A year ago
Kat09
Member, Dragonfly Posts: 269 ✭
Well this time last year I had an unusual hardening on the inner side of my left breast, it had been there for just over a month or so. I put it down to hormones as there was no lump there and it was sore. It started to feel like mastitis, very full and pressurisied. Off I went to my GP thinking it was a cyst and I'd need it drained before we left in 5 days for our Xmas break. Well how wrong I was and what a whirlwind followed. Referred to a breast specialist the next day, upon my examination she told me I most likely had a very large breast cancer but hoped she was wrong, I knew she wasn't. Mammogram, ultrasound and biopsies all that afternoon confirmed her initial diagnosis. Bone ans Ct scans the next day thankfully showed it was localised and had not spread. 2 days before we left for our Xmas break we were told that I had a very aggresive stage 3 , grade 3 , triple positive breast cancer. It was inoperable due to it's size and I would need to have intensive Chemotherapy as soon as possible in the hope of shrinking it to an operable size. I also had some lymph node involvement so locally advanced breast cancer was my diagnosis. Early in the new year we started treatment 3 months of AC Chemo followed by 12 weeks of weekly taxol, 5 weeks of daily radiation ( loaded dosages) and then in September a Mastectomy and aux clearance. Clear margins were achieved and I am cancer free as of today, Herceptin treatment is ongoing til March and Tamoxifen for 5 - 10 years. To say that I am grateful to the amazing team of Drs and specialists that took such incredible care of me is a massive understatement but I also wanted thank each of you on this forum. Having this site to fall back on even just to read at times has been a great support. All of us here know and understand what each of us may be going through and it is an invaluable place of support, understanding and sometimes even laughter. I wish all of you and your families the very best of Christmases.
Kat xo
Kat xo
14
Comments
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Merry Christmas @Kat09 what a lovely Christmas Present this year Survivor-ship is now yours to claim.... I am now 5 yrs out from treatment....
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Definately a much sweeter Christmas this year @SoldierCrab...I look forward to that 5 year mark too xx0
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@Kat09 your progress gives me hope as I have a very similar pathology and triple positive. I’m half way through chemo. Merry Christmas x1
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The last year has been a doozy for both of us. I'm so glad to hear you are bouncing back! Marg xxx0
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It definately has Marg and like me I'm guessing you'r going to enjoy a glass or two to celebrate.xx.. I hope that the rest of your treatment goes well @Sunshine0206 and enjoy your Christmas too xcci1
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Oops typo
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@Kat09.Hi and Merry Christmas!What a tough year for you! Tomorrow is a year since my double lumpectomy and I finish Herceptin in January. So glad to see the end of this year but happy I'm here to celebrate it and to reflect how far I've come compared to the teary mess I was last year . Looking foward to the light at the end of the tunnel. Good luck with the rest of your treatment ! x0
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Reading your journey is a parallel experience to mine, triple negative, chemo, radiation then surgery. Except I'm just nearing the end of my radiation with surgery to happen in the new year. Thank you for some inspiration. Best wishes for a lovely Christmas :-)0
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I haven't posted anything for quiet a while but check in occasionally, so glad to see that those of you that supported and helped me through my 15 months of treatment are still offering that help to others. It has now been almost 2 years since my initial diagnosis, I'm healthy, well and enjoying life. I'm on 3 monthly checks with either my Oncologist or Breast Surgeon and have been changed from Tamoxifen to Arimidex with no major side effects thankfully. I guess I just wanted to post this for all of you going through treatment at the moment, it is hard and often scary and it feels like you're continually on a mouse wheel of medical appointments, tests and treatments but it does ease and you do get your life back. My cancer was very aggressive and my Oncologist keeps reminding me that I am high risk but I don't dwell on that as I can't change what may or may not happen. Cancer has not just taken from me, it has also given me a lot, I have met many incredible people throughout my treatment and care and I'm also loving having short hair now:D12
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I'm loving my short hair too! Had my third trim today. Glad to hear things are continuing well with you.0
