Forum Discussion
First diagnosis and the waiting game
I wondered if anyone had the same experience as me. I was told my the GP that I had cancer over the phone. Apart from letting me know that it was an invasive ductal carcinoma she wasn't able to give me any more details (even though she had the biopsy report from pathology with her and it stated the grade of the cancer at the time).
Now I am a mother of 2 little boys (3/5 and 1 year old) and pregnant with another (getting induced next week to proceed with surgery the week after). The only thing that the GP did was organise an appt with a surgeon for a week later.
As I had tones of questions to ask (I was in shock and disbelief and just didn't have any information to go on) she gave me the number for the surgeon's office to see if I could get more answers there.
The phone call to the surgeon didn't get me anywhere. I never got a call back and had to endure a whole week of limbo land and googling with the little information that I had been given. I felt that this was very poorly dealt with as the first weeks are the hardest and not knowing can really play with your mind and mental state. I was a mess.
I can understand that surgeons and specialists are very busy but why don't they have someone in their team to deal with these situations. I didn't want the whole treatment unveiled to me, I just wanted to be assured that I wasn't going to die in the next few weeks or while waiting to see the surgeon. I felt like they don't care about the patient at that time. If the receptionist at least said to me that if I wanted to get more information while I was waiting on the appt with surgeon I could call someone that would really have helped me in that first dreadful week.
Adriana
17 Replies
- Hi Adrianna, My girlfriends chemo started after her drainage tube was out. Also to help with nausea she sipped ginger beer and sucked ginger sweets. I am suffering from pain and restriction after my lumpectomy and Sentinal Node biopsy last November. My breast surgeon says it is all down to radiation damage, I gave to do more to find out what to do about the restriction of movement. My grandchildren have kept me going through the difficult days with childminding and babysitting the younger 2. Your cancer is gone now and the mopping up treatments begin to make sure any microcells are treated. Keep your chin up dear girl x
- Hi Adrianna, My girlfriends chemo started after her drainage tube was out. Also to help with nausea she sipped ginger beer and sucked ginger sweets. I am suffering from pain and restriction after my lumpectomy and Sentinal Node biopsy last November. My breast surgeon says it is all down to radiation damage, I gave to do more to find out what to do about the restriction of movement. My grandchildren have kept me going through the difficult days with childminding and babysitting the younger 2. Your cancer is gone now and the mopping up treatments begin to make sure any microcells are treated. Keep your chin up dear girl x
- Hi Adrianna, keep up the good fight with all that has been heaped on you, your husband and young ones. I have found my grandchildren a real help in keeping me focused and distracted with childminding and babysitting the youngest 2. I am going through pain and restriction from lumpectomy and Sentinal node biopsy. My breast surgeon says it is all down to radiation damage. Plan on asking more questions. We pray that your cancer is gone now and the mopping up treatments begin. One of my girlfriends had her second surgery (due to not clear margins) in August and she didn't start chemo until the drainage tube was out. Also when she felt nauseous she found sipping ginger beer and sucking ginger sweets helped. Keep your chin up dear girl x
- Hi Adrianna, keep up the good fight with all that has been heaped on you, your husband and young ones. I have found my grandchildren a real help in keeping me focused and distracted with childminding and babysitting the youngest 2. I am going through pain and restriction from lumpectomy and Sentinal node biopsy. My breast surgeon says it is all down to radiation damage. Plan on asking more questions. We pray that your cancer is gone now and the mopping up treatments begin. One of my girlfriends had her second surgery (due to not clear margins) in August and she didn't start chemo until the drainage tube was out. Also when she felt nauseous she found sipping ginger beer and sucking ginger sweets helped. Keep your chin up dear girl x
A lot has happened to you in the last 4 weeks.Congratulations on your new baby daughter Annabelle.I wish you could just enjoy her and not have all the other crap to deal with.I think 6 weeks is about the usual time that you start chemo after surgery.Well at least not before 3 or 4 weeks.They like you to be all healed.This is also the time when you'd get fitted for a prosthesis(6wks).I won't sugar coat it -I found it hard at first to look in the mirror and see my gnarled chest scar and my bald head.I thought I looked like the bride of Frankenstein! I felt like I lost my identity for awhile.You will soon work out what feels comfortable for you.I definitely felt more confident once I got the prosthesis and mastectomy bras.I also felt better wearing caps and hats and just couldn't flaunt the bald look.I've had 4 years to adjust to being lopsided but it doesn't mean I like it -just learnt to live with it.Blog back here with any questions.Losing your breast and your hair IS a big deal but you 're not alone and you will get through it. Big hug, Tonya xx
A lot has happened to you in the last 4 weeks.Congratulations on your new baby daughter Annabelle.I wish you could just enjoy her and not have all the other crap to deal with.I think 6 weeks is about the usual time that you start chemo after surgery.Well at least not before 3 or 4 weeks.They like you to be all healed.This is also the time when you'd get fitted for a prosthesis(6wks).I won't sugar coat it -I found it hard at first to look in the mirror and see my gnarled chest scar and my bald head.I thought I looked like the bride of Frankenstein! I felt like I lost my identity for awhile.You will soon work out what feels comfortable for you.I definitely felt more confident once I got the prosthesis and mastectomy bras.I also felt better wearing caps and hats and just couldn't flaunt the bald look.I've had 4 years to adjust to being lopsided but it doesn't mean I like it -just learnt to live with it.Blog back here with any questions.Losing your breast and your hair IS a big deal but you 're not alone and you will get through it. Big hug, Tonya xx
Hello again,
Sorry I have been quiet of late but since my last post I was induced to have my beautiful little girl (Annabelle) at 36 weeks. She is doing great. Feeding really well and growing fast. That was 4 weeks ago.
Since then I had one surgery (lumpectomy and axiliary clearance). That was pretty bad and I found recovery even harder as you are supposed to rest and take it easy but unfortunately I can't do that. I struggle with the fact that I can't pick up my one year old and can't do the every day things like bathing, changing nappies (don't miss those) dressing and putting to sleep. I can do some of these things with my older one though. The drain stayed in for 2 weeks which was a massive pain too. I got what they call "cording" from the axiliary clearance operation, which is very painful and restricting. Not to mention the constipation that you get from all the pain killers. I was beside myself.
Then I found out that I need to have mastectomy on that breast after all as they found 3 different cancers in the breast as well as not clearing the margins at the primary lump site. So that was last Thursday. Just when I got used to post surgery restrictions there comes another whammy.. I was a mess. Don't know about others but losing my breast was easier said than done. Only had 2 days to get used to idea before the surgery. I find it very hard looking in the mirror and won't be able to have reconstructive surgery for a year, until the treatment is over and I heal up. That is a massively long time. I really don't know how I will cope with that and not having my hair on top of that. I think I will feel like an alien. Are there any ladies out there that felt or are feeling the same?
But my question is how long do I have to wait post surgery before I can have my chemotherapy? Is it 6 weeks? I am meeting my Med Onc next week but really don't want to wait that long as I have already been delayed by 3 weeks with having 2 surgeries.My husband will have to go back to work at the end of June. He works in Sydney and I was hoping to have at least 1 chemo session down so that I can work out how I would feel during each session but if I have to wait 6 weeks then it's going to drag out to the end of June. I feel like I have waited enough already.
Adriana
- Hello Adrianna, I am in wonder of you having your young family and a new baby only now having to get your head around BC. May you and your husband enjoy the distractions your young family will give you during your journey. God bless you from Dorothy
- Yes dr Sharon Laura is my surgeon too. She is nice from what I have seen so far. Heard lots of good comments about her. Who is the GP in Narara ? Does he/she take new patients? See that's the problem with CC too many patients and not enough doctors. We only moved in December.
Hi
I live in narara - my specialist was Dr Sharon Laura and she has been so good - she is so thorough ( I now know every thing that is wrong with me lol) with many tests etc. She is in gosford. Would recommend her. My GP is in narara and also very supportive.
Hope all goes well for you.
Marg xx
