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Will be delays, have cancer...

I know this is off topic, but as I usually respond a lot as CL so I wanted to let people know what is going on... I just found out that I have bilateral breast cancer. Lucky for me they are both small but both are idc (invasive type cancer) and since they are bilateral I have to get more testing before surgery just to make sure there is nothing anywhere else.  I have not been feeling well for a while and developed a recent lung thing, shortness of breath and asthma too.
Hopefully all will go well, I should be able to pop in and out, and by the beginning of the year I should be back to another new normal. At this rate I will have few body parts left...
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Avatar universal
Hey my friend Rumpled!  I've wondered how you are... you op is likely over now, all the holiday stuff, and you should be getting news soon about chemo or no chemo and all the rest.  I hope you are not in too much pain still, so ask for meds if you need them.  I hope you are also beginning to heal pretty good... I recall the whole thing took almost a month.  I was so glad to get it over with.  I wish you well, and whenever you are drawn back into this wonderful Disneyworld of computerland, I'd enjoy hearing of your experience, how your adrenal situation is doing... I had read somewhere that the meds for that should be increased when you go thru a big deal health-wise, but your doc will know.  Love ya, girl!  All the best, Gail
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Avatar universal
No I am getting a double mastectomy. Since I have cancer on both sides and the locations are kinda off kilter, and given my poor health... Mastectomy was given as a better choice to avoid radiation. The lumpectomy would have meant more surgeries for reconstruction. I am trying to avoid that.
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Rumpled, so I take it you won't be having reconstruction?  If so, then what I suggested about the doc taking care with your scars applies, and if they DO have reconstruction, my advice on THAT applies.  Gosh, that sounds SO mixed up!  I wish you well, dear heart, keep us posted if you can!  Gail
Avatar universal
Rumpled, you are such a sweet person!  I had totally forgotten about needing to put the drains somewhere, don't recall what I did.  That website I gave you before will have answers to lots of your specific questions, I think it was breastcancer.org  

It sort of sounds like they'll do a lumpectomy maybe, in which case scars don't matter much... I mean, I don't think they'll have to take your boobs off, unless they said so.  But reconstruction, sometimes I wish I had done it, so if they DO take off your boobs, that's good.  If they don't take them off, you can get better support for yourself to ease your back pain.  God speed!!!  Gail  P.S. Chemo is difficult, but it goes by fast and you do manage to get some good days along the way, so hang in even tho you won't want to towards the end. If you are really hurting and uncomfortable, tell your doc or the nurse who does your chemo, and they'll give you meds.
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Rumpled, oh my... its been a while since I've been on here but I saw your recent post and will continue to pray for you and all of us who suffer from these various health issues...I have been well for the most part over the past few months. Again best to you!!!
Avatar universal
Good tips! Thanks! I am allergic to tape to I have stocked up on items and got special shirts to hold the drains (pockets on the inside). I have gauze pads but maybe I need more. I also read people use small diapers too! Lol.

My tumors are small, 7, 8 and 23mm.  I know I will lose some nodes, testing will determine how many, then chemo yes or no... Ugh so many unknowns.

I think they only plan to keep me in 5 days or so... May be in longer if the steroids dictate or I get an infection or whatever... I am not the best healer.

I want smaller boobs heck with the ones I have. The Cushing's made these puppies way too large. Cure my back pain too.
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Avatar universal
Hey Rumpled!
Oh, thank you SO MUCH for coming back here.  Mid-December, eh?  Well, I can tell you that getting surgery first is an excellent sign!  My main tumor was about the size of a baseball... at least that's how it looked on the big screen computers at the cancer center I went to.  So, they chose to use chemo to reduce its size first.  I was so mad for the delayed surgery, cuz I wanted that thing OUTTA there.

Ask your doc to take some extra care in making your skin smooth around the scar... unless you're going for reconstruction, in which case you should ask that he make your "new" boobs similar in size and evenly positioned with each other.  Somehow MAKE him remember this.  Me, my scar was rather weird, and could be that's the best they could do, I'll never know since I didn't ask my surgeon.  I was overly worried, tho, because now, five years later, I could care less about my scar!  Ha!

You know, it's funny you mention it, but I was VERY tired also before my treatments began.  I think any close call with cancer does that to a person. It scared me when I first thought I had something wrong, and I simply could not look down that road of endings... yours sounds very much on the positive side of things, however!

Oh, and when they bring you to your room after surgery, do NOT respond to the people who are rolling you there to "scoot yourself over to your bed."  Instead, you tell them, "No, YOU GUYS move ME.  I had a friend whose tubes were pulled loose when she FELL into the bed after trying to move herself over.  I've just had breast surgery and I have no strength in my upper body whatsoever, and besides I'm all drugged up."  You know, take your choice with what you want to respond with.  They will probably move you automatically anyway, which they SHOULD do,

And you said you were getting organized... get you some boxes of gauze squares, and get several rolls of white tape... a wide kind if you can.  They'll bandage you up really well, but you have to change that stuff now and then if they drain and stain through their bandaging when you finally get home.  You can use Neosporin type ointment to dab on your scars with a wad of dampened tissue.  We have a very good hospital, and they bandaged me all up when I was to leave, and then they wrapped a large, beige & stretchy material around the whole op site... I re-used that thing, threw it in the laundry and as soon as it came out of the dryer, I snugged it right back on.

It takes about a week to sort of know what in the world is going on around you!  And they let me out before that.  I can't remember when I had my stitches out or if they were dissolvable.  But anyhow, you'll feel a little better just in time to come home for Xmas Eve, if you plan to celebrate it.  They should give  you adequate pain pills, because it does kind of sting, any incision is going to be uncomfortable.

SORRY, I went on too long, Rumpled!  But these things just came to me, as I recalled my own surgery, and stuff I wish I had known.  Let us hope the surgery will do the trick.  Oh, and if anyone asks if you would like to participate in "lymphedema" classes or meetings, DO go.  Depending on how many lymph nodes they remove, you'll need to almost daily do a special rubbing of the lymph vessels, or you'll wind up with swollen arms.  In fact, here it is five years later, and my arm is swollen, because I spent last summer in the hospital (adrenal problems) and didn't do my rubs.  I can get it almost down, and then I goof up since it's been so long ago that I did those massages.  SIGH.  The gift that keeps on giving!  Love ya, girl.  Gail  
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Avatar universal
I just recently got my surgery date, December 14. Lots of scans and tests. No mets from the scans but chemo not ruled out until after surgery. They know about my history and checked everything so it looks like it is just breasts... Just super tired and trying to get organized.
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Avatar universal
RUMPLED !!!  WHERE ARE YOU ???
I see where you've posted in reply to some other posts, so I know you're THERE, perhaps in a hovel down an alley in a cardboard box???  HAHAHA!  

Dear one, we who know you are wondering how are things with the cancer thing, and I guess some don't want to interfere, but I just barge in without invitation and say HELLO, HOW ARE YOU?  Have they set up other tests, and did you ask them about your lungs & thyroid, as I mentioned last month.

Well, when you get a moment, PLEASE tell us where you're at with the cancer, so we will be able to comfort you, make suggestions, and in general be more involved in your situation, if you want us to... I assume you do, since you posted here!  And since I am a five-year breast cancer survivor, I know a few things, so I might be supportive whenever I do manage to come here.
Yours truly, Gail
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9197017 tn?1429016816
Wow, Rumpled, I haven't beeb on this forum for weeks, so I didn't see your post until today.

I hope your medical care is progressing well. If there's any way I can help here in Northern NJ, let me know. If you're looking for a DR who give IV antioxidants, vitamins, and/or minerals.
Rita
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Avatar universal
Hey Rumpled, my friend in need!  Dah'lin, have them check your lungs, too, and run a blood test for your thyroid.  Spreading to lungs is not uncommon, and with your asthma-type symptoms, testing would be a good idea.  My nephew had bone cancer in his femur and it went to his lungs, he had two or three ops on his lungs alone!

I don't know if you've been thru cancer b4, but there are cancer sites that are just great where women can share, like breastcancer.org, I believe was the one I used several years ago when I had it.  I CAN tell you one thing of comfort, the whole thing goes by so quickly, you don't have time to think about how wretched the situation really is!  

Chemo will take a lot out of you, but eventually you will return to something close to normal, except when they take out the lymph nodes, you have to keep up with rubbing you arms towards the lymph system that runs across the collar bones (above & below) and then straight down the middle of your body.  I still get lymphedema (arm swelling) once in awhile if I forget those motions even for a few days.

it is a very good thing your tumors are small... could be they can get away with lumpectomy if they're REALLY small... otherwise you'll just wind up right back in the hospital.  The scar from a modified radical mastectomy (the standard removal of a breast) is just not gonna look right ever. I was SO annoyed, but also glad to get it over with.

Hon, if you need to know anything specific, please ask me, I still come here on an irregular basis, but I'd be happy to comfort you and tell you any info you might not know.  I don't know why it is, but some of us just go thru endless battles with our health for a few years, and then finally it all goes away (yah, nothing left!!! ha!).  Always yours, Gail
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Avatar universal
Hi rumpled!

I just read your post and am so sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I will definitely keep you in my thoughts and prayers! Stay strong!
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Avatar universal
Hi there rumpled. Thinking of you, hope you get through this ok. Good to let us know how you are. Keep positive .
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