2 May 2012 ~ I had my post-op appointment for the lumpectomy procedure that was done on 20 April 2012. I felt my scars were healing well and that I am now able to lift my arm and mostly carry on a regular day. We were hoping that the Doctor would have some results since we hadn't heard anything since the lumpectomy. I was not really prepared for the results we received. Dr. Jones came in and began with,"I have good news and I have bad news." Well.......Blrgggggggg!! He says, "I took 9 lymph nodes from under your arm and tested them all for cancer and they did not come up positive. This is excellent news because if the cancer was in the lymph nodes then the cancer can easily spread throughout your entire body. The bad news is the lumpectomy specimen with the margins I removed came back positive for more cancer. I did not remove enough margins around the cancer. It appears there is more cancer in your breast that will need to be removed." Oh boy, it felt like the first day they told me I had breast cancer. All of a sudden I hear the word cancer and my heart is racing and I can't seem to process what Dr. Jones and Kristen are saying. I immediately ask Eric to start writing down everything because my mind has just gone to mush.
Okay, I tell myself to take a few breaths and then begin with some questions for Dr. Jones. Due to the kindness of many family and friends I am loaded with Cancer information. Dr. Jones says, "You have a few options. I go back in to remove more margins from the breast area and we test the specimen and then carry on with radiation treatment, assuming he gets all the cancer the second time. Or I have the option of a mastectomy." Truthfully before I had received this information I had already discussed with Eric that if the lumpectomy came back with not good margins that I was going to opt for a mastectomy. We all know that making decisions on a hypothetical is so much easier then when one is really faced with having to make a decision when we are in the thick of it. I mean all of sudden I thought, oh my gosh my breast...MY BREAST!!! Of course making this decision is really all my decision because what people choose to do in regards to their health is very personal. I then asked Dr Jones, "If I was your wife sitting here, what would you recommend she do?" At first he was hesitant because he did not want to make the choice for me and I understand but I said, "I am not asking you to tell me what to do, but I am asking you, if hypothetically I was your wife sitting here what would you recommend." He said a mastectomy.
Since we had a lot of information to process and discuss, Eric and I asked for some time to make a decision. I do have an appointment with a plastic surgeon next Tuesday. If I am going with the mastectomy(which I am leaning toward) they will remove my breast and begin reconstructive surgery at the same time. I feel like I need to just stomp this cancer out. I figure if the bad breast is gone there is no place for the cancer to grow back. I have 3 young boys and I can't afford to mess around with this stuff.
Okay, I tell myself to take a few breaths and then begin with some questions for Dr. Jones. Due to the kindness of many family and friends I am loaded with Cancer information. Dr. Jones says, "You have a few options. I go back in to remove more margins from the breast area and we test the specimen and then carry on with radiation treatment, assuming he gets all the cancer the second time. Or I have the option of a mastectomy." Truthfully before I had received this information I had already discussed with Eric that if the lumpectomy came back with not good margins that I was going to opt for a mastectomy. We all know that making decisions on a hypothetical is so much easier then when one is really faced with having to make a decision when we are in the thick of it. I mean all of sudden I thought, oh my gosh my breast...MY BREAST!!! Of course making this decision is really all my decision because what people choose to do in regards to their health is very personal. I then asked Dr Jones, "If I was your wife sitting here, what would you recommend she do?" At first he was hesitant because he did not want to make the choice for me and I understand but I said, "I am not asking you to tell me what to do, but I am asking you, if hypothetically I was your wife sitting here what would you recommend." He said a mastectomy.
Since we had a lot of information to process and discuss, Eric and I asked for some time to make a decision. I do have an appointment with a plastic surgeon next Tuesday. If I am going with the mastectomy(which I am leaning toward) they will remove my breast and begin reconstructive surgery at the same time. I feel like I need to just stomp this cancer out. I figure if the bad breast is gone there is no place for the cancer to grow back. I have 3 young boys and I can't afford to mess around with this stuff.
We're praying. Whatever your decision, it will be the right one. With love - T
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