Was told this evening I have IDC

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  • TxFreckles
    TxFreckles Member Posts: 12
    edited March 2015

    Hi all,

    Went to the doctor and got the lab report, short and sweet, to the point conversation.

    I have two tumors...thought I had one! They are side by side. One is just big enough to put me into Class II. All my numbers are low. I have read posts that they can change or mis-dx, but now I will claim the lower numbers. Deal with possible curveballs if they come at that time.

    I have opted for a lumpectomy and lymph node extraction. Scheduled for March 20. I don't want to over remove at this time, if it all needs to go later or both that will be fine. I have decided to go conservatively to begin with.The surgeon didn't seem to insist on mx, left the decision up to me.

    Skyped my daughter and son-in-law in Scotland, my daughter was shaken. The four of us, prayed over me...the wonder of prayer and technology. Will speak to my sons tonight.

    Take care all, God Bless

    Janet

     

     

     


     

  • CatsRus
    CatsRus Member Posts: 310
    edited March 2015

    Well done Janet... One hurdle down. I told both my daughters via video chat, next best thing I thought to doing it in person.

    Probably signing off now until after my surgery. I have to be at the hospital at 7:30 am tomorrow. Hopefully I will be home by 3 pm.


    Take care all.

  • Cmo65
    Cmo65 Member Posts: 96
    edited March 2015


    Cats, prayers and good wishes for a successful surgery! Look forward to hearing from you when you're up to it.

    Freckles: Your attitude is so great; glad you are in a good place and your numbers are low.

    I had my 2nd biopsy today. The doctor said she is not concerned about it and that it did not act like a cancer so I should not worry myself about it. It is smaller than the first mass (the first mass is 8mm).  She said the 2nd mass sort of collapsed the minute the needle hit it and she feels it is benign.

    I did tell her of my terror of metastasizing and she said it was nearly impossible for my 8mm mass to have metastasized so I should try to let that go.  (I'm still scared though, but am keeping her words in mind!)

    Anyway, I have my first appointment with the breast surgeon tomorrow morning at 8:30am and I'm looking forward to getting scheduled for surgery and getting the ball rolling on this process.

    Christine

  • Lucy55
    Lucy55 Member Posts: 3,044
    edited March 2015

    I just want to drop in a wish all of you all the best.. Everyone would of told you that the beginning is the worst.. and they're right... In the beginning I thought that my life had been totally destroyed on the day I was dx.. and I would never enjoy anything again.. But it's not true.. Slowly, slowly your fear starts to fade, and the old joy in things comes back..

    Having said that.. I am having a bit of an "off day " today and , and thank you Christine for passing on what your onc regarding your mass and the chances of metasis.. The site is wonderful for boosting each other up.!!


  • Cmo65
    Cmo65 Member Posts: 96
    edited March 2015

    lucy55, I'm sorry you're having an off day, but glad you have found joy again. I'm still in hot mess mode, but I just found out 2 days ago so I'll cut myself some slack. I'm calm on the outside but inside. There's a whole hot mess party going on! Haha

    I hope you're feeling better soon.


  • rb3
    rb3 Member Posts: 1
    edited March 2015

    catsrus, sending good thoughts to you for tomorrow. I am 10 days out of the double mastectomy/sentinel node dissection. Pain control was tough first 3 days, but has been better everyday since. Oncotype score came back today at 15, so we are celebrating no chemo. I turn 42 tomorrow--it's going to be a successful day for you!

  • Annie88
    Annie88 Member Posts: 196
    edited March 2015

    TXFreckles-sorry to hear that you have 2, but glad that they gave you the information. It is good to have all of the information to move forward with a plan. It must be hard for you to tell your children, especially those in Scotland. Prayer is always good! I pray for my kids to have hope and faith during all of this. My children are 14 and 11.


    CatsRus- I will be thinking of you tomorrow and in the coming days. Take it easy and rest when you are tired! We'll talk to you soon! Hugs

  • Cmo65
    Cmo65 Member Posts: 96
    edited March 2015

    rb3, congrats on your surgery and no chemo! Happy 42nd! I hope your birthday is lovely!

    Christine

  • Joan811
    Joan811 Member Posts: 2,672
    edited March 2015


    Hi ladies,
    I, like Wren (hi Wren) am three years out....and hi Lucy in Australia - Lucy may be up when we cannot sleep so there will always be someone around!
    I am so glad Christine opened this thread...what saddens me is that there are so many of you who are just diagnosed.  I wish BC would be stopped today, forever.
    You will never forget this thread where you first were able to verbalize your shock and fear.  Knowing we are not alone and that people get through this is so important. 
    I was an aggressive seeker of information-- I knew it was invasive because the radiologist showed me the film right after my mammo.  I immediately called a surgeon for an appointment.  Then, after the biopsy, I picked up my reports and my glass slides and drove them to two different cancer centers.  (Note that you should be entitled to all reports and medical information about YOU, and you can request directly from the lab.  Also note, not everyone wants to know everything)
    I was on line a lot and found good info.  I did not tell my 6 grown up kids about my dx until I had a plan.
    I had a lumpectomy - home same day - followed by radiation and no chemo.  I worked at my job through it all; but after radiation was over, I crashed for two weeks just from the exhaustion of dealing with it all.  I was post-menopausal, so I take Femara.
    Fast forward:  Life is good; life is normal.  My family, friends and coworkers do not think about BC when they see me.  Every medical appointment still brings a distant reminder that my body made cancer...but you will make it through this initial shock in your own way and time.
    Here we can say things our family may not need to know about our fears and decision process. 
    BC is a terrible disease; but this discussion board is a good place to start your recovery.
    Hugs and prayers to all...
    Joan

  • TxFreckles
    TxFreckles Member Posts: 12
    edited March 2015

    Praying for you right now, CatsRus, that you are sleeping well, that you have peace, that the Lord's hand will be on the surgeons hand. Your recovery goes by quickly and discomfort much less than anticipated. God Bless.

  • CatsRus
    CatsRus Member Posts: 310
    edited March 2015

    Good morning... surgery day and, at the moment at least feel remarkably calm. I actually slept reasonably well, especially under the circumstances. Spent a couple of hours with good friends last night. I nearly called it off but was glad in the end that I went. I went to bed at 11 pm and woke up around 4 am. I dozed until 5 am and have just got up. Alarm is set for 6:15 am (like I needed an alarm! But seemed to make DH feel better...lol) So I'm sat here, checking email and this site and playing with my cats who make me smile. I have one who likes to play fetch with small sponge balls - she has me well trained!

    Great post Joan, exactly what I needed to hear this morning and I am happy you are doing well. Thank you for sharing.

    TxFreckles, thank you for the prayers and good wishes. Must admit it is at times like this I wish I were more religious, I know it can be a great source of comfort.

    Gosh, I could murder a cup of tea!

    "Talk" soon. Oh.... sounds like DH is up, I was hoping he'd be able to sleep longer. It's going to be a long day for him too.

  • TinaMarie27
    TinaMarie27 Member Posts: 2
    edited March 2015

    Sending prayers to all! Prayers to Cats for a successful surgery and speedy recovery!!

  • Trvler
    Trvler Member Posts: 3,159
    edited March 2015

    Best to you, Cats and hopefully an easy recovery. :)

  • gypsyjo
    gypsyjo Member Posts: 304
    edited March 2015

    Thanks Joan811 for the post. My Lx is scheduled for 3/24 so a bit more waiting, but feeling much better with a plan in place. It helps to know that live will get back to normal.

    Cats, you are almost through this, then have a good cup of tea. You will have earned it. My thoughts are with you.

  • Cmo65
    Cmo65 Member Posts: 96
    edited March 2015

    I just met w the breast surgeon. I'm clinical stage 1, grade 1. I'm scheduled for lumpectomy on Monday, 3/16. No chemo necessary and if lymph nodes not involved, it'll be a fairly routine treatment for me. Amazing that I can actually feel blessed but I do. I'm healthy otherwise and the dr says she feels good about everything.


    Looking forward to hear how our other ladies are doing. All in my thoughts and prayers.

    Christine

  • ml143333
    ml143333 Member Posts: 658
    edited March 2015

    CMO65 - glad you are feeling blessed and I understand.  Mine, like yours, was caught early but I am grade 3 with an oncotype score of 23 so we went for chemo to just do some clean up "just in case".  I have told a few people close to me that I am blessed.  They always ask why and how can I be blessed if I have had cancer.

    I tell them I blessed for so many reasons.  It was found early and was removed with clean margins and no nodal involvement.  I am able to have chemo to blast the rogue cells, if any.  I have found who my true friends and supporters are.  I have a great family.  Just so many things...

    I would rather spend more of my time looking at the good side than the bad.  Don't get me wrong, I still look at the bad sometimes.  :)

  • Trvler
    Trvler Member Posts: 3,159
    edited March 2015

    I like your attitude: Ml143333. I try to be positive but I also want to be realistic.


    CMO: I think the LX is the right decision. I am starting to see women with really small tumors talking about mx's and sometimes it bugs me because I know they are scared and I think often a mx is overkill. Although maybe that's what my first BS thinks about me because he recommended that I have the lx. I think some surgeons approach is to go in for the most minimally invasive surgery possible and it's no big deal if they have to do a second surgery. To some extent, I get that. But I had other issues I was dealing with at the same time, like my breasts are really small and I figured a lx of that size would really disfigure me.

  • gypsyjo
    gypsyjo Member Posts: 304
    edited March 2015

    Great news Cmo65. It was caught early. Hoping the best for the rest of you!

  • Cmo65
    Cmo65 Member Posts: 96
    edited March 2015

    The surgeon said she does not recommend mastectomy out of hand, especially small masses. I guess there is no difference between lx and mx as far as reoccurrence per the surgeon.

    Now I need to see what radiation entails. I'm meeting with that group in an hour.

    I'm getting the genetic test but the surgeon feels I'm probably not in the gene category. But she wants to be thorough and it has to be checked before radiation starts. Because mx is recommended if gene positive and mx has to be done before radiation.


  • Trvler
    Trvler Member Posts: 3,159
    edited March 2015

    Did they talk to you about insurance coverage? It's an expensive test. They recommended that I have it and looking back, I might not have done it. I was told my insurance wouldn't pay for it if you don't have strong family history. The ONLY family history I had was my dad died of prostate cancer. I had a gut feeling I was - and I was right. I guess I will look at it as money well spent for my sisters, mom and daughters information.

  • Cmo65
    Cmo65 Member Posts: 96
    edited March 2015

    That's how I feel. Money well spent for others in the family. Nothing like being the family guinea pig! Haha


    Christine

  • Annie88
    Annie88 Member Posts: 196
    edited March 2015

    Christine- Great news! It sounds like you are heading down the same path I did. I had an LX due to it being a 1.5 cm tumor stage 1 grade 1a. The genetic testing is peace of mind. My insurance did not cover the BRCA test, but the testing company called and offered me a price of $100. The insurance did cover the Oncotype test, that is done after you have the surgery. My MO said that if there was no node involvement, the size was less than 2, and Oncotype was low then no chemo. I was most worried about the chemo, as I work w/ elementry children and thought it would scare them. In addition I was concerned about my lowered immunity and having my own children bringing a bug home. The radiation was not complicated, just a disruption to the normal routine. I had to depend on others to give my kids rides from practice and their after school activities. At the beginning I was a little fatigued, but it soon passed. The people at the radiation center were so very nice, which made me enjoy seeing them. Keep your sense of humor and find joy in the small things. Sometimes now I look at my children and just appreciate the smallest moments together, as I know my story could be much different.


    Here is an article that was posted about the Oncotype test: http://oncology.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?artic...

    By the way my BRCA came back negative, which I really don't have the history, but I thought I might be the 1st.

    Laura

  • Trvler
    Trvler Member Posts: 3,159
    edited March 2015

    $100?! Wow, you got a deal. I was told it might be over $2k. I haven't been billed yet but I was told they have to call to get permission to run any test over $100 which they never did. So if they charged me $2k, I was going to try to negotiate it down.

  • Annie88
    Annie88 Member Posts: 196
    edited March 2015

    I have yet to get the bill and the test was done back in October. my insurance refused to pay any part of it. They were billed for $4k for the testing..

  • Cmo65
    Cmo65 Member Posts: 96
    edited March 2015

    Laura, are you done with radiation?

    Btw, the second mass came back as benign!!!

    Christine

  • Annie88
    Annie88 Member Posts: 196
    edited March 2015

    What a relief to hear the word benign! Yes, I finished my Radiation about 2 weeks ago, with no side effects. I have an appointment with my local MO tomorrow, as I have a family friend MO that I see in Houston along w/ BS. We live about 7 hours from Houston, but my in laws live there, so their friend saw me and arranged for me to see a surgeon. I had my radiation an hour from my home, which was the most difficult part- driving! Now I started taking my Tamoxifen. I imagine that is why I have the appointment tomorrow, so he can do labs

  • Cmo65
    Cmo65 Member Posts: 96
    edited March 2015

    My surgery is Monday but since I'm doing the genetic test end of month, my radiation won't begin until mid-May. 4 weeks of it. I hope I do as well as you, Laura. Congrats on getting through so well!

    Christine

  • Annie88
    Annie88 Member Posts: 196
    edited March 2015

    Christine-You will do great! Just rest when your body need to. Let others help you whenever possible. My family helped so much. They gave rides, made food, and arranged for my home to be cleaned. If people offer take them up on their help. Enjoy your weekend and breath when you can! Hugs!


    Laura

  • Joan811
    Joan811 Member Posts: 2,672
    edited March 2015


    Christine, it is good to get that plan set up.  Good news that your second site is benign. 
    ml--I also felt blessed to have a Stage 1 dx - but when I posted that on a Stage 1 thread, I got several disgruntled PMs letting me know that having BC is no blessing. 
    gypsojo, you are right - there is a feeling of peace and taking back control when the surgery is scheduled and you will soon be cancer-free. 
    Annie, I agree - the most tiring part of rads was the daily commute to the cancer center. 
    Sending hugs and prayers for each of you and your families as you sort through your options.

  • Joan811
    Joan811 Member Posts: 2,672
    edited March 2015


     (((CatsRus))) Sending hugs for a quick recovery and good reports.  Hope all went well.

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