I have breast cancer. :-(((

[Disappointed]

Best Wishes and good luck. Keep us posted.

 

[Ally]

Just saw this- I'm so sorry. You'll be in my thoughts and I'll be hoping for the best outcome. Hang on there- you have lots of support.

 

[simple girl]

I went through a ton of tests today - we are still awaiting further clarification before deciding what kind of surgery I need. They are trying to determine how extensive the cancer is in the breast - re: can I get by with a lumpectomy vs. needing a mastectomy:-((

So far, tests today were pretty overwhelming, finding more suspicious areas that need further testing...so not so great news - but I still don't know anything definitive yet. I had to have a surprise biopsy today (ultrasound guided this time) on a new spot. And another stereotactic on another spot is scheduled for next week, as well as a breast MRI. Could all be false positives. You never know until they biopsy.

It was a LONG day - 4.5 hours at the mammo center. Tired!

We should know much more by the end of next week. Thanks all.

 

[LightningDawg]

My sister too had suspicious spots, which needed biopsy. They were all negative. So hers was indeed DCIS and she did not need chemo.

 

[Moemg]

Sounds like a good time for a bubble bath & a margarita !

 

[Amethyst]

Have had that stereotactic biopsy - lying face-down on a table, with a hole for your boob to hang through, is very strange! I know that fear. It is all you can think about. Stay strong.

Amethyst

 

[bbbamI]

Sounds like a good time for a bubble bath & a margarita !

Heck yeah...that's the ticket!

Iffin' the margarita don't work...try my concoction of gin and peppermint candy on the rocks.

Remembah...one day at a time Sugah Slammah.

 

[banister]

I just had an ultrasound biopsy done and i got lucky (benign adenofibroma). I'm so sorry about your diagnosis news and hope that with treatment you will get lucky too.

 

[simple girl]

Update. US biopsy from last week also positive for DCIS. Surgeon states DCIS is more widespread than initially thought - I have no choice but to have a mastectomy.

Now that I've had a day to process this (brain overload), I am trying to process my options for reconstruction. I will have a meeting with the plastic surgeon on Thursday. I basically have 4 options:

1. no recon (not an option truly in my mind)
2. implants (not happy with this option. Don't like the idea of foreign substance in my body, plus putting that object under my pec muscles does NOT sound good to me. I've read too many stories about chronic pain and tightness.)
3. skin/fat graft from elsewhere in my body (if I even qualify...I'm pretty thin. D*mn that diet, LOL) Joking aside, this is a very long surgery, and a much longer recovery, but more natural result than implants
4. microfat grafting (new procedure, basically lipo of fat from your body - fat is put in machine and stem cells are involved somehow - must wear special apparatus 12 hours a day for multiple weeks...multiple visits required...and really only place I've found that does this is in Miami...but hearing lots of great things about the results...)

Will wait to get opinion from PS on Thursday before doing anything. May go to Miami for consult as well...don't know...still processing...won't be making any big decisions until I have all the facts, though. All I know is I don't want a lifetime of pain from implants.

 

[onebigdummy]

My wife had the mastectomy about six months back along with the option #3 for reconstruction. They basicallly took skin from the stomach area as she had already two c-sections. Also, they remove a small part of the muscle from the stomach/abs area too. Surgery was long and recovery a couple weeks, but they did an awesome job and she is very very happy with it.

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Now that I've had a day to process this (brain overload), I am trying to process my options for reconstruction. I will have a meeting with the plastic surgeon on Thursday. I basically have 4 options:.

Another option to discuss with your surgeon: defer reconstruction now (mastectomy only) and reassess in a year or so.

This frees you to decide about reconstruction when you are not in the upheavals of this new diagnosis. Down the road you might proceed with reconstruction or you may not. Not always a good plan, but for some it may be. Just a thought.

Sounds like you are in good hands. Keep the faith - you will do fine.

 

[simple girl]

Another option to discuss with your surgeon: defer reconstruction now (mastectomy only) and reassess in a year or so.

This frees you to decide about reconstruction when you are not in the upheavals of this new diagnosis. Down the road you might proceed with reconstruction or you may not. Not always a good plan, but for some it may be. Just a thought.

Sounds like you are in good hands. Keep the faith - you will do fine.

Thanks Rich...I will consider that option for sure.

 

[Sarah in SC]

Another option to discuss with your surgeon: defer reconstruction now (mastectomy only) and reassess in a year or so.

This frees you to decide about reconstruction when you are not in the upheavals of this new diagnosis. Down the road you might proceed with reconstruction or you may not. Not always a good plan, but for some it may be. Just a thought.

Sounds like you are in good hands. Keep the faith - you will do fine.

This was actually the first thing that came to my mind as well. I think that is something you can decide later, after the dust settles a bit.

 

[Achiever51]

Agree with RIT's suggestion.
Sounds like Team SG is top flight. But remember, it's very easy to get overwhelmed with information and decisions. Try to take one step at a time...I know it's not easy, but your mind can only handle so much stress at a time.



Sending more hugs and prayers and keeping the faith with you.

 

[Dawg52]

Best of luck sweetie. It does sound like you are in good hands. I worked with a girl(28) who went though this and she did just fine. That was 10 years ago. Not sure what kind of reconstruction surgery she had, but the results were outstanding. I'm sure yours will be too.

 

[Moemg]

I agree with Rich to let the dust settle on part one before you decide on part two unless it's an implant which is a really simple procedure . #4 sounds interesting but the fact that's it's a new procedure I would proceed with caution .

 

[Nemo2]

Another option to discuss with your surgeon: defer reconstruction now (mastectomy only) and reassess in a year or so.

From an, albeit male, perspective I'd say this is sound advice; for a couple years after my late wife died I thought I was my 'usual self', (which, in my case, may or may not be a good thing ), but in retrospect I was somewhat off balance and it was probably more luck than judgement that I didn't make some bad decisions.

So...echoing the above thoughts, I'd suggest that you ensure that your emotions have stabilized before making decisions that don't have to be undertaken immediately.

 

[Meadbh]

Bummer about the mastectomy. I agree with RIT, Moemg and Nemo2 about taking things one step at a time, if you think you can deal with the mastectomy short term. I'm sure you have DH's full support in every sense of the word.

And Nemo, guys get breast cancer too, just not so frequently as girls.

 

[Bestwifeever]

Oh my goodness, SG, you have a lot to think about, don't you! Keep your chin up.

 

[omni550]

Here's a youtube video on this procedure for breast augmentation...

Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation | Stem Cell | Dr. Todd Malan - YouTube

(One of the posted comments beneath the vid is by a lady who had breast cancer and states that she had just had this procedure done the prior day.)

SG - I agree with the OPs comments, there's probably no need to rush into this decision, although it's good to know that there are 'natural' options.

Wishing you a very successful outcome,

omni

 

[Nemo2]

And Nemo, guys get breast cancer too, just not so frequently as girls.

Uh, uh..............about 8 years ago I felt a lump while showering.....hopped on my bike and cycled to the hospital......doctor, who immediately recognized my fears, told me it was just a subcutaneous cyst, which would, and did, disappear within a couple weeks.

 

[simple girl]

Here's a youtube video on this procedure for breast augmentation...

(One of the posted comments beneath the vid is by a lady who had breast cancer and states that she had just had this procedure done the prior day.)

SG - I agree with the OPs comments, there's probably no need to rush into this decision, although it's good to know that there are 'natural' options.

Wishing you a very successful outcome,

omni

Yes omni, that appears to be the same procedure I described in #4. I believe it started out for augmentation, but now is also being used for complete reconstruction. It is still a relatively new procedure, but it holds promise in that it does not involve implants and the surgery/recovery is much less intense than with a flap procedure (that involves cutting out a chunk of skin/fat with it's blood supply from elsewhere in the body and then via microsurgery attaching the blood supply to breast arteries - a 6 to 8 hour surgery, if I understand correctly). I still have reservations about long term results/side effects and will discuss further with my PS today to get his opinion. Also concerned about traveling for surgery. This is the clinic I am looking at - several of the women at breastcancer.org have been here: Breast Reconstruction & Augmentation Fat Transfer Miami Breast Center

 

[HFWR]

Sorry for the additional bad news/stress, simple girl. Rest assured that Dallas is full of women with, shall we say, enhanced bosoms, and most seem to be doing okay.

 

[Amethyst]

SimpleGirl, that is just too much, all at once, for anybody. It is awful when you think you've already gotten the bad news, and then more bad news gets revealed. Like being kicked when you're down.

I can't add anything to the wisdom others have already expressed, but I admire and thank you for sharing everything so candidly and in such detail. We'll be with you as you go through what you must, a step at a time.

Amethyst

 

[simple girl]

SimpleGirl, that is just too much, all at once, for anybody. It is awful when you think you've already gotten the bad news, and then more bad news gets revealed. Like being kicked when you're down.

I can't add anything to the wisdom others have already expressed, but I admire and thank you for sharing everything so candidly and in such detail. We'll be with you as you go through what you must, a step at a time.

Amethyst

Thank you Amethyst. Yes it is quite, quite overwhelming. I think I've had a headache for almost a week continuously now. I'm glad you appreciate my candidness. Sharing my story openly with others is therapeutic for me, but I also am hoping something good will come from it - maybe it will help someone else going through this in the future.