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Old 02-15-2013, 03:51 AM   #16
Jackie07
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: "Love never fails."
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Re: Writer looking for participants to share stories

Dianne (and/or Judy Sapp?),

If you are looking for some type of 'dramatic' change of my (I can only speak for myself) relationship with my breasts after the breast cancer diagnosis, then my answer is 'no' - there's no change whatsoever!

I was flat like a wash board (or as my 2nd Brother had commented once while I was in high school: "flat like a runway in the airport!"

I've been slim and fit - having participated in track and on the basketball team all the way through college. But I do have cancer genes - not known until having twice been diagnosed with two different types of cancer and after more family cancer cases had surfaced.

Coming from a culture where girls are treated equally as boys (had only worn make-ups in school dance/music performances and special occasions such as my wedding; was only wearing lipsticks while working as a professional), the size of the breasts has never an an issue (though I did/still do wear [the same] padded bras to avoid unnecessary attention.)

There must be a whole lot of women loving their breasts very much - I learned that from my surgeon's insisting on a lumpectomy in 2003. 4 years later, after the mammograms had been misread continuously, the recurrence was finally confirmed by the mammogram ordered by the original surgeon after I had requested an appointment with her.

This time, I insisted on a bilateral mastectomy. Did I hate my breasts? No! Absolutely not! I was just taking the necessary precaution as two other family members had been diagnosed with other types of cancer in between my first life-saving (brain tumor) surgery in 1990 and my last chemo treatment (for breast cancer recurrence) in January, 2008. I also did a prophylactic hysterectomy/oophorectomy in 2010. Did I hate my uterus or ovaries? No! The genetic test result and family/personal cancer history were the reasons why my insurance plan had approved the procedure.

Did I hate my Mother/Father? No! absolutely not! Freud was not a big influence in the culture where I came from ... Even though I've inherited bad genes from them, I don't feel anyone needs to be held responsible for what I've been through!

In a few days I will celebrate another birthday. My bone (density) scan last month was normal and I'm feeling fine.

Still can't figure out any 'relationship' issue ...
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Jackie07
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NICU 4.4 LB
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Life-long Central Neurocytoma 4x5x6.5 cm 23 hrs 62090 semi-coma 10 d PT OT ST 30 d
3 Infertility tmts 99 > 3 u. fibroids > Pills
CN 3 GKRS 52301
IDC 1.2 cm Her2 +++ ER 5% R. Lmptmy SLNB+1 71703 6 FEC 33 R Tamoxifen
Recc IIB 2.5 cm Bi-L Mast 61407 2/9 nds PET
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Irrtbl bowel 1'09
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hysterectomy/oophorectomy 011410
Exemestane 25 mg tab 102912 ~ 101016 stopped due to r. hip/l.thigh pain after long walk
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1-2016 lesions in liver largest 9mm & 1.3 cm onco. says not cancer.
3-11 Appendectomy - visually O.K., a lot of puss. Final path result - not cancer.
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10-10 Stopped Exemestane due to r. hip/l.thigh pain OKed by Onco 11-08-2016
7-23-2018 9 mm groundglass nodule within the right lower lobe with indolent behavior. Due to possible adenocarcinoma, Recommend annual surveilence.
7-10-2019 CT to check lung nodule.
1-10-2020 8mm stable nodule on R Lung, two 6mm new ones on L Lung, a possible lymph node involvement in inter fissule.
"I WANT TO BE AN OUTRAGEOUS OLD WOMAN WHO NEVER GETS CALLED AN OLD LADY. I WANT TO GET SHARP EDGED & EARTH COLORED, TILL I FADE AWAY FROM PURE JOY." Irene from Tampa

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Last edited by Jackie07; 02-18-2013 at 05:03 AM..
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