Breast Cancer - Page 3

embgm · ‎07-02-2014

Tissyanne, I am very sorry for your loss. I am a 3 1/2 year breast cancer survivor and also the sister and niece of two special ladies that passed away from a very rare and aggressive form of ovarian cancer. Both were deceased 6 weeks after diagnosis and both had young children. I know how brutal this disease is. I am the first in my family to have gotten breast cancer. I and my remaining sister have both had genetic testing and both results were negative. Go figure, thought for sure the results would have been positive. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to this disease sometimes. Em

shoesnbags · ‎03-10-2010

@maestra wrote:
@Tyak wrote:
OP,
85% of women diagnosed with BC have no family history of it, so your side of the family with no history of it has no bearing on whether your descendants will have it or not. I was the first in my family to have it.
so was I.

As was I.

"Breathe in, breathe out, move on." Jimmy Buffett

shoesnbags · ‎03-10-2010

@reiki604 wrote:
Although there is no real scientific evidence of this and it annoys my surgeon when I say it, I believe that breast cancer has become more of a chronic disease. I had DCIS 8 1/2 years ago, had a lumpectomy and radiation as well as 5 years on Tamoxifen. Followed all instructions and had a yearly mammo and MRI so I had imaging at 6 month intervals. At my last MRI they found a ver small mass in the same breast that was cancerous again. I needed a mastectomy which I had 4 weeks ago today and working on the reconstruction. The mastectomy was needed because another lumpectomy could not be done due to the radiation I had. Cannot have radiation on same breast and chemo not required. Pill( Femara) only treatment. Same for reconstruction. The skin is not as pliable so we are not sure how much volume we can get.

I know about 20-30 woman who have also had breast cancer and followed all instructions given to them as far as treatment (radiation, mastectomy, chemo, oral meds) and lifestyle. All but one has had a recurrance so far.The time frame of recurrances has varied from 15 years to 2.

It is something us survivors have to deal with. As my oncologist just said: It's not going to kill you, you just need to monitor yourself and maintain treatment. Genetic testing is a tool but not a definative predictor of the the disease. I treat it just as treat my hypertension. It's something I have to deal with and control but will not allow it to rule or define my life.

What I am trying to say is that Breast Cancer is not a death sentence. If anything it makes me appreciate what I have and has encouraged me to grab life by the b**ls and squeeze every bit of excitement, adventure, happiness and contentment and serenity from it.

@reiki604

I'm sorry, but I have to disagree with you. I personally know of at least 5 women who have died from breast cancer. One was a mother of another child at my children's elementary school and two were Kdg. teachers at that school. Another was my dental hygenist, who was the wife of a doctor. The fifth was the friend of a friend. All of these women had access to excellent medical care and followed all recommendations. The assumption that all breast cancers are curable nowadays is simply not so. I say this as a survivor who like you, had DCIS. We are among the very lucky ones.

"Breathe in, breathe out, move on." Jimmy Buffett

shoesnbags · ‎03-10-2010

@Tyak wrote:
@maestra wrote:
@Tyak wrote:
OP,
85% of women diagnosed with BC have no family history of it, so your side of the family with no history of it has no bearing on whether your descendants will have it or not. I was the first in my family to have it.
so was I.
I hope that no one who's had it ever has to face another go-round with the beast. I'm almost 11 years out and at my yearly exam, I always cross my fingers and say a prayer that I'm clear.

I'm sorry to say that my friend/neighbor is currently going through her second battle with breast cancer. It's been over 25 years, and this is a new cancer, in the other breast. We've talked about it and decided that it's a little bit easier the second time around because she has more knowledge - less fear of the unknown. And she knows that she got through it once before, so she can do it again.

"Breathe in, breathe out, move on." Jimmy Buffett