Cancer Support and Caregivers Who Are Trail Blazers!

[TruTexan]

Yesterday I did a mammogram for my yearly. I've always had good results come back and there have never been any call backs to do any more re-takes of my breasts.
Today the Ross Breast Center from Mother Francis Hospital called me and told me the radiologist thought he saw something on my right breast mammogram results and he wants me to do 2 more mammograms to be sure.
That phone call has set off my ptsd and anxiety through the roof. I don't take stress on any level at all. My ptsd and anxiety are running amok right now. I am trying to remain positive that it's nothing, maybe fibrous tissue or fatty tissue. I am praying it's nothing. I called my sister in TN for support. She wants me to call her and let her know what they say when I take the other mammograms. I haven't told my mom yet and I can't until I'm sure there is something to worry about because that is exactly what she will do...worry herself too much over possibly nothing. I asked my grandma to put me on their prayer chain at church tonight and also asked my apt mgr to do that same thing for me. I know if they find something that there will be things I will go through, and I have no idea what all that entails. I do know that I won't allow them to remove just one breast, I will ask them to take them both so I don't have to worry about going through it again on the left breast later. I dont' know that I will do reconstructive breast implants or just tell the doc to get a plastic surgeon to just leave me flat chested and put in some pecs so I look half way decent. I don't mind not having breasts because they often get in the way of things I do. The only time I have enjoyed having them is when I am partnered with a femme that loves to make love with me and devour them as much as the rest of me.
I asked my ex gf whom has been talking to me about getting back together with me if she would still want me with no breasts, my being flat chested and having pec inserts put in, she said YES, even though she loved my breasts and loved touching and sucking on them when we were together before. That made me feel a little better.
I don't have much of a support system where I live. My younger sister lives in TN and my mom is a huge worry wart. My dad is ill and lives with my grandmother 5hrs away so does the rest of my family members that I am close to.
I don't know what all to expect if I have breast cancer tumor in my right breast. So if someone could help me prepare for the worst and know ahead of time what i may be dealing with, I would greatly appreciate it.
I know that some form of cancer treatment would be done, just don't have a clue as to what all that may entail.
IS there anyone here on BFP that can talk to me about this stuff because they've been through it?
Please post if you have or pm me. I retake my mammogram on my right breast on Friday it's the earliest that I could get in. I am hoping that I won't have to wait thru the weekend to get a call about the results.
Thanks,
Justy

[C0LLETTE]

No experience to share but wishing you good healthy results on Friday.

[*Anya*]

I don't want to either negate another's fear or discount it.

I am going to only share my experiences.

I am doing this solely because, as women, we know so many women that have dealt with breast cancer, that when we have anything untoward; naturally, that is where our mind is going to go.

It does not always turn out like that.

I had my first benign breast tumor at age 22.

Since that time ( speaking breasts only) I have had two cysts removed and two fibrous tumors removed. All were benign.

I have had needle biopsies and needle-guided ultrasound in my breasts.

I have had a marker inserted. I think it is still there.

I have had screening mammos and diagnostic mammos.

None of them were shown to be cancer.

Of course it could have turned out differently.

My thyroid cancer had nothing to do with breast CA-they were separate issues.

First things first: get the repeat mammo.

I will hold very good and positive thoughts for you.

Let us know. We do care.

[TruTexan]

Originally Posted by *Anya*

I don't want to either negate another's fear or discount it.

I am going to only share my experiences.

I am doing this solely because, as women, we know so many women that have dealt with breast cancer, that when we have anything untoward; naturally, that is where our mind is going to go.

It does not always turn out like that.

I had my first benign breast tumor at age 22.

Since that time ( speaking breasts only) I have had two cysts removed and two fibrous tumors removed. All were benign.

I have had needle biopsies and needle-guided ultrasound in my breasts.

I have had a marker inserted. I think it is still there.

I have had screening mammos and diagnostic mammos.

None of them were shown to be cancer.

Of course it could have turned out differently.

My thyroid cancer had nothing to do with breast CA-they were separate issues.

First things first: get the repeat mammo.

I will hold very good and positive thoughts for you.

Let us know. We do care.

Thank you Anya. I will post when I know something more. I go in Friday to Tyler to Trinity Mother Francis Ross Breast Center for more diagnostics as they put it. I went yesterday to their local breast center here where i live in to do the mammogram. I guess they have better diagnostic equipment at the Tyler Office Breast Center there for the Hospital. The woman didn't say much to me other than what I posted earlier. Hell she didn't even tell me the appt. I made with her was for Tyler. I just now got a phone call reminder from them telling me it was for Tyler TMF Ross Breast Center there.
Yeah I am kinda scared but trying not to worry too much. Taken my anxiety meds has helped and I have a therapy session tomorrow so I can use my therapist for support if needed. I don't know what will show up, hopefully nothing to worry about. I've never had any problems with my breasts, that's what has me worried, that they think they found something that wasn't there last year or didn't show up last 2 mammograms the last couple of years. Thanks for your support Anya, you seem to have been through this and I appreciate it very much. I hope that you are doing well lately. I'll keep you in prayers too.

[Tommi]

Dear TruTexan,
Breathe deep.Friday is a long way off for someone going through the "Oh my gosh what does this mean"...

Drink lottsa water, and stay hydrated. Before your re-visit,Don't wear any deodorant, any cream, etc. , even though you may feel stinky, they don't want aluminum, talc, glitter, by-products junking up your mammo.

Millions of mammograms done annually for screening are done.

Occasionally something looks "different". Not really "suspicious" of anything.

A mammogram takes your pyramid shape (triangle ~sort of and tries to squeeze it into a rectangular shape..,

Sometimes a normal area may be peeking at the Doc head on, like looking in a pipe directly, versus along the length of it.

An area that was once appearing one way can have absolutely norma calcifications with it, thus , they want to squish you around and look at it from another angle.
Maybe even take an ultrasound, just rubbing gooey stuff on it and letting sound waves bounce back for a wiggly image, to see if it is just a normal ole'cyst, which many of us have and never know it.

Data shows thousands of breast cancer biopsies come back negative.

So, if you think about it , we have some things that we may need to go through that scare the hello out of us, and we know others that have been there ahead of us.

Come back and let us know...

[TruTexan]

As soon as I know something more definite. I will come back let you all know what's going on. Thank you all for your support, I do appreciate each and every one of you , you're some awesome folks here.
Thanks for listening to me and responding to my post. I do appreciate it very much.

Justy

[Tommi]

Originally Posted by TruTexan

As soon as I know something more definite. I will come back let you all know what's going on. Thank you all for your support, I do appreciate each and every one of you , you're some awesome folks here.
Thanks for listening to me and responding to my post. I do appreciate it very much.

Justy

Great to hear you are going to a dedicated breast center for follow-up.

So glad you can come here 24 hours a day and write about what concerns you, or about, ~~~anything.

Fear is better when exposed, so, sharing is really caring, and glad you are here.
Some of us have had the big old scary diagnosis and know how good it is to be able to talk about it.

Hang in there Justy. Thanks for posting.

Tommi

[TruTexan]

Thank each and everyone one of you for the positive energy here and for understanding my fears. And for welcoming me so lovingly in to this thread. I do appreciate each and every one of you that have posted to me. It means a great deal. I will be using this thread for a support system since I don't have one here at home.
I am grateful to all of you here for welcoming me with open arms and without any pressure to post. I will keep the thread posted about my results after the second diagnostics that are going to be done on Friday, just as soon as I know something myself. I called a couple of people to start a prayer chain for me so I will be covered spiritually and allow God's grace to come in and help me get through this. With his help and all of you here, I can not lose my mind in worrying at this stage while I'm waiting to go and waiting for more results. I"m just a worry wart over things like this, it's pretty natural to be I guess.
Thank you to all of you here for the helpful posts you have allowed me to read. I needed to read them today.

[Tommi]

Rainbow candles, prayers and thoughts to light your way.
Sleep well, and I hope the beautiful colors of the rainbow will surround you.

Blue skies ahead.

[mustangjeano]

Originally Posted by TruTexan

Thank each and everyone one of you for the positive energy here and for understanding my fears. And for welcoming me so lovingly in to this thread. I do appreciate each and every one of you that have posted to me. It means a great deal. I will be using this thread for a support system since I don't have one here at home.
I am grateful to all of you here for welcoming me with open arms and without any pressure to post. I will keep the thread posted about my results after the second diagnostics that are going to be done on Friday, just as soon as I know something myself. I called a couple of people to start a prayer chain for me so I will be covered spiritually and allow God's grace to come in and help me get through this. With his help and all of you here, I can not lose my mind in worrying at this stage while I'm waiting to go and waiting for more results. I"m just a worry wart over things like this, it's pretty natural to be I guess.
Thank you to all of you here for the helpful posts you have allowed me to read. I needed to read them today.

Hi , Sorry to be late in posting a response but haven't been on the site much lately. I wanted to add my support. I have been thru breast cancer twice and know the anxiety of waiting for tests and results. I'm sure that most mammos turn out to be clear or non cancer blips, So the odds are deffinitely in your favor. I will be holding good thoughts for you and look forward to your posting the good news. You are not alone in this--many of us are with you in spirit. Jeano

[LeftWriteFemme]

Originally Posted by Tommi

Great to hear you are going to a dedicated breast center for follow-up.

All I can say is, What a Difference going to a dedicated breast center has made!! After having been to three doctors (all working as a team mind you) in three consecutive weeks, who A. seemed surprised to see my sponsee who has breast cancer and B. had to be told why she was there..........even though I was in the office with the first doctor when he made the phone calls to the other two......I was not happy.

This Monday when we went for a second opinion at the Livingston Breast Center:
(< link)
We saw Doctor Sarah Schaefer, who has been the doctor for my sponsor Nan and also for close friends of my sponsee's. Amazingly she knew exactly why we were there. None of the other doctors had managed to get the pathology report, Doctor Schaefer and the Center use something called Nurse Navigator and had those results with in 5 minutes and was able to lay out a plan with us during the first visit.
Also I had been looking at a study using Reparixin, the other three doctors, blew it off though they had never heard of it, Doctor Schaefer looked it up right there and we talked about the pros and cons and how she would cooperate with Montefiore if my sponsee chose to participate.

Tomorrow my sponsee is going to see Doctor Dean R Cerio, who is a plastic surgeon who works in cooperation with the center. The plan is that my sponsee will be getting the breast reduction she has always wanted as a part of the lumpectomy.....which is also amazing because the other three doctors had told her there was no way.
As part of a small personal victory, my sponsee is going to see this surgeon with her friend who is also a patient of this doctor and I am going to have my mamo and then see a pulminologist (I failed my spirograph test)
I realize that the bigger the team the easier this is going to be for all of us.
My grandmother used to say 'many hands make light work' and she was sure right. Having the support of the people on this thread and the folks we know in recovery, plus our friends and family has made this lonely thing feel like a group effort and quite survivable. Thank you so much!!!

[deb0670]

I lost my Step-Dad to Cancer in November.
In January, he was diagnosed with bladder cancer and he went out and did everything he possibly could do to fight it. He did the chemo, he changed his eating and drinking habits, he started exercising more.. you name it.
The cancer spread too fast to his lymph nodes, so they could not do the surgery they were going to do. He fought so hard to beat it.. but he just couldn't. My mom was by his side the whole time. He was her true soul mate and the only man she was ever really in love with.
It hurt me so badly watching from a distance what she had to go through.. i could not even imagine.
I was never really close to my step dad due to him never really wanting to be close to anyone, including his own kids. But my mom.. i love her dearly. When she called me to say he just had a matter of days, all i could do was pray and try to comfort her the best i could.
Then when he passed, she called trying to sound so brave.. but broke down. I felt like such a horrible daughter because i could not be there for my Mom when i felt like she needed me the most. She lives in California and we are in Georgia, and we just could not afford the trip.
She said it was ok and she understood.. but still.. i. should. have. been. there.
She is still in the grieving process, and will be for quite sometime,
They were together for 16 years and married for 14. They were mini-storage managers and lived in an apt above their office. So now, Mom has to go upstairs to an empty apt and go to work without him every day.
She was going to move out here to be with us in about 6 months.. but she decided to go live near her sister instead.
i have mixed feelings about that.
Anyways,
sorry for the book.
i am still keeping y'all in my prayers.

[DapperButch]

Originally Posted by LeftWriteFemme

All I can say is, What a Difference going to a dedicated breast center has made!! After having been to three doctors (all working as a team mind you) in three consecutive weeks, who A. seemed surprised to see my sponsee who has breast cancer and B. had to be told why she was there..........even though I was in the office with the first doctor when he made the phone calls to the other two......I was not happy.

This Monday when we went for a second opinion at the Livingston Breast Center:
(< link)
We saw Doctor Sarah Schaefer, who has been the doctor for my sponsor Nan and also for close friends of my sponsee's. Amazingly she knew exactly why we were there. None of the other doctors had managed to get the pathology report, Doctor Schaefer and the Center use something called Nurse Navigator and had those results with in 5 minutes and was able to lay out a plan with us during the first visit.
Also I had been looking at a study using Reparixin, the other three doctors, blew it off though they had never heard of it, Doctor Schaefer looked it up right there and we talked about the pros and cons and how she would cooperate with Montefiore if my sponsee chose to participate.

Tomorrow my sponsee is going to see Doctor Dean R Cerio, who is a plastic surgeon who works in cooperation with the center. The plan is that my sponsee will be getting the breast reduction she has always wanted as a part of the lumpectomy.....which is also amazing because the other three doctors had told her there was no way.
As part of a small personal victory, my sponsee is going to see this surgeon with her friend who is also a patient of this doctor and I am going to have my mamo and then see a pulminologist (I failed my spirograph test)
I realize that the bigger the team the easier this is going to be for all of us.
My grandmother used to say 'many hands make light work' and she was sure right. Having the support of the people on this thread and the folks we know in recovery, plus our friends and family has made this lonely thing feel like a group effort and quite survivable. Thank you so much!!!

Glad things went so well for your sponsee (and glad to hear that you are taking care of yourself, too!)! Yes, I have heard it does make a big difference if you are at a breast center. Oncologists are more motivated because it is their life's work, instead of all cancers.

Glad to hear so many are pitching in to help. They say one should have a "cancer team" when facing this. I can't remember all the different roles, but Keith Block, M.D. wrote about it in his book ("Life Over Cancer"). I'm sure you can find the concept in other places. Roles include for example, the "researcher" who looks up information, goes to all the appointments, and organizes it all, then there would be a person who had time to do driving to chemo/radiation/testing, someone may be good at making meals, etc. It is too much for one or two people to manage. I know it was a lot for just my mom and girlfriend. However, I was able to do a lot of things for myself for the bulk of my treatment (during chemo), so it was only about two months I was useless (after surgeries). My brain was never really clear though during all that treatment. I think I even wrote some idiotic stuff on this website during that time!

[DapperButch]

Originally Posted by TruTexan

Yesterday I did a mammogram for my yearly. I've always had good results come back and there have never been any call backs to do any more re-takes of my breasts.
Today the Ross Breast Center from Mother Francis Hospital called me and told me the radiologist thought he saw something on my right breast mammogram results and he wants me to do 2 more mammograms to be sure.
That phone call has set off my ptsd and anxiety through the roof. I don't take stress on any level at all. My ptsd and anxiety are running amok right now. I am trying to remain positive that it's nothing, maybe fibrous tissue or fatty tissue. I am praying it's nothing. I called my sister in TN for support. She wants me to call her and let her know what they say when I take the other mammograms. I haven't told my mom yet and I can't until I'm sure there is something to worry about because that is exactly what she will do...worry herself too much over possibly nothing. I asked my grandma to put me on their prayer chain at church tonight and also asked my apt mgr to do that same thing for me. I know if they find something that there will be things I will go through, and I have no idea what all that entails. I do know that I won't allow them to remove just one breast, I will ask them to take them both so I don't have to worry about going through it again on the left breast later. I dont' know that I will do reconstructive breast implants or just tell the doc to get a plastic surgeon to just leave me flat chested and put in some pecs so I look half way decent. I don't mind not having breasts because they often get in the way of things I do. The only time I have enjoyed having them is when I am partnered with a femme that loves to make love with me and devour them as much as the rest of me.
I asked my ex gf whom has been talking to me about getting back together with me if she would still want me with no breasts, my being flat chested and having pec inserts put in, she said YES, even though she loved my breasts and loved touching and sucking on them when we were together before. That made me feel a little better.
I don't have much of a support system where I live. My younger sister lives in TN and my mom is a huge worry wart. My dad is ill and lives with my grandmother 5hrs away so does the rest of my family members that I am close to.
I don't know what all to expect if I have breast cancer tumor in my right breast. So if someone could help me prepare for the worst and know ahead of time what i may be dealing with, I would greatly appreciate it.
I know that some form of cancer treatment would be done, just don't have a clue as to what all that may entail.
IS there anyone here on BFP that can talk to me about this stuff because they've been through it?
Please post if you have or pm me. I retake my mammogram on my right breast on Friday it's the earliest that I could get in. I am hoping that I won't have to wait thru the weekend to get a call about the results.
Thanks,
Justy

I understand your anxiety, but it is really not that all uncommon to get a call for retakes.

I guess what I am saying is try not to worry until you find out there is something to worry about. It sounds like not telling your mom is a good decision, as well.

Often, for retakes, they expect that the person may want to hang around until it gets read. You could ask about that.

And yes, there are people here who have had breast cancer and can support you if you find this is what you are up against. Hang in there and try not to stress.