NINE ESSENTIAL STEPS TO THRIVING BREAST CANCER

1. KNOW YOUR DIAGNOSIS: If you can see the enemy, you can fight it. So insist on seeing your X-rays, lab results, CT scans, mammograms, bone scans & MRIs. Acknowledge the seriousness of your diagnosis. This involves knowing the name of the cancer under the microscope, the size and grade of the tumor, and whether this is viewed as slow growing or as an angry process.
Bring in a family member or a friend who can think clearly with you and act a your advocate in asking questions and writing down the doctors' responses. Why? Because most patients retain very little information when their circuits are overloaded by a serious diagnosis.

2. BE IN CHARGE: Create an equal partnership between you and your physicians (surgeon, oncologist, primary care doctor). don't give up or just go along with medical decisions made by s omeone else. Ask your family and friends for support, but do not proceed with treatment just because they think it is the "right" thing to do.

3. KNOWLEDGE IS POWERFUL MEDICINE: Knowing the language of medicine will help you talk effectively with the medical specialists holding your future and make smart decisions about your treatment. You can become an expert in your illness---just as you may have learned about the financial world to invest in the stock market, or the ins and outs of buying and selling on eBay. The availability of health info on the Internet can be your friend.

4. EXPLORE YOUR TREATMENT OPTIONS: Your doctor will lay out options, but the buck stops with you. It's your decision which path you pursue. Ask the pros and cons of medication, surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, diet, and further sophisticated testing and clinical trials. Make sure you know the goal of treatment. Decide what you are "buying" with each option or combination of options. You CAN do nothing: One often-overlooked option is to accept no treatment or no further treatment.

5. ASK FOR A SECOND OPINION: When you're no satisfied with your diagnosis, treatment, or progress, you'll want to get a second opinion. No single institution and no single physician or health care provider can have complete information about every condition. As professionals, they should not be offended if you want to seek a second opinion. This is a common practice in medicine today.

6. TAKE TIME TO TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT: Any serious diagnosis is devastating and paralyzing, so take time to think about your course of action before you rush to treatment.
With breast cancer, the signs and symptoms may have been present and undetectable for up to six years, not just since yesterday. Therefore, there usually is no real urgency to rush into treatment within a day or two of diagnosis. Keep in mind that many treatment options cannot be reversed. For example, removal of a breast is major life-altering event.
Have some understanding of the natural history of your disease. Ask your doctor to explain the typical track record and progression. As with most situations in life, your first shot is the best. Gather all the info and opinions, and then make informed decisions to take your best shot.

7. SET UP YOUR SUPPORT SYSTEM AND KEEP EVERYONE THINKING POSITIVELY: Social connectedness is one of the biggest factors in explaining why some patients do better with serious illness than others. Well-controlled studies have shown that the support of family, friends and even pets lifts spirits mentally and boost immune systems physically. Families need to be supportive of the patient's decisions-----NO MATTER WHAT THOSE DECISIONS ARE.

8. DO NOT SECOND-GUESS YOUR HEALTH CARE DECISIONS: Don't look back. Plan ahead. Trust your instincts on your treatment, and maintain a comfort level with your care-providing team. If you don't think someone is acting in your best interest, get someone who is.

9. LIFE IS A FULL-TIME JOB-SET PRIORITIES: Time wil take on new meaning. Make the most of it. Life when you're healthy is a full-time job. Be realistic when you're operating at less than 100 percent. Cut back. Slow down and smell the roses.
Nobody can go it alone, and now is the time to reach out and seek the help you need from friends and neighbors. Acknowledge the importance of a support system. A friend or confidante can be an anchor during some stormy times. Don't ignore the resources of your religious group, if you have one.

A Crazy Month

The past month has been a pretty crazy one, I did not get to get started on the next post because I have been pretty sick and ill. I thought it was from my treatments, but, the doctor has ruled that out, and thinks something else is making me feel so violently ill. It isn't all the time, but, the 2 weeks prior to this one, has been brutal. I was sick around 3 days each. Not keeping anything down, my body spazzing out, weakness, headaches, not being able to eat without it hurting my stomach. So, I go to the Dr. this coming Monday, the 25th, and we will discuss what he thinks the problem is, maybe schedule more tests,(which by the way they did an MRI on my head last week. It came back all clear...that's one less place we have to worry about with it not going to my head), or may discuss other options, not sure. I am sure that between him and myself, we will figure out what to do next. I am supposed to take treatments that day, also.
On top of that, my 21 year old daughter, Stacy went to get a sonogram on her breast this past Monday, and they see something very suspicious, and she will be getting surgery soon. A Biopsy of the lump. Plus, she will be getting the BRAC gene test. Remember, I have BRA2 breast cancer gene. One son of mine has already been tested, and he is positive for the gene, too!! Now My daughter will be getting that, and the cancer team where I go at Kansas City Cancer Center will be taking over her case. Dr. Sheehan who specializes in Breast Cancer, and genetic testing.
I am hoping to get a new subject started, which will follow the topics I have already posted!! Be looking for those soon!! Thank you, Sincerely, Susie Lyn

START THE NEW YEAR WITH A DIFFERENT KIND OF RESOLUTION

Start off this New Year with a new idea which is an idea that is spreading throughout. It's called Buddy 5. Start today, which is the 5th, to get a buddy for the year, team up and make a pact to remind each other on the 5th of EVERY month of the year, to give yourself a breast exam. Please make sure you mark your calendars for each month, and make sure your partner does so, also!! This gives you more incentive to do this every single month. I urge you to do this, and maybe also make a pact to do something nice together on that day, such as, go for a walk, out to a movie, lunch, coffee, a drink, anything to give yourselves a pat on the back, and feel good about what you have done. If anything does feel abnormal, talk to your friend and tell them first that something feels suspicious. Then, immediately see a doctor. If you ever find something, it could have already been there for up to 2 years before you ever feel it. Do this for yourself, don't ever think it can't happen to YOU. That was what I thought!! Be good to yourself, early detection has a higher chance of recovery, too. You will feel better knowing you are doing the right thing for yourself and those who love you. Let me know how it goes, would love to hear feed back. We can make this fun, and share our experiences. My buddy is my daughter. Hope to hear from you soon. Thank you, Susie Lyn

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

I would like to start off the new year, getting back into the swing of things here on this website!! It is of Great importance to me to give you info or discussions on what you want and need to know about Breast Cancer. I have much that needs to be said, about my Breast Cancer fight, as I am sure others have also. It has been difficult to get some of these on track and through my mind, and to keep up with the site, as I should be doing. The past few months have not been easy for me, and I have been very sick after I take my treatments. Also, Christmas has taken up much of my time, and have been trying to enjoy that, while I was feeling good, after I was sick from treatments at the beginning of the month. I turned 50 years old on the 12th of December, which I am very proud of. I was first diagnosed in April of 2004, so you have to realize that 50 is a big thing to me, and had a wonderful celebration with friends, and a surprise party from my family and friends...and I was feeling so very good that weekend. Then, there was my sons birthday the next week, and then Christmas, and then New Years!! I received another of my two treatments on 12/28/09. It was most brutal of all. I was so very sick, I was thinking, is this worth it?? Are the treatments working??? Got a call the worst day I was having, which was the next day, and found out my tumor markers were going back down, after they had kept rising over the past 4 months, so, that made me feel better, brought tears to my eyes, and I thought, ok, if it's working, I can go on. I really have never given up my faith or my hope. But, sometimes it get's so hard, and more so, since this battle has been so long. I do have faith in my doctors and will be talking to him about, perhaps, another way to do the same thing we are doing now, but, w/out so much sickness. As of now, I take "Aredia" for the healing of my bones, and the "Faslodex" which is working on the 2 tumors I have left on my bones at this time. So, here is to a Bright New Year, and may it bring new and wonderful things to all, in all aspects of life...and hopefully a much healthier year for all who suffer. Thank You, Susie Lyn Tucker