Printable View
Nothing anyone's said sounds silly! Thank you all for your concern and helpful advice. I will be weighing all options, but first I need to get the MRI to see what they are. It could be just a little more needs to come out, and we save the breast, but I'm preparing for more, just in case. With the way this year has been, I'd better prepare.
More hugs to you, Red!!! Your attitude throughout this has been inspiring.
Oh ((((Red)))), I just saw this; but if you have to have the CA, then this is the best that could happen it sounds like. Dang, I'm so mad this has happened to you! But, I know this will get better. I've been thinking lately that I wish the internet would let me express myself in situations like this a lot better. Suffice it to say, that I'm pulling for you!
I feel your love. :) I'm actually not mad that this is happening to me, but I do feel a little more road rage-y on the bike these days. But, who better to take out my frustrations on than people in cars doing stupid things? I guess they're good for something after all. :rolleyes:
Ah, what a bummer, Red...I was really hoping it would turn out to be nothing. But so glad you got it checked out and found early. I definitely second crankin's recommendation to get a second opinion. Do your research, consider all your options, and you will make the decision that is right for you.
Hugs...
(((Red)))
Welcome to a large and very non-exclusive club!
That said, I would add from my experience: take it one step (or procedure or issue) at a time. Make your decision and then once you have results from that make another decision. Don't race ahead of yourself. Learn to wait till it is time to make decision after decision on the facts of your case. (Don't make flow charts/ decision trees or whatever they call them - you know if it's this then I'll do that). The process of diagnosis and treatment goes sort of slowly anyway, and you will have time to consider and make the best decisions for yourself .
And keep us in the picture!
Great advice. Thank you. I feel very informed already, and probably am a little ahead of myself, but my decisions will be well thought out, and I have some things that are important to me, that will be factors.
When I told my bf, he said something like although I love your breasts, there are a million things about you I love even more. He's been great.
He's a keeper! ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by redrhodie
He IS a keeper. How very sweet.
Oh, Red, so sorry to read the bad news. I will be rooting for you!
Red,
DCIS is what I had so I had a lumpectomy, but then they didn't get it all in spite of very generous margins, so it came back. Like you, I decided that I didn't need the breast for riding and it could go rather than coming back frequently to have another hunk whacked off, or go through radiation or chemo.
The first couple of weeks were not much fun, mostly because of having to wear an irritating drain. (hint biking jerseys are your friend. It is much more comfortable to through the drain in a jersey pocket thanhave it pinned to your bra or tucked into the cammie/jersey with shelf bra and slit to hold it where the boobie was. I was one of those one who had the drain in for three weeks and then had to go back every other day for another week and a half to get it drained. But the healing seepage did finally stop, the swelling went down, the scar tissue pulled in and the muscle tightened up. I was back in almost full swing on bike and at the gym in six weeks and back to where I was weight wise before surgery about two weeks later. The one not so bad after effect that I did notice was a striking desire/need for an afternoon nap, but that could have been as much about the horribly hot and humid summer, or dealing with all of 90 year residents FIL's health issues at the same time I was trying to heal. Most of it was mental vacation/ check out rather than actual need for sleep but I did indulge.
Take it slow and listen to your body, eat good food that will help your body heal, rest when you need to, and when you feel like it, start stretching the surgical arm and shoulder up back and out so that your shoulder doesn't roll in as the chest muscle heals and contracts.
Hang in there, once the breast is gone, the worry is gone as well. They may or may not start you out on tamoxifen which is to discourage estrogen production in your body. For me that was the worst part of the recovery because it felt like going through menopause all over again complete with the weepies and hot flashes and broken sleep. Apparently it affects some people that way. Fortunately the surgeon warned me about that and so although it was not fun, it was doable since it only lasted a couple of hours at a time and the family was aware of what was happening.
Before you know it your will be back to normal and perhaps slightly giddy with the relief of knowing that you are out of it free and clear. The worry about the three month check on the other breast may catch you unaware, but since DCIS is non invasive, your chance for being clear on the second side are relatively low, since DCIS is a totally random thing to begin with.
I'm pulling for you.
marni
Wow, red. That's a setback. You have a great attitude, though, very inspiring! Hold that thought :)
Marni, thank you so much for that. I've been reading a lot about DCIS, so knowing that it did change and come back for you is making the statistics look a little different. You see those and wonder if you should just wait and see. With the way things have been going, me winning these unlikely lotteries, I suspect I'd better not wait.
Today, 2 weeks after the biopsy, my breast feels normal. I can sleep any way I like, and don't feel it at all on the bike. Other than a little bruising, it looks perfect. It's amazing how the body heals. It's really cool.
I'm feeling pretty normal (for me ;)) mentally, too. I'm still doing normal things. My bf is doing more around the house, which is awesome. I feel a little guilty, like I'm taking advantage of this diagnosis, but hey, if it makes him feel better, I'm not going to stop him from scooping the litter box. :D
Red - sorry to read about your diagnosis. It is good you have some time while you heal from the initial procedure to gather facts and make sound decisions on how you will proceed.