On a brighter note.... Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Chili

Chili

Site Moderator
This is October and Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Last February my wife was diagnosed ILC - Invasive Lobular Cancer, the kind that doesn't get picked up on mammograms. During the spring, she went through a lot of imaging, tests and a biopsy. Through the summer, she went on a hormone therapy to reduce the size of the tumor and it worked. Over the past few weeks, she had two surgeries. We got the pathology report back yesterday that showed negative results, which is good. The first surgery didn't get it all and the doc had to go back in and take more tissue. The 2nd surgery got it all. The cancer spread into her lymph system, but not far and they believe they got it all out.

Next up is radiation treatment, but no chemo is needed. Yeahhh.,...

So, we're frikkin ecstatic and I thought it would be cool to share with you guys. (She's modest and not keen on posting it up on FB. So, I want to celebrate a little here. She never comes here. :D )

If you have any questions about ILC, just ask. I now know it all!!!! :)
 
Aw man, best to your wife and her recovery! :)

Being positive throughout is what I have found to be the best way to fight the cancer. Well, not personally but from a few friends of mine who have been through cancer treatments themselves.

Good vibes from me! :)
 
Chili, so sorry to hear this news about your wife but glad things are looking positive. This disease has affected many people in my life, but the outcomes seem to be getting better all the time. Best to both of you. You have been generous in helping me to improve my music when I have asked you for comments and advice, and I'm sure with others too. Not to mention the work you and the other mods have donated to keep the forum working. I had no idea all this was going on in the background. Knowing this just adds to my appreciation for the things you do.
 
Bright note indeed! Happy for your wife, you and family. Scary stuff. Wouldn't never have guessed this was going on in your personal life.

You're a good bean, Chili
 
Thanks guys!! I appreciate the thoughts!!!

Tip: If you're ever in this situation, shop around for your surgeon. The first one we went to wanted to do a double mastectomy right away without consulting an oncologist. My wife almost said yes, but we asked about genetic testing and the surgeon then referred us to the oncologist. :facepalm: After talking to her, we realized a double mastectomy was the stupidest idea ever. We found another surgeon who could do a lumpectomy and save most of my wife's "attributes".
 
Whoa man.
Can't be easy to keep clear head and stay sharp like you guys did, under those circumstances.
Thank you for sharing.
 
This is great news, I'm really pleased for you Chili and family.

This is a bit of a raw topic for me too currently as we recently got some bad news in this vein about my mum. Sadly the outlook isn't looking as positive (and the whole thing has been compounded by a slipped disc suddenly immobilising her the same week as the diagnosis), but the mental strength and courage she's showing throughout it is incredible. So hard though.

Hope you keep getting that good news man :)
 
Yo Chili

Very sorry to hear that your wife has had to tough it through this but it sounds promising and knowing you I'm sure you'll fight to get her the best treatment and results possible. A ton of love, prayers and good karma to you your family as you get through this bump in the road.

Scary stuff and sobering when you realize that your fate is the hands of multiple doctors and medical professionals all with their own set opinions, interpretations and decisions that can differ significantly from one to the other.

For sure cancer sucks.....

We are slowly gaining ground on the gene editing "CRISPR CAS-9" technology . I am optimistic that in the not too distant future with the amazing progress currently being made things like what your wife and so many cancer victims around the world are currently going through will be a thing of the past like Polio.
 
Chili, I'm really glad everything has worked out for your wife and yourself. I know a few long term survivors and a positive attitude is important along with continued spousal support. I hope they find a cure for that effing disease soon... Too many people I know have been affected....
 
robgreen said:
This is great news, I'm really pleased for you Chili and family.

This is a bit of a raw topic for me too currently as we recently got some bad news in this vein about my mum. Sadly the outlook isn't looking as positive (and the whole thing has been compounded by a slipped disc suddenly immobilising her the same week as the diagnosis), but the mental strength and courage she's showing throughout it is incredible. So hard though.

Hope you keep getting that good news man :)
Click to expand...

Hey Rob, I sorry about your mum and wish only the best for her, you and your family. Knowledge is power, but it is also courage, so learn as much as you can and make educated decisions. Don't rely on the doctors to always have the best answers at hand. Case in point was the genetic testing (BRAC stuff) and the estrogen blocker therapy. Both are not in the normal treatment plan, but we knew enough to discuss it in detail with our doctors and it ended up being good decisions.
 
TAE said:
Yo Chili

Very sorry to hear that your wife has had to tough it through this but it sounds promising and knowing you I'm sure you'll fight to get her the best treatment and results possible. A ton of love, prayers and good karma to you your family as you get through this bump in the road.

Scary stuff and sobering when you realize that your fate is the hands of multiple doctors and medical professionals all with their own set opinions, interpretations and decisions that can differ significantly from one to the other.

For sure cancer sucks.....

We are slowly gaining ground on the gene editing "CRISPR CAS-9" technology . I am optimistic that in the not too distant future with the amazing progress currently being made things like what your wife and so many cancer victims around the world are currently going through will be a thing of the past like Polio.
Click to expand...


ido1957 said:
Chili, I'm really glad everything has worked out for your wife and yourself. I know a few long term survivors and a positive attitude is important along with continued spousal support. I hope they find a cure for that effing disease soon... Too many people I know have been affected....
Click to expand...

Thanks guys!!! :) (Almost called ya Tom and Gerry :laughings:)

A few months before my wife was diagnosed, I had the pleasure of having a 2-hour conversation with the CEO of the American Cancer Society. We were sitting next to each other on a flight and he kinda was stuck with me. lol. But it was a great conversation and he was so incredibly upbeat about the developments and research for cancer. I told him I never heard about any of it and he said that was his biggest problem, getting the word out.

:( So, we had a small setback today. We met with the oncologist and she put the option for chemo back on the table. Turns out the size of the tumor in that one lymph node was larger than the threshold for doing chemo. My wife is a candidate for an oncotype test which helps to determine the chance of reoccurrence and whether chemo will be effective. We have a couple of weeks to wait for that, then my wife will decide. She's not crazy about the idea of chemo, but she's a fighter (literally) so if she absolutely needs to, she will.
 
A co-worker called me Friday after he learned about my wife's cancer. Offered to be a sounding board if I needed to vent, which I don't. Turns out he had prostate cancer last year. The docs removed the whole gland, so he is dealing with the problems associated with no prostate. Poor guy.

One of the things he said got me thinking... His doctor is stickler for doing DREs with 50+ men, you know, finger up the butt thing. Turns out he felt the lump. They followed up with PSA screenings. The PSAs are usually a first run screen so you don't have to do DREs, but his PSAs were normal. A subsequent biopsy confirmed it was cancer. Throughout the whole time, his PSAs stayed normal. If the doc didn't insist on doing a DRE, he wouldn't have found it until it was too late.

food for thought.
 
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