I have just been diagnosed
Hello everyone! am new to this site.... and new to this blogging...
I am 41 years old with a new granddaughter due any day now! Think i may be in some denial that all of this is happening and really dont know what i am in for... found this site helpful as i spent all night on google finding out what a biopsy is, different stages etc (scared the hell out of me)
I have been joking, keeping positive and sharing as much love as I can to the people around me who will be affected by this diagnosis... been the hardest thing to tell those you love dearly that you have breast cancer!
Not sure at this moment what stage or grade I am! Not sure how this will affect my life.. find out on Friday and then having the op on the 26th of this month! But one thing is for sure I will beat this! (-;
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Welcome to this network but sorry to hear that you have to join us in this bc journey.How hard for you to be waiting for a joyous event at the same time as a dreaded event.No wonder it all seems unreal for you at the moment. You might still be in abit of shock -that bc diagnosis takes the rug from under you doesn't it.The waiting is awful and we have to do a fair bit of that.Hopefully by Friday you will have a plan -ie what sort of surgery you will need. I've had bc twice -a lumpectomy in 2003 and then a mastectomy(same breast)in 2010. Both operations are very similar as far as pain and recovery go.I went back to work after about 3 or 4 weeks post op .Just deal with Friday and don't think too far ahead cos you can't predict pathology. There are lots of us here who have survived bc or are going through it like yourself.It's a great place to come for information and support or to just rant and rave.Ask any questions -hope you have ordered the BCNA my journey kit because it's a wealth of information.As mothers we tend to put on a brave face for our family in order to protect them but you need to cry and let it out too.I held it in too much the second time around,only to turn into a blubbering mess down the track when I had to sign the chemo consent forms.Take some one with you on Friday and write everything down as it's easy to forget when you come out of the doctor's surgery.Let us know how you go and blog anytime-always someone to chat with here.
Tonya xx
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Welcome to this network but sorry to hear that you have to join us in this bc journey.How hard for you to be waiting for a joyous event at the same time as a dreaded event.No wonder it all seems unreal for you at the moment. You might still be in abit of shock -that bc diagnosis takes the rug from under you doesn't it.The waiting is awful and we have to do a fair bit of that.Hopefully by Friday you will have a plan -ie what sort of surgery you will need. I've had bc twice -a lumpectomy in 2003 and then a mastectomy(same breast)in 2010. Both operations are very similar as far as pain and recovery go.I went back to work after about 3 or 4 weeks post op .Just deal with Friday and don't think too far ahead cos you can't predict pathology. There are lots of us here who have survived bc or are going through it like yourself.It's a great place to come for information and support or to just rant and rave.Ask any questions -hope you have ordered the BCNA my journey kit because it's a wealth of information.As mothers we tend to put on a brave face for our family in order to protect them but you need to cry and let it out too.I held it in too much the second time around,only to turn into a blubbering mess down the track when I had to sign the chemo consent forms.Take some one with you on Friday and write everything down as it's easy to forget when you come out of the doctor's surgery.Let us know how you go and blog anytime-always someone to chat with here.
Tonya xx
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You are right lanilumps71, you will beat this.
Have you received your My Journey kit from BCNA? If not get one, it has HEAPS of useful and best of all TRUE infomation in it (so many site on the net can be wrong and just scare the life out of you).
I am the same age as you (41) and was diagnosed on 22/12/11 (at age 40) with Stage 2, Grade 2 - Ductal Cell carcinoma (breast cancer of the milk ducts, that had become invasive and grown into the surrounding tissue), my tumour was 3.1cm when it was removed, and was ER+, PR- and HER2+ and I had a 5mm deposit in 1 of the 2 sentinel nodes that they removed at the time of my mastectomy.
On the 03/02/12 I had a nipple and partial skin sparing mastectomy (my choice, was offered option of lumpectomy but with serious deformity, but I decided when I was diagnosed I didnt want my breast, in fact I decided i didn't want either of them. I have a strong family history of breast cancer) with sentinel node biopsy and immediate reconstruction using a silicon implant.
PLEASE feel free to ask me ANYTHING, either here or to add me as a contact, and ask me privately.
I am currently undergoing chemotherapy (have had 5 cycles and have 1 more to go on 16/07 (YAY!) but will continue for another 9 months with Herceptin, and will also be put onto a hormone treatment such as Tamoxifen,for 5 years, and due to my family history I am seeing a medical geneticist on 01/08 to see if I have the BRCA gene(s).
Keeping positive is a good thing - early breast cancer is a highly survivable cancer.
The waiting is the worse, it really is, it can really do your head in. Most of us find the waiting worse than the diagnosis.
Good Luck with your surgeon on Friday to get your pathology results and to find out what treatment you will be undergoing.
Do you know if you will be have a lumpectomy or mastectomy? and have you been told if you will be having any further treatment yet (I guess you wont know until you get your pathology results and find out what your hormone and HER2 status is (ER (estrogen receptor), PR (Progesterone receptor)).
Don't be worried if they ask you to have a CT scan of your chest and abdomin and a bone scan (these are VERY common scan to have after the diagnosis of breast cancer).
there are a couple of blogs here that you might find helpful with your new diagnosis, your upcoming journey and your upcoming hospital stay. Have a look at http://www.bcna.org.au/user/9395/blog/32567 - Advice for the newly diagnosed; http://www.bcna.org.au/user/9176/blog/28978 - What has helped you through your journey and; http://www.bcna.org.au/user/9176/blog/29548 - Things to pack and do for hospital stays.
Again PLEASE feel free to ank me ANYTHING at all, no matter what, I will answer anything honesty and as well as I can, ther eis NO such thing as a silly or personl question I think, the more you know the less scary things are).
Stay WEll and busy and again good Luck for Friday and for the 26th.
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Hi there, sorry you have been diagnosed with BC:( and believe me the start is the hardest, and all the jargon sounds like doctors and surgeons are talking another language. Just take it one step at a time and try not to get to far ahead of yourself and just wait for the results and then take it from there.
I was diagnosed in 2007 at 36 years of age (until BC I thought 36 was old)! I have had a bi lateral mastectomy and chemo and have been on Arimidex since.
It was a crazy time and one that has changed my life forever, but life is now back to normal and I am living well after cancer.
Chat some more soon, glad you found us, sorry you had to come looking for us:(
Tanya xxx
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Hi there, sorry you have been diagnosed with BC:( and believe me the start is the hardest, and all the jargon sounds like doctors and surgeons are talking another language. Just take it one step at a time and try not to get to far ahead of yourself and just wait for the results and then take it from there.
I was diagnosed in 2007 at 36 years of age (until BC I thought 36 was old)! I have had a bi lateral mastectomy and chemo and have been on Arimidex since.
It was a crazy time and one that has changed my life forever, but life is now back to normal and I am living well after cancer.
Chat some more soon, glad you found us, sorry you had to come looking for us:(
Tanya xxx
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Hi, Well I was diagnosed at the end of 2010, it's been a long, long road - I had no idea what was ahead of me. Well I have just finished my final treatment. You will go through every kind of emotion you can think of, at first mainly confusion because it is a lot to take in. Get the BCNA book, I can highly recommend it - it helpedso much in those first few weeks. Together with this site, don't be afraid to vent....we are used to it and we have all been there. Good luck with every thing! Cheers Josie
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Hi, Well I was diagnosed at the end of 2010, it's been a long, long road - I had no idea what was ahead of me. Well I have just finished my final treatment. You will go through every kind of emotion you can think of, at first mainly confusion because it is a lot to take in. Get the BCNA book, I can highly recommend it - it helpedso much in those first few weeks. Together with this site, don't be afraid to vent....we are used to it and we have all been there. Good luck with every thing! Cheers Josie
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Hi, Well I was diagnosed at the end of 2010, it's been a long, long road - I had no idea what was ahead of me. Well I have just finished my final treatment. You will go through every kind of emotion you can think of, at first mainly confusion because it is a lot to take in. Get the BCNA book, I can highly recommend it - it helpedso much in those first few weeks. Together with this site, don't be afraid to vent....we are used to it and we have all been there. Good luck with every thing! Cheers Josie
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Hello,
My grandson was born just as I was diagnosed last year. I kept a picture of him and his little cousins on my i-Pod and looked at it frequently in the insane few weeks around surgery and recovery. I found I could stay grounded that way. It was also a good reminder of the power of life and the positive cycle of renewal.
Also, Dr Google nearly did my head in, so I am on a self-enforced ban from using Google or any other site for anything other than research for work. BCNA is my resource and the other women my guides as there is so much wisdom here.
My thoughts are with you.
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Thankyou for your post and advice... i had the journey kit posted to me yesterday and will take some time to read it. My first little granddaughter is being induced to arrive into the world as we speak.... her mum doesnt know about this news yet as its such a special, beautiful time for her... its been hard keeping this all hidden... but also a godsend that i have something so positive to focus on right now! I look forward to chatting to you!!
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This is all so helpful.... glad to have this online network!! (-;
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Thankyou Tanya xxx
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Thankyou!!! This little one is going to be my strength!! and i will definately stay off google..... what a blessing to have this site!! x
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Hi Josie!! and thankyou for that!! wishing you all the best!!
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Thanks Narelle!! I plan on staying positive.... and cant wait until i can have some knowledge on where to go from here! Look forward to sharing this journey... so great to be able too!! x
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