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Alloderm alert

I'm one of the lucky ones. My cancer was picked up on a mammogram and was a minor DCIS so all I needed was a lumpectomy. That's the good news, the less good news was that the excision left me with a depression right in the cleavage area.
My general surgeon recommended a plastic surgeon with "a good reputation" for the repair. The plastic guy recommended an alloderm implant to fill the void. Alloderm aka Life Cell, if you read all the literature, is supposed to convert to natural tissue. Mine is calcifying...a little last year on my post-surgical mammogram and a lot more this year. You can actually see calcium flakes.
No one seems to know why. One theory is that it could be a result of my post-op radiation treatment.
I am relating this to see if anyone else has had a similar result and to alert others that it can happen.
Another plastic surgeon told me that they use Alloderm as a base for a breast implant but wouldn't know if it changes form it since those women don't have mammograms.
I f you have any information, please contact me at fogelmansylvia@gmail.com

Sylvia Fogelman
Potomac, MD

me could this be me?

I turned 40 yes 40 in July ~ I had my script for my routine mamogram for a couple of months. but of course my life is SOOOO Busy ~ 2 kids, a job, a social life, just adopted a 1 1/2 year old dog, did I say a Job! Always something going on. Finally I went right before Halloween, I got a call that I needed to come back and do a repeat. Well next I know I am having a biopsy, then a lumpectomy then another lumpectomy and now it is the week before Christmas and I am seeing the radiation Oncologist to begin my Radiation in january.

I truly feel grateful and blessed that I have hopefully beaten this breast cancer ~ and I know this was a message from above to S~L~O~W down and stop being to crazy and stressed about EVERYTHING! I am trying to be much better and trying to stop 'sweating the small stuff"! Life is truly too short!

pamela closset
Naperville, IL

MY BRAVE DAUGHTER

On March 10, 2009 my daughter was diagnosed with breast cancer. On March 23, 2009 she had her right breast removed. She went through 16 weeks of chemo and 5 weeks of radiation. I am her co-survivor, she is my hero. It was a rough journey for her but she is now cancer free. She works as a nurse's aide and was able to maintain her schedule during this journey. She is a very strong person.

Sue D.
Columbus, OH

My sister- My angel

My sister didn't have health insurance so she didn't get mammagrams every year, She found her lump with self examination at 40 years old. She then went to the doctor and they confirmed that it was cancer. She had a masectomy and 12 lymph nodes removed, which tested positive. She then went thru grueling times of chemo and radiation and then reconstructive surgery. She was my hero, never complaining just doing everything she had to do to survive. The cancer spread to her lungs 2 years later and then her liver and then in March of 2009 it went to her brain. She went thru brain surgery like a soldier but the cancer won the battle on May 6, 2009. I truely believe if she had gotten mammograms each year they would have caught it in the early stages and she would still be here. So please girls get any tests you need and worry about the bills later. And fight all these crazy changes the government is trying to do with our health programs. Stand up for all women and fight the fight against cancer because cancer sucks!

Sharon Ginley
Dunnellon, FL

I have seen a lot of miracles

My story is different because I have never been diagnoised with breast cancer but I have seen miracles done thru some women who were. In our
congregation there have been 5 women who not only survived the cancer but also became strength for the next sister, it spread like a raging fire from no where, there were people afraid it was catching or something. These women took whatever cancer thru at them and they showed the rest of us what faith and prayer was all about, I am proud of each one of these ladies, all different, all fighting, all healed. Not one lost a breast or their life, all of this was ongoing for nearly 3yrs. and I was a witness to it. So for all those still fighting please do not give up, everyday is another opportunity to give thanks and know your being here is important to those who are watching you!

Sonya A.
Rocky Mount, NC

Paying it Forward

I am a high school teacher, so the morning after graduation In June 1999, I was beginning my day at a leisurely pace. While lying in bed, I decided to do my BSE. To my shock, I found a lump; I was 37.

After my mastectomy, my prognosis was fantastic. My tumor was small, and there was no sign of cancer in my lymph nodes; however, I was young, so my oncologist strongly recommended chemotherapy, and I agreed.

While my battle with breast cancer was filled with ups and downs, what I remember the most was the love and support all around me throughout my ordeal. During my chemo days I worked as often as possible; being around my students and colleagues lifted my spirits tremendously. Watching how open and honest I was with the staff and students, the school nurse suggested I do a breast cancer awareness seminar for our female students. I agreed to do it, and it has been an annual event ever since.

The style of the seminar is one of open, honest communication; no question is taboo. In fact, part of the seminar is a show and tell. I chose not to reconstruct and so my students get a chance to see the effects of a mastectomy on someone who wears it proudly as a survivor.

I have since invited other survivors such as colleagues, friends, and former students, to speak with me. The variety of stories is wonderful and the students learn that everyone's journey is different.

My main purpose is to encourage communication and to lessen their fears. My hope is that they will talk with others about what they've learned and, if some day they should face this disease, they will courageously fight it and win, as I have.

Christine Brown
Placerville, CA

Yearly Mammogram Caught Breast Cancer

My gynecologist put me on an estrogen patch after my hysterectomy, against my better judgment. Less than two years later, at age 50, a yearly mammogram and subsequent testing revealed a cancer tumor in my left breast. I had a lumpectomy in October, 2009. My surgeon said the tumor was too deep for me to feel and find. The sentinel lymph nodes were cancerous, so the underarm (axilla) lymph nodes had to be removed and 14 (over half!) were cancerous. That meant stage 3 -- chemo and radiation. I am currently in chemo, and winter is a good time to go through this with wigs and hats. I have a great husband, caring friends and wonderful people involved in my medical care and in my breast cancer support group. I also have an uncomfortable and ugly port in my chest and am dealing with lymphedema (arm pain and swelling) which can happen when you have lymph nodes removed and after radiation. I wish researchers would find out what causes cancer and cure it but, in the meantime, all we have is early detection. My advice is to get a yearly mammogram, especially when going through menopause, make sure they are taken and processed digitally, and avoid HRT if you can.

Lisa
Richardson, TX

Holiday shock

I had always thought that the holiday's (Thanksgiving to New Years) were suspose to be happy. That all changed in fall of 2007 my family doctor suggested that I look into preventitive surgery for breast cancer. I really thought that she was crazy. It took me a couple of months and I went and seen the breast doctor. She said that with my strong family history that I was a very good canidate for the surgery. But before surgery she wanted me to do three things, one a MRI of my breasts, two find a plastic surgeon if I wanted reconstruction, and three have genetic testing done, since I have daughters. Well on November 9, 2007 I was diagnosed with stage one invasive ductal carcinoma. They said that the mass was small, but very close to the chest wall. I had to wait until December 10, to get both doctors in the operating room at the same time. That month I was a mess. The waiting until December 10, was very stressfull, and then Thanksgiving was thrown in the mix. I am very lucky, to have my husband, my rock, and the rest of my family . To be honest I don't know how my husband did it. December 10th came. With my husband and daughter at my side I walked into the pre-op area. Hugs, Kisses and alot of tears. Then the next thing I remeber is going into a private room. After they got me settled, my then 9 year old granddaughter ask the nurse "did you get all grama's cancer".
Well I just hit 24 months of remission. And found out that my cancer was hormone receptive, so I am now on treatments, but I AM ALIVE!

Mary Durst
Wickliffe, OH

April Fools day 2005!!

Here is my story! I was getting ready for bed, and getting on my nightgown
smooting the front of it down and felt a pea sized lump, hard as a rock in
my right breast! breast cancer doesn't run in my family, but still my blood
ran cold with fear!! the following day I made an appointment with my primary doctor to have it looked at. he could not find it lying down, since
I found it standing up that is how he felt it too.. He ordered a mammogram
for the next day, It could not be detected, so they did an ultrasound, and
that was when it showed up plain as day. the radiologist said it appeared
small. we could either watch it for 6 months or do a biopsy and remove it!
I of coarse chose the biopsy, after that was done, my surgeon sat with
me and told me that I had a Lobular carcinoma, 0.7 cm in size, and that I
would need to have a lumpectomy! a week later I had surgery. their
were 2 sattelite nodules close to the tumor site so we went in for another
surgery to remove more tissue for clean margins! with that all done,
I then met my oncologist and started Tomoxifen and 6 weeks of radiation!
it has been 4 1/2 years since this all started, we have since moved to
another town, and my new Oncologist suggested follow up ultrasounds
for my peace of mind, and possibly removing my ovaries, Im through
having kids and had already had a partial hystorectomy 9 years ago!
I am a changed woman since all of this, my Husband is also a cancer
survivor, and we enjoy life every day that we are on this earth!!!!!!

Katheryn Hadden
Longview, WA

Thank God for Digital Mammograms

I had a mammogram in March 2008 and all was clear, no problem. One year later, March 2009 I had my first digital mammogram and it showed what the doctor called a radial scaring. I went for a needle biopsy and no cancer cells, but the doctor was still concerned so I was scheduled for a surgical biopsy. It was cancer in the milk duct, known as DCIS. The surgeon said I had another spot he was concerned about so one and a half weeks later I had surgery again. The radiologist recommended 30 days radiation. He said without any treatment it could come back in ten years, with treatment it could be twenty five years. All the doctors who treated me said there would not be a lump with DCIS. My message to all ladies, do not wait for a lump because it could be too late. You are never too young or too old to get breast cancer. I thank God every day for digital mammograms.

Joyce McCarley
Troup, TX