Well, there's that then, meta-what?
Self diagnosed lump, x-ray, mammograms, ultrasound, infiltrating mass, biopsy, estrogen +ve, progesterone +ve, HER2 -ve with follow up labs, chest pain, enlarged nodes left arm, CT scan, bone scan, biopsy 2, marker uptake in sternum and liver. Liver ultrasound tomorrow with view to biopsy, if unable, then biopsy sternum. Next appt., 20/12, with view to immediate hormone therapy, depending upon results, start chemotherapy. "It's not good news" "You have metastatic cancer" I have no idea what that means. I've gone from phase 2 infiltrating ductal carcinoma, to "metastatic" - google: stage 4 metastases in the bone and liver - cheers, pending results, in about a week. All I can think about is, who is going to look after/ love my child if something happens to me? He has a delayed learning disability and autism spectrum disorders. He is a gorgeous boy, starts school next year, how much does he understand about what's going to happen to me on chemo/ hormone therapy. All I can think about is him. What am I going to do about him? What can I do for him? Other single Mums, how did you deal with this fear?
Diagnosed on 1 May 2017
I am 58 and have a lifetime habit of healthy living. Therefore,when I was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014, like everyone else I'm sure, I couldn't believe it. It never occurred to me I would get cancer. After I competed treatment I did everything I could think of to ensure I would be healthy and cancer free. Early this year I started to experience inexplicable back pain. I also didn't feel myself - hard to explain. After many visits to the doctor trying to figure out what was wrong, I ended up in Emergency at 4am with unbearable pain. I was diagnosed later that morning with metastatic breast cancer - Monday 1 May. Within a week I was receiving chemo and had my first radiotherapy treatment. I am blessed to have a highly skilled, caring and compassionate medical team that I have complete faith in. The resources on this site have been informative & helped me a lot, especially during the first few terrible weeks after I was diagnosed - I'm sure I took advantage of every scan and test available at North Coast Radiology during those weeks. The scans show I have extensive metastasis in my spine, hips and a few areas on my scull; and spots in my liver. The liver is already showing a lot of improvement. Fortunately my brain and other organs are clear. The scans of my spine and hips are VERY scary and the associated pain is no fun. Mindfulness meditation, eating healthily and exercise certainly help. I'd love any advice or suggestions you have in helping to live with bone pain. I read messages of hope and inspiration on this site during that first scary week. I can't find words to express how much those stories helped - I latched onto the hope and advice to live every day well and to set goals. Kitty's message that, "in a strange way, those of us with advanced disease are lucky – we know that the important thing is to enjoy today and to live as well as we can" is forefront in my mind. So ... thanks to Kitty, one week to the day after I was diagnosed I ordered my dream campervan (over the phone on my way to Lismore for more scanning). Since I was a child I have always wanted to own a two tone Kombi campervan (my god parents, who I adored, had one) My partner and I are had saved and planned to buy a modern version in a couple of years but we brought our plans forward. We do have a basic 20 years old campervan we love but is doesn't have aircon. Not so comfortable driving in summer since we moved north! Thank you all for being here. I look forward to 'meeting' at least some of you.
Three weeks into my journey.
Hi everyone, i wanted to say hi and thank you to everyone for the useful comments puts on this page. I started my journey 3 weeks ago when I was diagnosed with breast cancer in my right breast after going to the doctor with a suspected hematoma to my breast after a simple fall. Sadly results came back with a diagnoses of infiltrating ductal carcinoma and infiltrating lobular carcinoma, which means a lump in my breast, milk ducts and in my lump glands, after ultrasounds, CT scans and MRI of both breast and Brain, as well as core biopsy of my breast and lump glands, we have also discovered it is now in my Liver. Thursday this week is full results of whether it has also travelled to my brain, fingers crossed it stopped at my Liver. Then finally a course of action of whether it is chemotherapy first then mastectomy, or other way round. Again thank you for all your helpful comment, reading other people stories helps you fell like your not alone.
Things you wish you had know!
Hi, I am Shelli, For those that don't know me I am 39, stage 4 bi-lateral breast cancer with mets to the bones. Fun hey! Not really. I have just been though 6 rounds of Dotax, Herceptin and Perjeta. I am currently on the Herceptin and the Perjeta every 3 weeks for the rest of my life until they wont work anymore so hopefully a long time, and also about to have a double maestecomy in December. It has been on heck of a rollercoater of a year. But why am I here and asking! I am putting together a pocket notebook of all the things you wish you knew when you were starting out, (and not the medical hand outs and the long books and the marketing material you are given- the real deal stuff that can help you) especially from diagnosis to chemo, to share with people just starting on this journey. There is so much out there for prevention and cure but not enough fo the patients that are in the thick of it! I found myself very lost and confused through the process, but also found some great things that I think have all been through that we could all share! So, if you have anything from products, tips and tricks, things that happen to your body that no one tells you about, the things that scare you (like losing my hair was more confronting that having the chemo) and more....... I would love to hear about them here! Also any of the funny stories...... I have one where my boob exploded gunk on the mirror - I was so scared at the time but now its actually quite funny.... I look forward to hearing all your stories - Please share! LOVE Shelli xx
Ist Timer
Hi all, Very new to this unfortunatley I have been diagnosed with secondary BC without any preliminaries with early BC. I have bone mets which i thought was musco sleletal issues from a fall off a horse, I am 47 with an 8 year old girl and terrified. I have started hormone therapy to starve my cancer and doctor says this could work for a long time but no gaurantees. Can anyone let me know anything about this. Thanks
New
Hey everyone, I just wanted to introduce myself. I have secondary breast cancer. Was originally diagnosed in Sept 2006 with stage 4 BC and had chemo, mastectomy, and radiation. Then in June 2011 we found bone mets and a new primary in other breast and lymph nodes. I then had chemo and hormone therapy, (though my original diagnoses was triple negative some of the secondaries were eastrugene positive) then in June 2012 we found a 4cm tumor in the liver. I then had more chemo, didn't work now 8cm so we then tried another chemo with success and have shrunk it to 3 cm in the liver and after 4 months with no treatment we haven't had any growth so things stable at the moment. I have an amazingly supportive husband and 3 children, 2 girls 19 and 17 and a boy who is 14. Hopefully we can control these secondaries for a long long time.