I think I have a problem

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  • HeatherBLocklear
    HeatherBLocklear Member Posts: 1,370
    edited September 2008

    Golf -- of course! Dumb ole me.

    Annie Armpit Golf Ball

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  • AnnNYC
    AnnNYC Member Posts: 4,484
    edited October 2008

    Hi Annie -- just wondering if any news?

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  • jdash
    jdash Member Posts: 754
    edited October 2008

    annie  i hope you have already seen your dr and are reassured that all is well

    sounds like a seroma to me   please let us know you are okay

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  • Hope_M
    Hope_M Member Posts: 261
    edited October 2008

    Annie,

    This really does sound like a seroma to me as well.  I had one the size of a golf ball and it was very, very tender.  Mine felt immediate relief when my radiologist was able to aspirate some of the fluid out.  Not much came out; I think that most of it had solidified.  It took a couple of months to resolve.  

    Let us know how it goes!

    Hope M. 

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  • HeatherBLocklear
    HeatherBLocklear Member Posts: 1,370
    edited October 2008

    Hi all,

    Well, it's been quite a birthday! I saw the BS this morning as planned, and he tried to aspirate the lump, guided by ultrasound. Although he said the echo looked like liquid, very little would come out. He then switched to a larger needle, and tried again. Nothing. I asked if it could be an enlarged lymph node, and he said that possibility cannot be excluded. He then said he'd like to try the mammotone machine on it to see if he can get something out by using a vacuum-assisted procedure. He didn't want to do that today; I think he'll probably call me in again tomorrow or Friday. He also did mention that the liquid could have become, as he put it, "gelatinous."

    Needless to say, I'm now even more concerned. I know I'm not out of the woods, and might never be. However, I'd so much enjoy a slight respite from the constant worry. Maybe a night of restful sleep here and there.

    This evening I participated in a breast cancer coalition roundtable. I was on a panel of patients answering questions about clinical trials. It was wonderful to see that several hundred people turned out for the event -- I live in a very, very small town. The main concern of the coalition is to raise money for the indigent women in the community who basically are sent home to die after a diagnosis of BC. It's so terrible; I just can't understand why we can't take care of ALL our women. All the women on the panel and in the audience applauded the doctors on my medical team over and over again, giving them well-deserved credit for their efforts on behalf of BC victims, and saying that the doctors were their heroes.

    However, DH made me very proud by standing up and saying that, as far as he was concerned, although the doctors deserved all the credit and recognition they were receiving, HIS admiration went to the women on the clinical trial panel because we were the ones putting our lives on the line to help BC victims of the future. He ended up by pointing to me and saying, "look at the woman in yellow at the table up front -- she's MY hero!" I thought he was wonderful, so brave and so touching, to stand up and say that in front of so many people.

    So, I guess things are still in limbo as of this evening. I'm worried, concerned, and everything else. I guess it has become a part of our lives to be constantly preoccupied by BC and all that it carries with it.

    Thanks to all; I'll be back tomorrow with an update.

    Hugs,

    Annie

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  • ICanDoThis
    ICanDoThis Member Posts: 1,473
    edited October 2008

    Annie, happy birthday. And many more. 

    Your husband sounds so sweet. What a wonderful tribute.Did you know you had such good taste in spouses?

    Hope that everything goes well tomorrow. Will be looking in to check upon you.

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  • otter
    otter Member Posts: 6,099
    edited October 2008

    Annie, what a memorable birthday.  I'm glad you were able to set aside your concerns about that lump tonight and participate in the discussion.  Your dh already gave you one present--his comments at the discussion.  I hope you also had a nice dinner with an expensive bottle of wine.

    Hugs... 

    otter 

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  • AnnNYC
    AnnNYC Member Posts: 4,484
    edited October 2008

    Oh my goodness - I had no idea it was your birthday!  I hope you get a really good present in a day or two from your BS.

    But in the meantime, happy birthday wishes to you!  Hugs, Ann

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  • HeatherBLocklear
    HeatherBLocklear Member Posts: 1,370
    edited October 2008

    Hi all,

    Well, the BS was called out on an emergency as I sat in the waiting room. I've been rescheduled for tomorrow morning at nine. Apparently he's planning on doing a biopsy because the office girls said I have to be there before pathology pickup makes his rounds. Oh dear God, I just hope it's not a recurrence this soon after. 

    Has anyone ever heard of a seroma being impossible to suction?

    Thanks to all,

    Annie

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  • FloridaLady
    FloridaLady Member Posts: 2,155
    edited October 2008

    Man ol' Man Annie do they like putting you through the wringer or what?  The waiting must be driving your crazy.  Hang in there we are praying it's just some old lump that is B9999999999.

    Flalady

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  • AnnNYC
    AnnNYC Member Posts: 4,484
    edited October 2008

    Annie, I HAVE heard of a seroma being hard to suction.  And I can vouch for a seroma being very painful -- but since mine occurred in the 6 weeks between lumpectomy and mast, I have no personal experience with aspiration, or with how it felt to the touch (too deep to palpate) -- just that it would hurt like hell, a kind of intermittent, unpredictable stabbing pain.  So, I hate to wish that pain on you, but if it DOES feel that way, that's how my seroma felt!

    (one-hit wonder by The Knack in 1979?  "Muh-Muh-Muh-My Seroma"?)

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  • HeatherBLocklear
    HeatherBLocklear Member Posts: 1,370
    edited October 2008

    Dearest Ann, Sweet FlaLady --

    You two are my heroes. Thanks for always being there, and for being strong, focused, and positive women. I'm not breathing right now, but will be back tomorrow with an update.

    I hope both of you are doing OK. FlaLady -- I always read your posts, on all the forums. Ann, you're simply a dear friend.

    Love,

    Annie

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  • TenderIsOurMight
    TenderIsOurMight Member Posts: 4,493
    edited October 2008

    Thinking of you too, Annie, wishing you the best. I hope today your doctor does a definitive procedure and that by Monday you may have an answer. 
     
    Happy Birthday too.
     
    Tender 
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  • HeatherBLocklear
    HeatherBLocklear Member Posts: 1,370
    edited October 2008

    Hi all,

    What an eventful day! I went to the BS's office this morning, and they pulled out the mammotone machine. On the table were syringes, gauze, all sorts of icky, scary stuff. In comes BS, gives me a local, and then inserts the probe. He was able to vacuum some stuff out of the area, but was unable to get it to completely collapse.

    After he pulled out the canula, I started spurting blood like nobody's business. It was on the floor, on the table, even all over his trousers. The Avastin, of course! He was a bit alarmed, even admitted he was when I asked him directly, and applied pressure for about 20 mins. I was shaking like an asp in a gale. Eventually the bleeding slowed, and then stopped. He sat with me for nearly an hour, though, to make sure I was OK. He then told me to come back in the afternoon for a check.

    I drove to campus, attended the faculty senate meeting, then went back to the BS's office. No further bleeding. However, he said to go to the ER and have them call him should I spring a leak later tonight (he felt it's unlikely these many hours later).

    The sample he removed looks like necrotic tissue, according to him. He did, however, send it to path, and we'll have the answer on Monday. He'll call me on my cell. Please everyone -- say a small prayer. Not the kind we say for those really in trouble, but a little preventive one. A whisper in God's ear.

    Love to all,

    Annie Camel Spurt

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  • OneBadBoob
    OneBadBoob Member Posts: 1,386
    edited October 2008

    Wispering in God's ear, Annie--(shouting if necessary) that this is nothing.

    Necrotic tissue and nothing else, Necrotic tissue and nothing else, Necrotic tissue and nothing else,  Necrotic tissue and nothing else --

    Hey--had a bit of that myself, so, chanting again, Necrotic tissue and nothing else, Necrotic tissue and nothing else. . .

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  • ICanDoThis
    ICanDoThis Member Posts: 1,473
    edited October 2008

    Just logged in and saw the news. Consider a  (stage) whisper sent.

    It sounds like the whole thing was pretty traumatic; go home and take care of yourself. It sounds like your doc was really sweet - just what you deserve.

    Hope you have a relaxing weekend

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  • cmb35
    cmb35 Member Posts: 1,106
    edited October 2008

    Sorry for the traumatic afternoon (I can't believe you attended a meeting after spouting blood like a geyser!), but hopeful that all will be well. Of course you have to wait through the whole weekend (why is it ALWAYS on a Friday?!?!?) but I'm thinking good thoughts for you.

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  • AnnNYC
    AnnNYC Member Posts: 4,484
    edited October 2008

    Whispering "benign, benign, benign."  Hope you're resting well right now. 

    Yikes about the bleeding -- how many different ways can a person be traumatized be this?  Isn't about time for "custom" to "stale" its "infinite variety"???

    Sheesh...

    Ultra-gentle hugs, sweetie!

    Ann

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  • TenderIsOurMight
    TenderIsOurMight Member Posts: 4,493
    edited October 2008

    Maybe a hematoma due to weakening blood vessel wall, hence new blood mixed with old. 
     
    Avastin SE?
     
    Best to you, Annie. 
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  • NancyD
    NancyD Member Posts: 3,562
    edited October 2008

    Phfph! God, over here. Listen, I've got this friend, Annie who lives with the camels. She needs a little favor. You know you owe me. I've been to church every Sunday for the last 57 years. Yeah, Ok, there was that weekend I went on a trip with my then-boyfriend, but I made up for it!

    Anyway, just take a look at Annie's little necrotic tissue and make sure it's clean, OK? Thanks, I knew you'd be willing to do it. See you tomorrow, 12 noon.

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  • Lilac
    Lilac Member Posts: 183
    edited October 2008

    I'm whispering a prayer for you for good news on Monday.

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  • peachwater
    peachwater Member Posts: 16
    edited October 2008

    Hey there,

         I also have a knot by my mastectomy scar.  I have amazingly enough gotten all my feeling back, very painful week this week, and all my swelling went down---and I was left with this one hard, tender spot.  Our 7th grade counselor at school, who also used to be an oncology nurse, told me she would cover my class if I got an immediate appt.  When I told her I had an appt. with the onc on the 15th and the surgeon couldn't see me until the 15th, she told me to get an appt with my regular dr.  So Monday---I will be going to see my regular dr.  All I got to say is....if she wasn't willing to let me wait that long----none of us should take these things forgranted either.  I want to thank you all---I know I don't post often---but I have poured over this site the last  7 months to figure out what a new "normal" would be.  Thanks to you all,

                                                                                         Barby

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  • swimangel72
    swimangel72 Member Posts: 1,989
    edited October 2008

    Annie you one tough cookie.............how you got through that meeting I don't know. I'm praying for you - that you'll have very good news on Monday!

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  • FloridaLady
    FloridaLady Member Posts: 2,155
    edited October 2008

    I'm not the whispering type:)   So I'm say a very LOUD prayer for you that this is B9999999999.

    ((((HUGS)))) on this long weekend as you wait.

    Flalady

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  • ICanDoThis
    ICanDoThis Member Posts: 1,473
    edited October 2008

    Just wanted you to know my fingers are crossed for tomorrow's results.

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  • TenderIsOurMight
    TenderIsOurMight Member Posts: 4,493
    edited October 2008

    Thinking about you, Annie Camel Breath.
     
    Tender 
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  • HeatherBLocklear
    HeatherBLocklear Member Posts: 1,370
    edited October 2008

    Hi all,

    Well, the news is not good. The lump is indeed a node, and there are cancer cells inside a bunch of necrotic tissue. The BS says he doesn't know how he could have missed the node, but he obviously did. He said we now do a PET scan to make sure things haven't traveled while all this waiting was going on, and then radiation.  I believe he then said he'd then go back in and take the node, and probably others as well.

    My qestion is this: Is this a death sentence? I'm sorry for being so blunt, and hope I don't offend anyone's sensibilities. I feel as though I'm looking my end in the face (ok, ok, my END, not my bottom, haha), and want to know if I should be getting my papers in order and otherwise preparing for the inevitable.

    I do want to know the truth, however. No smoke and mirrors; no sugar coating. Please advise me.

    Thanks.

    Hugs to all,

    Annie

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  • nosurrender
    nosurrender Member Posts: 2,019
    edited October 2008

    Hi Annie,

    I am sorry you have to deal with this...so much for our Seroma Chant.

    You asked if this is the end...

    nope.

    It is the beginning of more "stuff" - but certainly not anything you can't handle.

    Your BS realized he missed a node... but your node was doing its job: catching cancer cells. Hopefully they stayed put and surgery to take it out will be all that is required.

    Maybe some targetted rads to the area to be sure... but as for you - you keep on buying green bananas and 12 gallon barrells of croutons because you are going to have plenty of time to enjoy them... ( that is of course if you DO enjoy croutons!)

    BIG HUGS

    g

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  • TenderIsOurMight
    TenderIsOurMight Member Posts: 4,493
    edited October 2008

    Well I'm going to attempt an answer to you, Annie. No it's not a death sentence. It's a local recurrence, and the radiation will kill the cancer cells in the node. Then he can discuss with your oncologist if there is any other treatment advised, after the PET findings too.
     
    One other thought is to have an MRI of your lumpectomy breast, to see if anything shows, and to consider timing of the mastectomy. It may be better to move on with the mastectomy given the node popping up. You may wish to have bilateral MRI's.
     
    Remember, none of us have an expiration date on our foot. Get this new problem treated and allow more time to pass by doing so, for new drugs and techniques to be put out there for we breast cancer patients.
     
    I understand for example, there is a PET scan radio-marker technique that is being developed for triple negative patients. Something similar to the ER+ radioisotope technique PET scans for ER+ patients. Apparently there will be presentation on this at San Antonio in December. This would allow doctors to see the impact of treatment as it is given.
     
    I'm very sorry, Annie. I am misting up while typing. Cancer sucks.
     
    Tender 
     
     
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  • ICanDoThis
    ICanDoThis Member Posts: 1,473
    edited October 2008

    I'm so sorry that your surgeon missed something.

    There were cells within dead tissue, which means that the treatment so far didn't get it all.

    But you found it. And I'm sure that they will have treatments that can finish the job.

    I have so much respect and affection for you. Over the months, you have faced everything that was thrown at you and shared so much with all of us. I hope we can help you get through these next steps.

    I hate this disease and am so sorry this is happening.

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