Hey, guys. It has been a while since I have posted anything. I have been doing well as far as the PsA is concerned. However, I was diagnosed with breast cancer on Monday. Has anyone else been diagnosed with both? I came to you guys first because I know you will support me. I do know that I need to find another support group that deals with breast cancer. The good news, it was caught very early and is very small. So, do not put off your mammogram! I value any non-scary input, thoughts, or experience you may have had with breast cancer. Right now the thing that scares me the most is the surgery, which has not been scheduled yet Just no horror stories, please. :) I love y'all!
Tirezza--so sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I wish you good health and a speedy recovery from your surgery. Thinking of you.
Hi Tirezza. I feel so clumsy without some facts or figures or relevant experience to offer you but I'm sorry to hear about this diagnosis too and I wish you well. It's great that there are some really positive signs. Please keep us in the loop if you feel like doing so.
Tirezza, I too am so sorry to hear this diagnosis, moreover because you had got such great control over your PsA. All I wanted to share with you is that I have two friends who have been in the same 'early and small' situation and they have both had successful, minimally invasive, treatment which they recovered very quickly from and now both have the 'all clear'. Although both Brits, they were both in the US at the time and I really felt from what they said that their treatment was gold standard. You are in my thoughts and welcome here for support anytime. Jules
I just wanted to thank you for your support. I knew that if I asked, I would receive. :) My rheumy told the surgeon and myself to stop the Humira and the methotrexate until 2 weeks after the surgery. The surgeon told me that he had this coming Tuesday open, would I be willing to go that day. He was up on his facts about PsA and wanted me to be back on my meds as soon as possible to lessen the chance of a major flare. I hate having this hanging over me, so I took a deep breath and told him let's go for it.
Take good care of yourself and good luck Tirezza, I’ll be thinking of you & your mysterious profile pic, always wondered what it is / where it’s from!
Good for you! Sending you my best for good outcomes. I have had cervical cancer and a surgery in the past for it. Totally different boat but if caught early surgery and or radiation if needed does work. A good friend had breast cancer and she recovered amazingly! You got this!!
Oh, Tirezza, I love your “let’s go, get 'er done” attitude. I’m so sorry this has happened, but what great news that it was caught so small and so eary. A good friend had this a couple of years ago, and she had a lumpectomy. Is that what they are planning for you? The surgery itself was minimally invasive, and she is just left with a tiny scar and a “dent”. Her husband says “Eh…just gives the girls character!” Afterwards, she had a short course of radiation and done.
It sounds like you will be back on the PsA meds asap, so that will be good.
No horror stories from me, cuz the people who I’ve known with “early and small” have all been just fine.
Good luck with this, but make sure you let us knoww how it’s s going.
I am back at home and doing well. The incision was so small, I did not need bandages! The nurses did have high praises for the surgeon, Dr. Webb. I go back for my follow up visit on Monday. I think I will get my schedule for my newest set of Dr.s.
Sybil, my mysterious profile pic is a character from a series of books that my whole family loves. I believe the series is called Monster Blood Tattoo outside the States and is called The Foundlings Tale in the States. The character is named Europe. It is a wonderful series of books.
So, I am fine, just a little sore and missing a bit of stuffing. ;)
I thought it must be an illustration, I'll look the series up.
Fab news Tirezza!! I hope it'll be good news all the way and that this scary time will soon be far behind you.
Hey, well done Tirezza. So glad it's gone well. Rest, rest, rest now and don't be tempted to do too much too soon.
Hurray, well done. "Missing a bit of stuffing " … what a wonderful way of putting it. Let us know what they have planned for followup. So glad you’re ok, and great to have you check in and let us know.
Good for you, glad it went well! Thanks for the update and remember we are always here to root you on!
I’m sorry about your diagnosis. You must be in shock. It is good to hear that you have caught it early and at a time when there are good treatments. I had a scare once but no cancer. My Dad said no one knows how you feel unless you’ve had them say the C word. He beat it and is 82, 20 years later. Bless you and I will be thinking of you.
I was given the go ahead to drive as long as I was not taking narcotics. :) I went out yesterday and of course I over did it! The PsA is staying quiet which is a good thing. I decided that I had better stay quiet for the rest of the week as well. Thanks to each and everyone one of you for the positive stories and for just making me feel much better.
Update! Hey, everybody! I just wanted to let you know that I have finished chemo and am almost through with radiation. The type of cancer that I had was HER2 positive, which is highly treatable. It was an estrogen driven cancer. I will be receiving Herceptin, an immunotherapy, until February of next year. I just saw my rheumatologist and learned that the chemo put my PsA into remission! I can actually happy dance! I will be off all my PsA medication unless it returns. I hope all of you are doing well. :) T
Hi Tirezza. What a great update! Keep on dancing! I was going to say don't be a stranger .... although I guess you won't be needing us that much. But please pop in anyway if your feet touch the ground, even if just to brag about your remission because it's just wonderful to hear. I hope everything goes really well for you.
Even under the darkest clouds a beautiful flowers can be found! Nothing good about cancer except for the people who come out fighting on the top and to have remission too, what a happy outcome. Dance, dance, dance! Hopefully you found a great support group to help you that was breast cancer specific. Thanks for updating and hope you continue on such a wonderful path.
Hey, Sybil! It is great to hear from you. I just wish everyone here could experience what it is like to be in remission. Of course PsA could pop back up at any time, but I was told as long as I was on the immunotherapy, it wasn't likely.
Sybil said:
Hi Tirezza. What a great update! Keep on dancing! I was going to say don't be a stranger .... although I guess you won't be needing us that much. But please pop in anyway if your feet touch the ground, even if just to brag about your remission because it's just wonderful to hear. I hope everything goes really well for you.
Hi, Rachael! This may be typical, but my oncologist has a whole team that I see on a regular basis. Including a support group. I will be with them for the next 5 years, so I've just barely begun my journey. Although, after the first year, I'm hoping it will all be down hill from there.
Rachael said:
Even under the darkest clouds a beautiful flowers can be found! Nothing good about cancer except for the people who come out fighting on the top and to have remission too, what a happy outcome. Dance, dance, dance! Hopefully you found a great support group to help you that was breast cancer specific. Thanks for updating and hope you continue on such a wonderful path.