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blondeyy A Bit Saddened Oct 7, 2009 6:01 AM I have to admit, I am a bit saddened that there is so little activity in this group - especially with it being October - Breast Cancer Awareness Month....       *****My thoughts and prayers to the survivors, the fighters, and the women and men who have left us.............. Blondeyy  :heart:  
blondeyy Breast Cancer Statistics Oct 6, 2009 5:42 AM Breast cancer incidence in women in the United States is 1 in 8 (about 13%).   In 2008, an estimated 182,460 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in women in the U.S., along with 67,770 new cases of non-invasive (in situ) breast cancer.   About 1,990 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in men in 2008. Less than 1% of all new breast cancer cases occur in men.   From 2001 to 2004, breast cancer incidence rates in the U.S. decreased by 3.5% per year. One theory is that this decrease was due to the reduced use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) by women after the results of a large study, called the Women’s Health Initiative, were published in 2002. These results suggested a connection between HRT and increased breast cancer risk.   About 40,480 women in the U.S. are expected to die in 2008 from breast cancer, though death rates have been decreasing since 1990. These decreases are thought to be the result of treatment advances, earlier detection through screening, and increased awareness.   For women in the U.S., breast cancer death rates are higher than those for any other cancer besides lung cancer.   Besides skin cancer, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among U.S. women. More than 1 in 4 cancers are breast cancer.   Compared to African American women, white women are slightly more likely to develop breast cancer, but less likely to die of it. One possible reason is that African American women tend to have more aggressive tumors, although why this is the case is not known. Women of other ethnic backgrounds — Asian, Hispanic, and Native American — have a lower risk of developing and dying from breast cancer than white women and African American women.   As of 2008, there are about 2.5 million women in the U.S. who have survived breast cancer.   A woman’s risk of breast cancer approximately doubles if she has a first-degree relative (mother, sister, daughter) who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. About 20-30% of women diagnosed with breast cancer have a family history of breast cancer.     About 5-10% of breast cancers are caused by gene mutations inherited from one’s mother or father. Mutations of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are the most common. Women with these mutations have up to an 80% risk of developing breast cancer during their lifetime, and they often are diagnosed at a younger age (before age 50). An increased ovarian cancer risk is also associated with these genetic mutations. Men with a BRCA1 mutation have a 1% risk of developing breast cancer by age 70 and a 6% risk when they have a BRCA2 mutation.   About 90% of breast cancers are due not to heredity, but to genetic abnormalities that happen as a result of the aging process and life in general.   The most significant risk factors for breast cancer are gender (being a woman) and age (growing older).  ******I have been home now since 10:30 yesterday morning.  I am feeling VERY sore, but I have a lot of pain medication.  I have a nice 'nest' set up with my cozy p.j.'s, lots of blankets and my laptop and my dressing changing materials.  So, I am not sure if it is the pain medicine making me so emotional or just the whole ordeal and that it is finally over.  In any case, I wanted to share some of this important information with all of you.  I may not be on very much today - very sleepy.  But, with the pain meds, I may be up to it a little bit.  It helps to keep my mind busy .    www.breastcancer.org
blondeyy Lumpectomy Procedure Oct 6, 2009 5:33 AM ******I have been home now since 10:30 yesterday morning.  I am feeling VERY sore, but I have a lot of pain medication.  I have a nice 'nest' set up with my cozy p.j.'s, lots of blankets and my laptop and my dressing changing materials.  So, I am not sure if it is the pain medicine making me so emotional or just the whole ordeal and that it is finally over.  In any case, I wanted to share some of this important information with all of you.  I may not be on very much today - very sleepy.  But, with the pain meds, I may be up to it.  It helps to keep my mind busy.  I wanted to share this information as I never thought "It could happen to me" and I believe most women think that way, and I want to show that with a positive mind and emotional support and INFORMATION you CAN get through this.     Learn what to expect during a lumpectomy, and how to care for yourself during recovery. Be prepared to deal with health insurance, anesthesia, surgical dressings and drains. Learn some tips for self-care during recovery from your lumpectomy.       Lumpectomy Preserves Your Breast Lumpectomy is one type of breast-conserving surgery, and is usually done as an outpatient procedure. Your surgeon will remove just the breast lump and a margin of tissue around the lump. You will keep most of your breast, and you will have a scar at the incision site.   Your Pre-Operative Appointment Before your lumpectomy, the hospital or surgical center may ask you to come in for a pre-operative appointment. It's a good idea to take time for this appointment, so you can get most of the paperwork out of the way before surgery, and ask questions that you may have. Bring your insurance card with you and identification such as a driver's license. Be prepared to make a payment to the hospital, or ask them what amount will be due on the day of surgery. Give the nurse a list of your current medications, and be prepared to answer questions about your health history. If you are allergic to particular medications, let them know. You may be asked to sign consent forms for the surgery as well as possible blood transfusions..   Questions to Ask Before Surgery - Make It Easy on Yourself You can ask for pre-medication to prevent nausea and vomiting from the anesthesia, if you think that may be needed. A Scopolamine patch behind your ear can also help prevent nausea. Make sure that your request is noted in your chart. Ask questions about billing –- will the hospital, surgeon, and anesthesiologist bill you separately or inclusively? Will your health insurance be compatible with their services? If your insurance is not accepted by one of those providers, can a compatible provider be found for you? How should you dress on the day of surgery? Should you have a designated driver? Who should you call during recovery, if a problem comes up? Jot down the answers to these questions, so you can be prepared..   Preparing for a Lumpectomy You will be required to avoid food and drink for 8 to 12 hours before surgery. When you arrive for surgery, you will check in and begin preparations. You will change into a hospital gown, and your own clothes will be stored. A nurse will take your vital signs. In some cases, your skin may be marked to indicate where the incision should be started. Your anesthesiologist will meet with you and talk about what anesthetic will be used, and you may be given pills (or a patch) to help prevent nausea. A nurse will start an intravenous line (IV) for fluids and anesthesia. The IV needle will be inserted in your hand or arm, and taped into place..   Related Procedures Before Lumpectomy If your surgeon wants to check your lymph nodes during your lumpectomy, you will need to have lymphoscintigraphy in preparation for a sentinel lymph node biopsy. And if your breast lump is too small to be easily felt, a wire localization procedure may be done to help your surgeon locate and remove the lump.   During Your Lumpectomy Most lumpectomies are done while you are under general anesthesia (asleep). Once the anesthesia is started, your surgeon will make the incision using a special heated scalpel. The heated scalpel cauterizes your tissue and helps prevent bleeding during your surgery. Your incision will be curved, following the natural contour of your breast, to allow it to heal properly. The breast lump will be removed along with a margin of tissue. The cancerous tissue is then sent to the pathology lab for examination. If needed, a surgical drain will be placed to help remove fluid that collects in your surgical site. Your incision will be closed with stitches or staples, and dressed (bandaged) to keep it clean, and apply pressure to the wound..   Recovery After Your Lumpectomy While you are still under the effects of anesthesia, you will be moved to the Recovery room, where your vital signs will be monitored. Since a lumpectomy is usually done as an outpatient procedure, you will be given instructions on self-care, and allowed to return home. If you need special attention after the surgery, or if you've had other procedures done as well, you may be moved to a hospital room for the night..   Rest and Mend at Home If you have been given pain medication, and feel the need for it, take it as directed. The pain will lessen, and soon you won't need the extra pills. Keep your bandages clean and dry. If required, wear a sports bra over the bandages, to maintain pressure over the incision. Follow your directions in caring for your surgical drain, if you have one. Rest while you are recovering, and plan on having someone do the lifting and driving for you until you feel back to normal. When your surgeon says its okay, start doing arm exercise to prevent arm and shoulder stiffness. Keep your follow-up appointments.   Re-Excision Ensures Clear Surgical Margins After your lumpectomy, if the pathology report states that your lump has cancer cells in the margin of tissue around it, your surgeon may need to remove a bit more tissue. This is done to ensure that all of the cancer has been removed, and your risk of recurrence is lowered. This is a separate surgical procedure for removing extra marginal tissue, and it is called re-excision. If the re-excision will make your breast significantly smaller or undesirably shaped, your surgeon may ask if you would prefer a mastectomy, and possibly reconstruction.   American Cancer Society. Detailed Guide: Breast Cancer. Surgery for Breast Cancer. Revised: 09/13/2007      
GrandEntrance 10 to do's for Breast Cancer Awareness Month Sep 26, 2009 1:19 AM Learn more about a "smart bra," this device incorporates a series of microwave antennae to detect temperature changes in the breast that point to early stage breast cancer.. Breast Cancer Awareness Month: free exams for those who qualify.If you are a woman age 40 and older, uninsured, with an income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, you may qualify for this program. Call 1-800-511-2300 Monday - Friday from 8:30 AM to 5 PM for more information. Host a Breast Cancer Fundraising Event, like a walk,run,or bike in your neighborhood Purchase pink ribbon pins, keychains, t-shirts or other related items and give to your co-workers,friends,family and neighbors as a support reminder. Visit a Breast Cancer Survivors Group and show your support for them. Search for "Breast Cancer Survivors" in your area. Or read survivor stories online For the Month of October,2009 use Pink Ribbons Graphics, in your emails, letters, etc., Educate yourself . Period Wear a Pink Outfit . . >> continued to support Breast Cancer Awareness Month
wackdoodle Update: Sorry I failed to mention... Apr 22, 2009 11:50 AM That last month my sister finally had her mastectomy! YEAH!!!!!! She easily made it through the surgery. The doctors removed her left breast tissue, pectoral muscle, another small chest muscle and 15 of the 19 lymph nodes in her left arm. She still has the tumors in her neck (one on the collarbone and one near a big artery) and the one in her chest that's wedged in her ribcage. However, even with those three tumors left in her her pathology report from the tissue removed is that she has absolutely no cancer cells at all in her body. Excellent. The tumors still in her are effectively dead but she is still going to receive radiation treatment to obliterate what is leftover. So she had the surgery on March 26th and it started at 8:00am PST and was finished by 11:30am PST or so. Because the oncological surgeon couldn't get a standard operating room as quickly as he wanted he played a trick on the hospital and scheduled my sister's mastectomy in the Same Day Surgery OR. So she had the surgery in Same Day Surgery OR then while she was in recovery he told the hospital that she needed to be observed by staff for 3 days more. But by 2:00pm my sister was up, wide awake in her hospital room (in the hospital where she is a nurse and on the floor where she normally works) and walking around talking to her co-workers. She felt good and very very happy to have the breast finally removed. She said she felt so good that she didn't need to stay in the hospital at all but the doctor said she had to stay. The next morning at 8am she called me at her house. "COME AND GET ME! I CAN GO HOME NOW!" She was really yelling in the phone. So I booked it over to the hospital and she was dressed in PJs and darn near waiting anxiously by the elevator door. Because she works at the hospital and is a well liked nurse she didn't get a wink of sleep. Every single nurse, aide and doctor stopped in to her room all day and night to wish her a speedy recovery and to ask for her counsel on some patient matters. So I got her home and she finally slept. For the first time since October when she got her diagnosis she slept peacefully for 8 full hours. Until she realized that the bandage made her itch and that she needed to take her pain medications BEFORE she had any pain cause the JP drain is an annoying thing. Anyway, my sister is cancer-free now but not free of her usual bitchiness. Radiation starts at the end of the month. She thinks it's cool having only one boob (she calls herself Cyclops now) but since the remaining breast is a G cup and the mastectomy side is about an A cup (the surgeon left the skin so that he could use it for reconstructive surgery later) she finally decide to go ahead and have the reconstruction and reduction on her breasts. That should happen in June and she thinks she'll be back at work by July 2009. We'll see, I think its too early to know if she'll be able to do the heavy lifting and deal with the very physical situations she faces as a med/surg nurse. If she starts working out with the physical therapist the doctor got her then maybe - if she does as she did when she had spinal fusion and a broken foot, she won't work with the Physical therapist and she won't have the strength or flexibility to resume normal activities. PS. On my side - my first mammogram was absolutely clear. And genetic cancer screening shows that my sister's triple negative breast was not genetic but environmental and that I do not have the same pre-disposition as her. However, I will continue with yearly mammograms even though I am not yet 40 and I will get blood tests looking for cancer signs or new genetic anomalies.

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