Is this all normal?

Hi Kath, thank you so much for replying - and for sharing! It's so scary, I'm still in the phase where I feel like cancer happens to other people and can't get my head around the storm I'm about to walk into!

I can't tell you how much I appreciate you taking the time to reply. It means so much to feel like you're not alone, and you're not 'doing it wrong'! I'm not sure if there is a way to do it right, I guess you just 'do it whether you like it or not!' :)

Hi Naomi, welcome to the Network. Being upset is completely understandable - what a shock at 36!!. I am sorry you found yourself here but glad you have reached out. I was frantic at the beginning. The experience you described with the doctor was the same for me. I am HER2 positive and had a lumpectomy with sentinel node biopsy then chemo,  followed by radiation. I am still having Herceptin until next year. After your surgery you will get your final pathology results which will determine your treatment plan. While everyone is different, like Kath has said almost all HER2 positive breast cancers will have chemo and Herceptin. Women with lumpectomies almost always have radiation. You may have to have hormone therapy as well. But they won't know for sure what treatment you will have until after your final pathology comes back. The waiting times before surgery and before you get your treatment plan can be very stressful simply because everything is up in the air. I am sure you are worried about what is going to happen to you and how you will get through this being a young mum with small kids.  There are many many many women on this network who have gone through or are going through this. It is doable, not always pleasant, but doable. And we will be with you throughout your treatment. Come on here and ask anything whenever you need. And good luck with surgery next week!!!

Take care

Nadine

Here us the link to the kits and resources.

https://www.bcna.org.au/resources/

Hope this helps. Kath x

Hi Naomi,

It's a scary time and we all know that out of control feeling when first given the diagnosis and the agony of the wait.

It's seems to be the norm at the beginning to just have the surgery booked and no further until after the procedure.  Until they remove the lump and redo testing and sentinal nodes etc will they have definitive stage and grade. For instance my biopsy said ES+ Her2+ and a grade 2. But final result was a slightly bigger tumour and a grade 3. I saw my surgeon again  the day of the surgery when he drew on me and just briefly went over things. Have you been connected to a breast care nurse? If not contact the centre where your surgeon is and ask to speak with one. They will be a great support and will walk you through the steps. Have you got your hospital pre op appointment yet?

So a few things I do know...a lumpectomy is always referred for radiation therapy and you will get this referral with your surgery follow up appointment. A her2 pos cancer is usually referred to an oncologist....you will most likely be offered chemotherapy plus a targeted therapy called herceptin. I was in fact contacted prior my follow up appointment and this was booked the same day as I lived 500km away. From what I have seen the radiotherapy isn't until after chemo is complete. 

There will be many more questions so ask away. I am sure you will have many more peopke here to support you. I had a bilateral mastectomy so my initial experience is different from yours. Hope things become clearer for you soon. Also you can irder your breast cancer care kit from this site. It cobtains loads of info and if you do it tiday you will probably have by Mibday