Topic: recieved 2 different diagnoses today...

Try to keep calm and positive.  Try to bring someone with you tomorrow when to go to the Dr. so there are 2 pairs of ears hearing everything.  You should ask for a copy of your pathology report so that you can do some research.  Don't get too far ahead of yourself... this is the worst part.... waiting.... waiting.... waiting!  Just know that you are not alone.  Treatment IS do-able!  I'll be thinking about you tomorrow... try to get a good nights sleep! 

Kendall, sooo sorry you are having to go through this.  It is hard enough to get the dx, but to go though what you have been through is just wrong.

The first step is not easy, in fact non of it is easy, but you will make it through it, one step at a time.  I know first hand how hard it is when you hear the dx for the first time, I was there last month and now I am post op, waiting to see the rad oc.  I am hoping I will not need more surgery, but if needed, it will be done.

You are not alone, there are many women on this forum that have gone through it all and we are here to help you.

Please let us know what the doctor says and keep a positive attitude, it helps in many many ways.

Hugs

Juannelle

Kendall,

 I am so sorry you are going through this. I am new to this too. I hope for you the first news was true and that it is B9. I totally relate to you about being afraid of treatment. I have never had any surgeries or broken bones, and have rarely been sick. But, here I am with bc and getting ready to go through treatment. I am going to do whatever I need to do to make sure this thing is gone. If it comes to it, you will find your inner strength. We all have it; and it will get you through.

Keep us posted.

Hugs and prayers to you!

Hello everyone!

 First of all i want to thank each and every one of you for  your words of support and your love!

 I just came in from my doctor and I have the copy of what i guess is the report. Its 4 pages.

this is what each page says:

page 1- at the top it says "Benign-fibrocytic changes of breast and cysts with apocrine metaplasia. pathology findings are not felt to be consistent witht eh suspicious imaging findings. excision is advised". At the bottom is the correction and that says "the pathologist phoned to indicate that there was an error in the original report. correct diagnosis is invasive ductal carcinoma, mri is recommended as well as excision"

 Page 2-this is regarding the ultrasound guided large core needle biopsy and this says a whole lot of crap including, "an Inrad clip was placed" 

 page 3-is the bilateral mammo with CAD: says that the breast tissue is very dense, there is a grouping of 3-4 microcalcifications...no skin thickening or nipple retraction...

page 4-bilateral ultrasound:there is a 12x13 mm irregular solid nodule. no other cysts or solid lesions are identified. small benign appearing lymph nodes are seen in both axillary regions"

 so there you go....i was given the name of a breast surgeon to go to. i called but they are closed until monday so i left a message to make an appointment.

 ideally i would like to get an appt. for monday or tuesday to get the ball rolling because months ago i planned a trip to Los Angeles for aug 26-30. what is the consensus about my trip? 

i live in NY on Long Island any of you ladies from there? 

Hugs!

Kendall

i must post a picture of myself...wait until you see me...i look 10! LOL 

thank you!

well my doctor explained that what could have happened is that the pathologist saw good cells and then a bad one. we're not sure on the report it first says b9 and then invasive ductal C.

my doctor's feeling is that she wants it out whatever it is and wants me to get in to the breast surgeon soon. i googled him and he has a website that says if there is availability he takes same day or next day appointments so hopefully he can see me monday or tuesday. 

my doc informed me that it does not necessarily mean that the whole lump is cancer, it could be a few cells but that they find that out when they take it out. 

my thing is that whatever it is, i don't want chemo! that scares the hell out of me! plus i'm so damn petite (between us gals...i'm not even 90 pounds) i'm afraid that stuff will take everything outta me or something.

i printed out the questions to ask the surgeon just now as well as the what to expect with surgery article.

i will be going to barnes and noble tomorrow to get the susan love book recommended. 

Dear Kendall,

wow, you've been through a lot already.  it's so frustrating waiting for appointments and waiting for info to trickle in.  I was blessed to have a grandfatherly surgeon who went to bat for me and made calls... I overheard him saying.... " just get us a surgery date for tomorrow."   It scared the crap out of me because it made me feel like I was really in bad shape but at least he shortened the time I had to wait.  He told me that his own daughter had breast cancer at age 33 ( she's fine now) .  I was  39 at diagnosis.  It was a scary time... I'm praying that all this is caught really early for ya ... in my case... they didn't want to do mammo earlier than 40 as I had no family history... if I had it done at maybe 35 or 36 would have been much earlier stage... but that's water under the bridge.... I pray you have awesome docs and great care and good support... speedy surgery and recovery.... and hopefully no chemo... I had to do that and rads... not fun but doable. 

prayers and blessings,

Wendy

Hi everyone
Just to update you, I have an appointment with a breast surgeon next wednesday. Picked up my films today.
Tomorrow I go to L.A until sunday. I'm still staying optimistic that the doc will take this thing out and I'll be fine. Thank you again for all of your love and support.

Love Kendall

Thinking about you Kendall!!

Hi there!

Kendall - Thanks for checking back in.  I'm glad you like your new doctor.  It is very important that you feel comfortable with your team of doctors.  When will you be having the lumpectomy?  After they look at the biopsy slides?

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or if you just need to vent.

Take care!

Sonia

Hi Kendall,  I had a lumpectomy and a Sentinel Node Biopsy.  It is considered a day surgery.  I was put out for the surgery and it really wasn't bad. Even the recovery was quite easy.  You should ask about the need for a SNB prior to surgery so that it could be done all at once (the less surgeries the better!)   Hope you had a great trip and that you are able to remain as positive as possible.  Thinking and praying for you.

Mary Louise

Thanks for the info!

Hi Kendall,  Yes I was "tubed", but it was all done after I was out and removed before I came to!  I did not have any drains (but I did only have the 1 node removed) and I also took only 1 dose of the pain med (tylenol 3) which made me sick, so I took just regular tylenol.  I actually went to visit my mother the next morning!  Keep positive!

Hi, Kendall.  I think you should do what your primary care doctor recommends and make an appointment with one of the oncologists.  It really helped me to talk to the oncologist before deciding on surgical options; I also had brca testing before surgery, at the direction of the oncologist.  I also had a PET scan and MRI to stage the cancer, and we had discussion about the cancer's characterisitics--i.e. hormone receptors and Her2 status, grade and stage, all of which helped me decide what to do first and what to do down the road. 

Your path report recommends an mri also.  That's an important step.  Before I had surgery the mri showed I might have at least one other spot in my breast where changes had occured--if it was more cancer, it might change the surgical plan.  As It was I had decided on a mastectomy.  If I had decided on a lumpectomy, we would have had to have more tests. 

It is only my opinion, but I think you should have more info before being asked to make some of these decisions, and it sounds like your primary care doctor is suggesting that the oncologist is the doctor who should guide that process.

Warmest; so much information to digest, and so many details.  It gets easier.

Good thoughts go with you.

Cathy