Forum Discussion
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
I'm good today thanks Donna, just a bit of numbness under the arm from the elbow up, but I am doing the exercises regularly.
It's great that you let the patients feel your lump, It is hard to believe 1 in 8 get breast cancer & all the different types, I thought there was only 1 until I got my results back.
Hope all goes well today when you see your surgeon.
Eileen xx
I think that is just bloody fantastic Donna and very brave of you to let others see first hand a breast cancer. I know to make us feel better they only seem to show statistics of 5 year survival at 89% but for all those women who poopoo mammograms and think it will never happen to them there is the 11% who actually do die from breast cancer in 5 years. That is frightening that they may find it out too late to save them.
Hang in there. Thoughts are with you. Nothing I can say to lessen the worry for you except....know we are here for you. Kath
Eileen thats rather unprofessional of her. Funny story. Any of the female patients at work i knew well enough were asked by me "do you want to feel my lump?" Most did. I felt it was important that they understood how i nearly dismissed it.
Anywho how ate you feeling?
Hi Donna I'm really sorry to hear how things are for you, Lets hope the lump is just something to do with the cold you had.
I know when surgery is planned you get ready for it & it is nervous time, but to have it cancelled & not know when things will happen is hard.
It is good that you have a great GP (boss) who is so supportive. When I went to see my GP who is a female I asked her if she wanted to see the mastectomy scar, she said no & shied away, I said I would prefer it if she did & undid my blouse, hubby thinks maybe I should see one of the other DR's at the surgery.
I am wishing you well & thinking about you also praying for a good outcome for you.
Sending big hugs.
Eileen xxx
Thanks Ladies, I had a call from the hospital and I see my surgeon tomorrow at 12.30 to get the results of the biopsy and go from there. In the meantime I'm being severely harrassed by the 5mth old grandaughter who is cracking the you know whats because it is NOT her sleep time, so lets play eat your face Nonna!!!! lol
Hi Donna - goodness your dilemma has lots of twists and turns. I always say we seem to have to travel a few crooked miles with BC.
You are very fortunate to have a GP that you have a good relationship with that can guide you through this process and then there is all of us where you can let us know how crappy it all really is as we've either been there or in the middle of it!
Here's hoping it is a swollen gland because of a cold - easy option but hey you have to get lucky sometime during this!
Virtual hug to you, Take care
Christine xx
Hi Donna,
Thinking of you and hoping you have a good result tomorrow morning. The hardest part of this whole trip is the endless waiting - for diagnoses, for treatment, for surgery, for appointments. You are lucky to have a great GP and so much back-up. We can tough it out and be brave for our family/doctors/friends but a cleansing cry never hurt any one. Your wonderful sense of humour is such a strength - I really feel for you, but you still make me chuckle despite the worry. We are warriors - hang in there - big hug, Michelle xx
Donna, you are one tough cookie! The challenges you have faced so far have not dented your wonderful sense of humour, merely put a bump in the way. And wow your story would be competitive with an episode of Home and Away (well I think it is haven't seen that show for 3-4 years not sure how the story lines have progressed/regressed). Stay strong and enjoy your girly time and hair cut, I expect mine will be chopped off pixie style next week prior to starting chemo.
we are all here for you, keep us updated and keep those positive humorous thoughts going, I know that is what is keeping me from rocking in a corner. Xx
Donna, you bring such wonderful energy x NEK MINUT :)
