Forum Discussion
Here Goes
Hello. My name is Jenny and I live on the NSW/Vic Border. I have gone to post in here a couple of times but backed out. Denial maybe?
On Wednesday I was officially given the diagnosis of BC. I have had a large lump for around a year but I have 26JJ sized breasts and the lump is down along where the bra wire sits. I put it down to thickening because of the bra wire. I recently started Lite N Easy and after loosing around 10kg I noticed that the lump was much larger than I thought. It has its own postcode ;p Its 5cm x 3cm x 2cm.
So I did the mammo and ultrasound and knew when I called for results, that the urgency by my GP to get me in to see her, that something was very wrong. That day I had bloods, CT scan and was booked in for biopsy. All along I was doing as much research as possible. Armed with knowledge I have always found it easier to deal with things. Must be part of the anxiety I have day in and out.
I met my surgeon on Wednesday who gave me the diagnosis. I was alone at the appointment and was in shock, none the less. I guess I was hoping it was just a mass that they just wanted to remove for safety sake. I do remember asking him what type of Cancer and I vaguely remember him saying Metastatic and that its very common. I am booked in for a lumpectomy and node removal on the 22nd. (Tuesday Week). I am then too do 5 weeks radiation.
I've got all of that in my head and ready to deal with. But now I am reading all of the paraphernalia and Metastatic means I have it in other places in my body? Do they know where? Does this mean I will probably have to do chemo after radiation?
I know I am overthinking all of this and should take it one day at a time. I work 3 days a week and also on partial DSP. Being at work keeps my mind off things. I am planning on taking vacation leave for the rest of the week after my lumpectomy. I am so grateful that my oldest of 2 (daughter) is able to travel up from Melbourne to bring me home from the surgery and stay with me for a couple of days.
Another questions. I had been using implannon rod to control my periods, over the years. The last one was put in around 2011 and is still in my arm somewhere. As I have very thick arms I cant feel it and haven't bothered about it. I believe that it has run out of the hormones anyway after all of this time. Is this something I should tell my surgeon about?
I have so many questions. When will I start radiation? Will someone contact me or do I contact them?
I met my Breast Care Nurse but she was heading on vacation to France the next day. I have the number of another one and I will phone her and make contact with her this week.
It's like my whole life is about the Cancer now. I am being strong in front of everyone else but these times at home alone I am terrified.
Sorry if this is all over the shop but that is how my head works. I have been treated and continue to be treated for Depression an Anxiety for close to 20 years and have only recently found a good balance. The Lite N Easy journey was me actually caring about myself. Some days I shake so much it looks like I am having a min seizure.
Usually I am upbeat and cheeky and able to find the lighter sign of things. But tonight I am low.
Any insights would be wonderful.
365 Replies
- @AllyJay Wow. That looks very sore. Is that bruising or a reaction? I hope I'm not on it long. They reckon the clot is a result of the dicky port.
@Finch I'll def head back if things change. Xxx - Take care @TabooGal , doesn't sound good you got sent home the first time and sent home again after they diagnosed a dvt ... take yourself straight back to the hospital if you're at all concerned. Xx
- Hi there @TabooGal , I too hope they don't keep you on the Clexane for too long. Here was my Buddha Belly after 18 months of clexane.
- Thanks everyone. I'm hoping I'll be ok injecting myself. I actually did feel it as it was happening (thanks to a rotund belly). I hope they don't keep me on this forever?? I have to get blood tests one day this week, 4 hours after am injection. This bloody port in my arm has been nothing but a nightmare.
- Shit bags Jen! That's a bit scary, being sent home when you know something isn't right is really off putting. As you say, what's done is done, but it's small wonder that some of us turn into right battle axes after a couple of episodes like that. The clexane is a bugger, I hate injecting myself. Absolutely hate it. I hope everything settles down. Keep riding them about the clot, Ive had a couple (thankfully not in my neck) and the tendency seems to be to leave you on the thinners indefinitely or until you crack it and ask for a review. Mxx
- Wow @TabooGal hope it all settles for you , how frightening for you ,so glad you went back .
Take care xx - Crikey @TabooGal! You do live dangerously... I have no idea but surely they would keep you there if they were in any way alarmed? Please take good care of yourself. K xox
ok. 3/4 x AC down. Given up on port working. Friday night I noticed my neck was hurting when I moved around in my sleep. 7pm Sat night, I called the Onc Emergency number and she says pop into the ER. Sent home pretty swiftly being told by the DR he cant feel anything swollen and if something was going on my arm would be swollen and hanging down. So I left with my tail between my legs. (quite happily cos I am so over hospitals). Came home, went to bed. Woke up 7am. Next still very sore and swollen still but this time my arm is swollen too!!! So wanted to just go back to bed and forget it all but decided to call Onc Emergency again and she said to get back to the ER. She said if I couldn't get anyone to react, I should go to her at the Cancer Hospital (Same hospital but difference entrance). Rang the ER before heading over. They were ready for me when I got there. well as ready as any ER can be. As it was there weren't any people in the waiting room.
This time got new shift of Dr's. One was about to end his shift when he looked at my file and jumped too. Called Radiographer to come in and handed me over with strict instructions to new Dr on shift. As he left he said he suspected a blood clot and couldn't understand why I had been sent home the night before. No stress. Cant change that. I just needed to be reassured that coming back was the right thing to do. Most Definitely he said. He shook my hand and said he hoped he was wrong.
He wasn't wrong. I finally got a dx of DVT in the jugular vein. 7 hours later. in that time had ultrasound and the usuals obs.
After speaking with an on duty Onc, they have sent me home to self inject every 12 hours, Clexane (blood thinner).
Before leaving the ER I asked what I should be watching out for. More pain they say. They are hoping the blood thinner will help the clot break down.
I have to admit I am a bit worried. Blood Clot near the brain and heart??
On the good front, only 1 AC left on the 4th of September. I have my first appointment with Rad Onc this Tuesday, to get the ball rolling once Chemo is over.
Hope you all had a lovely weekend. The sun was shining here! Unfortunately didn't see much of it.
- You should put that in writing and send it to them.
- @Sister the port was fantastic the one infusion it worked. Would be even better if Dorevitch staff were trained to use them too. Maybe in the future.
