the dreaded c word

[skitten]

apparently early find & clean margins make it less scary given we have beeter technologies but there's definitely a lot of extra stress in my life right now. I found a lump in my breast two weeks ago. there was none in january. Last wednesday I got a full spectrum biopsy of the lump- it's cancer. some scary SHIT! Master was with me when I gotthe

Comments

[acelightning]

A mammogram can find potential cancers that you'd never be able to feel with your fingers. This is why mammograms can detect something in its very earliest stages. And, of course, the earlier they find it, the better the outlook. I hope you have the same kind of experience I did - a quick, simple surgical procedure, an easy recovery, and no need for chemo (although I did have radiation). Be sure and collect hugs from me and everyone else a week and a half from now!

[skitten]

He nurse who advised almonds to me had no idea that it causes cancer so I need to chamge my diet in a msjor way.

[acelightning]

Almonds cause cancer? AFAIK, almonds, like all other nuts, contain a great assortment of disease-fighting nutrients. The only association between almonds (and peanuts, and many other types of nuts) and cancer is that, if they become infected with one particular type of mold, the mold produces a carcinogen. So don't eat moldy almonds.

[skitten]

I I found a link to something that was disproved by people on my Facebook wall by my geeky friends. So no.... stopping almond eating won't cause me not to get csncer sgsin. I was just hoping for an easy fix.

[acelightning]

Is the type of cancer you have called DCIS, "ductal carcinoma in situ"? Because that's what I had, and it's now the most commonly diagnosed form of breast cancer. That's because the newer x-ray and ultrasound diagnostics can detect it very, very early. It grows very slowly, and usually stays well contained. In fact, they're now recommending far less aggressive treatment for it than even what they gave me three years ago. The usual treatment was a lumpectomy, followed by five years of hormone-blocking chemotherapy "to help prevent a recurrence". They've since discovered that there's no statistically significant difference in the chance of recurrence between women who took the hormone blocker and women who didn't. (I didn't take it; the side effects seemed to be worse than having cancer, and it's insanely expensive.)

So eat whatever you want to. Just don't binge-drink, or smoke cigarettes :-)

nope.not gonna happen.

[skitten]

I won't know until Tuesday what kind of cancer it is. Also.... I don't know what's considered slow growth. Since I drink red eine for cholesterol heslth and struggle to do so so nightly? It's unlikely thst I'll ever be a binge drinker. moking is disgusting. Never gonna evet decide to do that EVER.

[acelightning]

I don't think you're going to have to make any drastic changes in your lifestyle, except maybe temporarily after the surgery (like "don't lift your arms over your head for ten days"). Remember that you have many, many people rooting for you!

[skitten]

Thanks for that :)
Hugsyou!