cancer -- again

[paula]

I haven't posted on this board much, but now I feel a need. I'm pretty scared right now. I became jaundiced earlier this month. Yesterday, after a week of CTs, MRIs, ultrasounds, endoscopic procedures, etc., I was to have my gall bladder removed for diagnostic purposes. He opened me up and couldn't even find the gall bladder due to a malignant mass in the area. We won't have results from the biopsies until Monday or later as some will be sent around the country for analysis. The doctors say this is all very bizarre -- it doesn't look like a breast cancer metastasis so we may be dealing with a new primary.

I was diagnosed with stage 2b breast cancer, Her2+++ in July '02, I'm trying to psyche myself up for the chemo and rads routine but it's difficult. Guess I should wait until the results are in so I'll know what I'm up against. I've been so inspired by many of your stories and I'll try to draw strength from them. Thanks for "listening." Paula

[michele u]

Paula,
ONE DAY AT A TIME! That's all we can do. A friend of mine just had a big mass removed from his gallbladder,pancreas,stomach and intestine. The dr said it was huge. It took them 8 hours to get it out. They found a tumor in this duodenum a week early that was cancer. This BIG mass they took out was nothing. It was fatty tissue. The dr's were amazed, because they told him he probably had pancreatic cancer. It took them 5 days to get the results. Don't worry until you know what you are up against. All masses are not cancer. I will pray for you.

[JoJo]

I was very recently diagnosed with a breast cancer recurrence. I had to wait several days for pending scan results. The waiting game is pure agony!

BUT, please know that you are not alone in your situation. We are all on the sidelines, cheering you on! :-)

Keep us posted next week. Hugs

[Cindi]

Paula,

I am sorry to hear of this mass. Having a history of cancer makes you so fearful of other surgeries and what can be found. That kind of shock is a big blow.

The waiting is so exhausting too. I will keep you in my prayers. Am dealing with a recurrence of BC myself. After Stage 2A, and Her+++ in 4/02. Just had 3rd level ancillary nodes removed, two were cancerous (PET had lit them up).

Chemo will begin in 3-4 weeks (need to recover from surgery). Waiting to hear the pathology report was draining.

Keep the Faith. You've done it before, you can do it again (if needed)! Those darned cancer cells won't beat you!

Peace.

[janelle]

Paula,
I'm so sorry for your news. Please remember that a lot of people are pulling for you.

Hugs,
Janelle

[Lyn]

Hi there, I am a great believer that things happen for a reason, your body brought attention to this mass via your gall bladder and hopefully may be just the right time to deal with what might be. My prayers are with you. If I didn't find a lump in my neck which was eventually diagnosed 12 months later, slipped under the radar of scans and ultra sound, I am having treatment now, I would not have known I had thyroid disease and my surgery for reconstruction would have gone ahead and I would not have survived the anaesthetic, as disappointing as it was I believe my life was saved yet again, and my thyroid disease is under control, I even survived the heart failure from the thyroid treatment, so BC isn't going to get me, old age is.

my prayers are with you, love and hugs Lyn.