Putting my 50th on hold...

I had 2 nodes with 2 micromets in them near my tumour so I had a full axillary clearance end they were all clear. I then had 5 months of chemo and I'm half way through radiation now. Even though I had a mastecomy, I'm having my chest wall radiated xxx I'm having a hysterectomy and my right breast removed next year and will go on tamoxifen starting may 28th :-) Then ill look at reconstruction for both. Jodie xxxx

Sorry to hear things haven't been good for you, I agree that you will turn 50, 60 and 70 down the track:)  Sometimes this roller coaster ride gets very bumpy and the waiting is the worst. I wish you well with your further surgery, take care, 

Hazel xx

Sorry to hear things haven't been good for you, I agree that you will turn 50, 60 and 70 down the track:)  Sometimes this roller coaster ride gets very bumpy and the waiting is the worst. I wish you well with your further surgery, take care, 

Hazel xx

Sorry to hear things haven't been good for you, I agree that you will turn 50, 60 and 70 down the track:)  Sometimes this roller coaster ride gets very bumpy and the waiting is the worst. I wish you well with your further surgery, take care, 

Hazel xx

 

Hi Karen

Yes, it's a shock when what you thought was happening pivots 360 degrees! No wonder they call it a journey - with plenty of switchbacks and zigzags sometimes. I wish you lots of support and you will find plenty of it here on BCNA. 

I had a neat - very neat - lumpectomy but with axillary clearance to start and I recovered beautifully with physio to start chemotherapy (6 months of) three weeks later. But the kicker is my margins weren't clear and the two lumps seemed connected, so totalling 5cm. I have to go back for a mastectomy after chemo and before the 6 weeks of radiotherapy. For a while I was feeling very down about the extra time needed, and on top of that I'm planning reconstruction which will be more time devoted to having my body where I want it to be.

So it has motivated me to think about my broader life goals and what is really going to make me happy. All done in 12 months is not an option, but thinking longer term I will get where I want to be to realise those broader life goals, which is healthy, able to exercise, not having to think about prostheses and getting on with life with a few plan Bs in the back pocket.

Tip: the axillary clearance may cause what's called cording in some women which is fixed with massage, stretching and exercise. Cording is the fibrotic changes in lymph channels not being able to flow any more and it looks like cords of different diameter tight under the skin strung from your armpit and into the bicep, to elbow crook and even down the forearm, from fine string to some quite thick cords depending on the person. Visiting the physio who was a lymphodeoma and cording expert for a few weeks was great.

Cheers

Meg

 

Thanks Jodie... Yes it was a big shock... It was all so overwhelming when I went for my last appointment after surgery MX Left Breast with reconstruction TE and some new thing that was the first time they had used in Royal Perth hospital.. I have the $5000 breast apparently.. Doesn't feel that way ATM.... I was so upset and angry that they had not DX it properly and they had missed the cancer in the Sentinal Node that I didn't listen to much that was going on ... All I knew was I was going back to surgery.. Was all prepared to just get on with it.. NO such luck.. Anyway as we all know we will get on with it but it sure is daunting to think that the worst is yet to come... Cant believe that we can go through all the surgery and we still haven't got rid of it... Did you have nodal involvement? I see you had chemo.. I had two different masses about 3cm apart with two different path results ... It really does become a bit confusing.. cant wait to see the oncologist now to know where I am at... I hate the waiting and just want to get it over with... haha .. know that isn't going to happen any time soon.. :)

Hi Karen. I was initially told I had idc too which ended up ilc. I know how it feels and just the shocked everything xxx It will be ok, you can do this. You've come to a wonderful site where you will be hugged and loved and supported while you take each step. I'm here if you need to talk xxx

Hi Karen. I was initially told I had idc too which ended up ilc. I know how it feels and just the shocked everything xxx It will be ok, you can do this. You've come to a wonderful site where you will be hugged and loved and supported while you take each step. I'm here if you need to talk xxx