Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!
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Bjclaywell....welcome home. Doing the happy dance for you. 👏🏻👏🏻💃💃. Rest well0
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Welcome outrunning! I had a drain after my Lx but I had two positive lymph nodes so they took all of my axillary nodes. If you have questions you should be able to speak with the assistant of your surgeon.
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Finishing my radiation today! I have a cute dress to celebrate. I wore it yesterday to hand out my thank you gifts. My underarm is peeling and painful, but it's hard to be grumpy today! I have a month until I have my follow up with the MO to start tamoxifen.
Love you all, thanks for helping me get though this!!
Midgie
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Midgie, I LOVE your dress!! That's darling. And you are so pretty! Congrats on finishing up today. I'm sorry your underarm is such a mess and hurtful. I understand that you should heal quickly after finishing up your rads. I started my Arimidex the day after I completed my rads. Another case of all Oncologists do things differently. Have a GREAT day!
HUGS!!!
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Love the dress, MM! and Yay on finishing! Time to go diving!
Octogirl
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What an adorable dress, Midgiemoon and you are so pretty!
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Congrats Midgiemoon!!! You look marvelous! So happy you are DONE with rads!!!!!!
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hooray MM! I'm so excited for you and you look so cute! Do tell what you did for gifts. I am looking for gift ideas for my nurse and my radiation team when the time comes
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Great picture MM! You look darling! Good for for you to celebrate!!!0
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Yay Midgie! Very cute dress and you look so happy! So excited that you feel good and are celebrating the end of rads! Congrats and gentle Hugs!
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My doctor is on vacation until 8/31. Her assistant is on vacation until sometime next week. The Nurse Navigator for the breast center is on vacation until next Tuesday.
I finally reached someone to ask when I might get results of yesterday's MRI. Probably not until 8/31. And unhelpfully, the nurse told me that one of my docs partners MIGHT read it sooner. But she wouldn't call me with bad results. So if I hear nothing it could mean they found more, or it could just mean no one has looked at it.I'm a pretty calm about all this given the current DX which isn't too scary. But this is going to make me crazy.
Meanwhile I will try to find out more info and figure out what all the initials mean to put my info in my profile.0 -
Hi, I'm new here and not sure where to post this. Sure do need advice and a good listener. I need to have a lumpectomy for Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. 26 years on estradiol from ovarian cancer at 29, but neg on brca. Surgeon wants me to stop my hormones. I understand that it feeds the cancer, but I cannot function without them. Tried once and I became suicidal and totally incapacitated. They aren't hot flashes; they are nuclear power plant meltdowns. Then there are the emotional aspects. I found myself crying 24/7. Easy for a Dr to say stop taking them, but I have no quality of life. I also only have 17% of a heart that works with a 24 ejection fraction and a protein s deficiency. High risk for surgery. Cardiologist says my heart may last 5 more years and I want quality of life. Don't have that off hormones. Also don't meet criteria for heart transplant due to the protein s. So, I figure if I have 5 years, I want the surgery and get the cancer out, but I want to keep taking my hormones. No one is offering me alternatives other than the big guns to combat side effects of being off of them, like effexor and paxil and that's not happening. The natural supplements evening primrose oil and black cohash hasn't worked. I moved from Wa where I was originally diagnosed and I'm unable to get the one hematologist/oncologist office here in Fredericksburg, Va to talk to me about the cancer. All I have currently is a Cardiologist and a surgeon who decided yesterday that I'm too big of a risk for surgery. Talked to a cancer care coordinator yesterday and she is checking now to see if she can get something going for me at a university hospital an hour and a half away. I keep getting the attitude from the Drs in Wa and Va that "it's only invasive ductal carcinoma, no big deal!" But it IS a big deal to me! I live on SSI, and finding it difficult to actually get to any appts. It's a struggle to have enough gas money. If there is anyone that can lend advice or resources, I'd surely appreciate it. I'm at a loss right now and feel very alone.
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Outrunning, for your profile, go to your profile, diagnoses, answer each of the questions the best you can. Do the same for the treatment tab. Make sure you make everything public. For abbreviations that are baffling, when you are on a thread, scroll to nearly the top of the page and on the left side there is a dark blue box that says "Help with Abbreviations." See if that helps solve things.
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SunflowersFriend, Welcome. You have come to the right place to get answers to your questions. We are a very caring group. I do not have any suggestions for you. Other women have found help from the lack of hormones with antidepressants. You survived ovarian cancer - YAY!!! While waiting for members to answer you, please go to your profile and enter the information you do have on the diagnoses and treatment tabs and make them public so we can see them. They'll magically appear like mine does below my post. Do the doctors KNOW for sure that you have hormone receptor positive cancer? If it is, then you have huge decisions to make. Right now it seems that you feel you must decide between being suicidal without hormones or getting rid of your breast cancer and not fueling its recurrence through hormones. There has to be away to keep you mentally healthy and physically cancer-free. Call the American Cancer Society and see if they can help you out finding an oncologist. Wish I were more help.
HUGS!!!
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Update: I just got a call from the Breast Center to come in for yet more pictures of the left side. (Side with malignant tumor.) They want to do ultra-sound. I'm not going to panic. The last ultra sound they were only looking at the palpable lump the surgeon found and not the whole thing. So they want to compare ultra sound with MRI and given how long the doctor is out the radiologist wants to have all the pictures for my doctor instead of waiting for her to come back and order.
Since my original call back mammogram that lead to all this was for benign tumore on the right, and the more thorough mammogram was only done on the right there are not many recent pics of the left. And those they missed the malignancy on so....
Sunflower. If they are sending you up to Georgetown, do it. G'town also has the Capital Breast Care Center that provides care to un and under insured. You might be able to get care via that route. http://capitalbreastcare.georgetown.edu/#_ga=1.209...
I'm actually going to a different hospital for my treatment right now. Had I known cancer instead of benign when I started I would have chosen differently. But I like my doc, and she found something everyone else missed so I'm keeping her. She probably saved my life. Or at the very least ensured less major steps required to get back to health.0 -
Update: I just got a call from the Breast Center to come in for yet more pictures of the left side. (Side with malignant tumor.) They want to do ultra-sound. I'm not going to panic. The last ultra sound they were only looking at the palpable lump the surgeon found and not the whole thing. So they want to compare ultra sound with MRI and given how long the doctor is out the radiologist wants to have all the pictures for my doctor instead of waiting for her to come back and order.
Sunflower. If they are sending you up to Georgetown, do it. G'town also has the Capital Breast Care Center that provides care to un and under insured. You might be able to get care via that route. http://capitalbreastcare.georgetown.edu/#_ga=1.209...
Since my original call back mammogram that lead to all this was for benign tumore on the right, and the more thorough mammogram was only done on the right there are not many recent pics of the left. And those they missed the malignancy on so....
I'm actually going to a different hospital for my treatment right now. Had I known cancer instead of benign when I started I would have chosen differently. But I like my doc, and she found something everyone else missed so I'm keeping her. She probably saved my life. Or at the very least ensured less major steps required to get back to health.0 -
SunflowersFriend; ask your doc's office or call the American Cancer Society about organizations that will drive you to apts. and back. I know there is one in the SF bay area called Drivers for Survivors, which was mentioned by a sister who posts on bco named Artista928. I looked it up and it appears to be local, but I would bet there are similar organizations elsewhere. Good luck and welcome!
http://driversforsurvivors.org
Hugs!!!
Octogirl
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Dear All! Sorry that I hadn't been following the posts very closely this week; I added a couple of responses here and there, but I feel like I missed out on so much.
It's been a really difficult week for me; on Tuesday my dad had died during his dialysis treatment. He had a heart attack. I had been trying to distract myself with stuff, but...it's hard. Anyhow, I finally have the energy to catchup and Ringelle, to answer your question--usually when I'm backed up it takes me hours of scrolling back and forth to post comments and responses. Today I am patting myself on the back because I wrote notes on my yellow legal pad! So..TaDa:
Lisaj514, Hi and thanks for the updates--glad your nerves are going down with the passing of time and Congrats on getting selected for CFR! Hope you have a blast.
BJClaywell, So happy your surgery went well and a good initial report! And wow, can I borrow your mom sometime? She sounds awesome!
Hope your daughter had a good ropes course at Montessori, and you all have a relaxing evening tonight. Molly, Hope the pre op appt yesterday was smooth and you feel more confident going towards the 25th. Will be thinking about you and sending positive energy.
AnkleDolphin, Wishing you a relaxing weekend away from work and focusing on healing!
Nash, Pizza, Beer, & Sense & S...sounds like a perfect recipe to reduce my stress! Have to try that someday
Plumster, Great news on the low oncotype score! And btw, I love your avatar--beautiful family!!!! (please tell me that your pic is fairly new and I just wasn't oblivious to it
)Ringelle (again), this is going so much faster because I'm referring to my yellow pad
Sorry I hadn't yet responded to your other post on the other thread. But I will 
MizMimi, Hope you found the stats useful to help you make a more informed decision. Also hoping the best for your sister.
Octo, Glad you're feeling better. I'm at my office wondering how it's already Friday.
BAT, Welcome and I hope your DW receives her surg path report soon. I think mine took a little over a week but I called and played phone tag for a few days, but got a prelim verbal report after about 5 days. Hope DW is healing well.
Outrunning, Welcome! I'm not sure what taking a sample of nodes will involve, but maybe a drain will be placed if they think it will help in the healing. It stinks that your whole office seems to be on vacation when you want answers! But we give lots of emotional support!
Ok, is that it? This took a little less than an hour total! yay me and my adhd overloaded brain! Sorry if I missed anyone. Midge, I know I commented on your gorgeous pic--have fun passing out gifts! (or was that yesterday). Tresjoli, how are things with you?
Hugs to all. xoxo sweetmamaj
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Oh dear, I missed important posts while I was writing!
Hi Sunflowersfriend, and welcome. yes, if you make your dx public someone here might be able to better answer your questions. I guess you must be er-positive, which is why your BC said to discontinue the estrogen? Maybe if you're on a very high dose, you can slowly decrease it, while at the same time start something else to address the nuclear meltdowns. I know you said effexor and paxil are out of the question; I think they are recommened to treat symptoms such as hot flashes, but I recall my BS saying effexior was also used to treat PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder)--basically PMS symptoms on steroids. Those drugs might only be needed to help keep the sanity while your body adjusts to less and less estrogen. I agree with Octogirl, that there should be some local assistance for transportation as well as counseling, which could add a lot of help not only in wrapping your mind around everything that is happening with your heart and the cancer, but the adjustment of meds--if that's what you end up choosing. I'm so sorry you have to deal with so much, but we will try to offer as much help as we can.
Outrunning, good idea about not panicking. It sounds like your radiologist is watching out for you and being on top of things!! that's awesome. Wish we all had someone like that in our pockets.
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SunflowersFriend - I read and reread your post, carefully. People don't often think of this; however, consider speaking to your surgeon about a local anesthesia. I had a local nerve block for surgery when I was 8 months pregnant and severely broke my foot. People thought I was nuts (maybe . . .); however, I had a large plate, lots of screws and other metal stuff inserted in my foot, all while awake (because they felt putting me out was too dangerous). The surgeon used a drill, saw - you name it. The sound effects were not my favorite thing and I did vomit once, during surgery (I was on my side because of the baby tummy) due to my physiological response to the noise/thoughts/smells. Surgery lasted several hours - yours would be much shorter. When my surgery was over, the orthopedic surgeon said I could not have any pain killers (freaking crazy person) but my obstetrician, who held my hand through surgery, insisted that I be given morphine for the severe post-op pain. DUH. The molecules of morphine are too large to pass through to the placenta. Sorry, digressing here . . .
Consider a local anesthesia and stay on your medications that you clearly need. Just a thought.
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sweetmammaj-
You are not losing it! I just uploaded a picture yesterday so I no longer had the grey square :
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Oh my sweetmamaj....I am so sorry about the loss of your father.
Sunflowers....welcome. You have so much to deal with. Sometimes it just comes down to quality of life. Sorry no easy answers here but we are all here to support you.
Plumster...beautiful pic
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SweetMamaJ, My arms are wrapped around you. What a loss. I understand your pain. Keeping busy will help but do allow yourself time to grieve. I still miss my father after 32 years. I think that hole never completely fills. Keep all those happy memories floating around you and that will ease your heart.
HUGS!!!
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Plumster, so glad I wasn't delusional! again, beautiful family!
Nash and Peggy, thank you for your thoughts. ...It's a process.... i feel your hugs.
xxoxo
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Well, here I am about 36 hours post-op *owowowowowowowow* My right breast is now officially bigger than my head. The whole thing is warm, tense, and severely bruised. I am peeing out methylene blue, which doesn't hurt but it does look a bit like Tidy Bowl. I was unable to acquire any sports bras before surgery, so I had my husband take me to Walmart today to try to find something that would work. Blah. Nothing fits and everything hurts. I had DH just pick up some undershirts and I'll wear those.
I should have stopped there, but instead I insisted on going by the grocery store to pick up a few things. By the time we got home, I was shaking with fatigue. Thankfully, DH is an excellent nurse. He sent me straight to my room to get my bra off and take a pain pill, while he prepared a nice big ice pack. When I showed him my breast I thought he was either going to throw up or faint. Or both.
Ugh. I think I'm really gonna be feeling this tomorrow.
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Sweetmammaj- so sorry about the loss of your father. There is nothing easy about that on top of your own BC stuff
Mlp- take it easy on yourself. I pushed it a couple times and definitely paid the price0 -
Aw, Poodles, sorry you're so OWie. Bummer. Keep iced and taking the pain meds. Hopefully your swelling will go down soon. Having your head as a boob doesn't sound comfortable! Your DH was braver than mine. He wasn't interested in seeing it at all.
Rest. Rest. Rest.
Extremely gentle hugs!!!
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hi everybody! I have some stuff going on but it's really a topic for other threads. Let's just say I lost it on my husband tonight over a pizza and burst into hysterical tears that frightened my kids. Stupid steroids. I have now happily taken 1mg of Ativan and put myself in timeout.
Sweetmamaj I am so very sorry to hear about your dad. It must be especially hard since you didn't expect it. It is just me, or does it feel like so much more stuff gets piled on as soon as you are diagnosed. I will pray for you and your family.
Sunflowers friend..please my best friend works for the American cancer society, and I have spoken to their counsellors many times. They can help,you. So can the hospital social worker. Please reach out.
Outrunning...unacceptable. Call. BAck and demand to know who will read and communicate your results to you when they are in. Call every day if you have to. You,should not be the victim of someone else's summer schedule. That happened to me today and I threw a fit when I usually wouldn't. I should not receive substandard care because my beloved nurse took a day off. Neither should,u hugs.
On a happy note, my dermatologist was floored,when she saw my scar at how awesome it was. She said it was totally,going to turn white and five years from now I'll have to look for it. She said she'd never seen a nicer one. My LX boob rocks. Go BS who studied PS technique
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Tresjoli, totally understandable losing it! I suspect by now you've kissed and made up and I'll bet he understands. You have so much stress right now and no way to get rid of it. Do you feel any better perhaps? That's awesome about your scar!!! That rocks!
Hopefully soon you'll be off the steroids so you can find the new you!
You're welcome to vent here anytime even if this isn't a chemo board. We've got loving arms to hold you.
HUGS!!!
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Yes all better. My three year old tucked me in, turned out my lights, told me she forgave me for yelling ,and reminded me we were going to cinderellas castle when this was all over. So sweet...
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