I have just been diagnosed

Welcome to this network but sorry to hear that you have to join us in this bc journey.How hard for you to be waiting for a joyous event at the same time as a dreaded event.No wonder it all seems unreal for you at the moment. You might still be in abit of shock -that bc diagnosis takes the rug from under you doesn't it.The waiting is awful and we have to do a fair bit of that.Hopefully by Friday you will have a plan -ie what sort of surgery you will need. I've had bc twice -a lumpectomy in 2003 and then a mastectomy(same breast)in 2010. Both operations are very similar as far as pain and recovery go.I went back to work after about 3 or 4 weeks post op .Just deal with Friday and don't think too far ahead cos you can't predict pathology. There are lots of us here who have survived bc or are going through it like yourself.It's a great place to come for information and support or to just rant and rave.Ask any questions -hope you have ordered the BCNA my journey kit because it's a wealth of information.As mothers we tend to put on a brave face for our family in order to protect them but you need to cry and let it out too.I held it in too much the second time around,only to turn into a blubbering mess down the track when I had to sign the chemo consent forms.Take some one with you on Friday and write everything down as it's easy to forget when you come out of the doctor's surgery.Let us know how you go and blog anytime-always someone to chat with here.

                                         Tonya xx

You are right lanilumps71, you will beat this.

Have you received your My Journey kit from BCNA? If not get one, it has HEAPS of useful and best of all TRUE infomation in it (so many site on the net can be wrong and just scare the life out of you).

I am the same age as you (41) and was diagnosed on 22/12/11 (at age 40) with Stage 2, Grade 2 - Ductal Cell carcinoma (breast cancer of the milk ducts, that had become invasive and grown into the surrounding tissue), my tumour was 3.1cm when it was removed, and was ER+, PR- and HER2+ and I had a 5mm deposit in 1 of the 2 sentinel nodes that they removed at the time of my mastectomy.

On the 03/02/12 I had a nipple and partial skin sparing mastectomy (my choice, was offered option of lumpectomy but with serious deformity, but I decided when I was diagnosed I didnt want my breast, in fact I decided i didn't want either of them. I have a strong family history of breast cancer) with sentinel node biopsy and immediate reconstruction using a silicon implant.

PLEASE feel free to ask me ANYTHING, either here or to add me as a contact, and ask me privately.

I am currently undergoing chemotherapy (have had 5 cycles and have 1 more to go on 16/07 (YAY!) but will continue for another 9 months with Herceptin, and will also be put onto a hormone treatment such as Tamoxifen,for 5 years, and due to my family history I am seeing a medical geneticist on 01/08 to see if I have the BRCA gene(s).

Keeping positive is a good thing - early breast cancer is a highly survivable cancer.

The waiting is the worse, it really is, it can really do your head in. Most of us find the waiting worse than the diagnosis.

Good Luck with your surgeon on Friday to get your pathology results and to find out what treatment you will be undergoing.

Do you know if you will be have a lumpectomy or mastectomy? and have you been told if you will be having any further treatment yet (I guess you wont know until you get your pathology results and find out what your hormone and HER2 status is (ER (estrogen receptor), PR (Progesterone receptor)).

Don't be worried if they ask you to have a CT scan of your chest and abdomin and a bone scan (these are VERY common scan to have after the diagnosis of breast cancer).

there are a couple of blogs here that you might find helpful with your new diagnosis, your upcoming journey and your upcoming hospital stay. Have a look at http://www.bcna.org.au/user/9395/blog/32567 - Advice for the newly diagnosed; http://www.bcna.org.au/user/9176/blog/28978 - What has helped you through your journey and; http://www.bcna.org.au/user/9176/blog/29548 - Things to pack and do for hospital stays.

Again PLEASE feel free to ank me ANYTHING at all, no matter what, I will answer anything honesty and as well as I can, ther eis NO such thing as a silly or personl question I think, the more you know the less scary things are).

Stay WEll and busy and again good Luck for Friday and for the 26th.

Hi just wanted to say welcome, sorry that you have to go through this awful test in your life, but hopefully this site will help you along the way, I had bilateral mastectomies about 7 weeks ago, the one thing I can say to you is usually the thought of how awful things will be is usually much worse than the reality, although you are in limbo at the moment, when you know things for certain and have a plan believe me it will become easier

All the best Narelle

Hi there, sorry you have been diagnosed with BC:( and believe me the start is the hardest, and all the jargon sounds like doctors and surgeons are talking another language. Just take it one step at a time and try not to get to far ahead of yourself and just wait for the results and then take it from there.

I was diagnosed in 2007 at 36 years of age (until BC I thought 36 was old)! I have had a bi lateral mastectomy and chemo and have been on Arimidex since.

It was a crazy time and one that has changed my life forever, but life is now back to normal and I am living well after cancer.

Chat some more soon, glad you found us, sorry you had to come looking for us:(

Tanya xxx

Hi, Well I was diagnosed at the end of 2010, it's been a long, long road - I had no idea what was ahead of me.  Well I have just finished my final treatment.  You will go through every kind of emotion you can think of, at first mainly confusion because it is a lot to take in.  Get the BCNA book, I can highly recommend it - it helpedso much in those first few weeks.  Together with this site, don't be afraid to vent....we are used to it and we have all been there.  Good luck with every thing!  Cheers Josie

Hello,

My grandson was born just as I was diagnosed last year. I kept a picture of him and his little cousins on my i-Pod and looked at it frequently in the insane few weeks around surgery and recovery.  I found I could stay grounded that way. It was also a good reminder of the power of life and the positive cycle of renewal.

Also, Dr Google nearly did my head in, so I am on a self-enforced ban from using Google or any other site  for anything other than research for work. BCNA is my resource and the other women my guides as there is so much wisdom here.

My thoughts are with you.

Hi lanilumps71,

It's great to see you have found your way around the online network and have been able to connect with others having been/going through the same as you.

Just shout if you need a hand or have any questions. Otherwise you may from the Help section of our website useful: http://www.bcna.org.au/node/476

Cheers, Daina

It's a great place to be, here, among friends. We are on the same road. I hope your journey is a smooth one.

How lovely to have a new baby to focus on ! That will keep you busy, something to keep your mind on.

Take special care of yourself.

magicmum

Hi again!

Yes I have to add 'ban Dr Google'...........I found out the hard way, that this can lead to panic and major freak out - stuff you don't need.  Keep your chin up and don't be afraid to ask questions (I usually go to the onc with a little list, tucked just inside my handbag!) hang in there girl! x x x Josie

Hi lanilumps71

Welcome, but sorry to hear that you are also on this "journey" like us.

I hope your surgery goes well on the 26th. And you will fight this, just like us all here.

We all go through the denial stage and can't believe it's me. But you will find out what stage, grade etc you will be after the surgery.

Lovely to hear that you will be a grandmother very soon. Something to focus on, and I am sure a big distraction. Keep us posted....

Just ask questions here anytime day or night. As there is always someone here to answer your questions no matter how small.

Just take one day at a time. Don't get too ahead of yourself. And just go with the flow. You will have good and bad days, but just remember that there is an end to all this. And you will get better.

I was diagnosed on March 2012, had my surgery and 20 lymph nodes removed  - all cancerous. Having chemo at the moment , having in total 12 sessions and then 30 sessions of radiation. After treatment finished having hormone replacement and operation to remove ovaries. Have completed 5 sessions of chemo so far, so still a way to go. A long road still to go and always asking questions.

You will find out what surgery you will need to have and what treatment needed. So ask heaps of questions on Friday.

Hope all goes well and will be thinking of your

Love and hugs Julie XX

Hi Lanilumps,

Congratulations - what a wonderful way to be distracted while you wait for your results tomorrow - seeing your beautiful new granddaughter and soaking up the happiness around her.

I will be thinking of you tomorrow, and on the 26th when you have your surgery. (I had bilateral mastectomies in April - nowhere near as bad as I thought it would be - I just wanted it GONE as thoroughly and as fast as possible).  When you have your results and a plan of action, you will feel you much more control.  Hurdle 1 - surgery - and just take one hurdle at a time so you don't get overwhelmed.  We all know what you are going through and are here for you.

Let us know your results tomorrrow - fingers crossed for you -

Love and hugs, Michelle xx

Congratulation Nana, on your new darling Grand daughter.

Enjoy her and what a great way to take your monid of all the waiting and worry.

Sharon ♥

Hi just wanted to say great news re the birth, and I love the name, I am sure she will distract you with her beauty and wonderful new baby smell xx

Cheers Narelle

Congratulations on your new granddaughter!! My Lily and Sophie are just beautiful little girls and I know you will just love your little one to bits just as I, and their Popstar (grandfather) do them. They are also are a good excuse to go shopping!!!

Enjoy her (and ditto the fabulous baby smell), and take good care of yourself., mentally, physically and spiritually.

my emotional responses are a litlle all over the shop>.. go from being all loving and mushy and then ten minutes later i am yelling at a man that tailgated me in the car>. slammed my brakes on, got out like a crazy woman and told him he was old enough to know better (was in his 60's) he even apologised haha! still havent cried yet! just keep on telling myself to be strong and the thought of little MYLAH SKYE has me smiling! i know it will eventually come though! i will be listening to your words on here and taking the advice of one day at a time! x i havent told you yet that my partner of four years lost his wife and the mother of his boys to this dreaded thing 10 years ago! she was only 34 years old! i feel selfish thinking i could be putting them all through this again! am hoping for a different outcome

Congratulations Nanna.  Emotional is OK.  Rant and rave, cry, laugh it is all natural.  Dont hold back as it is quite a big release and you will feel better when its out.  Dont feel guilty ( easy to say not so easy to feel).  No one asks for this insidious disease.  And I dont think there is a pink chick who would want another to have it.

If you havent already start a journal/diary.  I find that writing thoughts down helps.  Plus as I have gone through the chemo I have found writing down the changes, events, instructions etc have helped build a picture of how my body reacts and the phases to expect each cycle.  Also in my diary I write the questions that pop into my head to as the nurses or doctor.

I found Dr Google helpful and overwhelming at the same time.  There is alot of good information out there on various cancer sites and some useful links to group suport.  There is also some scary stuff, but it all helped me formulate questions to ask my Oncology team. Now I am into the treatment phase I find I dont consult Dr Google often unless I  am looking for a book.  

Be gentle on yourself. Take care.  And remember you are not alone.