April & May 2015 Surgery Sisters

Jackbirdie, how are you doing? I hope you are well.

downdog

Thanks for asking, yes I started back to work on Monday. It is great to be back, but I definitely am more uncomfortable. Wednesday night I felt that my right breast was swollen. I had discomfort in the pecs, rotator cuff muscles and ribs. I called the PS and they are not concerned said it is to be expected and said I could not harm myself. So today I am trying to change a few things and hopefully that will minimize the pain and swelling.

Thanks to everyone for the reassurances about the pain meds! I had my second TE fill yesterday (I'm up to 200 ccs now ) and the doctor wrote me another prescription in case I need it. He also removed my drains, and I'm definitely noticing an improvement on the pain without those to irritate me!

Hello Surgery sisters

Friday I got news that I did not expect... BS appt to review all Pathology .. 2 nodes showed Cancer 1 Sentinel Node IDC with focal extranodal extension and then 1 Axillary Node IDC but no extranodal extension. Also what was initially believed to be 3 small less than 1 CM tumors turned out to the be all connected as 1 3.4 larger tumor but with fully clear margins. While I was a little disappointed it was not the Stage 1 that was initially thought - I know so many others have it way worse so I'll keep my head up with the news and stay strong. The good news is that the Grade is all a 1 and still ER/PR + and HER2 - and the best news I can still go on my 2 week beach vacation in early July and it could not come any sooner!

 I will admit Chemo scares me - I don't want to lose my hair and have a huge fear of vomiting - have had that fear my whole life.. so if anyone has any tips on handling chemo and stomach issues would love to hear and I will check out the other threads too...

 I am really nervous about the cancer showing extending outside the sentinel node - DR did not comment on that and I only noticed it when I got home...?? Any thoughts...  

I am still in shock that I had a "clear" 3D Mammogram in October and 6 months later 3.4 cm tumor that was only found because I felt a lump that turned out to be a cyst and the radiologist say suspicious cells next to the cyst - thank god for the cyst ..

As far as being 2 weeks post-op - not too bad. Pain still sucks mainly in armpits and upper pecks but managing it OK and only using Advil religiously - I find if I miss the 6 hour mark for it my body immediately knows it.. Really trying not to take any more Oxy - messed up my stomach too bad...

Drains still in - still draining about 40 - 50 each day so it is slowly coming down and I am OK waiting them out - hoping for just another week..

jackbirdie - really hope you feel better soon - hang in there!

Stay Strong Ladies- thanks as always for sharing on this thread - so so helpful!

Mary

Mary, I am so sorry to hear that. I really admire your positive attitude - that will see you through your journey with chemo. I am so relieved for you that it's still grade 1 and your hormone profile looks great. I have a friend whose dx was similar to yours (except her grade was higher). Before chemo she requested a PET scan and her insurance covered it. The results were negative and it gave her a great peace of mind. I don't know too much about the pros and cons of PET/CT scans but you might want to ask your doctor. I wish you all the best! I hope you have a fun and relaxing vacation!!! I had to cancel mine (lost $500 in airfare and have disappointed kids). I'm hoping to take that vacation still in the fall. Good days are ahead for both of us at the end of this long tunnel, I'm sure! Hang in there!

Mary, so sorry about your report but very glad you can take your well deserved vacation!

Pat

I'm in the same boat as several others. I had a BMX with immediate reconstruction. Nodes were clear so I figured I was done with this breast cancer deal. Kind of "dodged the bullet". I just went to my breast oncologist and found out I need hormonal therapy to block estrogen production and my oncotype DX score is 23 - intermediate risk. So now I have to decide whether or not to do chemo to help prevent recurrence. Any advice? I feel that ihad both breasts removed to give me the best chance possible (only the left breast had cancer), now how can I NOT do the chemo as well? I'm confused how breast cancer can come back in another part of my body when I don't even have breasts any more and negative nodes. I just noted from path report my mitotic count score is 1. Huh?

Mary- I echo the others regarding the unexpected news in your path, but I certainly also hear and feel your positive energy coming through. I agree if you can get your ins to do pet/ct scans now, as a baseline and to rule out, it will be an enormous relief for you. My MO did have to advocate for me, but they approved it. It was good to have that knowledge of no mets and concentrate on tx at hand.

I will say this about chemo. It's not fun, and there are horror stories. I had to chuckle a bit as my biggest fear also beforehand was having my arms wrapped around the toilet bowl for six months. I haven't thrown up once. There have been other, serious problems, but I'm almost done, if you have to do it, we will get you through. As they say in the armed services, we've got your "6". (think of a clock face- same thing as having your back, and we DO!)

There is an amazing woman (Italychick) who has ridden her bike 25 miles several times a week all through chemo, and has suffered the least side effects I think, if any of us in that group. It is well documented that any exercise, hydration, and regular small meals are the keys to minimizing SEs. For those you can't avoid, they give you lots of different suggestions and meds to handle the rest. Chemo is still barbaric, but they do a better job with dose management and managing SEs these days. I KNOW you can get through it. If you need to. You might not.

Make sure you ABSOLUTELY LOVE your MO. This person will be your partner for many years. Get a second opinion if you are not 100% confident in the doc. Insurance pays for a second opinion. The time to change is at the start, optimally, though you should change at any time you aren't "feeling it".

The other poster was right- if you have to do chemo, join that month's starting chemo thread. Those women have saved my life, and I believe I will come out of this mess with lifelong friends. That understand. Now that's friends with benefits if I ever heard it! Haha.

About the hair. You will lose it. Accept it. I shaved mine well before that moment when it was falling out in clumps in the shower. I simply didn't want to have that moment. I bought lots of cute hats, scarves, (consider the weather where you are, and also that at night you might get cold as you lose a lot of heat through your head). I bought dangly earrings, lots, that I could never wear before because I had such thick hair you couldn't see them, I had beautiful hair, but I haven't missed it. It will come back. I've actually enjoyed it in a way. I've gone commando in public lots. Nobody cares but me. And I don't.

I am wishing you well, sending hugs and mojo, and please PM me or drop in and lurk a bit on the Starting Chemo March 2015 thread to get a feel for it.

Best wishes from the top of my bald head. 😎😎

mdoc524

I am sorry that it was not the news you were hoping for, but as the others stated you sound so strong and positive.  We are all here for you.  Find the right oncologist, do your own research and get to that place inside that you know you are doing the best with what you have.  Find that peaceful place and enjoy that vacation!

Ladies - you all are awesome! I feel so petty worrying about Chemo with so many getting thru it - you all have eased my mind already! Thanks for the advice on getting PET Scan! BS already suggested asking about it although she did not think it was necessary! I love her but she also did not think nodes would be positive & they were!

Lorie & Katy - thanks so much for sharing you did not throw up once - you have no idea how much you just helped me! I have 8 year old twin boys and when I was first pregnant with them everyone told me I would have so much morning sickness since carrying two!! Well I bought so much stuff to prepare for the morning sickness that never came not once - psyched myself out of it - will try that again!

I will check out the chemo threads and I definitely plan on having a great vacation - 2 weeks to South Jersey Shore - PS said no ocean - I can live with that as my boys can have their vacation and I can watch (with a drink in my hand 😎) I am happy!

MaryAgatha - so sorry you had to cancel your trip & lose out on the $$$ - sucks - hope you can reschedule to go soon! My timing just worked out as they would not have started the treatments by the time my vacation starts anyway - Whew!

Have a nice night everyone! Thanks again

Mary

hi Ladies - anyone experience drain leaking at the incision site? This morning my tank top had a good apmount of stained dry fluid on it - left side at the incision site and all down the side! It was not leaking at the time and my drain bulb had 20 cc's in it this morning! I talked to Dr via phone & he seemed to think it was a one time occurrence & said to just watch it! Curious if any of you experienced anything similar?

Mary

Charlotte, I know, losing your hair is difficult, but I said if that was the worst side effect, I would be happy. The day after my hair was coming out, I went and had it shaved. I took a wig with me to wear out of the salon. Actually, at that point, as strange as this sounds, you will be happy to do this. And, it will grow back. We are all there with you! You can do this

Charlotte, You are welcome! This is not a road you want to be on alone! You will find that you are much stronger than you think! Some days I cry, then I pick myself up and move on. This quote was sent to me by a good friend last week when I was not having a good day. Remember to focus. I like to visualize I am in a tunnel, and every day, the light at the end is a little bit brighter.

We are all here to carry you through. The chemo boards will too!

Good morning to all.

So the time has come to go back to work. I am going back on Wednesday. That marks 6 weeks from BMX with TE. I feel ready. The past 3 weeks I have been steadily working on getting my stamina back. Walking every day and driving. I have had a surgery every month since February with exchange still to go in August.

I think it will take to the end of the year to really recover from my BC. I felt my lump on January 15. On New Years Eve I didn't know how my life was going to change in 2015. What I have learned is that I am stronger than I ever knew I was, my relationship with Rob is rock solid, and my family means the world to me. BC tried to destroy me, but it didn't stand a chance