New to Board

Well, I am back 4 years latter. My original scans/mammogram in 2012 were supposed to be ok. I accepted that and moved on. I neglected to respond back with the good news to this board. My apologies for not doing so. I recently reported a lemon size lump under my right arm in the axillary area. The Dr. asked if I had found any new lumps in the chest area, I said no. Dr. sent me down to Sally Jobe for an ultrasound of the mass. I arrived on time and was informed I was getting a mammogram in addition to the US. Mammogram was done and nothing was said, moved on to the US. The tech performing the procedure was speaking to a student. My Dr. thought it was a lipoma on her discharge papers. The tech. immediately ruled out a lipoma and she sees nothing but a large lymph node etc. US finished and radiologist came in to recheck the findings. I was kind of surprised by what the radiologist said, it was the largest lymph node she had ever seen, 4.5 cm large. But, it had a shape that she had never seen before. She said she normally sees them 2.5 cm range, never this big. She rattled off a number of things it could be and said she was going to have to review the mammogram again and study my previous test results from 2012 to try to figure out what is going on. I said ok, and she was supposed to call me. Well no call was made to me on Friday. I received an urgent call on Sat. from Sally Jobe, my Dr. ordered an immediate breast MRI and one on the 4.5 cm mass. My Dr. does not work on Fridays or Sat. She only works 3 days a week. Great Dr. by the way.

This seems to be moving along rather fast? I was thinking they should probably just do a biopsy to just find out what it is. Radiologist said she did not just want to stick a needle in it. I thought that was kind of a strange way of saying something. I did not ask for a biopsy, the Radiologist just said she did not want to stick a needle in it right off.

Scheduled for MRI's on 1/17. My question is do they normally do an MRI first before doing a biopsy?

In addition to this axillary lump, I have a lump in the corner of my left eye and something growing on the right eye. Optometrist thinks the lump is a cyst. Growth on eye was after seeing optometrist. Have appointment with ophthalmologist, which is why I went to my Dr. in the first place. I also have a lump in the nasal cavity adjacent to the eye lump. Have appointment with ENT Dr. as well. So while I was with my Dr. I asked about my heart murmur. She listens to my heart and then says she is scheduling an echo cardiogram at the hospital. Normally she does this at the hospital associated with her practice. Imagine my surprise when the local hospital calls and says she wants an urgent echo cardiogram scheduled. I made the appointment and then wondered why would she schedule me at a competing hospital chain and why so urgent?

I am actually pretty calm about all of this. I have MS, Diabetic, Lupus and a couple of other things. My MS has moved into the Secondary Progressive MS. which is basically a downward spiral with out remissions anymore. I was in the tail end of a MS attack at the time of the US.

Any advice on what happens next with MRI results? I would assume they will want to do a biopsy of some kind. My old swollen lymph nodes have not gone away either. 1 side of neck (same side as 4.5 cm mass), 1 right parotid gland, 1 on each side under jaw. All 2.5 cm or larger.

Thanks,

Mike

Thank you for the kind reply. I have had MS now for 33 years. I have literally been severally ill for over half of my life now. I had to quite work because of MS, severe fatigue and severe cognitive issues. Those are the top 2 reasons for MS disability. Now for the good news. I have never let any of this bother me. I am just thankful for the things I can do. Any day I can get up is a good day. I cannot do some of the things I used to do. So I do something different and I am really good at finding a different way to do things.

So life is good and I have no complaints.

Just patiently waiting for the next chapter in my life to unfold and see what is new.

Mike

voraciousreader,

Thank you for your nice comments. I finally heard back from my Dr.'s office yesterday. They said Sally Jobe was not able to determine what the mass was. So my Dr. ordered the MRI's.

Life certainly is interesting and full of challenges.

Mike

I am back looking for advice after having a complete a complete axillary lymph node dissection by the surgeon. He was supposed to remove the the mass and I came out with a huge crater where it was and a suction device and bulb. I also had 2 hernias repaired, so I am hurting mostly in the groin area and back.

What can I expect going forward with lymph node dissection? He said he removed them because they felt rubbery to him and was intertwined the the main tumor, what ever that means?

Not expecting this turn of events, except for hernias

Thanks,

Mike

Traveltxt, Thanks for the reply. I have been sitting outside enjoying a couple of pain pills. I have curious question. Did anyone ever have cancer surgery where the surgeon inserted catheters into the incisions. The catheters in my case 2 were inserted into the hernia repair incisions and both of them ran to a some kind mechanical ball that contained a pain killer in it. Boy did that make every thing go number literately. Everything in the immediate area was area was numb including the boys. I thought this was a pretty good idea as they did not tell me about it before hand. Took about 4 days for meds to run out of it and I pulled it myself, no problems. I thought might be a good thing for breast cancer, but what do I know?

Mike

Traveltxt and Liz, Thanks for the replies!!

I have a drainage tube from the tumor/lymph node resections and I do have to drain and milk it twice a day. Now abut 100 ml a day. Liz nailed the catheters on the head. It sounds like they may be used on breast cancer and other surgeries. I am really thankful for them, I would hate to have found out how painful the hernias would be with out them.

My friends have been helping with the swollen areas, pack1, pack 2 and pack 3 are my best friends now. Pack 3 is my baby that sits in my arm pit area. I hold her like a new born baby, very gentle and make sure she is comfortable!! All three friends gets change of diapers(ice) every once in a while. I just love the little rascals. So far my under arm is numb around the pec muscles area and I have pain running down the back of my arm to the elbow and stops. Not bad pain, in fact I would not take a tylenol for it, but then again I am taking narcotics for the hernia pain. So hopefully it won't get any worse. I was just looking for some loving experiences of others who had this procedure done.

Right now I have no idea of any cancers of any kind. Just sitting around waiting for a shoe to fall off the centipede of life and show itself.

I think I might go for a short stroll down to the corner after Bluebloods is over. It helps with the back and butt pain from sitting to long.

Traveltxt,

No they did not do any breast surgery of any kind. They were supposed to be removing a fatty tumor, supposedly a lipoma. I wake from surgery to find out they removed everything in axillary arm pit area, the fat pad, tumor and all of the lymph nodes. The question is why? The said results would be back in 4-5 days. I am guessing business days which would make it next Mon or Tue. The Dr. said the nodes felt hard and rubbery to him. Realistically I doubt I will hear anything from until my next appointment with them on June 13th.

I actually spent 3 whole days in the hospital due to low blood pressure. 87/47 not real good, nor was it safe to go home with it that low. Nice people in the hospital they took real good care of me. They told me I was a dream patient or was it I was dreaming allot because of the meds. It must be the first part right!!!???

So I am just trying to figure what happens next with all my lymph nodes being gone now, as I said I was not expecting that to happen, very surprised. As you probably know google searches on this lymph node dissection only come up with breast cancer diagnosis which did not happen in my case. All though that is why I was sent down to Sally Jobe in the first place. Which is where the ultrasound found the mass not the mammogram.

Mike