I am a 43 yr old pediatric nurse. I have a supportive husband and two fantastic kids, daughter nearly 8yrs and son 10yrs. I was diagnosed with minimum stage 2 breast cancer last Wednesday the 26th June. I am having a lumpectomy on the 5th July and am petrified that there will be cancer in my lymph nodes. My nursing experiences are mainly in intensive care have given me mainly fatal stories about cancer and I am really struggling to remain positive. I need survival stories from those with a similar diagnosis to give me some hope. I wish right now I new nothing medical at all because my thoughts are torturing me and I am struggling to sleep even with temazepam . Can anyone offer me some positive stories please. Lara xxx

It is all scary, and so unfair when you are so young. But I truly believe in the power of positive thinking. Look at your beautiful family, enjoy every moment with them, plan things with them, force your mind to push away the dark thoughts. Embrace whatever treatment you can have to fight it. Just take one day at a time, try not to project the might bes and what ifs. I KNOW it is hard, I've done it too. I am one year down the track and it gets easier. I have all fingers crossed for positive results from your lymph. magicmum

Hi Lara, I am 49 and was diagnosed in march this year, had a partial Masecomy and was told that my lymph glands were clear by an ultra sound and would only have to have radiation.After the OP that went well, a week later had to path results, the lump was alot larger that they thought but it had started to go into my lymph nodes. This meant that i now would have to have Chemo, Radiation and 5 years of tablets - my husband and i were devestated, but when the Doc explains to you in percentages of the benefits of having all the treatment or only radiation the window of recovery was huge and a no brainer to our decision. I am half way through my chemo, then 6 weeks of everyday radiation and then 5 years of tablets, but the outcome is good for me. Please i know it is hard not to dwell and think the worst - the WAITING is the worst, but wait for the results and deal with it then. Hope to keep reading on your progress honey, all the best with the OP. Jody xoxoxoxoox

Hi Lara, I was diagnosed at 41 in June 2012 with multi focal stage 2 grade 2 IDC lymph nodes clear. I have had 2 lumpectomies that did not remove all evidence of disease so after chemo finished had a bilateral mast and skin sparing free tram flap reconstruction. I am 12 weeks post that last surgey. The waiting is the hardest part I found. Waiting for results is torture. But whatever the news, knowing is better than not knowing and means you can move forward with whatever you need to do. So now I am 12 months on and completing treatment in December (as I was her 2 Positive thus on herceptin). I am returning to work after the holidays. I feel strong and reparied, a;most like before this whole cancer episode. I still have revision surgery and nipples and plan to be complete by the end of this year. I hope you get clear nodes, but until they get in there they will not really know staging and grade anyway. I should also say that having an MRI was my turning point and am very glad i had one as it resulted in a better diagnosis of DCIS and subsequent need for the mastectomy. Otherwise we would not have known what was there. Hard as it is its all doable. i found i was not worried about some things like i thought i would be; eg loss of hair and no nipples. But somehow, I think due to my great kids, I just soldiered on and we had plenty of laughs. Take care and ask heaps of questions and always get your pathology reports to do your own research so you know whats going on. XXX Louie

If I tell all the women on the BCNA website to look out their front window and tell me what they see, then that is what breast cancer is like. It all depends on the view, the attitude and your own experience. I had to have 2 operations to remove nodes, but I never once felt terror, just thought, lucky it hasnt gone further. As you go through your own experience, it will greatly depend on how you think. and how positive the stories are around you. I found It is easy to focus on the negative because its not great being diagnosed with Cancer, but you do adapt and ultimately, trying to be a positive person, I feel will have more positive result . I am so glad the view from my window was tranquil. xx Bel

Need some positive stories | BCNA Online Network

43 Replies

Chris
Member
13 years ago
Hi Lara, just wondering how you are going? How has the chemo been treating you? Hope to meet up with you at one of our Perth get togethers soon. Love Chris xx
magicmum
Member
13 years ago
I am 18 mnths post diagnosis now, had my first check up mammo and ultrasound - all clear. I'm HER2 + so I still have my worry days whem I imagine it might be everywhere but it's not as often now.

I just read the piece about not asking too many questions. What rubbish. Knowledge is how you make it through. If someone doesn't want you to know stuff it suggests that they think you are incapable of understanding. How demeaning.

You will have days of tears yet, you will have days of despair - but they thin out and you will realise that you are still HERE, still alive, fighting.

Radiation is SO much easier than chemo - well it was for me. Slap on the cream, think positive thoughts.

much love

magicmum
susie_Q
Member
13 years ago
That is ok Lara, you need to have some "down time", and a great big cry, it helps and is all part of the process. I think most of us would surprise our colleagues (as Adean mentioned), we are tough cookies but still need to crumble at times, as long as we can pick up before the crumbs get to small. All the best for a good day .
susie_Q
Member
13 years ago
Glad to be able to bring back some happy memories for you, a light to brighten your low moments. It was lovely to talk to your mum, I recognised her voice straight away, a lovely lady. I am popping down this arvo to take a few snaps. Last year our community produced a calendar as a fundraiser for Cancer, as quite a few of the residents were battling this crappy thing. I will take one over to your mum for her to bring it over to you. You may not know many of the people but it has pictures of Ridgley as the backdrop for our RELAY Team members who all work very hard raising money for our Transport to Treatment bus. Will be hoping and praying for you to battle on strongly to fight this hideous thing... Love and hugs Sue
adean
Member
13 years ago
Hey there tough tears so don't worry yes it's emotionally draining l was telling my work colleagues l used to cry at home often and they were shocked, amazing how people see us isn't it. You always feel better after a good cry. Regards adean
Lara_O_Perth
Member
13 years ago
Hi Sue, I spoke to mum today and said you caught up, well done. I can't wait to see my Mum, just waiting to here when my chemo starts and then she'll be on a flight to come and look after all of us. I remember Sargeants very well, I was always in and out of there say hello to Vicky for me. I look forward to some house photos but if its too hard don't worry about it too much. I was talking to an old Tassie school friend today and we were best buddies and we were reminicing about all the fun we had at Willovale, we both agreed that place made our childhood brilliant. Thanks for bringing back great memories Sue. Love Lara

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Need some positive stories

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