Hi everyone - I was diagnosed on Wednesday - lumpectomy booked on Thursday. With a biopsy on lymph nodes and possible further surgery on Thursday if the biopsy results are positive. Is anyone else in the same boat as me?
Love to you all. Mand xxx
Hi Mand, just wanted to send you some good wishes. I’m just a bit further down the line than you, I had my lumpectomy and 2 lymph nodes out on 23 Oct then had a bit more surgery because didn’t have quite a clear margin. Just wanted to let you know that the surgery is absolutely do-able. It wasn’t nearly as bad as what I expected and was back driving after a week. Yes my arm and shoulder was stiff and achy for about 2 weeks but completely back to normal now, felt like I’d lifted a few heavy weights at the gym. I still get the odd twinge and ache here and there but know it’s just my body healing. I absolutely know how scared and anxious you are feeling. You really will start to feel more in control soon, it’s just such a huge shock at the beginning. Wishing you lots of luck for your surgery, keep in touch and let us know how you get on.
Xxx
Hi Mand, I’m having same op as you tmoro. I’ve got pea sized, grade 1, slow growing cancer. Are you having the radioactive isotope and blue dye injections, to locate lymph nodes?
Hopefully, I’ll just need radiotherapy once op wound site is healed.
Best wishes and good luck for Thurs.
Ask any questions you want, this is good place to be for advice and support xx
Hi May, it is good, well not good but you know what I mean, that I don’t feel like the only one going through this. It is so hard to take all in but after my wobbly, a good cry which I haven’t done so far, I’m feeling a bit better. Mine is envasive grade 3 - it has already started spreading and the lump is about 1.5x2.0 cms. They haven’t said anything about radiotherapy and I’m not too sure I want to know about that yet! I do fear the chemo if I have to have it but I’ll deal with that later - one step at a time!
Wishing you so much love for tomorrow. I hope it all goes well. When you can - let me know how you get on sweetie. Mand xxx
Hi Joanne. It was good to hear from someone post lumpectomy and how you are feeling. So pleased to hear you we’re driving within a week!
Have you had the results from the lymph nodes biopsy yet?
Mand xxx
Hi DD - wishing you well for tomorrow. Fingers crossed for no further surgery or treatment for you.
I do feel lucky that if the biopsy on my lymph nodes are positive that I will go back down to theatre that day. I know some of you have to wait for the biopsy results and after waiting a week to see my consultant for my diagnosis was hell.
Lots of love to you all and good luck for tomorrow xxx
Hi Mand, I was diagnosed on Wednesday 13/11/13 too. I have a Grade 2 Invasive Duct tumour about 2cm by 1.5cm. Still in total shock to be honest. My story is… a painful lump appeared the day after i had a mammogram at the end of July. GP said he wasnt particularly concerned as the mammogram came back clear and it was a good sign that the lump was painful and to come back in a month. Was lulled into a false sense of security thinking it was a bruise or an infected cyst etc. After a month went back to GP and got referred to breast clinic and had ultrasound and biopsy which freaked me out as I was still thinking nothing was wrong at that point. 2 weeks later got the results that have knocked the stuffing out of me. Had CT scan today, bone scan Friday and operation Monday 25th. its all happening quickly and i feel overwhelmed. Im almost 52, have never had anything wrong with me, never had an operation and cant believe this is happening to me. Family, friends and work being great but still feeling Im going to wake up from this nightmare one day soon. Just want to say good luck to you, its somewhat comforting to know that there are other women going through the same thing. xxx
Thank you Mand xx Had guide wire fitted today by Radiologist, was completely painless thanks to local anaesthetic. Roll on tmoro now!
I had aggressive grade 3, stage 2b, ILC, 10 yrs ago. Had mx, FEC chemo, rads, delayed recon by DIEP flap… Just one month away from 10th anniv of no evidence of disease… and wham, this lump appears in unaffected breast. Typical!
Good luck for Thurs hun… Yes lets catch up after op days xx
Oh May! That was a shocker. I’m sorry I feel stupid now. Worrying about my little op on Thursday and you have been through all that. Amazing - truly amazing to hear that you are so far on and now are dealing with all this again.
I don’t know you but I wish I was there holding your hand and being there for you.
My love to you darling. Let me know how you are and I so admire you!
Mand xxx
Hi Joanne. That’s great news. I hope I am in the same position on Friday and giving the same news to you all. You are all in my thoughts and prayers - especially May xxx
By the way, same for me, if biopsy on lymph node positive, then I’ll go straight to theatre for removal of more. This procedure wasn’t avail 10 yrs ago. I had 14 nodes remove then, but cancer only in first one. There’s been many improvements in procedures which is good news xx
Nicky - I can so so relate to how you are feeling. Friends, family and work colleagues are doing their best but they can’t imagine how we feel about all this. It is so hard and I do totally understand how you are feeling. Good luck for 25th. Keep in touch with me - now that I have found this support I want to know how all you lovely ladies are getting on. It’s mad mad mad but I feel at home here lol
I don’t have to pretend how I feel if you know what I mean - sending you a massive hug and lots of love Nicky.
Mand xxx
Yes May. I do think I am lucky to being treated same day. I know that the last 10 years there has been massive advancements. I am keeping everything crossed for you sweetie - stay in touch and let me know how you get on. Just in one day I have heard some amazing stories of why some women are here and you are definitely one of them. I hope you are being pampered big time! Xxx
Insomnia Rules! Never mind, plenty of time for sleep when I’m under anaesthetic tomorrow!
Dear Mand, DD, and Jaine, good luck tomorrow, and nickynew good luck for Monday.
Wishing us all successful results from surgery and sending out love and hugs to you all.
Think positive thoughts girls.
((((hug))))
May aka Lesley xx
Hi Joanne1973, so lovely to hear of your successful surgery hun, huge congrats to you.
I keep thinking about us all, afflicted by this awful disease, but so lucky to be united in this special band of sisters, helping each other out in oh so many ways. Its truly wonderful.
Love and (((hug)))
Lesley xx
May - Mand here. Hope all is going okay for today. Waiting myself to be called down to theatre. You’re in my thoughts and all those lovely ladies that are having surgery today. Good luck!
Mand xxx
Well op day was eventful! I booked into same day admissions dept at 7am, saw surgeon and anaesthetist at 8am. So far so good!
Walked down to nuclear meds for 9.30am appt to have radioactive isotope injection and imaging. Staff there were very apologetic as they explained that the courier hadn’t arrived yet with the radioactive liquid.
He was caught up in heavy traffic. Apparently my local hospital doesn’t have the space needed to make the stuff, so a bigger hospital 40 mins drive away makes it and courier delivers it every morning.
He finally arrived, which meant I didn’t have injection until 10am, then I had to massage area to encourage liquid to drain through to lymph nodes. Staff said it was beginning to drain through, but very very slowly. Eventually I.had to lay on special table for 30mins in the position technician manouvered me into. Then a further 7mins in different position. i got back to admissions dept about 11.20am. Apparently my op had been booked for 11am and my surgeon and anaesthetist were fuming that I was late back! Nurses rushed me to cubicle to get changed into gown and socks, identity bracelets were put on my wrist and ankle, reckon it would make it into the Guinness book of records, it happened that quick! I checked clock in pre-op room as I was being anaesthetised and it was 11.30am. I found out that nuclear meds staff forgot to phone admissions dept to explain why they were running late. Oops!
So skip to after op, and I’m now in recovery room. I came round to a male nurse asking me if i felt ok. Yes i feel fine i told him. I looked around and saw a senior nurse looking at me. Then another nurse asked me if i definitely felt ok. I’m fine i said, and could do with a nice cup of tea!
i was having my obs done every 10 mins, which was odd.
At 1.30pm I was taken up the ward, and the male nurse accompanied me. He told me that I’d caused a bit of stir after my op, I was a very grey colour and wouldn’t come round. They did my obs every 10 mins and let me wake up in my own time, watching for change in my colour. All that took long time he said. Got to ward and had headache and high blood pressure. Ive never had high blood pressure, its usually 120/70 or lower.
Even when I was discharged Thurs afternoon I still had headache and high BP. I’d had paracetamol every 4 hrs, and oral liquid morphine during the night, nothing worked. Back home I slept 11hrs straight, and that did the trick, I woke up headache free!
Surgeon removed lump and two lymph nodes, and biopsy on first node shows provisionally its clear. In two weeks time at post op appt with surgeon I’ll get full results. My discharge forms state lump is invasive carcinoma NST (no set type). So its back to the waiting game… 
Forgot to say…
Hello lovely ladies, hope you are all continuing to do well.
Its late evening two days post op. Boob is tender and bit swollen but nowhere near as bad as I had imagined. Getting by with taking painkillers every 6hrs today. Being up and dressed, and sitting on can’t be ar**d chair is great, I highly recommend it!
Best wishes for a speedy recovery ladies
Love and ((((hugs))))
Lesley x
Sending you my love and you are in my thoughts ashby.
It certainly is what they call it - a roller coaster.
I am just hoping this nightmare will end.
I haven’t come on the forum since my op but it does help me knowing that there are you ladies going through the same as me.
Stay strong - I am trying to xxx
Hi Ashby, even though you didn’t get to see your surgeon before you were discharged, you should receive a letter soon inviting you to attend a post-op results appt with your surgeon.
Its usually arranged for 2-3 wks after surgery.
I was so tired when I got home at 4pm day of discharge, day after op, I slept for 11hrs. 8pm til 7.30am. Its quite ok to feel confused, tired, tearful, even relieved and/or angry all at the same time after your op. Anaesthetic can do some weird and wonderful things to our bodies and brains! Mix that up with the fragile state our emotions may be in at the same time…
No wonder we don’t know if we’re on our head or our a** e sometimes!
Go with the flow… cry if you need to, rant and rage if you want to… and remember we are here to offer support, as is the BCC helpline, and your breast care nurse xx
Sending you a ((((hug)))
Hope you feel at least a little bit better today
Love Lesley xx