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My mom might have breast cancer...

W

w_parietti22

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Apr 16, 2005
2,497
4
Seattle, WA
Well today I found out that my mom might have breast cancer. :(

Today she went in for a regular check-up and they found a lump in her breast. We dont know if its cancer yet... but the doctor said that it likely is. Its been kinda hanging over my head and I dont really want to talk about it with my friends because you know how rumors get spread... So yeah. Anyone here have an experience that they can share? something that will cheer me up?
 
So sorry to hear that! My aunt just had breast cancer surgery recently (very recently, like a week ago). Luckily, it was in its early stages, so she's gonna be alright. I hope your mom has the same luck :)
 
I have two close friends who have fought it and won. If it is caught early, it can be beaten. Heck, it can even be beaten when it is not caught so early. There have been incredible advances in cancer treatment in recent years. Obviously you and your mother have the best wishes of everyone on this forum, but I think it is also important that you read up on breast cancer and that you actually talk to someone-- get your mom's doc to make a recommendation. Cancer is almost as hard on the friends and family of the patient as it is on the patient. Take care of yourself too, and provide your mom with support and encouragement. Good luck to you and your mother.
 
Dude. I'm sorry to hear that. Your mom didn't get a conclusive breast cancer diagnosis so it doesn't necessarily mean that she has it. My aunt was also diagnosed with a lump in her breast which the doctors thought was cancer but it turned out to be alright. She got it surgically removed and has seen no other problems from it so far and it has been almost 5 years.
You have my best wishes.
 
Best of luck,

Hopefully this is early enough to allow them to get a head-start on treatment! Make sure you support her feelings, and keep things positive. Turn on some of that humor you give all of us, and keep her happy, and keep her moving with positive energy!

Best wishes!

840
 
That's good and bad news both.

Bad, 'natch, in that it would be better to be in perfect health and never have a cyst or tumor, benign or malignant, to deal with

Good though, because if it is, then you want to be glad it has been detected now, not weeks or months from now. Detected early enough, it is extremely curable.

Many women develop non-cancerous cysts that require biopsy to distiguish them from a cancer. It is really nerve-wracking for everyone concerned while that determination is being made.

You and your family and especially your Mom are going to need some extra understanding and support in the next little while. You can help with this certainly, BUT you cannot be the rock everyone can rely on, or the spark that keeps everyone positive, unless you have some support of your own to keep you emotionally healthy.

You will also want some personal contact yourself to provide you with support, even if that is only a understanding ear. If you're in school, safe people to go to would be a guidance counsellor, otherwise a church leader or someone recommended by your family physician. You're right that going to social buddies with this, depending on their maturity, may not be best right now.

I wish you all the best of possible outcomes to this,
Let us know how you are doing -- but do find a professional support source as well, we are only dots on an LCD screen, and that's not always enough.

Trevor
 
w_parietti22 said:
Well today I found out that my mom might have breast cancer. :(

Today she went in for a regular check-up and they found a lump in her breast. We dont know if its cancer yet... but the doctor said that it likely is. Its been kinda hanging over my head and I dont really want to talk about it with my friends because you know how rumors get spread... So yeah. Anyone here have an experience that they can share? something that will cheer me up?
Click to expand...
Wes, sorry to hear it. (That happens to be the name of one of my brothers btw.) My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer back in '78 if you can believe it. That was when specialists were eager to opt for radical mastectomy procedures. Anyway, she underwent a mastectomy, had chemotherapy, and she was a survivor who lived 26 more wonderful years. As a family we were fairly communicative during the crisis years, and we talked about it, when she needed to talk. Keeping a positive outlook and supporting her with a listening ear are two important things to consider. I wish you the best. There are many out there who have survived it. Take courage and comfort that you're not alone.
 
Breast Cancer is 90% treatable!!!

my only experience has been with lung cancer and unfortunately there is nothing positive I can say about that.

deanwaterman, Is the cure rate on prayer really 100%? Id like to see those statistics....
 
deanwaterman said:
I know a Physician who can cure your mother 100%. He is available 24 /7 and only requires you call on Him first.

Prayer Works!

Believe it!
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Now is not the time to push your beliefs on other people. He needs comfort from friends and family and good medical attention for his mother. Shameful.

Anyway, w_parietti22, I wish you and your mother the best. I hope it was caught early, and hopefully they can just get rid of it and your family can go on like normal. Best of luck.
 
Thoughts and prayers to your Mom and your family. Bad news to get before the holiday for sure. But need to think positive. One, it might not be cancer. And if it is, early diagnosis and treatment have the best results.
 
MattG said:
Now is not the time to push your beliefs on other people. He needs comfort from friends and family and good medical attention for his mother. Shameful.

Anyway, w_parietti22, I wish you and your mother the best. I hope it was caught early, and hopefully they can just get rid of it and your family can go on like normal. Best of luck.
Click to expand...

I am not pushing any set of beliefs. I am suggesting a tried and true method of hope and healing.

No strings attached.
 
One of my Mom's best friends had it, and my Grandma (78) just had it a few months ago. Both are just fine now.

My Grandma was treated with Surgery and Radiation. The Surgery was out-patient, and the radiation took a lot of energy out of her for a month or so - but overall it wasn't too bad.

I wish your Mom (and your family) the best of Luck.

Breast Cancer is extremely curable.
 
I am very sorry to hear that. My mother was diagnosed about a year and a half ago. It wasn't caught early or late but she was lucky to have it caught. She was operated on quite quickly as she is older (64 when diagnoses) and they wanted to catch it as there was no indication how long she had it. And surgery at that age for whatever reason is not always good as your body man not have the strength to fully recover.

The chemo was hard on her. Thankfully she had family and friends to lean on when the times were tough, and i don't wan to put a candy-coating on things - it was tough for the first month or so - and mum needed us to be strong but not clingy or overly sensitive. We were these, how could we not be. Each person deals with tragedy in a different way but the important thing when a family member is sick is to be there when they want you.

I live in Japan and my family are all in Australia. Distance is not a good thing when a family member is sick - and my mother insisted I not fly back. I would have in an instant but honored her request and I didn't fly back. I know my mum very well and I know she would have worried about me - she would have worried that i would stay in Australia until the all clear was given - and I would have, regardless of how long that would have been even quitting my job to do so (and it was a while after the surgery when the doctor reported a full recovery). She was worried that I may have decide to move back to Australia and she knew how much I love it here in Japan - and i would move back if the situation were serious. Dad agreed with mum not wanting me to fly home.

For me it was difficult as I was not there, so I strongly recommend that if you are close to home or your mother want you there - be there. If not, honor her wishes - she doesn't need to worry about your future or sacrifices at the same time. My mum knows I love her dearly, she knows family always comes first with me and that i would give up everything - and this knowledge was what helped her through the tough times - and was my international phone bill unbelievable for 6 months or so!

I hope all goes well and I will be thinking of your mum, your family and you.

On a side note and as coincidence would have it, my company here in Japan has sponsored the Japan Run For The Cure for the last 2 years (although I actually walked as I am unbelievable un-fit!). We had 75 employees and family participate this year. The support was amazing, and not all the participants thankfully had a family member diagnosed with breast cancer, only a few of us did - but the support and awareness this event generated was incredible. My mum didn't participate in the Japan event as she is back in Oz, but has participated in the Melbourne 'Walk In The Park' event for the last 12 years (before she was diagnosed) and last year wore my Tokyo event t-shirt (which had 'Tokyo Japan Run For The Cure' printed on it, and she got so many comments and questions about the shirt, did she participate, where did she get it if she didn't participate, etc.....
 
it's tough... you're in hs right? friends can be one of your best assests right now, trust me... i've been through it (not the cancet, but the situation...) i'll drop you an email or a PM...
 
Respectfully:

Will those who wish to debate the efficacy of faith as regards to acute medical condions, AND those who wish to engage in the secondary debate as to the advisability of posting their opinions on MR please make your own thread. This is neither the time nor the place.

Wes, for those who practice a faith, the support and benefits of religion are unquestionable, so use them. Those who don't, secular sources of support are important, so use them.

For both, the talents and technologies of the medical professionals we are fortunate to have access to are indispensible.
 
in respect of the original poster and the guy above me, I have deleted my statement originally posted in this box as it was filled with anger towards deanwaterman and his empty promises.

I wish you and your mother all the best and a speedy recovery.
 
Thanks for the encouragement everyone. Its nice to know that people are here for me.

CanadaRAM said:
That's good and bad news both.

Bad, 'natch, in that it would be better to be in perfect health and never have a cyst or tumor, benign or malignant, to deal with

Good though, because if it is, then you want to be glad it has been detected now, not weeks or months from now. Detected early enough, it is extremely curable.
Click to expand...

Luckly she had a mammogram last year and she was clean then. So its developed with in that time.

gwuMACaddict said:
it's tough... you're in hs right? friends can be one of your best assests right now, trust me... i've been through it (not the cancet, but the situation...) i'll drop you an email or a PM...
Click to expand...

Thanks for the PM. 8th grade actually... I was put in late.

CanadaRAM said:
Respectfully:

Will those who wish to debate the efficacy of faith as regards to acute medical condions, AND those who wish to engage in the secondary debate as to the advisability of posting their opinions on MR please make your own thread. This is neither the time nor the place.

Wes, for those who practice a faith, the support and benefits of religion are unquestionable, so use them. Those who don't, secular sources of support are important, so use them.

For both, the talents and technologies of the medical professionals we are fortunate to have access to are indispensible.
Click to expand...

deanwaterman said:
I am not pushing any set of beliefs. I am suggesting a tried and true method of hope and healing.

No strings attached.
Click to expand...

Im Catholic... So it's not that a big of a deal to me personally, but be careful, It is easy to affend someone in dealing with religion, race, and so on.

Thanks again everyone :)
 
I will add, that despite the issues between my ex and his Mom and I, I am still concerned for her health. She is a breast cancer survivor (double mastectomy). She has had a number of issues in the past year and half, some that MAY be linked to her breast cancer.

All I can say from her experience, and my own Mom's experience with varrious medical issues - is that one should not just attend to the medical issues. But also attend to the mental "health" issues (note I used quotes on health - to denote that I am not talking about mental health as some may think of. More along the lines of being positive about ones future both mentally and "spiritually" (spiritual is meant from a VERY broad term - since not all are believers in any formal religion or belief).

I will speak more from my Mom's experiences. It was her mental and "spiritual" outlook that gave me extra time with her. For her doctors gave her only 6 to 12 months of life left after here first heart attack. 5 years after that I finally lost her, when she was on the way to her doctor for a diagnosis that she and the rest of us did not want. I also now see that at the time she passed away, that we as a family was at its strongest. So she could go in peace- knowing that she did all that she could do.

It is my Faith that has taught me that we do not leave this Good Earth till our "job" is done. As they say, "your milage may vary". But I find comfort in her values and hope. She taught me a lot, whether she knew it in the end or not.

My thoughts, hopes, and prayers are still with you.

I am not sure of what your beliefs are, but I believe that we are never given more than what we can take at any one time. It may seem that way at times.
 

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iAlan said:
I live in Japan and my family are all in Australia. Distance is not a good thing when a family member is sick
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I know the feeling. Back in the late 80's my 28 or so sister had to have a hysterectomy in my first job more than a couple hours drive away.
 
CanadaRAM said:
Respectfully:

Will those who wish to debate the efficacy of faith as regards to acute medical condions, AND those who wish to engage in the secondary debate as to the advisability of posting their opinions on MR please make your own thread. This is neither the time nor the place.
Click to expand...


I understand where you are coming from. Hope that I did not cross any boundaries of your intent.
 
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