'Taking One Day At A Time - Just Winging It '

written by members of Friends in Need

Kim in MI Infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma, Had a mammagram in July of 2001 and found the lump under my arm in October 2001. Had surgery November 14th, 2001 and took out the lump under my arm 2.9 cm. and one in my breast 1.7 cm.. The surgeon thought I had it everywhere and sent me to an oncologist to start chemo. I had such pain everywhere I could hardly stand, that is why he thought that. He said nobody is promised tomorrow. I went to the oncologist and she said I want you to have more sugery, clean margins and more lymph glands taken out to see what I am working with. She told me to quit taking my lipitor(cholesterol) medication. The pain went away!!! Had second surgery in December, had one more postive gland, a total of 9 taken out with the first surgery included. Started chemo January 7th 2002, Adriamycin and cytoxan. Got an infection in my breast right away. Took tons of antibiotics. Had to take neupogen shots. Also ended up with procrit shots also. Had 4 treatments of AC and then started with 4 treatments of taxotere. Had a summer full of radiation. I am Estergen postive, Her 2 negative. Had a hysterectomy and ovaries out Feb. 2003. Took tomoxifen for 2 1/2 years and now I am on the aromison. Current status: NED = No Evidence of Disease Leslie Dx'd aged 49, Invasive ductal adenocarcinoma, Grade I, 1 cm, DCIS. Modfied radical mastectomy August 11, 2003. 17 lymph nodes removed, all negative. Tamoxifen only adjuvent therapy. Current status: NED = No Evidence of Disease Sherri Dx'd January 2003 at the age of 28. Invasive breast cancer in left breast. Tumor size 1.5 cm. Had left breast removed one week after finding out. Then had four treatments of A/C. That really did a number on my body. Three months after chemo I had my right breast removed and tissue expanders put in to start reconstruction. I had right breast removed due to the fact of a high family history of breast cancer and my oncologist didn't want me on tamoxifen due to my age and he was worried that it would put me in early menopause. So, if they remove the other one, it would lessen my chances of it coming back in the right one. Current status: NED = No Evidence of Disease as of September 2003 SammyS DX’d in June 2000 at age 49. The tumor didn’t show up on my routine mammogram, but the radiologist ordered an ultrasound, which showed it as clear as a bell. Then I had an ulrasound guided needle biopsy. It showed IDC, 2.5 cm, 4/21 nodes positive, ER+, stage 2, grade 2. First I had a lumpectomy and 2/3 of the nodes removed, but another .8 cm tumor showed up, so 2 weeks later I had a mastectomy. I had 4 A/C, 4 Taxol and 6 weeks of radiation to the chest wall and axilliary area. Currently on Tamoxifen Current status: NED = No Evidence of Disease MAR August 28th, 2000 2.2 c.m. tumor discovered by me in self exam at age 39. Removed and found to be grade 3, Invasive Ductal Carcinoma Her2/Neu positive and PR+. Sentinal node biopsy negative. Porta cath installed to recieve chemotherapy: AC x 4, 36 radiation highest dose possible, Taxol X 4 but suffered black out after three so switched to 5FU/Ellence/Cytoxin for 2 more hits. Started Tamoxifen 8/2001. Had ovaries removed Jan 2003 to help lessen the amount of estrogen/progestorone in my system. Current status: NED = No Evidence of Disease thank you GOD Patti 'wack' Dx with IDC(spring) 2001 (missed dx) (Age 45) Tumor 6cm. 8/14 pos. nodes (left side) Lumpectomy first (no clear margins) Mast. one week later/axillary nodes removal. CEF chemotherapy (6 mo.) 12x Rad. 20x Tam. not tolerated well (tried 2x) Bone mets (spine)T6 & one rib. (Spring) 2003 (age47) Rad. 5x from T4-T8. Arimidex,wellbutrin, effexor, clodronate, morphine and motrin (for sides of arimidex) Current status: Bone scan July 03 NED = No Evidence of Disease age 48 Taybee DX June 19, 2002 at age 45. Right breast stage II,1.5cmm tumor. Invasive Ductal Carcinoma insitu, Estrogen positive. Lumpectomy July 3rd/02, total of lymphs dissected, 7 one positive with a 1.8cmm tumor encapsulated. Four months of chemotherapy (FAC) and 31 rounds of radiation, on Tamoxifen for 5 months then changed to Arimidex (five years). Current status: Four months after treatment ended, a highly suspicious tumor found on the same breast. I will undergo open biopsy, possible mastectomy some time in August, 2003. SueK Dx with Infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma (Jan 99) Modified radical mastectomy of right breast. 2.5 cm (2-99) No positive lymph nodes found, but it was vascularly invasive, which means it could spread through the blood system. Chemotherapy-CAF X 6 Cytoxan/Adriamycin/5FU, Completed 7-15-99. Tamoxifen started on 8-15-99. Tests, tests, and more tests. Tamoxifen stopped when I realized my pathology report said I was ER&PR negative, and showed it to my oncologist Current status: Dx with mets to brain and right lung in July 2002. Receiving different treatments since that time. Valerie Diagnosed with 8mm Carcinoma in left breast in November 2000, Lumpectomy followed by 6 weeks radiation treatment. September 2001 suffered two heart attacks now have stent in right artery of heart. November 2002 dx with 2 cm Carcinoma in right breast. Mastectomy, had no treatment as was receptor negative,left breast removed as precaution in May 2003. Current status: N.E.D. = No Evidence of Disease. Louise Diagnosed in January 1999 at the age of 31 with Stage 2b infiltrating ductal carcinoma approximately 2cm with 2 of 4 nodes cancerous. I had 4 rounds of adriamycin/cytoxan and then 4 rounds of Taxol. Had 30 radiation treatments and started on Tamoxifen. In November 1999 I opted to have my ovaries removed to prevent the production of estrogen as my cancer was er/pr positive. Current status: N.E.D. = No Evidence of Disease. Jacky Dx during a routine mammogram in March 2003. Microcalcifications, stereotatic biopsy (ouch!) and those places had DCIS. Calcification which was malignant and microinvasive. Sentinal node biopsy - positive. Axillary dissection. One node positive, chemotherapy, mastectomy on April 2, 2003. Current status: N.E.D. = No Evidence of Disease. Tommie E, from Arkansas I was dx on 3/20/2001. Left mastectomy on 4/20/2001. Lobular Carcinoma in Situ (LCIS), with a 2.5 cm tumor. Invasive lobular carcinoma, low grade. Sentinal node biopsy - negative for cancer cells. Highly er/pr+. Stage one. No chemo, or rads. Tamoxifen for 5 years - 2 down, 3 to go. Prophylactic mastectomy on right side 5/30/2003. Current status: N.E.D. = No Evidence of Disease. Mindy in NY Stage I, ER/PR+ breast cancer came as a complete surprise in January 2003. Mastectomy and tram flap reconstruction in March 2003, currently undergoing chemotherapy. I'll be finished in September. Current status: Undergoing treatment at time of writing Roberta Two growths on the left side and one on the right. I thought for sure it would be the left side. WRONG. Right side came back benign for the surrounding flesh, but the growth itself proved malignant (DCIS). I opted for the mastectomy. With my history I did not feel that the lumpectomy was enough. So, March 2002, I opted for a full mastectomy on the right side. Current status: N.E.D. = No Evidence of Disease. Janie Dx and underwent a lumpectomy on March 28th 2001. Adriamycin/cytoxan chemotherapy and following chemo I had 6 1/2 weeks of radiation. Current status: N.E.D. = No Evidence of Disease. Judie Dx 12th February, 2002 at the age of 61. Lumpectomy 8th March, 2002 with sentinal node biopsy. Tubular carcinoma, well differentiated, Intraductual carcinoma, well differentiated, and focal atypical lobular epithelial hyperplasia. ER postive,PR negative. I had 33 radiation treatments which I tolerated well and am now on tamoxifen for 5 years. Current status: N.E.D. = No Evidence of Disease. Kay from NH Dx July 21, 1999 aged 61 with ..right breast mass, Abbi biopsy, infiltrating ductal carcinoma, grade I-II of III and ductal carcinoma in-situ, intermediate type (predominantly cribriform) with associated coarse microcalcifications.Fibrocystic changes consisting of sclerosing adenosis, apocrine metaplasia, a typical intraductal hyperplasia and scattered microcalcifications. The carcinoma measured 1.2 X 1.0 cm. Left breast, Abbi biopsy, infiltrating mucinous adenocarcinoma and mucinous carcinoma in situ. Fibrocystic changes consisting of atypical intraductal hyperplasia, sclerosing adenosis, florid and focally atypical and apocrine metaplasia. The carcinoma measured 1.0 X 1.0. Er+ both breasts, her2/neu- both breasts. Current status: N.E.D. = No Evidence of Disease. Sas December 19, 1995, I was told I had cancer of the breast. Right mastectomy, I was staged 3a, Estrogen Receptor Negative, 12 of 21 positive nodes. Primary tumor was 2.5cm, Invasive Ductal bc. PortAcath installed for chemo. 9 months of chemo, adriamycin x 4, CMF x 6, 36 rads, Taxol x 2 as a primer for my Stemcell Harvest and Transplant I had at DukeUniversity in September 1996. Current status: N.E.D. = No Evidence of Disease. Sheila in MN Diagnosed with breast cancer on October 22, 1997, the day before my 26th birthday. I had a small tumor, but had four lymph nodes under my left arm positive for cancer. My treatment consisted of a lumpectomy, followed by the lymph node dissection. Then four rounds of chemotherapy (adriamycin/cytoxan) and 35 radiation treatments. I followed this with five years of Tamoxifen. Current status: N.E.D. = No Evidence of Disease. Kelly Lobular breast cancer. 6cm tumor, 10 of 23 lymph nodes positive, Er +, PR +, Her2neu +++. Mastectomy and Tram Flap reconstruction. Hysterectomy with oopherectomy, chemo,radiation and Herceptin. Diagnosed with metastatic cancer to the ovaries. Current status: N.E.D. = No Evidence of Disease. Susan in Oz Diagnosed September 1994, age 41 with Infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma (IDC) and Intraductal Carcinoma. Tumors 3cm and 4 mm. Two lymphnodes tested positive from 15 tested. Highly estrogen receptive. Mastectomy in October 1994 with full axilliary node removal. Six months chemo Cyclophosphamide, Methotrexate and 5FU (CMF). Tamoxifen for 5 years and a prophylactic mastectomy of remaining breast in August 1998. Current status: N.E.D. = No Evidence of Disease. Lymphedema of one arm. Aussie Jo Dx June 1992. Extremely fast growing Adenocarcinoma of the breast. Estrogen negative. Not picked up in mammogram or ultrasound. Grew from first being noticed (pea sized) to 3cm within 6 weeks. Biopsy confirmed dx. All lymph nodes (I had 23) removed. One positive, confusion as to whether it came from breast tissue or under the arm. Choice of Lumpectomy or Mastectomy, went for the former so underwent 6 weeks radiotherapy. Chemotherapy recommended and started 2 weeks into radiotherapy. Six infusions of Cyclophosphamide, Methotrexate, 5FU (CMF) given every 4 weeks. No problem with affected arm until 1999 when I developed Lymphedema. Current status: N.E.D. = No Evidence of Disease. Lymphedema of one arm. Hally` aka hally`day_name_person Highly Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, estrogen negative , nodes negative, clear margins. Stage 1, diagnosed in October 1998. Four rounds of chemo Adriamycin, Cytoxan (A/C) and 33 radiation treatments. Current status: N.E.D. = No Evidence of Disease.