keeping in touch
It feels like i have had this cancer thingy in me for like 12 months, time has been so dreadfully slow but now it's finally on the move.
All that worry for nothing ( so far that is). Finally i have seen my surgeon yesterday ( Thursday) and am now booked in this Tuesday for a lumpectomy and sentinel node / axillary dissection . Radiation treatment to follow. Pathology results will determine if it is hormone receptive or if i need chemo. I think this is all the normal routine for most people until the pathology results come in.
My surgeon does not recommend mastectomy yet which is great news,"YAY" as she believes she will be able to remove it all and fix up any abnormalities in the remaining tissue due to the amount of breast tissue i will have left compared to the size of the lump which is great.
She will do some stretching, pulling and stitching which i am quite happy about, ( just leave my boob on)
So here's hoping nothing bad comes back in the pathology results.
I will keep in touch about my progress and thanks to everyone for listening and being there for me. You have made a big difference. Cheers Jo xx
Comments
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hi jo..
i had a lumpectomy, axillary clearance, radiation and chemo on RIGHT boob in '98
then i had a lumpectomy, sentinel node biospy, radiation in 2003 on LEFT boob.
at the time in 1998 i was shocked and also did not want my boob touched, but i reasoned, well they had to do something so i resolved to go ahead with it. i tried going step by step etc and day by day. i do remember being.. sort of in numb land, my worst nightmare had come true.
anyway..to cut a long story short i am still here and doing ok, though less energy and easily fatigued but i have a lot to be grateful for each day, and i try to go with that.
i was 42 at the time, and my boobs meant a lot to me.
now i am older, 55, i think i coud handle a mastectomy better perhaps.
i am ok with my remaining boobs. they are smaller and slightly odd shaped, they are about " level" when i stand straight. i am USED to them i guess.
i am more than my boobs anyway. still it is a big shock at first ..thinking of you.
get all information and advice, then work out the best way forward. give yourself time to get used to it all, and i wsh you all the best.
kathy.
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Thanks for replying Kathy,
If it came down to life or death then yes i think i would go with a mastectomy and chemo. I don't know, that really makes me cringe at the thought of it. It's horrible that you got the cancer back again in the other boob, It seems to me that once someone has had breast cancer removed they then get it back some years later. There are so many women on this site that have secondary cancer around the 5 year mark like yourself. , but yet the statistics say it is only a small percentage. I just don't trust it. It really scares me.
You have been through so much trying to deal with cancer twice, but Im glad your now enjoying your life and i know i will get there too, i just got to be patient and go with it i suppose.
cheers Jo
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hi jo,
i had two, separate, primary cancers,( EARLY INVASIVE BC, stage two ) which can happen, after you have had BC in one breast. there are statistics of it happening in the other breast.
checks are done frequently. in my case i have a yearly double mammogram and double ultrasound now.
i freaked the first time, for some reason the second time.. i was sort of " calm "..LOL
perhaps because i was on antidepressant, not sure. i do not seem to react to " shock " like i used to these days.
i am sure you have been given information on statistics and treatment options etc.
http://canceraustralia.nbocc.org.au/you ( has statistics and information on ductal carcinoma in situ and other BC and ovarian cancer )
can have a reconstruction these days, at time of surgery i think. there are many options, so look into it,( if you did need a mastectomy.)
the emotional journey and the physical journey are linked, so do take some time to adjust to it all.
i guess you also have to have a little faith that it will all work out.. and give it your best shot. try and take it bit by bit.
do ask for help from people like breast care nurses, and if you are very distressed then seek medical help too.
the fear and shock are real emotions and normal when you get a diagnosis of BC, ( your case carcinoma in situ ) get accurate information about your options. try and be calm..even if only for a short time each day.
time DOES pass, life does get back to some sort of normal, although it may change too, which is what happens in life.
i have had to learn to try and "go with the flow " and" deal with whatever happens" in my life. also to trust " everything will be ok." so " letting go " is another lesson i had to learn. new things will come into your life also.
someone said to me.. it is not what happens to you, it is how you deal with it. we can have some control over what life throws at us, by how we deal with it.
i hope you are not too distressed and if you are then please seek some help from medical profession. also trust your own instincts.
sincerely, kathy.
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unfortunately I have 2cm invasive ductal carcinoma not carcinoma in situ, if that makes any difference. Maybe the one i have wont come back (with a bit of luck)
I think antidepressants do help. I am on such a high dose and most of the time i don't react like i use to. Although i still have some bad days, especially while i'm not working and keeping busy.
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unfortunately I have 2cm invasive ductal carcinoma not carcinoma in situ, if that makes any difference. Maybe the one i have wont come back (with a bit of luck)
I think antidepressants do help. I am on such a high dose and most of the time i don't react like i use to. Although i still have some bad days, especially while i'm not working and keeping busy.
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hi anne, i have only recently started to view the blogs on this site.
even though i am some years down the track, you still remember the fear, shock, anxiety of it all, but there is hope.
accurate information and someone to turn to when needed do help i think, to help you work out the best plan for you.
even if BC returns, there are treatments, and people can go on living fullfilling lives up to a decade or more. new treatments are being trialled so do not give up.
kathy.
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Thanks Anne, yeah im doing ok, a little sore but nothing to major and i still have my breasts. I do have the glads at the bottom of my neck/throat in between the clavicle and the side of my neck inflamed with lumps in them.. Not sure why or if it;s related. Probably just getting the flu or something. I don't know what they ended up doing. They were having trouble finding the sentinel node under that big machine in nuclear rooms prior to going in. They tried four sessions (about 90 mins but ran out of time. I guess i will find out in 10 days. Is it normal to be very swollen?I am about double the size.
How is everything going with you? and do you know any news yet? We seem to do a lot of waiting hey, lucky we are women.
Cheers Jo xx
PS: I used some "big Cancer" words too the other day but feel really strange saying them too. lol.
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Thanks Cheryl, hope your doing ok. Have you started your teatment plan yet?
Cheers Jo xxx
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