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C

Candy

Well, the verdict is in. I was told today I do have breast cancer. The surgeion says I have (or is it had since they took them out!)2 kinds of tumors in the calcification. 1/2 cm adenol ( I have no idea how to spell it) carcinoma which is an invasive breast cancer, and a 1 cm ductal incitu, non -invasive. He feel he got it all, although the margins were a bit close on part of it. He will take a bit more tissue when he does the centinel lymph node removal. Then we will definately have radiation, and other decisions to be determined. The shock is overwhelming. I am not even 8 months post op from OHS. An I have always been the "pictureof health", whatever the heck that is. My 5 year old son watched me fall apart during the phone call. He asked if my heart "was okay". So, I plan on contacting my cardiologist and my surgeon to aprise them of the news. Will I have to be handled at all differently because of it? I am still in such a state of shock. I remember the fear before the heart surgery, the pain with the healing. I know this is different, and I feel so unprepared. AT least I knew I had a heart problem!
So, let me know, if you can, what to expect.
Candy
 
Wow Candy,
This is a lot to deal with! It sounds like you have a good surgeon, and are in good hands. Your cardiologist will help you to learn if your radiation will need to be monitored from a cardiology standpoint. Know that they are all there with knowledge and experience to help you through this. Your strength in your open heart procedure and your good health are great and positive attributes that you have in your favor. We are all fortunate that so much progress has been made in the treatment of cancer in the last ten years. You will no doubt have some bad days ahead, but you KNOW that you can do this. You have proven it with your heart surgery and your family will help you through. We are all pulling for you!
~Karen
 
Hi Candy,

I wont be able to tell you I understand completely what it must have felt like -- I have had much less than half your misfortune; what though comforts me about your situation is that you have had the courage to deal with a life altering adversity in the past and I feel reassured since you have come to terms with the merely improbable that what may be utterly impossible for others will be merely extremely difficult for you.

My best regards and wishes to you -- I know you will find some of the solace you need here.

Regards,
Burair
 
Candy,
Sorry to hear about your news, but sounds like you are being proactive and doing all the things you need to be doing. Keeping a positive attitude is the most important thing you can do at this point. Sounds like you have some good doctors who will do their best for you.
My thoughts and prayers are with you for a full and complete recovery.
Mark
 
Candy, I am so sorry to hear your news. You must feel devastated.

I can't imagine what must be going through your mind right now, but my thoughts and hopes are with you and your family over the coming months.

Very best wishes,
 
What a blow. Another trial to go through. Sometimes it seems that's all we are around for. I can't offer much, but Nancy certainly can and she should be around soon. I'll keep you close in thought and prayer. It is very beatable now a days. ;)
 
Dear Candy,
I'm so very sorry and all our best wishes will be with you as you progress through your treatment. You have survived OHS with grace and courage and you will face this new challenge equally well. You might want to private message Nancy as she is now going through radiation after a round of chemo for breast cancer. She did not have the OHS, but I'm sure she can be very supportive re: the breast cancer as she always is with all members on this board. Our thoughts and prayers are with you for a complete recovery.
 
Candy,
I'm so sorry to hear your news. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. I agree that a positive attitude is so important but it is certainly not easy. Hang in there and we will be thinking about you and praying for strength and healing.
Cindy
 
Oh Candy--

I was so hoping that it would be different and that it would be a benign situation.

Many people do not have any clues prior to being diagnosed with BC, and that includes myself. I was feeling great, couldn't feel any lumps, nor could my doctors, no pains or aches, nothing, but there it was, BAM, on the mammogram.

It will send you into a tailspin for a while until you get a plan for your treatment.

The most important thing to remember is that you are very lucky that it was found, and it sounds as if it was found early on. So hold that positive thought.
There are all kinds of excellent treatments available and new drugs are being developed every year.

If you don't have to have chemo, consider yourself VERY lucky. Radiation has a few side effects, but nothing compared to chemo. Just some fatigue, and some skin reddening both of which will go away about two weeks after treatment. The new machines used for radiation are very precise and don't have so much scatter that caused problems in the past. I queried my radiation oncologist about every bad thing I had read concerning radiation, and he assured me that most everything I had heard no longer applied, and that a lot of the heart related problems applied to those with non-Hodgkins lymphoma radiation from several years ago.

I will be starting radiation myself on Monday. Have had all the markings done, including tatoos, which I cannot even see, and which, for me didn't hurt at all.

I had several tests before my treatment plan was started, including a bone scan, chest x-ray, and MUGA scan which tested my ejection fraction. I would assume you will have these things as well.

Here is a link to a site that I have found to be very informative and supportive.

http://www.breastcancer.org/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=get_topic;f=59;t=000008

And if you would like to contact me, my email is [email protected]. Just mention something that I will recognize in the message title, so I don't think it's spam.

This is the very worst time, when you are sort of in limbo and still have many unanswered questions. Things will get a little easier eventually.
 
Hi Candy

I was SO sorry to read of your news. I know how upset and devastated you are feeling. However, on the bright side.....they got it early!!! From what it sounds like, your surgeon is pretty confident and you'll be scheduled for whatever procedures you decide to do next....

I will keep you in my prayers, Girlfriend, I have another appointment in three weeks.....please keep me in yours.

Evelyn
 
Candy,

I know how shocked and dumbfounded and frightened...ok, terrified...you are feeling now. I am a survivor of breast cancer two times. Take a deep, find out what you need to do and get the best care you can. Definitely put it all in God's hands. Check the drugs you will be getting with your cardiologist as some of them can do numbers on the heart.

Good luck and God Bless.
 
Candy, I'm so sorry to hear your news. Hugs and prayers are coming your way. I am a cancer survivor several times, including breast cancer. It takes a lot of faith, prayer and power from above to come through this, but you can do it. Hang in there! !
 
Jean, I am so sorry about the test results. I know you have the heart of a survivor. Try to take it day by day and educate yourself on your treatment options. You are in my heart and my prayers.
 
Wow, I posted late last night, and here it is early morning, and so many of you have already reached out to me. Thank you seems so simple compared to the emothions and gratitude I am feeling. I am going to Kaiser today and meeting with a counselor of sorts. She will tlak me through what is next, and also help me get all my records together so I can seek another opinion. I am fortunate enough to have a secondary insurance. So many things are going through my head, and of course everyone has an opinion. I know this is a site for those of us going thfough OHS. Is it still okay for me to post here regarding this? I guess that sounds funny, but I am feeling a bit odd now! :p . I will definately be in touch, Nancy. You are in my prayers, and so are you , Evelyn.
Candy
 
Candy,
I'm so very sorry to hear your news and am hoping for the best outcome of this. I'm sure you feel like your were run over by a truck while looking at the bus that just hit you.

You will be in my prayers.
 
Hello Candy,

Johnny Stephens and I are two of the Hodgkins Disease Radical Radiation Therapy survivors. Mine was over 30 years ago and Johnny's was over 20 years ago.

I expect that radiation played a (major?) contributing role in my Coronary Artery Disease, Aortic Stenosis (and AVR), and GERD (Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease).

I HIGHLY recommend that you talk with your Radiology Oncologist about shielding the Heart, Lungs, and Esophagus as much as possible to prevent damage to those vital organs.

Don't let them get away with the explanation that the levels of radiation they use are low enough that 'most' people do not experience damage from it. As indicated above, it may take 20 or 30 years, but it CAN HAPPEN, especially to people who have concurrent risk factors (such as heredity, life style, etc).

'AL'
 
Candy,

I really don't know what to say here...except we're all here for you as you go through this. Feel free to PM me any time you need a shoulder to lean on.
 
Hi Candy

Hi Candy

I, too, will keep you in my prayers... :) ..YES..you keep posting on this same thread..We want to know...There may be other Female valvers who have gone thru Breast cancer and can help you with any questions...Bonnie
 
Candy,
We are pulling for you with all our might. Please keep us posted so we can try to help you through this. We (and you) already know you are strong so keep that in mind as you go through treatment.
Take care and God bless.
Smiles,
Gina
 
Hi, Candy. I'm a BC survivor - 14 years ago - had lymph node involvement so I had the whole thing - lumpectomy, chemo and radiation.

Please feel free to PM or e-mail me if you have questions or a melt-down at any time.

Sometimes we just wouldn't have any luck if we didn't have bad luck, huh?

My prayers are certainly with you and your family. This is really a bit too much to bear. A very heavy burden.

Best of luck.
 
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