Abnormal mammo

[NbyNW]

I hope you come away from the second-opinion doc feeling like you have the information you need to make a decision.

I've been playing phone-tag with my parents in Pgh since your OP . . . they are plugged into the medical community there and Mom is a 19- (20? I really can't remember) year breast cancer survivor herself.

Good luck and let us know how it goes . . .

[OakLeaf]

Yes, I am in utter horror of the procedure (in which my body will be a completely passive object for medical action, my sensitive glandular tissues will be bombarded with radiation, and a swizzle-stick sized "needle" will be stuck in a major erogenous zone). And I am a little scared of what the results may show.

But that's not why I'm so angry.

I'm angry because there is such a small chance that the biopsy - positive OR negative - will show anything that there is a point in treating. (According to my surgeon's own statistics, a 7% chance. Figures vary widely, but everyone agrees that they are very slim.) Because of the CERTAINTY of harm from invasive procedures, the rational decision would be to stop now before they go any further. Yet the industry's fear-based advertising campaign has succeeded in working on my emotions, and on my husband's, to the point where if I make the reason-based decision to forego the biopsy, I will be continually haunted by fear. And this is true even though I know that there is NO reassurance in the medical system - only that I feel and hope that it will be emotionally easier for me to call it over if I do have the procedure and it's negative.

On the other hand, if it's positive for DCIS, it will be MUCH harder for me to call it over without further surgery, especially considering the possibility that the procedure itself will make it more likely that DCIS will develop into an invasive cancer.

And I'm also angry because the campaign of fear has worked so well on other women (and on my DH), there is no one I know personally, to whom I can talk about this non-judgmentally. A little bit of emotional support would go a long, long way here. THANK YOU so much to the couple of people here who PM'd me.

The psych nurse who helped me think this through, suggested that I make the decision that I'm least likely to regret. I can't do that though. The only decision I would be sure I wouldn't regret (even if I should eventually develop an invasive cancer) would be never to have a biopsy based solely on mammography without clinical findings. But as I said, emotionally I can't handle that, because of the campaign of fear.

This time tomorrow, hopefully the procedure will be over.

Wish me luck.

[KnottedYet]

Good luck!

Please don't be angry at the fear experienced by of those of us who've had cancer. Our fear is honest, and like I said in my earlier post, to be taken with a grain of salt. We have fear, but that doesn't mean we don't support you.

((((Oakleaf)))))

[OakLeaf]

(((Knot))) I'm NOT angry at your fear. I'm sorry my post could be read that way

I'm angry at the ones who, for cold calculated commercial interests, have instilled it in you, and in me.

[KnottedYet]

((((Oakleaf)))) It's ok. (well, actually, the whole situation totally s*cks, but you know what I mean!) I will be thinking about you tomorrow.

[Tuckervill]

I'm sorry you're in between that rock and hard place! I wish there were a better answer.

Please let us know how it goes.

Karen

[NbyNW]

(((Oakleaf))) -- you'll be in my thoughts tomorrow. There's nothing to be afraid of until you know for sure if there is something to be afraid of. I'm sorry the biopsy has to be so invasive.

[mudmucker]

Oakleaf, I noticed you've posted today but you haven't posted on this thread. You must have had the procedure already? How did it go - Any other thoughts or feelings after the fact - or the same? When will you get results?

[OakLeaf]

I'm home. (my earlier post this a.m. was before I left home) The Lidocaine is worn off. It's sore, but not awful. They had to go in through two different incisions (because my breasts are small). I didn't really need to see them cleaning the blood up off the floor afterward.

I held it together through the procedure. They let me keep my iPod on, which I'd loaded up with Steven Halpern music, and that helped a lot. But as soon as they let me out of the clamp, I just started bawling. Startled the techs, I think. Well, too bad for them.

Really, the only thing my self-education hadn't prepared me for physically was the stress on my spine (hyperextended low back and severely twisted neck, clamped into that position for an hour and a half). Wish I could do Pilates right now to ease some of that out, but I don't want to do quite that much arm movement just yet.

The techs wanted to give me all kinds of activity restrictions (the surgeon had told me I could go back to teaching high impact aerobics tomorrow, which I didn't believe for a minute ) - I'll split the difference I think. I'm still planning to ride Wednesday evening barring any problems.

I should have the results in 2-3 days. I'll let you all know. Thanks for asking.

[Blueberry]

((((Oakleaf)))))

Hope you're feeling much better soon.

CA

[KnottedYet]

(((((Oakleaf)))))

[NbyNW]

What a rough day! Be good to yourself.

Since you're not feeling up to Pilates, maybe a little hot/cold therapy, depending on which you think will make you more comfortable? Just thinking maybe there are some more passive-type things you can do to take care of those muscles.

[Natural Beauty]

oakleaf...you have been in our thoughts and prayers and we support you. positive attitude and a fighting spirit go a long way.