cholly

I had an excisional biopsy Friday and am waiting for results.  As ordered, I've been wearing front zip, t-back sports bras since then. Now, I'm not a jogger, don't do anything sporty, never had a sports bra much less a t-back zip-front one.  The bra almost ended me in the ER tonight.  All day at work I noticed the fingers on my right hand seemed numb.  As the day went on, it spread across my right hand and my right toes seemed to be going numb. By the time I left work, my right arm and much of the right side of my face seemed "asleep" as did the middle of my back.  Being a bit slow on the uptake lately, I decided on the drive home I might be having a stroke and probably should drive to the ER.  Thinking it was progressing awfully slowly and strangely for a stroke, I went home first to read stroke symptoms on the web and decide what to do. (If you are really having a stroke, this is a very bad idea. Get to the ER!). While trying to dagnosis myself and figure out if I could drive to the next town to the ER, I noticed a tight knot in my neck/shoulder area. Hmmmm. Apparently, the wretched bra was pinching a nerve!  I switched bras, massaged the knot and all the numbness went away.  Alas, the dumbness remains.  I think I've joined the perpetually on high alert status of someone who has left normal behind. Oh well, it will make a funny story for later.

I had an excisional biopsy this morning after ALH daignosis.  They are trying to determine if I'm in the 30% where all the other testing missed the cancer diasnosis.  FIngers crossed!  For a strange variety of reasons, I have not discussed the LAH diagnosis or surgery with anyone yet, but lucked into finding this group.  This is my first posting but I "lurked" reading posts for weeks to find some level of support.  While I have had moments of anxiety (not a big surprise!), the only time I cried was when I read the posts here--not because I felt pity for any of us (although I hate that we have to be her), but because I have been overwhlemed by the beautiful honesty, generous sharing, support and caring everyone here offers. I learned a lot, felt impowered and cannot thank you enough.

Anyway, I doing OK.  Took no pain meds other than OTC Tylenol but the pain is not bad so far.  Sore throat is more annoying than the breast pain.  I'm going to try a salt water gargle when I finish here. I had a mammography guided wire localization prior to the surgery. YUK.  Two unpleasant things do not improve upon combination!  The worst part was being "squeezed" for 10 minutes and the numbing injection, but overall it was not so bad.  The surgery was not as bad as I thought it might be. I always imagine the worst and hope to be happily disappointed!  Most of the time, that works.  The nurses were great. I refused Verstadt (I don't think that's spelled right) as I am always suspicious of something that mostly keeps you from remembering, plus they were going to give me a general anyway.  They told me it would reduce anxiety so I think some people would find it helpful.  It was interesting be aware while going into surgery, meeting everyone in there, seeing the set up, having everything explained--at least until the general did me in.  Surgery started around 9:30 (after the wire localization) and I was home by 12:30.  Get my results Thursday in appt. with surgeon unless I can get someone to tell me over the phone sooner.  Have a geneteic counseling appointment set up the following week.

ALH is a weird diagnosis. Cutting it out does nothing beyond telling you if the diagnosis was right or wrong. Reduces your chances of bad stuff happening by zero.  I don't even know what outcome to hope for. Look forward to talking to some of you soon about ALH or whatever path this takes me down.  Thanks again to all of you.