For meena1 and others--MY STORY

tommaseena
tommaseena Member Posts: 1,769
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Routine mammogram 11/10/2008--calcifications seen in left breast.
Special views 11/14/2008--cluster of calcification seen and biopsy recommended.
Left breast stereotactic guided mammotome biopsy 12/3/2008.
Diagnosis of DCIS with invasion 12/8/2008. Recommendation lumpectomy ONLY. Told my son who was 5 at the time that I had cancer and explained to him everything.
MRI of both breasts 12/15/2008.
Second opinion at Massachusetts General 1/14/2009 with Multidisciplinary Team with chest x-ray and BRCA1 and BRCA2 testing. Recommendation from Team-mastectomy because they could not tell where the invasion was. I opted for a bilateral mastectomy because of strong family history of BC.
Plastic surgeon consult-1/23/2009.
Bilateral mastectomies with tissue expanders put under the pec muscles 2/2/2009-my 45th birthday--"out with the old and in with the new."
Home on 2/4/2009.
Found out the I was ER and PR negative but HER2 pos.
First expansion 2/9/2009. Several expansions til 10/6/2009.
Follow-up visit in Massachusetts 2/19/2009.
Met with Oncologist 2/20/2009.
Had port put in 3/2/2009.
Started chemo 3/10/2009. Finished chemo 7/23/2009 day before Jake turned 6. Still on Herceptin until the end of August 2010.
Hair started falling out in clumps 3/26/2009.
Head shaving party at work with friends and family 3/27/2009.
I had tissue expanders removed 11/10/2009 with silicone implants put in. No muscle reconstruction except for expanding the pec muscles.

I have not decided whether to have the nipple reconstruction and tattooing yet.

It has been a long journey but with the support from my family and friends and this site it is a little less painful.

All my hugs,
Margo

Comments

  • LadyParvati
    LadyParvati Member Posts: 328
    #2
    Your Story
    Wow, Margo--you've faced so much, and with such courage! Your time-line is so matter-of-fact on the surface, but I'm sure that there is a huge unseen foundation of emotion underneath.

    Sounds like you're fast-approaching your next birthday--I wish we could all get together for a birthday party! For now, celebrate Thanksgiving--have a very happy one!

    Hugs! Sandy
  • Sunrae
    Sunrae Member Posts: 808
    #3
    LadyParvati said:

    Your Story
    Wow, Margo--you've faced so much, and with such courage! Your time-line is so matter-of-fact on the surface, but I'm sure that there is a huge unseen foundation of emotion underneath.

    Sounds like you're fast-approaching your next birthday--I wish we could all get together for a birthday party! For now, celebrate Thanksgiving--have a very happy one!

    Hugs! Sandy

    Congratulations to you
    Congratulations to you Margo, looks like you're getting there. I'm also keeping a journal on everything thats happening since I've been dxed. It kind of keeps in all in perspective. Coming to this site has really helped me with all the stories of others showing how they're making it. Thanks for sharing your story with us.
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #4
    Whew! A full plate!!!! Since you are sharing.....
    I remember the two years of treatment I completed. It sort of fades with time, but still it had a very large impact on the way I live my life. Since we are sharing:

    9/04: returned from a trip to Holland with vague lower back pain. Figured it was lifting suitcases, so DR gave me Vicodin and sent me home. 3 weeks later, pain was worse.
    10/04: Went back to DR, he did rectal exam, felt mass. A week of blurry tests, scopes, scans...inconclusive pathology as to benign or cancer...tumor was size of golf ball, sitting square in the rectum.
    11/04: Results: cancer...
    12/04: Chemo/rads to reduce the tumor size, I REALLY didn't want a colostomy...found specialist surgeon who gave me 3% chance of a permanent stoma...and he was a handsome devil, too!
    12/12/04: Hans' dad died in Holland. When asked, my oncologist said "Well, if you go, you may well come back to another funeral"...nice, huh?
    Christmas day, 04: First round of chemo over...sick as a dog...told my family I was dying...said my goodbyes...
    1/05: PET scan 'lit up' a lump in my left breast I had been having checked for over 10 years. My team decided to wait on treatment until I "survived the battle with colon cancer".
    5/05: Pre-surgical scope showed tumor was GONE!!!!! Surgeon consulted with others, recommended we proceed with bowel resection, based on my age, etc...Went ahead with it, had no external bag, but new storage facility made in my abdomen out of colon...
    7/05: I insisted on a needle biopsy of the lump in my breast...I had fought too hard for my life to die from undiagnosed breast cancer. Biopsy came back positive...different type of cancer...not a metastisis.
    8/05: Lumpectomy with node positive removal. 2 weeks later, back in the hospital with a full bowel obstruction. Surgery to remove 3 inches of small bowel...got caught in the 'new' position of the colon...
    Funny story there: I called my breast surgeon, who responded to my list of symptoms: "You know, Kathi, the last time I checked my anatomy books, the breast is not connected to the colon!"
    9/05: Fashion show with survivors as models. The day before I was scheduled to start chemo. I cherish that pic...it was the last time I saw my red hair...lol...
    6/06: Finished treatment for breast cancer.
    7/04/06: BIG celebration for the fourth of July!!!

    There is much sub-text in there, the ups and downs of treatment, the loss of good friends to colon cancer, etc...BUT this truly shaped me and made me realize that each and every day is to be held precious. I don't let too much bother me any more, I'm worth the best!!!! With 2 primary site cancers, I'm fairly sure I know what will take my life someday...but, as has been said many times, "I may lose the battle someday, but today is not that day".

    Happy, happy Thanksgiving to all....

    Hugs, Kathi

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