Topic: surgery is for real now.............

Hi ya Stephanie,

I to like Wahine do not know anything about duct removal but do understand the anxiety of waiting.

 Just wanted to add my support and thoughts that everything goes well and send you a little Down Under Sunshine.

Hi girls,

I was just sort of "lurking" around the active conversations and saw this thread.  I am a little bit ahead of you in this, but fully understand the "waiting" issue.  Mine seems to be always around my pathology reports after surgery, the first one after the core needle biopsy took several days more than they told me it would.  And now, I have been waiting almost two weeks for a second opinion on the post-lumpectomy pathology.  Waiting sucks!!  At least when you know what you've got, you can begin to deal with it.  I am waiting for the second opinion before I start chemo. 

Stephanie - try to keep as busy as possible and do something with your family that you enjoy.

Jalydiju - You keep coming here regardless of how your sister feels - this is one of the best supports I have!

Hi Stephanie,

Nichola you sumed it up well, "It,s like having a whale in your lounge room ". You are not wrong.

I think I am really becoming obsessive about it, knowing that I have these foreign somethings in me and that they may not be of a very friendly nature is driving me a bit nuts.

I find myself continually feeling myself to see if they are still there. Just wish that they would fall out of my breast and introduce themselves so that I know whom and what I am dealing with. "Hello! Im BC1 and this is my friend BC2 and we are here to let you know just what the BC stands for, so now you can start to work on what your plan of action is"

Now you probably think I am completely mad. Maybe I am. thank goodness I see my GP this monday and can start the process to enlightenment and the begining of a action plan. (Is a what do we do now appointment. To FNA or to not FNA and just see what happens)

Thanks for your support drcrisc.

Will be with you in spirit Stephanie on May 22...Holding your hand.......Jalydiju

Wishing and sending everyone, love, luck and courage...

Oh wow, you guys are so awesome!! I really just didn't have any idea that so many people could understand. I especially like that part about the whale in the living room Nichola, that is great.  And so true.  You want to scream "How can you ignore this !!!"  But you guys have helped me so much just by validating my feelings, and letting me know it's ok to feel this way.

Jaly, I'm so sorry about your sister.  I too lost a sister in law 6 years ago to BC.  She was 30 and she fought so hard for 4 years.  Now my husband and I sometimes get to look after her son on the weekends.  He is 11 now.  And no, you are definately not mad~~Everyday I examine this breast discharge like it is my job to see if the color has changed or if it's coming from any additional ducts. It's hard NOT to become obsessive.  Drchris I think I will take your advice for the weekend and get some projects done around the house to keep my mind off things. 

<>Shirlann, you actually made me laugh out loud for real with that image of the squirrels running up and down my curtains in the dark.  That is something I'm going to hang on to when my wheels start turning in the middle of the night.

Can you guys believe that two of my coworkers donated a week each for me to take off after surgery!!  I have not been on this job greater than a year and didn't have the PDO hours built up.  But my boss said not to worry (I work in a nursing home as an occupational therapist) and have to lift very heavy patients daily, she wants me back whole and healthy. Sometimes these situations bring out the best in people.  That took an enormous amount of $ worries and stress off my mind.

Jaly please let me know what your doc advises on Mon and same for Drchris, I want to know the status of the 2nd opinion.  Rbcrhodes, when you feel well enough to type I want to know all about how your surgery went.  Thank you to every one of you who is helping me to keep my head on my shoulders.  Each one of you is priceless with your experience from walking this road before me, please stay close....Love to all, stephanie 

G'Day Stephanie,

Shirlann's comment re the squirrels made me chuckle to.

Will let you know about what is decided, will know tomorrow.

Due to really crappy day lost it with lots of people, some deserved it, some didn't but to sinfully say, it did lessen some of the stress. 

Teaches best of luck for Tuesday and until then hope your lounge is squirrel and whale free, or sized down to a goldfish and a few moths at least.

Jalydiju

I found out just after Easter this year I have Intrusive Ductal Carsanoma. It is cancer in a milk duct (it was actually in the tube that carries the milk to the nipple). I had surgery on April 21. I had a Lumpectomy. I too never felt a lump and none of the Dr. could either. I had a Mamo 10 months ago and nothing was there but I found a bloody discharge on my nightgown and went to the Dr. I live in Alaska and only have 2 MD's here in town and have to fly to Anchorage for any Specialists appointments. I went and a Radioligist studied my Mamo and found a very small tumor. I went the next morning to see a surgeon and within a week I had a Lumpectomy. The surgery was not bad. I only took pain meds for 3 days but was still sore I just took it easy. I now am waiting for results from my Hormone test to see what treatments I will have to go through. I know I have to do 4-6 weeks of Radiation in which time my husband and I will have to live in Anchorage because they are everyday. I know how scared you feel but just think it is caught early if they can't feel a lump yet. I will Pray you get the comfort I did from all my friends and family. Good luck and think Positive!!!!

Hi, I have been lurking on this thread reading up and my heart aches for you all that have less than needed support from your family. I think Steph said her family trivializes it and Jaly your sister said you didn't need to be on these boards checking all this out. Jaly you are in the right place and Steph there is nothing trivial about a cancer scare.

Stephanie, I also went through the nipple discharge problems. I did not have atypical cells found in the ducts but did have bright red and at times dark red bleeding always spontaneous and of course on direct expression (didn't do that too much bc when I did it came out more spontenous).  I opted out of the same surgery you are having as they did an u/s and mam and could not find a papilloma in the ducts although the duct where the discharge was coming from was slightly enlarged. The decision to cancel my surgery was made in part bc I am having to undergo another surgery for atypical cells in the breast tissue outside of the ducts. She didn't want to do one and then another. However, I did just have an MRI so maybe they will see something else that needs to come out in the ducts. I know had I had atypical cells in the discharge I would have had the surgery immediately like you. I wish you the best. I was told by my dr. when we were discussing the surgery that the side effects could be possibly inverted nipple from scar tissue, lessen sensation of the nipple and I think that was it. I wish you the best on 5/22.

Jaly, good luck tomorrow with the FNA. I will be sending b9 vibes to both of you.

I wanted to share some thoughts to let you know you are not alone. I began this journey in April of last year with an abnormal mam. We decided to watch and wait and in Oct on f/u mam there was some change in the tumor but not enough to warrant biopsy. I requsted it and my family thought I was nuts wanting to have this done. Was I looking to have breast cancer was the response I got from them. NO I wanted peace of mind. Well the biopsy was b9 and only a fibroadenoma. The discharge started in Feb of this year and I went in for another mam. Well now they find an area of tiny cluster microcalcifications and a stereotactic biopsy came back b9 but there were atypical cells in the tissue samples. Now here I am having a 2nd opinion, an MRI and now awaiting surgery for excision of that area and oh another mass was found on u/s in April. It didn't appear supiscious so they felt we could wait and take it out during excision surgery.

My family responded this way. My results were b9 and that is all that matters. Yes we understand you have unresolved issues but you don't have cancer. I am sure there are alot of women walking around with atypical cells and they don't even know it. Oh and lets not forget my mom asking if my dog has been sniffing at my boob because dogs can smell out cancer. Well I don't recall if she has or not so my mom told me I have nothing to worry about. Well we could save a lot of money in this world if we just put a bunch of women with masses in a room with dogs and let them go sniffen. NO copays or deductibles. We only need to clean up doggy mess! :)

Hang in there girlfriends. What you are going through is truly stressful. It does not need to be trivialized or pushed aside. Stay on these boards and get support and cyber hugs. I find I can open up more on these boards than I can to my mom or husband. They just don't understand the fears. Don't get me wrong I am truly greatful I don't have a diagnosis of cancer but I still have these other issues and the increased risk of getting breat cancer. I am stressing waiting for my MRI results and my mom told me I was being "dramatic" because I am nervous about them finding something else.

Love and Hugs to all of you. We are all scared and that is okay!

Peace,

Karen 

Karen,

I laughed out loud (literally) when I read your mom's comment about your dog sniffing at your boob.

I waited as long as possible before I told my mother (almost 84 years old) about my excisional biospsies.  A few days after I told her, it was a Sunday.  She  gave up driving a couple of years ago (praise the Lord!), so my husband and I take her everywhere she needs and wants to go.  That Sunday, as the service was finishing up, a guest minister said that he would be having some "hands on healing" after the service.  As we stood to leave, my mother turned to me and said, "do you want to go get healed"?  I whispered that since I had only shared my upcoming surgery with a handful of people,  I thought I would pass on going up in front of a bunch of people and having a stranger put his hands on my boob to heal me.  I was very happy having the surgeon take whatever was questionable out of my boob for me.

However, we do love our moms, no matter what they say or do - and sometimes they can say and do some very interesting things!! 

Dukemom

Hi Stephanie,

Have had FNA. Was pretty simple to have had done. Do not know results as they said 48hrs before path results are complete so will have to wait (again) until GP rings me. May not be until Monday next week.

Thats OK as there is not much else I can do is there. Know that it took multiple goes to be able to aspirate anything to test. Surgeon said that he wasn't going to have another go if last pass didn't gather anything, must of worked. Cysts didnt collapse after any of the aspiration. Were still same shape and size. Good news is that Left Breast is clear of any drama.

Karen, What a crack up. The thought of your mum thinking that the family dog was much more switched on than the rest of the medical communitiy just had me in tears. The funny thing is that my family and I had been out for dinner that night of your post and when we got home, we were greeted by this strange odour. When I turned on the lights I found about six large piles of dog vommit on the lounge carpet and at the back door. Everyone that was with me quickly deserted me and I was left to clean it all up. I then got on this site and thread and read your post. Just could not stop laughing, my sides hurt, tears poured down my cheeks and my cheeks hurt. Thankyou!

rdcrhodes, So pleased you have such a supportive family. We do have to remind ourselves time to time that it does have a effect on the people that we love as well. Yes he is concerned re results and probably is edgy for it. Mine to is worried but instead of being able to express it emotionally he tries to drown how he feels with alcohol.

jalydiju

Stephanie,

Is 22 May here. Will be constantly thinking of you over next 48hrs.  With you in spirit and hopeing for the best possible news for you. I am sure we will be all there holding you hand and helping you through it.

Sending comforting hugs, Jaly