Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!
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April, every new stage of this journey brings brand new terminology. It's bewildering. Nice to have it all in one place. Pooh on the Grade 3
HUGS!
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Excellent results April! Remember when you were posting some months back maybe in the chemo thread. I also went from Grade 2 to Grade 3 in the final path. For you with up-front chemo, just relax and celebrate!!!! Clear margins and nodes.... All those days of drips did what was needed!
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April, Great news about the nodes! Happy dance time!
MaggieCat, I have held back from posting from time to time.... but you never know who you might help by posting. Even when having a bad day, it's nice to post and find support from others. Plus, it let's us know that it's okay to have a bad day.
Hugs, Peggy!
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April...Wonderful news, clear margins and clean nodes!! I am anxiously waiting to get the results of my path report, my surgery was 5/6.
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MerriDee, that's a long time to wait! Hope you get them soon. I was so lucky that my BS called Friday evening (after my Wednesday surgery) with my results. HUGS!!!
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Actually, my path isn't complete--- they don't have the percentages of the hormone receptors in yet. They are expecting to have that at any time, though, and I'm pretty sure it will be the same as was found during my initial biopsy--but with more exact percentages... right?
I'm still trying to figure out some other stuff... I think it says "Lymphovascular Invastion: Present, focal" under the Microscopic part of my IDC... I think that's bad? It's kind of hard to figure these things out, even with the Guide provided here...
But I guess there's not much I can DO about this... Even if I had bad news about nodes and margins, I'd still just have to go along with whatever happens next. But I am wondering if any part of my treatment will change with the Grade 3? Maybe not, since they already figured I had an aggressive cancer with the HER2 +, which is why did chemo already and am heading for radiation next. And I've got my year of Herceptin started several weeks ago... I'm not sure if there's much more they can do to make the treatment as aggressive as possible...
But, yeah-- I'll take the good news of clear margins! And also the confirmation of nothing found in the sentinel nodes. All the previous tests didn't show node involvement, but those pesky microscopic cancer cells can be sneaky. I'm very happy to have it confirmed that they haven't spread there!
I should try and get to sleep early since the Radiologist appt is tomorrow morning! I rather wish I won't have to start right away. I'll see, I guess. I think they'll let me have some little more time to recover from surgery... and thankfully, that seems to be going smoothly...!
merridee-- I hope you get your report soon, and that it is all good news!
MaggieCat -- DId the change in Grade change your treatment? I guess it would be better to get a more aggressive treatment if the Grade goes up... but bad news if you have to go through more stuff. ... It kind of made me wonder if I should have had a MX because of the higher Grade... but they already knew I had an aggressive cancer with the HER2+ and still were saying a LX was just as good... Hmmm. I guess I'll hear something from my MO if they need to adjust my treatment... but it'll probably be what's lined up already: radiation next! --Oh, and it was definitely good to get that horrible chemo out of the way first! And if it DID help keep things from spreading, that's what I was hoping it would do... and I'm glad it was good for something! Well, it did shrink my tumor a bit, so there's that... Still would have liked a "complete response" but I guess if it came to that I could have wished for no cancer to begin with --and that just doesn't seem to work! So, yes, happy with what I've lymph-wise and margin-wise.
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April.... The path analysis (grade 2 to 3) didn't change anything. You might ask the RO how often Her2+ is a 2 vs a 3. Once I was determined to be Her2+++, things were pretty much by the book for aggressive, with the exception of "perjeta". I had hoped for perjeta along with herceptin and didn't understand perjeta ( at the time) was only approved for neoadjuvant treatment in early stage. I had my lx 10 days after diagnosis, so no early treatment for me.... Let us know what you find out from the appt. today! Maggie
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MaggieCat, that's the quickest I've seen from dx to lx. Mine was over 7 weeks. It worked for me since I had to make arrangements to have my sons come in and care for my husband (with Parkinson's he needed tons of lifting - in and out of bed, on and off the toilet, in and out of chairs, everything). Everything was in place by the time my lx was done.
HUGS!
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Tresjolie I live in the Capital region, suburbs of Albany, but I am originally from Canada, Montreal.
April25 So glad it's done for you!
I've been missing for a bit...got busy. So many appointments and getting things done. And doing some actual work that I neglected while dealing with this Cancer monster for a month. I plan trips to the Happiest Place on Earth for people and just didn't feel like doing that for a few weeks. But it's making me happy again.
Second opinion at Dana Faber in Boston is set up for next week. Just to get more insight on the whole "do I really need chemo" question. Still waiting on my Oncotype score. Radiation "set up" is also next week as we're hopeful we can start that and I won't need chemo. Fingers crossed!
I stopped wearing a bra...which is not really an option for me considering I'm a C (okay D but I prefer to say large C) cup. BUT, all the bras are pressing on the bruises and just constantly hurt. So I've switched to tank/camis with a shelf bra. Little support, but they are fitted and it's enough. The slight discomfort of the incision bouncing and stretching is better than the constant pain of the bruises being pushed on. And I think they were not healing because of it. Feel so much better now. Just have to layer effectively to not look, well...inappropriate. LOL It was all well and good until the weather decided to shoot up to the 80's! Makes it harder to cover up now.
Smurf pee...LMBO! I peed blue too for a few days. They did warn me about it when I left the Nuclean medicine part of the hospital where they did the injection, I asked if I would glow and have super powers and the guy said, no you won't be the hulk, but you might pee blue or green. Thanks for the heads up.
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I had a new student nurse assist me and she was soooo shocked by the blue pee. I actually felt sorry for her.
UpstateBee, When I started wearing bras, I would use a sanitary napkin to cushion my incisions.... or a soft fuzzy sock. I had to be pretty desperate to try these options, but I'm so glad I did. They made a huge difference. I had never stuffed my bra before, but my now Ds required it. Maybe this would help you, too.
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UpStateBee, I'm a barely A and I wore nothing or the Walmart padded camis after the Genie bras were not needed. I found that SNLB has been the biggest annoyance. Lx incision just wasn't much of an issue. Glad you've found something that is comfy for you.
Who seems to be pressing for chemo? Hope your oncotype is so low there is no dispute and you can charge right into your rads!
Wonder how come I didn't have blue pee (could have used the super powers) or didn't notice it? Maybe it just didn't make a blip on my radar with everything else
HUGS to all of you!!!
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Upstatebee Is the chemo because of your age of 41 and premenopausal?0 -
Hey Peggy...no blue pee for me either!
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Oh, I feel so much better, Nash. I was beginning to think I was REALLY BLONDE about that time. I'm blonde enough most days but that would have been over the top
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MaggieCat --- There was a month between my DX and start of Chemo. I had decisions to make, 2nd Opinion to get, tests to schedule... And I ended up changing insurance and all my doctors after my first chemo--mid-treatment!--which was kind of crazy! But I was glad to get everything in order up front. I was seriously stressed out and trying to figure all this stuff out, but did it enough to decide to go with my out-of-network 2nd Op. MO, and I've felt totally secure in his decisions and recommendations for me ever since-- Which is a HUGE weight lifted!
I'd heard of Perjeta through this forum and wanted it neoadjuvently. My old MO wasn't going to give it to me until I got the 2nd Op letter recommending it--and that made me lose some faith in him (I suspected he might be holding back because Perjeta was new and also more expensive and I didn't want to be running off to be getting 2nd Op letters all the time so he'd give me the tests and treatment I wanted. He was at Kaiser and they were OK, but definitely did only the basic tests and treatments unless I got outside doctors to send a letter to him! I had to pay for a PET scan out of pocket because they dragged their feet, telling me that I really shouldn't get one because it was like getting a ton of x-rays... but approved one eventually (with 2nd Op letter!) but too late to schedule before first chemo, and I wanted a base-line scan... I worried I'd have to fight for everything, so I was lucky that I could switch to a good PPO during the last Open Enrollment. *whew!*
Ah... good to know the Grade 3 didn't change your treatment. It seems it won't change anything for me, although I'll have to see what my MO says when I see him next week for my Herceptin infusion... The Radiation folks (Resident and Radiologist) didn't really seem to think it was important... and I kind of forgot to ask!!!!
Radiologist I had signs of vascular invasion, even if I didn't have any node involvement... and that radiation should be 90% effective in getting rid of any stray cells. I'm to have radiation 7 weeks, every weekday. And that it will feel like I have a sunburn about 2 to 3 weeks in... I'm scheduled to get Mapped next week... then will probably start getting radiation in early/mid-June.
PontiacPeggy --- My mom was bed-ridden with Parkinson's for years (she broke a hip and just could never rehabilitate to walking again because she was just too imbalanced, even with a walker). Very nice of your sons to come and help out. The lifting is pretty tough. I thought I was pretty strong and I definitely needed help doing it! Luckily, my dad was still around and we also had a care-giver living in.
I suspect there are several different kinds of things they use to check... The dye was to visually see if any nodes looked suspicious... None of mine looked like they were involved-- but it's really up to the Path to really see if some of those microscopic cells have sneaked in... So either some surgeons use something other than dye-- or the dye they use might not be quite as blue-pee-making as some others???!!! Heh. Well you missed having a funny distraction with no blue pee! It kind of made me smile or at least be shocked a bit, post surgery, anyway.
UpstateBee -- I suspect the location of the incisions can matter a lot as far as bras pressing on them. Mine is right at the top, above my areola, so there's not much pressing on it or rubbing or pulling there, so the bras have been OK so far. And the bras don't hit my SNB incision, either, so that's OK. I'm still a little achy around my breast incision, but it seems to be healing well and I don't absolutely need to take any pain meds (today, anyway! -- I took one yesterday just in case, since I was taking off the surgery bra and showering and going in to get it all checked out and worried that might irritate something-- but it was OK even yesterday). The strap on my only front-closing bra sometimes hit my port, though, and that's been in me for months! So I can totally understand bras pressing in a bad way on the wrong things. Switched back to old bras, just fasten them around my waist and then slip them into place...
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April25, re your mom - you were lucky that you had your dad and a live-in caregiver. I had me. For 4 years. I was glad I could do it but when my BC cropped up with surgery, I realized that I wasn't just tired. I was beyond exhausted and so stressed. I could no longer care for hubby. In-home care wasn't going to really help since I would still be up 5 and 6 times a night helping him get out of bed, go to the bathroom and get him back in bed. I think most people don't realize how physical the care is for someone with Parkinson's. He's now in a nursing home. A very tough decision but it had to be done.
You certainly have done a fantastic job taking charge of your care and treatments. Way to go!
I hadn't even noticed the very slight punctuated hair follicles at about 19 treatments in. The RO pointed it out. Started using Aquaphor then. That slight redness was my only SE aside from fatigue which was all tied into my hubby's care, surgery and pneumonia and then nursing home. You'll do just fine.
My incision was just below the nipple straight down at 6 o'clock. There was a bit of rubbing of any bra I wore. But as I have complained before, the underarm incision was much more annoying. Now, after nearly 10 months I'm finally getting feeling back there! Now I am less likely to bleed to death from shaving and not realizing that I have slit myself
Keep healing!!!
HUGS!!!
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Ladies, if you are interested in joining up with some Michigan (and an Orgeon) BCO members, we'd love to have you come. We're meeting Saturday May 30th at 11:30AM at Sand Hill Vineyards, Jackson, Michigan. Here is the thread and there's more info there. May 30 Michigan Meet Up We had a wonderful time when we met in April. If you need more information, please PM me.
HUGS!!!
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Pat, my MO was leaning towards chemo...but encouraged a second opinion and that's next week. Yes, because of my age and the 1.2 cm size he tends to be more aggressive in treatment, believes in doing all possible even if the benefit is minimal, it's still benefit. But he did say if my oncotype was low then he wouldn't press it since I had clear margins and no lymph node involvement. RO and BS both agree if it's low I don't need to do it, not worth what you go through for the little added benefit. Getting a second opinion at Dana Farber just to be sure.
PoppyK My incision is on the side, just about an inch or so under the SNB incision. I covered it with gauze for 2 weeks I just stuffed in my bra. I had no bandage on it, it was glued instead of stitches and they didn't cover it with anything. A sock would have been a good idea, but then I would have looked rather funny. As if it wasn't big enough! LOL it's really just a throbbing type feeling, it's not real bad pain. The bruises from all the poking are really the worst thing now, but I don't feel those at all without the bra. The SNB incision is a half moon shape and doesn't bother me other than when I lift my arm to high and it stretches. It's high enough nothing touches it. I am terrified to shave though and my BS said, go ahead and shave...but but....Should be interesting next week when I go for the radiation mapping and have to put my arms over my head. That's Tuesday. Boston is Wednesday.
The blue pee is barely noticeable, I only saw it in the morning, first pee, the first 2 days and only because I looked since they had mentioned it. I felt like, let me check and make sure this radioactive stuff is getting out of my body.
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Barbara, I had steri-strips - no stitches. Worked nicely. The ones on my LX stayed on nearly 4 weeks. The ones under my arm came off in about 10 days.
Fingers, toes and eyes crossed that everything says NO CHEMO!!
BTW, be prepared! You may get tattoos for your rads. I did. 3 itty bitty ones, just below my bra line. One in the center of my chest and one on each side of my rib cage. They don't hurt. Gives me a feeling of kinship with #1 son who has quite a number of tattoos
HUGS!!
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Upstatebee that is very wise. Good luck at DF. I hope your oncotype is definitive to help guide your decision and not in that gray area. Lx for me tomorrow. Terrified of final path report.0 -
Pat, it WILL be all right. Honest!! As my BS said, if you've got to have BC, then you have the right type to have. Everything seems to look very positive for you. When you feel something wiggling around in your pocket tomorrow, it will be me and the rest of us here, being with you!
HUGS!!!
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@MaggieCat @Kayfry thank you both for the well wishes, and sending best wishes to the both of you too...I found this wonderful article about the various methods of breast reconstruction after lumpectomy. These methods are truly terrific...something which, after reading, you can talk to your Onco-plastic surgeons. If your SO does not have this credential, then ask for referral to one who does. It will make a big difference to the outcome of your conserved breast.0 -
Pat, I will be thinking about you and praying for you as you have your lx.
The reason you may not pee blue after your lx. There are two different methods of finding the sentinel node. One is the blue dye, so the nodes can be seen. The other is a radioactive tracer so the nodes can be detected by a hand held device. My surgeon used both methods during my surgery.
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PoppyK and Peggy, Thanks so much for the reassurance!!! My BS mentioned Nuclear Medicine and hand held tracer so I think that will be my plan. Surgery got pushed to 4pm :0( but at least could have clear liqs up to 10.this AM.0 -
Pat, that's hard when they change your schedule. You get so mentally prepared and now have to adjust. Argh! I'm bouncing around in your pocket - feel me?
HUGS!!!
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Pat - Once you are at the hospital, the time will go quickly. Best thoughts traveling with you!
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Pat I hope that all went well today!
Upstate I live in Boston. So please let me now if u need anything. My hospital is right across the street from Dana Farber.
My surgery is Monday. Fingers crossed.
My doctors never mentioned to me that my cancer is more aggressive because of the her2+++?
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Pat, hope you're happily home (either because you feel great or the pills are working wonderfully!) and it all went well. HUGS!
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Tresjoli2 - You shared that your biopsy showed "high grade"..... "Aggressive" is just another term for "high grade"... Seems that many times high grade goes along with Her2 positive, especially +3... Way back in early November I posted my pathology report language on another cancer site ( survivors network) and asked for help interpreting what was being said. I was encouraged to go back to my MD and ask as many questions as needed to understand what the path report meant in words I could understand!!!!
Pat - Joining the chorus... Hope things went well for you!!!
Happy Friday all.....
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Tresjoli2, ALWAYS ask questions. Write them down as you think of them and then ask your onc every single one of them. Leave space to write down the answers or record them on your phone. Highlight the areas of your path report you need more fully explained. As soon as I make an appointment I make a word processing file for that appointment and keep adding my questions to it. Then I print it out on the day of my appointment. After the appointment, I enter the answers in the file and thus I have it always. This works for me.
HUGS!!
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