Very new TNBC patient

Hi Cas

I too was diagnosed with TNBC.  I have just reached the 12 month mark post the end of treatment.  I was a mature student when diagnosed. Had to drop out for a semester as chemo brain overwhelmed me but my University was very good about it.  I have since completed that semester.  I am in Brisbane.  Treated through HOCA at the Mater Private.  Currently enjoying dragon boating as a way to get active again. Will be at Currumbin Creek on 24th for a festival if you want to come down for a laugh.  Take care

Hi Cas

I too was diagnosed with TNBC.  I have just reached the 12 month mark post the end of treatment.  I was a mature student when diagnosed. Had to drop out for a semester as chemo brain overwhelmed me but my University was very good about it.  I have since completed that semester.  I am in Brisbane.  Treated through HOCA at the Mater Private.  Currently enjoying dragon boating as a way to get active again. Will be at Currumbin Creek on 24th for a festival if you want to come down for a laugh.  Take care

Thanks Paula,

Yep, my head is still fine.  I've overdone it a little today and struggling to stay awake just to watch Miss Fishers Murder Mysteries (my favourite).

Wow, 37 lymph nodes is huge.  I'm struggling with my right arm almost 4 weeks after surgery and I only had two sentinal nodes removed for biopsy.

I will be asking about radio.  I'm hoping I get away with not having it.  My tumor apparently was contained so it was removed and the theory is that there aren't any radical cells left.  I'm hoping the chemo is just a mop up to make sure.  Who knows though?  I can only ask for the oncologist's advice and if it doesn't sit well with me and my sixth sense I will ask for a second opinon.

I'm also hoping that chemo isn't too shitty.  I can cope with a fair bit and apparently I have a high pain tolerance (who knew?) so maybe it won't be too bad.  I am watching and listening to others though and I know it isn't all roses by any stretch.

Thanks for being here for me.  I hope that I can pass on the love at a later date.

Cas

Hey thanks Deb.  I can take the toll on the body until the end of Feb so I say do your worst chemo but be finished in 14 weeks or else.  I have a history unit to study (love history) and a feature writing unit (love feature writing) for the next 3 months.  As long as I can stay awake for 20 hours a week for those I will be fine.  I only need to be able to read and write and send emails.

Thankfully my mother has taken over organising my life.  She loves being bossy, so do I but I'm letting her be in charge.  She does my ironing and my vacuuming and mopping.  I can push the lawnmower with my left hand and my block is small and flat.  My son carries groceries, pots, potting mix, chairs and anything else I want moved.  I cook lunch and dinner and my son who is king of the omelette cooks breakfast (not in bed).  So in all, I'm well looked after and I have heaps of student friends on Facebook and a whole new bunch of friends here :)

As Paula will tell you I've given up on bras, they hurt me, I go shoeless (at home) and I'm planning on going hairless too :P  They might have started before Halloween don't you think so I could scare the neighbourhood kids senseless?  hehehehehe....    sorry.....not really...

Cas

Thanks everyone.  I'm not concerned too much.  This is my second cancer, I had bowel cancer in 1982 so I'm a little bit of an old hand.  I didn't have chemotherapy with that cancer.

This one came up very quickly and was operated on even more quickly.  I saw the surgeon on Monday night, I was having a mastectomy on the Friday night.  Thankfully I have very good health insurance so it hasn't been horrendously expensive.  I am also a student on Austudy so most of the out of hospital expenses have been bulk billed including radiology and oncology appointments.  My chemo will be done in a private hospital so my insurance covers it.

Yes the waiting is draining but I am a student right at the very end of my undergraduate degree so I am busy busy all the time.  I'm an off campus student and my degree finishes in February. I start my honours year on 26/2/14.  I work one day per week as a bookkeeper and I'm hoping to be working in the uni next year as a mentor to 2nd and 3rd year undergrad students while I start my research.  (journalism)

Paula, I read that about the survival rates being higher for TNBC as well.  I am hoping to be through chemotherapy in 3 months but I will have to take the advice of the oncologist on that.  There will be no radiation thankfully, there is nothing left to irradiate.

I've spent hours this morning choosing a wig and hats and fringes at the local Cancer Council and I am booked for Look Good Feel Better at the beginning of December so I'm prepared.

Last night I did some preliminary research on chemotherapy drugs, how they administer them, what they are targetting, what the outcomes are  etc.  I'm not frightened, more ready to get into it and get it over with.  My uni is very lenient but I am not going to stretch the friendship more than necessary so I say bring it on, get it over, move on. 

Cas :)  (going shopping now for a scarf clip and also tiny alligator clips to make a cardigan clasp.  I've given up with bras, so I wear a shirt over a singlet and I need a little chain so the shirt stays sitting well at the front)

Hi cas,

Try not to be overwhelmed by your diognosis you metioned that nodes were clear this is a good sign. The grade 3 means it grows fast, the positive is that TNBC responds well to Chemo. I have just completed my 6th and last cycle of Chemo and other that being a little more tired than usual and not as much energy as I would like. I am doing fairly well. Start Radio 9th Dec, I was diognosed 13th May and had lumpectomy 13th June and Drainage of surgical site due to a haematoma quick surgery 27th June and started chemo (TAC) 17th July. If you access the internet look for TN sites. All the best just take it one day at a time.  

Hi Cas

Very sound advice from Gillian. I was diagnosed on 1/8 this year. I had a LHS lumpectomy for a 9mm Stage 3 before being told I was TNBC -  so more surgery may follow. I am due to have my 3rd chemo session on 25/11 with chemo to finish end of Jan 2014 followed by a 2 wk overseas trip then 6 weeks of radiotherapy. I am in the fortunate position that I have enough leave that I can take time off work and I don't have young children to care for. How you react to chemo will be different to how others react and many women continue to get on with their lives whilst undergoing treatment and you'd never know they were undergoing treatment. I have really good days and days when I'm less than ordinary! Be kind to yourself and let others help you when you need help and you will get through this.

All the best - love smead xxx

Hi Cas

Very sound advice from Gillian. I was diagnosed on 1/8 this year. I had a LHS lumpectomy for a 9mm Stage 3 before being told I was TNBC -  so more surgery may follow. I am due to have my 3rd chemo session on 25/11 with chemo to finish end of Jan 2014 followed by a 2 wk overseas trip then 6 weeks of radiotherapy. I am in the fortunate position that I have enough leave that I can take time off work and I don't have young children to care for. How you react to chemo will be different to how others react and many women continue to get on with their lives whilst undergoing treatment and you'd never know they were undergoing treatment. I have really good days and days when I'm less than ordinary! Be kind to yourself and let others help you when you need help and you will get through this.

All the best - love smead xxx