Breast Cancer - Fort Worth,TX

B.,

You have gotten some good responses. Beverly B had a lot of good advice especially the treadmill that I like to refer to as "the runaway train". There is a short window from the time that you are diagnosed with cancer until you HAVE to do something to remove it. If you can get a second opinion get it quickly. Once you start your journey, you will not have time to think only to react because you are on the front of the train that is speeding down the track. I am a 12 year breast cancer survior. The stage of the cancer determines the type of treatment you will go through. The choice IS up to you. There are unilateral mastectomies, bilateral mastectomies, lumpectomies and other "ectomies". Since I had stage 1 and the cancer had not spread into the lymph nodes, I did radiation only. One of my oncologists stated later that he would have had me do chemo as well but only could say it was "X" per cent that it would not come back. We had our words and he was shocked at what I said but that is another story.

My analogy of the actual cancer surgery is called the "lake effect". When you go to a lake, the water is clear (prior surgery). When you and family members jump into the lake, the bottom of the lake is churned up and the lake is muddied (the surgery). When you all stop swimming in the water and it settles back down and trails away into clear water (end of surgery and recovery). It is after the end of surgery that doctors want to make sure they have gotten all of the cancer so they use radiation and/or chemo to catch any small pieces that were not surgically removed or floated off somewhere else to do harm.

Get and have a good support group of family and friends around while you go through your journey. Let them wait on you hand and foot if they want. Now is not the time to be full of pride and or modesty.

Your modesty will be gone and any inhibittions (or prudish thoughts) you have will also be gone due to all of the people you will meet and who will help you with your treatments especially after your are "marked up" with magic marker for radiation treatments (marker wears off). Your facility may make a body cast for you to lie in (to keep you in place) for your treatments so that the radiation hits the same area each time. You may also receive several dots of tattoo ink used for alignment (they are not noticeable).

Check out and get on a good diet of rich foods like real butter, cheese, cream and nuts along with good fruits and vegetables to help counteract the radiation and chemo on the body. Above all else, get at least 8 hours of solid sleep each night so that you will not be fatigued at the of the treatments. Yes, your taste buds will be off and there will be a metalic taste for a few days but that does go away. With chemo, there may be smells that you will not be able to handle (like in pregnancy) so you will have to avoid them to keep the naseau at bay.

Above all else, keep a POSITIVE outlook on what is going on in your life as this will help you with your recovery and outcome. Get connected to a higher being, spiritual belief or whatever and hang on to it with all your might.

You are entitled to cry and let it out. Warn all your family members that this is part of the recovery and apologize in advance for any hurt feelings that might arise for things that you might say. Yes, you will feel like you have a basketball under your arm after having surgery but it will go away. To keep the pressure off of your drain tubes, I wore garterbelts and had large safety pins to hold them hidden under clothing for the first week or two.

When it comes to hormone replacement therapy do your research. Also watch out for the foods that you eat if you have an estrogen receptive tumor - soy is full of natural estrogen. So plan on redoing some of your favorites or eat in moderation. I took Tamoxefin for five years and get checked every year as every woman should do.

Your outlook on life will change; it help but change. What was important before is not and what wasn't before is. I am an American Cancer Society Reach to Recovery Associate. If you need or want additional info send me a note privately. Learn to eliminate any and all extra stress in your life. You, too, can overcome and live a long, healthy and happy life.

The other S.

First let me say that I am sorry to hear this. I was stage 4 when they found mine 10 years ago. I had a modified radical mastectomy on left side only. The modified was to remove the glands under my arm to see if it had spread and I was lucky and it did not. I underwent chemo for 6 months and did not and do not take any after meds at all. I did and still do my follow up blood work once a year along with my mamos and thank god am still clear. I waited until I was 5 years out and clear because of the possibility of it appearing on the other side and to give my body the best chance for recovery. I know some women opt for the reconstruction at the same time. I had a latisamus dorsi reconstruction and I am more then pleased with the result. I do know several others that had the same and are also very pleased with it. please keep my email and write to me when ever you need to. And go to cancer.org it will give you a ton of information plus all the right questions to ask. Attitude is everything. I looked at my cancer as just another thing that had to be done and did not go into the self pitty and life is over routine. ____@____.com. Please let me know if you need anything or have any questions. God Luck and God Bless

7 years ago on the 18th of July, I received the call from my radiologist telling me that I joined this crazy pink ribbon club, and for the next 10 months, I ran on their treadmill of treatments. Depending on your pathology report, you will have a combination of surgery, chemo, hormonal therapy, and/or radiation. I got all 4. Mine was fed by both estrogen and progesterone, and had spread to 2 lymph nodes. B/c I didn't want to be in the hospital recovering from breast reconstruction when my daughter started kindergarten, I opted for chemo first (8 rounds in 3 week intervals), then surgery (twice to get clean margins), then 33 rounds of radiation (5 days a week). Because the chemo reduced the tumors by 1/2, I was able to get by with a quadrantectomy instead of the full mastectomy. I opted not to have reconstruction and just deal with the divot. My cleavage is my own, and I am a bit lopsided, but it's not that big of a deal to me, and my husband doesn't care a bit. I then took Tamoxifen for the next 4 years until I noticed that my body was recovering and my cycles resumed, so I stopped a few months early.

I also incorporated alternative care during and after my diagnosis. During, I focused on body work - massage(loved cranial-sacral!), exercise, and juicing. After, I used acupuncture to ease my hot flashes, moderate my mood swings, and eliminate my allergies. I found a woman who does homeopathy to help eliminate toxins from my system, and did a lot of meditation and prayer.

My oncologist is Dr. Joyce O'Shaughnessy at Baylor. Dr. Valerie Andrews was my breast surgeon, but I'm not sure if she's practicing now or just teaching now. I love Dr. O, and have never kept any of my alternative methods a secret from her. I know some people do that, but it's never a good idea. Yeah, I looked into some really wacky options, but decided that if things had gotten to this point, I should probably go hardball with treatments rather than pussy-foot with some of the softer ones.

Find out how fast your cancer is growing. One thing that I found is that once it's been identified, the doctors will all want to put you on a high-speed conveyor belt to pull you through the system as fast as possible. Time is of the essence, yes, but unless it's a super-fast growing tumor, you should have several months to get second opinions and explore all of the treatment options. Don't forget to look into trials, too. And chemo is not a given, either. Many European countries get just as good of results with just surgery and hormonal therapy, but some of the studies are just now finishing up, so ask questions. 3rd options are good to get, too.

Good luck, and keep in mind that this is simply my experience, my take on this, and yours will be different in many, many ways. 7 years is a long time in medicine...so much has changed already, and you are benefiting from all of the advances.

Oh, and one more thing...if you have been the kind of person in the past who was always giving to others, and had a hard time receiving help, now is your chance to allow others to return the favor. It was excruciating at first to allow my friends and neighbors to bring meals over and do other things for me, but I finally realized that I was able to give them the gift of my gratitude. Take it all one day at a time, and in the sage words of my husband, "Don't let the highs get too high, or the lows get too low." PM if you need to!

Bev Biehl

I am 41 years old and I was diagnosed with stage 2a breast cancer on May 4, 2009. I go for my third Chemo treatment today. I have already lost my hair and I have a fabulous wig. There is so much I could say, but the best advise I can give is eat right, relax, get plenty of rest, take each procedure one at a time, celebrate everything and everyone, and get a good support group to encourage you and pray for you. Stay away from the negative people and stress!!! My breast surgeon is Dr. Mcglothin~ ###-###-#### @ presby of Plano, she is excellent! My oncologist is Dr. Le and she is excellent@ presby of Plano~ ###-###-####! I know you might be afraid, but I encourage to to trust God he will bring you through this. You are welcome to email me @ ____@____.com call me on my cell @ ###-###-####. I pray that you will be strengthened and healed in the name of Jesus.
God bless you, K.

I had breast cancer at age 50, 13 years ago! About 1cm in right breats, had a mastectomy, chemo NO RADIATION ! CAT was the chemo and six months, then I was fine. No nausea and did well with chemo at Arlington Cancer Center with Br. George Blumenscien. Now Dr. Firstenburg ahs taken his patients ebcause Br. B retired. Low fat diet during chemo helps a lot and drink lots of fluids to rid the body of the drugs. I am praying for you.I lost my hair, 32 pounds and my skin never looked healthier.

I don't have any experience myself but I "Raced the Cure" last month and just wanted to let you know I sent a prayer that God will give you the STRENGTH, COMFORT, and HIS HEALING HAND. That you and your family would feel HIS LOVING ARMS AROUND YOU ALL!

B.,
I had the same as you. I was diagnosed in June of 2000. Besides a lumpectomy, I went the all natural way. I know alot of people don't approve of this, but, I prayed and God led me down that path. I have been cancer free for 9 years now. If you are interested in my licensed doctor of naturopathy. Email me. I would never want anyone to go against what is best for them. I just know, they haven't lost a patient yet, and they have had women with stage 4 ovarian cancer. There are alternatives. Again, I respect anyone's own way of treatment, don't mean to step on anyone's toes. Just thought you might concider all options. I will be praying that God will direct your path. Proverbs 3:5 helps. Much Love, T.

I will be praying for you and your family. I am walking for my 4th year in the breast cancer 3-day walk in Nov. and will leave next week to go to Boston to crew the event there. If you need support, help, you can always contact Komen for the Cure Tarrant County Affiliate for support.

Here is my email address - please keep in touch as you feel like it ____@____.com

Yes B., I have been through it! For starters you must have one of the best surgeons in the area and they are Dr. Alison Laidley at Medical City, Dallas or Rebecca Jeter in Richardson.

God Bless you and feel free to private message me if you want to talk.
D.

B.,

Krystal and Beverly have already given you some great advice so I don't have much to add. First and foremost I recommend that you find doctors with whom you feel comfortable and have great confidence as they will be major players in this phase of your life. Be kind to yourself through whatever is required for your treatment whether it be surgery, chemo, radiation, and/or drugs (it varies with everyone). Accept prayers, love and help from wherever it is available--family, friends, support groups, etc. You will be amazed at the support you will get even from strangers. You are now a member of a very large group of special and wonderful women. As a 13 year breast cancer survivor I am also a member and here to tell you that not only did I get through it but that the quality of my life improved overall as a result. Rejoice in each day and the knowledge that you and will come through this with flying colors. You will be in my prayers!

My sister in-law Kim would be more than happy to help you with questions and encouragement. She has gone thru it and God has blessed tremendously! ____@____.com (kim Hanson)

God Bless,
T.

You are being given good advice! My story is similar to yours. Diagnosed in 2006 at age 66. Two small lumps in left breast. I worked with a surgeon at Baylor Hospital in downtown Dallas and then did all of my treatments there -- two rounds of chemo, radiation, and then continued treatments with Herceptin for the balance of one year ... a total of 18 months of treatments. I can recommend them all very highly! I am a survivor and two years out of treatment ... still going regularly for checkups.

The response about hopping on the train is one I relate to! Decisions must be made, fast! My husband went with me to all visits and helped me think through. Also helping were my sons and their wives, and my niece who is a pharmacist. Taking a friend or family member is good ... they hear when you are trying to listen and your thoughts begin reeling from TMI! I opted to have lumpectomies ... both lumps simply removed, with no reconstruction. Am quite happy with my choice. At this point (3 years after surgery) the effects of the surgery are hardly visible, and no additional surgeries. I was fortunate ... because my lumps were found early (in a routine mammogram!) no lymph nodes were involved. However, chemo was recommended because of the components of my tissue ... that can only be thoroughly analyzed after the lumps are removed.

Deuteronomy 31:8 became my verse: It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed."

Blessings and Prayers for your Journey! Grandma GiGi

I second Laidly she has been wonderful with my mom. I also have the name of a WONDERFUL oncologist in Dallas if you are interested. I don't have his name right here (I'm terrible w/names), but I've gone to all my mom's appt's with him and was sooo impressed with him (unlike the first one she went to)!!

I'm sorry you have to go through this, I'll keep you in my prayers.

I just wanted to encourage you in your journey. I am surrounded by breast cancer survivors, and my grandmother is one as well. Be assured, Christ is still THE HEALER. "This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” --Joshua 1:9

My prayers are with you and your family in these times. My Grandmother went through that but it has been years. May God Bless you and your family.

Cruciferous vegetables and lots of them! I'm a Naturopath and Nutritionist so let me know if I can help.

I wish I had an answer or some advice for you! But I just wanted you to know that you are in my prayers and with strength and support you'll get through this!!
God bless

B.,

Hi, I am a 56 year old woman who was diagnosed Christmas Eve morning with IDC (infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma) Grade 2 Stage 2.

After having a digital mammogram, a breast MRI, and a MRI guided biopsy, I chose to have a unilateral mastectomy (skin sparing/nipple sparing) They put an expander in at the time of surgery for reconstruction purposes. Unfortunately, the incision line failed and they had to go in and take the expander out. I started chemotherapy (6 treatments of Taxotere and Cytoxin- 1 every three weeks) on April 29th. I have my 5th treatment this coming Monday so I'm almost done. I've been one of the blessed ones and have had only minor side effects. I don't have to have any radiation since I had the mastectomy. After chemo, I will start on hormone therapy as my tumor was Estrogen and Progesterone receptive. That is an oral medication that you take for at least 5 years.

In September I will go back to the plastic surgeon to have the reconstruction done as well as a lift and whatever else is needed on the unaffected side.

Anyway, hang in there. You can do this. I know it's scary and intimidating but get yourself a good breast surgeon, plastic surgeon and oncologist and they will guide you through the process.

If I can help in any way, please feel free to contact me at ____@____.com