Julesmom

My daughter has stage 4, HER2 Breast cancer. She is 50 years old and was diagnosed three and a half years ago; given 3years to live(even though we never asked) She then went to the Baker Cancer Centre in Calgary Alberta Canada, where she had treatments of chemo for 6 months. She now has to have a treatment every three weeks to keep the cancer from growing!

Welcome to WhatNext-I am glad you found us, though not under these circumstances. I am part of the TriHealth Cancer Institute (Good Samaritan Hospital, Bethesda North Hospital and Butler County Hospital). Please let me know if I can do anything-connect you to resources in the greater Cincinnati area-I'd like to make your journey easier.

Welcome. I was diagnosed with stage 2b grade 2 breast cancer in Oct 2012. I had a lumpectomy in Nov with drains staying in for 39 days. That wax the worst part. The doc did not get clear margins so now I will have bilateral mastectomy after chemo. Then will end with radiation. If I had to do over I would have just had the mastectomy first.

Hi Julesmom - I wanted to welcome you to the forum and say "good for you" for already posting a question. I hope you got some useful answers. You are right at the beginning of your journey so come back here often when you need help. The one question you didn't ask I will answer - YES YOU CAN KICK CANCER IN THE BUM! Sending hugs from Denver.

Hi Julesmom,

I had a unilateral mastectomy in Dec. following a diagnosis of State I invasive breast cancer in August. I decided on a mastectomy as opposed to lumpectomy because 1) I'm also a Lupus patient and it can potentially though not necessarily worsen that condition and there are risks to breast tissue associated with this. And 2) the rates of reoccurrence are slightly higher with lumpectomy than with mastectomy (though not by that much [but by enough to concern me]). I'm having reconstruction done- my expander is in place and in April I will have a silicone implant. I too (someone else mentioned Oncotype) had an Oncotype test, and I was lucky enough to score very low so that I do not need chemotherapy to lessen my chances of a reoccurrence. I will have to take an aromitase inhibitor to block Estrogen (I'm ER+) but that's about it. You're welcome to ask me any other questions. Hope that helps you somewhat.
Warm wishes,
Aliza

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