Birads 5 with calcification

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  • lisat8228
    lisat8228 Posts: 112

    @amerli I know both would have preferred to meet under different circumstances, but here we are. ❤️I’m truly grateful that you took the time to read my story and learn about everything I went through last year. I strongly believe that no matter what we experience in life, good or bad, we all have a purpose. Like you, I was newly diagnosed when I first joined this group, and the love, support, and comfort I received from these ladies carried me through. Now, almost eight months later, I’m in a place where I can offer that same love and support to the next woman walking this path. I won’t pretend it’s easy. it’s incredibly hard. But you will get through it

  • scaredme
    scaredme Posts: 125

    @lisat8228

    Congratulations on finishing chemo! That is a huge accomplishment. I am so sorry that the accident has changed your confidence in the chemo, but I am hoping that you will feel some reassurance from a clean PET scan. Remind me.. You are having a mastectomy without reconstruction, right? Do you have a date for surgery?

    I am hoping that life is starting to stabilize a bit for you. I can't even imagine the emotions you are going through over the accident as well as Cancer treatment. Hoping that 2026 is a better year for you and your family.

  • @lisat8228 I'm sooo happy for you that you finished Chemo!

    There a no words for your loss - I just read your post… from your accident and your little sis😔 I'm sooo sorry for you! I have a younger brother too. Also for your mum and hole family I feel sorry!

    I'm going to pray for you for comfort!

    Please feel free to contact me - we can pray together too if you want!

    Whats my actual situation:

    I had my last round too on 08january.

    Now I have to expect for my surgery until the 26th of february and I can competely understand your worries about the increasing of cancer... I have to wait another 4 weeks without chemo till the surgery.

    I'm glad the chemo worked out well - all the 'suspicious cells' on my sternum are gone but the are still not sure if it was tumorcells or not... Radiation for this area is planned and also a specific type of antibodies they will give me after the sugery.

    I'afraid of it because they want to take 50%of my breast or, if not possible than all.

    Next wednesday I'm going to see the dr. Oof plastic surgery who is going to inform me about possibilities for reconstruction.

    But I think I will do first the radiation treatment and the reconsteuction in a year.

    Who have experienced a similar situation? Which type of reconstruction can you reccomend?

  • lisat8228
    lisat8228 Posts: 112
    edited February 2

    I’m so sorry I’m late responding. The neuropathy from the taxol has taken over. My fingers and toes are numb and soooooo painful. I can barely scroll or type on my phone so forgive me if it’s taking me a couple of days to respond.

    @illimae it’s good to hear it doesn’t cause you in any problems. mine is good so far but sometimes it feels like a sensitive spot. I’ll get a funny feeling and get the urge to rub back there.

    @scaredme  that’s correct. A double mastectomy with no reconstructive. My oncologist hasnt scheduled my surgery yet. I met with him on Wednesday after I had my last chemo and he said he was going to put the order in for the pet scan and surgery. I got the call from the nurse Thursday letting me know they scheduled the pet scan for Tuesday. I’m assuming once that’s clear, they’ll go ahead and schedule the surgery.

    @triplepositive5 Thank you so much, and congratulations to you as well on finishing chemo! That’s such a huge and meaningful milestone. If I’m understanding correctly, you’ve decided on a lumpectomy with reconstruction? I don’t have personal advice to offer on that, but I’m sure many of the ladies here will be able to share helpful insight.

    I did want to mention that I had two tumors—one behind the nipple and another in the upper left area of my breast. At my first appointment, a lumpectomy wasn’t recommended because of the distance between the two tumors, as it would have left my breast disproportionate. I ultimately chose a double mastectomy and, for now, I’m not planning on reconstruction. I think, mentally, it just feels like my breasts betrayed me, and I want them gone lol.

    Praying together sounds so peaceful. I think we should definitely plan to do that before our surgeries, once we have dates. Like you, I was told surgery would likely be in the next 4–6 weeks to give my body time to recover from chemo.

  • lisat8228
    lisat8228 Posts: 112

    I had my PET scan yesterday around 11 a.m. It was originally scheduled for Tuesday, but there was some miscommunication, either on my end or with the nurse. When I went in around noon on Tuesday, they told me my appointment had actually been at 7 that morning and I had missed it, so they rescheduled me for Wednesday at 9. I was finished by about 11 yesterday, and last night I got a notification from the patient portal saying my results were available. I don’t know how long they’d been posted, but the portal automatically sends notification emails at night. I’m scared to look. I’d rather wait to hear from my doctor, but I haven’t heard from him yet today. I don’t want to call. I just wish I didn’t have to go through this at all.

  • amerli
    amerli Posts: 27

    @lisat8228 I haven’t had a PET scan but I know this anxiety well. I am thinking of you and sending you good thoughts for clear scans.

  • lisat8228
    lisat8228 Posts: 112

    @amerli So far, I’ve had two. The first was at the beginning, when I was diagnosed. I needed it before starting chemo. Now that I’ve completed treatment, my doctor wants me to have another one before scheduling my surgery. The first time was very hard for me, but the scans came back good, and the only area that showed anything was the spot on my breast. From the start, he told me I would need another scan after treatment, but missing a month of treatment has made this one feel even harder for me.

  • scaredme
    scaredme Posts: 125

    @lisat8228

    I am so sorry that you have to go through another round of scanxiety. Just keep in mind that you are probably even less likely than last time to have any spread since you've been through chemo. Hoping you get good results soon.. so terrible to have to go through a weekend waiting. Hugs

  • scaredme
    scaredme Posts: 125
  • lisat8228
    lisat8228 Posts: 112

    Small update: I got a call today from the receptionist at my breast surgeon’s office. She said my oncologist informed them that I’m ready to move forward with surgery. I’m assuming my PET scan results were good, since at my last appointment my oncologist said he wouldn’t schedule surgery until he received a clear scan, but I was still expecting a “your scans were good” call. I have the appointment with my surgeon on the 17th. I haven’t seen him since around July or August of last year when he did my biopsy. Are there any essentials you girls would recommend for someone getting a double mastectomy? I saw someone mention that having a recliner made recovery a lot easier. What else would you suggest?

    I have kind of mixed feelings about the upcoming surgery. Part of me is ready to just get it over with, but another part of me feels like recovery is going to be really hard. I haven’t even fully recovered from the accident yet, and now I have to go through this surgery too.

    Sorry if I’m complaining too much. It’s so much at one time.

  • maggie15
    maggie15 Posts: 2,331

    Hi @lisat8228, Good news on being ready for surgery. It’s probably safe to open the PET results in your portal now. I can’t give you any personal advice on recovery from bmx but from what I have heard the lifting restrictions (no more than 5 -10 pounds while keeping arms at shoulder level or lower for 4 - 6 weeks) are the hardest part. People advise putting anything you use regularly out at counter height to access it easily.

    I don’t blame you for not looking forward to another surgery with all that you have been through. You can complain as much as you want to IMO. I hope your daughter is putting weight on her injured leg now. May the day that your body finally heals come as quickly as possible.

  • lisat8228
    lisat8228 Posts: 112

    Im finally home from my appointment with my breast surgeon. He shared the wonderful news that my PET scan showed no signs of cancer anywhere in my body. Even the original breast where the cancer was found showed no metabolic activity. The scans indicate that I’ve had an excellent response to chemotherapy. For the first time in three months, I genuinely smiled. My mastectomy is scheduled for the 26th.

    @scaredme @maggie15 I didn’t ever open them. I was too scared. Although we all thought they were good, a whole lot of “what ifs” took over.

  • maggie15
    maggie15 Posts: 2,331

    @lisat8228, Great news on the clear scans! It’s time you had something to smile about. I hope your surgery goes well.

  • lisat8228
    lisat8228 Posts: 112

    @maggie15 thank you! I will keep yall updated.

  • scaredme
    scaredme Posts: 125
    edited February 21

    @lisat8228

    That is the best news about your scan!! Life definitely owed you a win and I'm so glad you got it!

  • lisat8228
    lisat8228 Posts: 112

    @scaredme well said! I’m so tired but I’m pushing because I literally have no other choice. 😭

  • scaredme
    scaredme Posts: 125

    @lisat8228

    I hope you made it through your surgery well. Please update us when you can.

  • lisat8228
    lisat8228 Posts: 112

    @scaredme

    Thank you so much for thinking of me, it truly means more than you know that you remembered. ❤️❤️

    The surgery went well, and I came home this morning. They’ve given me strict instructions not to lift anything at all, not even sweep. I have drains on both sides that I need to empty twice a day and track on a chart.

    The pain is manageable. more discomfort than anything. The side where they did the lymph node dissection is definitely the most uncomfortable. My night shift nurse was amazing. she’s a nine year triple negative survivor herself, which was really encouraging.

    I’m so grateful to be home, and with the pain medication, I had the best sleep I’ve had since the car accident. I follow up with my surgeon on Tuesday.

  • maggie15
    maggie15 Posts: 2,331

    @lisat8228 , It’s great that your surgery is over and you are home. How nice to have had a nurse who understood what you are going through. Drains are a pain but you wouldn’t heal well without them. The intercostal brachial nerve often gets injured during a lymph node dissection. It hurts for a while (mine felt like it was burning) but it does heal slowly.

    Sometimes you have to remind yourself about the lifting restrictions but it’s worth following them. Take advantage of the meds and get as much sleep as you can.