Must do that

I just had a nervous giggle at this response because I suddenly wondered what the heck I might have written in previous posts oblivious to the fact that we have our brothers in the audience too!! Gosh I can just imagine the stuff you guys must be laughing about...we are quite an open sharing buch us ladies hey! hehe...

Yes, JE, the reply system is a bit convoluted.
We and my mates are adrift in a sea of pink, but we have a good laugh at all the goings on. More seriously, since the disease in men is not assumed, our later diagnosis leads to worse prognoses. You can read bout it here:  http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/283317.php

Good on you for doing your bit to de-genderize the disease and best wishes.

That's an amazing genetic history you've uncovered NE and I'm glad you're on the case. Many people forget to dig on the male line, since they assume men don't carry BRCA genes. I'm very sorry that you've had to go through another op, but this is likely for the better. best wishes to you and your family.

Hi Traveltext,

I tried to reply to your reply (!) but was unable to until I worked out I had to reply to the latest reply to your reply, if you get my drift....anyway...I just wanted to say thanks for pointing out to me the difficulties that you must face being a minority of a minority, not least of which must be the lack of preventative/early screening, and also the problems associated with being swallowed up in the whole "pink" thing. As a small recognition of the reach that breast cancer has beyond the stereotype, I will try to not address my posts to "women" or "ladies", but "people".

I hope you are going well on your journey.

Jane

I am so sorry for your loss. I am relieved to hear that your daughter is in a screening programme. My daughter is only 17 and my son 14. They will be on screening also from age 25 I believe. It's is the best we can do. Be vigilant and make sure we look after ourselves. I never knew my dad's side of the family so I assumed and always said "No family history of cancer" when asked. But when a very aggressive cancer struck me at 39 my surgeon suggested gene testing due to my age and aggressiveness of the cancer. I tested positive for BRCA2 which meant a full hysterectomy just after my 40th birthday and a second mastectomy in March this year of my remaining 'healthy' breast. I have since done some digging into our family history and discovered that my dad's 2 aunts and a cousin had breast cancer. If I had known this I would have definitely not gone undiagnosed for 12 months. So I am a massive advocate for gene testing as well as just knowing your family history. I hope all goes smoothly with your treatment. Thanks for posting. Take care.

Great sense of humour I'd almost just turn up to humour myself.  I laughed and cried with some of the letters etc I got I've just finished almost a year of surgery chemo ( my personal favourite NOT) deep chest wall radio and about to start on Femara reco maybe end of year.  Just after my diagnosis I got bowel cancer results back all clear but I continually got reminders for Pap smear ah my goodness I was like just shoot me now pleased to say I finally had the Pap smear all clear hugs 

Thanks NE. I have been gene tested and I have an unknown variation of the BRCA 1 gene. My daughter,, who has a young daughter, is aware of this and is in a screening programme. My mum died aged 40 with the disease.

OH Traveltext

that is horrible for you. I have to say that I learnt a long time ago to be proactive about my  health and that of my children (2 boys with ASD and epilepsy). If Doctors don't listen to me I seek a 2nd opinion elsewhere. 

We must listen to our bodies and ask for things when we know we are not right. 

Soldier Crab 

hi NE 

oh I hear you took a bit before I would give out my code again to the Vault .... hehehe  I find Sylk recommended by my oncologist helps with dryness from the chemo treatment. 

I was "diagnosed" Christmas Eve 2015, but officially on January 4th after all the tests were confirmed in black and white....I got into a private screen in between the Christmas and New Year break...I shudder to think now what might have been....had I waited until the end of February for that mammogram through the public screening system!

My cancer was missed on the last mammogram, even though i had the thickening then too! It was even sketchy on this one, but was more clear on the Ultrasound... my cancer was 70mm and even shocked my surgeon! as it didn't show that large on any screenings...it was deep in my breast.

I guess we will never know how long it was sitting there undiscovered, and i have often beaten myself up about how did i miss this ?and how long has t been there?....the important thing is it has been, and treated accordingly...

Xx