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Emma_T's avatar
Emma_T
Member
14 years ago

Pathology results received....

Hi All,

Thanks once again for your amazing love and support via this fantastic BCNA website :)

The waiting game is over as I received my pathology results yesterday.  Not the outcome I was hoping but I need to try and remain positive.

After having a mastectomy (right breast) and 4 lymph nodes taken it was revealed that my cancer was not 2cm but 4cm and the remaining other cancers were 2cm and 9cm. This was upsetting but my surgeon then went on to say that they had found that 1 of the lymph nodes that had been taken had some cancer cells - I was shattered :( :(  This is not the outcome I was hoping for and I feel as though I have just taken 2 steps backward.  I now have to go back for more surgery next Wed where he will take a few more lymph nodes.

Needless to say yesterday was a big low point for me and I was very emotional.  I have also since found out that my cancer is HER2 negative but ER and PR positive.  All very scary and I am still trying to get my head around all of the language and types of cancer out there.  

I have had a better day today although haven't tried to think much about next week.  Must say it is hard to remain positive when you receive news like this.

Sorry to have a whinge - just feel like I needed to talk to someone :)  Thanks for listening xxxx

7 Replies

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  • louiseg's avatar
    louiseg
    Member
    14 years ago

    Not the news that you had hoped for!  But at least it was only one lymph node and not all of them and, as Tonya said, being HER -ve ER/PR +ve  is a good thing.  Hopefully the next lot of lymph nodes will be clear and you can start on your recovery.  I know that you will more than likely still have to have chemo but once you have had all of your surgery it makes it easier to deal with somehow.  Chemo isn't great but it is do-able and if you are on hormone treatment after that (eg Tamoxifen) that is just one tablet each day (and I've had no side-affects at all from that).

    Good luck and pop back in to vent or to let us know how you are doing,

    Louise x

  • JJoy's avatar
    JJoy
    Member
    14 years ago

    Hi Emma, I know the feeling, last November 'I got the news' - two weeks later the surgery - had to wait ALL over Christmas and New Year for results!  It was agonising and I didn't dare know what to think at the time - except now it seems a blur, when I did get the results (on the 4th January) it was back in for surgery - I felt like I had stepped on the merry-go-round from hell, so I know how you feel!  If it is any comfort to you, like the ladies said - one day at a time, I use the expression 'baby steps' - just put one foot in front of the other.  By the way, you are not whinging - you need to vent and this site is just the right place - at least every one understands what you are going through - each time I went to a doctor they would hit me up with more news, chemo, radiotherapy, Herceptin for a year.....bla bla bla - then surgery to insert a portacath for the chemo and Herceptin.  One day when my husband went up the street to get some groceries, I sat on my bed and howled! I mean howled! I didn't know you could cry from your boots and I did!  My husband walked in and saw my red puffy eyes and just held me - neither of us could say anything............I could talk about it on here, but to people in general all they see is this 'bright outgoing person' who seems to be 'doing well' - but deep inside I was a mess!  I have been put on some happy pills and I certainly have 'picked up' - no one has any idea what we are feeling - except as I said the ladies on this site - so vent away darling, we are here for you 'talk to us' - we KNOW what you are going through x x x Josie

  • melphilp's avatar
    melphilp
    Member
    14 years ago

    Hi Emma,

    Just wanted to wish you all the best and for you to know that you are not alone. I was diagnosed on March 17th this year and have had 4 rounds of chemo. I can't wait till it is all over, but one thing that I have learnt is that you just go with the flow. There are so many regimes and protocols in place these days and my doctors have been just amazing. It is really scary but I am just taking one day at a time. I am a teacher and luckily my school has been just fabulous through all this, but I really miss my kids and just want to be able to teach a full week again!!! It is very frustrating. I have also had lots of troubles with my husband and last weekend when things really came to a head, I was able to vent my frustrations on here. It was so good and I recieved some amazing support. So remember we are all here to help you. Take care Emma.

    Mel

  • melphilp's avatar
    melphilp
    Member
    14 years ago

    Hi Emma,

    Just wanted to wish you all the best and for you to know that you are not alone. I was diagnosed on March 17th this year and have had 4 rounds of chemo. I can't wait till it is all over, but one thing that I have learnt is that you just go with the flow. There are so many regimes and protocols in place these days and my doctors have been just amazing. It is really scary but I am just taking one day at a time. I am a teacher and luckily my school has been just fabulous through all this, but I really miss my kids and just want to be able to teach a full week again!!! It is very frustrating. I have also had lots of troubles with my husband and last weekend when things really came to a head, I was able to vent my frustrations on here. It was so good and I recieved some amazing support. So remember we are all here to help you. Take care Emma.

    Mel

  • w_w_w_dette's avatar
    w_w_w_dette
    Member
    14 years ago

    Hi Emma

    Good that the waiting is over and yet scary that you have to have more surgery and the lumps were larger than first thought. Let's hope that they the lymph nodes they take 2nd time round yield more positive news.

    It's amazing how much terminology  and medical terms we seem to quickly learn, forced I guess! Take heart from your HER2 negative and ER, PR positive results, I have the same and that's actually good (as far as cnacer path can be!!) Sure your surgeon/oncolgist will explain more when your brain can take a bit more in.

    Whingeing and accepting that not all days will be positive is part of working our way through this maze so go for it!

    I'll be thinking of you, take care

    Dette xxxx

  • annie2's avatar
    annie2
    Member
    14 years ago

    Hi Emma sorry to hear about your results and that you have to go back for more sugery.very scarey and frustrating for you.I had a mastectomy of left breast and all nodes removed and same tumour was bigger than first thought and was other small tumour.

    But through this ive found to just get through one day at a time and try not to take on board too much. your head gets filled with medical jargon that soon becomes like a second language nearly.

    whinge all you like we all deserve it now and then, and we all understand what each other is going through.Im doing radiation now and made it through 6 mnths of chemo yay!!!Some days are a struggle and their are many ups and downs.make the most of the good ones and rest and sleep through the bad ones.

    hope all goes well with your surgery look after you x

    annie....

  • annie2's avatar
    annie2
    Member
    14 years ago

    Hi Emma sorry to hear about your results and that you have to go back for more sugery.very scarey and frustrating for you.I had a mastectomy of left breast and all nodes removed and same tumour was bigger than first thought and was other small tumour.

    But through this ive found to just get through one day at a time and try not to take on board too much. your head gets filled with medical jargon that soon becomes like a second language nearly.

    whinge all you like we all deserve it now and then, and we all understand what each other is going through.Im doing radiation now and made it through 6 mnths of chemo yay!!!Some days are a struggle and their are many ups and downs.make the most of the good ones and rest and sleep through the bad ones.

    hope all goes well with your surgery look after you x

    annie....