My mother was just diagnosed with Breast Cancer

[squeak]

Re: My mother was just diagnosed with Breast Cancer

My friends are at 1.5 years past, 3 years past and 6 years past. One of them didn't have chemo, just radiation and seems to be on top of the world at the moment! Looks better than she ever has. (the 3yr past one) She did get some yucky burns from the radiation, but that healed. She also had a bit of a scare with what she thought was another lump, but it turned out to be scar tissue.
The one who is 1.5 years past is great...she had chemo, lost her hair, and yes, was quite sick with the chemo, but I seem to recall that sickness is in the day or so after the chemo treatment. The treatments were for 6 weeks I believe.
The one who is 6 years past had both chemo and radiation. She lost her hair, and was pretty sick with the chemo, but for her it was more the tiredness that got to her. Interestingly enough, the one who is 6 years past declined to take the follow-up drugs! She said that at the time it was experimental (or just really new) and they didn't know enough about it for her to feel comfortable being a guinea pig.
Losing hair is devastating, but both my friends said that in comparison to what could happen, they didn't care. My mom didn't have breast cancer, she had bowel cancer, and had chemo, but they told her she wouldn't lose her hair and she didn't.
There's so much to the treatment, that you're best to talk to her doctor if that's possible (could you by phone?), and take a lot of notes! Please be careful of what you may read on the internet...I'd be wary unless it was a government site. I don't know how it works where you are, but in Canada the government controls our medical plan, so they do have tons of info on health stuff.
I hope this helps you some...I know your head is all over the place right now.

Hon, I am in Europe. You said they lost their hair. Does it grow back? I tink losing her hair and taking 6 to 9 months of chemo is going to be devestating. So it means she will be weak and sick all the time? She is 73 and has been on atkins for couple years now, has lost over 35 lbs and I am wondering if this diet may make her ill. She will have to GET off atkins and go back to putting on weight as her body I believe will be too weak to manage the chemo. My biggest problem is her dying that far out and we never seeing her alive again. That is my fright. Does the hair eventually grow back or not? I think the loss of the breast and hair may be a lethal combination. I wonder if her high blood pressure can handle all this? -this is so frightening.

[squeak]

Re: My mother was just diagnosed with Breast Cancer

Hiya,
From what I know..that is one of the most common types of breast cancer.
Full removal is recommend as it can easily spread at this stage. Treatment needs to be quite aggressive to get at all the cells etc before they pass on through lymph nodes or the blood stream. That's all I know really.
I think think a good thing for you to do do would be to contact some place like cancer research (that's here in the UK, but they will have equivalents round the world). They should be able to fill you in on lots of facts.
Please remember though that knowledge can be dangerous! Times like this you want to know all and understand all about it....but just picking up on a tiny bit of wrong information could stress you out even more.
It must be extra difficult with you being apart from your mum. Like it was said before...keep in close contact with her as much as possible. Let her know you are there for her when she wants talk about it and also that you'll understand when she doesn't want to talk about it!

Stay strong

Cathy
XoXoX

Yes, I will try to get what factual information there is possible. As for calling her doctors, that can be ruled out. Secondly, keep in touch? Ha, the one sister lives like Bin Laden, nobody knows her phone number, email or address, we only knows she lives somewhere in seattle. And now my mom has gone there, we are helpless and feel as if we do not matter. Mommy was pestered 20 to 30 times a day with phone calls from this woman and now she is there. We have no clue WHERE or how to make contact. Now you can see how upset I am.

Yes, this is the most common form of cancer of the breast. We learned all her sisters had it, so it is genetic, which frightens me even more, becuase they found a mass in my breast here, and have been telling me it is only cysts in the lympnodes. Now I am even more scared.

[squeak]

Re: My mother was just diagnosed with Breast Cancer

Hi Pip,
My best friend of 33 years was diagnosed with Breast cancer when she was 30 years old (we're both 39 now). By the time we found out she had to have her whole left breast removed in less than 42 hours. She is alive and well. She's really doing GREAT!!! And the reconstruction is wonderful. It really looks good. I know it's scary We were terrified. 9 years later she is better than ever. More and more people are cancer survivors now. Don't lose hope sweetie...it will carry you far. All of you are in my thoughts and prayers

I am always happy to hear of any cancer surviror. What do you mean by reconstruction? Of what hon? Mom has to have hers removed.

[MorningGlory]

Re: My mother was just diagnosed with Breast Cancer

Hon, I am in Europe. You said they lost their hair. Does it grow back? I tink losing her hair and taking 6 to 9 months of chemo is going to be devestating. So it means she will be weak and sick all the time? She is 73 and has been on atkins for couple years now, has lost over 35 lbs and I am wondering if this diet may make her ill. She will have to GET off atkins and go back to putting on weight as her body I believe will be too weak to manage the chemo. My biggest problem is her dying that far out and we never seeing her alive again. That is my fright. Does the hair eventually grow back or not? I think the loss of the breast and hair may be a lethal combination. I wonder if her high blood pressure can handle all this? -this is so frightening.

Hi
Yes the hair does grow back! Sometimes it comes back really curly when it never was before. You know, she may not be as frightened by all this as you are~~she may be ok with the treatments and the side effects if that's what it's going to take to get better. There's no doubt this is scarey business, but her physician will take all the things you've mentioned into account and will make sure she's healthy enough to withstand the chemo. Try not to worry yourself sick...people come through this ok a lot of the time now.

[MorningGlory]

Re: My mother was just diagnosed with Breast Cancer

I am always happy to hear of any cancer surviror. What do you mean by reconstruction? Of what hon? Mom has to have hers removed.

They reconstruct the breast! My boss's wife has just had this done. She has a balloon-like thing they put in there and inflate! I'm not sure what else is involved, but I would imagine plastic surgery.

[Oh.2.B.Fit]

Re: My mother was just diagnosed with Breast Cancer

I am always happy to hear of any cancer surviror. What do you mean by reconstruction? Of what hon? Mom has to have hers removed.

My friend had her entire breast removed too. I mean everything removed...all the way up to under her arm. When I say they reconstructed a new one I mean they made her a new breast, and it looks RELLY good. You can hardly tell the difference. Some women choose not to have a breast reconstructed. I'm sorry you're having so many problems with your sister and all You're all in my prayers

[Oh.2.B.Fit]

Re: My mother was just diagnosed with Breast Cancer

They reconstruct the breast! My boss's wife has just had this done. She has a balloon-like thing they put in there and inflate! I'm not sure what else is involved, but I would imagine plastic surgery.

Yes They do an implant to make a breast again then they reconstruct a nipple. My friend, Michelle has been cancer free for 9 years now and her scar has faded so much it looks like a scratch.

[squeak]

Re: My mother was just diagnosed with Breast Cancer

They reconstruct the breast! My boss's wife has just had this done. She has a balloon-like thing they put in there and inflate! I'm not sure what else is involved, but I would imagine plastic surgery.

WOW......Is this something the insurance pay for or is this considered cosmetic?

I was of the impression once you have it removed that is it. But I wonder if the insurance pays for this, thta will be my question and seeing she is 73 they may say NO. She has a BIG problem with the fact they will remove it, and an even bigger problem with the hair loss. Especially knowing she got a clean bill of health just two weeks prior to this. So while i am having a difficult time. My mother is freaking out, hence her running off like this. She did this when daddy died also, just ran, as if running will make the problem disappear.

Thank you all for the overwelming replies and the information on breast cancer. When you dont have a disease you know, you often are quite ignorant to it. I am for sure.

[Oh.2.B.Fit]

Re: My mother was just diagnosed with Breast Cancer

Insurance paid for it because it was resnstruction due to breast cancer.
Insurance wouldn't pay for it if she just wanted a "boob job".
I hope all that helps

Oh, I lost all my hair when I was 33 years old (6 years ago) due to a terrible illness. Hair really does grow back. It isn't the same as it use to be but it comes back. I would rather be bald and alive. I had never even had short hair before, now I keep it short. I even think about shaving it cause it's easier and cute I do understand though. When I first started losing my hair I was devistated. It does get easier though...I promise!!!

[squeak]

Re: My mother was just diagnosed with Breast Cancer

Insurance paid for it because it was resnstruction due to breast cancer.
Insurance wouldn't pay for it if she just wanted a "boob job".
I hope all that helps

Oh, I lost all my hair when I was 33 years old (6 years ago) due to a terrible illness. Hair really does grow back. It isn't the same as it use to be but it comes back. I would rather be bald and alive. I had never even had short hair before, now I keep it short. I even think about shaving it cause it's easier and cute I do understand though. When I first started losing my hair I was devistated. It does get easier though...I promise!!!

Ok, I will take your work for it. and this is very comforting news that they will do reconstruction very comforting. I think with the options we have nowadays mommy should be fine, just that she needs the support of all her children and not only that NUT out in seattle

If the hair grows back, is it full or scanty? and yes, I do think some bald ladies do look good.

[WheresMeFeet]

Re: My mother was just diagnosed with Breast Cancer

Hiya....

My mum lost her hair but it soon grew back. Her hair has always been very fine and still is but now it has more kink to it!
My sister in laws mum...her hair didn't fall out. Things are so different these days. Don't know exactly what it was but I'm sure it involved wearing an iced cap of some sort whilst chemo was administered....sounds weird huh...but it worked.

Cathy
XoXoX

[Oh.2.B.Fit]

Re: My mother was just diagnosed with Breast Cancer

Ok, I will take your work for it. and this is very comforting news that they will do reconstruction very comforting. I think with the options we have nowadays mommy should be fine, just that she needs the support of all her children and not only that NUT out in seattle

If the hair grows back, is it full or scanty? and yes, I do think some bald ladies do look good.

Mine grew back thinner than it use to be, BUT my sister lost her hair from a medication called "Depicoat" (sp?) because she is bi-polar, she lost all of her hair from that medicine...when her hair grew back it was thincker than it was before. So everyone is different. When mine fell out I wore really cute scarves

[squeak]

Re: My mother was just diagnosed with Breast Cancer

Mine grew back thinner than it use to be, BUT my sister lost her hair from a medication called "Depicoat" (sp?) because she is bi-polar, she lost all of her hair from that medicine...when her hair grew back it was thincker than it was before. So everyone is different. When mine fell out I wore really cute scarves

And you are doing better now hon? Everything is ok? . What is funny or sad is this, my mom has been a volunteer making cancer head hats or those things for cancer patients for years, now she will be making one herself. I really feel so hurt for my mother.

[squeak]

Re: My mother was just diagnosed with Breast Cancer

Hiya....

My mum lost her hair but it soon grew back. Her hair has always been very fine and still is but now it has more kink to it!
My sister in laws mum...her hair didn't fall out. Things are so different these days. Don't know exactly what it was but I'm sure it involved wearing an iced cap of some sort whilst chemo was administered....sounds weird huh...but it worked.

Cathy
XoXoX

What is an Icecap hon? Is is ice cubes you put on your head?

[squeak]

Re: My mother was just diagnosed with Breast Cancer

Yes They do an implant to make a breast again then they reconstruct a nipple. My friend, Michelle has been cancer free for 9 years now and her scar has faded so much it looks like a scratch.

Do they feel like a breast? I really thought women had to live with the amputation?