site also. Wish I'd known about it last year when I was going through my surgery and chemo. A year later, the worse times for me are the quarterly checks and periodic scans. I worry every time till I hear everything's OK. It is getting easier and I hope it will soon for you. This is a great place to come for support.

    Just wanted to welcome all of you new ladies to the site. This is a very positive, powerful bunch of loving ladies here!
    For the most part we do not dwell in fear because we are SURVIVORS!
    And I pray our strength will be contagious to all of you!
    If you do have times when fear creeps in may I suggest a site called
    Conquering Cancer Through Christ at www.urcctc.com
    I visit both of these two sites routinely.
    God bless.
    hummingbyrd
  • roxanne53
    roxanne53 Member Posts: 154
    #9
    tlmac said:

    I'm new to the site also. Wish I'd known about it last year when I was going through my surgery and chemo. A year later, the worse times for me are the quarterly checks and periodic scans. I worry every time till I hear everything's OK. It is getting easier and I hope it will soon for you. This is a great place to come for support.

    I had been told of this sight by a co worker who was dealing with cancer as I was dealing with breast cancer. We both were bald at the same time and we kept each other going forward and supported. I am glad to be here.

    I finished all treatments on 12/23/03, had first follow up 2/3/04. I worried till I got the results. The results are fine and within normal range. I think about the possibility of
    re-occurrance, too. The mind can play tricks and the 'demons' can sneak in there. As time goes forward, the tricks and the demons are less & less powerful.
    I just keep moving forward each day the best that I can. I ask God to help me through each day.
    Take care everyone

    Roxanne
  • lynne40
    lynne40 Member Posts: 87
    #10
    Hi etanner,
    We all feel just like you do. Scared. We never thought we'd hear CANCER the first time around and are afraid we'll hear it again at a check-up. As long as you know others feel the same way it makes it easier to live with. I think it will lesson with time but depending on your personality for some people the worry is always there. Alot of great women on this site are able to move beyond and I look at them as an example and hope to join them"there" in less worry land!!! You are not alone! There are always great women here to help, share info, share bad news and GOOD news too! Hugs,
    Lynne
  • krisrey
    krisrey Member Posts: 194
    #11
    roxanne53 said:

    I had been told of this sight by a co worker who was dealing with cancer as I was dealing with breast cancer. We both were bald at the same time and we kept each other going forward and supported. I am glad to be here.

    I finished all treatments on 12/23/03, had first follow up 2/3/04. I worried till I got the results. The results are fine and within normal range. I think about the possibility of
    re-occurrance, too. The mind can play tricks and the 'demons' can sneak in there. As time goes forward, the tricks and the demons are less & less powerful.
    I just keep moving forward each day the best that I can. I ask God to help me through each day.
    Take care everyone

    Roxanne

    Hi Roxanne,
    I think I have seen you in the chatroom, isn't that a great place!! Anyway, congrats on finishing treatment, I too finised in dec 2003 and also just had my 3 month checkup. I am curious when you say all the test came back normal, what tests did they do???? Other than the mammogram, and I am scheduled for an MRI because of the extreme denseness of my breast, I have had NO tests. So just curious on what they did with you..take care,
    KRis
  • roxanne53
    roxanne53 Member Posts: 154
    #12
    krisrey said:

    Hi Roxanne,
    I think I have seen you in the chatroom, isn't that a great place!! Anyway, congrats on finishing treatment, I too finised in dec 2003 and also just had my 3 month checkup. I am curious when you say all the test came back normal, what tests did they do???? Other than the mammogram, and I am scheduled for an MRI because of the extreme denseness of my breast, I have had NO tests. So just curious on what they did with you..take care,
    KRis

    Hi Kris,
    Congrats to you with finishing your treatments, too.
    Yes, I remember you from the chatroom too. I am enjoying the chatroom even if it goes pretty fast. Can't always type fast. I have never been in a chatroom before this.

    Oh-they take blood and look at the blood counts plus white count, hemoglobin, creatinine for kidney function, liver function, some kind of alkaline, some AST 22 thing(don't know the AST22) and the tumor marker(CA27.29). These looked fine per doc so I did not need any scans and such. Do they take blood from you?

    I have no breasts so they will do a physical exam but not mammograms from what the doctor says. I will see my breast surgeon March 12 for this breast exam and follow up with her.
    I think in April, I will feel healthy enough to have the reconstruction surgery for the breasts.

    Take care and talk with you again.
    Roxanne

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