Stage II w/Lymph Node Involvement
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Oh boy - just found out my pathology from bilateral mastectomy and lymph node dissection - 11/18 nodes were positive. I think this puts me in stage III or am I wrong?
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Leslie
I dont think it matters HOW MANY for the staging. What changes the stage is whether the cancer had gotten out of the lymph nodes in the axillary and started growing either within that structure or moved on to a node outside the axillary.
Did your doctor call you with the pathology reports? What did he/she say?
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I spoke to his nurse who said 11/18 nodes were positive. I will get a copy of that pathology report next week when I go in and see him again.
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Hugs Leslie, I know someone who had I think 12 positive nodes, Grade 3 and I *think* she was stage 2B. (and I might add she is a 6 year survivor and counting!) Good luck with meeting your doc!
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Leslie,
It is important to see the pathology to know for sure but there is NO reason why you can't call and ask her for the stage. It should be on the report. Part of the staging has to do with the lymph nodes and if they are matted together or not. All our hugs and prayers are coming your way from all your sisters here!!
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The staging definitions changed in late 2007, early 2008. The stagings on this site are the older definitions. The new definitions do focused on no. of lymph nodes as opposed to whether they are matted or not. I had this conversation with my oncologist when I received my path report - would have been IIB if had same path report six months earlier. But new under revised definitions am IIIA.
. Made no difference to my treatment though, so doesn't really matter.Kim
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Dearest Day, I am also a stage 2b, but today I celebrate 5 years out, believe me I, too never thought I would see this day. Yes, my life has changed, but I can seriously say for the better. It has made me live life to the fullest now. Hey, just getting older causes changes in our bodies, even if we did not have cancer. Your picture is just beautiful and remember cancer can never change who you are inside. You are part of a huge sistehood now. Believe me there are many benefits and blessings to belonging to this sisterhood. A year from now, you will feel so much better as you see others rally around you. I will pray for you every day. There is a light at the end of this tunnel. Don't give up, please. You will reap what you have sown. God bless you, Kathy
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Thank you, Kathy *hugs*
I had my appt with the oncologist today. I will start 4 rounds of chemo (one every 3 weeks) as soon as I'm healed from the reconstruction.
The bummer is, at 2 pm I had the appt with the PS. While he was debriding the scabs on the area where the would-be nipple was, bang! huge fountain of liquid. I had a humongous seroma that was occupying all the bottom of the breast - that is why the implant hadn't descended - it didn't have room. I think there was at least a cupful of liquid, poor doctor he was wearing a suit, he got quite a spray on it, it was like an explosion. He was good humor though, I asked 'what the heck was that" he's like "well, I'll be damned, a seroma that took me by surprise." I said "oh dear you got your suit ruined" He was "no worries. It's not the first time it happens. These are totally unexpected, I had it coming worse than that. At least we found it in time and we know why you weren't healing right".
So tomorrow I am going back to surgery. He needs to clean and flush the area and then re-position the muscle that had slipped and if need be, replace the implant. He said it will be a short surgery and outpatient.
Keep your fingers crossed for me, sisters. I'm going in at noon tomorrow.
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Hi Day
What a crazy day you have had! And back to surgery but I am so glad for you that they can fix this problem.
I finished chemo in August and was able to keep working so don't let that get you in the dumps. You will be amazed at your resiliance. This path is not easy but DOABLE I promise and you are going to look back at all of this and realize just how strong of a woman you are. Keep coming back and asking questions! We will get you through this.
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Oh yes Day
You want to get that port ok. I know it sounds dreadful on top of everything you are having to go through but it will be such a life saver. You won't get poked - after a while your veins will break down from all of the IVs and such and chemo (depending on what they are going to give you) can cause burning you name it. It takes just a few min's for them to hook it up when you go in for treatments and there is ZERO pain.
At first the port will be annoying but now that I have had mine in since February I don't even notice it anymore. As soon as I have another all clear check after 3 months they will let the surgeon take it out and that is such an easy procedure done in the office.
So just think about it and if you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask.
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Boy am I on a role with the posting right now LOL. But I just thought of something that I wanted to share with all of you and especially our new member Day. Your struggles have reminded me of my dear father. He actually passed away two years ago in January of Stage 4 colon cancer. He lived almost 5 years with it and was on chemo that entire time, and let me also tell you that he worked up until the last week of his life. So as you can imagine he is my hero on standing tough!
But that aside what I wanted to talk with you about was something that happened about ten years ago. My husband was leaving me and let me tell you that me being DEVASTATED was an understatement. In my mind this was the absolute worst thing that had ever happended to me and I saw no way out of it. I was so depressed I couldn't eat and didn't want to get out of bed. My dad came to visit to me and I was actually so distraught that I was vomiting. My dear father came in and held my hair out of my face and proceeds to tell me "THIS IS THE GOOD PART" and I thought to myself this man is crazy. And again he said "how you are feeling right now this is the GOOD PART. Well it took me a little while but it started to dawn on me what he meant. The bad times in our lives are the good part because only in those times do we become better and stronger and more appreciative of where we have been. All of these experiences we have in life make us who we are and in the end we can either grow from them or let them beat us. Thanks to my dear poppie and that valuable lesson I now chooose to relish not only the good things that happen to me but the bad as well because in the end I know that on the other side is always something better.
So there is my sappy Hallmark card for you all this evening.
I hope I don't sound preachy, jsut wanted to share 0 -
Stephanie, no, you don't sound too preachy. I guess I have these times of being down just because all of this happened so fast, and hit me right when I had my normal life back on track, after five years of fighting the Graves disease.
I already talked the port part with the oncologist. I am supposed to have only 4 rounds, and they checked my veins and said that I should be just fine, no need for a port for just four doses. They are trying to avoid any risk of infection, considering it will be so soon after my surgery. I expectt o be able to work, normally I have Fridays off (I have a kind of part-time job, 4 days a week only) and they said they will arrange for me to have the treatments on Fridays, like this I'll have the week-end to recover from the immediate effects.
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Good morning, Day!!! Prayers are coming your way for quick healing and a successful surgery!!!! You wil do great!!! Wow, what a day you had with the PS. He sounds like a really nice guy. He will take good care of you and so will God. God bless you, Kathy
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Wow, Stephanie, that was a beautiful and inspiring story, you are a role model for all of us. God bless you, Kathy
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Day...what a day filled with drama! Glad your dr has a good sense of humor. I know you have to go into surgery to clean up but glad to hear you will be on your way to healing! I understand that you won't need a port...I don't blame you for trying to go w/out it since it is only 4 treatments. You can always add it if you need it. I had mine in over a year due to Herceptin! Yuck..
Stephanie..POWERFUL!! Loved what dear old Dad said! So profound....Thanks so much for sharing that!!
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I am finally home. The surgery was a success, and the Dr. wanted to keep me overnight, with IV antibiotics, and some blood thinners and plenty of fluids to make sure that there is enough blood supply to the skin - as I am a low blood-pressure person. I have some slight pains on the left side where he had to go in and replace the implant and reposition the muscle that had slid. Overall the breasts now look perfectly symmetrical - that means the implants are somewhere under my chin and the place where they will be is like a wrinkled empty pouch, lol (well of courrse I'm exaggerating a little). No, really looks ok. The only thing is that I have drains again. They don't do much output so i think i'll have themout when I will see him on Tuesday.
I am very tired right now (can't sleep when I'm in the hospital for some reason). Good night all and thank you for your kind words.
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Stephanie 1 , what a beautiful story!
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Day - it's morning so I hope you got some rest. Please let us know how you are feeling when you are able to. I am very happy that you are now symmetrical and that everything went ok.
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I belong here too--had a positive sentinal node and since I was getting chemo anyway, did not have further nodes removed (did have nodes radiated, however). Sometimes I get scared because it was in the nodes and I am glad to find this thread....I also had low Ki67 and Grade 1, but still had node involvement. I hope I can join even now.
At Thanksgiving, it is my tradition to actually sit down and write the things that I am Thankful for. It helps me to focus on the positive. When my kids were small, we would each write a list of things to be Thankful for and we would read them out loud.
Mandy
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Welcome Mandy! or I should say..Welcome HOME! lol I like your tradition! I developed a dinner plate that is basically a plate you use each night at dinner to share positive thoughts or feelings. It sounds right up your alley! Check it out at www.theplatecompany.com If you want one, PM me and I will give it to you 25% off from one sister to another!!0
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Dear Day, I am so glad that you are home and that you can get some rest. I will pray for a quick recovery. God bless you, Kathy
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Dear Day, I am so glad that you are home and that you can get some rest. I will pray for a quick recovery. God bless you, Kathy
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Dear Day, I am so glad that you are home and that you can get some rest. I will pray for a quick recovery. God bless you, Kathy
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My dear sisters,
I am sorry I didn't post earlier, but to be honest I slept most of the day. I still have some pain on the left side (where the implant was exchanged and the muscle repositioned) but the pain-killers are taking care of that. I am taking Ibuprofen during the day and a percocet in the evening and it's just fine. I'm on amox-clav, bactrim and keflex (I know, sounds like a lot but my PS wants to make sure no infection this time). And also on high protein high calorie diet recommendation.
The bottom part of the breasts looks very nice and rounded now, I have no swelling, and incredible low output from the drains - esp the left one. I was actually starting to worry about that, but I talked to the nurse and she said that as long as there's no swelling and no pain at the drain insertion, everything shows only that I am healing nicely. I have no blood clots coming out and it had already started to change from bloody to clear-yellowish.
So hopefully this time the healing will go fast and I'll be able to start the chemo.
Hugs and love all
Day
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Hi Day! I am sending prayers and positive energy your way!! Just one day at at time and lots of rest.
I had the DIEP surgery done in New Orleans in September. I can't believe it, but I leave for New Orleans for Stage 2 of this surgery in just over 2 1/2 weeks! Did anyone else have this reconstruction surgery done??
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Good luck Warrior!!
Happy Holidays to all, the positive energy is great here!
Prayers to all of you for healing and peace!!
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Thanks mmm5...most of all THANK YOU for your positive messages you have left on here! So inspirational....xox
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Warrior, I had all phases of DIEP reconstruction (bilateral) and finished three years ago. I had mine done in Baltimore. You must be very excited!
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Hi Anna!
Thanks for your reply...question for you...Did you have them "finish the tummy tuck" portion in Stage 2 ie tightent the ab muscles to define the waist again?? Did you do a lot of lipo? What was Stage 2 like for you? You can PM me if this is too nosy...lol THANKS!!!
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Warrior... Good luck at your surgery. What day is it? I did not have that kind of reconstruction, I had tissue expanders. I go for the exchange surgery on Dec 11th. Can't wait. We must be close on surgery dates.
Did anyone have tissue expanders and an exchange surgery? Please tell me that the new implants are softer than these tissue expanders.
Jo
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