Thank you for sharing this. It's important to know that some forms of breast cancer are are congenital. Others in your family should keep a close watch if this is true in your case. Self breast exam in men is the same as for women. We should maybe all do that.
About 1 in 100 breast cancer cases are men
- Thread starter jinman
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jinman
Rest in Peace
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I had a PET scan last Thursday afternoon and see my oncologist for the first time on next Tuesday morning (9/24). I'll know more soon about what I have yet to do. I'll let everyone know as time goes along.
BTW: The PET scan was done in a mobile unit (an 18-wheeler backed up to the hospital's loading dock). They travel from hospital to hospital doing scans. Smaller hospitals that cannot afford the scanning equipment can still have patients come to the local facility instead of travelling long distances. The fee for my PET scan was $4k. Medicare paid most of it and Tricare for Life picked up the remainder so that it cost me nothing.
BTW: The PET scan was done in a mobile unit (an 18-wheeler backed up to the hospital's loading dock). They travel from hospital to hospital doing scans. Smaller hospitals that cannot afford the scanning equipment can still have patients come to the local facility instead of travelling long distances. The fee for my PET scan was $4k. Medicare paid most of it and Tricare for Life picked up the remainder so that it cost me nothing.
dave1949
Super Star Member
Glad to hear you are healing and following a good game plan by the sounds of it.
From Bookmobiles to traveling PET scans is a long ways. We should count our blessings.
From Bookmobiles to traveling PET scans is a long ways. We should count our blessings.
farmgirl19
Elite Member
jinman; Some of us are still awaiting the update from this morning's appointment. We are all hoping for good news!
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jinman
Rest in Peace
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Thanks everyone for your concern. Yesterday, I saw my oncologist and another surgeon who is going to insert my chemo port (probably next week). The oncologist explained to me that my detectable cancer is all gone and we will use a treatment to ensure any other cells in my body are starved from what is feeding them. As women have male hormones, men also have female hormones, estrogen and progesterone are produced in small amounts and larger amounts as we age. These small amounts are what the breast cancer specific cells feed on. My chemo will target any existing cancer cells (short term) and then target the hormone production over the long term (5 years).
I will have two specific chemo drugs. The first will be given once every two weeks for a total of four doses (8 weeks of treatment). The 2nd will follow on a similar schedule for the next 8 weeks. At the end of those treatments, I will take a hormone controlling medication for the next five years. I should be through with chemo around the end of Jan 2014, then go on the hormone therapy.
My oncologist explained that it was best to do a port on the chest for the chemo since any port in the arm for long term is limiting and not normally successful. He sent me next door to see a surgeon who works closely with Texas Oncology to do these ports. As it turns out, I also have a mole on my chest that needs removal and one on the back of my left leg. Both go for long periods of time not causing problems and then they start itching like crazy. After my surgery, the mole on my chest has been driving me crazy. The doctors both said it would be best to remove that and get a pathology report to be on the safe side. The delay seems to be that I take Plavix and baby aspirin daily. The surgeon wants me to stop taking those for five days before surgery. My mastectomy was done without stopping them, but this surgeon does not want to take a chance on bleeding problems when he installs the port.
Tomorrow, I have to go to Chemo training. I think this is just a one-on-one session where they go over the details of the chemo and what to expect (like hair loss). It seems a bit dramatic to do all of this, but I have an EKG scheduled for surgery prep and it can be done at the same appointment, and get both out of the way.
So over the next four months, I'll be making a trip to Wichita Falls, TX every two weeks for my chemo. Along about February, they will remove the port and I'll switch to a hormone therapy with daily oral medication for the next five years.
My oncologist has not seen the results of the PET scan I took last Thursday in Decatur, TX. He is requesting those results from my local surgeon's office as soon as they are available.
Finally, between Medicare and my supplemental Tricare for life from the military, I've not had any expenses or copays. My oncologist told me everything was fully covered by those plans. What a blessing it is to have such good coverage and availability of great local facilities for my treatment.
Thank you everyone for your concern. I'll keep you up to date on my journey back to full health. Your thoughts and prayers are forever appreciated.
I will have two specific chemo drugs. The first will be given once every two weeks for a total of four doses (8 weeks of treatment). The 2nd will follow on a similar schedule for the next 8 weeks. At the end of those treatments, I will take a hormone controlling medication for the next five years. I should be through with chemo around the end of Jan 2014, then go on the hormone therapy.
My oncologist explained that it was best to do a port on the chest for the chemo since any port in the arm for long term is limiting and not normally successful. He sent me next door to see a surgeon who works closely with Texas Oncology to do these ports. As it turns out, I also have a mole on my chest that needs removal and one on the back of my left leg. Both go for long periods of time not causing problems and then they start itching like crazy. After my surgery, the mole on my chest has been driving me crazy. The doctors both said it would be best to remove that and get a pathology report to be on the safe side. The delay seems to be that I take Plavix and baby aspirin daily. The surgeon wants me to stop taking those for five days before surgery. My mastectomy was done without stopping them, but this surgeon does not want to take a chance on bleeding problems when he installs the port.
Tomorrow, I have to go to Chemo training. I think this is just a one-on-one session where they go over the details of the chemo and what to expect (like hair loss). It seems a bit dramatic to do all of this, but I have an EKG scheduled for surgery prep and it can be done at the same appointment, and get both out of the way.
So over the next four months, I'll be making a trip to Wichita Falls, TX every two weeks for my chemo. Along about February, they will remove the port and I'll switch to a hormone therapy with daily oral medication for the next five years.
My oncologist has not seen the results of the PET scan I took last Thursday in Decatur, TX. He is requesting those results from my local surgeon's office as soon as they are available.
Finally, between Medicare and my supplemental Tricare for life from the military, I've not had any expenses or copays. My oncologist told me everything was fully covered by those plans. What a blessing it is to have such good coverage and availability of great local facilities for my treatment.
Thank you everyone for your concern. I'll keep you up to date on my journey back to full health. Your thoughts and prayers are forever appreciated.
mikim
Veteran Member
Jim -- sounds really good...I'm real happy about my tricare too. Blue Cross is primary but Tricare picks up everything else. All those years on survival wages is starting to pay off. I call it my "twenty year pre-pay". I'm surprised they are doing a port for so few treatments - particularly as they are spaced 2 weeks apart. I had chemo every week for 7 weeks - no port. no problem. Bernice has a mole on her cheek that came back positive. We don't know yet what they plan on for treatment. Hoping for continued good luck for ya.
Bird
Rest in Peace
Sounds as if you're going to be busy the rest of the year. Good Luck with it.
farmgirl19
Elite Member
jinman; When they go to giving you chemo through the port, make sure they "freeze" the area good, beforehand. A friend said she found that eliminated any pain from inserting into the line. She also said she was lucky, her surgeon put it near enough the surface to be easily found by those administering chemo, but deep enough that she didn't look like she had grown an odd boob, after having her other 2 removed! Yep, she was dealing with breast cancer too.
Bird
Rest in Peace
We have Medicare and the AARP (United Healthcare) supplement so we never have any copay for doctors, hospitals, and labs, but of course we pay $275 a month for that. Then we pay another $310 a month for the United Healthcare prescription coverage (Medicare Part D) and we do have copays for that. And I've been told to expect about a 5% increase in the cost next year, but don't know the exact amount for sure yet.
