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Thread: Well, bummer.

  1. #21
    Senior Dog IRISHWISTLER's Avatar
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    Aye J,
    Every case is different but many share similarities. When I was still on the job a Sister Officer that worked under my command approached me with a scenario that nearly mirrors the description you have posted with regard to your own. I was really heart sickened o'er the matter as I respected her fully as a great officer and a great friend as well. I told her we would do whatever needed to get her the time off necessary for her treatments and healing / recovery. All of the officers in our unit rallied to her aid. She went through surgeries including a double mastectomy and subsequent reconstruction, as well, she did radiation and chemotherapy treatments. That was well over 10 years ago and she is doing remarkable well today after having returned to work years ago. She fought the fight on her own terms and did so with both resolve, courage, and dignity. It is not easy, I have been there twice and find myself stronger for having done so. Don't get me wrong, I most certainly would have skipped that "party" if I could have, but I also connected with some remarkable people along the way, many are now grand friends that I most likely would never had met otherwise. This is one of life curves, a proverbial bump in the road that I am confident you will get through. You are not alone in this and should ye need to vent or talk, I believe you should still have me cell number, if not PM me and I will forward it to ye. Ye have lots of support here and I am sure ye have a large network o' friends. Call me anytime ye wish, day or night. I am a walking miracle, an elite club that I am confident you will join me in. Ye will remain in me thoughts and prayers dear friend. STAY STRONG.

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  3. #22
    Senior Dog Labradorks's Avatar
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    Sorry to hear this, but it sounds like things are under control. Hang in there. I'll be thinking of you.

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  5. #23
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    Prayers sent your way. I was a little over 3 weeks from the time my wife got the diagnosis until the mastectomy was performed on her left breast. The tumor was 1cm when diagnosed, but had grown to 5cm and was into her lymph nodes by the time the surgery was done. Very aggressive tumor to say the least. Thankfully it was caught early. In addition to the surgery, she did chemo and radiation, and thankfully is doing well 14 years later. I know treatment protocols have changed since then, and we both wish you the best in your fight.

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  7. #24
    Senior Dog TuMicks's Avatar
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    I had a follow-up appointment with the surgeon so that we could have the discussion we both would have wanted earlier. She was great. She really may be the best surgeon in the world and Reno's secret weapon against surgically treatable disasters. She was already at the top of her game years ago, realized our area had no pediatric surgeons, dropped everything to go to the East Coast and do a year's fellowship. Now... whether you've driven your car into a phone pole and had multiple chest/abdominal/pelvic trauma, or if you've given birth to a preemie with a congenital malformation threatening his life... she can do it. Breast cancer is also a passion for her. I have the best.

    I saw her late Friday afternoon. We decided on bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction. She told me she would send the consult to the plastics guy. The scheduler couldn't answer my questions "How soon can I have this thing off? When will you know?" and said... (A) My surgeon was going to be gone for a week and would be slammed when she got back. (B) Now that TWO surgeons are involved, it's a crap shot when the stars can align and they could both be in the same OR at the same time.

    Then I came home to a ringing telephone (this is late Friday afternoon...) and it was the plastic surgeon's office. I believe my surgeon had gotten him on the phone MD to MD and said something along the line of "let's get this thing going." The assistant said that Dr Wrye was supposed to be doing surgeries all day Monday, but found a gap in his schedule and wanted to know if I could come down to his office to meet him and discuss the repairs and reconstruction.

    So, no one has told me anything for sure... but I got a hunch it will be early in the week following this coming.

    Which is a good thing. Because I'm entered to run Senior at Sierra Nevada Retriever Club's Hunt Test. We'll give it our best shot. Yesterday was a club training day. They set up a double across a stretch of running water, and had a wipe out bird right off the line. Then a double blind. I took the double, using the flier as the go bird. Then played the wipe out bird to just reinforce steadiness. She nailed both marks. Beautiful line to both, over-ran the memory bird just a little, corrected immediately and found it. No inclination to cheat. Just a very solid job. The wipe out bird... totally steady, both when we ran it as a single, and when she was honoring.

    Can I have an AMEN!!!

    We haven't done much work on blinds or handling. The short blind required I get her through a slot in the sage-brush and then across the water. We had a bit of work to hit the slot, a bit of a hack job. But she answered up each whistle and after the slot, she two whistled it. On the long blind between the two marks, she did pretty darn well. I really had to NO her off the memory bird, probably because the beginning of the line to the blind was pretty close to that mark. But she did it. I failed because I didn't see some hazards posed by some big brush after she emerged from the water. Whistle was in my mouth... but she is so fast! You snooze you looze, so to speak. On Thursday, I'll be blowing the whistle if only to keep her from building up a head of steam! Even if both of us think she can line it.

    I believe our work in TX will pay off. But, I never know. Just 4 marks. If she's steady on line, we're going to ace it. But I won't know, until I know. If she breaks, well... we'll just go back to the drawing board.

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  9. #25
    Senior Dog TuMicks's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by POPTOP View Post
    Sorry to hear your diagnosis and then have another shoe drop. Both my grandmothers had it, Dad's Mom did very well even back then. Mom also had breast cancer and she did spectacular, didn't slow her down a bit. I think a lot had to do with her attitude and the fact that cancer did not want to argue with her. I've had so many darn needle biopsies done I feel like a dang pin cushion. Have seriously considered double mastectomy but to get rid of the headaches and stress.

    Do get involved with a support group, tremendous help. Never, ever, be hesitant to ask questions and don't stop until you get an understandable answer. You know your body best and you are your best advocate.

    My prayers are with you. Keep up the positive attitude and you'll beat this.
    I am amazed at the kind people God is putting in my life. You guys. Nurse friends. Folks from church. Training group buddies. People I met in Texas. Neighbors. Doctors. Even a psychologist my husband worked closely with. I know the Cancer Nurse Navigator will be giving me support resources also.

    I am very blessed.

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  11. #26
    Senior Dog Tanya's Avatar
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    How scary, but glad surgery went well, fingers crossed the next steps go well and you are 100% clear.

  12. #27
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    I know things can move quickly. I was diagnosed on a Tuesday and my surgery was set for the Thursday of the following week. My sister went ballistic and insisted I get a second opinion so she move heaven and earth and got an appointment with a specialist at a large Toronto hospital. The specialist was great he confirmed the diagnosis and reassured my sister that the surgery was important but the follow up care was the major treatment. It was no walk in the park but it was all worth while. I will be thinking of you please keep us posted and only the best for your future.

    Great work with RD will follow up later.

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  14. #28
    Senior Dog TuMicks's Avatar
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    If I have to do chemo... I'm going to go to the cosmetologist who does the permanent make-up and have her tattoo some eye-brows so that when I lose the real ones, I'll still have something there.

    So hope it's going to be radiation. Even though it will mean reconstruction will be delayed.

    Weather was gorgeous here today. Went to the park and set up what Bill Hillmann calls a star drill. Just a 5 legged pattern. Right now, we're just lining things. Not doing a lot of handling. I think it's critical that we learn to communicate on the line. I need to be better at figuring out what she's looking at. She needs to move with my leg and resist front ending me. (Though she's improving a lot.)

    Hillmann says that practice is the mother of skill. We'll have lots of time to practice.

  15. #29
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    Making yourself feel great is part of the process. I had the 6 chemo treatments and of course hair loss was part of the deal. They recommended a short hair cut so I have a good friend who does my hair. I had her buzz it right off. As I was sitting in the chair people were walking by the door and I said in a very loud voice "if you think I am paying for this hair cut think again". We were killing ourselves laughing. I really got used to the hairless style and can understand why many celebs go for the do.
    Glad you are getting out with RD. Having the dogs helped me to focus on something else besides the treatment. M has her last obedience class today then it will be field work, field work, field work for the pair of them.

  16. #30
    Senior Dog TuMicks's Avatar
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    Well... Have had "THE TALK" with the oncologist. Next week PET scan to make sure I'm not Stage 4. Meet with radiologist to get info for when we get to that part. Lab tests to make sure my bone marrow, kidneys and liver are good... (guess I'd better cut back on the bourbon!!! Just kidding. I don't drink... much.) Double mastectomies and port placement on May 23rd. THEN, on my birthday, start chemo. Probably not going to be getting Herceptin a targeted therapy (it would be nice, but it appears right now I'm HER2 negative.) Have to cancel our much anticipated trip to Ireland. I was going to take the granddaughter for HS graduation... But, on the bright side, Ireland will probably still be there when I'm over all this.

    The onc guy said 3 to 4 months of chemo. Then, 'cause an involved node burst, radiation to the arm pit (I think the breast being gone, they won't have to irradiate my chest, but I'll know more after talking to the radiologist)

    In surgery, they may need to be more aggressive with node dissection. I don't know how much. That is a bit of a painful deal. And if they remove many more nodes, I may develop lymphedema in my arm. So, I guess maybe I'll be able to ask the surgeon after she talks with the onc guy.

    So today I'm a little down.

 



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