HI Bernadette, I am just now catching up on a lot of the posts. Welcome! I see you have had lots of advice and hello's! It is a great bunch here, as I am sure you have realized. Good to hear you made it through your surgery. I will say a prayer for negative nodes for you! I live in Eastern WA, in Kennewick. Jean of WA also lives here in Kennewick. We haven't had a chance to meet yet as I was on a 2 month trip and just recently got back, but I hope to meet her soon. I had a double mastectomy, one at a time, one being prophylactic. I had my final reconstrution done by a wonderful plastic surgeon near you in Mountlake Terrace. You have some very good Drs in your area! I did not have to have chemo or radiation.Ichose tohave the 2nd breast removed as I had invasive lobular and it ofter mirrors itself in the other breast. I was fortunate to have found mine early and I had neg nodes. Keep us informed on how you are doing. We will be with you all the way. L&H, Gail
Hi Bern- Yes, that SNB procedure is tough! The radioactive injection was very painful, thankfully it was over in a few minutes. You are starting rads soon? Do you already know that you do not need chemo? Whatever the outcome is, we'll be there to support you!
And if you see pink feathers (imaginary or real!) wafting down, you know we are there. We have a cyber airline called Pink Cloud Express (PCE). We can board at a moment's notice and fly anywhere in a few minutes...so when you need us, just send a post to summons the plane. Joyce is usually the pilot, sometimes others fill in when needed. We usually fly wearing pink, especially pink boas....so the boas tend to drop feathers and that is how you know we're there!
Thank you so much for writing to me it really has helped to find people with similar problems. In answer to your question Lori I only know about the radiation tratments until they have the results of the lymph nodes. I have a feeling I will be doing chemo too don't ask me why but I just do. I just want to get started and get it over with. Gail you live in Kennewick? Im from Wenatchee and have lived over here for 5 years now. You said that your Doctor was in Mountlake Terrace. My Doctors are in Edmonds which is right next to Mountlake Terrace. I actually take the MLT exit off of I5 to go to my Dr. Lori I had to laugh at your pink boas story that is great. Ill keep my eyes posted for pink feathers. LOL Thanks again to all of you :) Bernadette
Hi Bernadette, I think it is time to start a new thread here, your question above will be lost in all the other posts. LOL. I missed the fact you had posted after surgery. It sounds like you are doing great. And I don't know much about WA state but it seems like there is a chance you could meet up with Gail and Jean when you are up to it. I have met Gail a couple of times and she is a really great lady. Take care and rest and heal. I think but don't know from experience that usually chemo is done before radiation. It seems that is how most of our breast friends treatment seems to go. Hugs, MK
Hi Bernadette! I am glad that your surgery went well and that you are feeling good. I had my mastectomy (after the biopsy). In the meantime, I met w/ the oncologist that I had chosen and she and my surgeon confired on the treatment plan. I believe that it was 4 or 5 weeks after my mastectomy that I began chemo. I had 4 A/C (1 x every 3 weeks) followed by 12 weekly doses of Taxol and then had 36 radiation treatments. The reason for the 4 weeks wait between the surgery and beginning chemo was to make sure that I healed totally.
Hi Deb & Lori Im not sure yet if I will have chemo because I still dont have info from Dr on my lymph nodes. Still Im dreading it. Did you both get very sick from the chemo and loose your hair? I dont know if I could stand a wig or not. Deb why did you have to have a mast? Was it too far when they found it? Have you had reconstruction yet? I have so many questions and no answers yet. Thanks again Bernadette
Initially I had a 1 1/2 cm tumor, but chose a mastectomy because of my family history. I also had sentinel node biopsy and had positive nodes identified in o/r. I would have thought that your dr would have had an initial indication about nodes in the o/r. Later, of course path does a more intensive study. Maybe no news is good news. Enjoy the week-end.
As for hair, you'll cry about 3 times and then get used to it.
Juju My tumor was 3.2 cm but my Dr recomended just a lumpectomy. I have lots of cancer in my family too, lost my mom at 28 to lung cancer. Im not sure about the hair thing I DREAD loosing it. My mom had said that was what she hated most about having cancer. Oh well I will deal with it if I have to.
When do all of you get together again, I would love to part of that in the future. I did talk a little with Gail she lives about 4 hours away. But if I ever head in that direction I will try to meet up with her. I am trying to get lots of rest it is not easy for me because Im usually very active. I gave both of my dogs (Mini Schnauzers) a hair cut today. They are my babies since my real ones are grown. The older one will not sit anywhere but on my lap since all of this came up. They have a way of knowing something is just not right. Hugs :) Bernadette