The pathology report was not what we had hoped. It wasn't just DCIS, although there was some DCIS present- it was about 25% of the tumor. It is still triple negative which means they have no drug therapy to offer me. As a result of that the recommendation decided on by the "tumor board" is: take a lymph node just to be sure the cancer has not spread, do radiation therapy to make sure there isn't a stray cancer cell still in there, and do some form of chemotherapy. I certainly wasn't expecting that.
These are the standard recommendations for anyone with triple negative breast cancer and this is the recommendation they must give me to cover their a****.
They acknowledge that this is not a typical triple negative tumor. It is slow growing; in fact only a third of it seemed to be dividing, there were necrotic (dying) cells in it, all of the margins were clear, and there seemed to be no lymphatic or vascular involvement.
I agreed to meet with a radiologist and an oncologist to hear what they have to say, but I am going to wait until July when Billy can go with me. I seriously doubt I will have any of those treatments, but we will see after I meet with the experts.
God I am so ready for this to be over!
Monday, June 22, 2015
Friday, June 5, 2015
Post Surgery
The lumpectomy is over. I didn't realize how good it would feel to know the cancer is definitely gone. Apparently I was more stressed about it than I realized.
The surgical experience wasn't bad at all. Really. I talked with a good friend who is an anesthetist and got the skinny on what to request. I had the drug that killed Michael Jackson. It didn't require intubation, I didn't feel any nausea when I came out of it, and suffered no after effects from it that I can tell. I took a 3 hour nap in the afternoon but that could be from not sleeping much at all the night before. I have taken hydrocodone proactively so I haven't had a lot of pain. I showered today and saw the incision for the first time. It doesn't look too terribly bad- probably because I have had ice on it continuously since surgery. I bruised more after the biopsy and also had a large hematoma- probably because I didn't continuously ice after that procedure.
Now I am just waiting for the path report. The surgeon told Billy he is still hoping it is DCIS. I am hoping that as well. If it is then I am done with treatment. If it isn't there will be a decision to make about whether or not to have radiation therapy. I am leaning towards not, but I won't commit to any decision until I have the pathology report. They said that would be Monday, but it could happen today (Friday).
I am taking it easy- something I have no trouble doing. Aura was here until this morning and Billy and Hannah will be here until June 13th. I am happily being waited on. It feels like a vacation to have others prepare my food, wash the dishes, feed the animals, water the plants. It is nice to have willing caretakers. I am truly blessed.
The surgical experience wasn't bad at all. Really. I talked with a good friend who is an anesthetist and got the skinny on what to request. I had the drug that killed Michael Jackson. It didn't require intubation, I didn't feel any nausea when I came out of it, and suffered no after effects from it that I can tell. I took a 3 hour nap in the afternoon but that could be from not sleeping much at all the night before. I have taken hydrocodone proactively so I haven't had a lot of pain. I showered today and saw the incision for the first time. It doesn't look too terribly bad- probably because I have had ice on it continuously since surgery. I bruised more after the biopsy and also had a large hematoma- probably because I didn't continuously ice after that procedure.
Now I am just waiting for the path report. The surgeon told Billy he is still hoping it is DCIS. I am hoping that as well. If it is then I am done with treatment. If it isn't there will be a decision to make about whether or not to have radiation therapy. I am leaning towards not, but I won't commit to any decision until I have the pathology report. They said that would be Monday, but it could happen today (Friday).
I am taking it easy- something I have no trouble doing. Aura was here until this morning and Billy and Hannah will be here until June 13th. I am happily being waited on. It feels like a vacation to have others prepare my food, wash the dishes, feed the animals, water the plants. It is nice to have willing caretakers. I am truly blessed.
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