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donnafischer's avatar
10 years ago

KEEP CALM - Its just a short delay

Here we go here we go here we... uh oh, no we don't. So I went to my last day of work today, bracing myself for tomorrow. NEK MINUT (the young one's will get that terminology) my mobile rings and it's my lovely surgeon on the phone. Yesterday I had a fine needle biopsy on a lump in my neck that had popped up over the weekend. My surgeon had organised this as a matter of urgency following my visit with him on Monday so he'd have the results before going into surgery tomorrow. Unfortunately he wont get the results till late this afternoon and those results can potentially change the correct course of treatment. There are three reasons that these nodes can be inflamed and enlarged. 1. they are pissed off from the original surgery 2. they are pissed off because I had a cold and I was also on antibiotics for a possible infection in the breast 3. There could be cancer cells in the nodes. If there are cancer cells in the nodes, then the course of treatment has to change to chemo first surgery second. If we do surgery first and by chance I get an infection in the wound, it would delay the start of chemo. My doctor doesnt want to rush and make the wrong decision for me and my treatment. So we will see him on Friday morning, go through the results and plan treatment from there. If the glands are just generally pissed off, then I will be booked in for surgery on the following Thursday (17th) While its a delay, and they can always be frustrating, I agree its the best decision for me. I knew when I found a lump in my neck that one of the causes could be cancer. I went with the idea that it was a combination of the cold and the previous surgery, but I'm not going to lie, I cried the whole way to work this morning worried that the cancer had progressed further. So many questions were going through my head, the main one being, am I going to survive this, if this is how fast this thing is moving. Trying to stay rational only works most of the time, and sometimes the bad stuff creeps into the brain. THIS WAY, I will once again, be informed and be prepared and if as we hope the biopsy is clear, I can go into surgery with a calmer mind. AND this weekend, I have gathered the girls and we are chopping my hair off short short short!!   Stay tuned folks, this journey has more twists and turns than a Home and Away episode. STONE THE FLAMIN CROWS!

14 Replies

  • Hopefully the neck thing is only from your sickness and you got a one week reprieve on the planned surgery. Make the most of it. :)

  • Hi Donna you sure are on an epic journey, am glad you have such a great support network there is so much for you to deal with, it is hard when the goalposts keep moving. Make sure you come on and post here when things get too much! 

    Thinking of you and hoping this is just a delay in surgery date, keep us posted.

    Love & luck

    Carol

  • Thanks for that. I'm in a very special care situation, my gp of 24 years, is also my boss so I have access to him all the time :) and he's brilliant. We went and had lunch today and he went through everything.  I've also got a social worker/counsellor I have unlimited access to through our local hospital and she works in with my breast care nurse who checks in on my weekly. I have a lot of support, and as yet, havent yet felt the need for counselling. I've been diagnosed since early January and quickly learnt that the easiest way to plan for this journey is not to plan as the goal posts keep getting shifted lol.  I now take things one appointment and test at a time. 

  • Hi Donna 

    I'm organising to start counselling as there is such a lot to take in & wondering if it's an idea for you,

    My challenge is my altered future , I had one vision & it's clearly going to be very different ! So a big picture variation, sort of a re goal setting is my aim,

    hope this helps,

    lt is funded, ask your dr for a referral,

    good luck, there are lots of us out here in cyber space sending you love, strength & hugs