Information and opinions on Breast Cancer from sue dyer at MyBreastCancerNetwork.com. The HealthCentral Network, Inc. (www.HealthCentral.com) is one of the top health destinations on the Web, with more than 35 condition-specific, wellness and general health Web properties. http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/302849 http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/302849/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/302849 http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/302849/79946/scarred Sat, 25 Jul 2009 04:55:59 -0400 sue dyer I've now been back at school for two weeks and have had some time to gather my thoughts. The step back into "normal" life, while much anticipated, was a big one, nonetheless. Buoyed up by the use of the word "excellent" by my surgeon and my oncologist, I took a deep breath, squared my shoulders and moved the first foot forward.   The most interesting thing is becoming aware of how the cancer experience has changed me. I find my priorities... http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/302849/79946/scarred http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/302849/75931/counting Wed, 24 Jun 2009 03:30:43 -0400 sue dyer Today, for some inexplicable reason, I got out the calendar and counted up the number of days since I was diagnosed with IBC. Since 10th October last year, 257 days have passed.   On day 256 I had the last of my 30 radiation treatments. Today I am looking at the purple flesh in the treatment area and feeling relieved that it's over. I have a few sore spots, but overall it's not too bad and it will get better.   At first I was quite... http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/302849/75931/counting http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/302849/68317/milestone Thu, 23 Apr 2009 12:05:47 -0400 sue dyer I can hardly believe it, but there are no more sleeps to go. Today, in the early afternoon, I had my last weekly Taxol treatment. To quote MLK Junior, I am "free at last"!....Well almost. There are still 13 more Herceptin treatments to go, providing the MUGA shows no dangerous decrease in my heart function, and there is the small matter of six weeks of radiation. Already, my heart has lifted as I move closer to my post-IBC life.   I'm not... http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/302849/68317/milestone http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/302849/65666/laughamycin Thu, 02 Apr 2009 11:13:23 -0400 sue dyer It's sleepless night tonight after Taxol infusion no.9 today. I've reached 3/4 of the way through this part of the treatment and there are only 3 to go. I'm getting excited already, so goodness knows what I'll be like the night before. Unbearable, probably.   This week marks the retirement of my wig. I took the plunge on Monday and went out without it. No-one stared at me and when I went to school on Tuesday to have lunch with a mate,... http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/302849/65666/laughamycin http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/302849/62811/blancmange Thu, 12 Mar 2009 11:11:56 -0400 sue dyer On Tuesday this week I received a visit from a very nice woman called Judy who runs a business here in Melbourne fitting women for bras and prostheses after mastectomy. It's a great idea as it protects your privacy and she can bring the products she knows will be suitable for you and you won't have to negotiate a confusing maze of bras and breasts. She also was able to give me helpful information on how to claim back the cost ($A365 and fully... http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/302849/62811/blancmange http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/302849/62335/obsessed Sun, 08 Mar 2009 17:57:37 -0400 sue dyer It may seem to those kind and interested enough to keep up with my shareposts that I'm obsessed with my hair. Well...maybe I am. I am most amused at the moment to find that it has changed from white-as-snow, through battleship-grey to BLONDE!!! My wonderful physio noticed this as she was working on my arm last week. And all this is happening with hair that is still barely half an inch long. Never a dull moment.   What really amuses me is... http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/302849/62335/obsessed http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/302849/61025/note Thu, 26 Feb 2009 09:25:58 -0500 sue dyer Tonight (it's 12.46am in Melbourne) when most people in my part of the world are sound asleep and in your part of the world are going about their daily business. I'm taking advantage of the Dexamethasone-induced insomnia to write a little more seriously than I usually do.   Today I passed my latest milestone - Week 4 of 12 weekly Taxol/Herceptin infusions. As usual for me everything passed without incident, apart from my port playing up.... http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/302849/61025/note http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/302849/59916/funny-thing Wed, 18 Feb 2009 02:33:38 -0500 sue dyer One of the biggest hurdles we face in our battle with the demon cancer is losing our hair. For me personally, I am not generally a physically vain person, but I did like two things about myself - my hair (thick, fine and silky) and my cleavage (v. sexy). I have lost both - for the time being. I had to talk lots of common sense to myself to get ready for the loss of my hair. It felt like a minor victory to me to keep it a week longer than my... http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/302849/59916/funny-thing http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/302849/59458/haves-good Sat, 14 Feb 2009 03:25:28 -0500 sue dyer I think for many of us one of the more difficult aspects of having breast cancer is handing over so much responsibility to our doctors. We come from a culture that teaches and encourages us to live life actively rather than passively. This is much more true for women today than it was in the past. We don't let men make all the decisions any more and we can plan much of our lives in terms of children and careers.   It is a shock to the... http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/302849/59458/haves-good http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/302849/56774/mastectomy Fri, 23 Jan 2009 19:31:00 -0500 sue dyer In Australia there are thirty women every day diagnosed with breast cancer. Logically, that means that many of them will be faced with the decision whether to have a mastectomy or a lumpectomy. Having IBC means that I didn't really have a choice as mastectomy is standard practice. However, in preparing myself for this part of the treatment, I discovered a great deal of information that helped me to deal with my feelings and now that I've had the... http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/302849/56774/mastectomy