Hi Candice I'm 48 and was diagnosed in March this year with invasive breast cancer. Thankfully I was diagnosed early and only had micrometastes in 1 lymph node. My final staging is stage 1b. I had 2 areas removed from the left breast in April and am due to start radiotherapy on 5th June. As it was picked up early from mammogram screening I haven't had to have chemo. Look up [@TwinTwo]‍ as I'm pretty sure she is about to have chemo. There are lots of breast ladies on here and they very much have supported me and others through this....and you do get through it hun. Pop over to sandra123 thread called the good and the bad. Sandra's story about her diagnosis and treatment is logged on this threead and a lot of the breast ladies touch base regularly through this it also. I know it's hard and the what ifs run through your mind....but it sounds like you have a lot to look forward to when you reach the end of your treatment. You will get to the end just take one day at a time and come back and talk to us anytime x

Hi 

I was diagnosed on Friday with a very large tumour in my breast and has affected a lymph node I haven’t been given a stage yet but it will be 3 or 4. I also have to have chemo then a mastectomy. I’m waiting to have a CT scan and I think the results of that is what I fear the most. I think this forum is likely to help us get through probably the worst time of our lives. 

Take care and keep in touch 

debs x

Thank you for your reply. I’m really glad yours has been caught so early :-). I wish I discovered this site a couple of weeks ago as it has made me feel more positive already. Thanks again x

Hi thanks for your reply. That’s is pretty much the outcome I’ve been given but was told radiotherapy as well. My oncologist is very frustrating though as I seemed to just be pushed out the door and told to wait for a date for chemo with no idea of timescales. Really glad I found this chat forum. I had my ct and it showed no signs of spreading but waiting for the outcome of my mri. Fingers crossed for us all x

Hi Candice,

(thanks for flagging this post up [@Cornishpastie]‍ )

My name is Lorna, I'm 41.  I was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer 2 weeks ago (sorry, I don't know the grade).  Everything has happened very fast, saw my oncologist for the first time on Friday and start chemo next Thursday.  I had what I hope is my final scan today (full body MRI, presumably to help assess the spread) and have my fingers crossed nothing more shows up on that so chemo can go as originally planned.

My mum has been through this twice, once at 39 and once in her 60s.  First time was lumpectomy with radiotherapy, second time was FEC-T chemo (which is what I'm going to have), so I have an 'expert' 475 miles away to call on at least.  And the ladies on here have been amazing.  Even with my mum having been through it it's great to talk to people who are going through it at the same time as you (for some reason).

I got married almost a year ago and have an identical twin 500 miles away, she has a little boy who is, obviously, biologically also mine, so it's a weird setup.  While I've never wanted children it already feels like I have a son who doesn't live with me, it's quite a strange feeling.  I'm generally upbeat and just getting on with things, start a new job 4 days after my first round of chemo (fingers crossed, new employer is being great though).  The thought that I might not see my husband grow old does scare me, as does how he would cope without me (he is absolutely capable but has depression and without me he would be inclined to shut himself away from people).  I can't imagine not having his arms wrapped around me.  Also my twin losing me is a scary thought because I cannot even start to think about losing her, you have days where you feel like you are the other one, it's a strange connection.

Still I'm just trying to get organised now that chemo is much sooner than first expected.  Getting mosquito nets for the windows (had cellulitis from a mosquito bite last year, not risking it while on chemo!), have got a huge parasol and ordered an outdoor 'bed' so I can rest outside in the fresh air and not worry about burning, am speaking to a wigmaker in a few hours about getting fringe pieces made from my own hair (that can be velcroed under scarves etc.), and have got my sewing machine out to make my own headwear.

Statistically you should be fine, but I do understand the fear.  If you have looked up statistics then remember they are always out of date due to the fact that survival rates are increasing every year.

All I can say is "feel free to talk to me, and kick butt!!!!!"

LJx

Hi,

Thanks for your reply, you have made me feel more positive than I did yesterday. I had a call from the hospital and they said my MRI showed signs of spreading to my lymph nodes so need to go for more biopsies. I start Chemo end of next week and in a strange way looking forward to it. Just want to start fighting this. Sooner the better! What a fab idea about a fringe for under scarves. Wouldnt have even thought of that! 

My Auntie (mums side) also has breast cancer and has had a double mastectomy with reconstructive surgery. Its amazing what they can do. My Nan also had it (mums mum) and overcome it but sadly passed away recently due to heart problems. So I have a strong history of it in the family but noone as young as 36. My daughter is only 8 and I want to be at her wedding just like I want her to be at mine. I worry about my partner also as he lost his Mum 2 years ago to lung cancer and his dad a few years before that so I am really all he has. He also gets depression and ive cared for him during his back surgery so do worry how he'd cope if anything ever happened to me. God forbid. Its not going to anyway as im a stubborn cow at the best of times so it'll take more than something as irrelavent as cancer to finish me off ;-)

Candice x

So we're going to be Chemo Buddies!!!!! :D

Not sure that's something to celebrate normally, but any excuse...

Do you know what type you're getting?  Although mine is FEC-T they're going to leave out the T bit and give me it weekly so it's at a lower dose each time.  I'm hoping they'll reconsider that since I start a new job a week on Monday and it will be a pain having to get to hospital once a week but if needs must!

I'm going for a sleep just now, but will be around later.

LJx