March 2015 Surgery Sisters

gypsyjo, thanks for the explanation and how scary! I know for a fact a potential SE of tamoxifen is blood clots. I'm not sure about AIs though, or maybe ovary suppression or removal? Are you premenopausal? At least it sounds like you are doing your research. We have to be our own advocates for sure.

I am home! Feeling pretty good and have more arm movement than I anticipated. No news on nodes yet, will be a few days. Feels like I have tennis balls jammed in my chest, but the girls look pretty good Hope everyone is doing well!

Nlosgatos - thinking of you and hoping all went well today and that you're on the road to recovery.

Also thinking of all those who have their surgeries behind them and sending good thoughts their way.

Angmom - So glad to hear you did so well, and hope your recovery is uneventful and pray all results are good.  Your good news is helpful for my nerves.

I think I'm having a panic attacks. Since the pre-admittance interview I did this morning by phone my heart has been pounding, my mouth dry and I'm breathing fast. DH and I went out to get a few groceries and also to look for some of the tops that have been suggested for post-surgery. After walking around for just a few minutes I ha to sit down as I feel faint and my stomach is in knots. I ca't seem to get it under control... Today I am afraid... :-(

Thank you Hummingbird. I will be glad when it's done. The top you describe is exactly what I bought :-)

My emotions are all the place partly because tomorrow would have been my mum's 95th birthday. She passed away In January. I hadn't seen her since last June. I live in Canada and she was in the UK. I was supposed to be there for her birthday but obviously had to go in Jauary instead. I didn't get there before she passed though. My 'routine' mammogram was cancelled in January as I was away so I only had it in February. I'm not a very religious person but I hope she's watching over me tomorrow

Catsrus: You are not alone in panic feelings. Mine come and go. Each concrete step forward I first feel relief, then a few hours later the reality hits me and I feel panic. I know that I will ask for some meds for anxiety to take the evening of and the morning before surgery. I know I will make it through better that way though normally I don't even take pain relievers. Do what you need to do to make it through and feel good about it. Meds are there to help you through. You'll be in my thoughts tomorrow.

caters - I so know what you mean. Not sure if mine have been panic attacks - but I feel light headed and nauseous just thinking about everything. I had my left breast LX on Friday the 6th and got my results today. Unfortunately No clear margins. Didn't want to risk a decision so scheduled to do BMX next week the 18th. Had to go with a colleague of hers cause she was booked for 4 weeks and naturally I couldn't deal with the waiting - emotionally. My sis in law will stay another week and I am so grateful cause I have been a basket case. The 1st surgery wasn't too bad and I got my drain out today only after 5 days. Just a little sore but no real pain. They thing that still worries me is my nodes. My sentinel node came up postive so she removed them all - 5 were identified and 4 out of 5 were positive with the 5th one having signs of possible cells. She the. Went up to level 1 and removed all of them - but they only identified 2 lymph nodes and neither of the two came up positive so she stopped and did not do the full axillary dissection. She told me today that the chance of there being any Cancer in the axillary above level 1 is very remote and because I will get radiation it would control anything that "might " be left. Is he claims that everyone's number of lymph nodes is different but I was quite shocked to,learn there were only 2 tested in the level 1 axillary area and I have trust that she got them all. She also said she felt the level 2 area and looked and did not see anything that looked suspicious. Has anyone else had just had a level 1 dissection or something similar to situation? Again - I just want to get the Cancer out of my body and do everything I can to ensure it won't come back. I also do not want to delay radiation or endocrine therapy which is why I chose not to worry about reconstruction until I am done with all my treatments. My head is spinning just thinking about having surgery again in just a few days - just trying not to kick myself for not choosing BMX in the first place. I had a feeling the LX would not be successful since I had 2 tumors and it is ILC - but I guess I made the best decision at the time with the info I was given. I still hate that I am in this position - but thankful I did not have to wait 4 weeks. I hope all my other March surgery sisters have an easy and quick recovery period. Candy I

Hi surgery sisters,

I am 56 years old and spent my birthday in the oncologist office Feb 25 to be told I have Invasive aggressive triple negative carcinoma. The doctor ordered a pet scan, Braca test and appt with a surgeon. Pet came back with a concern in the sentinel node. Today I received the results from the Braca test. (positive). I was contacted by the surgeon and was told we are doing surgery first, originally it was chemo first. Surgery scheduled Tuesday for BMX with delayed reconstruction, and a snb. Do you think that was kind of fast? I mean they left me waiting for three weeks than boom like a brick fell on me.

Ashtore

Good luck to you tomorrow Divecat, and good luck to you as well CatsRus.

Sorry you have to go through so much Candy, hang in there.  I hope and pray it will all work out for you.

Thinking of you too Ashtore, sorry to hear your news, as my BS told me, BC is always throwing curve balls at us.

Jacquie

Best of luck to DiveCat and CatsRus! Say goodbye to cancer! You are both in my thoughts and prayers!

Hello March surgery sisters!

I`m joining you after all. I got a call from the hospital this morning letting me know my surgery date; March 23.

DiveCat and CatsRus; my prayers will be with you for your surgeries tomorrow.

I`ve been doing lots of lurking and learning on the board since my dx on Feb 11.

Ashtore, my process was very slow at first and now it`s going fast. I felt a lump in the fall and had mammogram and ultrasound in November. Neither showed much because of my dense breasts. I got referred to a surgeon and for an MRI. Met with the surgeon in early January and he said he was almost positive it was benign. But he thought it was best to remove the lump anyway. My MRI was on Friday, January 30 and I had the lump removed on Monday, February 2nd, before the results from the MRI were in. My BS said he still thought it was benign after removing it. Biopsy showed IDC, grade 1, approx 1cm in size. The MRI did show it as probably malignant, so at least one in 3 non-invasive diagnostic tools worked for me. I got my diagnosis on February 11 and finally met with my BS again yesterday. My surgery is March 23rd. I`m having a modified radical mastectomy so I can avoid radiation and a prophylactic mastectomy on the left to put my mind at ease.

I have a suspicion that I may be BRCA positive since my mom is a (3 time!) ovarian cancer survivor. I`ve asked for genetic testing, but without a family history of breast cancer I may have a hard time getting it approved. My mom only had brothers and my grandma had no full siblings. The only other female relatives on my moms side are 2 cousins who are both younger than me (daughters of my mom`s brothers).

DiveCat; I need to check in at the hospital at 6:30am so it`s on the road at 5:30am for me. I`ll be staying and recuperating on Vancouver Island after my surgery instead of on Quadra where I usually stay.

I have my CT scan tomorrow and pre-op on the 18th.

Hugs to all my sisters,

Kornelia

Good luck, Divecat! Keep us posted! 

I have not seen an oncologist yet...I will see one 3 days post op. But a lot of people are telling me I should find out if I will need chemo and if so can they put the port in during surgery. Anyone else not see an oncologist till after surgery?

I too didn't meet with the MO until after surgery.  I think, originally, the BS didn't think it would be necessary but once the final pathology came in and my tumor was upgraded to grade 3, it became necessary, and they scheduled the appointment for me.