Newly Diagnosed With Breast Cancer
Survivor1966
Posts: 3
On Wednesday, October 3, 2012, I was told by a breast surgeon that I have breast cancer. Today is Sunday, October 7th, 2012 and I have cried everyday since Wednesday. Although I am horridly scared to have cancer at the age of 46, I don't cry for me. I cry for my 15 year old son. I'm a single parent and it's just us. It's always been just us throughout my pregnancy and since the day he was born. His life would drastically change without me and where would he go? Yes, my mind has gone there.
On August 31st I went for a mammogram along with some other doctor's appointments (gynecologist and dermatologist). I'd previously seen my primary care physician, the dentist, and a podiatrist. Something was just put in me to see doctors because I am one to skip years without going to one. Thank God He put the doctor idea into my head.
So on August 31st, I had an abnormal mammogram and was asked to take another. I made another appointment but skipped it being who I am. On Sept. 26th I actually went. No one stays in the radiologist's office for four hours...mammogram, sonogram, sonogram again, "The doctor would like to speak to you personally", "I'm calling your primary physician within the next 30 minutes so a biopsy can be scheduled". I went for a biopsy on the 1st of October and was told on the 3rd of October that I have locally advanced breast cancer in my left breast. It has spread to the lymph nodes under my arm. I will have an MRI and PET scan within the next day or two for staging and I pray that the cancer has not spread throughout my body. But, the breast surgeon said that surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation are definitely in my future.
I've been on My Fitness Pal before. But, I'm here now to live. I've been overweight my entire life. However, if changing my food choices and losing weight will decrease the likelihood of cancer. I have to and I will.
Sorry for being long-winded. The last few days have been overwhelming. I'll know more after my MRI and PET scan.
On August 31st I went for a mammogram along with some other doctor's appointments (gynecologist and dermatologist). I'd previously seen my primary care physician, the dentist, and a podiatrist. Something was just put in me to see doctors because I am one to skip years without going to one. Thank God He put the doctor idea into my head.
So on August 31st, I had an abnormal mammogram and was asked to take another. I made another appointment but skipped it being who I am. On Sept. 26th I actually went. No one stays in the radiologist's office for four hours...mammogram, sonogram, sonogram again, "The doctor would like to speak to you personally", "I'm calling your primary physician within the next 30 minutes so a biopsy can be scheduled". I went for a biopsy on the 1st of October and was told on the 3rd of October that I have locally advanced breast cancer in my left breast. It has spread to the lymph nodes under my arm. I will have an MRI and PET scan within the next day or two for staging and I pray that the cancer has not spread throughout my body. But, the breast surgeon said that surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation are definitely in my future.
I've been on My Fitness Pal before. But, I'm here now to live. I've been overweight my entire life. However, if changing my food choices and losing weight will decrease the likelihood of cancer. I have to and I will.
Sorry for being long-winded. The last few days have been overwhelming. I'll know more after my MRI and PET scan.
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Replies
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Hello Survivor. You picked a good name:)
I'm so sorry to hear your news. I remember the initial impact of the news of cancer and at the time I experienced that same news... I was sure that I was going to die too, and leave my 11 year old daughter alone. She is now 22! and I am alive. I know the fear and fright, very well. It is overwhelming. Let me know what your results of the MRI are, hopefully you will be clear of metastases. We are all here to support you on your new journey of health food and exercise. With that journey will come the weight loss, without trying. Start now by eating 5 to 10 1/2 cup servings of fruits and vegetables and get rid of all the trans fats in your cupboards. No margarine. Just olive oil, butter, fruit, vegetables, whole grains and beans and some lean meat. Keep away from fats. Its a new way to live and it's a good way. Good luck with the tests and please check back with us.
My favorite sayings is...Eat to live, don't live to eat.0 -
Hello Survivor - WELCOME and I wish you nothing but God's good grace during all of this process...It definitely is a mind blowing experience and it is amazing the things that we think of!! - I will pray for you and your son and hope that all goes well....Stay strong and don't miss your appointments!!!! - You can do this!!! - God bless and BE GOOD TO YOU!!!!
Hugs!!
Danette0 -
I very much understand what you're going through. Wishing I had found your post sooner. I had a similar story 2 1/2 years ago, at 37. I am not a single mother, but am in a mixed family with 2 children from a previous relationship that really, like your son, have only me when it comes down to it. Things move both fast and slow as you go through all the testing and finally treatment. I started out thinking I was a stage 2 inflamatory breast cancer. I went in hoping for a lumpectomy but said take the whole breast if my lymph nodes test positive. They did. In the practice of being thorough asking if there was anything else I was worried about, my oncologist sent me for a bone scan. More than a year before finding the breast cancer I had a bad bout with a rib, I swore it felt broken but with no trauma my family physician chalked it up to costochondritus. Well, one bone scan later and a bone biopsy later I was confirmed stage 4 cancer. I must have had it for at least a year. Lucky for me I had decided to take control of my weight that year before. I changed my eating and started running. I remember crying to my husband that it was just SO hard and I didn't know why other people could run when I couldn't. But really, eventually I did run. I got to where I could run 3 miles and feel good. But then came my diagnosis and my world crashed in. I never let myself cry, not sure why, I am a cryer for sure, happy or sad. As I went through treatment (I was 132 lbs at diagnosis and got up to 173) I found food was horrible and I went from one thing to another. Fruit was the only thing that tasted right, but I tried and tried to comfort myself the old way. Exercise was freaking hard too...it slowly fell off as I realized the treatments were wiping me out and I needed to focus on just being (I continued working full time). So today I find myself on another weightloss journey, starting to run all over again like I never did it before. It's hard. But I'm NED and have been since my treatments wrapped up in 2011. Don't let your stage scare you, there are those of us out here that are stage four breaking the statistics on the disease. Aren't we just blessed to be here! I hope this finds you a warrior...a survivor...strong in health, heart and mind.0
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Oh darling, my heart breaks for you.I was diagnosed in 2009 and remember well the shock and the fear.
Please don't catastrophize it is so easy to have yourself dead and buried.I have had two recurrences and can now say honestly I am the happiest and healthiest I have ever been.I love my life. I eat well and exercise a lot and am having no conventional treatment.Please just take it a day at a time and BREATHE!!0 -
Hello Survivor. You picked a good name:)
I'm so sorry to hear your news. I remember the initial impact of the news of cancer and at the time I experienced that same news... I was sure that I was going to die too, and leave my 11 year old daughter alone. She is now 22! and I am alive. I know the fear and fright, very well. It is overwhelming. Let me know what your results of the MRI are, hopefully you will be clear of metastases. We are all here to support you on your new journey of health food and exercise. With that journey will come the weight loss, without trying. Start now by eating 5 to 10 1/2 cup servings of fruits and vegetables and get rid of all the trans fats in your cupboards. No margarine. Just olive oil, butter, fruit, vegetables, whole grains and beans and some lean meat. Keep away from fats. Its a new way to live and it's a good way. Good luck with the tests and please check back with us.
My favorite sayings is...Eat to live, don't live to eat.0 -
I agree with the above suggestions,though I have no animal products at all.
I would like to add no sugar!!!! Cancer feeds on sugar which is why when you have a scan they inject glucose into your vein so any areas of cancer will suck it up and then are highlighted.0 -
How did everything go?0
