Newbie
I was diagnosed a few days ago, after a biopsy. I was told they would remove the area around and including the 5mm & 6mm cancers and that I would require radiation and depending on the hormorne receptors etc results after pathology, that I may need chemo or hormone treatment. I am ok with this (well kinda until I read all the side effects of the chemo/hormone treatments!).
It was all a bit of a blur but I was happy to get this started and underway asap, so I booked myself into the private hospital for the surgery at the next available opening, thinking that my insurance covered most of the cost, which i found out it doesn't (that's what happens when you go cheap!). Now for some reason the fact that I have breast cancer is at the back of my mind and all I can think of is about trying to find out what my options are to be treated by my surgeon as a public patient, and since it's a weekend all I can do is ponder the answers and I find it hard to shut off my mind. I realise this is not really where my focus should be and it seems slightly trivial, but I think that once I'm sure about when and where it's going to happen I might be able to focus better.
I know it's only been a few days (and maybe i'm waiting for it to sink in) but I never considered my diagnosis as a death sentence (even though my family history has not been positive). Maybe i'm not taking this seriously enough, or still in a bit of a daze. I'm just thinking positive that there are clear margins and they haven't spread to my nodes.
I'm also curious to know when i'll meet the rest of the 'team' that will help in my treatment, so far i've only delt with the surgeon. I assume this will come after the surgery and more answers have come from the pathology results.
I'm not one for being overly open and blogging but I think I just needed to get this out.
Leanne
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Sorry to hear about your bc diagnosis but welcome to this network.It's a great place to come for support and information or just to vent. It is a shock at first and sometimes it doesn''t sink in or feel real until you wake up after surgery. It can hit us in all different kinds of ways and at different times.I've had breast cancer twice(in the same breast) and the first time I got the news(2003) I was an anxious,blubbering mess.The second time(2010) I was quite ok with the bad news.I was so brave throughout the body scans and surgery that I surprized myself. Then it was the small thing of signing the chemo consent form that made me come undone -blubbering mess again! I guess what I'm saying is - you can't always predict how you'll react during this crap journey. With regards to private and public hospitals, not all surgeons work at both. If your surgeon does then you can elect to go public with the hosp.but private with the surgeon of your choice.This is cheaper than going private hosp and private surgeon.If you go public with both then you might not get your surgeon doing the actual operation.You will have to check with your health fund and your surgeon on Monday. Once you have a lumpectomy and probably sentinal node removal you will find out if the margin was clear and if the nodes were clear.This might take days or a week to find out. Some women have to go back for full node clearance if cancer cells were found in the first node. The waiting and unknown are the hardest parts.The pathology of your cancer and whether any nodes have cancer cells will then determine your treatment.You will have to have radiation if you have a lumpectomy but you may or may not need chemo.Your surgeon will refer you to an oncologist and/or a radiation oncologist AFTER your surgery.Try not to think too far ahead,just get through the surgery. Have you ordered"my journey"kit from this network?Do so because it has all the info you will need and it's free.I hope I've answered some of your questions but ask anything - bound to be someone here who can help.We are either going through treatment or,like me, finished the journey.You are not alone here. Sending hugs,Tonya xx
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Hi Tonya,
Thanks for your reply, I appreciate it. I have ordered the My Journey Kit. My surgeon did offer private or public at the time, but assuming I was covered I just opted for the private and didn't go into the public option... plus it was alot to take in. I'll just have to wait till monday and see what all my options are.
Leanne
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