Newly diagnosed with DCIS - starting the rollecoaster
Hi all, I live in Geelong. I'm 41. Single mum to a 13yo son, co-parent 50%. I was diagnosed with DCIS estrogen+ on the 14th Feb. Luckily is stage 0, which eases my worries a bit. My mum and sister had stage 2, and they are in remission. So this gives me hope and keeps me positive. I am not scared of the surgery or radiotherapy...but just have lots of doubts of how is the process going to affect my ability to concentrate on my phd and thesis writing and my ability to work (part time teacher, looking for change in career). I'm considering taking an intermission from my phd, but I don't know for how long, and how I am going to support myself financially. Did anyone kept working or studying through the treatment? I'm a planner....but this doesn't have a timeline...and I think I just have to take a day at the time. I don't have a date for surgery and radiotherapy yet...I don't know how long is going to go for and how I am going to feel.....My guess is just go with the flow.....
chemo question please?
Hi all, As some of you may have seen from my past post regarding the return of the cancer, or should I correctly say, it was never all taken at that time even though they said they had got it all with clear margins, still so angry . I'm now staring down the barrel of chemo afterwards, as part of my treatment from this round of surgeries, I wasn't required to under go chemo 1st time, so I dodged that, this time its not looking like I will have that same luxury, My questions are for all of you who have had to face this, how long dose it take for you to loose your hair, I'm just trying to do the best to mentally prepare myself, I fully understand each one of us are completely different, and each chemo session plan will be different form the next, its more of a general idea, like dose it start to come away after your 1st session, or do you get through all your sessions and then you see the hair starting to come away, I do have a great breast care nurse, who is lovely, we are just back at the early stages now biopsy's done, MRI done, PET CT scan booked in for this week, they have now seen another lump in the breast that could need another biopsy prior to theater, the list keeps going on this. But I have been advised by both the surgeon and y breast care nurse, chemo is a high possibility Is there any advice you can share on how to prepare both physically and mentally for this treatment. I have the worlds worse veins, so I've ben told about a pick line, that sounds fun, not! anything you wish to share would be very helpful, so I can try my best to mentally prepare for this stage Thank you all :)time gap from surgery to starting of Radiation therapy
Hello everyone, I have a super quick question, from the time that you had your surgery, how long was it till you started your radiation therapy? and if the dates didn't a line with your life and needs, and how long was it before you could start, like 2 months etc before your treatment started, I'm asking as I'm looking for advice, as I'm struggling with so many things, thanks
to work or not to work
I've recently had a 3cm lump removed. It was all clear around the lump, but there were minute traces in the sentinal node, but nothing in the next two nodes. It is hormone related in the ducts and at some stage I will be having radiation and going on hormone blockers, which I have no problem with. However my oncologist has suggested that I should also have chemo. As I have had chemo in the past (22 years ago for leukemia) I really don't want to go through that again. However it is looking like I should. My question is, and this is perhaps me desperately clinging onto continuing my life with some sort of normality, should I try to continue to work. I work as a part time (2 days a week) office manger/receptionist in a Physiotherapy clinic. I love my job, and there is some flexibility with working hours with the other reception staff. But wonder if it may be too much, trying to cope with the possible side effects and also especially in this day of Covid-19, to try to work through my treatment.