Re: Message from Kathy (and Rich)

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the updated on Kathy, Jodi...I know alot of people here were

wondering what happened to her when she dropped out..

Ruth Ann

Jodi Brown wrote:

Hi all -- for those of you who remember Kathy and our favorite 'Rat-Bastard

Rich' --

she dropped out of the group because she has a lot of crap going on in her

life and did not have the time to read all the messages. She needed to focus

her attention on herself, Rich and their family.

She sent me this update and said I could forward it on. So -- those who

remember Kathy and Rich, please keep them in your prayers.

Blessings to all,

jbbb

Kathy wrote:

Hello, all...

Talked to my sister Pam today...she has been having repeat mammograms and

sonograms every 6 months for the past year and a half. The docs have been

watching something. There has been no change but my sister decided she was

tired of going back every 6 months and requested a biopsy.

Her biopsy shows that she has both ductal and lobular carcinoma. Don't know if

that means when the carcinoma gets outside of the ducts it is now lobular or it

is two distinct things. Hers is not " in situ " meaning that it won't/hasn't

spread. Hers is considered invasive. She does not know if it is the kind that

feeds off estrogen. She is already post-menopausal and was never on hormone

replacement therapy.

The radiologist was floored and never expected the biopsy to come back positive.

We have no family history of breast cancer - but as my sister pointed out...I

doubt my mother ever had a pap smear let alone a mammogram so who knows what

lurked there.

The radiologist also was very sorry that they hadn't biopsied a similar looking

place in her other breast so it looks like chances are that she has cancer in

both breasts. I was reading last night and one of the cancers - don't remember

if it was the ductal or the lobular but one of them is highly likely to be in

both rather than just one.

Don't know how far it has spread or if it is just in breast tissue. Don't know

if there is lymph node involvement or not. She goes to see the surgeon on Monday

afternoon, I believe. Not sure when she'll see an oncologist - if that is

pre-surgery or immediately post surgery.

My sister was in good spirits considering. I was commenting that she could get a

tummy tuck out of this if reconstructive surgery was required and she laughed

but also said " Or I could get implants... " with a snicker. I told her - " Your

choice! "

She reminded me to make sure that all my doctors know that we now have a family

history especially since I've had calcifications on my mammogram (though nothing

of note is being " watched " I just go for my yearly mammogram). She said I have

two things to my advantage that she doesn't. I asked what. She said: " 1. You

don't smoke, 2. You don't live on Long Island " . She said there are clusters of

folks with cancer around the LI area. Wow, didn't know that. She is quitting

smoking this weekend. She has been smoking since age 18. Hopefully her husband

will follow suit. (Neither smoked in the house though.)

That's the latest from here. I'm doing well. After a few years of monitoring

they believe they have *finally* found the adenoma (benign tumor) on one of my

parathryoid glands - I got for a second opinion ultrasound on the 20th to

confirm before being sent to a surgeon. The parathyroid glands (4) regulate

calcium and mine has been high off and on for a few years as has been my

parathyroid hormone level. I have lost bone density because of this. You don't

need all 4 glands. Even one would regulate calcium just fine once it got used

to be the lone gland so I'll be operating well on 3 at some point. Have nodules

on my thyroid too which are common. Going to get the largest biopsied (do not

expect anything from this) on the 23rd so that if they are going into my neck to

remove the parathyroid - and my thyroid needs removal - one stop shopping, ya

know?! Hopefully this will be my LAST surgery for quite some time. 3 last year

was more than enough! I'm over my quota.

Take care! Happy New Year to all!

Kathy

---------------------------------

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[Guest guest]

BB thanks for sharing that message. I have often wondered how she and Rich were

doing. I do miss her too. When you " talk " with her next, send my regards and

let her know that she and her sister are in my prayers.

Darcy

Jodi Brown wrote:

Hi all -- for those of you who remember Kathy and our favorite 'Rat-Bastard

Rich' --

she dropped out of the group because she has a lot of crap going on in her

life and did not have the time to read all the messages. She needed to focus

her attention on herself, Rich and their family.

She sent me this update and said I could forward it on. So -- those who

remember Kathy and Rich, please keep them in your prayers.

Blessings to all,

jbbb

Kathy wrote:

Hello, all...

Talked to my sister Pam today...she has been having repeat mammograms and

sonograms every 6 months for the past year and a half. The docs have been

watching something. There has been no change but my sister decided she was

tired of going back every 6 months and requested a biopsy.

Her biopsy shows that she has both ductal and lobular carcinoma. Don't know if

that means when the carcinoma gets outside of the ducts it is now lobular or it

is two distinct things. Hers is not " in situ " meaning that it won't/hasn't

spread. Hers is considered invasive. She does not know if it is the kind that

feeds off estrogen. She is already post-menopausal and was never on hormone

replacement therapy.

The radiologist was floored and never expected the biopsy to come back positive.

We have no family history of breast cancer - but as my sister pointed out...I

doubt my mother ever had a pap smear let alone a mammogram so who knows what

lurked there.

The radiologist also was very sorry that they hadn't biopsied a similar looking

place in her other breast so it looks like chances are that she has cancer in

both breasts. I was reading last night and one of the cancers - don't remember

if it was the ductal or the lobular but one of them is highly likely to be in

both rather than just one.

Don't know how far it has spread or if it is just in breast tissue. Don't know

if there is lymph node involvement or not. She goes to see the surgeon on Monday

afternoon, I believe. Not sure when she'll see an oncologist - if that is

pre-surgery or immediately post surgery.

My sister was in good spirits considering. I was commenting that she could get a

tummy tuck out of this if reconstructive surgery was required and she laughed

but also said " Or I could get implants... " with a snicker. I told her - " Your

choice! "

She reminded me to make sure that all my doctors know that we now have a family

history especially since I've had calcifications on my mammogram (though nothing

of note is being " watched " I just go for my yearly mammogram). She said I have

two things to my advantage that she doesn't. I asked what. She said: " 1. You

don't smoke, 2. You don't live on Long Island " . She said there are clusters of

folks with cancer around the LI area. Wow, didn't know that. She is quitting

smoking this weekend. She has been smoking since age 18. Hopefully her husband

will follow suit. (Neither smoked in the house though.)

That's the latest from here. I'm doing well. After a few years of monitoring

they believe they have *finally* found the adenoma (benign tumor) on one of my

parathryoid glands - I got for a second opinion ultrasound on the 20th to

confirm before being sent to a surgeon. The parathyroid glands (4) regulate

calcium and mine has been high off and on for a few years as has been my

parathyroid hormone level. I have lost bone density because of this. You don't

need all 4 glands. Even one would regulate calcium just fine once it got used

to be the lone gland so I'll be operating well on 3 at some point. Have nodules

on my thyroid too which are common. Going to get the largest biopsied (do not

expect anything from this) on the 23rd so that if they are going into my neck to

remove the parathyroid - and my thyroid needs removal - one stop shopping, ya

know?! Hopefully this will be my LAST surgery for quite some time. 3 last year

was more than enough! I'm over my quota.

Take care! Happy New Year to all!

Kathy

---------------------------------

Yahoo! Photos

Got holiday prints? See all the ways to get quality prints in your hands ASAP.

[Guest guest]

Thanks BB!!!!!

OXOXOX

H

> Hello, all...

>

> Talked to my sister Pam today...she has been having repeat

mammograms and sonograms every 6 months for the past year and a

half. The docs have been watching something. There has been no

change but my sister decided she was tired of going back every 6

months and requested a biopsy.

>

> Her biopsy shows that she has both ductal and lobular carcinoma.

Don't know if that means when the carcinoma gets outside of the

ducts it is now lobular or it is two distinct things. Hers is

not " in situ " meaning that it won't/hasn't spread. Hers is

considered invasive. She does not know if it is the kind that feeds

off estrogen. She is already post-menopausal and was never on

hormone replacement therapy.

>

> The radiologist was floored and never expected the biopsy to come

back positive. We have no family history of breast cancer - but as

my sister pointed out...I doubt my mother ever had a pap smear let

alone a mammogram so who knows what lurked there.

>

> The radiologist also was very sorry that they hadn't biopsied a

similar looking place in her other breast so it looks like chances

are that she has cancer in both breasts. I was reading last night

and one of the cancers - don't remember if it was the ductal or the

lobular but one of them is highly likely to be in both rather than

just one.

>

> Don't know how far it has spread or if it is just in breast

tissue. Don't know if there is lymph node involvement or not. She

goes to see the surgeon on Monday afternoon, I believe. Not sure

when she'll see an oncologist - if that is pre-surgery or

immediately post surgery.

>

> My sister was in good spirits considering. I was commenting that

she could get a tummy tuck out of this if reconstructive surgery was

required and she laughed but also said " Or I could get implants... "

with a snicker. I told her - " Your choice! "

>

> She reminded me to make sure that all my doctors know that we now

have a family history especially since I've had calcifications on my

mammogram (though nothing of note is being " watched " I just go for

my yearly mammogram). She said I have two things to my advantage

that she doesn't. I asked what. She said: " 1. You don't smoke, 2.

You don't live on Long Island " . She said there are clusters of folks

with cancer around the LI area. Wow, didn't know that. She is

quitting smoking this weekend. She has been smoking since age 18.

Hopefully her husband will follow suit. (Neither smoked in the house

though.)

>

> That's the latest from here. I'm doing well. After a few years

of monitoring they believe they have *finally* found the adenoma

(benign tumor) on one of my parathryoid glands - I got for a second

opinion ultrasound on the 20th to confirm before being sent to a

surgeon. The parathyroid glands (4) regulate calcium and mine has

been high off and on for a few years as has been my parathyroid

hormone level. I have lost bone density because of this. You don't

need all 4 glands. Even one would regulate calcium just fine once

it got used to be the lone gland so I'll be operating well on 3 at

some point. Have nodules on my thyroid too which are common. Going

to get the largest biopsied (do not expect anything from this) on

the 23rd so that if they are going into my neck to remove the

parathyroid - and my thyroid needs removal - one stop shopping, ya

know?! Hopefully this will be my LAST surgery for quite some time.

3 last year was more than enough! I'm over my quota.

>

> Take care! Happy New Year to all!

>

> Kathy

>

>

>

>

> ---------------------------------

> Yahoo! Photos

> Got holiday prints? See all the ways to get quality prints in

your hands ASAP.

>

>