DCIS questions and confusions, personal stories and issues

I had a mini intervention yesterday  about  my not wanting to see the RO and MO next week. My best galpal who along with her hubby came to the  hospital to be with me and my hubby (we share our surgerical experiences...seems to be socialization for we baby boomers the last few years...lol) came over and she brought another friend of mine who is a 5 yr DCIS survivor and just got off Tamox. I got tough love and to sweeten the pot they brought flowers, a card and dinner for my hubby and me.  They saw that I scratched off the appts on my wall calendar and got a bit rowdy and threatened to TAKE me to the appts. So I agreed to go and see what they have to say. RO next Wed and MO next Friday.

beesie, thank you for all that information, it puts things  into perspective

cookie monster, thanks for your personal story,

dakota212, yes waiting stinks,  i will keep you all posted,

thank you all for the information and support.

joyce 

proudtospin...thanks for that  reality check on the timing. I will probably only have a few weeks before vacation after rads if I choose to go that route. I have already had my shingles shot fortunately. Its a nasty thing to have to deal with under any circumstances. My Dad in Law had it really bad for a very long time.

Good idea Claire

They will have my paths next week when I go to both and we can talk about my options so perhaps it would indeed be ok to wait until I get back. As long as it does not jeopardize the effectiveness of the rads I might just defer it.

infobabe,

It was sounding better and better to wait until I return from the island for so many reasons. I looked at the calendar and if I defer the rads (assuming I do them) until we get back from vacation I will be one week shy of completing 7 weeks of rads when the new year comes.  I checked with Medicare and my supplemental about being one week shy of completing when the new year starts AND the both deductibles reset and there is no provision for this so I would have the deductibles in my way for that one last week of rads.  So poo...thats messing up being able to enjoy my trip and then have rads. I can' win!  I would hate to be on the OR table having major surgery on New Years Eve and they were half way done and the clock strikes the New Year so the deductible kicks back in...grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Ooooh cookiemonster, that gave me chills when I read about it. Not sure I want any more invasion into my breast at this point. The poor girl is one week out of surgery as of today and needs time to heal and regroup.

Infobabe, Had never heard of internal rads before. I have my RO and MO meetings next week so I will now be armed with more information.  I have not gotten my copy of the paths yet and will share as soon as I do.  Surgeon did not mention any thing odd about my paths. He was elated that he got the whole thing out with clean margins and said that the standard rads was 7 weeks when I asked if I would  still need it.  My 5 yr DCIS survivor friend had 7 weeks but told me about friends who got boosts during rads that shortened the length.

I now have my eyes set on post-vacation rads so need to work with them for the best option for me that will have a completion date no later than 12/31/12.

I did the 7 weeks, I asked about the shorter versions but was not considered a candidate do to the amount and the layout of the junk

I think you should put all the thoughts on the back burner till you see the docs, if you think then you need a second opinion, do so but doubt that it is a rush for now,

listen to the docs~~do not go shopping for a decision that is convenient to vacations~~

I think when you are making a possible choice between a breast conserving lumpectomy and the more extensive mastectomy, it is good to consider the quality of the surgeon, the facility and their success or failure with lumpectomies

I am lucky, in NJ I had the choice between many centers and many docs.  Lordie but I could have gone to Mem Sloan Kettering or University of Pa or many others all within a couple of hours of me.  The surgeon I chose has a great reputation for success with lumpectomies so I was confident and still am after 4 years that I made the right choice.  I split my docs between 2 Hospitals and have an easy time with a second opinion.

I remember reading on a dif board of a woman in Alaska who had to go very far for the only cancer center in Alaska.  Not as easy to get a good surgeon in Alaska I would guess.  I would think she might have had no choice but to do a mastectomy.  Glad with all of this that I live in the middle of so many good shops and docs. 

Infobabe, I lumpies and traditional rads, I saw 2 radiologists and 2 oncologists at two dif hospitals before making my choice, I also relied on a doctor husband of one of my pals who was very helpful in explaining the thought process of the docs, not sure if that makes sense but when I said why are they doing test....he explained in a way that reasurred...course he was the former medical examiner of Staten Island!

anyway, not all docs or hospitals are the same.  Last year a gym pal of mine was told to get a BS and went looking for one in the yellow pages as she did not have my number...fortunately she did end up with one of the good ones and all was fine for her

your location can affect your treatment, no doubt in my mine

Im on Aromasin, and post menopause.......and know several other women on it post-meno as well.  Over a month now, no SEs.

Wish we had a decent pool where I live - cant handle the indoor pool at the Y - full of chlorine!

I had a few aches and pains before AIs......and exercise with weights/aerobics, hike, cycle......now finding that after i exercise, Im really wiped out.  It used to give me energy.  Might be a SE......not sure.  Im in AZ, so it is pretty hot right now and have been attributing it to that.....But its not slowing me down.  As a massage therapist, I know that once you stop moving, its hard to start up again.  And only increases joint pain/issues.  So I just keep going....... Remember, even if you only do 30min/day, its enough to get some benefit!   

Yes, it is hard on your hands.....you can learn to use forearms tho, and yes, specializing in a certain modality such as lymphedema would be wise.