Just for fun...

[LOPSIDED]

HI, I'M 41 AND WAS DIAGNOSED IN SEPTEMBER 2005. 2.5 CM TUMOR IN RIGHT BREAST, 8 POS. LYMPH NODES, A/C, MASTECTOMY, TAXOTERE, RADS AND NOW 1 YEAR OF HERCEPTIN. I'V BEEN WORKING AS A BANK TELLER THE LAST 6 YEARS. I AM SO GLAD I FOUND THIS SITE. IT HAS SHOWED ME THAT YOU CAN SURVIVE AND GO ON, I ADMIRE EVERYONES STRENGTH & COURAGE AND WANT YOU TO KNOW HOW MUCH IT HAS HELPED ME TO READ YOUR STORIES. I ALSO TAKE CARE OF MY FATHER WHO IS 89 AND HAS HAD 2 STROKES. I DO HAVE HELP FROM MY SISTER. LIFE IS A CHALLENGE AND I KNOW SOMEHOW I WILL FIND A WAY. SHEILA

[astrid]

I work for AT&T as a process engineer. I have worked for AT&T for 22 years. Another 8 and I will have 30 years and I WILL retire. I have been with my husband and best friend for 25 years. I have a 21 year old son and two step children, 25 & 28. My son is enrolled in a dual degree program with Elon University and NC State University. He will graduate with a BS in Computer Engineering and a BS in computer science with a minor in Math. I have two cats, a dog, an 80 gallon fish tank and a dozen hummingbirds. We have a place at North Topsail beach and we all love the ocean. We will be going to French Polynesia for our wedding anniversary in September.

[Rendi69CA]

I am a certified instrument tech for surgery.

[Yorkiegirl]

I have no idea how I ever missed this post.


I am/was a Licensed Veterinary Technician.
I took a LOA when I was diag, with Cancer last year.
So, far I haven't been able to bring myself to go back to work.
I just hate the idea of having to give shot's, do blood draws or assit in surgery on animals after all I have been thru.

[Christine MH-UK]

My field is a social science one where running experiments is usually just not practical, but we had to learn all about experiments for controlled trials anyway. Oh well, I guess I've found a use for those skills now.

I have a little three year old, who is a joy, and a husband, who is wonderful. Also, an excellent oncologist.

I read some research once that breast cancer patients who participate in chatrooms are usually people who have a wide circle of friends and everything to live for (I think that the researchers were hoping that it would provide support to people who didn't have other sources of support). I think that this list shows it.

[athena453]

I missed this also!

I work for a wine distributor in the mid Atlantic in brand development and marketing. I was a restaurant GM for several years after college (studied art history). Got sick of the crazy hours.
I live with my boyfriend of 3 years with two cats orange long haired and Siamese!

Found the "lump" myself, (though it was way too large to be a lump!), no family history.

No kids, just my kitties and wonderful boyfriend...he's a keeper!

[KathyA]

I am really a new member and happy to be on board.

I have been a teacher for 38 years, second grade through ninth. 22 years in catholic school the rest in inner city public school. The first 32 years were exceptional. The last 20 years of my career I taught computers. Working in an inner city school was good until the last 4 or 5 years. It became difficult to say the least. When my onc called asking me to come in to see him, telling me that I had a hole in my chest, I left that afternoon to see him and never returned to work. (May 5, 2005) With mets to bone, liver and lungs, I took it as a sign that it was time to retire, one of my best decisions. May 5th was 18 months after I finished treatment the first time.


My husband and I just celebrated our 25th anniversary. We have a daughter 23 who is still finding herself. Charles is still teaching in the city of Mount Vernon which is in New York. He's been there for 28 years and still loves it. He also taught 10 years in catholic school. He is an avid tennis player. Plays every day of the week and at this moment is at a tournament in Cape Cod. He is ranked 8th in the men’s 55 USTA mid-Atlantic division.


I kayak, garden, stitch work, build - as to build a side porch, hide a bed, decorative fence. I like building things the best but don’t do that now or kayak either. I’m not strong enough and I’m afraid of cutting myself. I have done that pretty regularly in the past, cut myself that is.


I often have Saturday or/and Sunday breakfast with friends. This is most important to me.


I love the ocean and walking on the beach. We have a newly inherited home there and I have been able to get there twice this summer and hope to make it again soon.


Basically I’ve had chemo every week for the past 14 months.


Thanks everyone for caring and sharing your prayers, best wishes and info.

[Val Pfeiffer]

I just changed jobs. I was inspired after my breast cancer diagnosis to go back to work in the field of health care. At the time of diagnosis I was VP of Marketing and Business Development for a financial institution. Four months ago I took a position with the health plan that is part of the integrated health organization that I worked with eight years ago (although at that time I worked in admin for the clinic part of the business). Fortunately I was able to convince the health plan that I could be Director of Product Development at a health plan without any prior health insurance experience. I am learning a lot and I love it. BTW, this is the same health plan to which I submitted the request to go out of network for radiation treatments...I was a member of theirs through my previous employer...but that is a whole different story.

I have two children, Charlie, age 15 and Jane, age 11. In addition to my "day job," I teach Indoor Group Cycling (also known as "Spin") at my local YMCA at 5:00 a.m. three times a week. I also enjoy road biking (although last summer between finishing chemo and undergoing radiation I didn't get out on my bike at all) and graphic design--in my new job I don't do any design work or marketing anymore, so I like to do voluntary design work for non-profits--so I can keep up my skills.

[Marlys]

This is without a doubt my favorite thread so am bringing it forward.
Marlys

[SusanV]

Great Idea & Amazing Women !

***********************
I was dx at age 37 on August 3, 2006 and celebrated my 11 year wedding anniversary two days later to my soul mate Chris. Ours was a love a first sight story, and the fairy tale continues....... We have two beautiful children ,my son Christopher John (CJ ) age 9 and my daughter Caroline age 6. My son is into his Playstation II and playing flag football, and my daughter is taking her first year of dance classes. I am an avid animal lover, and have a 2 year old golden retriever named Patrick..He is definatley part of the family. My office at work has as many pictures of the dog as the family !

I am very close to my parents and my only brother who is also the best friend a sister could have. He has been an enoromous support to me, went with me to my appointments, researched on the web and continues to call me everyday to check in. My mother is not handling my dx all too well, but I think in time she will do better. My family is known for our sense of humor which I think will pull us all through ! My husband works for the State of PA and has exceptional health care benefits (Thank goodness), he has also taken time off to help me, and is now trading places with me at home to take care of all the laundry, house work, running the kids everywhere etc....

I have a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration with a minor in Marketing. I have been with the same company for the past 14 Wonderful years...Two years ago I received an amazing promotion and broke into the good old "boys" network. I am a regional manager responsible for 8 of our accounts. I am the only woman regional manager in my office, and take great pride in always being able to run with the big dogs. I LOVE my career, and I pray that I never have to give it up. I am one of those people who perfers managing the demands of both work & home together. I was off work for the first month of my DX and work was both supportive & understanding. I was very lucky that way.

I love reading in my spare time, drink way too much coffee (until the dx) and am your typical Type A over achiever....
I love this site and many thanks to Joe & Christine...

[Vanessa]

I have a Master's Degree in Social Work and am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. I am currently working part-time as an adjunct faculty teaching sociology and social work. Previously, I have worked in foster care and as a therapist at a psychiatric hospital. I also worked as an on-call screener for a crisis center, but had to stop, because my sleep cycle got off track due to being called out in the middle of the night a lot.

I got the opportunity to teach Death and Dying this summer, (initially thought I wasn't going to be able to do it, because of my bc and my dad's end-stage Alzheimers), but it turned out to be a good experience and helped me deal with my dad's passing, incidentally the day before I gave the final exam in the class. My sister and I were fortunate enough to be with him when he died. He experienced a peaceful death. He simply stopped breathing. It was bittersweet as he had no quality of life.

I have 2 grown daughters. The oldest is 25 and has a degree in Corporate Communications. Her and her husband recently celebrated her 1st wedding anniversary and are thinking of starting a family. My youngest daughter is taking her nursing prerequisites at a local community college. They have always been an inspiration to me, especially now. I also have some furry family members, 3 dogs and 2 cats. I am an animal lover.

My husband and I were divorcing when I found out that I have Stage IV bc, so we have tabled the divorce for now. He is working in another city, but comes home a couple of times of month on the weekend. He doesn't seem to really know how to deal with this illness.

I am trying to stay positive and be proactive by making some healthy choices, but there are times when I feel really afraid and don't know that to expect. This board is helping me to feel more hopeful. I am having my follow-up catscan and petscan this week after my first round of treatment, so I am particularly nervous.