July 2015 Surgery Sisters

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  • Scottiemom11
    Scottiemom11 Member Posts: 1,298
    edited July 2015

    Justamy, I had my preop today with PS and I told her I want to look like I do now. I'm ready to get my TEs out but worried the foods won't look similar. It isn't easy. You're amazing for going through so much.

    Scottie

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  • motherofmany
    motherofmany Member Posts: 45
    edited July 2015

    mothrofmany

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  • Bunnybumps
    Bunnybumps Member Posts: 75
    edited July 2015
    Sweetpea, hi there! I'm sorry to hear about the meningioma, as if breast cancer wasn't enough. I have 6, scattered, but benign and stable. In case you haven't heard about it, there's a great online support group called Meningioma Mammas. I have found some really good people there and a lot of support and knowledge.

    ssteacher, did you get my PM reply?
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  • plumster1
    plumster1 Member Posts: 270
    edited July 2015
    Tam-iam, sorry to hear about your unwanted surprise. But, yea, no BRCA.

    Sailorgirl, glad you get to spend the rest of summer how you want. My sister lives in Gilbert, AZ so I know the kind of heat your are dealing with.

    Thinking of all those recovering and good thoughts for all those with upcoming surgeries!
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  • Scottiemom11
    Scottiemom11 Member Posts: 1,298
    edited July 2015

    knoss sending hugs and prayers for your surgery today.

    Had a good pre-op yesterday with PS. Hospital preop Friday. This surgery will be a bit longer and detailed than I thought but I don't want revisions so need it to be right. May spend the night, but I hope not.

    Scottie

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  • Tam-iam
    Tam-iam Member Posts: 90
    edited July 2015

    Thanks everyone. I had myself a nice pity party yesterday and now I'm feeling much better. I need to set up appts with an MO and RO. My surgeon refers to a particular MO and I'll go see him, but we heard from a few of my husbands work friends that they didn't like him, plus reviews online about him are quite bad (I do take online reviews with a grain of salt). So I am trying to find at least one more MO for a second opinion, perhaps two.

    Healing is going great. We are planning a nice hike in the mountains this weekend. Lumpectomy ladies, this is totally doable! Thinking of you all. :)

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  • ssteacher
    ssteacher Member Posts: 22
    edited July 2015

    Thanks for the reply scottiemom11. I will check out the tamoxifen boards!

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  • SugarCakes
    SugarCakes Member Posts: 353
    edited July 2015

    just got the call with my pathology results.

    13 lymph nodes removed, all negative of cancer

    Left Breast: original 4.5cm tumor down to 0.9cm. Still high grade. Clear margins.

    Right Breast fine, as expected

    So not a complete response but pretty darn good.

    Still have my drains. Reporting totals daily and waiting for PS to tell me I can come in to have them removed.

    Then, 1 or 2 TE fills, TE exchange for implants, and radiation.

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  • queenmomcat
    queenmomcat Member Posts: 3,039
    edited July 2015

    CLEAN MARGINS! No further surgery needed to excise cancer. Now to move on to radiation, tamoxifen and arranging for plastic surgery to normalize the results of the second lumpectomy. And get the bleep staples out.

    Appointment with the medical oncologist tomorrow. Appointment with plastic surgeon TBD, though the actual correction would not take place until after I recover from radiation, which would not take place until after we return from trip to visit family. (call it not before late August)

    Now to figure out the clean clinical way of explaining "Looking normal in a bra is not enough. I want to look normal out of a bra, not with one breast and one victim of a shark attack."

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  • mira845
    mira845 Member Posts: 68
    edited July 2015

    pathology back...originally in the hospital i though she said she took only 4 nodes, but I must have misunderstood in my drugged stupor because she took 30!! OMG 30! Looks like 3 were sentinal nodes, one was just large, and the rest axillary.

    1 sentinal node 1.2 cm with extranodal extension ( that's bad, right?) ,

    1 sentinal node isolated tumor cells, (NOi+/1 what is that?)

    1 sentinal node macrometastic carcinoma 0.4 cm, no extranodal extention,

    1 large palpable, non sentinal, no carcinoma seen.

    Axillarary contents, 26 lymph nodes, no carcinoma seen.

    Still waiting for fish her2 back and I asked for an oncotype anyway.

    But the army of docs said my tits look great. Yay.

    And drain maybe out with the PS visit on Tuesday. Yay.

    I'm bawling again today.

    Hope all you guys are all doing well. For me, even with this slice down my back, drains hanging out and my boob and underarm feeling like they've been run over by a truck, this is the easiest part of this whole cancer thing.

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  • Tam-iam
    Tam-iam Member Posts: 90
    edited July 2015

    SugarCakes and Queenmomcat, I'm so pleased you got good news!

    Mira, I'm so sorry you had positive nodes. I got that news yesterday and it was hard to hear. Thinking of you!

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  • plumster1
    plumster1 Member Posts: 270
    edited July 2015
    Wow Mira, I'm sure the 30 surprised you. I have no idea what any of the nodal stuff means but I'm sure whether good or bad you will get through it!

    Congrats Queen and Sugar cakes! Always great to hear other good news.

    So, this morning I put my two children 14 and 12 on a plane to a month long summer camp. No communication besides writing letter back and forth the entire time. I will say, getting them ready to go was a great cancer distraction. It will be interesting to be an empty nester for a month. In one way maybe good, because after my procedure I can focus on healing and be good as new by the time I see them. :)
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  • Bunnybumps
    Bunnybumps Member Posts: 75
    edited July 2015

    Elated for all the good news coming in, but also sorry for all the bad news. What I will say is, you've come this far, just keep swimming (it's all I keep telling myself)! You are all inspirational to me!

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  • queenmomcat
    queenmomcat Member Posts: 3,039
    edited July 2015

    Mira: I just bet you're bawling! 30 lymph nodes? Are you still stuck in the hospital, or have they let you go home to sleep in your own bed?

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  • mira845
    mira845 Member Posts: 68
    edited July 2015

    queenmomcat, I only stayed overnight in the hospital, Friday night, Thursday morning I was first surgery.

    Regarding surgery, I'm doing great. Only pain is the spot where the 2 drain tubes come out at the bottom of my back incision. My underarm is swollen but doesn't seem excessive to me....just feels a bit sore, tingily sometimes and sometimes I get like this buzzy feeling. The incision under there is about and inch and a half.

    Yeah, actually I reread the report and at the end it says 31 nodes taken. I just don't know what to say other than holy shit, that was a freaking shock!

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  • PAYTONnPRESLEYSmomma
    PAYTONnPRESLEYSmomma Member Posts: 17
    edited July 2015

    Hi ladies I have been a lurker and posted maybe once here but have been following each of your journeys and wanted to say even though I don't know you all, I am so very proud of each of you and how brave and strong you woman really are.

    I had a few questions hopefully some of you can answer. Quick back story on me I am 34 and my BC was found due to an early mammogram for other unrelated issues. They saw calcifications and biopsied it assuring me it was nothing (boy were they WRONG). My biopsy came back IDC 1.2mm focus in a background of DCIS 5mm. I had my lumpectomy and SNB done last Thursday and I had my follow appt with the surgeon today. It came back clean nodes (thank god), large enough cleanmargins and the path report states "residual ductal carcinoma in situ, 1.6cm in size/extent" also says "no invasive carcinoma identified in current lumpectomy specimen.

    How can that be? Did the biopsy remove it all? Or was it missed in the lumpectomy itself? I should of asked the surgeon this but didn't think of it till after I read the path myself.

    Also it says I am ER+ and PR+ (Which he said was a good thing) but Her-2/neu had QNS (quantity not sufficient enough for analysis). Why do you think that is? What does that exactly mean?

    Thank you in advance

    Jenny

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  • queenmomcat
    queenmomcat Member Posts: 3,039
    edited July 2015

    Mira845: I can see how "Only one night in the hospital" might well be the bright spot in all this; I'm glad I didn't have to spend any this time around. (Neurosurgeon sprung me after only two nights last fall. I think the nurses sat on his head and ordered him to sign the release papers. I'm an extremely bad patient even when I'm not sleep deprived.)

    My husband's question was (in sympathy) "Does she have any left?"

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  • SugarCakes
    SugarCakes Member Posts: 353
    edited July 2015

    Mira, sorry about the nodes. I woke up to the news of my AX lymph nodes being removed when I had desperately hoped they would not be. I am relieved that there were only 13 and they were negative, but at the same time I was ticked while thinking those negative nodes could have been left alone! You just never know how many are there in the axillary

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  • I_Spy
    I_Spy Member Posts: 507
    edited July 2015

    PaytonnPresleysmomma: 1.2mm is really small; look on a ruler. So conceivably the biopsy could have gotten it all. But you should definitely ask your surgeon; I assume you will have another meeting to discuss any additional treatment needed?

    Those with positive nodes: ugh ugh ugh, so sorry. It never fails: if one is feeling sorry for oneself (as I have been today), one can always find someone on here who is facing a bigger challenge. I did not have invasive cancer, and I did the PBMX to prevent that from ever happening. I just need to get through the recovery, which is very tough for this independent woman who lives alone. I hate not being able to take care of myself, I don't like people helping me, and I just want my old life back -- but it will never really be the same, will it? We all have to find our new normal. Mira and Sugarcakes and Tam -- hang in there.

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  • TFoxy20
    TFoxy20 Member Posts: 59
    edited July 2015

    PAYTONnPRESLEYSmomma: regarding the HER2, I got that with the first test and they did the FISH test on it which is more accurate I believe. I would ask if they are doing any further tests on it.

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  • TFoxy20
    TFoxy20 Member Posts: 59
    edited July 2015

    I am scheduled for a UMX in 9 days and I am having second thoughts. A couple of the reasons I didn't choose a BMX is because I am 33 and still holding onto the small hope that I can have another baby and nurse. Also I have a 20 month old and I really don't want recovery on both sides while trying to take care of her. During diagnosis I will still nursing so it complicated things. I have a lot of calcifications in both breasts. I had 6 biopsies(5 in breast with confirmed cancer and 1 on the other side) . One of those biopsies was a repeat of the original area to confirm since a marker wasn't placed. All came back lactational adenomas except 2 areas. They only tested one area of calcifications on the unknown side(right). It makes me nervous that they found malignant and benign calcifications on one side. After reading some of these stories it makes me wonder if the "healthy " breast might have something they haven't found. I am a worrier so I am afraid that the unknown is going to drive me crazy. It also doesn't help that I am travelling a long way to have surgery so it's complicated to go back in soon after.

    I have no idea what to do.

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  • octogirl
    octogirl Member Posts: 2,804
    edited July 2015

    Hi Ispy...Can you add me? Surgery tomorrow. Lx. I've been told not to swim for several months after, so I went swimming tonight....unfortunately, it energized me and I can't get to sleep. Six thirty will come awfully early. Oh well, I can sleep while they take it out...

    I am sending gentle hugs to all you strong women. Thanks for being there.

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  • Scottiemom11
    Scottiemom11 Member Posts: 1,298
    edited July 2015

    Ispy you are absolutely right. I learned last year that it is a "new normal" and it keeps evolving. I'm still trying to settle into mine and was feeling sorry for myself that I have to spend another 6 weeks recovering.

    Each of our journeys are different and none are simple.

    octogirl hugs and prayers today

    TFoxy20 sending calming thoughts. . .we each make our decisions based on a variety of factors but, if you are unsure, then meet with your BS again to discuss concerns.

    Mira and Sugarcakes and Tam -- Teddy Bear Hugs and prayers.

    Scottie

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  • queenmomcat
    queenmomcat Member Posts: 3,039
    edited July 2015

    Octogirl: you're already in surgery, but hoping that the surgery goes as planned with no surprises, or changes in diagnoses. And my sympathies in particular for missing the swimming! Months? In summer? Two weeks until the incision closed was bad enough for me..

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  • ssteacher
    ssteacher Member Posts: 22
    edited July 2015

    Hi Ladies

    Tomorrow is my surgery and I just wanted to thank each and everyone of you for sharing your stories. You ladies are so brave and strong and haven gotten me through this. Each day I say a prayer for my July Surgery Sisters. It does help you get through things knowing that there are so many others dealing with the same thing!

    To all of those whose nodes tested positive--Stay Strong! You can do this! I won't have access to my computer for a few days so good luck to those with upcoming surgeries and to everyone else---Think & Stay Positive! You can do it!

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  • I_Spy
    I_Spy Member Posts: 507
    edited July 2015

    TFoxy20: it is a tough decision, the hardest one I've ever made. I finally had to realize I wasn't choosing between Disneyland and Six Flags -- there is no "good" decision. There are many forums and threads on here where women are choosing between LX and MX, and probably UMX and BMX, so check there. And talk to your doctor about statistics, since that is all they have to go on.

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  • mfana
    mfana Member Posts: 14
    edited July 2015

    TFoxy20,

    It is a tough decision. I too debates that when I was first diagnosed. I'm 31, have a 7-year-old, and was planning on extending my family. The result of my genetic testing was the decisive factor for me (I have p53 mutation, the very worst). Have you done genetic testing? That might be the piece of information to help you decide.

    ssteacher

    Wish you luck with the surgery, prayers and gentle hugs your way.


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  • mfana
    mfana Member Posts: 14
    edited July 2015

    Saw my BS for follow-up, too late to ask the question, but I asked her if there was a chance for the cancer to come back, and she said for those undergoing reconstruction they can't take all the breast tissue out and they leave a fine layer right beneath the skin. I was shocked that this was never mentioned to me before. Did you guys have this knowledge before deciding on the route of your surgeries

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  • queenmomcat
    queenmomcat Member Posts: 3,039
    edited July 2015

    Not that problem specifically, but there's a LOT of things I wish my oncology team had thought to tell me, and I'm at the beginning of a comparatively simple treatment for a curable form of breast cancer. Sadly, I think it does often come down to the least objectionable decision if we're lucky enough to have a choice in the matter.

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  • JenPam
    JenPam Member Posts: 176
    edited July 2015

    I just wanted to report that I was diagnosed today with stage IIIC (T3, N3, M0), and I'm a week out from a bilateral mastectomy. I've recovered very well and am eager to overdo it, so I'm trying to make myself rest. I was very frustrated by severe itching following the surgery, but it was probably a reaction to the narcotic, as it's subsided now that I've moved to OTC painkillers.

    I wish you all well!

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