help with the pathology report

The waiting is the worst part. the beginning is the worst. I'm so glad they are moving quickly.

You'll see, the surgery will be a breeze and this will be nothing but a horrid memory before you know it.

Hang in there and try to get by moment by moment. Remind yourself that in this moment you are ok. Try not to think about the next moment and before you know it will all be past. Good luck!

Hello Shaz, so sorry you're feeling so alone right now, but so glad you found this place, because everyone here really understands how you feel. When you have more information, you'll find women with the same Dx, will come to share their experiences with you. This is the worst part, while you wait for all the pieces to fit. We don't do fear of the unknown very well!

We have all experienced the things people say, when they don't know what to say, Unless someone has felt this fear and heard the Dx, they truly are clueless as to how we feel.

I wish you all the best for tomorrow, try to have a good rest tonight. It is great that your Mother is going with you, it is important to have another set of ears, when there is a lot of information and just having that support makes it easier.

Let us know how you get on! Hugs to you!

Hi Shaz, I guess you are at the Doctor's office right now. I was wondering how you were getting on. Where in Aus are you? Do you have a McGrath breast Nurse in your area? I am in a small coastal town and we have one who is fantastic. They have all kinds of contacts and are a great support.

Try not to jump ahead too much, with your fears, I know it is hard, but we have a pretty good system in place in Australia. Let us know how you get on. Hugs!

Hi Shaz, I am so sorry about how you're feeling, it is an awful shock and being left in limbo is just brutal. Another wait now, till Tuesday. I know how frustrating it is. I knew that Christmas was fast approaching, when I was first tested and was waiting for my surgery.

Use the little cold pack today for the biopsy site, I think I did 20 mins on and 20 off with it wrapped in a paper towel. If you are sore a Panadol will help. I had 8 cores taken with my Stereotactic and got quite bruised from that.

I just looked up the Mcgrath Foundation website to see if you have a Nurse near you, but I am not familiar with where you are, so I am unsure of the closest Nurse to you. Take a look, it is worth it. I had just moved here when I was Dx and the Nurse in our area contacted me and directed me to a support group before I had even had my surgery. I didn't really know anyone here, but have stayed with the group and have actually become one of the organizers. We had 10members when I first started going in Dec 2012 and we now have 23 members. We meet once a month and have outings, speakers and just give support to each other.

I know it all seems bleak and scary right now, but it will feel better when you know more. There is an Australian thread here, I am not sure if you have posted there, but they are a great group of women. Chrissy is in SA and is extremely knowledgeable and friendly, as are all the ladies on there.

Stay in touch and let us know how you are getting on, there will usually be someone around. Obviously we are a different time zone to the US so it can be a bit quiet at times, when those ladies are sleeping. Feel free to PM me if you want to! Hugs to you!

Dear Shaz - Just wanted to send a bit of support from the West Coast of the US. Don't worry about taking leave now - if you're like most of us you won't be able to concentrate well anyway for a while (although some do fine work a welcome distraction from their own thoughts). I know I was useless when first diagnosed. Between all the hours of appointments, the stress of waiting for results and the emotional bodyblow of diagnosis, I was exhausted, run off my feet, distracted and heaven knows what else. All I can say is that, bit by bit, it DOES get better.

A couple pieces of advice - if you can record your meetings with your surgeon and other doctors, you'll find it very helpful. Many cell phones have the capacity to do this. It's SO much better than trying to take notes.

Second, don't rush into anything unless you completely understand and accept the plan of action. It's easy to be stampeded by surgeons and surgery schedules but rushing into things isn't helpful in this situation. You have to make the decision that is best for YOU. Not for your surgeon or even your family.

Good luck as you go on. It's surreal dealing with this over the holidays, I know. Just take one step at a time and ask your GP for something to help you sleep if you need it.

Hi Shaz, great to see you back and the taping Hopeful suggested is a great idea. I had my Husband with me and he is far better at remembering medical stuff than I am. I was a mess, I just heard BC and then it was all Blah, blah, blah after that. I did manage to snap out of it and be more proactive with my appointments after the initial stuff. Don't read too much into the tests and stuff they are doing, a lot is just standard of care stuff here in Australia and is protocol. You have a good, pro active Doctor!

I know how you feel about wanting to get started, I was just the same. My 2 year anniversary of my surgery was yesterday and I know how hard it is to be trying to get stuff like this organized before Christmas. I had to wait a month, even though I was in the urgent category, of my surgeon's list, but I got into surgery by the skin of my teeth, because the surgical ward of the Hospital closed for Christmas, the day after my surgery. Too bad, so sad, if I had needed to stay longer! LOL

I would suggest, once you know what you're dealing with and have options, try doing some reading here, forget DR Google, it isn't reliable, but the info here, is always updated. Knowledge is power and it helps you to feel like you have some control. Ask questions here, once you have a full Dx, others here will come and give you support and answer any questions you may have. You can ask anything here, so don't be afraid if you want to just let off some steam, everyone here "Gets It".

Hugs to you!

Hi Shaz, no, I am one of the incredibly fortunate ones who doesn't have to have more treatment after my surgery. I was given the option of a lumpectomy and Rads or a Umx and Sentinel Node Biopsy. I opted to have a Umx (single mstectomy) because I preferred to avoid radiotherapy, if at all possible. I had a couple of reasons for that. One being, that my husband is a quadriplegic and also, we live in a small coastal town in Victoria, so I would have had to stay down, in another town during the week for 6 weeks to get that treatment. Although we have good carers here, I just didn't feel comfortable with leaving my Husband like that. I knew there could still be a possibility of needing Rads, if anything else was found in the final pathology of that surgery, but I took the chance and it came out OK. I had DCIS which never requires chemo, so I managed to dodge that too. I decided not to take Tamox because for me, the cons outweighed the pros.

There are many options and many decisions to make,they don't call this a "journey" for nothing! The one piece of advice I would give you, is to weigh them all up and go with what feels right for you, don't be swayed by what others think you "should" do. I think it is easier to adjust, when the decisions have been yours.

Gosh, you have quite a bit to do before Thursday, I wish you all the best, hopefully it will keep you distracted from thinking about this stuff for a bit. Yep! step away from Google, we have all been scared by bad information on Google, stick with this site.

Have a lovely Christmas!

Hi shaz, of course you're overwhelmed, it is a lot to process. We all understand.

My Husband has been a rock for me, he went to every appointment with me, read all he could, to familiarize himself with my diagnosis and supported me and helped me make my decision, to have a mastectomy.

I should say, I am 61 and I assume you are much younger, so your reasons for your decisions, will possibly be very different to mine.

I have to be honest with you, I had no emotional issues at all, with losing my breast, in fact, I couldn't wait to get it off, after I received the Dx. I had to spend the night before surgery, in a Hotel near the Hospital which was over an hour drive from where I live. I was scared out of my mind and had an early appointment, for the Sentinel Node mapping. The night before I felt I had to disengage with my breast and as weird as this may sound, I spoke to it, I said "You've let me down, you have to go!" I felt much better after that and actually slept for a few hours. I breezed through the sentinel node tracer and then the mastectomy. I spent the night walking the halls chatting and drinking tea with the Nurses. I went home early the next morning.

I have to be truthful, I was nervous about showing the scar to my Husband, I don't know why. I had even bought Pj's to wear in bed, even though I have always been a knickers in bed kind of gal. Well, he took a look and said " Wow, that will heal really well and you don't need 2 boobs to be gorgeous!" That was it, the Pj's went to the opp shop and we have never looked back.

I didn't reconstruct, I knew it wasn't for me and I haven't had a moments regret about that I actually felt empowered after the surgery and I have no problem with the scar at all . I have a huge wardrobe of boobs, Foobs and all kinds of mastectomy clothing, camisoles and bras. I have a real interest in researching and finding clothing that suits us, after Mx and post on those threads all the time.

I have to say, for me, the surgery and recovery, was nothing like I had worked up in my imagination, it was much easier than I could ever imagine. I didn't need any pain medication in the Hospital, or after I went home. The drain was a real nuisance, but it wasn't there for long. I had a few hiccups along the way, but nothing serious.

You will find there are many women who will be very happy to share their stories with you to help you while you digest your options. Don't hesitate to ask anything, here.

All the best for Christmas! let us know how you are getting on!

And to you Hopeful! Thank you so much for the kind words. I am so pleased to know you too!

All the very best for 2015 and I look forward to seeing you here. (((((Hugs)))))