Lymph Nodes - Grade 1?

That’s great news Donna - really happy for you.

I am in the US. Last summer found ductal carcinoma which broke thru cell wall. Two positive lymph nodes. Had lumpectomy (just as effective as mastectomy). Had 19 radiation treatments. No chemo required due to my Oncotype below 25. On anastrozle…I’m post menopausal. Stage 2.
Estrogen positive. Feeling great. Positive thoughts are important. Yes the wait is awful. Prayer is healing.

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Hey Donna. I have triple positive breast cancer and just had my third round of chemo. I am having a mastectomy afterwards, then radiotherapy.

Our mind loves tell us the worst Abd raje ys down a rabbit hole of fear. But honestly, the treatment isn’t half as scary as you’d imagine and once you know your treatment plan you may find yourself feeling calmer. Even if only a little to start.

Hold in there :green_heart:

Hi Donna,
I’m sorry you’re in this situation. And I know the waiting is one of the worst things, hang in there. one thing I would suggest, if I may, is not to google too much, because it may leave you in a very dark place (been there!) I was researching different options and scenarios, but it was really overwhelming and didn’t really help. What I’ve learned from my journey so far is that breast cancer treatment is very individualized and doctore really need a lot of information to make sure they have the best one for you.
Wishing you all the best and keeping my fingers crossed for your results!

Hi
Pls try not to worry -i had lumpectomy and reconstruction and lymph nodes removed all in 1 op - think i was grade 3 or 4 had 6 rounds chemo n 5 weeks of radio -iv kept my hair thanks to cold cap -i had days where i was very tired but you have to look to the up -its not to bad having lymphs removed just have to be careful of infections ect -:heart: to you

I have children the same age Donna so I have some understanding of how you must be feeling.
Here is my bit of positivity for the day - I had lymph node involvement and had to have chemo before my mastectomy, followed up by radio. Whilst it is not an easy journey, you will get through it wiht the love and support of friends and family and a bit of time. My one bit of advice is just to take each day as it comes, there will be good days and bad days, good months and bad months. There is little point googling :slightly_smiling_face: - your medical team only really tell you a week or so at a time what comes next so you just need to put tools in place to get through day by day. For me this was a daily walk with friends, trying to nourish myself with good food and staying strong with some yoga. Wishing you well and wishing you all strength xx

Hi Donna
I feel for you - this is not easy to process; I remember I had a similar diagnosis back in August 2008. My diagnosis was lobular cancer which most doctors don’t come across in their entire careers (including the last one who “didn’t think it was anything to worry about”) Mine was also grade 1 but the tumour was almost 5cm wide - so I asked the same question as you…but please know that this could actually be good news - because it is the slowest growing kind of tumour. I have researched cancer a great deal and it’s my view that cancer is in our bodies for years before there is even any tangible evidence. Catching it early is supposed to be better but I’m living proof that it doesn’t make any difference in some cases. I know of many people who are cancer survivors - even with a stage 4 diagnosis but you do need the best information - and it’s not always where you expect it to be. If you’d like to contact me, I’d be happy to share my own links that I trust and may show you options that can help. Don’t despair - there is hope! I’m 17 years cancer free this year and I decided not have chemo - and I would make the same decision again. I understand that we’re all wired differently when we get a cancer diagnosis but there is so much you can do to heal yourself. I’m new to this platform so I’m not sure if private messaging is possible - let me know how you feel about that. Sending you hugs and hope - Jo x

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Hi Donna! Dont give up on yourself like that!! In our heads, we always imagine the worst when facing diagnosis but hang in there girl!! Patience is the key word and you will need it to face up to whatever treatment will be proposed to you. Take one day at a time and you will get there. Head up!!

Hello Donna - I am so sorry you are going through all this anxiety made worse by additional layers of confusion. A week ago today I had a mass of confusion and terror whirling in my brain - 2 days until a mastectomy and sentinel lymph node removal to the left and lumpectomy to the right and I still was not sure my decision was right or I knew enough. I asked for another appointment with my surgeon and had all my questions written down. I got the answers I needed and came out feeling calmer but still very scared. I too had low grade (ie slow growing) invasive cancer as well as DCIS. Operation on Friday (all over within 4 hours that I knew nothing about) home on Saturday, picking up normal life as much as possible - gentle walks, laughter and honest talk with friends and family. It feels so odd to be missing a breast but I don’t want reconstruction, though might change my mind in the future. am able to do lots more than I imagined, despite the attached surgical drain etc. perhaps the shock hasn’t hit me yet and the pathology results may tell a different story later in April so radiotherapy, chemo, hormone treatment are still on the table. Despite all my terror and dread I actually feel very happy and stronger. I am changing my view on life. No day will ever come again so I I want to enjoy the good ones, get through the bad ones and look forward to the next good one. The advice and info is overwhelming and hard to understand. I needed to understand all of it so looked up every single reference I didn’t understand and asked my breast team, including surgeon to explain more. The team on this forum can answer questions, as can other helplines like Macmillan. Please ask them for advice - that is what they are there for. Please also reach out to their counselling team to help you through your despair. Your boys need their Mum and will cope with anything that comes along as long as they have you. Gently involve them and they will be stronger for it. To all those you trust, let them know how you are feeling and you might be surprised the support and love you get back. You CAN come through this and one day it will all be history. Please believe that. With love and good wishes for you and your boys xx

@donna_51

How are you holding up? Have you got a date for your mastectomy and node clearance yet and any biopsy results on hormone positivity etc?

I hope you’re doing okay. You’re in that horrible inertia phase where you just want full knowledge and some action. I promise you it gets much easier once you can actually start doing something about it.

Also, if you do need chemo, it’s not the end of the world. I’m a third of the way through after mastectomy and node clearance and, while it’s brutal and horrible, I love picturing any rogue cancer cells shrivelling up and dying. Chemo has become my insurance policy and then I’ll have radiotherapy to go the extra mile too straight after. Brutal too but I will have no worries that they didn’t do enough!

I hope you’re getting closer to a plan and that you have a lovely weekend with your kids. X

I have my op next week - 18th. Feeling all the usual emotions. Pleased it’s going ahead but dreading what the future holds. I know you can all relate!! I desperately want this to ‘end’ but at the same time I want as much treatment as possible to kill this thing. All very conflicting emotions.

The one constant is this forum … I look through it constantly and the hope it gives me is amazing. Yes, I have my husband who’s my rock and I have my close friends to shine the light through these dark times but honestly, support from all of you, people I don’t know and will no doubt never meet is an absolute lifeline- when I feel like I’m falling into my black hole, I come on here and someone somewhere gives me hope. Thank you :two_hearts:

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Sorry if you’ve said before but is yours mastectomy and node clearance or just mastectomy? Pleased it’s soon. The operation really isn’t horrific. It’s not all fun and dance but it’s not as bad as I expected. The worst bit is the gross drain but it comes out fast. Are you going for flat closure or reconstruction?

I can only get through this by being thankful that I have a fight to fight. I live by how I felt between “You’ve got cancer” and days later “The cancer hasn’t spread” and remember to be grateful. It’s absolutely right to be angry and sad but I also have to remember to be thankful and hopeful. I didn’t think I could ever feel any fight again after Cycle 1 of EC but i bounced into Cycle 2 because that third week, you find yourself again. I’m about to do my GCSF injection and fall off the cliff into hell but I know positive Sarah will be back in 10 days and I’ll keep fighting the fight! You will too! We have to! It’s the only way.

Enjoy every moment of the next 6 days and do everything you can with your kids. Even if they miss some school to do something fun! We went to Paris for a long weekend and made the most of every minute! Xxx