Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!

Carriek30,

My MRI didn't show anything unusual with my nodes either. However, because my DCIS is grade 3 with comedonecrosis (which means it is very aggressive) my surgeon told me he would do the Sentinel Node Biopsy.

As it turned out I have much more cancer in my breast than initial breast biopsy showed. My nodes however are negative - thankfully - so even though I'm sore from the SNL, at least I know now that the cancer has not spread so far.

BB

It makes me so nervous to hear women say that cancer was discovered in their other breast when they opted for double mastectomy instead of lumpectomy. I had an MRI on both breasts before surgery, but what if they missed something? Ugh.

I am terrified for tomorrow, Peggy. I came home from work and have been sitting in the recliner with my dogs crying off and on. I don't even want to go. Right now I can have hope but tomorrow I can find out the truth and it may not be good.

Shelley, you've had a very long wait and I know the strain has added to that already involved in dealing with this. I am hoping for very good results but in the meantime, you need to get through tonight.

This might be a good time for a long, hot bath, complete with bubble bath, candles, maybe a glass of wine or a cup of tea and a good book.

Or maybe the weather's decent enough that the dogs would like to take you for a walk? (And then the bubble bath!)

If you have Xanax or Ativan on hand it could almost certainly help and was made for times such as this. There's no reason to be any more miserable than you have to be. Sending you encouraging thoughts, Shelley, and hoping for the very best tomorrow.

shelley, I am waiting for results too, and I'm also scared. But at the same time, I know that no matter whether the news is good or not so good, it will be better to know and not sit and worry. So as others have said, do whatever you can to get through tonight, do something enjoyable and distracting, and know that the stress of the unknown will soon be behind you. I'll be thinking about you as I wait for that call from my surgeon, too.

Shelley

I feel the same. I get my results tomorrow too. I'm getting more anxious by the minute. Part of me just wants to know now and part of me wants to bury my head in the sand. My partner is fussing around me doing housework and it's driving me crazy.

Shelley, Kayfry and Shaz, I know you are in that difficult place of not knowing your path results. I hope you get a bit of peace tonight so you can sleep. We are here for you and will help you through, whatever your results are. I'll be thinking about you! Let us know the results. Hugs!

Hitting the "LIKE" button!!!!

Definitely a LIKE button is needed!!

I remember when I had a wire locator biopsy done about 10 years ago and went back after a week or two for a check up. Got some damn surgeon in training who wanted to pass the time of day when all I cared about was the path report. And I let him have it with both barrels. I was so p*ssed at him. Everything was fine. I hope sometime someone did that to him. I believe in revenge! End rant.

Anyway Ladies, good paths tomorrow. Many hugs. Good night's sleep. More hugs!!

"like"

Has anyone experienced more than normal bone loss (hip or spine) since rads?  My onc doc made such a big deal about watching my bone health to keep things in check.  Would like to know what others are going through or have been asked to watch and what your docs shared with you about the impact from rads.

First of all *HUGS* to all the ladies waiting for your results. I was really lucky that my BS told my family a bunch of information after the surgery like how large the tumor actually was, that the lymph nodes were clear, that they took 4 of them and that they believed they got it all. I think I would have gone nuts waiting for 2 weeks for that info. It gave me enough that I could relax a bit and wait to get the entire story later.

colleen - when I had my ultrasound, they only did the right breast (the one with the lump). When I went in for the MRI, they found another spot on the left breast. It turned out just to be an fibroadenoma but had it been something else, I would have had the option of a completely different treatment regime. Even though it turned out to be negative and caused me an extra week of worrying, I'm glad they did find it and ruled out cancer.

Thanks, Dogs. I can't tell if my operated breast has much swelling or not. If not, then I'm not too unhappy with it right now (though my initial peek when I removed the dressing was still a slight shock). If it shrinks further, or gets more distorted, after either radiation or additional surgery (I hope not) or just the healing process, I may feel differently. I must say reconstruction surgery doesn't sound very appealing to me right now, but I guess that could change down the line. I'm so glad you're finally going to be able to get your reconstruction, and I will be thinking of you and looking forward to hearing from you how it all goes. Yes, this is a wonderful place and wonderful group of women. I'm so glad I found you all.

My BS said mammograms are best for me with dense breasts and microcalcifications. If more is needed, she'll order it. April will be my first mammogram after Lx.

Colleen--I too had dense breasts but the surgeon didn't order a pre-op MRI, since he said it wouldn't have added info to the biopsy pathology report and mammo and ultrasound imaging. And two years post-op I still have not had one. He said he might order one if my seroma hasn't shrunk away, so that he can see "behind" it, but he will decide at my 2-year check-up later this week. tgtg