Please dont read if you fear breast cancer

[BumbleGirl]

Hello everyone. Well I haven't been on here for a while. However I really need some support iright now. My Mum has breast cancer. She had a lumpectomy and two lymph nodes out for biopsy on the 23rd Jan and the consultant didn't think she would need further surgery. However she went for her results on Friday and she has to have a mastectomy and full lymph node clearence on the 19th because one node was positive and she has so many pre cancerous cells left behind. Obviously this is a big blow especially to my Mum. I'm helpingher get through it as much as possible but with my health anxiety I can't help thinking the first :-( the doctor said he knows he can get rid of it but I'm so scared that after this op they will say its worse then they thought. And then what if it comes back? Just can't help thinking the worse xxx

[skippy66]

Sorry to hear that, but you should listen to the doctor as what he said sounds very positive.

[saab]

Sorry to hear about your mums illness. The doctor will have treated hundreds of patients, if not thousands. I am sure he would not say that if it wasn't true. There is an established program for treating breast cancer, so try not to get caught up in 'what if's'.... best just to keep postitive and let the treatment do it's job, worry about the next thing when/if it comes along.

[Fishmanpa]

Hi B Girl,

Sorry to hear about your Mom. Being a caregiver is equally as difficult as being the patient. I encourage you to find a support forum for breast cancer and caregivers. The Cancer Survivors Network has forums specifically for breast cancer as well as caregivers. I found much support there during my battle and still.

It sounds like the doctors are on top of things. Your Mom as well as you have a fight on your hands but the prognosis is very good these days. A positive attitude is crucial to the battle so do whatever you have to do to maintain it.

Positive thoughts

[Tanner40]

Bumble Girl, I can definitely empathize with what you are going through with your Mom at this moment. I am truly sorry that your family is having to go through this. Cancer is not a fun time, no matter the type or severity.
I can tell you from experience that you can turn this around to make your own HA and emotional state stronger. This should give you every reason to want to enjoy each day that you have on this earth. Take this horrible situation and let it make you stronger.

[Leslie735]

I am so sorry to hear about your Mom's diagnosis! My heart goes out to you and your Mom during this hard time. I will keep you both in my prayers!!

Just a positive story to hopefully life your spirits some, my Mother in Law was diagnosed after a routine mammogram 7 years ago. She had her biopsy and was in surgery to remove the lump within a week. Thankfully, hers did not spread and that is all the surgery she needed, she did go through, I think, 5 weeks of radiation. Anyway, it's now been over 7 years since that has happened and she has been doing fabulous ever since! She gets nervous every mammogram she has but they, so far, have come back clear. Your Mom will do great, and so will you. She will get through this and so will you. *hugs* PM me if you'd like to talk.

[TooMuchToLiveFor]

Hi, BumbleGirl,
My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer at the end of May. (This is while I was in the hospital on strict bed rest for two months with a high, high, risk pregnancy- and my dad had a massive heart attack in this time too. Whew!)

My mom has never been diagnosed with HA, but she has massive anxiety (again undiagnosed) and has always feared cancer above all. I have recently found out that she found a lump FOUR YEARS ago, but was too fearful to have it checked out. By the time she finally went to the doctor it was so large it had grown through the skin. She had to step into her bras as she couldn't put them around her to put them on. The cancer was in some of her nodes and wrapped around two ribs. It is a true MIRACLE that with all this……the chemo killed 95% of the cancer cells. The radical mastectomy (where they removed the left breast, part of her chest wall and two ribs) was a very big surgery, but they were able to get clear parameters! After the surgery she was having trouble healing and had to have three more surgeries where they removed muscle from her back and put it on her front. They did three more skin grafts. My mom is a tiny, little thing and got down to about 90 pounds. BUT, now she IS HEALING! She starts radiation soon, and the doctors are very positive for her future!

It has been a terrible thing to go through, but the things we fear the most grow and grow in our minds when we magnify them in the future. Take one day at a time. Sometimes one hour or moment at a time, because God gives us the grace to go through each day as it comes. When each future day arrives, He will give us the grace for those days too.

I go through all the thought processes of the "what ifs", but those do not help- in fact they steal joy and life from us.

I shared the details of my mom's story with you, because my mom had a very advanced case- and yet we are very hopeful.

I will pray over your mom and you. Stay focused and keep your thoughts in the rational. Sending you love!