If you have breast cancer, or know someone with breast cancer, you should visit this blog. The author of the blog, Nancy, is a breast cancer survivor who worked for many years in the medical field. In this blog she shares her experience as a patient going through treatment for breast cancer. The blog is unique in that it is written both from the perspective of someone who works in the medical field and from a patient’s point of view.
The author is very open about sharing her feelings and experiences during and after treatment, while also providing detailed information on various aspects of treatment. She discusses such topics as how to choose the right doctor and whether or not to have a double mastectomy.
She also describes her experience receiving chemotherapy and radiation treatment, what she learned from sharing a room with another woman undergoing treatment, how to deal with fear or anxiety about treatments or diagnosis, how to deal with fears about losing one’s hair during chemo or radiation therapy, and much more. (Note: this site contains some nudity and may not be appropriate for everyone.) http://breastcancerblognancy.blogspot.com/
This blog is about a woman’s breast cancer journey. It will be an open book, sharing some of the most intimate thoughts and details of her treatment and recovery. Medical professionals will also be interviewed and their expertise shared.
Treatment options are not standardized and are dependent on the type and stage of cancer, patient demographics, personal preferences, insurance coverage, and many other factors. This blog is meant to provide insight into medical issues related to breast cancer. The opinions expressed here are those of the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of any institution or organization with which she may be affiliated.*
Today, I went in for my first radiation treatment for breast cancer. Just as the doctor was about to put me under and start the procedure, he asked if I wanted to read back through the information packet that I had already read several times.
Tears began to well up in my eyes as I looked over all the possible side effects that could happen during treatment. Hair loss is one of them and this is not what I want to hear when I’m about to have a radioactive device placed so close to my heart.
I asked him to hold off for a second and ran out into the hallway where my husband was waiting with a nurse who thought I needed oxygen. The nurse had been there when I came out of surgery and heard me say that I had never smoked and would never start. She told me that she too has never smoked but was diagnosed with lung cancer two years ago and now has two spots on her lungs.
The doctor came back out in the hall and told me that we would just have to wait and see how my hair was affected by treatment, but it was likely that some hair loss would occur. But no matter how thinned out my hair becomes or how much falls out, it will grow back once treatment is done.
After
I am on my journey toward that place of peace. I want to share my experience with others who are on their journey as well. I want to help people understand what it is like to live with breast cancer, what it is like to go through treatment and the choices that must be made. I want to shed some light on the “unknown” – the fears and concerns that come with this diagnosis.
I have been given a few moments in time to write this blog. I hope you will join me in sharing our stories of learning, hope, faith and strength.
Blessings,
Melody**
My goal is to provide you with accurate information based on my experiences with breast cancer so that you too can make informed decisions regarding your healthcare.*
The opinions expressed here are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of allBreastCancerTrials.org team members or sponsors.**
From my experience, I’d say the breast cancer experience is one of the most painful and scary in the medical world. People are fighting for their lives every day. Doctors are working hard to find cures, and researchers are finding them. But these things take time, and patients need help now.
Treatment for breast cancer varies from patient to patient, depending on the type of tumor, the age of the patient, and if there are any complicating factors such as a family history of breast cancer or other forms of cancer. A treatment plan is created by a team consisting of a surgeon, medical oncologist, radiation oncologist and plastic surgeon. These specialists collaborate to make sure that you receive the best care possible.
Also, there are many different types of breast cancer (ductal carcinoma in situ, medullary carcinoma, Paget’s disease), just as there are many different types of heart disease (valve disease, cardiomyopathy). And there are many different kinds of strokes (hemorrhagic stroke caused by bleeding within or around the brain; thrombotic stroke caused by a clot within or around the brain; transient ischemic attack when blood flow to part of your brain stops temporarily). There are hundreds of
A common procedure for treating breast cancer is lumpectomy. The surgeon removes the tumor, and all or most of the surrounding tissue. Sometimes, this procedure is followed by radiation therapy, and sometimes it’s followed by chemotherapy.
Scars remain after either treatment of course, but they fade with time. The scar from my lumpectomy was quite large and was in a very visible place, so I was extra self-conscious about it. After three months or so, it had faded to what I considered an acceptable level. But then it faded more than I wanted it to, and the scar became visible again. This bothered me for a couple of reasons:
1) The scar made me feel self-conscious about my appearance
2) My husband thought my scars were “cool”. While I appreciated his sentiment, I didn’t want to wear something that looked cool on him.”
