Fear: Strictly Optional

Hi PJ,

First I have to say thank you for posting your information on Fear. Thank was so timly and so much appericated.

Now to my question, I hope you can help me, or may know of someone else who has had this problem. Since I had my first breast cancer surgery back in July 2008, my skin has been going throught major changes (breaking out). They are little red bumps and they hurt, so I went to my doctor thinking that maybe it was the cancer coming back (Fear). But after he checked them out, he assured me that it was not and that I was cancer free since the double mascetomy. So I worked very hard at trying to get them under control. Well, right as they were begainning to look better and fade away. I had the second part of my reconstruction surgery. And would you beleive it the skin break out came back, this time only face and chest. Maybe because I had already made come changes, like difference fabric softener, languary soap, etc. My daughter keep telling me that she think it is hormonal, what do you think? And do you know of anyone else who had gone through this. I have changed my make-up to all mineral, that's seems to help a lot. Then my boy-friend said that he thinks that it is my body just trying to get use to the implants. I would greatly appreciate hearing what you are anyone else out there has to say on the subject.

Thank you again,

Stepaheda

You are absolutely right, PJ - fear does nothing but eat away at you and cause you to be angry.  

PJ-

I loved reading your post on fear.  Thank you for sharing your feelings in such a way that I could truly relate to.  When I was first diagnosed I was "shocked and sad", and I was afraid of the unknown.  I had my bilat mastectomy and found out that I had another mass with 1.1cm of invasive cancer , this was larger than the original o.14cm that I found.  I have been feeling fearful lately.  I have fear that the cancer could still be in me hiding and just waiting to rear it's ugly head, but your post made me realize that it is no way to live  Thank you!!!!!!

I am so glad that you are cancer free for 7 years!  Congrats!  You are an inspiration and so kind to all of us on this site.  But please, never, ever let your guard down.  I had breast cancer in 85 and year after year, I would say to my oncologist.."Well, it has been x number of years..I should be cured and free of cancer now."  He always said.." never let your guard down."  And, he was right.  I now have breast cancer in the other breast after 23 plus years.  So please, to everyone...always keep getting your mammograms and self check yourself.  I know we all want to say and think the word cure, but, you have to be realistic.  I thought I was "cured"............... 

This website, and your articles and posts in particular, are very helpful to me today, thank you.

I am 60 with bleeding from one nipple that I noticed last week. It is not "blood-y discharge," it is pure blood. Not a big quantity, but enough spontaneously to stain my bra and it produces easily with pressure. I called the doctor immediately, had mammo and ultrasound -- they both came back "negative." The doctor found no lumps or anything else remarkable, but saw the blood. He referred me to a surgeon who I will see in a couple of days. Do you have any idea what the surgeon might do or advise?

I am usually very good at focusing on "one thing at a time" and my motto is "don't worry twice," but I was already a bit on the edgy side because of a new eye problem that may or not be helped by surgery (awaiting test results on that also).

Thank you for this site. I need to go ... bake cookies or something ...