good news

September 21, 2005

,

My sister and I both were dx with breast cancer. I was dx in July 1995 and I'm doing fine.

I had a mastectomy and because of two positive node I also did AC treatment (Taxol was still in trial stages then). I did 3 1/2 years of tamoxifen before dr. took me off of it. My sister was dx. in April 1997. Note that my sister was a ultrasound tech. She went to dr. because she was having a burning sensation behind the nipple. Radiologist said that there was nothing wrong. Being in the med field she had it read by someone else. Same thing. She said that she had seen the films and something wasn't right. She went to 6 surgeons before someone agreed to biopsy her because of my bc history. He really didn't think it would be and was totally surprised when it was bc. When they were doing the mastectomy on my sister they decided to biopsy a place in her other breast that they had been watching for 2 years. Well I'm sure you've guess by now that it was cancer also. So she

had a second mastectomy 2 weeks later. She had 4 positive nodes so did chemo..can't remember what it was but I know that 5FU was part of the treatment. In 1998 my mother was dx with colon cancer (dr.'s believe there is a connection between our bc and mom and grandma's colon cancer) Donna had a

local recurrance in the scar tissue in 2000. At that time she had more surgery and then radiation. In April 2004 she was dx with liver mets. I've always thought she should have had radiation at the time of first dx. But we live in different areas (she is about 2 hours away) and she wasn't willing to think that her surgeon might be wrong in the way he directed her treatment. As I told nne earlier we were told a couple of weeks ago that about 90% of her liver is involved now and they are only giving her a couple of months. She is on adriamyicin again to hopefully shrink the tumors to ease pain. She will be 52 next month and this isn't the way life was suppose to be. Oh by the way when they found her liver mets they weren't even looking for it. They were doing a sonogram of her heart and it just happened to catch a corner of the liver.

One of my best friends also lost a sister to BC. My friend had about 15 positive nodes and she is doing great 16 years later. I have another friend that had 30 positive nodes and she is great 13 years later.

Thank heaven for your tech. Oh forgot to mention by BC was missed in a mammogram 18 months before it was dx. When my sister held up my old films to the kitchen window after my dx. she could see it easily. Now why couldn't the radiologist with there special lights.

I use to to be very mad about that but finally had to let it go. Gosh this has turned into

a book. Sorry.

SharonB

__________________________________________________

September 21, 2005

Hi Sharon,

Wow! D o you blame the doctors for missing

the dx? Do you think something could of been done

sooner? I used to have that burning sensation too.

6 opinions! Im working on 3 right now, when I can

find someone that will even see me. I have a feeling

there is other things going on in me besides the

cancer from yhe radiation. It burned me pretty bad.

gina

--- Sharon wrote:

> ,

>

> My sister and I both were dx with breast cancer. I

> was dx in July 1995 and I'm doing fine.

> I had a mastectomy and because of two positive node

> I also did AC treatment (Taxol was still in trial

> stages then). I did 3 1/2 years of tamoxifen before

> dr. took me off of it. My sister was dx. in April

> 1997. Note that my sister was a ultrasound tech.

> She went to dr. because she was having a burning

> sensation behind the nipple. Radiologist said that

> there was nothing wrong. Being in the med field

> she had it read by someone else. Same thing. She

> said that she had seen the films and something

> wasn't right. She went to 6 surgeons before someone

> agreed to biopsy her because of my bc history. He

> really didn't think it would be and was totally

> surprised when it was bc. When they were doing the

> mastectomy on my sister they decided to biopsy a

> place in her other breast that they had been

> watching for 2 years. Well I'm sure you've guess by

> now that it was cancer also. So she had a second

> mastectomy 2 weeks later. She had 4 positive nodes

> so did chemo..can't remember what

> it was but I know that 5FU was part of the

> treatment. In 1998 my mother was dx with colon

> cancer (dr.'s believe there is a connection between

> our bc and mom and grandma's colon cancer) Donna

> had a

> local recurrance in the scar tissue in 2000. At

> that time she had more surgery and then radiation.

> In April 2004 she was dx with liver mets. I've

> always thought she should have had radiation at the

> time of first dx. But we live in different areas

> (she is about 2 hours away) and she wasn't willing

> to think that her surgeon might be wrong in the way

> he directed her treatment. As I told nne

> earlier we were told a couple of weeks ago that

> about 90% of her liver is involved now and they are

> only giving her a couple of months. She is on

> adriamyicin again to hopefully shrink the tumors to

> ease pain. She will be 52 next month and this

> isn't the way life was suppose to be. Oh by the

> way when they found her liver mets they weren't even

> looking for it. They were doing a sonogram of her

> heart and it just happened to catch a corner of the

> liver.

>

> One of my best friends also lost a sister to BC.

> My friend had about 15 positive nodes and she is

> doing great 16 years later. I have another friend

> that had 30 positive nodes and she is great 13 years

> later.

>

> Thank heaven for your tech. Oh forgot to mention

> by BC was missed in a mammogram 18 months before it

> was dx. When my sister held up my old films to the

> kitchen window after my dx. she could see it easily.

> Now why couldn't the radiologist with there

> special lights.

>

> I use to to be very mad about that but finally had

> to let it go. Gosh this has turned into

> a book. Sorry.

>

> SharonB

>

> __________________________________________________

>

September 21, 2005

Hi Sharon,

Wow! D o you blame the doctors for missing

the dx? Do you think something could of been done

sooner? I used to have that burning sensation too.

6 opinions! Im working on 3 right now, when I can

find someone that will even see me. I have a feeling

there is other things going on in me besides the

cancer from yhe radiation. It burned me pretty bad.

gina

--- Sharon wrote:

> ,

>

> My sister and I both were dx with breast cancer. I

> was dx in July 1995 and I'm doing fine.

> I had a mastectomy and because of two positive node

> I also did AC treatment (Taxol was still in trial

> stages then). I did 3 1/2 years of tamoxifen before

> dr. took me off of it. My sister was dx. in April

> 1997. Note that my sister was a ultrasound tech.

> She went to dr. because she was having a burning

> sensation behind the nipple. Radiologist said that

> there was nothing wrong. Being in the med field

> she had it read by someone else. Same thing. She

> said that she had seen the films and something

> wasn't right. She went to 6 surgeons before someone

> agreed to biopsy her because of my bc history. He

> really didn't think it would be and was totally

> surprised when it was bc. When they were doing the

> mastectomy on my sister they decided to biopsy a

> place in her other breast that they had been

> watching for 2 years. Well I'm sure you've guess by

> now that it was cancer also. So she had a second

> mastectomy 2 weeks later. She had 4 positive nodes

> so did chemo..can't remember what

> it was but I know that 5FU was part of the

> treatment. In 1998 my mother was dx with colon

> cancer (dr.'s believe there is a connection between

> our bc and mom and grandma's colon cancer) Donna

> had a

> local recurrance in the scar tissue in 2000. At

> that time she had more surgery and then radiation.

> In April 2004 she was dx with liver mets. I've

> always thought she should have had radiation at the

> time of first dx. But we live in different areas

> (she is about 2 hours away) and she wasn't willing

> to think that her surgeon might be wrong in the way

> he directed her treatment. As I told nne

> earlier we were told a couple of weeks ago that

> about 90% of her liver is involved now and they are

> only giving her a couple of months. She is on

> adriamyicin again to hopefully shrink the tumors to

> ease pain. She will be 52 next month and this

> isn't the way life was suppose to be. Oh by the

> way when they found her liver mets they weren't even

> looking for it. They were doing a sonogram of her

> heart and it just happened to catch a corner of the

> liver.

>

> One of my best friends also lost a sister to BC.

> My friend had about 15 positive nodes and she is

> doing great 16 years later. I have another friend

> that had 30 positive nodes and she is great 13 years

> later.

>

> Thank heaven for your tech. Oh forgot to mention

> by BC was missed in a mammogram 18 months before it

> was dx. When my sister held up my old films to the

> kitchen window after my dx. she could see it easily.

> Now why couldn't the radiologist with there

> special lights.

>

> I use to to be very mad about that but finally had

> to let it go. Gosh this has turned into

> a book. Sorry.

>

> SharonB

>

> __________________________________________________

>

September 21, 2005

Hi Sharon,

Wow! D o you blame the doctors for missing

the dx? Do you think something could of been done

sooner? I used to have that burning sensation too.

6 opinions! Im working on 3 right now, when I can

find someone that will even see me. I have a feeling

there is other things going on in me besides the

cancer from yhe radiation. It burned me pretty bad.

gina

--- Sharon wrote:

> ,

>

> My sister and I both were dx with breast cancer. I

> was dx in July 1995 and I'm doing fine.

> I had a mastectomy and because of two positive node

> I also did AC treatment (Taxol was still in trial

> stages then). I did 3 1/2 years of tamoxifen before

> dr. took me off of it. My sister was dx. in April

> 1997. Note that my sister was a ultrasound tech.

> She went to dr. because she was having a burning

> sensation behind the nipple. Radiologist said that

> there was nothing wrong. Being in the med field

> she had it read by someone else. Same thing. She

> said that she had seen the films and something

> wasn't right. She went to 6 surgeons before someone

> agreed to biopsy her because of my bc history. He

> really didn't think it would be and was totally

> surprised when it was bc. When they were doing the

> mastectomy on my sister they decided to biopsy a

> place in her other breast that they had been

> watching for 2 years. Well I'm sure you've guess by

> now that it was cancer also. So she had a second

> mastectomy 2 weeks later. She had 4 positive nodes

> so did chemo..can't remember what

> it was but I know that 5FU was part of the

> treatment. In 1998 my mother was dx with colon

> cancer (dr.'s believe there is a connection between

> our bc and mom and grandma's colon cancer) Donna

> had a

> local recurrance in the scar tissue in 2000. At

> that time she had more surgery and then radiation.

> In April 2004 she was dx with liver mets. I've

> always thought she should have had radiation at the

> time of first dx. But we live in different areas

> (she is about 2 hours away) and she wasn't willing

> to think that her surgeon might be wrong in the way

> he directed her treatment. As I told nne

> earlier we were told a couple of weeks ago that

> about 90% of her liver is involved now and they are

> only giving her a couple of months. She is on

> adriamyicin again to hopefully shrink the tumors to

> ease pain. She will be 52 next month and this

> isn't the way life was suppose to be. Oh by the

> way when they found her liver mets they weren't even

> looking for it. They were doing a sonogram of her

> heart and it just happened to catch a corner of the

> liver.

>

> One of my best friends also lost a sister to BC.

> My friend had about 15 positive nodes and she is

> doing great 16 years later. I have another friend

> that had 30 positive nodes and she is great 13 years

> later.

>

> Thank heaven for your tech. Oh forgot to mention

> by BC was missed in a mammogram 18 months before it

> was dx. When my sister held up my old films to the

> kitchen window after my dx. she could see it easily.

> Now why couldn't the radiologist with there

> special lights.

>

> I use to to be very mad about that but finally had

> to let it go. Gosh this has turned into

> a book. Sorry.

>

> SharonB

>

> __________________________________________________

>

September 21, 2005

Dear Sharon,

Thank you for your " book. " I am glad we can share. Is Donna older or younger

than you are? I am 48-- born in 1956, and my sister Lynn was born in 1954, very

close in age to Donna. I have a 3rd sister, who was born in 1952, who so far

has not been dx w/ br. ca. Do you have other sisters? No one in our family,

other than me & my sister, has had br. ca., so when Lynn had it I didnt think it

was a family thing. However, my mother had thyroid cancer 28 years ago, but it

wasnt life threatening, as you can see, she is still around 28 years later --

she is now 81. (My dad is still around, too, he is 85.) But, unfortunately,

just 6 mo. ago, I had my thyroid removed because it was very large, and they Did

find cancer there, not serious enough for treatment, but I elected to have a

partial treatment anyway. My 6 mo. follow- up will be soon, to see if thyroid

cells still exist in my body. If they do find cells, then I will have to have

the full treatment, w/ isolation in the hospital and all. Thyroid cancer at

this stage isnt dangerous (knock on wood) but one never knows, and I absolutely

Hate to wait for test results now. I allow myself xanax for the waiting period.

I dont put myself through unnecessary fear anymore; I am easier on myself now

than I used to be.

I, unfortunately had a complicated relationship w/ my sister Lynn, and we had

some unfinished business when she passed away. I know what you mean, life isnt

suppose to be like this! We were suppose to have a lifetime to iron things out,

but we didnt get that chance. I feel sad about her death. I am not sure I

feel angry about the delayed dx, though; my expectations were not high that the

medical field would have been on the lookout for cancer in a woman so young, at

that time. Nowadays, yes, but back then, it was 1986, I think, breast cancer

wasnt discussed that much, except in older, post-menopausal women. I am mad,

yes, for my sister, and what she went through, but I am more angry at the

universe than at anything specific, or maybe I just feel bad that we are all so

vulnerable and that life is painful (as well as good).

Again, thanks for sharing. It is good to share with you (all).

,

My sister and I both were dx with breast cancer. I was dx in July 1995 and I'm doing fine.

I had a mastectomy and because of two positive node I also did AC treatment (Taxol was still in trial stages then). I did 3 1/2 years of tamoxifen before dr. took me off of it. My sister was dx. in April 1997. Note that my sister was a ultrasound tech. She went to dr. because she was having a burning sensation behind the nipple. Radiologist said that there was nothing wrong. Being in the med field she had it read by someone else. Same thing. She said that she had seen the films and something wasn't right. She went to 6 surgeons before someone agreed to biopsy her because of my bc history. He really didn't think it would be and was totally surprised when it was bc. When they were doing the mastectomy on my sister they decided to biopsy a place in her other breast that they had been watching for 2 years. Well I'm sure you've guess by now that it was cancer also. So she

had a second mastectomy 2 weeks later. She had 4 positive nodes so did chemo..can't remember what it was but I know that 5FU was part of the treatment. In 1998 my mother was dx with colon cancer (dr.'s believe there is a connection between our bc and mom and grandma's colon cancer) Donna had a

local recurrance in the scar tissue in 2000. At that time she had more surgery and then radiation. In April 2004 she was dx with liver mets. I've always thought she should have had radiation at the time of first dx. But we live in different areas (she is about 2 hours away) and she wasn't willing to think that her surgeon might be wrong in the way he directed her treatment. As I told nne earlier we were told a couple of weeks ago that about 90% of her liver is involved now and they are only giving her a couple of months. She is on adriamyicin again to hopefully shrink the tumors to ease pain. She will be 52 next month and this isn't the way life was suppose to be. Oh by the way when they found her liver mets they weren't even looking for it. They were doing a sonogram of her heart and it just happened to catch a corner of the liver.

One of my best friends also lost a sister to BC. My friend had about 15 positive nodes and she is doing great 16 years later. I have another friend that had 30 positive nodes and she is great 13 years later.

Thank heaven for your tech. Oh forgot to mention by BC was missed in a mammogram 18 months before it was dx. When my sister held up my old films to the kitchen window after my dx. she could see it easily. Now why couldn't the radiologist with there special lights.

I use to to be very mad about that but finally had to let it go. Gosh this has turned into

a book. Sorry.

SharonB

__________________________________________________

September 21, 2005

, for awhile I was so mad at the doctors. Actually I planned to sue them. I talked to an attorney and he assured me that I could wait until after treatment. Well after treatment I contacted the attorney again and went in to see him. After talking with him he told me the firm would get back to me if they would take the case. Finally I called him back and was told that they had decided it would be a conflit of interest since they had done work with that radiologist before. I called another attorney that was recommended and found out that my time to file suit was over. Something about the mammogram being read in Missouri and I lived in Kansas. I can't remember which but one state it is 2 years from the date you found out they did wrong and the other state it is 2 years from the time they did wrong. Anyway finally just decided I had to work on getting well instead of being angry.

Donna was burned so bad from radiation that she had to have reconstruction surgery because the scar tissue that the burn caused made it impossible for her to move her arm without pain.

They removed the scar tissue and brought tissue from her back to the front. She is still flat just went through the recovery of reconstruction.

If you are concerned stick with it until you get answers that you feel are right. But also remember that sometimes there are no answers for how we feel after treatment. We may never be what we thought of as normal. We have a new normal and that can be good also.

SharonB

gina kindorf wrote:

Hi Sharon, Wow! D o you blame the doctors for missingthe dx? Do you think something could of been donesooner? I used to have that burning sensation too. 6 opinions! Im working on 3 right now, when I canfind someone that will even see me. I have a feelingthere is other things going on in me besides thecancer from yhe radiation. It burned me pretty bad.gina--- Sharon wrote:> , > > My sister and I both were dx with breast cancer. I> was dx in July 1995 and I'm doing fine.> I had a mastectomy and because of two positive node> I also did AC treatment (Taxol was still in trial> stages then). I did 3 1/2

years of tamoxifen before> dr. took me off of it. My sister was dx. in April> 1997. Note that my sister was a ultrasound tech. > She went to dr. because she was having a burning> sensation behind the nipple. Radiologist said that> there was nothing wrong. Being in the med field> she had it read by someone else. Same thing. She> said that she had seen the films and something> wasn't right. She went to 6 surgeons before someone> agreed to biopsy her because of my bc history. He> really didn't think it would be and was totally> surprised when it was bc. When they were doing the> mastectomy on my sister they decided to biopsy a> place in her other breast that they had been> watching for 2 years. Well I'm sure you've guess by> now that it was cancer also. So she had a second>

mastectomy 2 weeks later. She had 4 positive nodes> so did chemo..can't remember what> it was but I know that 5FU was part of the> treatment. In 1998 my mother was dx with colon> cancer (dr.'s believe there is a connection between> our bc and mom and grandma's colon cancer) Donna> had a > local recurrance in the scar tissue in 2000. At> that time she had more surgery and then radiation. > In April 2004 she was dx with liver mets. I've> always thought she should have had radiation at the> time of first dx. But we live in different areas> (she is about 2 hours away) and she wasn't willing> to think that her surgeon might be wrong in the way> he directed her treatment. As I told nne> earlier we were told a couple of weeks ago that> about 90% of her liver is involved now and they

are> only giving her a couple of months. She is on> adriamyicin again to hopefully shrink the tumors to> ease pain. She will be 52 next month and this> isn't the way life was suppose to be. Oh by the> way when they found her liver mets they weren't even> looking for it. They were doing a sonogram of her> heart and it just happened to catch a corner of the> liver. > > One of my best friends also lost a sister to BC. > My friend had about 15 positive nodes and she is> doing great 16 years later. I have another friend> that had 30 positive nodes and she is great 13 years> later. > > Thank heaven for your tech. Oh forgot to mention> by BC was missed in a mammogram 18 months before it> was dx. When my sister held up my old films

to the> kitchen window after my dx. she could see it easily.> Now why couldn't the radiologist with there> special lights.> > I use to to be very mad about that but finally had> to let it go. Gosh this has turned into> a book. Sorry.> > SharonB> > > > > __________________________________________________>

September 21, 2005

, for awhile I was so mad at the doctors. Actually I planned to sue them. I talked to an attorney and he assured me that I could wait until after treatment. Well after treatment I contacted the attorney again and went in to see him. After talking with him he told me the firm would get back to me if they would take the case. Finally I called him back and was told that they had decided it would be a conflit of interest since they had done work with that radiologist before. I called another attorney that was recommended and found out that my time to file suit was over. Something about the mammogram being read in Missouri and I lived in Kansas. I can't remember which but one state it is 2 years from the date you found out they did wrong and the other state it is 2 years from the time they did wrong. Anyway finally just decided I had to work on getting well instead of being angry.

Donna was burned so bad from radiation that she had to have reconstruction surgery because the scar tissue that the burn caused made it impossible for her to move her arm without pain.

They removed the scar tissue and brought tissue from her back to the front. She is still flat just went through the recovery of reconstruction.

If you are concerned stick with it until you get answers that you feel are right. But also remember that sometimes there are no answers for how we feel after treatment. We may never be what we thought of as normal. We have a new normal and that can be good also.

SharonB

gina kindorf wrote:

Hi Sharon, Wow! D o you blame the doctors for missingthe dx? Do you think something could of been donesooner? I used to have that burning sensation too. 6 opinions! Im working on 3 right now, when I canfind someone that will even see me. I have a feelingthere is other things going on in me besides thecancer from yhe radiation. It burned me pretty bad.gina--- Sharon wrote:> , > > My sister and I both were dx with breast cancer. I> was dx in July 1995 and I'm doing fine.> I had a mastectomy and because of two positive node> I also did AC treatment (Taxol was still in trial> stages then). I did 3 1/2

years of tamoxifen before> dr. took me off of it. My sister was dx. in April> 1997. Note that my sister was a ultrasound tech. > She went to dr. because she was having a burning> sensation behind the nipple. Radiologist said that> there was nothing wrong. Being in the med field> she had it read by someone else. Same thing. She> said that she had seen the films and something> wasn't right. She went to 6 surgeons before someone> agreed to biopsy her because of my bc history. He> really didn't think it would be and was totally> surprised when it was bc. When they were doing the> mastectomy on my sister they decided to biopsy a> place in her other breast that they had been> watching for 2 years. Well I'm sure you've guess by> now that it was cancer also. So she had a second>

mastectomy 2 weeks later. She had 4 positive nodes> so did chemo..can't remember what> it was but I know that 5FU was part of the> treatment. In 1998 my mother was dx with colon> cancer (dr.'s believe there is a connection between> our bc and mom and grandma's colon cancer) Donna> had a > local recurrance in the scar tissue in 2000. At> that time she had more surgery and then radiation. > In April 2004 she was dx with liver mets. I've> always thought she should have had radiation at the> time of first dx. But we live in different areas> (she is about 2 hours away) and she wasn't willing> to think that her surgeon might be wrong in the way> he directed her treatment. As I told nne> earlier we were told a couple of weeks ago that> about 90% of her liver is involved now and they

are> only giving her a couple of months. She is on> adriamyicin again to hopefully shrink the tumors to> ease pain. She will be 52 next month and this> isn't the way life was suppose to be. Oh by the> way when they found her liver mets they weren't even> looking for it. They were doing a sonogram of her> heart and it just happened to catch a corner of the> liver. > > One of my best friends also lost a sister to BC. > My friend had about 15 positive nodes and she is> doing great 16 years later. I have another friend> that had 30 positive nodes and she is great 13 years> later. > > Thank heaven for your tech. Oh forgot to mention> by BC was missed in a mammogram 18 months before it> was dx. When my sister held up my old films

to the> kitchen window after my dx. she could see it easily.> Now why couldn't the radiologist with there> special lights.> > I use to to be very mad about that but finally had> to let it go. Gosh this has turned into> a book. Sorry.> > SharonB> > > > > __________________________________________________>

November 9, 2005

...

What is " nipple tape " ? I've never had anything applied for a

mammo...and I've been having them for 25 years or so.

Curious!

Gingersnap

>

> Good evening everyone,

> I went in for my second mammogram today. Right away, I told the tech.

> I needed another nipple tape. She looked at me quite dumb founded. So I

> proceeded to tell her, I am making a scrap book for my experience, and

> I cant just put in one, I have to have 2. She started to chuckle, and

> said " Girl, you just made my day, I have never in my profession had

> anyone ask me for more nipple tapes! "

> So, she puts my breast in the " squisher " , and WOW. Im telling her to

> hurry up! That was quite a bit more painful than the 1st mammogram. I

> asked her, why didnt you tell me it was going to hurt like that, the

> 1st one didnt feel nothing like that, it almost made me cuss! She

> smiles, and says, " we dont tell you that, because you wouldnt come back! "

> She proceeded to explain, that the second one, they dont take the whole

> breast like they do the 1st one, and that is why it was more painful.

> Any sign of cysts or cancerous lumps would not squish down, and would

> be detectable.

> It didnt take long for the results to come back, and YES! Everything

> is ok!!

> I am so glad I had this done! It was an experience I wont forget, and

> Im sure the tech. wont either!

>

> What a joyfull day with sore boobs!!

>

November 9, 2005