Hi all,
I haven’t posted on this forum for some time as life has been busy!
My history is that last year, 1st June 2018, I was diagnosed with triple positive breast cancer. 4-5cm invasive tumour and 9cm DCIS. Six rounds of chemotherapy resulted in a complete pathological response of the tumour, but I had to have a mastectomy due to the large area of DCIS. I also had fifteen sessions of radiotherapy after surgery. I finished three weekly Herceptin in July this year, and now just take tamoxifen.
My nodes were clear, but the surgeon took ten nodes as my surgery was delayed as he was running late, and the dye had gone to that number of nodes. The scar is gradually fading, but it is very tight at the incision where the nodes were removed. You can clearly see one of my ribs below the mastectomy scar. I am going to have a delayed reconstruction, and will be assessed for this in November. I was really traumatised about having a mastectomy ( pleading with the surgeon to give me a temporary implant but they wouldn’t, due to the risk from radiotherapy). I have not really scrutinised the scar, but I moisturise it morning and night. When I looked at it yesterday, I decided to have a bit of a deeper palpation. In the centre,where it sinks in, I can feel a hard, nodule like lump. About 1cm in diameter. I am not sure if this is scar tissue, and it isn’t where the tumour was removed. If I palpate along from it I think I can feel a hard rib, so I am not sure if the rib would be nodular? Does anyone know?
Also I am feeling a little tender where the scar is tight, and I am thinking that might be due to the nerves regenerating?
Finally, assuming I am worrying over nothing, does anyone know the likely time between consultation and reconstruction. They said I could be reconstructed a year after the end of treatment, so I am hoping early January, but my consultation isn’t until 25th November.
Thanks all
Jane x