Urgent Surgery advice

NeG said:

Hi SKBR - your situ  sounds very similar to mine.  I too met with Cindy Mak and Dr Rippy.  I had 3 lumps grade 2 and Grade 1 IDC.  Mak suggested lumpectomy and flap recon with radiation, but ordered an MRI to assess first what was going on to be sure that was the right way to go.  Rippy suggested a mastectomy with immediate recon because she thought there might be more activity in there - no radiation.  Rippy showed me lots of recon work she had done - all of which looked really well done.  She also recommended me former patients to talk to.  The doctors both seemed great but in the end I chose to go with Rippy and I was not disappointed.  The resulting pathology showed that the Mastectomy was the right way to go - there were in fact 11 tumors, most tiny.  The largest being 2.7cm.   I am now three weeks post surgery, nipple sparing and skin sparing and the boob looks good.  Still bruised and battered and nipple a bit scabby but Dr Rippy assures me it will come good.  The question then became would I need both chemo and radio as the pathology revealed there was more going on than initially thought - however I was node negative, 100% Pr/ER positive so a good candidate for hormone treatment.  I have sent off to do an oncotype DX text to the States (goodbye $5k) - that will confirm for sure best treatment for me.  While my initial thoughts were lumpectomy, what I didn't want was to then have to go back because the margins weren't clear.  Mastectomy was the right choice for me.  Keep talking to your surgeons and other people so that you know for sure you have arrived at the right decision for you.  I felt "ready" by the time the surgery rolled around - I had explored all avenues and felt that I made the right decision.  I think this has helped in my post surgery state of mind which has been very good.  Good luck with your journey. X