It brings me to tears to think about the possibility. Wow!
Spontaneous Regression of Advanced Cancer in Mice
Hugs,
Dana
Friday, September 21, 2007
Could this be it?
It brings me to tears to think about the possibility. Wow!
Spontaneous Regression of Advanced Cancer in Mice
Hugs,
Dana
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Yippee... I have Arthritis!
A very mild case in my lumbar spine... but that's it. My MRI's showed no cancer. THANK GOSH! :)
I also had a quick telephone conversation with my Oncologist about my thoughts on having the Bilateral Mastectomy. He said he didn't think that from a Pathological perspective it was necessary. He said that basically my decision to have the surgery would be an emotional one and that if it would give me peace of mind, then it would be something to think about. Not exactly the same conclusion that my conversation with my Breast Surgeon came to.
There's just nothing cut and dry about my Breast Cancer experience. I don't want it to come back, I don't know why I got it in the first place and I don't know what to do other than "watch" and wait. That's kind of scary.
I think I'm going to do some more research on Fribrocystic changes and Ductal Hyperplasia without Atypia(Usual Ductal Hyperplasia). That's what the biopsy showed. See, once you get cancer, you start playing Doctor. It's one of the ways I'm able to feel a bit of control in a really out of control situation. From what I've read, Ductal Hyperplasia without Atypia increases one's chance of having breast cancer by 1.5-2X. That may seem like not much... but my odds of getting breast cancer in the first place were pretty slim, too.
For me, I think that risk reduction may be worth it. I know what it's like to be told "you have cancer" and how it wreaks havoc on families and sanity... I don't really want to subject my loved ones to more fears if I can do something to prevent it.
So... I have some thinking and reading to do. I might have to dig out Dr. Susan Love's book even though after I read some of it when I was first diagnosed, it frightened me so deeply I relegated it to the dark depths of my closet and vowed to never open it again.
Anyway, in a nutshell, I think I'm fine and relatively healthy. One day at a time... right?
Tomorrow, I'll try to post some of the fun things I've been up to lately. ;)
Hugs!
Dana
I also had a quick telephone conversation with my Oncologist about my thoughts on having the Bilateral Mastectomy. He said he didn't think that from a Pathological perspective it was necessary. He said that basically my decision to have the surgery would be an emotional one and that if it would give me peace of mind, then it would be something to think about. Not exactly the same conclusion that my conversation with my Breast Surgeon came to.
There's just nothing cut and dry about my Breast Cancer experience. I don't want it to come back, I don't know why I got it in the first place and I don't know what to do other than "watch" and wait. That's kind of scary.
I think I'm going to do some more research on Fribrocystic changes and Ductal Hyperplasia without Atypia(Usual Ductal Hyperplasia). That's what the biopsy showed. See, once you get cancer, you start playing Doctor. It's one of the ways I'm able to feel a bit of control in a really out of control situation. From what I've read, Ductal Hyperplasia without Atypia increases one's chance of having breast cancer by 1.5-2X. That may seem like not much... but my odds of getting breast cancer in the first place were pretty slim, too.
For me, I think that risk reduction may be worth it. I know what it's like to be told "you have cancer" and how it wreaks havoc on families and sanity... I don't really want to subject my loved ones to more fears if I can do something to prevent it.
So... I have some thinking and reading to do. I might have to dig out Dr. Susan Love's book even though after I read some of it when I was first diagnosed, it frightened me so deeply I relegated it to the dark depths of my closet and vowed to never open it again.
Anyway, in a nutshell, I think I'm fine and relatively healthy. One day at a time... right?
Tomorrow, I'll try to post some of the fun things I've been up to lately. ;)
Hugs!
Dana
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Remembering...
the many Hero's of 9/11/2001. My prayers go out to those of you personally affected on that awful day that we will never forget.
Thank you to the men & women of our Armed Forces who give so much to secure our freedom and the freedom of others. I feel so very lucky to live as I do!
Thursday, September 06, 2007
More tests...
The fun just never ends! It's been a BUSY week and it appears there's no end in sight!
I had a Breast MRI yesterday, results showed nothing abnormal, Yippee! But apparently I do have very active, somewhat overly active, breast cells. This was determined in my most recent biopsy. This can be an indicator of the cells becoming malignant again in the future ... or then again they may not do anything but be overactive. It's all such a guessing game.
Can I just say that MRI's are not that fun? They are quite loud and it's very disconcerting to have all those obnoxious noises clanking and gonging at odd times. However, I'm so happy that I have this technology available to me... so it's worth it. ;)
I had my appt with the Breast Surgeon and she agreed with my thinking. The girls must go. I will have an appt with the Plastic Surgeon next Thursday to go over options for reconstruction.
I'm not thrilled with having to go through this and I am scared about the surgery... but I feel like it's the right thing to do. So I'm comforted by that.
On Friday, Sept. 14 at 5PM I'm going to have another MRI. This time of my lower spine and right hip because I've been having pain. There's always a concern of pain being caused by cancer once you've had it, so it's best to just not mess around. Breast Cancer has a tendency to metastasize to the bones so it's a real risk. But from what I understand, Breast Cancer in the bones is quite treatable. There's no cure, but there are some good treatments that help keep it at bay. I have Osteopenia, low bone density. So I'm going to have another DEXA Study, too, to see if there have been any changes there that may account for the pain.
I tell ya... I'm just falling apart! Oh well... I'll keep ya'll posted. :)
Hugs,
Dana
I had a Breast MRI yesterday, results showed nothing abnormal, Yippee! But apparently I do have very active, somewhat overly active, breast cells. This was determined in my most recent biopsy. This can be an indicator of the cells becoming malignant again in the future ... or then again they may not do anything but be overactive. It's all such a guessing game.
Can I just say that MRI's are not that fun? They are quite loud and it's very disconcerting to have all those obnoxious noises clanking and gonging at odd times. However, I'm so happy that I have this technology available to me... so it's worth it. ;)
I had my appt with the Breast Surgeon and she agreed with my thinking. The girls must go. I will have an appt with the Plastic Surgeon next Thursday to go over options for reconstruction.
I'm not thrilled with having to go through this and I am scared about the surgery... but I feel like it's the right thing to do. So I'm comforted by that.
On Friday, Sept. 14 at 5PM I'm going to have another MRI. This time of my lower spine and right hip because I've been having pain. There's always a concern of pain being caused by cancer once you've had it, so it's best to just not mess around. Breast Cancer has a tendency to metastasize to the bones so it's a real risk. But from what I understand, Breast Cancer in the bones is quite treatable. There's no cure, but there are some good treatments that help keep it at bay. I have Osteopenia, low bone density. So I'm going to have another DEXA Study, too, to see if there have been any changes there that may account for the pain.
I tell ya... I'm just falling apart! Oh well... I'll keep ya'll posted. :)
Hugs,
Dana
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)