Wait over

CarolnLA · March 2012

I had posted this on the lymphedema site since when I first started out my symptoms were like some expressed there except I never had swelling. But I have lurked on this forum regularly and found help and so decided to post follow up here as well as the lymphedema site. I am 8 years out, had 6 months chemo and 6 weeks rads with tram flap reconstruction following. I am er- and could not take anything after treatment so after 5 years of being regularly checked I was on my own. I felt that I was thrown out without a safety net but after awhile begin to ease back into my life. A few months ago I started feeling weird sensations in my cancer side arm, then underarm, then breast. I tried to ignore it but you all know how that goes, the worry makes you insane. I came to this site looking for answers and thought first lymphedma but no swelling which then had me checking out other forums. In the meantime I saw my dr and she sent me for xrays which showed some arthritis in neck so off to a PT for therapy but still felt that uneasy feeling so told my dr that I was worried that the cancer was back so she ordered a breast MRI which I had last Thursday.I got my MRI results in the mail yesterday. The day started off terrible, we had to take our 10 year old Husky to the Vet for what we thought was problems with the hips, turned out she was bleeding internally and we had to put her down, first big shock. Then within the hour of hearing that, got news that a good friend died, second shock. I turned to my co worker and said, they come in 3's, watch, I will get my MRI results today. Sure enough, my husband calls me and tells me that there is a letter from the breast center that came in the mail. I went home early and well, you all know how it is, you don't want to know and yet you have to know. Shaking I opened it up, "MRI appears normal", I think I just about collapsed from relief. This was for the cancer breast, left side that I had been feeling some strange feelings and pushed to get it checked out. It did go on to say that there was a small something on the right breast that appeared benign and they suggested a recheck in 6 months to see if there are any changes That's fine with me, I just had a mammogram on that breast and it came back fine so not going to stress over it. My symptoms have decrease not sure if that is due to less stress or what but am going to follow through with seeing a lymphedema therapist just to see what they say. Just wanted to thank all here who listened and offered suggestions and support and tell their stories, they really do help.