Jacqui
Hi I am waiting for my results which should be in tomorrow or Wednesday, they will decide if I will have to have a mastectomy or can go on to have radiotherapy.........I shouldn't complain too much for having to wait as my surgeon has been so good in getting my operations (3) done all within 1 month..lucky,lucky me 
)
It is scary all the what if's so am trying to just go one step at a time but want to be able to make an informed decision.
I worry that maybe I should have gone ahead and had a mastectomy to begin with instead of conserving surgery????? I would really like ot hear from anyone that has made the same decision as me, or if they were given the choice why did they prefer mastectomy over conserving surgery?
Jacqui
Comments
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Hi jacqui
Welcome. One step at a time is a good philosophy.. wait until you see the doc and then with all your information you can make the right decision for you! Sometimes it is due to not being able to negotiate the radiotherapy that women decide to have a mastectomy ( some need it even after mastectomy!!) I had BCS and radio and it was right for me... but some people need a mastectomy. I hope you get some answers from others
Good Luck and hope to hear your decision! Jo 0 -
Hi Jacqui,
Jo's right ,you need all the facts laid out before you decide.Infact you may not get a choice.I've had both ops.I had a lumpectomy and full aux.node clearance and then radiation for 5wks back in 2003.I was given a choice cos it was just the 1 lump(2cm).I was 47yrs old and not ready to lose a breast.After radio.my breast was never quite the same-always discomfort.It was just for filling my bra really.I thought that was the end of it but 7yrs later cancer came back in the same spot.Apparently I was in the unlucky 8% who get it back despite radiation.So last year I had to have a mastectomy then chemo.I am 55 and whether it's my age or maybe cos I'd already lost abit of boob,I was surprisingly ok about it.Psychologically it's harder looking at my chest scar but once I'm dressed with my prothesis in my bra then I forget about it.I had to alter some clothes-no more cleavage.But that's ok. Chemo was by far the hardest of all the treatments.I didn't handle it very well at all.And I have been so upset about losing my hair.It takes sooo long to grow back.So in hindsight should I have had a mastectomy in the first place?Probably, cos I may have been spared chemo and radiation.But I did what I thought felt right for me at the time.And that's all you can do really.
Tonya
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Hi Jacqui,
Jo's right ,you need all the facts laid out before you decide.Infact you may not get a choice.I've had both ops.I had a lumpectomy and full aux.node clearance and then radiation for 5wks back in 2003.I was given a choice cos it was just the 1 lump(2cm).I was 47yrs old and not ready to lose a breast.After radio.my breast was never quite the same-always discomfort.It was just for filling my bra really.I thought that was the end of it but 7yrs later cancer came back in the same spot.Apparently I was in the unlucky 8% who get it back despite radiation.So last year I had to have a mastectomy then chemo.I am 55 and whether it's my age or maybe cos I'd already lost abit of boob,I was surprisingly ok about it.Psychologically it's harder looking at my chest scar but once I'm dressed with my prothesis in my bra then I forget about it.I had to alter some clothes-no more cleavage.But that's ok. Chemo was by far the hardest of all the treatments.I didn't handle it very well at all.And I have been so upset about losing my hair.It takes sooo long to grow back.So in hindsight should I have had a mastectomy in the first place?Probably, cos I may have been spared chemo and radiation.But I did what I thought felt right for me at the time.And that's all you can do really.
Tonya
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Hi Jacqui and Good Evening All,
I am going to surgery tomorrow and not looking forward to having to make decisions. But as all the other girls have said we should just take one step at a time. Then maybe all will fall into place.
Just as I was writing this I had a vision of that comedian (forget his name, but he is a big actor) saying "good morning vietnam" so I wanted to say "good evening cancer-land" in that same slow drawl that he did. Wish I could remember his name.....
Anyway I just wanted to say not long back from "3 x 5MBq of colloid radiotracer". I little bit uncomfortable when they do the injections, but my poor girl (i.e. my right breast) has been through so much these last couple of weeks. She has been pushed, prodded, jabbed, squashed and is now left sore, bruised and sorry for ourselves.
still trying to remember his name.............
Anyway it will all be sort-of fixed tommorow when i have my wide excision thingy thing, dont have paper work in front of me so cant remember exactly what it's called.
Looking forward to getting it all fixed up so I can get on with the way things are. I am CEO of our home, so I am the maid, accountant, treasurer, cook, no I mean CHEF, washer woman, gardner, pet carer, cleaner, go to girl, shopper, oh my goodness I am a busy girl. But love every minute of it.
Well my wonderful new friends will be talking with you all soon after surgery to let you know how it went.
lotsa luv
julianne
xxoostilllll cant remember his damn name can someone please put me out of my misery.
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I am so very excited cause I just realised after reading what I wrote I am beginning to sound like an expert with using words like colloid radiotracer I knew I would become adept at using big words.
luv to all
julianne
xxoo
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Good luck with everything Julianne. Hope it all goes well. And yes.........you are becoming quite the expert - its amazing how the 'lingo' just rolls off our tongue after a short while!
I know which actor you mean......but unfortunately I cant recall his name either. You will prob come out of the anaethestic and that will be first thing you remember. haha
Please be careful with the CEO duties - make sure you delegate some of them to others while you recover!
Di
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Hi Julianne
Thought I would put you out of your misery....it was Robin Williams in Good Morning Vietnam
Have a great day x
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Hi Julianne, hope your surgery went well today I am thinking that you have had the same as I had done,
Injection of radioactive thingy to find out where the sentinel nodes are so they then take them and the lump out at the same time?
I have not got my results yet may have to wait til tomorrow now. I hope they get yours all in this one op, I have had 3 because the biopsy came back clear so they did the lumpectomy with the hook wire, but the margin wasn't clear, then I had the radioactive thingy in the morning(pain, pain, pain) and the op in the arvo where they removed more tissue from the breast and the sentinel nodes (3) those results came back that there was still not a clear margin so last wednesday I had a wider excision done and they are the results I am waiting for now, if the margin is not clear I will have to have a mastectomy.........that was why I was wondering if I should have had it in the first place but if the results come back clear then I an flogging myself for nothing...as we do, and will go on to have the radiotherapy.
Hope to hear yours is all clear and you are bouncing back.
Jacqui
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Hi Di thank you for your reply, I know it is a bit late to be worrying about what I should have done, but was guided by my doctor and as yet it may still be the right thing to have done. Gemini (twins and they can never make up their minds...that is me!) It is of course the waiting getting to me and looks like another night of not knowing, but guess I can't do anything about it, and if it is not clear this time I will not have a choice either.
cheerio for now,
Jacqui
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My goodness you have had to face this nightmare x2, that is just so unfair. Did you think of reconstruction? if so was it your choice not to have it? Nosy aren't I? Thank you for sharing with me.
Jacqui
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Hi Jo, well if my results are not clear this time I will not have a choice as this is the 3 op my poor boob has had, I was wondering if anyone else had gone with the BCS with removal of sentinel nodes and then had to have a mastectomy anyway....that was what I meant. The decision is really out of my hands now it is just the not knowing and waiting for the results I should have known today but looks like it won't be til tomorrow.
Thanks for your input.
Jacqui
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Hello to all,
thanks for writing back to me, I too remembered at 6.51am on my way to hospital on Tuesday morning, it was Robyn Williams.
Surgery went really well, everyone has commented on how brilliant, fantastic, great job, done on my right breast. He had to move the nipple up and took more than he expected. Then my anaethiast told me he had to give me double dose than normal cause apparently I kept wanting to come out of it.
Slightly uncomfortable, not much pain, but up and out of bed and doing just a small amount of work. I made a salad sandwich for lunch and watched a bit of t.v., now writing to all you great gals. My darling husband is following me like a hawk, and i think i will put a little extra effort to making him something special for dinner when I can do so. He is just a heaven sent gem. He is building the cover over the back porch that I have been asking for since 2007. God love him, he is trying so hard to please me, more than he usually does.
Feeling a bit tired so off to bed with me, will write again soon
love to all
julianne
xx..
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Hello to all,
thanks for writing back to me, I too remembered at 6.51am on my way to hospital on Tuesday morning, it was Robyn Williams.
Surgery went really well, everyone has commented on how brilliant, fantastic, great job, done on my right breast. He had to move the nipple up and took more than he expected. Then my anaethiast told me he had to give me double dose than normal cause apparently I kept wanting to come out of it.
Slightly uncomfortable, not much pain, but up and out of bed and doing just a small amount of work. I made a salad sandwich for lunch and watched a bit of t.v., now writing to all you great gals. My darling husband is following me like a hawk, and i think i will put a little extra effort to making him something special for dinner when I can do so. He is just a heaven sent gem. He is building the cover over the back porch that I have been asking for since 2007. God love him, he is trying so hard to please me, more than he usually does.
Feeling a bit tired so off to bed with me, will write again soon
love to all
julianne
xx..
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Glad to hear your op went well and you are pleased with everything. When do you get the results?
I am working through my shock results but am looking at my options so have something to think about and can at least be doing something.
All the best
Jacqui
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Hi Julianne
glad everything is going well with you. Just wanted to say.............OMG, treasure that man!!!!! What a gem!
Take care
Di
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