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10-15-2011, 07:04 PM
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#41
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 600
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Re: Surgery Friday...any advice?
LOL. Denise, you must be doing pretty good. That was so blasted funny. Hope you are back to being able to breath. Breathing is good.
__________________
In the world of destiny, there are no statistics.
Jan. 26- mammogram and ultrasound- suspicious lump
Mid-February- lumpectomy, infiltrating ductal carcinoma ~4.5 cm and a 1 cm DCIS, did not get clear margins, did not check lymph nodes
ER+/PR+, her2 +++, nuclear grade 3 of 3
February 20-PET scan showed something on liver. No biopsy.
March- Started carboplatin, herceptin, taxol on a four week cycle
May 3- Pet scan, with intent to do a biopsy, found nothing, liver or breast- no biopsy because there is nothing to biopsy
June 21- new onc, very concerned that there had been no biopsy,
June 18th-CAT scan, bone scan-negative
August 7th - Brain MRI-negative
August 9th- mastectomy, all pathology negative
January 2008 still NED! New oncologist -herceptin for full year after chemo- until July, and tamoxifen---negative scans since May '07
July 2008-Finished Herceptin!
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10-18-2011, 06:45 AM
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#42
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Philly Suburbs
Posts: 1,709
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Re: Surgery Friday...any advice?
Thanks, Faux!
Breathing is no longer the challenge it once was! Yay!
Discomfort however....still my constant companion. Someone forgot to mention the
"your new breasts will be rock-hard, and tender to the touch...indefinitely" side effect. The PS nurse told me yesterday (10 days after surgery, and in a disturbingly perky voice) that this will be my lot in life for "several months" and is "perfectly normal". Seriously...I would have appreciated a head-up on this one!  Not sure what I would have done with the info...but knowing is always better than not knowing...well....almost always.
Anyway...things are getting better every day. Healing....Herceptin...radiation times ???...well deserved vacation with Ted and the boys...then back to my "normal" life.
Be well! Stay Strong!
Denise
__________________
1/11-needle biopsy
2/11-Lumpectomy/axillary node dissection - Stage 3c, ER/PR-14/17 nodes
3/11 - Post-op staph infection,cellulitis, lymphedema,seroma,ARRRGH!
4/12/11-A/C x 4, then T/H x 4, H only,Q3 weeks
8/26/11 finished Taxol!!!
10/7/11 mastectomy/DIEP recon
11/11 radiation x28
1/12/12 1st CANCER-VERSARY!
1/12 Low EF/Herceptin "Holiday" :(
2/12 EF up - Back on Herceptin, heart meds
4/2/1212 surgery to repair separated incision from DIEP recon
6/8/12 Return to work :)
6/17/12 Fall, shatter wrist,surgery to repair/insert plate :(
7/10/12 last Herceptin
7/23/12 Brain Mets %$&#! 3cm and 1cm
8/10/12 Gamma knife surgery, LOTS of steroids;start H/Tykerb
8/23/12 Back to work
12/20/12 Injure back-3 weeks in wheel chair
1/12/13 2nd CANCER-VERSARY!
1/14/13 herniate disk in back - surgery to repair
1/27/13 Radiation necrosis - edema in brain - back on steroids - but not back to work - off balance, poor cordination in right arm
5/3/13 Start Avastin to shrink necrosis
5/10/13 begin weaning steroids
6/18/13 Brain MRI - Avastin seems to be working!
6/20/13 quarterly CT - chest, abdomen, pelvis - All Clear!
7/5/13 finally off steroids!!
7/7/13 joined the ranks of the CHEMO NINJAS I am now Tekuto Ki Ariku cancer assassin!
7/13/13 Symptoms return - back on steroids
7/26/13 Back on Avastin - try again!
8/26/13 Not ready to return to classroom yet :( But I CAN walk without holding onto things! :)
9/9/13 Brain MRI - fingers crossed
“ Life is a grindstone, and whether it grinds you down or polishes you up is for you, and you alone, to decide. ” – Cavett Robert
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10-20-2011, 09:12 AM
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#43
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: I live in the Niagara Region, Canada.
Posts: 41
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Re: Surgery Friday...any advice?
Hi Denise, good to hear things are getting better and looking up. I have met a few ladies with reconstruction and they love their new sets, they did not mention the rock-hard or tenderness as you describe I will have to ask them. I totally agree with you know before hand what to expect is always appreciated. Take care, Marlene
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02-01-2012, 07:44 PM
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#44
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 600
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Re: Surgery Friday...any advice?
Denise, now that you are several months out from your surgery I would love to hear more of your experience. I have to say, coming back and reading this again, it made me laugh as much as the first time. You have a gift.
__________________
In the world of destiny, there are no statistics.
Jan. 26- mammogram and ultrasound- suspicious lump
Mid-February- lumpectomy, infiltrating ductal carcinoma ~4.5 cm and a 1 cm DCIS, did not get clear margins, did not check lymph nodes
ER+/PR+, her2 +++, nuclear grade 3 of 3
February 20-PET scan showed something on liver. No biopsy.
March- Started carboplatin, herceptin, taxol on a four week cycle
May 3- Pet scan, with intent to do a biopsy, found nothing, liver or breast- no biopsy because there is nothing to biopsy
June 21- new onc, very concerned that there had been no biopsy,
June 18th-CAT scan, bone scan-negative
August 7th - Brain MRI-negative
August 9th- mastectomy, all pathology negative
January 2008 still NED! New oncologist -herceptin for full year after chemo- until July, and tamoxifen---negative scans since May '07
July 2008-Finished Herceptin!
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02-03-2012, 06:29 AM
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#45
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Philly Suburbs
Posts: 1,709
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Re: Surgery Friday...any advice?
Hi Faux!
Well...my new girls are softening up nicely. The scars on my breasts are fading really well, but my abdomen still looks a little Frankenstein-ish. The PS says we can "refine" that scar next month. I'm pretty sure "refine" is a euphemism for "cut Denise open again" so I'm not thrilled. But, he's going to do it in his office, so it can't be too major.
Still have lots of numbness in both areas...not loving the scarring...but I have to admit...fully clothed, I look good. I don't think anyone would ever guess I had surgery. Unless of course they noticed that I now have a flat tummy...whereas before I looked slightly puffy around the mid section.
I think that's all the news that's fit to print. Did I skip anything?
Denise
__________________
1/11-needle biopsy
2/11-Lumpectomy/axillary node dissection - Stage 3c, ER/PR-14/17 nodes
3/11 - Post-op staph infection,cellulitis, lymphedema,seroma,ARRRGH!
4/12/11-A/C x 4, then T/H x 4, H only,Q3 weeks
8/26/11 finished Taxol!!!
10/7/11 mastectomy/DIEP recon
11/11 radiation x28
1/12/12 1st CANCER-VERSARY!
1/12 Low EF/Herceptin "Holiday" :(
2/12 EF up - Back on Herceptin, heart meds
4/2/1212 surgery to repair separated incision from DIEP recon
6/8/12 Return to work :)
6/17/12 Fall, shatter wrist,surgery to repair/insert plate :(
7/10/12 last Herceptin
7/23/12 Brain Mets %$&#! 3cm and 1cm
8/10/12 Gamma knife surgery, LOTS of steroids;start H/Tykerb
8/23/12 Back to work
12/20/12 Injure back-3 weeks in wheel chair
1/12/13 2nd CANCER-VERSARY!
1/14/13 herniate disk in back - surgery to repair
1/27/13 Radiation necrosis - edema in brain - back on steroids - but not back to work - off balance, poor cordination in right arm
5/3/13 Start Avastin to shrink necrosis
5/10/13 begin weaning steroids
6/18/13 Brain MRI - Avastin seems to be working!
6/20/13 quarterly CT - chest, abdomen, pelvis - All Clear!
7/5/13 finally off steroids!!
7/7/13 joined the ranks of the CHEMO NINJAS I am now Tekuto Ki Ariku cancer assassin!
7/13/13 Symptoms return - back on steroids
7/26/13 Back on Avastin - try again!
8/26/13 Not ready to return to classroom yet :( But I CAN walk without holding onto things! :)
9/9/13 Brain MRI - fingers crossed
“ Life is a grindstone, and whether it grinds you down or polishes you up is for you, and you alone, to decide. ” – Cavett Robert
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