This is part three of my weekly blogs about breast cancer during the month of October. So what happens if you or your sister, mother, partner, bff or daughter is diagnosed with breast cancer? A lot happens at once.
After the diagnosis, this is the most confusing yet important time of the whole treatment period. It is so very important because you choose your treatments. For example, unlike a heart attack where physicians are working on you immediately and they implement the procedures to save your life, breast cancer has options and choices. Why? Because my breast cancer may not be the same as your breast cancer.
Breast cancer in many ways is a disease about statistics. You will be thank-full of that college statistic course. Don’t remember, didn’t happen? Maybe you or some one in your family is good with baseball statistics. Similar probabilities. Your team of oncologists want to up your success percentages by backing the protocol plan that has proven the most success. After surgery they may recommend chemotherapy or radiation or both. Here is where you need to ask a million questions before you commit to a plan. Questions like, what are the side effects of this regime versus another? What are the late effects of these plans versus another? It is all about percentages.
This is a confusing time and there are no guarantees or return policies. If some one says they chose a certain protocol because they never want to worry about breast cancer again, they are either in denial or they got some bad info. Let me repeat; there are no guarantees in breast cancer, just statistics and probabilities!
Breast cancer happens and it stinks. What parallels in life can you make to this insidious disease?
Oh, how sweet. Yep, looking back, I just embrace the awkwardness of her. Thank you for your sweet and meaningful reply.
I've always thought that viewing porn has to do with mens fantasies about control etc and usually has nothing to do with their real relationships. Men who need to view it are not going to change unless they become bored with it. I had a bf who admi
Shirley - that's funny but what you are saying is true about the men...first sex, then a little company, then back to the dating sites. :) There are too many fish on line to stick with just one so they go back to see what else is available. I am a me
First thing after the dx is one is too busy to worry about anything. Secondly if you decide to have a reconstruction then BE CAREFUL OF THE RADIATION. “Too much” restricts blood flow and the thing will not heal, you will however get flesh-eating disease. The boob will not heal.
I do not know about lumpectomy vs. mastectomy. I had a “chunk” removed, I presume lumps plus a heafty margin. Left me with a 36b that never grew (duh what was my first clue, whereas the other boob grew and grew, had a reduction. Could NOT get an undergarment to fit a melon and an orange.
Son was 7 and I recall saying “he is only 7 do whatever you have to”. So here I am with a fake boob that is too much trouble to wear so I just go out 1 boob short. no recurrence in 18 years. The irony is that surgery was on my 49 b.day.
It is survivable, many days in the process feel as if it isn’t. And if, like me, you are lucky enough to get pills to swallow 4×1/dayx14 days, you will wish someone was waving a $100 bill in front on about day 12 while saying “you can do it”. Radiation is exhausting and gives you a really tough sunburn which continues after radiation stops, I recommend EMLA designed especially for children w/cancer. it is a powerful topical anaesthetic. NO you will not lose weight. Too exhausted to move from the couch (or perhaps it was just my 4-FU protocol). It was EXHAUSTING!!! and I gained weight. How disappointing that was.
Darcy09, as a sister in breast cancer I wish health! my Dr. told me radiation is the gift that keeps on giving, ie changes the appearance of the breast for years.
I wear padded bras because of the unevenness. Breast cancer usually causes weight gain. My oncologist said the average is 18 ponds because the body feels it is under attack, which it is, and stores fat!