First time

Smiley Ky
Smiley Ky Member Posts: 32 ✭
edited June 2013 in General discussion

This is the very first time I've created a blog, LOL. Being my age you'd think I have already began one being Gen Y.

Well it has been 3 years since my first cancer diagnosis and 9 months since my diagnosis of metastisised cancers. I knew I'd be abe to get through breast cancer with chemo, radio, surgery and reconstruction but nothing prepared me for a secondary diagnosis. I was a wreck. 

It made me keep thinking 'Why me?' like so many other women in Aust. Why, why, why, why. I knew when I was younger that my grandmother on my dad's side died from breast cancer (she refused treatment and it travelled to her brain) over 30 yrs ago and my dad died from liver cancer on my 21st bday. I thought 'keep healthy cause you need to deal with this later in life.' At that stage I was working as a manager of a fast food restaurant, married, no kids. I changed jobs, lost that, my marriage failed and I was alone. It wasn't until I found the love of my life who was working with me at the restaurant 10 yrs ago; we found each other on Facebook and he moved down from QLD to SA to be with me. It wasn't until a year later I found a mass in my left breast. 

Throughout school I've learnt that it's ok, normal to have one breast bigger than the other and that was the case with my left breast. No major differences, no leaking of the nipple, no puckering, nothing abnormal about the left breast but I always knew it was that just bit bigger through my life. This mass was in my left breast and naturally I panicked. After many doctors (who all said it's probably nothing, cyst or calcification), mammograms, ultrasounds, CT scans and it was a biopsy that confirmed Stage 3 aggresive cancer HER2. I was like 'No, no, no you are not going to take me at such a young age!!' 28 years old. I am a stubborn person so I was very determined to beat it. 

And I did . . . 

Until October 2012 when I found it had spread to my bones and liver :( 

Comments

  • Amy
    Amy Member Posts: 233
    edited March 2015

    Hi Smiley

    I am also living with secondary breast cancer - spread to bones and liver - a matching couple! Although I am HER2 negative.

    You are right that 28 years is way too young to have to deal with this kind of thing - unfortunately, cancer doesn't discriminate. I was diagnosed with secondaries from the beginning, in December 2010. I was 40 years old with 2 young kids. It really sent me spinning.

    Speaking with others in the same situation does help. While friends and family try to be supportive they just don't 'get it'.

    Most of the time I'm OK - I get on with life and my treatment are annoying interruptions to my life. But it is always good to know that there are people you can rant to here when you are having a bad day. Or share good news with when that happens too!

    Wish we didn't have to meet like this - but welcome to the site. I hope you find it a supportive and safe space to be.

    Amy x

    PS Have you ordered the Hopes and Hurdles pack from BCNA?

     

  • Amy
    Amy Member Posts: 233
    edited March 2015

    Hi Smiley

    I am also living with secondary breast cancer - spread to bones and liver - a matching couple! Although I am HER2 negative.

    You are right that 28 years is way too young to have to deal with this kind of thing - unfortunately, cancer doesn't discriminate. I was diagnosed with secondaries from the beginning, in December 2010. I was 40 years old with 2 young kids. It really sent me spinning.

    Speaking with others in the same situation does help. While friends and family try to be supportive they just don't 'get it'.

    Most of the time I'm OK - I get on with life and my treatment are annoying interruptions to my life. But it is always good to know that there are people you can rant to here when you are having a bad day. Or share good news with when that happens too!

    Wish we didn't have to meet like this - but welcome to the site. I hope you find it a supportive and safe space to be.

    Amy x

    PS Have you ordered the Hopes and Hurdles pack from BCNA?

     

  • Amy
    Amy Member Posts: 233
    edited March 2015

    Hi Smiley

    I am also living with secondary breast cancer - spread to bones and liver - a matching couple! Although I am HER2 negative.

    You are right that 28 years is way too young to have to deal with this kind of thing - unfortunately, cancer doesn't discriminate. I was diagnosed with secondaries from the beginning, in December 2010. I was 40 years old with 2 young kids. It really sent me spinning.

    Speaking with others in the same situation does help. While friends and family try to be supportive they just don't 'get it'.

    Most of the time I'm OK - I get on with life and my treatment are annoying interruptions to my life. But it is always good to know that there are people you can rant to here when you are having a bad day. Or share good news with when that happens too!

    Wish we didn't have to meet like this - but welcome to the site. I hope you find it a supportive and safe space to be.

    Amy x

    PS Have you ordered the Hopes and Hurdles pack from BCNA?

     

  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0 ✭
    edited March 2015

    Hi Ky,

    It's great to see you have taken the plunge and made your first blog post. I hope that the women in the online network can share their experience and offer you some support.

    As Amy metioned above - do you have a copy of Hope & Hurdles? It's a free information resource especially  for women diagnosed with secondary breast cancer - you can order a copy online: http://www.bcna.org.au/hope-hurdles-pack

    You might also get some extra support through the 'Women living with secondary breast cancer' online support group - you can join here: http://www.bcna.org.au/group/4218

    Just shout if you need a hand finding your way around.

    ~Daina

  • Mich x
    Mich x Member Posts: 1,530 ✭
    edited March 2015
    Hey KyNice to meet you but I am so sorry you have to join us.  You can be assured we will be here for you,It is such a shame you have to be here and be so young.  I always feel so strongly for you girls as I have a very beautiful and precious daughter who just turned 30.  She is married and has one lil girl and still has a lot of living to do.Just as you have a lot of living still to do.  Stay determined to beat this as you have done previously and obviously you did it well.I hope you have lots of love and support around you.  You now also have a fabulous group of  pink sisters here who will give you all the love and support that you need.  Whether early or secondary BC we all can relate and understand  what you must be feeling and going through right now so please call on us to help you through your journey.Lots of love always, Mich xoxo
  • julia.w
    julia.w Member Posts: 14
    edited March 2015
    Hi Kylie
    Sorry you have to be here. I was diagnosed with secondaries in November 20009, I never had early breast cancer so I got the shock right at the beginning. And it is shocking news. No one should have to go through what we go through, ever. But we do and we learn to live with it, hard as it is. It's made much easier with support from all the wonderful women on this site. You will be able to ask questions about anything here, find out about the treatment you're having, let off steam and share the good news when you get some. I hope you find this site as helpful as you hoped it would be. Julia xxx
  • Smiley Ky
    Smiley Ky Member Posts: 32 ✭
    edited March 2015

    Yes we are a perfect match LOL, thank you for your kind words and I will get the hopes and hurdles pack. Thanks heaps xx

  • Smiley Ky
    Smiley Ky Member Posts: 32 ✭
    edited March 2015

    Thank you so much for the links, I appreciate it xx

  • Josie13
    Josie13 Member Posts: 79
    edited March 2015
    Dear Kylie let's all face it, this situation we find ourselves
    really is just not fair! With that agreed upon its now up to the person to do the best you can.... Well that's my motto anyway. Enjoying the moment is so important and not always thinking about the "what ifs". Be kind to yourself and keep in many of us in this blog have been living with this for many, many years which is a positive thing to focus on.
  • Josie13
    Josie13 Member Posts: 79
    edited March 2015
    Dear Kylie let's all face it, this situation we find ourselves
    really is just not fair! With that agreed upon its now up to the person to do the best you can.... Well that's my motto anyway. Enjoying the moment is so important and not always thinking about the "what ifs". Be kind to yourself and keep in many of us in this blog have been living with this for many, many years which is a positive thing to focus on.

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