Upside down and sideways

RemyMis

Hi everyone.

My journey over the last several months has been crazy to say the least. I know you can all relate.

My younger sister was diagnosed with stage III IDC 9 years ago which never showed up on mammogram. She chose bilateral mastectomy and has been fine.

I get an annual mammogram which have been clear. This year I was 6 months late with my mammogram because we were inundated at work with natural disasters in early 2017 (I work for state emergency management). Got the callback for additional images which took an additional month landing on a Friday and then rushed for ultrasound-guided biopsy that Monday. That showed IDC provisional grade 2 near the chest wall. Both my primary doc and the surgeon said it was slow-growing and had probably been going on for years.

Saw my surgeon for the first time and in discussion based on what we knew at the time we agreed partial mastectomy with immediate reconstruction was the best approach.

Had an MRI in which my known cancer actually looked normal. MRI showed a second mass which also looked normal which they felt needed to be biopsied since the known cancer also looked normal on MRI. I spoke with both my surgeon and the radiologist about these findings. Waited 2 weeks for an apt for MRI biopsy since only 2 docs in town do the procedure and it would be 2 weeks before one of them would be at the only location where they do MRI biopsies. Had the MRI biopsy and the biopsy was negative.

Finally got around to seeing the plastic surgeon who was great, after seeing the geneticist earlier that day. It was going to take 3-4 weeks for the genetic results to come back and having worked in healthcare for many years I just assumed it would take a little while to coordinate surgeon schedules. PS and I discussed different techniques for different situations and both agreed waiting a couple weeks wouldn't seem to matter. Next thing I know, my surgeon calls me early in the morning urging me not to wait, we don't know what my staging is, Yama, Yama, Yama. Tells me I was already tentatively scheduled for the next week and would that work. Yikes!! Well, that all out and had surgery with beautiful breasts admired by everyone. Really the best looking breasts I've ever had. LOL.

Went to my follow-up apt with my surgeon on Monday and got my pathology report. Well...my pathology was not at all what anyone expected. I knew postoperative that the cancer was in the nodes. They had taken a lot of tissue in the partial mastectomy but still ended up with NO clean margins. Cancer is at least 6 cm with 10 of 16 nodes positive for gross cancer. So stage III right now and I have to go back later for mastectomy. I was just shocked.

I was good with a partial mastectomy if that was all that was required for what was believed to be very early cancer. All the sudden I'm advanced and facing chemo, mastectomy, reconstruction, and radiation. I go tomorrow for bone scan and CT scan. But then don't see the medical oncologist until Sept 12 which feels so far away. Every imaging modality was incorrect no my situation. I hate waiting. And this makes you start questioning every ache and pain wondering if negative bone and CT scans will be accurate.

Okay, thanks for letting me get all that off my chest (no pun intended). I needed to just get all that out.

Lula73

so sorry things have been so upside down and sideways for you. Similarly, my mammo didn't show any cancer either – just calcifications that were suspicious. But in the end the breast without the calcifications ended up being the one with cancer in it. If you'd like to look at the Silverlining – your prettiest breasts you've ever had can continue to be even after mastectomy and recon. I had DIEP flap recon immediately after and the results are amazing. I wish you well. Feel free to vent anytime – that's what we're here for because we've all been there.

herewegoagain59

I am at a stand still MRI with contrast done tuesday this week...Every since surgery in 2015 lump then rads They are always seeing something on mammos.In 2016 it was a fat necrosis.now ...thickening on skin at 6 o'clock and two focal shadowing at 4 o'clock 2 to 3 cm from nipple.I am afraid.down.and no word on MRI...this is what radiologist said about my mammo and US

Some presistant skin thickening of left breast.posterior portion of left breast at the level of nipple noted irregular density density is 31mm greast width.biopsy clip in thiscregion (have fat necrosis at that clip) at that region appears to be amorphous calcifications US report at 6 o'clock position within the retroareloa areas some dilated ducts with some branching largest measuribg 5mm width.at 4 o'clock position focol shawdowing at the kevel of skin or just beneath skin suggesting postoperative there does not appear to be any distinct solid masses or cysts follow up mri