Information Overload!

@lorns thinking of you, you are a super woman. Delegate as much as you can. I'm sure your daughter and your mum all they want is to have you there. It's the oxygen mask on the plane thing, focus on you right now and let others (who i'm sure will be grateful) to step up and organise things. Sending you hugs and positive vibes.

@lorns sorry to see you here.  Once step at a time.  Lean on people who offer you any support with errands, party planning, home help. Your port will make Chemo easier was dodgy veins.  Be kind to yourself.  

@lorns thanks for the update. 

Time for an update... hard to believe a month has gone by. 

I went in for a mastectomy and sentinel node biopsy on the 17th April, then swiftly went back under to have more lymph nodes removed as the sentinel node showed spread. Strangely, that hit harder than having the initial surgery - the thought of a second surgery was not at all in my thinking.

Pathology found 13 individual tumours ranging from 2mm - 13mm, a mix of grade 2 & 3, a large mass of DCIS - making my cancer both multifocal and multicentric, and extensive lymphatic invasion in the breast. Happily, the extra lymph nodes taken we're all clear of cancer.

I went home 10 days after the first surgery - thankfully with drains out. I couldn't fault the team at Mater Private in Brisbane - everyone I came across was just wonderful.

I'm healing well, despite a seroma and preparing for the next stage. Due to the pathology, I'm going for 6 months of chemo - AT-C protocol which is 2 rounds of different drugs - then on to 3 weeks of radiotherapy of the chest wall including lymph nodes in the centre of the chest and throat, and finishing up with hormone blockers.

It's my daughter's birthday this week and she's having a party next weekend. It's my Mum's birthday next week. I'm getting my port-a-cath installed this week - the wonderful nurse who did my PET scan told me I should ask for one if I needed chemo as I have difficult veins. I have to tell work I need more time off.

It's a lot.

I'm trying hard to think short distance, the next couple of days rather than into the more distant future. There's so much to think about if I do that.

@lorns

https://www.reclaimyourcurves.org.au/information-sheets.html

The above link takes you to an excellent site with regard to information for Reconstruction.   
Also, the site has Information sheets, eg:  What to pack for Hospital 

Best wishes as you negotiate treatment.   Once a plan is formulated a little ease comes into the day as the buts, what ifs et cetera are being sorted 

Take care

@Julez1958 my Dr told me to avoid Dr Google also - and it's such a great piece of advice. I've been listening to the BCNA podcasts on my morning walks which have been really informative. I'm trying to focus what I look for / listen to on the part of the process I'm at - to keep it in small chunks.

I'm off for surgery next week. My lymph node biopsy showed cancer cells but they didn't have enough tissue to determine if it was breast cancer or lymphoma. They'll be removing the dodgy lymph node, doing a sentinel node biopsy with both dyes (interested to see how blue I go), and a simple mastectomy. Once pathology is back, we'll know whether I need chemo and/or radiation. 

I've decided to put off decisions about reconstruction until I've got the cancer sorted out. 

I think things will really sink in after surgery, even with all the tests and appointments, it still feels kind of unreal.

Thanks @Blossom1961have done this and added your comment also  :)

@Mez_BCNA Can you please put @ruralmum2 on her own discussion so that people can respond to her. I don't want her to get lost in this conversation.
@ruralmum2 This diagnosis rattles us in a way that no-one else understands. I went into an automatic zombie mode. Holding it together sometimes makes things worse. Try to focus on anything else and do whatever it is you enjoy doing. Once you have a treatment plan it starts to get easier. Sending big hugs

Hi @lorns
My GP told me to stay away from “ Dr Google” and to stick to official sources like the cancer council and BCNA.
There is a wealth of info on this website as well as on this forum.
Take it in bite size chucks starting with newly diagnosed stuff.
My GP also suggested I take my husband or another trusted person to all early and important medical appointments as another set of ears  is very helpful .
Finally, I started a daily journal to write down all the important stuff including key dates.
Take care and there is no question too silly or trivial to post on here - we all “get it.”
🌺