Has any caregiver on this site had an experience with Breast Cancer?

I'm a 5-year survivor with no recurrence. Stage I. Because of a latest test called Onctotyping (if I remember right), I had chemo and radiation...the chemo being unusual and the latest, at that tine, treatment option. I'm satisfied I made the right decision.

You've had a wake-up call. You are frightened at the prospect. Your stress level is out the roof. Concentrate on getting your diagnosis confirmed first. Personally, I would only go to one of these cancer specialty hospitals if it was close by. Their commercials make it sound like they have treatments no one else has. Absolutely not true.

Your wake-up call is what we always remind posters. The loved one you're caring for may outlive you. When you have all this behind you (and you will), let the lesson learned be that you need a Plan B.

In the meantime, use your concern about your loved one and what would happen to them IF drive you forward to focus on something other than your future diagnosis.

A diagnosis of breast cancer is far from a death sentence. Hang in there. Wash walls! ;)

Breast cancer effects each person differently. My grandmother has gone untreated since she was 85. She is now 96. It's not pretty and it's now not easy but she has had a great life. She felt at the age of 85 treating it aggressively, would only cut her life shorter. SO FAR, this has been true statement. Age is a big deciding factor. 11 years later, her cancer is still in one breast only.

I had a biopsy 5 years ago. At the time, and still currently, am the sole caregiver of my mom. My biopsy was negative. Just a benign tumor/cyst. Just because they biopsy doesn't mean you have cancer. Hang in there.

Not sure I would go to our cancer center. We live near the James cancer center and while they are good I have heard you are treated like a lab experiment. Probably would go to a hospital.

Oregongirl, that was good news :) Thinking back to myself, I had to wait a week for my results, and the news was the opposite... it was caught in time, stage 1... also a 5-year survivor with no recurrence.... but I am terrified every time I go in for my annual mammogram/sonogram. But one will find you will keep putting off the x-rays as more demands are placed on you as a Caregiver.

As for the Cancer Treatment centers, I was under the impression those centers are used when nothing else is working. One has to weigh the pros and cons. I had an outstanding Oncologist and fantastic surgeon who weren't part of any type of well known groups that one sees advertised.

marymember, I remember after I had my surgery [same as yours] I also had the coughing and shortness of breath. Being I was out of work for 2 months I wasn't moving about enough, thus my body became very tired. I use to huff and puff just walking up the driveway from the mailbox. Lot of stress having this type of cancer, too. Was scared silly. My surgeon said my cancer was brought on by stress, since there were no other markers.

Turned out I had developed hypertension and some of my shortness of breath was fixed with blood pressure pills. Plus, any time I have any type of surgery or an injury, that shortness of breath will show up for a while. Now I don't worry about it, knowing eventually most of it will go away.

Had experiences with a friend of mine, who went to the canter in Zion,Il.Saw some remarkable experiences that other people had. They treat the whole person, mentally,spiritually and physical, not just the disease. My friend lived more than 5 years after starting treatment with them.

Oregongirl, I am glad that you got such good news that there is no cancer. I've wondered about the cost of the cancer centers that are advertised on TV. I get the feeling they target people in the upper income level, so I wonder if I could even afford to think about them if I were to be diagnosed with cancer. I know that heavy advertising on TV costs a lot of money, so figure it the cost is passed on to the client in some way. Does anyone know about the cost of these centers?

All of you have been such strength to me. YES it was a wake up call. I think God had a hand in this. Instead of just worrying about what would happen to me, I thought of others for a change. Because I care give 24/7, I tend to think only of myself. Well that is not exactly true. But close. Because of this WARNING, I did jump into action about setting up a back up Trustee with earnest. WE got rid of the one who would do it from Long Distance, to the one who has been by our side the entire time. Oh sure, I had to hear the Evil Hatred from the one that we removed. It was horrible. It reassured me we had made the right decision. I sat down and went through all of our documents that go into place if the WHAT IF happens. It not only kept me busy while I waited for the answer, but it made me take positive action to protect my family and my Partner who means so much to me.

My doctor is the best. He proved it with this. Last night, he went back to the office after 6:00 and wanted to check to see if the report had come in. Sure enough it had. He called me at home and gave me the good news. His first statement was..."now tell me, why did they think you had cancer?" Then he laughed with me and said, lets go forward and put this behind us, but use it to make sure we continue to get those "grams"every single year Lee. Because it was negative, my Partner was told where I had gone at 7:30 am the other morning. He was happy for himself and his care, but he too "thinking of me", was so happy with me.

Thank you ALL of you. You mean more than just checking in each day for our daily report. God Bless you ALL

I had breast cancer with the doctor removing all of my right breast in September. Yesterday, after seeing my doctor and wwith a blood test, I was told the blood count was elevated to a degree in which there could be a tumor. I have been coughing and have shortness of breath. So I will be having a scan next week to see if there is a problem. Hope not marymember

had a biopsy 3 years ago. I am the primary caregiver of my mom for 10 year. My biopsy was negative. Just a benign tumor. Relax biopsy doesn't mean you have cancer.
I would not go to cancer center. Just focus on your mom and yourself. and remember stress cause things worse for you and for mom


God bless you.