Vitals

Name:
Kathy (curlygirl)

Member Since:
July 8, 2008

Location:
Massachusetts

Birthday:
9/27

Type of Cancer:
Breast Cancer

Medical Term for the Type of Cancer:
infiltrating ductal carcinoma

Diagnosis Date:
7/1/08

Stage of Cancer:
Stage 1

Tumor Size:
02

Grade of Tumor:
Grade 2

ER:
Positive

PR:
Positive

Her2 Status:
No

Lymph Node Involvement:
No

Surgery:
Lymph Node Removal, Lumpectomy

Radiation:
yes

Hormone Therapy:
Tamoxifen

What I Hate Most About Cancer:
It is a lonely road.

What I Have Learned From Cancer:
I can not actually control the universe.

Things My Supporters Can Do To Help:
Send prayers and positive energy. It really, truly helps!

Cancer Symptoms:

I found a lump in my right breast during a self-breast exam.

Surgery Description, Dates & Side Effects:

7/10/08—Lumpectomy, 1 sentinel node, and 2 other nodes removed. Nodes were free of cancer.

Radiation Description, Dates & Side Effects:

Started radiation on 9/8/08. 5x/week for 6 weeks.

Hormone Therapy Description, Dates & Side Effects:

Started Tamoxifen on 8/26/08, was taken off of it on 10/2/08. I had very few side effects, including minor muscle aches—which went away after a couple of weeks—and fatigue, but the emotional effects were getting serious. I cried all the time and could not focus my mind enough to even get through washing a sink-full of dishes. I was definitely sinking into depression. Doc took me off the med until 3 weeks after radiation ends, at which time I will ease back on slowly.

Fundraising Description:

Please go to www.thebreastcancersite.com and click daily. It’s free and you do not have to provide any information (and check out the other tabs at the top for additional causes you can help). The money raised from sponsors for each click goes to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, which provides free mamograms to women who can’t afford them. Also consider providing direct support to the National Breast Cancer Foundation at www.nationalbreastcancer.org.

Curlygirl's Stats

curlygirl'…Cancer Blog (33)

  Things for which I am grateful

  Get back to where you once belonged…

  Happy Rad-uation Day to me!

  Me + tamoxifen = depression

  So I’ve been thinking

  It's not that bad...

  Started radiation today

  Ready, Set, GO!

  I have two tattoos. How many do you have?

  So this is why they call us "patients."

  The Results Are In

  A Hard Lesson

  The Wait Goes On

  No news is no news.

  A small, but significant, bit of good news

curlygirl's Photos (2)

curlygirl's Calendar (19)

  12.17.08 - Dr. Katz