Just got my news yesterday...:(

I got my dx around this time last year. Boy does it ruin Christmas for you. I didn't get anyone Christmas gifts last year, I was getting scans and a treatment plan literally over the holiday. Scans the 23rd, results the 26th. I don't really know what to tell you. Just thought I'd jump in here and share.

Hi kec,

We're so very sorry to hear of your diagnosis, but we're so glad you're here with us and getting the support you need! We're all here for you throughout your diagnosis, treatment, and beyond!

To help you get a good handle on your diagnosis and what to expect, it might be helpful for you to bring this list of questions with you to your appointment today, from the main Breastcancer.org site: Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Your Diagnosis.

We hope this helps and we look forward to supporting you more! Come back often, ask lots of questions. We are always here to help.

--The Mods

Your diagnosis sounds a lot like mine. You are at the hardest part, and you will get through it. Even now, halfway through my radiation treatments and getting tired and feeling sore and burnt, I'd still rather be doing this than have to go through that early waiting stage again. My best advice, which I am not very good at following myself, is not to let this consume any more headroom that it has to. Try to think about cancer only at those moments when you have to think about cancer, like when you are actually at an appoinment (or doing the necessary things to prepare/wrap up) and the rest of the time focus on the other things in your world. I'm so sorry you got this rotten news; there's never a good time, but the holidays are particularly rough. But you WILL get through it.

Allow yourself to have fun! In spite of your diagnosis, it is not your entire life unless you allow it to be. I went to a great concert the night after my biopsy. Six months later, I remember the concert but the biopsy was just a little blip. All through the process, Hubby and I kept doing fun day trips and weekend getaways, and on appointment days, we'd go to a park or someplace fun afterward.

hi kec,

I just wanted to assure you that you will get through this. I was diagnosed 12/16/16. Like you I spent the day before Christmas Eve finding out about my cancer treatment Timing couldn’t have been worse( not that there’s a good time). I wasn’t in the Christmas spirit. A Minnie Mouse ornaments fell off my Xmastree and Minnie’s ear came off. I was going to throw it away and my husband said let’s glue gun her ear so next Christmas she’ll be all fixed.... just like you”

I am fixed. You will be too!

Xoxo

sorry to hear about your diagnosis. Please register at the NCCN website and read the breast cancer treatment guidelines. It will be a great starting point when you began discussing your treatment plan. Good luck

Kec,

You are ok waiting the three weeks. I was diagnosed on Dec. 4 last year and had my lumpectomy Jan. 4th. I know you just want the cancer out. January 7 will be here before you know it. The shock and fear youare feeling is normal. As you can tell, information is power and although the waiting is miserable, as information about your tumor unfolds it determines your treatment plan. My cancer team assured me that I was going to be okay. You are too. Cancer treatment is a huge disruption in our lives but it’s doable.

Spend time in the Lumpectomy Lounge discussion board. Lot’s of good info there.

Sending you (((hugs))).

3 weeks seems pretty normal for hormone positive cancer. My total time from initial finding of lump to surgery was almost two full months.

I will say for me, I needed to think about cancer. I spent a lot of time on these boards and other resources. I absolutely think it's great advice to enjoy the moment as much as you can and enjoy the people you're with. But I also think you need to know yourself and listen to yourself. If you feel the need to think about it, or talk about it, or read these boards or other places, find the healthiest ways that you can to do it, and do it. I think forcing myself to keep going as though things were normal when they weren't - which I tried to do for a little bit - was actually pretty traumatic in its own way.

Be gentle and caring of yourself, and let your family and loved ones care for you!

I had a 3 week wait too, and know what you mean about worrying that it’s growing. I just wanted it OUT. One way to think about it is that there are medical conditions like heart attacks or appendicitis where they do start treatment immediately, and those are the emergencies where there will be death or irreparable harm with a delay. This is not one of those conditions. We can wait a bit and prepare and adjust mentally and physically before starting the treatments.

KEC, yes, it's perfectly normal to wait that long for surgery. Usually your doctor will want to do an MRI, and it just takes a while to schedule surgery. If you're impatient like me you could go ahead and interview radiation oncologists, or just enjoy what's left of the holidays. Our stats are similar (tho I'm 59) so feel free to PM me if I can help. And hang in there! It will suck for a while but soon it will be in your rearview mirror.

Kec; our dx sounds similar as well. I'm 47 stage 1A grade 2 estrogen and progesterone positive HER2 negative. I think it's normal to wait that long for surgery. I was diagnosed Sept. 19th and surgery (lumpectomy and sentinel lymph-node biopsy) Oct. 16th, I worried about the same thing. I am almost done with radiation now, I have 3 session left, YAY! The holidays have actually helped me keep my mind off of things. Like you said though, it's never a good time to get this kinda of diagnosis and I'm sorry you have to be here. Hang in there and try to remain as positive as possible.

Lola: The waiting is definitely the hardest part. After my lumpectomy they did get clear margins and lymph-nodes were negative. My plan is 22 radiations treatments, every day Monday - Friday that last 4 are boost...I now only have 3 left and should be done 1/03. After that the plan is to start on Tamoxifen but I don't do my labs until March and meet with the Medical Oncologist then. It's very overwhelming and I'm sorry you have to be here as well. I felt much better once there was a plan in place. I was very nervous starting radiation, but it's almost done and went by rather quickly. I'm very fortunate that I have a wonderful team, I hope you both do as well.

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year!

Kec: Best of Luck on your lumpectomy on the 7th! please let us know what the results are ... i'm so new to this, I'm assuming you get additional pathology reports? I can completely relate to you as I have my lumpectomy results/next steps meeting on the 7th. Staying distracted so I don't keep thinking about this is proving to be a challenge!

DeeBB/: I was able to get pathology results from my lumpectomy on the 20th (I had a papilloma removed from the duct with other tissue) - is it normal that they only tested margins and ER/PR sensitivity? Both ER and PR were positive, 3+ (what is this), at >90%) -....no HER2, or any other indicators other than saying the DCIS portion was 1 inch in size and margins were <.1mm - not so good. Surgeon did say he needs to go back in for more tissue, with a choice of intraoperable radiation (while I'm open) or regular radiation, then tamoxifen or other choice would be mastectomy.

Salamandra: which brings me to what you mentioned that treatments vary. Oh my ... to think over treatment might be harmful? I think I have a great team, but I took your advice and am getting a 2nd opinion with another highly recommended surgeon.

By the way, i'm new to chat room. is it best if I start a different thread from Karen's if I have questions? i don't want to take away from her discussion. Happy New Year to all!

Hi Stherye,

Thank you for your story! I too am BRCA 1 & 2 neg, no family history (but aunt did pass of ovarian cancer at my age, 48, and my dad of metastasized prostate cancer.) What was the reason you decided to have the pbmx (that is a mastectomy, right? and did you have one side only?) I still have to find out my options, and get the second opinion, but I am considering the mastectomy. I have multiple sclerosis, as well, so I already have so many MRIs and followups to manage that condition. And I am not certain how tamoxifen will affect MS. Would love to hear why you decided on the surgery. thanks for your input!

I forgot to mention that thinking about possibilities, papillomas are 90% totally benign, but I was in the 10 percent because mine had atypia.

I asked to Hopkins Hospital Center, because all the info regarding papillomas are about atypical papillomas with adh and not for FEA ( flat epithelial atypia) They told me the risk is more or less the same, 30% the next 20 years. Too high for me.

Very hard to get a diagnosis at Christmas/holidays. It is normal for them to take awhile before treatment, it's not like appendicitis where things are urgent.

My diagnosis was early September with surgery three weeks later. Then a month to heal, another month while they pondered next steps, and finally radiation in late November into December. Except for the daily pill I'm finished.

So with your diagnosis, very similar to mine, you will see daylight again soon. It'll be some scary stuff but share your experiences here and we will walk with you.

You can do this!