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Decision Point | Radiation and chemo, and possible brachytherapy
Not what I was expecting
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Procedure or Surgery | Biopsy to confirm cancer
Quick procedure of 5 samples. Bruised and tender.
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Celebration | Remission
3 months into 2 year Keytruda treatment plan I am in remission! Yay. Will continue treatment. Feeling good and healthy with very minimal side effects.
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Drug or Chemo Therapy | keytruda / immunotherapy
Been doing infusions every 3 weeks since January 2021.
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Oh No | Just Diagnosed
I’m still gathering information from multiple sources in order to choose a treatment plan and provider.
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Oh No | Just Diagnosed
VA healthcare system isn’t consistent with what they say and I have to do their administrative duties for them or I’d be stuck in the system for as long as it takes for each department to realize I’m even there. Non-VA providers can’t do their jobs because of this, and some of them simply tell me what I mostly already…
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Oh No | Cancer has spread/Metastasized
Was finished with treatment, 5yrs. Tamoxifen. 3 years, no cancer. Thought I was having stomach problems, hiccups, pain radiating to shoulder then shortness of breath. Went to ER. 2 ltrs of liquid removed from around left lung. Cancer has metastasized to lungs
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Side Effects | Depression/Anxiety
There were good times and bad. Trying to hold it all together was very difficult for my family. I didn't want my children to know I was afraid, sad, hurting and angry.
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Side Effects | Mood changes
Feeling guilty that i was a roller coaster of emotions and didn't have anyone to relate with me. Putting my family through all the ups and downs and feeling so bad but knowing I couldn't control it.
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Loss | Job
couldn't keep up anymore. Lost my dream job after 6 years working with cancer patients and their families, It gave me hope and a desire to fight along side those that were also in the battle for their lives. I lost a lot of wonderful friends.
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Celebration | Finished treatment
Finished treatment only to start again 5 1/2 years later from 1st diagnosis. Been through it 4 times. I don't celebrate the mile markers anymore I celebrate each day.
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Side Effects | Sexual side effects
Sex life slowly dwindled to nothing. Feel unattractive, no desire, scarred, fat, and lost the glow of living.
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Side Effects | Hair loss (alopecia)
Very emotional! This was the turning point for me that I really had cancer. I didn't know what to do what those roller coaster emotions.
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Side Effects | Fatigue (tiredness)
The worst! Laying in another room so tired to participate in everyday life as you hear your family in the other room living life without you.
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Side Effects | Chemo brain
Horrible! People didn't understand. Very difficult to perform work duties and to learn new work tasks
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Drug or Chemo Therapy | Chemotherapy
Emotionally, physically, and psychological the biggest battle
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Very tired...
Very tired
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Procedure or Surgery | Double Mastectomy
Took a few weeks to get back to almost normal.. going to PT as I had node removal and trying to get back full motion of right arm
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Drug or Chemo Therapy | Chemotherapy
I have had severe nausea, vomiting and colon cramping, which is a hindrance to intake nutritional value from food. The arm "PATCH", along with nausea pills that dissolve on my tongue, have been the only thing keeping me out of the hospital. Have gone through severe dehydration. My experience is that I have to keep drinking…
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Drug or Chemo Therapy | Chemotherapy
Paclitaxol plus Carboplatin plus Neulasta. Pains everywhere plus incontinence and inability to sleep more than 3 hours at a time.
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Procedure or Surgery | Surgery
Total robotic hysterectomy. Looked good on the outside but hurt on the inside. It surprised me that I could walk, but I could! Serious pain med for one day and only at night the next. after that only Tylenol.
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Oh No | Just Diagnosed
Shock and shaky for a day or so until it sunk in. Made appt. with the surgeon immediately. My mom had the exact same cancer in her 50s and didn't survive past the chemo. Scared to death!
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Decision Point | I chose no more but youngest son requested me to be open to everything
All fighting to stay alive & productive…
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Other Care | Comprehensive medical staff & physicans supporting professionally & privately
All positive/supportively
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Drug or Chemo Therapy | Chemotherapy
Initial chemo had multiple side effects that had strong effects on my daily life. However, the chemo that I've been on since being diagnosed metastatic have, for the most part been acceptable.
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Diagnosed just as pandemic began. Went back a...
Diagnosed just as pandemic began. Went back and forth on best way to treat, decided to start with antiestrogen therapy hoping pandemic would get under control quickly...that did not happen.
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Side Effects | Fatigue (tiredness)
I’m only 2 monthly doses into a 12 month treatment plan.
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Oh No | Just Diagnosed
My cancer was found during another surgery. At first they thought it was worst then it was.
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Drug or Chemo Therapy | Hormone therapy
diagnosed just as pandemic started, went back and forth on best way to proceed, decided on antiestrogen therapy to start hoping pandemic would be under control soon ... it wasn't!
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Celebration | I lived
I survived my cancer, unlike my family.
