Am I missing something?

Hi Britt, just wanted to wish you all the best for your surgery on Dec 16th.  I was diagnosed on Sept 22nd, I didn't hesitate for a second in deciding to do the bi-lateral mastectomy, my surgeon suggested lumpectomy, but it wasn't an option for me, I have had a nightmare for years, I have never been able to find lumps in my boobs during my monthly self exams, I had 36DD's since I was a teenager, they were very dense, I have had mammograms since I was 35 and for the last 8 years have had ultra sounds every 6 months, they didn't even catch this lump..... in fact in August at my last ultra sound the radiologist said, see you in 6 months and left.  The assistant who was in the room asked me if I had ever had MRI with contrast I said no and she recommended that I request one, (she obviously saw something) I asked my primary care doctor and his response was "she had no right to say that to you", I said well she did so I want one (you really have to be your own advocate don't you!). Long story shorter, did the MRI with contrast and yes I had breast cancer.  I moved very quickly even though I knew I had time, I didn't want to delay, I had the mastecomy with immediate tissue expanders put in place by the plastic surgeon (they work in tandem), I woke up with an A cup big difference from 36DD, but to me they were just boobs and I wanted the cancer out, also I knew I with my boobs I would have to go through all this again next year or the year after if I would have had a lumpectomy, I couldn't do that.  I am quite liking the new little boobs! I am 49 and have NEVER been perky, I am now perky LOL!!  Anyhoo, just wanted to let you know that my prayers with be with you on Dec 16th, you will do great! big hugs! I hope you get your path results soon.

Hi Fairy -

Thank you so very much for your prayers and good wishes!  Your story is inspiring - we do have to be our own advocates!  AND I finally got the rest of my path results - ER+/PR+ and HER - and passed my pre-op physical today with flying colors - chest x-ray totally clear and blood work normal . . . so I await my appt tomorrow with my surgeon for the breast MRI results to be discussed . . . it has been SOME week!!!!

Webbie, love your sense of irony - great timing for hard drive to crash!  We all can't wait to hear of your results - great big hugs to you both and to all -

Maria

Webbie -

Wow!  That was fast - but at least you will get it over with - and the day before my surgery!  And we were diagnosed on the same day - thank God your MRI did not show any unpleasant surprises - I am freaking because I have my consult at 3pm today re MRI . . . trying to be calm - wish they scheduled the damn consult earlier!  I have all day to ruminate on it - trying to keep busy -

Hang in there!

All the best to you both, Webbie and Britt!

To All - My Surgery Postponed to After the Holidays 

Just came back from dr's office.  Breast MRI showed two tiny nodules in my left breast and another tiny one under the lump in my right breast - also showed a "shadow, not a mass or a tumor or a nodule" behind my left rib (I had injured that years ago).  Dr wants to biopsy all the other nodules and have a bone scan done.  I have a bilateral ultrasound tomorrow at Vero Radiology at 7:30 am - and because Medicaid only allows one procedure for day, each biopsy has do to be done on a different day - and the bone scan has to be done at the hospital.  There is no way all of this can be accomplished before Tuesday, so surgery will be reschedule for after the Christmas holidays.
 
The good news is that none of the tests so far show any invasion of the lymph nodes, which is why dr doubts that the cancer metasized to my rib (the shadow - she asked if I ever had an injury to my left rib, and I did about 12 years ago) - but she wants to do the bone scan to be sure - and the other biopsies to ascertain whether the nodules are benign or malignant.
 
Should I require a double mast, she agreed with me to schedule a plastic surgeon consult.
 
So there it is.  I will have a happy Christmas - somewhat, anyway!
 

Hey Webbie,

I'm in Birmingham, being treated at Trinity. PM me if you would like to.

Ginny

Clear SNB is awesome!!!!

You won't know hormone status until next week probably.  But clear margins and clear SNB is great news.

Webbie -

Wow!  Clear SNB - fabulous - and clear margins - doubly fabulous!

Can't wait until you get the homone results - that will give them a much better idea about treatment for you -

Fabulous again!

Hi Webbie!

Yay!!!! What fantastic news! take is easy and enjoy being pampered!

Lorraine

ox

Sorry, but what is SNB &  ALND

Just wanted to expand on something Sue (ICanDoThis) said...

When tumor cells escape from a tumor and get into the lymphatic system, they usually go first to axillary (armpit) lymph nodes.  The first lymph node to receive fluid and cells from a particular area of the breast is called the "sentinel node" for that area.

Thus, with a SNB (sentinel node biopsy), the surgeon uses tracer dyes (a radioactive compound or a blue dye or both) to identify the node or nodes that are the first ones to which the tumor cells would travel if they escaped from the breast.  My surgeon said she usually finds and removes 2 or 3 sentinel nodes--not just one.  From what I've read, that's pretty typical.  So, the surgeon isn't removing a "layer" of nodes with SNB--he or she just removes the first few (or even just one) marked by the tracer dye.

With ALND ("full" axillary lymph node dissection), the surgeon attempts to remove all the lymph nodes that are under the arm.  The axillary nodes are buried in a layer of fat that's in the armpit, and the surgeon often takes out the entire fat pad plus whatever other nodes he or she can locate in the area.

Sue is right--if one or more of the sentinel nodes contains cancer cells, the surgeon will usually do a full ALND to see if the cancer has spread beyond the sentinel nodes.  Sometimes it's necessary to do ALND instead of SNB--for instance, if there is clinical evidence that the cancer has already spread to the nodes; or if the tracer dye for the SNB is injected but no lymph nodes pick up the dye.

Webbie, how are you doing?

otter