The bc Connection!
Hi Everyone. I had my auxillary clearance a week ago today and I am recovering really well. When I was in hospital I shared a ward with 3 other wonderful women 2 of whom have bc and had had a mastectomy, the other lady was having a breast related procedure. We didn't know each other but we had this bc in common and we connected; playing show and tell with our scars and war wounds, sharing our stories, intoducing our family and friends! We laughed and joked and I am sure we entertained the nursing staff with our humourous approach to bc. If you are out there ladies....A Big hug for you all - I was inspired by each one of you!
Another sharing point - I saw the surgeon yesterday and he said that out of the 20 nodes he removed 12 had cancer. I was a bit blown away by this as I have caught this bc 'early'! He reasurred me that now that they have removed the nodes the chemo will just be a 'mopping up' exercise followed by radiotherapy and then hormone treatment. Is there anyone else out there on this fabulous web site who has had a similar experience to me???
Tanya xo
Comments
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The BC connection has been popping up everywhere in my life and the stories I have been told are all full of positives with ladies doing well many years after diagnosis. I think the power of the mind is a wonderful thing. It is also very inspiring to meet ladies who have been through a lot but have come out strong. I have met one lady who was diagnosed at my age (47) and was given little hope of survival. She had chemo and is now a very fit (cancer free) 65 year old.
I have also met a lady who was one of the first women in Australia to have chemo while pregnant. She was told she would not see 30. Her baby is now 19 and she is well and cancer free at 47! ( she did have a recurrence but is all clear after double mastectomy 8 or 9 years ago).
Hearing that the cancer was in your nodes is never good news. I had it in 5 of mine. But with clear scans I believe the chemo (I had 6 rounds) will have done the job of mopping up any stray cells that may have been around. I have had radiation too and am now on tamoxifen which I am finding quite ok. I know for me the tamoxifen greatly improves my chance of never having a recurrence. I have a new lease on life and feel great. I look after myself by avoiding stress when I can, exercising a lot and eating healthy. This helps me to feel as good as I do. It is not an easy road to detour down but you can find lots of positives if you look carefully.
Wishing you all the best for your next step in treatment. Take care and keep connected with the ladies on here. It helps tremendously when the going gets a bit tough. Deanne xxx0 -
The BC connection has been popping up everywhere in my life and the stories I have been told are all full of positives with ladies doing well many years after diagnosis. I think the power of the mind is a wonderful thing. It is also very inspiring to meet ladies who have been through a lot but have come out strong. I have met one lady who was diagnosed at my age (47) and was given little hope of survival. She had chemo and is now a very fit (cancer free) 65 year old.
I have also met a lady who was one of the first women in Australia to have chemo while pregnant. She was told she would not see 30. Her baby is now 19 and she is well and cancer free at 47! ( she did have a recurrence but is all clear after double mastectomy 8 or 9 years ago).
Hearing that the cancer was in your nodes is never good news. I had it in 5 of mine. But with clear scans I believe the chemo (I had 6 rounds) will have done the job of mopping up any stray cells that may have been around. I have had radiation too and am now on tamoxifen which I am finding quite ok. I know for me the tamoxifen greatly improves my chance of never having a recurrence. I have a new lease on life and feel great. I look after myself by avoiding stress when I can, exercising a lot and eating healthy. This helps me to feel as good as I do. It is not an easy road to detour down but you can find lots of positives if you look carefully.
Wishing you all the best for your next step in treatment. Take care and keep connected with the ladies on here. It helps tremendously when the going gets a bit tough. Deanne xxx0 -
Good to see your hospital stay was a positive experience. It's great to connect with others. I had one positive lymph node with my first diagnosis 4 1/2 years ago. I did have a recurrence nearly 3 years ago, but it was local and I have since had a mastectomy. I remember my radiation oncologist at the time telling me how important it was for me to do all my chemo before the radiation. He said the chemo so important for the mopping up elsewhere in your body. He said radiation was more for the local cells. He told me that if it came back locally we could cut it out (and we did). However once it is out in your body elsewhere it is harder to treat. Very sound advice. Even though I did have the local recurrence , am now 4 1/2 years since initial diagnosis and all scans etc remain clear.
Wishing you luck.
Paula0 -
Good to see your hospital stay was a positive experience. It's great to connect with others. I had one positive lymph node with my first diagnosis 4 1/2 years ago. I did have a recurrence nearly 3 years ago, but it was local and I have since had a mastectomy. I remember my radiation oncologist at the time telling me how important it was for me to do all my chemo before the radiation. He said the chemo so important for the mopping up elsewhere in your body. He said radiation was more for the local cells. He told me that if it came back locally we could cut it out (and we did). However once it is out in your body elsewhere it is harder to treat. Very sound advice. Even though I did have the local recurrence , am now 4 1/2 years since initial diagnosis and all scans etc remain clear.
Wishing you luck.
Paula0 -
Hi Deanne,
Thank you for sharing those two very positive stories. These stories are what gives us all hope. I know of someone who had BC and was told that they only had 6 months to live. Twenty years later and 85 she is still with us. My own mother had BC 15 years ago and is still here at 85 although she is in a nursing home. As time went by it all became a distant memory for her.
I am so glad to hear you are feeling so well and I love that you are so determined to stay healthy. I don't know if I am being obsessive but I have not eaten any sugar since 5 November, 2013 - day of diagnosis. Eating very healthly - no take away since then either.
Joy xx
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No I don't think it is obsessive to avoid sugar and take away. The only take away I am comfortable with is from an organic cafe! I have made the changes I needed to to feel healthy. I figure somehow something or more likely a combination of things resulted in me having BC so the more things I change for the better the more likely I am to stay healthy.
But I think it is equally important to feel mentally ok. I have changed my priorities, try to notice all the good things and enjoy life. I have not had a headache since I finished chemo almost 5 months ago, so that alone gives me incentive to keep doing what I can to improve my life!
Hope you are going ok with chemo. Keep looking after yourself so you can reclaim your life as soon as possible and feel healthy again too. Deanne xx0 -
Thank you Deanne, yes I am almost scared of sugar. I find it very easy to refuse anything sweet. I too believe that it is vitally important to be mentally healthy and I am already reclaiming parts of my life. Photography is my main thing. I am a member of an online forum where we post our images and have them critiqued and I am also a member a a Sydney Camera Club - I live in Queensland. They have competitions every month which I enter digitally. I haven't been up to going out for a shoot yet but there are lots of things I can photograph at home.
Trying to live as normally as possible but with out the stress that I had before.
Great to hear you are doing so well.
Joy xx
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Thanks for your comments. I find that even in the short time I have been dealing with this my priorities have changed and the 'whatever' phrase is well and truly part of my everday thoughts! Don't sweat the small or big stuff! And yes Joy I have stayed away from the sugar since my diagnosis and have gone down the path of juices and smoothies etc. Feel so healthy and people comment on how healthy I look. Exersising is a big part of my day too. So these are the big positives of the bc journey.
I saw the oncologist today and she was lovely! She explained everything and encouraged questions. My husband and one of my daughters came with me and she included them as well. She said to keep life as normal as as you can and not to isolate yourself from the world. I start chemo next Thursday - 6 cycles, 3 x FEC and 3 x D followed by 6 weeks of radiotherapy so bring it on so I can beat this bc and move on to the next exciting chapter of my life!
Tanya xo
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Thanks for your comments. I find that even in the short time I have been dealing with this my priorities have changed and the 'whatever' phrase is well and truly part of my everday thoughts! Don't sweat the small or big stuff! And yes Joy I have stayed away from the sugar since my diagnosis and have gone down the path of juices and smoothies etc. Feel so healthy and people comment on how healthy I look. Exersising is a big part of my day too. So these are the big positives of the bc journey.
I saw the oncologist today and she was lovely! She explained everything and encouraged questions. My husband and one of my daughters came with me and she included them as well. She said to keep life as normal as as you can and not to isolate yourself from the world. I start chemo next Thursday - 6 cycles, 3 x FEC and 3 x D followed by 6 weeks of radiotherapy so bring it on so I can beat this bc and move on to the next exciting chapter of my life!
Tanya xo
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Hi Tanya
I will be thinking of you next Thursday as you start your 1st FEC cycle. I will be sitting in the chair having my 3rd on the same day. There is another lady on this site too who will be having her 3rd of FEC on that day too.
You sound like you have a great optimistic and positive attitude. It feels good to have your treatment plan and know that you are taking action in beating BC. Expect some down days and face them head on. Don't deny yourself the right to greave. A good cry in the shower from time to time helps and you end up feeling a whole lot better for it. It is amazing to me how much stronger I feel after having let go of some pent up emotions and stress that I may not have realized I was carrying.
I can't believe that I am almost half way through the chemo trip and I am sure the time will go quickly for you. In the scheme of things it isn't really too long a time to be having treatment.
Keep us posted on your progress Tanya. Take care for now.
Joy xx
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Thanks Joy. Yes I will keep you posted. I love reading the updates you all put on this blog. It gives me the strength and courage to do what I have to do. I hope I can do the same for others. A friend of mine came over today and she gave me this amazing quilt that she had made. She thought it would be nice for me when I am having my chemo. It is so beautiful. It is all those lovely things that keep you smiling and warm your heart!
Good luck for your chemo next Thursday too.
Tanya xo
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Thank you Tanya. What a lovely friend you have there. xx
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