mx tomorrow!

Hi Guys,

Having a panic moment!

Got my mx tomorrow afternoon and cant seem to calm down.

I have had my results from ultrasound - liver showing nothing untoward… chest xray clear…

But i am panicking about the biopsy on my mx… and the operations itself…

Worried how many lymph nodes involved and what this means!!

Any Advice?

Corinne

Hi,
No one can take your fears away but I saw my mastectomy as another step nearer to the end of treatment. I had already had 4 lots of chemo before my surgery and was pleased to realise that I no longer had cancer.I had my first nights sleep in months when I got home after my surgery, I did not realise just how much living with cancer was messing me up. What my onc said if i had maligmnant cells in more than 4 nodes I would need radio. I had it in 6 nodes. I think this can depend on your onc. You need to find out what condition the nodes are in if the cells have spread, if they are clumped together etc. Good luck for tomorrow see it as a start not an end. Hugs and love Jano xx

Hi Corinne,

Try not to get too worked up thinking about your mx tomorrow - difficult I know. I’d never been in hospital (apart from chemo) before mine and I went in at 8am and had the surgery at 4pm. No-one was more surprised than me that I was calm the whole day. I didn’t have anyone with me all day and was in a room on my own as I’d only finished chemo 3 weeks earlier. When my surgeon came to see me (I’d never met him as my supposed surgeon was off ill), he basically said about the lymph that he would take out the amount that he needed to in order to ensure he’d got the lot and in that case, I would have a larger scar. I was ‘happy’ enough with this and in the end I did need them all removing but he did such a neat job. I just kept thinking that I was getting rid of the rest of the cancer and that was ok.

Also, try to remember the biopsy is to see what type/grade of cancer it is and they can tailor the treatment from there.

From the benefit of experience, you’ll be ok and be back on here offering advice to others about the whole thing before long!

Take care, Liz

Hi Corinne,
Nothing wrong in having a panic, we all need to let off steam, such early days for you. I have had three ops in three months, the last one was a mx, l really didn’t know how l would feel, whether l could look where my breast once was, my head was all over the place.
But when l got into hospital, the staff took all my worries away, cannot praise them enough.
After the operation the first thing l did was look, and all l felt was that the damn cancer is out! mine had gone to the lymph nodes, but hopefully the chemo and radio will sort any little b*****s that got away.
It is not going to be easy, but you have coped really well so far, and as you say your ultrasound showed nothing, and neither did your xrays, so keep thinking of that.
It will probably be a week or two before you get any results, so try and just take one step at a time, and the first step is tomorrow.
We will be all waiting to hear how you got on when you come home, so for now, take care and sending you lots of hugs
Sandra xxx

Corinne

One step at a time. So much info for you here, but the best I had since dx 12/98 is that - one step at a time. Got dx again there in May 2010 and as I am p’''d off with it all I am electing to forego the rads and go straight to bi-lat mastectomy - 22 July. I’ve done the whole chemo, rads thing and now they are coming off. Every step of the way is breathed and relaxed and, “one step at a time”.

You are doing this for a future that there is no reason to think won’t be bright, full, happy, and ongoing. So positive vibes, kiddo. Let the med team do their stuff. Know that this is the right thing for you, and wake up and kick ass!

Vibing for you Corinne. You’ll do great.

Carole (aka Steel).

Hi Corinne
The night before my mx i posted something very similar to you. The best piece of advise I got was that “the anticipation is worse than the operation” I kept that thought in my head until i was taken down to theatre and it REALLY was true!!
I hope everything goes well for you tomorrow, will be thinking of you.

deed
x

My thoughts are with you tomorrow, I also posted before my mx “my bags are packed, I’m ready to go” and I got such lovely replies. Great support here.
Hugs and good vibes to you
Love Maria

Hi Guys

Thnks for all your brilliant words of encouragement…

Lizcat - like u i have never been in hospital before (exp childbirth and that a gud experience)

I have my bags packed - i am looking at this as in ‘this is not the end, but the end of the beginning!’ and we won that one!!!

Here’s too my own private war!!!

I will be thinking of everyone else going through difficult times tomorrow…

Corinne