Re: How was your HER2 BC first found?
 

Here's a "funny" story...I was raising a service dog puppy and was taking him out in the middle of the night. As I was making my way back to the bedroom in the dark, I ran into the door jam. Got a bruise and a bump that was still there a week later. Went to the family doctor, sent for mammogram, moved to the next room for an ultrasound...at the surgeon's office within 3 days, thanks to calls from the family doc as the mammogram place had me scheduled to "come back" in about 3 weeks. 20/20 hindsight, it had hurt for a long time prior to sleep on my stomach because of "hardness" in my breast. I'm thinking we don't see the forest for the trees. Thank God for the puppy and for my family doctor who got me to the surgeon within days, who has a waiting list months long. God was working!

Re: How was your HER2 BC first found?
 

Wow!
God is good! All the time! And he certainly seems to be watching over you. I've always thought service dogs were like little guardian angels...and this just confirms it for me.
Hope you are doing well now!
Denise

Re: How was your HER2 BC first found?
 

hey denise! been offline a few days! I love that both you and I have been quoting Pray's "God is good all the time". I use that too. Indeed thanks be to God for the puppy! I say thanks for puppies! Thanks for dogs all the time too. lol

Re: How was your HER2 BC first found?
 

Hi,
Prays " god is good all the time" is certainly true in my case, I went with a lump to my Dr in2004 aged 36 to be told no it's not cancer.
Only to find out 4 years later in 2008 that it was. Then stage 3.
I have had no spread so far which has amazed the Dr's and radiologist who were expecting this.
I have now been ned for 2 1/2 years.

Re: How was your HER2 BC first found?
 

Come on...don't be shy...answer the poll question!
More data gives us a better picture of what's really going on.
Help us all out!
It's anonymous...and it only takes a few seconds.
Denise
Sorry, all of you who got this, and already completed the poll..sort of preaching to the choir...sorry.

Re: How was your HER2 BC first found?
 

Denise - took my bra off at bedtime on March 1, 2010. Stretched my arms and sort of scratched under my right breast and there it was. I knew immediately that it was malignant but was in my primary care doc's office at 9 am the next morning. She's a breast cancer suvivor, too, and was straight with me - she agreed that it was probably cancer. So I was off for an early mammogram (mine wasn't due til June), ultrasound, core biopsy, etc. Those tests not only confirmed breast cancer but discovered a second tumor that I couldn't feel. Got the "official" word on 3/9/10 and from there to the surgeon and the rest is in my signature. The two tumors were different - one triple negative and one er-/pr-/HER2+++. Weird. Could never have imagined last year (from March til December) that I would ever feel good again but I DO!!!! A challenging year but also filled with blessings.

Re: How was your HER2 BC first found?
 

Joni,
Thanks so much for sharing your story. I'm so glad you found your BC, and are doing so well. I love reading your posts here. You seem like such a kind, compassionate person. Your grandchildren are so lucky to have you for their nana!
Be well!!
Denise

Re: How was your HER2 BC first found?
 

Had my mamo and ultrasound done in August, a week or so later I get a letter in the mail congratulating me of no signs of cancer present and not to forget to make an appointment for next year! Awesome I thought as two years ago (August 2009) I had breast cancer on my right side. That cancer was a walk in the park. Had a lumpectomy followed by radiation and what was to be a 5 yr treatment of Tamox (It was stage 2, er/pr+, her2-, no nodes)
Because my surgeon is a brilliant and wonderful man, when he received the reports from my mamo and syno he requested my films from the past 3 years. Low and behold he saw that calcifications were increasingly geared to one spot but not so that it would have been alarming to anyone else reading my films. He called me and explained that it was most likely nothing but nonetheless would like to do a biopsy.
So, biopsy is done and I get the "it's cancer call" This time not such a walk in the park (Stage 1, Grade 3, ER/PR+, HER2+++, no nodes or vascular involvement) Two years on Tamox did nothing at all for me :-(
What an amazing man, brilliant and caring man my surgeon is.....where would I be a year from now if he wasn't such a concerned Dr. ?

Hugs...Lisa