 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Breast Cancer / October 2008October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
... and here we usually take the opportunity to have a roll call of present, past and lurking members. Who's going to kick off? Mary >Who's going to kick off? >Mary I guess you just did, Mary, with your post.<g So I will add myself, (unfortunately). Here! Trice (of the USA) NO SPAM OR FORWARDS, PLEASE. >>Who's going to kick off? > [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > >Trice (of the USA) Geraldine here in Newcastle upon Tyne (UK) > >Who's going to kick off? > [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > Trice (of the USA) OK, I asked for that. It would be good to know why you're here, what your experience of bc has been and, yes, your geographical locality. I'm Mary, now 69, from Leeds, Yorkshire, England. I was diagnosed with bc after a routine mammogram in April 1988. I had a lumpectomy and radiation courtesy of the British National Health Service and took part in a five year (extended to ten years) research programme: ATAC - Arimidex or Tamoxifen, Alone or in Combination. I've no idea which group I was in. There were few, if any, side effects (except that the radiation was unpleasant). I'm still going strong, very active and, to date, n.e.d. Our system doesn't do automatic mammos after we're seventy - might even be earlier, but I shall ask for them annually. I doubt that I'd be here if I hadn't gone for that one at the mobile unit in the grounds of our local hospital (so close I walked there in ten minutes) on 23 April. I joined this group so that I could learn more about the condition and gain support forom others - although at that time I didn't feel that I really needed support, I had everything I needed from my breast care nurse but I had a lot of time on my hands and had been shocked by the reaction of some of my friends and family. This, I was to learn, is normal. I have learned a lot here, loved, laughed and shed tears. Those I've met physically or on-line have been a strength and a source of surprises. It was worth coming. So, over to the rest of you! Mary. > It would be good to know why you're here, what your experience of bc has > been and, yes, your geographical locality. Hi, all - I'm Ann T., 8 year survivor of stage III locally advanced BC, now 52 y/ o, widowed, retired, no children. 5 tumors in left breast (largest 3.1 cm), 1 in right. Bilateral mastectomies, no reconstruction. Six months of chemo (4 x 3 weeks AC, 4 x 3 weeks Taxol), 6 weeks radiation, Tamoxifen for 2.5 years, Arimidex since (going to stop at the end of this year). Enthusiastic member of a breast cancer survivors' rowing team. Used to hang around here a lot, but have slacked off since losing my free & easy usenet access. Nice to see y'all. Ann T. I don't much monitor the email address in my header, but can be reached at ann thorsen (leave out the blank between first & last) at yahoo dot com. > Hi, all - > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > reached at ann thorsen (leave out the blank between first & last) at > yahoo dot com. Hey Ann, nice to hear from you. Sounds like the rowing has been good for you and that you're doing OK. Great. Tim > Used to hang around here a lot, but have slacked off since losing my > free & easy usenet access. Hi Ann, You could try http://news.motzarella.org/ A regular on the prostate cancer newsgroup has been using it for many years. It's free and easy, I think. J Hi, all - I'm Ann T., 8 year survivor of stage III locally advanced BC, now 52 y/ o, widowed, retired, no children. 5 tumors in left breast (largest 3.1 cm), 1 in right. Bilateral mastectomies, no reconstruction. Six months of chemo (4 x 3 weeks AC, 4 x 3 weeks Taxol), 6 weeks radiation, Tamoxifen for 2.5 years, Arimidex since (going to stop at the end of this year). Enthusiastic member of a breast cancer survivors' rowing team. Used to hang around here a lot, but have slacked off since losing my free & easy usenet access. Nice to see y'all. Ann T. I don't much monitor the email address in my header, but can be reached at ann thorsen (leave out the blank between first & last) at yahoo dot com. Have missed you and your support, check in when you can! formerly me2me, now LadyBoot > ... and here we usually take the opportunity to have a roll call of present, > past and lurking members. I'm Ixia, 55, Norwegian living in USA, not far from DC. I have a supportive husband, 2 grown kids and a small grand-child. I was diagnosed with stage 3A er+ /pr+ /her2+ breast cancer in the spring of 2007, after my breast became painful. 2 positive nodes were found at the same time. I was treated fwith dose-dense AC and then with Taxol + Herceptin before surgery. At the time of my mastectomy no live cancer cells were found, and my oncologist pronounced me "theoretically cured". Since then I have completed 6 weeks of radiation and have just finished a year of Herceptin. Yay! That completes my initial treatment. I'm on daily Tamoxifen, vitamin D, and Zometa infusions every 6 months. I have recovered from chemo, surgery and radiation by now, and feel good. I have had no reconstruction, and so far I feel comfortable with that: I'm tired of being a patient, and I want to enjoy my life with no big "procedures" hanging over me, to recover from, or to cause unexpected side-effects and problems - if I can help it. I enjoy this group and being able to touch base with others whose lives have been impacted by this disease. Ixia > ... and here we usually take the opportunity to have a roll call of present, > past and lurking members. > > Who's going to kick off? > > Mary My wife died of breast cancer in March 2000, about three years after originally finding a lump. It was a steep learning curve at the time so I stuck around to try to make things a bit easier for those who had to follow the same path. I've a daughter now about to turn 15 who was six at the time of her mother's death, and a stepson of 27 in the British army. Both great kids. I'm 57, a freelance engineer and live in north-west England. Tim Jackson. > ... and here we usually take the opportunity to have a roll call of > present, past and lurking members. > > Who's going to kick off? ------------- Eva Destruction here in New York, diagnosed with Stage 3 BC in June 2004, nearly died from having my life saved, still here thus far, hope the Angel of Death doesn't see this post. (:^) >> ... and here we usually take the opportunity to have a roll call of >> present, past and lurking members. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > nearly died from having my life saved, still here thus far, hope the Angel > of Death doesn't see this post. (:^) How did you nearly die by having your life saved? It's not far to say that without more details :-) Mary >>> ... and here we usually take the opportunity to have a roll call of >>> present, past and lurking members. [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > It's not far to say that without more details :-) --------------- Sorry, I thought I'd told the story one time too many....my oncologist said I had the worst side effects of chemo she'd ever seen. I was so sick and weak I couldn't walk a block without needing a rest, and that's only the start of it. I actually don't want to think about it any more. I only want to reassure others, that no matter how desperately ill you get from chemo, just keep putting one swollen foot in front of the other and SURVIVE! Eva >>>> ... and here we usually take the opportunity to have a roll call of >>>> present, past and lurking members. [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > from chemo, just keep putting one swollen foot in front of the other and > SURVIVE! Well said! I think the same is true of radiation too (not the same kind of syumptoms of course), they're the best weapons available at the moment. Well, with drugs. Nothing is without side effects but they're all better than the alternative. I'm glad you're surviving, along with the rest of us. I'm sorry if I've read your story before, Eva, my memory isn't what it used to be. Well, everything's still in there but the retrieval system isn't working well. Mary >>>> ... and here we usually take the opportunity to have a roll call of >>>> present, past and lurking members. [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] >weak I couldn't walk a block without needing a rest, and that's only the >start of it. I was like that too. I wasn't very nauseated because they gave me medication for it, but for months I couldn't stir out of bed before lunchtime. I do wonder whether it also contributed to my worsening heart problem, although they kept testing me and finiding nothing amiss. To be fair, it didn't start till 8 or 9 months later. >I actually don't want to think about it any more. I only want >to reassure others, that no matter how desperately ill you get from chemo, >just keep putting one swollen foot in front of the other and SURVIVE! I don't mind thinking about it, but maybe that's because I had little sickness or nausea. Although I could hardly stay awake long enough to listen to a play on the radio, or concentrate enough to read a book, I found it a strangely pleasant, peaceful time for rest and reflection. My dear pussy cat Phoebe spent a lot of time just sitting on my bed with me, which was very comforting. And since I managed to do quite a lot of writing, a line at a time, it was surprisingly productive. Thinking back on it, I'm amazed at how calm and peaceful I felt. We could have had the roof fall in, or the bailiffs at the door, I just wouldn't have cared.  Signature"It's easier to get forgiveness than permission." Rear Admiral "Amazing" Grace Hopper > ... and here we usually take the opportunity to have a roll call of present, > past and lurking members. > > Who's going to kick off? > > Mary Hello Group. I'm Barb, soon to be a 25 year survivor of stage 2 breast cancer. I had a right modified radical mastectomy in Nov. of 1983, followed by a year of CMF chemo. I continued to teach kindergarten through my treatment, and recently retired after thirty years in the classroom. I live in rural north central Pennsylvania with my husband. I am needing to have a hysterectomy the end of the month for a pre- cancerous condition and am really hoping that no co-existing cancer is found! Keep fingers crossed for me, please..... This has been a super group of very caring people, who truly have shared laughs and tears over the years. Here's hoping continued good health for all of us! Barb > Hello Group. I'm Barb, soon to be a 25 year survivor of stage 2 breast cancer. What a model! We tend to think that the most up to date remedies are the best, you show that it's not necessarily so. > I had a right modified radical mastectomy in Nov. of 1983, followed by a year of CMF chemo. I continued to teach kindergarten through my treatment, and recently retired after thirty years in the classroom. I live in rural north central Pennsylvania with my husband. > I am needing to have a hysterectomy the end of the month for a pre- cancerous condition and am really hoping that no co-existing cancer is found! Keep fingers crossed for me, please..... I'm crossing everything! > This has been a super group of very caring people, who truly have shared laughs and tears over the years. Indeed. > Here's hoping continued good health for all of us! Seconded! Mary Hello Dear Mary, It was so good to hear from you. Of all my online friends, you are the one least likely to spend any time worrying---and I'll confess, this upcoming surgery makes me nervous. It's not the procedure itself (although abdominal surgery doesn't sound like any fun). I'm concerned about them finding a co-existing cancer. I've "talked turkey" to myself a few times, reminding me that even if it is another cancer, the hysterectomy could be curative if it's early stage. I know that worry doesn't do anything positive, but my tummy "flips" periodically anyway. Some good common sense advice would be most appreciated, Mary. Hugs, Barb october is also "bald and free" month, I just read (it refers to men, rather unfairly).... I don't like awareness months.....most people are "aware" of what's impacting them most immediately in a moment....hurricane, autism, leukemia, MS, financial stress, divorce, weight gain/loss, poor vision, great love/passion, new pet, new house, burned down house..... I think breast cancer awareness in the U.S. is pretty good. On Oct 1, 2:55 pm, "Mary Fisher" <mary.fis...@zetnet.co.uk> wrote: > ... and here we usually take the opportunity to have a roll call of > present, [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > Mary Hello Group. I'm Barb, soon to be a 25 year survivor of stage 2 breast cancer. I had a right modified radical mastectomy in Nov. of 1983, followed by a year of CMF chemo. I continued to teach kindergarten through my treatment, and recently retired after thirty years in the classroom. I live in rural north central Pennsylvania with my husband. I am needing to have a hysterectomy the end of the month for a pre- cancerous condition and am really hoping that no co-existing cancer is found! Keep fingers crossed for me, please..... This has been a super group of very caring people, who truly have shared laughs and tears over the years. Here's hoping continued good health for all of us! Barb > october is also "bald and free" month, I just read (it refers to men, > rather unfairly).... I didn't know that. I like bald men. I was bald during May and June of 1993, I made everyone aware of it :-) Perhaps bald women should rejoice in their condition too and stake their claim for inclusion. > I don't like awareness months.....most people are "aware" of what's > impacting them most immediately in a moment....hurricane, autism, > leukemia, MS, financial stress, divorce, weight gain/loss, poor vision, > great love/passion, new pet, new house, burned down house..... Awareness months, days, weeks, years, whatever, aren't to make those with experience of any condition aware of what they're experiencing, they're to raise awareness among everyone else. In the case of bc it's an opportunity for all of us to spread the word about diagnosis, treatments and outcomes to all those other people who've never thought about it. In that way we might save some from feeling panic if they think they might have a lump. Traditionally the 'roll call' has happened in this group simply because October, being bc linked universally, is a good aide memoir for those (most I suspect) of us who'd forget otherwise :-) > I think breast cancer awareness in the U.S. is pretty good. Good. I think it is here too - but that's because people have been MADE aware of it by publicity - especially during October :-) And because we wear our pink ribbons at all times and are happy to talk about it to anyone who asks. I've seen complaints from men with prostate cancer in both USA and UK that bc is better publicised than pc - because, they say, women have made a fuss about it and why can't pc be as well publicised? My answer is that THEY should make a fuss too :-) Mary > Hi, all - > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > the end of this year). Enthusiastic member of a breast cancer > survivors' rowing team. Hi Ann, It's great to hear from a person with stage III who has been well for 8 years. It gives me hope! > Used to hang around here a lot, but have slacked off since losing my > free & easy usenet access. Have you tried using Google-groups? It's free: http://groups.google.com/ Up in the right-hand corner there should be a 'help' link explaining the various features of the service. Be well. Hope to see you here again. Ixia October is also, always has been, my favorite month, but this little addendum I could do without. I'm pretty sure EVERY month is about BC, at least it certainly seems so from the profusion of fundraisers, articles, pink everything, celebrity "brave battles" and "personal stories".....zzzz..... > ... and here we usually take the opportunity to have a roll call of > present, past and lurking members. > > Who's going to kick off? > > Mary |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2008 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.