Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!

PontiacPeggy

Sloan, you look so darned pretty! Love it. I hope you do, too!

Boy, I can't believe how the posts are flying - fast and furious. I can hardly keep up.

Musosgrl - glad the drain is out, too!

Melclarity, wouldn't you be cooler without a wig now that you have fuzz? I'm certainly not telling you not to wear a wig. Just asking. I don't know anything about chemo etc.

HUGS!

Melclarity

Loves to Fly - how many days do you take steroids? Here only had to take for 3 days then stopped them, its a bit of a wait and see thing, that was a tough part for me, is where plans had to change a little, but you'll adapt as you go. Hoping you feel heaps better in time for work Monday!

HappyHammer

Sloan....LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the hair....SO very happy for you. You look GREAT! Made me teary, too...it is such a long time coming but, man, oh man, you wear it WELL!

Molly50

LTFly, you rock that wig! Great choice by your kiddos. Amber , welcome and I am sorry you need to be here at such a young age. You sound like a very together and smart young woman. Amy, great news about the pathology report! Sloan!!! Oh my goodness, you look beautiful. Musogirl, hooray for getting your drain out. Happy healing! Zinny, happy belated birthday. Quinoa cake? Sounds yummy.

Melclarity

Pontiacpeggy - Ohh Gosh!!! I don't have fuzz a little stubble around the sides very bald on top, and I rock it bald at home only if I have to go out I pop on a wig, YES haha you are right as its summer here and I hate it!!! too hot!! and Im into the wraps etc., I tried but it wasnt me. So I love being home mostly because I dont worry. This is me in the long and the short LOL

Sloan15

Thanks ladies. Made me tear up a little, too!

The picture is to celebrate no more wig and to make sure MOLLY can recognize me when I go to LA next week! Haha

LovesToFly

Melclarity it is 3 days of steroids here after infusion. I had chemo Wednesday, tomorrow (Saturday) is my last day. They did say that if I find it hard, instead of taking two pills on Saturday I could take one pill Saturday and one Sunday, to taper in a bit. I will probably follow the initial directions this time, and if I find withdrawal hard, try that next time. Luckily the office I am at Monday is close to home!!

I only did chemo on Wednesday this week, normally I will do it on Tuesday, to give myself a bit more time to recover for work.

LovesToFly

Melclarity your week is gorgeous, but I'm sure you look gorgeous without it as well. Obviously my rainbow wig isjust for fun, I have some nicer ones, but who knows if I will find them comfortable! I've also got a pile of scarves! I have been practicing tying them.

HappyHammer

LTFly- my steroids were done during treatments through the port....maybe you could ask about getting that if it would help? You are doing great, though!

Molly50

Mel, you are quite beautiful. Those wigs look natural. Sloan, YES!!! I have something to look forward to next week.

HappyHammer

MelC- You are GOR.GEOUS!

Sloan15

Melclarity - I was a homebody for a long time, too. Honestly, I still wear a hat going out because I'm not ready to explain to people who didn't know... I was a high school health teacher, retired in June, and I live a mile from my school. So, I see students all the time and I just want to be excited to see them and not deal with the confusion and fear they get : "But you were so healthy..." But, now that my hair is longer -haha I mean now that I have hair-- it's getting to the point where people might think I cut it short on purpose.

Melclarity

Loves to Fly - Yes maybe try taking 1 on saturday, not sure why they'd say to take 2 man you'd be bouncing off the walls! and I had mine on Mondays but wasnt able to return to work til the following week of Tuesday. Glad its close to home, see how you go, youre doing great!

Thanks ladies, ohhh I have a black one for fun too! Id love to rock it bald but to be honest at 47 I couldnt rock it bald in public, maybe 20 years younger. I only did wraps to Chemo, but the wigs were so natural looking. Cant wait for hair!!!!

Melclarity

Sloan - I totally get you about the students, and absolutely NOW they'd think that you cut it short!!! I too just didnt want the attention from people. I think I wanted to look normal, anyone that saw me used to say I looked great! couldnt believe I was going through chemo..how you look and how you feel are two different things!!! After 6 months though am enjoying finally getting out and about and catching up with people and feeling quite good, the aches are subsiding slowly and fatigue.

PontiacPeggy

MelClarity, You look fantastic - long or short or nothing at all. I happen to like hot weather but I know most people don't. Stay cool!

HUGS!

LovesToFly

you think I should just try one tomorrow, and one on Sunday instead of two tomorrow and then zero Sunday?

The way I feel now, I could probably go back to work Monday, but I'm not sure what is going to happen with the Neulasta and the steroids.

Now I have some aches in my legs, but nothing I can't handle, remember I have ran a few half marathons, so bodyaches are nothing new to me!

Thankfully only one of my clients lives close to me, and he never goes out in public he's very shy. I would really hate for my kids to know I'm going through this, I think it would really scare them (especially because one of my clients had bone cancer and we lost her in July, her two brothers are still my clients and I can't imagine them finding out about me). Likely I am doing this contract in another department, and if I do go back to my own department before I'm done treatment, I will not be doing casework I will get accommodations. I do tend to change my hair a lot, so if I go back to my kids with very short hair, they won't really wonder about that much.

AMaree08

Hi Mel,

Thank you for your lovely kind words. From the short time I have logged into the site it is evident this is an amazing network of ladies supporting one another and it is exactly what I needed.

I have attached an image of the paper work I was given when we got the diagnosis. I was suppose to get my results back from the surgery a few weeks after but it was just before Christmas and we were going away for a break so I got it moved to the 7th Jan NZ time.

The pathologist report, from memory (i should have asked for a copy of the paperwork) was that the two lymphnodes they took out were clear and the. The pathologist was confident and happy with a 2mm margin that there was no cancer in the healthy tissue they took out. Sorry, I may not be using the correct terms, they are all still new to me.

So now I am waiting to be tested for the BRCA gene, based on those results will dictate the path for treatment. They keep saying because im young they want to be aggresive with it but I am not quite sure what that means. There is no history of breast cancer in my family.

It really is quite confusing. If it is positive, do I get my breasts removed to prevent it happening again before i have the chance to have children? will i have chemo? radiation? hormone treatment? I have no clue.

I truly appreciate the help and comments coming from all over the world it is actually quite overwhelming.

Confused 26 yr old kiwi girl but so ready to get this dealt with and move on, have to much to get on with

Melclarity

Loves to fly - Up to you, just not heard of having 2 steroids in one day? I was told only 1 a day for 3 days then stop. When you say your kids, do you mean your own kids?? What do you do for a living?? 4yrs ago my kids were 12 & 14 and it was so hard but my Radiologist said straight up, to sit down with my kids and be completely open as they cope better. This time round they are 16 & 18 and obviously so much different, I havent shielded them as they needed to see the entirety of it I felt, my ex disagreed and wanted them to live with him for 3 months and have nothing to do with me..like I was a monster. I refused and my kids said NO...that theyd worry more not knowing, of course if they are young you limit what you say..but its been hard on my kids twice now and they said they cope better because they've informed than left wondering. Hugs to you xxx

octogirl

Sloan, I know I said this on the Hair thread...but your hair is seriously beautiful. I agree with QMC: stunning! Really wish I could join you and Molly in LA next week, but will be there in spirit.

And you rock the wigs, Melclarity, sorry it has to be during summer though...

Big day for me today: I am DONE with rads!!! WooHoo!!!

Octogirl

LovesToFly

Amber I met with a geneticist last week. I am getting the gene testing ( actually had it in 2010, was negative, but we are doing it again because that was for a study and she says it is more accurate this way).

She said that these days, for the most part they do not recommend prophylactic Mastectomy. This is because they can do very good screening for breast cancer, with MRIs every six months, and you will qualify for that if you have the gene mutation. And that case, they would catch a recurrence very very early, and then you would get a maseftomy then. This is exactly what happened with my sister-in-law. Certainly if you are positive for the gene and you want to mastectomy, you should be able to get one, but if you do not want one ask about regular screening by MRI. Caught my sister-in-law's early enough that she did not need any treatment except for the mastectomy, and was able to do the reconstruction at the same time. If you are positive for the gene mutation, they may recommend ovary removal, but because you're so young, maybe not yet. Do not have as good early screening for ovarian cancer as breast.

Scary as the waiting is, so far you've got good news. They got the tumor, they got clear margins, clear. That is the most you can hope for right now! Also you are hormone positive, which is good because that tend to respond well to chemo should you need it. Since you are so young, they may recommend chemotherapy, even though it's not in the lymph nodes. I've heard a bit about oncotype testing here, never heard of it before, but you might want to look into it before you decide about chemo.

Where i live (Toronto, it is pretty much a given that you do radiation if you do a lumpectomy.

Melclarity

Amber - It seems you have good news, no lymph node involvement, clear margins. Being aggressive with treatment means they want to do more than less. For instance, 4yrs ago I had DCIS which is pre cancer - I had a lumpectomy, radiation and tamoxifen for 4yrs. They considered that aggressive treatment considering it was only pre cancer. You are ER and PR+ hard to speculate your treatment, from that sounds like could possibly be just radiation and tamoxifen. I dont imagine youd be looking at mastectomy based on your results at the moment. Again, wait for full results and talk to your BS they'll have a plan, but youre in a good position, so try go slow as you go.

AMaree08

Hi Mel

Thank you - you are right, this experience has most certainly exposed me to and taught the art of patience.... that last message I posted was probably the first vent of questions I have had boggling around in my mind.

Hi LovesToFly,

Thank you for your thoughts, it really will be interesting what happens once the test results come back. I am very career driven so I have this need to get all my facts get it dealt with so I can move on with what I need to but this sort of thing certainly teaches you to pull on the brakes, get your facts and deal with everything one thing at a time.

Thought I would attach a pic of my new blessing in life, her name is Ava which means "life" in Latin we have her home with us in 2 weeks she is a border collie with a bit of hunter way, hoping to get into Agility when shes older and will be a great way to get out for walks and the park as exercise - much more fun then a gym.

I have two different colored eye, well one blue and the other blue and brown so when I saw her i fell in love even more

You are all so helpful already thank you

Melclarity

Loves to Fly - Yes my BS said the same thing, about the mastectomy and thats my confusion as yes I had my 2nd lumpectomy in June after 4yrs, but he said it was equivalent to a Mastectomy that I wouldnt benefit from it. Now my Oncologist is saying because it was recurrence maybe its something to think about. Reading about your sister in law, right now Im inclined to wait and see and go on a new hormone pill. If it came back Id absolutely do the Mx but am worried Id have to do treatment again, that I want to avoid. If I had to, I do the mx and reconstruction all in one uuugh. Her scenario is what Id want I guess

LovesToFly

my sister-in-law scenario was definitely for the best. It was a huge surgery and big adjustment, but she would've needed all that surgery done anyway, and probably chemotherapy and radiation as well if it hadn't been found so soon by MRI. It's funny because we've been chatting a lot (untilmy diagnosis, we never really talk to about it very much), I feel sorry for her because she had such major surgery, she feels sorry for me because I have to do chemo!

LovesToFly

so cute Amber!!!

PontiacPeggy

Amber, what cutie! Australian Sheep Dog? If so, she'll keep you more than busy. Hopefully, you'll find out your HER2 status (negative is good). Oncotype testing tells you about your chances of recurrence. The higher the number, the more likely they are to recommend chemo. Mine was 13. 18 or 19 usually means no. 20s - perhaps and above, they want you to have chemo. That's general. Every person and every MO is different.

Keep writing down all your questions as you think of them and as we ask you things you don't know. It's impossible to remember them all if you don't. But I'll bet you do that anyway.

Keep your positive attitude. That's a huge help.

HUGS!!

MJS1266

Lovestofly; You're probably right about taking the meds with food. Even if not required, I try take meds after I eat. My chemo plan have me reducing the steroids over the 3 days after chemo. I just remember being super tired the two days after steroids. I had my chemo on Tuesday's too and by Monday I was feeling pretty normal. Although, I had a different mix of chemo, 4 rounds of DD adriamycin and cytoxan. After that was done, I had 12 weeks of Taxol which was a different regimen. Love the crazy wig, I wore my wig most of the time for me just easier not have to explain.

Amaree; Sorry you have to be here, but it's good that you found this board and have a place to share, ask questions, and get support. With a lumpectomy the standard of care is to follow it with radiation. With no node involvement and Grade 2, you may not need chemo. Ask about an Oncotype test which analyzes the tumor to determine the potential for recurrence. This will help inform you and the Doctor whether you need chemo or not. All the best, MJS

LovesToFly

oh, I think it's a bit crazy that they don't have me reducing my steroids at all, but I just take two pills a day for three days, and then none. She did say that it would be fine to taper instead if I feel more comfortable about that, since they do make me so shaky, I think I'm going to do one tomorrow and one Sunday and be done. That way it will be an easier taper. I have trouble with nausea, I can always take the PRN, it seems very effective!

LovesToFly

my everyday wigs: I can't remember if I share them or not, if I did forgive me. And so I am not particularly private, everybody at work/ personal knows what's going on, so I didn't bother getting wigs that look like my hair. I went for ones that would be a different look instead. But when I am out in public among strangers, hopefully I will not stand out (Or maybe I won't care, hard to tell):

Jclc83

I was told to take two dexamethasone (steroids) twice a day. I decided to take only one which wasn't too bad.

That pup looks like a border collie to me.

I met with the RO today for the first time.
It'll be about mid Feb before I start since I have another round of chemo first. 5 times a week for six weeks. Anxious to get that part started!