Lumpectomy removed healthy tissue and not the tumour
Hi, I had lumpectomy done to remove my tumour a couple weeks ago. It was done with mammogram guided hookwire. I met with the surgeon yesterday to discuss the pathology result and was told that hookwire was placed incorrectly, so instead of the tumour, the surgeon removed healthy tissue. Has anyone heard of similar case? I don't understand what happened to the hookwire and how the surgeon couldn't see where it was placed despite being provided with the pictures from the radiologist.
@oseikka we are sorry to hear of your experience and would suggest you discuss your experience with the people who have you in their care. Please refer to Cancer Council's website page Cancer Care and Your Rights
I have heard of a similar situation with my sister in law - the hookwire dislodged during the surgery as it was near the surface. The surgeon took a large biopsy in the area where it would have been but she still had to go for another procedure later on after more imaging and another hookwire to confirm it was all gone. I am really sorry this happened to you. Medical procedures all have risks as well as benefits.
It's like being back in the hellish reality after being told you have cancer. I am trying to pick myself up for the next surgery, but finding it really hard to switch off the really morbid thoughts. I am seeing a psychologist next week and I've also reached out to a counsellor but these horrible thoughts are not shifting. I don't know how to repair the trust. The surgeon and radiologist are blaming each other and I'm no clearer to what really happened. I don't even want to assign blame, I just want to make the right decision for the next step and it's so hard when I don't trust the health team anymore
I hear you @oseikka. Are there any other surgeons available? BC is traumatic enough without losing faith in your team. You may wish to access the patient care manager who may be able to assist you to understand what happened and how to move forward. Sending huge hugs
This is a really hard one. My experience may not help but .....I had a bad result from a cataract operation (the second, the first one was fine). When the patch came off I could see nothing - just a dark brown nothing. The anaesthetist had a problem, and I had a bleed. Short story, back into hospital in two hours, fluid drained, wound lasered, all good apart from the oxygen bubble in my eye (took about two weeks to gradually vanish). I was angry. For days. Then suddenly I realised that I was fine, my eye was fine, no-one intended to harm me. The anaesthetist had actually rung me (didn’t quite apologise, but still...). And I literally felt a weight lift off my shoulders. You’re carrying the horrible thoughts, a weight on you. It’s worse for you as you are still coming to terms with your diagnosis, but there will be a chorus of people who’ve been through it saying ‘Be kind to yourself’. Carrying anger and mistrust, even when justified, hurts only you. And you don’t need that. Your treatment will be back on track soon, seeing a psychologist or counsellor is an excellent idea (our brains get pretty roughed up by this stuff too) so see this as a rock on the road, but not a landslide. Very best wishes.
I am so sorry this happened to you @oseikka :( I watched a video of a hookwire being inserted & the following operation to remove the tumour & really find it hard to see how they could not 'find it' .... I fully understand your lost trust in the surgeon/radiologist. They need to put YOU first and FIX IT xx
Your range of emotions are totally normal and I am just so sad you've been put thru this. xx I am glad you are going to be chatting with a Counsellor - you can also give our helpline a call on 1800 50 258 (Mon-Fri).
Also, consider listening to Charlotte Tottman's Podcasts - she is a BC psychologist who was diagnosed in 2018 and had a double mastectomy & stayed flat. She was surprised that the diagnosis hit her as hard as it did, as she'd been counseling women for YEARS on helping THEM get over the shock ... This disease actually mucks more with your BRAIN than your body, I reckon! So she really 'gets it', more than many others (who haven't experienced the diagnosis & treatment themselves.) The podcast link is here: https://soundcloud.com/search?q=charlotte tottman
Make sure you Click on 'view 22 tracks' and start with No 13 (which is the first episode of Series One - weird that they've put Series 2 'first'!) They are really good to listen to, as she talks more as a BC survivor, not a Psychologist - and she is very easy to listen to! She has been thru every emotion that we have xx
Take care & I wish you all the best in your upcoming surgery xx
