Hi, I have just been diagnosed with Stage 1 Breast Cancer. Im so scared, wanting so many questions answered..... Does anyone know if I'll need Radiation or Chemo? How will it effect my husband and my children? Id really love to talk to someone...x

Hey, five months in from my diagnosis, I so know just how you feel. Shock, gut wrenching fear, shock, did I mention shock?! Really sorry to hear you've had this crap card dealt...but on the good news front, a stage 1 diagnosis is as a good as it gets -- well apart from the no cancer at all of course! What treatment you will need will depend on all sorts of things -- the size, whether it is hormone receptive, whether it is HER2 positive or negative, whether you have a mastectomy or a lumpectomy. Happy to hold your hand through this as much as I can, but do you have any other information on what they've identified at this stage? Do you know what the results of the biopsy found (this usually tells you the hormone status though it is subject to confirmation once surgery pathology is done). That you've found your way here is a fantastic first step. If you doctor has not given you one yet, the next great thing to do is register to obtain a my journey kit from this fantastic BCNA site (if you do a search for my journey kit in the search area at the top right hand side of the page it will take you to the link). It is full of really useful information that I clung to, patricularly in the first three weeks post diagnosis when shock was the a constant, and it really helped to calm me down. Breathe. Breathe. You have to try to breathe. Hugs. x

Thank-you so much. Im having a mascetomy, so does that mean ill have radiation? Gee I cant even think about chemo, that just scared the heck out of me. Im 36 2 young children and the most amazing husband in the world. My mum had a double mascetomy at 38 year of age, and now me.....we just cant believe it.....when will my tears stop. Cant even look at my children without crying....Am i going to die? Am i going to be really sick? Are people going to treat my differently? So so scared... Ohh, 3 tumours in my right breast only... 8mm, 8mm and 5mm in size. xx

Hi, Feeling for you, having been diagnosed 6 months ago. For me the unknown was the scariest thing of all. Once I had met with my team and knew my staging and the plan, I started focusing on each step and not looking any further than that. i am stage 2, with 5 nodes involved. Had an axillary clearance and lumpectomy, which ended up not having clear margins , so a partial mastectomy was performed. I have just finished 6 cycles of chemo and thankfully had minimal side effects. I start rad on Monday (30 days!) and will begin hormone therapy. Def get the BCNA kit, helped me alot to in the first few weeks of diagonisis. When you go for your appointments, take a pen and p Hun, take each day as it comes, let the tears flow (better out than in) and be kind to yourself. Focus on surgery and getting over that. Sending massive hugs to you and know I'm thinking of you and here for you anytime. xxxxxxxxxx

Hi, I'm sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I was diagnosed in October last year with a very large area of DCIS in my right breast. I had a mastectomy and at the same time a sentinel node biopsy which actually found Grade 4 in my lymph nodes. I went back in for a second op and had a left mastectomy (to be absolutely sure) and a right axillary clearance. Scary yes... but a lot less scary than thinking it may not have been found. I am extremely grateful I am still here to tell the tale and see my daughter grow up. From my understanding you have chemo if they find invasive cancer cells. You have radiotherapy if they find more than three lymph nodes that have cancer in them. I am having both chemo and radiotherapy at exactly the same time. I am almost at the end of the radiotherapy and hopefully starting my second course of chemo today. The radiotherapy is all very easy - just like an xray - just a pain having to go to the hospital every day Monday to Friday. The chemo is also really quite easy although has more side effects. I have nearly lost all my hair and have had some nausea, but that's all for now. I think the symptoms might get worse as you go on. We'll see. Don't worry too much. Look towards the positives. They have found the cancer and they are treating it. It's also Grade 1 which is great news. It hasn't developed too far. Which hospital are you going to? I'm being treated at Sir Charles Gairdner. They have been fantastic. Good luck with your journey! x

Scared !!! | BCNA Online Network

36 Replies

tan_g
Member
13 years ago
Hi there

Who was your surgeon?

I had a terrible day

:-(
fungooleyruley
Member
13 years ago
Wishing you all the best and I am sure that you are in good hands whichever hospital you are going in to. I went, on my own for both my surgeries, to The Mount and felt very comfortable with everyone being so caring and helpful.
tan_g
Member
13 years ago
Saw the resident surgeon here today.

Referring me to Perth, so Im off to Perth tomorrow on Skywest for an appt with the Breast Surgeon and Plastic Surgeon. Having bilateral Mastectomy with expanders.

Surgery booked for 19th March, was hoping for sooner but thats the best they can do.

Anyone want to tell me anything about expanders.

xx
ShazK
Member
13 years ago
Thinking of you today!

x
ShazK
Member
13 years ago
Thinking of you today!

x
tan_g
Member
13 years ago
So...its 3:27AM !!! Cant sleep so im in the louneroom with the laptop, dont suppose anyone else is as mad as me and wants to chat right now.

Today my surgeon appt is at 11am, so many thins racing through my mind, so many things i want to ask him, in fact i just want him to book me in for surgery ASAP !! Have to have my right breast off cos I have mulitfocal so Im telling him to take the left one too.

Anyone have any advice about tissue expanders? Should I have immediate reconstruction if possible or should i wait?

What do i pack to take to hospital, will i need bloused with button fronts, loose tops? Leggings?

xx
Enjo
Member
13 years ago
Hi Tan - sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I was diagnosed at the end of November last year and have had surgery (lumpectomy) and two doese of chemo so far. The chemo has been OK - I've found queasiness (like morning sickness) for about 4 days and then a bit tired. I've got four more doses of chemo and will then have radiation and tamoxifen.

My kids are 10 and 8. They have been coping very well. We have tried to tell them in a very low key, no nonsense way what is happening and what will happen. As an example I'd like to share how my daughter (8) coped with my hair loss from chemo. When I first told her that I would probably have to get "very short hair" she "didn't want me to have boy hair". By the time I started on the chemo she was itching to shave my hair off - she and my hubby gave me a no3 with the clippers. When my hair was falling out she thought it was great fun to pull it out. Now her friends at school say how nice I look or admire my "pirate scarf".

There is lots of info out there - the "My Journey Kit" is definitely worthwhile - just a phone call to BCNA and it is in the mail. I have made a decision to only find out details about the next step in my treatment. With so much information out there it is easy to be overwhelmed - and sometimes by information that is not really relevant to your situation.

Another great service is "Look Good, Feel Better". This is a two hour session run by volunteers who work in the beauty industry. Lots of makeup companies donate all sorts of makeup, you get to take home a bag with cleansers and a full set of makeup. The volunteers show you how to apply the makeup and then a lady talks about wigs and scarves and other options for if you lose your hair.

All the best! Jo
Desley
Member
13 years ago
Hi,

Just read your post regarding telling your children. I was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 36 almost 18 months ago and struggled with what to tell my children who were 5, 8 & 10. It was early breast cancer so I didn't have to have chemo but did have radiation so my talk with them was a little different as my hair didn't fall out so I wasn't going to look any different (from the outside!). I spoke with them after the surgery once I knew what we were dealing with. My biggest piece of advice would be to tell the kids that they will probably have other kids telling them about it and saying stuff to them which may not be true (which happened to my kids) but because we told them early and advised that just because I have breast cancer doesn't mean that I'm going to die and not everyone that is diagnosed with breast cancer will die from it. This helped as over time some kids at school were trying to tell them that I had cancer and I was going to die but my kids said "No that's not right." This made me feel much better that they weren't caught offguard with what these kids said. I asked them if they had any questions and then answered them. I made our talk short and to the point with the facts which my kids seemed to respond to. You can only do what is right for you and you know your kids. You know what they can handle. Trust your gut. Good luck with everything. xx
ShazK
Member
13 years ago
Glad to hear today is a good day!

I have a 13 and 9 year old. We sat both kids down and told them I had Breast Cancer and what that meant. We told them I would need surgery, chemo and then radiation. My hubby and I then briefly explained what each of these meant and how it would impact on me.

We spent a fair bit of time crying, hugging and it eventually turned to laughter. We have always been honest with our kids (9 year old has had his fair share of medical problems from birth) 9 year old asked "would i walk funny with one boob" LOL

You will find the right words when you sit down with them.

Thinking of you and wishing you a peaceful weekend xx
fungooleyruley
Member
13 years ago
And it will continue to get better as you go along. When I had my first appointment with the surgeon she had organised for me to see a breast care nurse at the same time. They offer great support for you along the way and I believe that you can contact them whenever the need arises. I am in the private system though and don't know if this service is available in the public system. Someone else on this blog may know. If they are not readily available in the public system you could check and see if there is a McGrath Foundation breast care nurse available in your area. The website link for the foundation is:-

http://www.mcgrathfoundation.com.au/Resources/NationalBreastCareNurseDirectory/Nurses.aspx?type=gp

They will also be able to give you some advice on how to tell your children about what is going on.

There will most likely be a gap of around 8 weeks between your surgery and the commencement of the radiation treatment which gives time for the surgery wound to heal properly. I would be more than happy to meet you for a coffee and a chat or even go along with you to your first few appointments if you would like. My mobile number is 0413510991 and I live in Bull Creek.

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