Today's feelings in poetry
Lucky So lucky, people say. That they caught it when they did That it hasn’t spread That they got it all That I have insurance So, so lucky. That my friend told me about her cancer That I finally moved my arse and Went and had that mammogram That I live in the lucky country So lucky That my prognosis is good That my job will be there for me That I am surrounded by family and friends With their love, soup and casseroles. Lucky. That my new set are perkier Smaller, Scar-rier, numb-ier. A bit lopsided Like me. Some days though, I just feel A tiny bit Unlucky.
Health care professionals working with breast cancer patients post diagnosis
Are there any health care professionals who worked with breast cancer patients prior to their own diagnosis, who continued working with them post treatment? How did you cope? After 20 years of working with breast cancer patients I’m struggling with the thought of going back to it when my treatment is done. But not doing so upsets me more than the thought of losing my breasts.
Searching for anyone diagnosed with BC in the early to mid 1980s
In 1984 two day before my 29 th birthday, i had my right breast and glands under my right arm removed. I'm searching for anyone who was also diagnosed with breast cancer in the reply to mid 1980s, to compare notes about how they did cope and any effects physical or psychological they carry today.
Phone Contact with Eastern Health Breast and Cancer Centre
Just wondering if anyone else has had difficulty contacting the Eastern Health Breast and Cancer Centre by phone? Maybe it's just me but every time I call I get transferred to an answer machine, either for appointments OR to speak to a Breast Care Nurse and am told someone will call back. And they usually do, however, I cannot always get to their call, maybe I miss it due to driving or some other reason, so it flicks to a voicemail that asks me to ring the same number again - the number that transfers me to the answer machine! Forgive me for sounding frustrated but I am usually needing to speak to a person when I call - I don't want to leave a message to be called back. It's usually taken me all my energy to sit down with my diary or my question, I may even be distressed and needing some reassurance about something from the Breast Care Nurse and so an answer machine just does not cut it! I am not complaining about the staff on the desk, or any of the staff that operate out of this clinic - to be honest, I have never met more caring and helpful hospital staff - it's about the system. I really want to give my feedback but I want it to go to the correct person and I am thinking this would be an administrator? Who organises how the phones are answered? It can't be a case of understaffing - there are usually three or four receptionists on the desk! I also found out that even the Day Oncology nurses cannot phone an internal number to this clinic and have to resort to walking round there to speak to someone. This I find unacceptable. It is a beautiful clinic and the staff are lovely but the system of dealing with patients on the phone falls down dreadfully. Before I give my feedback, I would like to know if there are any other breast cancer patients who have faced a similar experience.
Dealing with cancer while dealing with my own
Hi everyone. 5 years ago today I had surgety for DCIS. 4 years and 9 month later I was diagnosed with early BC. Surgery, radiation, ovaries removed, Arimidex. The whole program. I feel physically fine but the emotional side is a different matter. I have great support and my husband is my rock. Here comes the kicker. Just before my diagnosis in November a close friend of ours went into hospital for cancer related back surgery. His wife has been my support person last time. One week later my father in law was diagnosed with lung cancer. Fast forward to now and our dear friend has passed away and my father in law is recieving palliative care with days to live. I am trying so hard to keep it together. My 2 biggest supporters are suffering and I feel I should be helping them. My wonderful husband has lost a friend, is losing his dad and is trying to help me. How much more can he take? How can I ease his pain?
Blessed breast!
I am sitting here feeling like a breast cancer fraud. No pain, very little fuss, and it looks like no chemo. Whaaaat? I hear you say, but it's true. I have a blessed breast! I had a tiny little cancer, 9.6mm. It was HER2 negative, oestrogen positive. So I'll have to have radio therapy, in about 6 weeks, and some hormone therapy. But no chemo. My journey has been particularly unremarkable. ACT Breastscreen picked up cancer during a regular screening. I went in for further tests including a biopsy. Got the diagnosis the Friday before Christmas and thought "Oh well, it will be what it will be. There's so much advancement with this stuff now that I'm sure it will be OK." Didn't tell anyone, cause... well... you just wouldn't at that time of the year. Saw the surgeon (personality of a brick) in January and spoke to the breast care nurses (can't say enough about how wonderful they are!). Promptly forgot about it again and went on a cruise. Sailed (pun intended) through the op at the end of Feb - in at 3.30pm, out at 5.30pm and last pain meds at the same time on the ward, and haven't needed any since - home the next day. Had a bit of a fright with the swelling, but it turns out it's to be expected from removing even two lymph glands. Gosh it must be bad when more get removed!! A lovely doctor at Oncology showed me how to massage the fluid back to the remaining lymph glands. My advice is to just take it one day at a time. Organise what you need - don't worry about what you can't control. Fingers crossed I don't go bananas with the hormone therapy and undo all of this bragging :smile: Love to you all, and may your breasts be blessed. xxx soooz PS - My daughter suffers from endometriosis, and I can't help but compare breast cancer with endometriosis for education, research, and support. Endometriosis sufferers are really struggling.
Newly Diagnosed and overwhelmed
I have my treatment plan in place and im full of anxiety over it, i no so far its contained and it hasnt spread to organs, going for bone scan this week, mri and to have a clip put in. Petrified of Chemotherapy and how it will effect me. If anyone could calm my nerves i would love to chat
Never give up
Hi Ladies, I went to visit my Uncle and Aunt today. My Aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer last year and had a mastectomy just before Christmas, she's currently going though chemo. I haven't seen them for a while so I wasn't sure what to expect. I'm proud to say she was fine. Sprightly, interested in conversation, walking with the help of her walking frame, beautifully dressed and made up (as always). She apologised for her head scarf, I told her she is beautiful. I can only hope to be as gracious, graceful and lovely as her. Oh, I forgot to mention … they are 95!!! Never give up, you are stronger than you think.
Complications from chemo
Hi everyone. I have barely been on here for some time now, OK....a long time, and for that I apologise. Whilst I was beginning my breast cancer journey from basically 2016 (aged 59)- I was also a full time carer to my 91 yr old Mother. It's all been pretty full on. Mum took the news of my breast cancer badly. It was almost like one minute she could walk etc - and then she went downhill convinced I was dying because the oncologist and surgeon decided I should have a prophylactic mastectomy on the 2nd breast to head off further cancer. 2018 was pretty horrid after that. She is now the first person in our family that has had dementia and one form of her dementia was she rubbed her feet (in agitation) whilst in bed. She developed bedsores on the side of one foot and this is what killed her. In between all this, I began chemo Jan 2016 and within the first week I began to go numb in my toes, had a heart attack on the 2nd dose, chronic diarrhea that continues to this day, had to have all my teeth extracted (Karma because I was so proud of my white perfect teeth hahahaha) I developed lymphedema in my right arm and side of my body. That required a few weeks of having full body massages daily ( 5days a week) and my arm bandaged tightly) To this day, I have to do something like 20 to 30 massages a day to keep the swelling down an wear a compression garment 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week. Within the first week I also started numbness in my feet from the toes up. This is my BIGGEST problem, and I am praying that others have suffered from this and can help. Has anyone else had this numbness that creeps up their legs?? I am now finding that I fall over constantly and that my left leg almost feels like it doesn't belong to me or is there. It's so embarrassing falling over when I go out. I saw an endocrinologist last week and she feels that I must go on utterly massive doses of Vit D - and it is because my very low levels of Vitamin D since I started chemo are the reason this is happening. Has ANYONE gone through this and beat it??? Because right now I wish to God the cancer had taken me. I've been a full time carer to my mother for nearly 14 years - yet now when I need help - I am told I have to out and find work. I'm at the stage I give up. Barb from Brisbane
Triple Negative
Hi there, I’m new to this site and to be honest very scared. I had surgery a week ago to have a cancer removed (lumpectomy). Results are in. Clear margins and clear nodes (that’s the good news) Grade 3 Stage 1 so caught an aggressive cancer early but I’m also triple negative. For the first time since my diagnosis my doctor used the word chemo and it scares me more than the initial diagnosis. Everything I read about triple negative is scary. Everything I read about Chemo is scary. It still needs to be discussed wether chemo will be beneficial for me. Has anyone been diagnosed with triple negative and not required Chemo?