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Old 09-20-2012, 08:00 PM   #9
NanaJoni
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Elizabethton, TN
Posts: 418
Re: I just found out I have breast cancer

Cricket - my path was similar to yours (er-/pr-/HER2+++) and I elected to have a double mx with no reconstruction. You can see all that stuff in my signature. It seemed like a no-brainer at the time and after the surgery, my surgeon told me there was atypical ductal hyperplasia in my left breast (I had 2 tumors in the right) which would have meant that, most likely, I'd have been back doing all the chemo and treatments again in a few years. She said I "dodged a bullet". Some days I wish I'd gone ahead with recon but I was 62 at the time with a wonderful, caring husband who just wanted me to be around a long time. Now I've had a few complications (blood clots) that mean no elective surgery. Whenever I start feeling sorry for myself or having regrets, I look at my favorite picture of my kids, their spouses and my five grandchildren (ages 12, 9, 9, 7 and 5) and the doubts just seem to vaporize. I am almost 3 yrs out now and doing better than ever. You're facing a tough time, so trust yourself as you move forward. And keep coming here for support and info - these folks never let us down.
__________________
Joni -64 yrs old -
3/01/10: found lump in rt.breast
3/12/10: mammogram/ultrasnd/biopsy-invasive bc & DCIS; 2 tumors (2cm er-/pr-/HER2-& 1.8 cm er-/pr-/HER2+); grade 3;poorly differentiated
3/24/10:sent.node biopsy clear
3/31/10:bi-lateral mx.;atypical ductal hyperplasia-lft side
4/21/10:wound revision-infection/scarring 4/28/10:seromas both sides
5/21/10:port installed,TCH chemo (6 x 3 wks); Herc,-1yr; 33 rad tx after chemo
07/2010: port not working-2nd port didnt'work;3rd port opposite side.
07/2010: 2 weeks after 3rd port surgery, threw 3 pulm. emboli-IVC filter installed; warfarin
08/2010: hospitalizations w/3 of chemos; decision to stop after 4th-on to radiation in Oct 2010;Herc cont.
12/03/2010 - finished 33 rads Hooray!! cont. Herc. every 3 wks
4/2011 - pneumonia ??? Nope-radiation pneumonitis. No more Herc.
5/2011 - NED!!! port out.
8/2011 - clean PET & CT scans.Still NED
7/2012 - Still NED/very blessed.
2/2013 - 6 mos checkup-all clear. CA2729 down frm 13 to 11.
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