Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!
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Hi everyone, I am three weeks out from having my Lumpectomy and doing fine. I am scheduled for chemo next Thursday and then 6 weeks of rad. I was going to have the new rad. treatment and only have to do 6 days with a balloon inserted in my breast where the tumor was but the results of my path did not allow that to happen. My nodes are clear but the surrounding tissues of them are not so my RO and MO are very concerned about that and making sure we do not miss a little piece of this mess and so I am in for chemo, rad and meds for 5 yrs.... dissapointed when we heard that but moving on with what I have to do to get rid of this and so the journey continues. Hugs and best wishes for all
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Sorry you now have to have chemo Debster. But, yes, kill any bit that is left!!
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Debster, I too was disappointingly surprised to find out I needed chemo. All along I was led to believe I would only need rads. But we gotta do what we gotta do to make sure we kill the beast. It sucks. All of this sucks. But we are not alone and we will get through it. I wish it weren't happening when the nice weather is finally here. My MO said to stay out of the sun while on chemo which really bites the big one. Oh well, it's just one summer, right?
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Longislandl8y - sorry you also have to have chemo
Probably would have been easier to handle the chemo with the winter we just had ... although, it would have sucked big time to have to cancel a chemo treatment due to snow or ice. I had an MRI postponed earlier in the year and several physical therapy appointments as well. I think that would have made me a wee bit anxious :-)
And, right, it is just one summer. We are doing this so that we can enjoy MANY MORE summers in the future!!
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Debster: Sorry to hear about the Chemo.
I have been told all along that chemo would be unlikely for me. But then I'm in "that group" that the oncotype is helpful. My surgeon said "Oh, I don't do that one. Your oncologist might but I doubt it because yours is a slow-growing cancer." So I schedule first appointment with oncologist, and she calls me back later in the day, "I was just going over all your pathology reports and medical history. I want to do the oncotype, which takes a couple weeks to come back, and meet with you at that time." So I don't meet with her until the 9th. I am trying to pretend I am not waiting for those test results because inside its really driving me crazy. It was ordered on April 11th, so by the time tissues were received there would have been…what? The 14th? I'm so tired of waiting to just get going with treatment.
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Sorry you have more waiting lespring ... Here's hoping it comes back in your favor!
I had an echocardiogram on Friday and will have a PET scan Tuesday morning right before my first chemo treatment. Part of me is trying to prepare myself for something to be wrong in those reports that would delay chemo ... I was fighting and screaming in my head when the MO said we would start so soon, but have accepted it now and just want get this started! I will have a difficult time if it gets delayed - sooner we get this started the sooner it is over!
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Dear Sisters, Happy Easter! Tori thank you for creating this topic. I am four years out, with fat necrosis and I am Birads 3. I'm thankful for no recurrance, my family and my faith. My tumor was against the chest wall, small but aggressive. I've gone through TCH. All of you will be in my prayers today!
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I'm a little surprised at the shape of my breast. I thought for sure it would look they took out a big chunk or at least look like they took something out.
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Hi Lumpies!
Starelle - yippee! 4 yrs out congrats
thanks for keeping us in your prayers.HomeMom - surprise...yes, wondering just how much our girl will change. I took pics prior and after...hey, everyone else was taking her pic...there is some difference, but really after BS removes a golf ball with a Vienna sausage protruding out of it...it should, but really my girl looks great...and I don't think you can tell in pics other than she is a bit more perky!
MakeLemonade - fingers&toes crossed and your pockets loaded for pet scan and 1st chemo. Last weekend attended Casting for Recovery and my roommate was 3X+ and celebrating 5 years out!
))Lespring - ugh:( waiting and being in that holding pattern...hope test and results come fast and you are comfortable with your plan moving forward. The truth is all we want so we can fight strong and smart!
Longisland and Dester - we will be in your pockets in chemo land {{{squeeze}}}
Sending healing thoughts&prayers and pocket party (((hugs)))
Cindy
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RM I was just rationalizing that the lump wasn't bigger then we first thought since my boob doesn't look any different then before surgery! My mind knows no end to the over thinking!!
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HomeMom - overthinking...guilty...wish there was a turn off button...
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I just wonder, there I go again, if it is possible that they could be that far off as far as stage/size etc from the initial biopsy to the biopsy from surgery.. My initial biopsy was stage 1 at about 1cm and ER PR+ HER2-.. I'm trying to anticipate what it could be tomorrow. I hate i have to be there at 7am as well since I live like 45 min away and would have to deal with metro traffic. Those are the only times they have for path consultations.
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Hi- I hear people talking about Birads . Can I ask what is that?
My cancer was located at 12 oclock about halfway to the chest wall. My girl doesn't look horrible but she does have a noticeable dent . My tumor was not large but he did take out a good chunk and I had 7 mm all around the tumor of clear. I asked my oncologist and that gal that did my breast exam before my mammo if I should see a plastic surgeon but they both assured me I looked great and the girls were well matched.
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I have a question about my biopsy site. I had a needle localization/excisional biopsy done last Thursday afternoon (17th). I've had very few problems, but I'm now feeling a sizable firm lump right behind my incision. Is this normal? I don't want to ignore an infection. My steri strips just started coming off 2 nights ago. It doesn't feel hot, and the incision doesn't look red, but the breast is more sore in general than it has been. Yellow bruising showed up about 3 nights ago.
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Long Island, I had a lumpectomy on 2/25/2014 and had IORT. Only discomfort has been my "heavy"breast and SE from Femara 2.5. Most days I feel great,but then all of a sudden I have day with joint pain with no energy. Maybe keeping a journal will help me plot my days of joint pain/no energy.
Hoping like the others said, that my breast will get squishy again.
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RIchall our lumpectomies were only a day apart. Did you have nodes removed too? I had 4 removed and that incision took longer to heal - and still gets irritated when I work out. Other than that, I have no pain just a little itching. But yes, I want my squishy breast back too!
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Island, sorry but I didn't even get steristrips for my biopsy so I can't answer that for you. I hope all is well.
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RMlulu-how was the casting for recovery? I applied for one in sept but don't know if I'll get in or put on waiting list. My region will be in the poconos, PA. Were you accepted the first time or did you have to wait till the next one? It certainly sounds interesting
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ndgrrl, Birads definition (Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System)
category 0 incomplete
category 1 negative
category 2 Benign finding
category 3 Probably benign
category 4 suspicious abnormality
category 5 highly suggestive
category 6 known malignancy0 -
Hi Everyone!
Just a tip! Also being a lumpectomy sister, much to my surprise 2 years later my breast surgeon asked if I wanted reconstruction because she "did not like asymmetrical appearance". Really??? I think lumpectomy breast looks better than the good girl!!! Well that is the one she wanted to do and I was surprised that my insurance company covers this and most do after a lumpectomy. I was shocked and I guess naive that they do this for us and not just for mastectomy!!! I told her no after the bad experiences I had seen literally with my mother in laws reconstruction after her double mastectomy. Be sure to ask your doctors though if you want it!
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Its great that people know what their rights are and thanks for letting us know but good for you for saying no.
No-one needs to be perfect in any way.
Who you are is way more important than how you look.
It truly saddens me to think of all the women going through senseless procedures to maintain some false standard they feel they must attain.
I am not against reconstruction in any way. Whatever the individual wants is fine with me - as long as they are doing it for themselves and not for anyone else!
Surgeons save lives - but they still like performing surgery - sometimes when it is totally unnecessary.
Remember the Leonard Cohen lyrics -
There is a crack in everything
That's how the light gets inI have 2 different cup sizes but there is no way I will ever have surgery to my "good" boob to make it match the other.
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I totally agree bounce and thank you. It was a personal decision for myself that I did not want to worry about a surgery to my good breast along with the many many worries we have with this disease in general. If I had to have a mastectomy then I might re-think the reconstruction issues.
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Thank you ladies for all the encouragement and well wishes with my chemo. It has been rescheduled for this Monday the 28th because my doctor wanted to make sure my breast is healed from my surgery all the way and we went over it all again why I am getting chemo. I am ready just a little ancious about what I dont know yet as far as chemo goes and how my body will respond.
My breast surgeon said I have 5 years if I decide I want to have her take care of the indentation my lumpectomy left on my breast but she said she doesn't want me to even think about that right now cause sometimes they fill in on there own and I have plenty of time to decide.
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and hugs and best wishes to all of you!
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Happy Weekend Lumpies!
Debsrer - in your pocket for chemo {{{squeeze}}}
Bounce, Jramick, Bounce - good to know...I too think I'm happy with the girls just the way they are and don't wish to go back in for any reconstruction ...enough we deserve a break!
Starella - thanks for the briads update...I was so in the dark when I had my call back mamo/us and stereotactic biopsy...though the nurse did tell me I was braids 4...and later I pondered on that 4 number...but I was in clueless ignorance...which I'm glad.
Lisa - go for it...C4R is done by lottery, only criteria sadly is BC:( but oh what an amazing weekend! You will be pampered beyond:))) fingers&toes crossed
Red - steri strips are so itchy, but fall off on their own or I helped in the shower...ha ha!
HomeMom - how are you doing...sending peaceful confident thoughts and prayers to you!
Lumpies - if you have questions on your girl...ask your team! Firmly believe in show and tell! Fullness my be LE and the hardness my be scar tissue...so ask...your team will direct on water you need PT for LE or if you need to massage your girl with vitE to soften the scar tissue build up at incision site...but alway always ask first...there is a timing to healing...so ask! If you have any concerns or questions ask your team! Be your own hero!
(((Hugs)))
Cindy
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I have my lumpectomy sched 4/30. Ian an RN and do heavy lifting and 12 hour shifts. I have asked for 2 weeks off. I'm active, I run, I lift weights, I'm panicked for the fact my surgeon said 6 weeks before I can do strenuous activity... Possibly longer if she needs to remove more than she thought .
I feel pretty isolated as silly as it seems. The few people I have talked to about it always say, " it's no big deal...I went back to work in 3 days". 😟. Of course it's usually desk jobs and they aren't active . Then I start putting the cart in front of the horse ... What if it's worse? And I require more surgery?
How is everyone coping?
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I could not have done heavy lifting 2 weeks after my lumpectomy - I also had Lymph node dissection and came home with a drain. The steri strips and drain only came out on day 10 ....
I went back to work after 2 weeks, but it is a desk job and only went part time. I was very surprised at how long it took to get over the effects of the anesthesia.
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Hi V8 girl. I took two weeks off from work after my lumpectomy. Didn't think I'd need that long but I did. I went back to my cardio workouts shortly after that. But waited another couple of weeks before I started lifting light. The lumpectomy incision was fine. It was the lymph node incision that hurt and got irritated when I sweat. Also my left arm was weak and took some time to be fully functional again. It is a lot better now. Not 100% but enough to do light weight classes. The bravest thing I did through all of this was to stop trying to be the "perfect patient" and accept the fact that I needed to recuperate and will continue to need to slow down at times. Right now I'm going through chemo and that first week after infusion will be a slow down period for me. It can be a hard pill to swallow but you gotta take care of yourself and look at the long road ahead, not the immediate future. Good luck with your lumpectomy. Are you have a sentinel node biopsy as well?
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Thank you RMlulu!! I appreciate that very much.
V8grrl I had my lumpectomy 4 weeks ago and lifting heavy has not been an option for me. I am a personal trainer that is used to exercise every day and I have to say getting over my surgery is teaching me to slow down and taking it a little easier on my body for a bit. I am sure like everthing else each patient is different but I have to say this surgery was harder on my body then I thought it was going to be. The incision under my arm has really been tough to keep settled down and it took me about a wk. to recover from the anesthesia alone. Take a deep breath and let your body guide you. Hugs and best wishes to you.
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V8grrl, I went back to work after 7 days, but I did have two things going for me. First - a desk job. Second - my lump was at 10 o'clock so they were able to do the lumpectomy and SNB with one incision about 4 inches long. Everybody is different, we all have different SE's from the operation. I didn't do too badly with mine - it was rads that was hard for me, but then I've also talked to people who breezed through them. Go figure. Where is your lump located, just out of curiosity. You don't have to answer that question, I'm just wondering.
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Hi V8grrl. I was a lucky one as well. I have a desk job, so I am not lifting and running around all day, although there is a lot of stress where I am. I came through the surgery very well and had very little pain afterward. I went back to work after 6 days, including a weekend. It was very manageable but if I had your job, it might have been very different. And as Red said, and she is right, we all will have different SE's and different pain, etc. I have had other surgeries where I have been out 6 weeks so for me, this was the easiest. I was still nervous and scared though before. For me, the worst part of this entire process was waiting for test results. Rads were also very easy for me until the very end; I had some pain at the end and it still flares up now and then (I am only two weeks post-rads). Hang in there and take it easy.
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