Feel helpless in Michigan

cindoe

First of all I want to tell everyone if your inner self feels there is something wrong and a Dr.says they don't see anything wrong, don't leave it at that, till you get more opinions!

It started out with my partner ( which I never said before,now what others think isn't much compared to this)  had shoulder blade pain. I told her we are going to the E.R.,( 1st part of March) for the second time. She took a shower and found a lump under her arm pit. We went to the E.R., told them again about the bad shoulder blade pain, and showed the Dr. the lump, he said yeah that's a swollen lymph node, it swells sometimes if you injured your back. He took xrays of the back and chest, and came back and said he didn't see anything wrong, here's some pain killers, and nothing warrents any more tests. Hmm pretty much I thought yeah a swollen lymph node and no tests are warrented! Shoot, I'm not a Dr. and I even know swollen lymph nodes can at the least be an infection! I asked him do the lungs look good, he said yes. ( just a note, Chris is unemployed like many of us, and has no insurance. Most likely every test they could have billed an insurance company would have been done if she had insurance.)

Well to make a long story short, we went thru a wonderful volunteer clinic which gave us a flyer for a free mamogram test , the health dept refers you to a dr. and it's covered by the Breast and Cervical Control Act of 2000, if you get diagnosed by their referal. BCCCP

The dr. did a biopsy of the lymph node and it was cancerous. Chris went for a bilateral mri and they found that it was like7cm, and she had another tumor 6cm between her rib and lung actually growing into her lung, and out, which the dr. said they never seen anything like it, I guess. The dr. said they didn't even know how to stage it. She had CAT scan friday, and has a bone scan today. Didn't get any results from those yet. The dr. set time aside for surgery in the first part of may but the dr. wants to see what oncologist says, which she sees on 5th of may. Sorry, I tend to be long winded !

Anyway I feel helpless, so many thought go thru my head like maybe I should run her to U of M, maybe I should do this, or do that. I am so impatient, we haven't even heard yet what they can do. The tests seem to be moving along fine, but I am like,"take it out now" type person.

What are some coping tips? when do you go for second opinion? I am trying to be positive, but it is hard. Chris says, it is what it is, and she's happy with how they are moving along. I would appreiciate any help!

Thanks,

Cyn

Fitztwins

Cyn,

Sometimes they like to shrink the tumors with chemo first before surgery. It will give a good insight into how the cancer will responde to the chemo.

There is a wealth of information on this site, but generally it is surgery/chemo/radiation or chemo/surgery/radiation...then follow up. Breast cancer care is pretty standard, with some variations of drugs...Each listed on this site.

The choice is hers.  Next week is almost here. I would be comfortable with it. I wish you both the best.

btw, there is a thread for those with partners too.

Janis

cindoe

Thanks Janis for the info,

wish you and your family the best always

Cyn