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Breast Cancer Info Sharing
Jane Reinheimer

Posted on 11/11/2010 1:23:03 PM PST by janereinheimer

After having been recently diagnosed with breast cancer, I am encouraged to open this thread by others who would like to share information with others who have joined our sisterhood.

There's so much to learn and so much to take in all at once. Lots of decisions to make, too.

Please feel free to share your experiences and hope that we may save lives in the process, and lift each other up.

-- Jane Reinheimer


TOPICS: Education; Health/Medicine; Reference; Society
KEYWORDS: breastcancer; cancer
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To: janereinheimer

Good luck and our prayers combined with His grace to you. I’ll wager since nothing was found in the nodes, it usually means no radiological treatments.


21 posted on 11/11/2010 3:30:48 PM PST by mazda77 (Mike Hogan - JAX Mayor)
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To: janereinheimer

My daughters MIL was diagnosed with stage 3. Thank God for the prayers of faithful Freepers she is doing well. Lympnoids are clean and all blood work has come back good. Prayers for you and all fighting this.
Completely illuminating of sugar is vital.


22 posted on 11/11/2010 3:57:14 PM PST by hope
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To: janereinheimer

Ah Ha! I’ve found the thread!
Thank you for doing this Jane.

One thing you’ll unfortunately get now is tons of “advice” from well meaning folks. What to eat, what to do, what vitamins or minerals to take. They all like they know more than the docs about this. I’m all for using proven alternative methods in conjunction with the modern medicine, but sometimes these folks really don’t know when to back off and respect your decisions. It is annoying! Some will even question your wisdom at taking the conventional route of treatment, if you opt for that. I had a guy tell me to my face that I was a fool for doing chemo, that everyone who does chemo dies and bla bla bla. It was heartbreaking to listen to this ig’nert jackwagon. He was a customer of mine so it was difficult not to tell him to kiss off.
I just get so sick of those folks like that. They’re worse than the cancer! Seriously!

Wow, I didn’t mean to go all off like that, but it is a touchy subject of mine.
What a way to kick things off, eh?
I hope more survivors post here with encouragement and tech tips we can use. It’d be nice to have a place where we can let it all hang out...or not, depending on your stage of treatment.
Oh that’s another thing...I have a weird sense of humor about my predicament.


23 posted on 11/11/2010 5:53:59 PM PST by ozark hilljilly (Had enough, yet?)
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To: bunches

WoooHOO for the clean PET scans, bunches!!

Your story sounds just like mine.
I have a similar cancer, fast and aggressive, positive estrogen, etc. and I can look forward to the Trifecta of breast cancer- chemo, surgery and radiation.
We’re doing chemo 1st cuz the bastard’s so big now. I call it “The Tick”.
; )
Yes, the ACS is the bombdotcom! I’ve gotten so much help thru them and advice.
I’m day 8 into my first chemo treatment today. Today was a good day. Yesterday? Eh, not so much. Tomorrow I might be crap or I might be wonderful. I’m learning that you must take it day by day.


24 posted on 11/11/2010 6:04:35 PM PST by ozark hilljilly (Had enough, yet?)
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To: Dacula

2 years ago I found a lump in my breast while showering. I had a biopsy, surgery, and was in to see the oncologist within 3 wks. Mine was Her2 and half my lymph nodes were positive.
By the time I saw my oncologist I knew everything there was to know about the cause, diagnosis, and treatment of Her2. Knowledge is power when ir comes to cancer.
I went through chemotherapy , Herceptin, and radiation and am feeling great and cancer free.
I too never used a support group. Couldn’t figure out why I needed one. Lol. Congrats to your wife and may she stay healthy!


25 posted on 11/11/2010 7:03:43 PM PST by sheana
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To: ozark hilljilly

Haha on naming it. After my biopsy came back positive and I went to see my regular doc she said what do you want to do? I said I want it out cause I picture a bunch of little black nanobot things running around in there and eating all the good cells. She laughed and told me I watch too much SciFi.


26 posted on 11/11/2010 7:10:29 PM PST by sheana
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To: ozark hilljilly

Hey, HillJilly! Glad you found the thread.

Breast cancer is scary. I’m glad I found you, my friend.

Prayers lifted for you and all the folks who have joined us.

Prayers work!

Jane


27 posted on 11/11/2010 7:19:27 PM PST by janereinheimer ((I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.))
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To: sheana

Keep up your sense of humor there, Sheana. Laughter can be healing too. And prayers lifted for your health and healing too.

Now, can someone figure out how to get this thread back up on the first page so that folks don’t have to search all that much?

— Jane


28 posted on 11/11/2010 7:22:03 PM PST by janereinheimer ((I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.))
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To: janereinheimer

Good luck to you Jane. I can’t repeat enough........do your research that way you are never surprised or overwhelmed.
Good luck to you, you sound strong and it takes a strong person to beat cancer. :)


29 posted on 11/11/2010 8:17:02 PM PST by sheana
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To: ozark hilljilly

Hey Jill!

Bless you, I will keep you in my prayers.

You are going to get through this and your attitude is great! What I had to learn is that we are in charge of our own recovery to a certain extent by how we react to the cancer and all the treatment that happens afterward.

I chose to give the tumor an irreverent nickname, too (I called it “Black Bart”). The tumor was huge, 5 cm. and the sight of it on the mammogram scared the bejesus out of the x-ray lady -she told my doctor that it looked “scary”)

If you ever need to talk some more, private reply to this and I will give you my personal email.


30 posted on 11/11/2010 8:36:17 PM PST by bunches (Irish people enjoy whimsical humor)
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To: sheana

Yeah, that’s what we all want when you find out- “Get rid of the thing!”
I was all mentally psyched to lose a breast, had accepted the fact. The thought of this ‘thing’ laying on my chest trying to kill me made it so much easier to want to be rid of it.
Then my surgeon hits me with the news that it’s too large at this point to safely do surgery. Man, did that mess with my head!
I abhor this tick that I have to live with for at least the next 6 months or so. I want it gone NOW!


31 posted on 11/12/2010 4:27:44 AM PST by ozark hilljilly (Had enough, yet?)
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To: janereinheimer; bunches

Thanx, y’all!
I look forward to checking in here every day if I can.
And yeah...I tend to run off at the sock hole at times, so forgive me. Hey, I can blame it on the chemo! I mean they did say it could throw you into menopause and we all know the emotional ups n downs that causes.
My clever daughter calls it “insta-pause”, LOL!


32 posted on 11/12/2010 4:33:41 AM PST by ozark hilljilly (Had enough, yet?)
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To: janereinheimer

“Prayers work!”

Boy Howdy, they do indeed!! I know that for a fact!
: )

Big Hugs to all our “fellow travelers” who find this thread!
(((((( ))))))


33 posted on 11/12/2010 4:46:20 AM PST by ozark hilljilly (Had enough, yet?)
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To: ozark hilljilly

My clever daughter calls it “insta-pause”,

Funny! You hang in there, lady.


34 posted on 11/12/2010 5:54:48 AM PST by quintr
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To: quintr

You hang in there, too!
This tests a lot of relationships. I’m glad jane ain’t going it alone. -why, yes, I looked at your homepage. : ) You will be her rock.
God bless both y’all.


35 posted on 11/12/2010 6:53:02 AM PST by ozark hilljilly (Had enough, yet?)
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To: ozark hilljilly

The meeting with the oncologist went really well. Pieces of the cancer that was discovered are now on their way to a path lab in California to test for some 21 genetic markers that will determine the roadmap for my customized treatment plan.

That will take about two weeks and the pathology report ought to be back when I return to the oncologist in two weeks. He seemed more concerned about the Her2/new levels than the estrogen. The estrogen levels can be managed with a pill I’d take every day for five years.

The Her2/neu is another stop on the Hitchhiker’s Guide to Chemotherapy.

I now feel optimistic about the whole ordeal. I got a 99% on the oxygen utilization level. That’s incredible for someone who used to smoke. I will admit that I quit some 25 years ago. But still, there apparently was no long-term damage evident at this point. And the chest x-ray I had prior to surgery came back clear.

So the onocologist looked at my family history — sister who died from lung cancer, brother who died from lung cancer. The first question he asked was, “Do you have kids who smoke?” To which we said, “Yes.” He just shook his head.

Not that doctors can know such things for certain but he said he thought he could give me twenty more years. I figure that will get me to 87. I’ll take it. Then I’ll be on my own and I’ll tread lightly and whistle past the graveyard.

In the meantime, I picked up a big bag of craft filler at Wal-Mart. I’m going to start making soft curved pillows for people who have had surgery. The pillow I got from the hospital has been a lifesaver for my sleep comfort.

Much love and blessings and prayers to all you fellow travelers,

Jane Reinheimer


36 posted on 11/12/2010 3:36:18 PM PST by quintr
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To: quintr; janereinheimer

“Hitchhiker’s Guide to Chemotherapy”
LOL! OK, I’m so stealing that! (yep, there are days I do feel like the potted petunia: “Oh no, not again.” )

Ain’t it great to know more than you did? I know my mood did a complete 180 after my onc. visit. I’m so happy for you! You guys can do this! Rally your troops, ‘round up your posse.
You now have a plan for war, you know the enemy. Get ready to fight like a girl! : )

Yet another wait will be tough, but if it helps with your treatment, so be it. It’s like waiting for Christmas, ain’t it?

I used to smoke, too and I’ve been running about 98 to 97 on the oxy utilization. But humungous lungs runs in the family-and boy howdy, do I have ‘em.
I was amazed by the test results I got back. The PET, the bone density, blood work etc. It showed a gal, who other than having a cancerous mass in her boob the size of Brooklyn, was stout as an ox, LOL.
Weird how we have to get sick as a dog to find out just how healthy we really are!!

That’s great that you want to give back with making the pillows. God bless ya, hon! Our cancer center has some gals who knit and crochet these beautiful, warm shawl/afghans for us girls. I got one recently. I imagine they have a pillow squad as well, but since I haven’t had my surgery yet, I don’t know.
My daughter and I have come up with a ‘pink beret’ idea. Berets are ridiculously easy to sew and make and they are my personal choice over wigs or scarves. We’re gonna whip up a bunch and the proceeds will go to Relay for Life.

Since this is lookin’ to be a “good chemo day” for me, I’m doing a triumphant Happy Dance for the both of you right now!


37 posted on 11/13/2010 5:17:02 AM PST by ozark hilljilly (Had enough, yet?)
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To: bunches

Shows you how ignorant I am — I did not know a PET scan would show cancer.

Good to know that.

The oncology center that I go to has a PET scan unit and a CT scan area too. I wondered why when I went in there for my first appointment with the oncologist.

Now I know.

Little by little, I’m learning lots of new stuff.

I went back and re-read my pathology report from the breast tissue and learned that my Her2/neu is Negative,with a score of 1+. The negative range is 0 - 1+ according to the Hercep Test.

Just an aside, when prayers were lifted up in church a couple of weeks ago, my cancer was specificied as “breast cancer.”

I harken back to the days of good old Queen Victoria who was the person responsible for changing the description of chicken breasts to “white meat” and thighs to “dark meat.” She didn’t want “breasts” and “thighs” — and probably other chicken body parts mentioned at her oh so proper dinner table.

She would probably have a stroke to hear breast cancer and testicular cancer mentioned by name in prayer requests!


38 posted on 11/13/2010 12:03:30 PM PST by janereinheimer ((I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.))
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To: janereinheimer

Jane:

Queen Victoria would have had a fit if she knew that more than a century after her reign the words “breast” and leg” would be considered mild compared to the kinds of words we now hear on TV shows, movies, rap songs, you name it.

How strange the world is now.

Pet Scans aren’t nearly as scary to me as MRI’s. I had to have one for a rotator cuff tear recently and I thought they were pushing me into my own coffin. I guess I must be claustrophobic.

The tech said if I got scared to push the panic button but I almost lasted the whole time being OK. The tech first said just listen to this music on these earphones and you’ll be fine. So I did listen to the lovely music as I pushed the panic button and screamed in my head “let me OUT!”

As someone who is five months “clear” of cancer I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers for the months ahead for your health and recovery.

Bunches


39 posted on 11/13/2010 12:17:42 PM PST by bunches (Irish people enjoy whimsical humor)
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To: bunches

Thank you so much for your thoughts.

My lymph nodes are clear and so is the breast tissue, at least as far as can be determined.

I suspect I’m going to have to do 8 sessions of chemo because the oncologist says it’s possible that some cancer cells could have disguised themselves and gotten through the barriers and aren’t recognized as cancer cells anymore.

So I figure if they’re getting all dressed up to go to a masquerade ball in my body, I’m all for chemo because it will ferret them out once and for all.

I’m happy to learn that you’re cancer free. That must be a tremendous relief.

I will keep you in my prayers for continued good news and thank you for your prayers too.

— Jane


40 posted on 11/13/2010 3:10:22 PM PST by janereinheimer ((I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.))
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