BREAST CANCER & ME *BIOPSY & DX* Part 2

[DonnaD]

All done - went to the hospital on Wed for them I had everything I needed - blood tests, chest x-ray, EKG, insurance - letter from neuro which I actually forgot at home so I just told them it didn't say anything important (it really different), told them all my drugs... And they injected my breast with radioactive dye which later they radioactive x-rayed. Took all day cause no body rushes in hospitals. This business might be a big deal for me but it's really just another day work for them.

Thursday morning I had to be at the hospital early since I was first on line (they only do lumpectomies on Thursday. Everything went fine (That's what the Dr said.) I felt pretty lousy on Thursday from the general anesthesia. Just drifted in and out of sleep all day and when I finally drank some water I felt sooo nauseous but they game me dramamine in my IV and by late afternoon I started to feel better.

That's it. I came home Friday morning. Just 24 hours from start to finish. In 10 days I go back to take out the stitches and maybe the pathology report will be ready. If not, it will be a few days later. Now my arm is just sore but not terribly if I would stop using it.

The next step is supposed to be radiation but I'm a little mixed up. The first surgeon told me 5 days over 5 weeks (one day a week), then the next one told me 5 days in a row. Then I went back to the first and now she said 5 days in a row for 5 weeks!! The pathology report will determine if I need chemo too and once I have the pathology report I'll probably switch hospitals to a better hospital for oncologist.

Another thing that I'm confused about. I always thought that a mastectomy is in order to remove the entire breast since the cancer has spread through the entire breast and then a lumpectomy is cause the cancer is only in that one lump so you don't have to remove the entire breast. But in this lumpectomy they only took out the first node to send to the pathologist. The lumpectomy wasn't for cutting out the cancer, it was for taking a sample. Why don't I understand it?

[poohb3ar]

thank goodness!

you've got the surgery quicker!
sorry, i missed so many updates, don't know what happened

about lumpectomy, i'm confused too on that. i looked it up on www.mayoclinic.org type in 'breast cancer' under search.
when there, on left side it has treatments.
there it gives you definitions and pictures of mastectomy, lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy. the last one sounds more like what they did.
it talks about injecting radioactive dye and removing the most likely node to have cancer.
a lumpectomy is what you described, removing the cancerous tumor and some tissue surrounding it.

it explains it all quite well on this reputable site, but i'd still question my dr. about it, if i were you.

keep hanging in there!

God bless ya!

[DonnaD]

I managed to really jump the list. I did the blood test and chest x-ray on Sunday even though it wasn't convenient and I was going to push it off since I had time. I tried calling to switch my date on Sunday and no one got back to me. On Monday I faxed and called and really lucked out that the surgeon had just walked in and I got to speak to her. I gave her my whole sob story how I can't come when I'm scheduled. Always play up the MS a lot too. I explained how any time I have fever it really affects my MS and I'm really afraid to be sick so long . She was really so sweet but couldn't push anyone out. I said I could even come that week. Then the luck really came in. They called me back 5 minutes later and said someone cancelled. That was Monday and I had to be there Wednesday. I went running.

Yesterday I even went for my regular tysabri dose (the neuro said I can). I'm a little sore but not in real pain, but the bandage was driving me crazy. They said to just leave it and shower. Then it gets wet and I get dressed and then my bra gets wet and my shirt... And it's cold out (and in). It's itchy too. So now a nurse called me to ask how I'm doing. I told her the bandage is driving me crazy. She said - Oh, you can take that off. There's just a strip (like scotch tape) directly over the stitches, that has to stay. So I'm like a new person.

I'm trying to get an appointment in the better hospital with an oncologist and I'll then bring him everything when the pathology report is ready. I feel a little bad leaving this hospital (just a little - I'll get over it ). They were so so nice about everything. For the surgery I had just come that morning and they gave me my bed and then they wheeled me through the ward to surgery in the bed. All the doctors and nurses and aides and kitchen workers and floor moppers... All stood there yelling "Good Luck" as I went by - Felt like a parade .

I'll look it all up on the mayo clinic site - thanks

Justsayyes - You had cancer in your hip? My brother-in-law did too and he was in a lot of pain till the replacement. How did it go? Must be a long recovery (my mother in law broke her hip and had it replaced and was in rehab for 6 weeks). How was your walking before? In general I can last for less than 20 minutes of PT, so are you going to have an extra long recovery?

take care

Thanks

[Justsayyes]

Hello DonnaD, no I didn't have cancer of my hip, I had severe osteoarthritis and had zero cartilage left in my hip joint. Had a total hip replacement last Wednesday. It has been a bit rough because I ended up having a vertigo episode after surgery, spent many hours being sick. They were pumping me so full of fluids, I had to get out of bed every hour to use the bedside commode. OMG it really was horrible.

The next day I was walking around the unit with my walker and learning how to go up and down stairs with a cane. I was released in the afternoon.

The hip replacement recovery is going very well so far, and I finally feel like a human being again.

As for the cancer, I had a lumpectomy two years ago. I did not have a sentinel node biopsy. I then had radiation treatments which were five days a week for five or six weeks. As awful as that may sound, it wasn't that bad and was over before I knew it.

I am going to recommend you call your surgeon's office and talk with someone who can explain exactly what was done during your surgery. Seems like you were rushing to get it done, and that was great that it worked out for you, but not sure you are understanding everything. Good luck to you, I am happy to answer any questions I can for you.

[DonnaD]

Things are finally under control... Today (3 weeks later) they finally had the report from the Pathology. Met with the surgeon - I really like her. So nice and patient. Maybe I feel like we went through something together (not really. I was out and she was working hard). She said she took out the lump and another little one that they found there (surprise!!) and 2 lymph nodes under my arm. They sent it all to pathology and the lymphnodes were clean and the edges of the lumps were clean so I'm doing good . They would start radiation in 3 more weeks (6 after the surgery) and they'd do an oncolog (I think that's just another test on the same things that they have.)(and that wasn't the name - maybe it was opti something...) She said she's not sure what's after the radiation. she's not the oncologist. she said maybe nothing. Maybe chemo... She said they'd take the whole picture in. If it's just future preventive they may not do it cause of the MS. Also, I have this triple negative problem so they can't do every treatment (I really don't understand that but I assume the Dr does).

Anyway, she said she's basically done (except a check up in 4 weeks) cause I won't need more surgery (I get to keep my breasts ). So I told her I'm switching hospitals for oncologist and all treatments cause I want to go to the hospital where I'm treated for MS. Sounded nice. The truth is, everyone knows that that hospital is superior in everything from the one she's in. Well, I'm not here to make friends. I'm here to be cured.

So Monday I already have an appointment in the new hospital

By chance, we went out for dinner with 2 of my sisters last night. So I told them (they're bigger than me). I told them not to tell anyone. I'll tell my mother over the weekend. I think it all sounds very positive so that's how I'll tell.

Funny thing happened. There's another woman in our neighborhood with MS. I've known about her for years. Our daughters are good friends and also once they messed up and sent me her copaxone and her mine. So a few weeks ago I actually met her but only briefly. So two weeks ago I was in our local clinic and she came in for a blood test. I wasn't positive it was her but people were greeting her by name (first) and she had a little (MS) limp. So I reintroduced myself. So she asked me how I was. So I said - Not so good. I also have breast cancer. Her face lit up. She said - "Me too" (reminded me of when my 11 yo daughter got up the nerve to tell a friend that she has to go to the bathroom to change her pad cause she had her period (she was one of the first). Her friend's face lit up and she said "Me too" (just like this lady with MS and breast cancer). so this woman did the surgery just ths past Thursday. Too bad. We could have gone for radiation together

So now I'll see what this new oncologist is going to say