staypositive's Cancer Blog
November 17, 2008
| Irony | Views: 215 |
In four more days I am scheduled to have my last Herceptin treatment. But, today I had to go to the oncologist about a pesky breast problem. Over the weekend, I had realized that I had nearly all the symptoms of inflammatory breast cancer in the same breast where I had invasive ductal carcinoma before. Wow.
The oncologist basically said it didn’t look like IBC to him, but “just to calm my fears” he would request a mammagram and ultrasound, and of course blood work. He said sometimes the breast goes through changes such as this due to radiation. (My radiation was 7 months ago.)
So I go home and immediately get on the internet to see if any site mentions radiation effects mimicking ICB. Well, no.
Shoot, just when I was days away from the last Herceptin treatment and probably a couple of weeks away from having my port-a-cath taken out…....I have to worry again. And this time, if it’s IBC, I have a LOT to worry about.
So I quickly made the appointment for the Mammagram and ultrasound——the next available being Nov. 26th. I think we can all agree: WAITING IS H—-.
So thank you for attending my little pity party. I knew I would feel better just talking it out, and I really do.
I hope you are all doing well and that no one else is currently in the “waiting for procedures and/or results” stage at the moment.
Enjoy!
Thanks for your support -
Dear Karen; I had to go back 5 posts to your swimming with clothes on, to get your name. I do like responding by a first name rather than an email pysdenom, so there, I found it finally.
I can sympathize about the waiting for your upcoming tests and then the results. If you go to my last post, I did respond to what I also felt was agonizing, THE BIG WAIT. Having read all your posts and responses to mine, I will say that your stay positive name, fully suits you to a tee. You are one very positive person and I just hope you won’t start to feel unsure of things for that just wouldn’t help anyone. I hope that your Dr. can speed up the results. Sometimes, if the Rad is working at the time of the test a Dr. can pull favour and ask for it right away. Perhaps you can kind of bat your eyes at the Dr. and plead for mercy. I always find squeeky wheels do get greased. (old saying). This is certainly concerning, but perhaps you are just feeling some side effects, even though you researched on it, and found that not to be the case, no one person can just be lumped or included or excluded from a group. I had sharp pains in my breast after radiation, and was concerned quite a bit. I never heard of anyone else having that, but of course I never asked anyone on this site either whether they had that happen to them. Perhaps someone will respond to this post who has been through the same procedure as you.
Keep us all posted on your progress and yes THE BIG WAIT sucks.
Weezie
Dear Karen,
Oh, how frustrating for you! I’m so sorry about this. The waiting is the WORST! When you go in for your mamo, please INSIST that you get your films read and results reported to you BEFORE Thanksgiving. I’d hate to have you waiting through the long holiday weekend.
For me, all the waiting was the worst part of this whole experience. Thanks for letting us know about this…now we can all take a little piece of that waiting (and praying for good results) and hold it for you. Take deep breaths. Envision receiving the results you want. And remember to advocate for getting what you need when you need it. I’ll be praying for you!
Peace,
Kathy
I’m sorry you are stuck waiting – again. I will be thinking of you and hoping that you get good results and have something wonderful to be thankful for!
Karen,
I think it is very good that you brought up your symptoms right away. Better to be safe than sorry. We all know our bodies better than anyone else. Hopefully, this is nothing! It’s too bad that you couldn’t get in sooner. I would think that under the circumstances they could/would have. But oh well, Keep us posted, and we will keep you in our thoughts and prayers.
Karen—First let me thank you for your encouragement regarding my being around family for the first time since cancer. You are so right about being the one calling the shots. I will definitely not talk about anything that makes me uncomfortable or I’d rather they not know. Thanks for the advice. As for your situation, I’m sorry you are playing this waiting game. The waiting is the worst part in all of this. I have a stack of appointment cards on my counter and as soon as one is over with, I begin the wait for the next one. It really plays games with your emotions, the waiting. It gives you time to think about everything that it could be. I have a mammogram coming up on Dec. 4th., and I’ve never feared them in the past, even since having to have follow-ups and ultrasounds on a couple of occasions. But this year, since having the anal cancer, I am very anxious. I sincerely hope that you will get good news in the near future and can put this behind you. I’ll be thinking of you and will keep you in my prayers.
Prayers to you.
Waiting is very stressful, and I have yet to find anything that makes it easier. Do your best to be calm.
Good luck
Mac
I agree, waiting is so hard! I also wish doctors and health professionals can accomodate mammo and ultrasound much sooner! They are such crucial testings. Hang in there. I’m praying for good news.
Yuyu
waiting is the hardest part. you’ll be in my thoughts! stay strong! xox lots of love -Rachel
had my scan on wednesday all is well, I am on her2new also ,it is a wonder drug. I love my dr she is great warm and caring. I have 3 more treatment to go and then I believe that I am healed by his strips.. I will be put on a pill to stop the cancer from coming back. ladies hang in there. God is good and he will fight our battles just belive and be positive.
why do u have to take herceptin for a year,that is news to me.