Unsure about surgery choice
Hello, newbie here. Diagnosed 3 days ago with G2 estr+, prog+ Her1+. Right breast, two lumps (around 1,5 cm each, very close togheter ), one nipple adjacent. I am not a small breast one but i woul...
Forum Discussion
SO Sorry to see you here, @Simo, but welcome to the community - hopefully we'll be able to help guide you as you try to understand what is going on & what will be happening. You're currently being bombarded with heaps of information & it can be tricky to absorb & understand it all, let alone remember it all. Maybe record your meetings with your surgeon & other team members on your phone, so you can go back over it later - as it is very easy to miss a few statements, whilst pondering the previous one! Also, take a buddy with you as an extra set of ears is invaluable.
OK - so your surgery is set for next Friday? Keep yourself REALLY BUSY doing stuff you love in the meantime - and Yep, stay away from Dr Google - some of the info on it is 10-20 years old & may well give you totally wrong advice. And everybody's case IS individual - so It is better not to 'second guess' the procedures & outcomes, as that will all be revealed, post op, with the pathology report. Then you will be given an overall 'plan' for the next 6 months or so about a week later.
Trust in your medical team - they will be doing what they consider is the best option for your condition. Whilst I was oest+ & Prog+, I was HER-. My surgery was immediately near my nipple tho and I had the nipple sparing lumpectomy and immediate 'recon' by using some of the breast tissue to fill in the gap. My margins were 'clear' tho one was 'thin'. I had 2 tumours removed and 3 nodes that were also clear - mine was Invasive Lobular cancer. My scarring is minimal & I still have full sensation of my nipple. Because of the tumours' location, I was also able to have my radiation lying face down, so less chance of the rays hitting other areas in the body. I've just seen one of my specialists the other week & they are happy with how I am going, approaching my 2 year surgery anniversary (Jan 2018.)
Once you've had your surgery - you'll be amazed at how much 'easier' it was than you're currently thinking it WILL be!! (That is what I found.) . The important this is that the tumours were OUT & I wasn't too sore and didn't have too much discomfort! (A small cushion will be invaluable for helping you sleep even in hospital if staying in overnight, so make sure you take one with you, to support the arm.)
Sure the first few days at home, there will be some pain (just make sure you take the panadol etc that they offer - and keep it up for about a week - longer if necessary!) Going home after the surgery - make sure you have the small cushion/pillow that you can clutch to your breast as you are driven home, as every bump in the road (or kerbside as you go to get petrol or into your driveway) will seem like a mountain! Even after I was back driving - when I approached a 'known bump' in the local roads - I would grab my breast to stabilise it. Whilst I do not have a 'big bust' - it still bounces around with bumps!
The worst thing about BC is that it totally mucks with your brain & we tend to overthink EVERYTHING! The brain just goes into overdrive, bringing up all the 'what ifs' and this in turn can have a terrible toll on your sleep & your general ability to 'cope'. If you find yourself getting extremely anxious about everything - ask about seeing a counsellor asap - or ring the Helpline here on 1800 500 258 - as most people have at least a 2-3 week break over Xmas, specialists included & you may not be able to get in! Maybe even ask your GP for a low dose sleeping tablet to help if you are wide awake at midnight-2am .....
With Xmas being so close, the blog here will have a skeleton staff online - but many of us will be checking in daily to see who posts what, so maybe chatting with someone here sooner than later will be more beneficial for you.
(https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/discussion/21804/support-during-christmas-and-new-year#latest)
All the best for your surgery next week, take care . xx
OK - so your surgery is set for next Friday? Keep yourself REALLY BUSY doing stuff you love in the meantime - and Yep, stay away from Dr Google - some of the info on it is 10-20 years old & may well give you totally wrong advice. And everybody's case IS individual - so It is better not to 'second guess' the procedures & outcomes, as that will all be revealed, post op, with the pathology report. Then you will be given an overall 'plan' for the next 6 months or so about a week later.
Trust in your medical team - they will be doing what they consider is the best option for your condition. Whilst I was oest+ & Prog+, I was HER-. My surgery was immediately near my nipple tho and I had the nipple sparing lumpectomy and immediate 'recon' by using some of the breast tissue to fill in the gap. My margins were 'clear' tho one was 'thin'. I had 2 tumours removed and 3 nodes that were also clear - mine was Invasive Lobular cancer. My scarring is minimal & I still have full sensation of my nipple. Because of the tumours' location, I was also able to have my radiation lying face down, so less chance of the rays hitting other areas in the body. I've just seen one of my specialists the other week & they are happy with how I am going, approaching my 2 year surgery anniversary (Jan 2018.)
Once you've had your surgery - you'll be amazed at how much 'easier' it was than you're currently thinking it WILL be!! (That is what I found.) . The important this is that the tumours were OUT & I wasn't too sore and didn't have too much discomfort! (A small cushion will be invaluable for helping you sleep even in hospital if staying in overnight, so make sure you take one with you, to support the arm.)
Sure the first few days at home, there will be some pain (just make sure you take the panadol etc that they offer - and keep it up for about a week - longer if necessary!) Going home after the surgery - make sure you have the small cushion/pillow that you can clutch to your breast as you are driven home, as every bump in the road (or kerbside as you go to get petrol or into your driveway) will seem like a mountain! Even after I was back driving - when I approached a 'known bump' in the local roads - I would grab my breast to stabilise it. Whilst I do not have a 'big bust' - it still bounces around with bumps!
The worst thing about BC is that it totally mucks with your brain & we tend to overthink EVERYTHING! The brain just goes into overdrive, bringing up all the 'what ifs' and this in turn can have a terrible toll on your sleep & your general ability to 'cope'. If you find yourself getting extremely anxious about everything - ask about seeing a counsellor asap - or ring the Helpline here on 1800 500 258 - as most people have at least a 2-3 week break over Xmas, specialists included & you may not be able to get in! Maybe even ask your GP for a low dose sleeping tablet to help if you are wide awake at midnight-2am .....
With Xmas being so close, the blog here will have a skeleton staff online - but many of us will be checking in daily to see who posts what, so maybe chatting with someone here sooner than later will be more beneficial for you.
(https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/discussion/21804/support-during-christmas-and-new-year#latest)
All the best for your surgery next week, take care . xx