Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!
Comments
-
SweetMamaJ, you just did join! Welcome! We're here for you. You have certainly been on a whirlwind with your diagnosis and surgery so close together. Hardly time to process all that's going on.
Do you know what your next step will be? Radiation?
Please do keep your profile as up-to-date and detailed as possible (you made it public and that's good!). The more information we, the better we can help you.
Of course you're afraid. We all have been. Eventually, the fear recedes.
How are you feeling? How many nodes were taken? When do you get your path report?
We're sorry you need to be here but this is the most loving, supportive group you'll find anywhere. Ask your questions!!
HUGS!!!
0 -
Welcome Sweetmamaj. You just joined. Feel free to ask questions, or just jump into discussions. We're a friendly bunch and here to help each other out.
Gypsyjo
0 -
JWelcome sweet mamaj! .all can join this conversation...how are you doing? My Lx was just the day before yours...first post op tomorrow. So far, I'm holding up well.
0 -
thank you Peggy and Gypsyjo!! I dont have all the info--my stereotactic bx was July 1st; path was Grade I/III of IDC but the biomarkers came back inconclusive due to only benign tissue submitted. I rec'd a partial verbal report today from the lumpx so know its IDC, DCIS, and Cribriform on one sample. But my f/up visit with surgeon, and initial meeting with RO is 7/23. Hopefully biomarkers will be back by then.
Yes,it's been fast and hard to process--i got the call at work the afternoon before I was suppise to drive my 16 y/o son to a major swim meet with lots of college coaches who wanted to meet him. I ended up sending him with another family, saying my glaucoma appt had been rescheduled. I told him last week, before my sx.
Anyway, i always believed that a positive "can do" outlook really makes a significant difference in prognosis. So the few times I have felt tears in my eyes--i feel guilt, and then I intellectualize, and suddenly I've just blown away the moment to release some tears.
0 -
hi Octogirl also
. These sportsbras are a pain, aren't they? Im worried that my clip is lost--it had migrated >1cm from the tumor site, and apparently was not evident in the 8 specimens. Do you know what treatment you'll have
0 -
Octogirl, Glad you are recovering well. I hope you only get good news at your follow up appt.
Welcome Sweetmamaj! It is a whirlwind when you are first diagnosed and having surgery. It's okay to cry once in a while. I've never been a big crier. But with this bc stuff I've ugly cried a few times. Then I move on to concentrating on kicking cancer. It's okay to cry; it's okay not to. Everyone is different. I completely agree with you that good can do attitude makes it easier to do what has to be done.
I have boys; now 17, 16 and 12. I always told them the truth about my diagnosis and treatment. I told them I was expected to be okay, but that the treatment was going to take a while. In my case, about a year. I told them that I would talk to them when ever they wanted to talk and I would answer any of their questions.
Let us know if you have any questions!
0 -
SweetMamaJ, like you, I believe that a positive attitude helps immensely. You'll do just fine! It must be very difficult when you have children still at home. Mine are grown, married and gone and, even though they live out of town, were a huge help.
Hope your follow-up with the BS provides you with answers and are GOOD! Did you have an Oncotype test done? If so, you likely won't have those results for 2 weeks.
Radiation is quite doable. It just requires you to be someplace at the same time 5 days a week for 6-1/2 weeks if you have the traditional protocol. I did and my center is 10 minutes from home. Being retired meant no job issues. Some women go before work, on their lunch hour or on the way home.
We all have our moments when it is hard to be positive. And we all cry. It's a hard diagnosis to take in. If you want more information, you might want to read Dr Susan Love's "Breast Book." It is 5 years old so some of the information isn't the newest (an updated version comes out in September) but it tells you everything you ever wanted to know and more.
As you can see, Poppy and I are twins! We had our Lx's on the same date!
You'll likely make really good friends here and find the help you need, shoulders to cry on, and cheerleaders in your pocket.
HUGS!!!
0 -
Octogirl, hope your appointment today brings all good news. Did you have an Oncotype test done?
I'll be thinking about you. Please let us know how it goes!
HUGS!!
0 -
Welcome SweetmamaJ This group is the best! Just started radiation yesterday so getting there step by step!
0 -
Hi SeeetmanaJ,
Welcome! This is a great group to join! I had my lx on 5/22, and now it's 2months later and today is radiation treatment 11/33! I have been hanging out in the Summer Radiaton group, but I do pop in from time to time...
You'll find the ladies here to be funny, smart, caring, and helpful!
Pontiac Peggy, congrats on the one year!!!!
PatRN, hope rads are kind to you. My skin is getting blistery already, but I am walking every morning and trying to stay cool!
Wishing you all the best!
~Midgie
0 -
Midgie, Thank you! Feels good! I'm sorry that you're blistery already. Bummer. Slather on the recommended "stuff" to help control the blistering. At least you know the end is coming and then you can really heal.
PatRN, I had virtually no SEs from my rads. A bit of redness and fatigue. I used Aquaphor (one of the few without aloe which I don't tolerate). Seemed to help. And I still use it off and on, especially when I've been out sunning.
I recently read an interesting article on fatigue and breast cancer (I thought it was on Facebook posted by BCO but not sure). And apparently it isn't just associated with radiation but the whole breast cancer experience and can last up to a year. If I recall correctly, it said the fatigue is a combination of the shock of BC, treatments and possibly depression. I thought that pretty well described me. I haven't had a great deal of energy this past year. Just doing what absolutely has to be done and doing fun things (like meeting other BCO members) but not anything on my to-do list. It was nice to find out I'm not the only one in this boat. (I'll see if I can find it).
HUGS!!!
0 -
Hi,
I was wondering how long of incision is there for the sentinel node biopsy?
Thanks
123JustMe0 -
Duh...after seeing Peggy's post about being 'twins' with Poppy, I realized my profile was incorrect: my lx was on 7/16, so sweetmamaj, I think that makes us almost surgery twins...not happy to be here but happy to have others to commiserate with...
thanks to all for the good wishes for today's followup. I already got good news from the bs over the phone the day after surgery (clean margins, no lymph node involvement) so I am not expecting any really bad news...but will let you all know how it goes. I live in a small town about an hour's drive away from the bigger city where bs is located (and where I had the surgery)....so hubby will drive me and we will have lunch before at our favorite Chinese restaurant...there is no decent Chinese restaurant in our small town so that is something to look forward to!
sweetmamaj: I barely cried either....the only thing that made me cry was the thought that I might have to miss a big family wedding coming up in mid-August. Now that I have been assured that there is no reason I can't go to wedding and that my team will work around it for treatments, nothing that has made me cry yet, other than a few tears in post op just because I was feeling anxious. We are all different in that regard. Will also let you know what treatment will be: rads of course, but not sure about chemo yet, though it appears probably not.
Will check in later. Best to all.
0 -
Sweetmamaj, you just did.
I'm sorry for why you're here, but happy to meet you. You found a great group of people all ready to listen and support. Talk away, my friend.0 -
Pontiac: interesting about fatigue being a side effect not just of any specific treatment, but of the process itself. I'm not surprised--a lot of things cause fatigue, and people who've just been diagnosed/undergoing treatment would experience one or more of them. For me, emotional upset interfering with sleep, for someone else, an unrelated medical condition, for another, needing to work through treatment or take care of small children. And so on.
Octogirl: glad to hear your oncology team's willing (able?) to work with you about the wedding. Cancer treatment's disruptive enough!
0 -
Hi justme: my SNB incision was a little over 2 inches (about the length of my little finger); just one node was taken so I guess more nodes might mean a larger incision. The sutures are internal, the skin was closed with superglue and a clear surgical tape.
0 -
Thanks SweetMamaJ!0
-
Hi OctoTwin
, I was so happy to hear your good news! Yea! I just got off the phone with my bs: also no nodal involvement, and clean margins! Now if only my biomarkers would come back so I'll finally know if I should expect chemo &/or anti-hormone tx before the radiation. Do you have a start date for your rad tx?Thank you also Poppy, Peggy, Midgiemoon, and PatRn for your welcome and kindness. I think I joined this group because your conversations felt so supportive; it's like the sisterhood of the traveling lumps, where I could go and maybe, finally, let my stoic guard down and just feel. Yes, of course I have a few positive coping tools like diaphragmatic breathing (btw, very hard to do during mammography wire placement! ha!), and I'm a bit jealous that I can't taste that Carlsbad beer someone keeps mentioning, but I think I just need to hang out in this lounge.
Peggy, I was told that if my er/pr are + and her2nue is ?, and nodes - (it is), then it will get sent to Calif for oncogene testing. Thanks for the suggestion abt the book. I actually met Pat Love at a psychological conference about 10 years ago, but she was promoting a marital book then.
Midgie, so you had to wait over 2 months before beginning rad tx?
Are there any words of wisdom for me re: any prepping to do beforehand (i.e., exercises, buy different bra types, need deodorants w/wo alcohol, perfume, etc).
A question for all: did you feel any heart palpitations during the pre-op procedures? During my wire placement, I felt a very noticeable "flip-flop" that was a bit disconcerting. Mostly because I had a cardiac cath in 2013 that was after a scuba diving trip; the cardiologist suggested it was due to extended diving fatigue and in cold water, but it's always in the back of my mind. Anyhow, my guess is that the breast compression exaggerated the feeling, and it was normal, but I'm looking for reassurances. <feels chagrin>
I already love you all! --sweetmama j
0 -
SeeetmanaJ,
I waited about 6 1/2 weeks between surgery and starting rads. The 4th of July holiday set the start back, but I was ok with that. My surgery was months ago today. Typing is not one of my strong points!
Off to 11/33 rads. Will be 1/3 of the way through! Woo woo!!
Wishing you the best!
~Misgie
0 -
Welcome Sweetmamaj and 123Justme. Glad you both received good reports.
My SLN scar is about 2 inches.
I received a packet with post-surgery exercises from my nurse navigator and they were really helpful. Regarding bras, deodorant etc. it really depends on the radiology center. I have found that we all seem to get very different orders. I am not allowed to wear any deodorant or use anything other than cornstarch on the radiated area until (unless) I develop skin problems. I just had treatment 11/36 today and so far, so good. I did get a little heat rash under my bra so I bought some cotton camisoles at Walmart and wear them instead of a bra.
0 -
Yay, Midgiemoon! That's awesome!
0 -
Sweetmamaj,
You have now joined and are most welcome here. Sorry you have the qualifications to be here, but this is a great site/forum. The members here are VERY supportive to each other. I am glad that apparently your diagnosis was when the tumor was small!!! You also now join the BC survivor (unofficial) club. I was diagnosed in Sept of 2011 and doing well.
Happy healing new friend,.
Vickie
0 -
SweetMamaJ - it's me that is promoting the Red Trolley beer. And I'm not a big beer drinker (that one could make me change that!). maybe we need to organize a get together in Carlsbad next summer for those of us who like beer and don't live in California!
It was about 6 weeks for me before starting rads. They wanted me healed. No deodorant unless it didn't have aluminum. So i tried Tom's of Maine and was allergic to it! No underwire bras. I wore no bras 90% of the time. And then I wore the padded camis from Walmart which I still wear when it's cool out. I used Aquaphor starting about Tx 19 but nothing prior to that. I did use nothing but Dove Sensitive soap all the way through since it is so gentle. Nothing drying. Probably no perfumes - one, because it is thoughtful of the radiation techs and two, it's got alcohol and drying.
No huge surprise that your heart went flip flop during the wire locator. I had one about 12 years prior to my BC and it was terrible and I swore I'd never have another. Not much choice with BC. Luckily the staff loaded me a Valium (oh so smart!) and lidocaine. I may have broken the nurse's hand I was holding though
But it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it was going to be; quite doable. Keep asking away!
HUGS!!
0 -
123JustMe, my SNB is about 1-1/2" long and the BS took 3 nodes (there were 2 extra that tagged along as a bonus).
BTW, it helps if you make your profile public so we can see what your diagnoses, treatments etc have been or planned. Please consider it
HUGS!
0 -
I second everything Peggy wrote above.
The node incision was the most annoying of the incisions. It was tender and my arm always managed to bother it. Thankfully, the tenderness didn't last too long.
0 -
My biopsy ncision is about 2" and I had 4 nodes removed. It's far more annoying than my lumpectomy incision. I use a little pillow to keep my arm from rubbing on it, you can find them on etsy as mastectomy pillows. My crafty mom made mine
0 -
Thanks PontiacPeggy, PoppyK, & Midgiemoon for the info!0
-
All,
Here is a picture of my pillow! It looks like a purse! I told mum she needs to add a slot for a license and phone. I think she could make hundreds of these if she thought ladies could use them! I alsowrapped my ice pack around it post of to help the swelling under my arm...
0 -
Hi to all...
Back from 7 day post op with bs and as expected, mostly very good news...margins were very clean (bs was very happy about that)...and no lymph node involvement, as she told me on the phone, yay! The only not so great news is that tumor was bigger than expected based on the ultrasound and MRI...actual size 2.1 cm (previous estimate was 1.8 cm) so I guess I have to change my profile and that might put me over edge into needing chemo, which I had been told previously was possible but not likely. (?)
Yes, MO is ordering an oncotype, so I am thinking that will also influence the tx decisions...but for more info I will need to wait until after MO apt on August 3rd.
Great (not): more waiting. The waiting is the hardest part, isn't it? Of all the possibilities Chemo freaks me out the most. Mostly, I am not telling very many people at work at all and if the hair goes it will be obvious. Sigh. Ok, I am a baby, I admit it.
But, on a more cheery note: sweetmamaj: another diver! I,ve been diving regularly since 1991 and hope to continue to do so at least into my mid-seventies. Currently planning a trip to Cozumel in May 2016. By the way, I also met for evaluation and education session with the LE therapist today, and she said that among her patients her experience was that diving was one of the best things one cuuld do both to prevent and to control lymph edema....both because of the cool water and the compression. Of course, first I have to get through rads so they will let me back in the water.
I'm officially tired after the long drive to Fresno and back, even though hubby drove, lunch, apts etc. off to nap. Hugs to all, and send some back my way, ok?0 -
Octogirl I feel the same way! I am praying for clear margins tomorrow and no node involvement. Sorry to hear the tumor was slightly bigger than expected but hopefully the Oncotype score will be low!0
