Waiting for appt.

Skeezie said:

Good Morning Jean,
I only gave you a shortened version of my journey...here is a longer one. First, I don't believe in any other type of biopsy other than the surgical one which is also a lumpectomy. Right from the start I know what type, what stage and grade the tumor is and if I'm lucky they get clean margins and then I can go on to rads, chemo or if I'm lucky, it's benign! This time it was bc. My surgeon did not get a clean margin on one side so he did a re-exisional biopsy (going back in and taking a lot more tissue from the first surgical area)because it was dx as invasive ductal carcenoma we also did a Sentinel Node Biopsy at that time. Clear nodes, but still one side still had cancer cells too close for comfort. Also, they found tiny little carcenoma insitus as well. As soon as I heard that I said I wanted a mastectomy. He said I had enough breast tissue to go a third time but all I could think was maybe my entire breast was full of cancer cells. I couldn't believe my own voice in my ears as I was saying "Mastectomy". I had a single "simple" mastectomy which means they only take brest tissue and nothing else. The pathology report came back NO CANCER CELLS IN BREAST TISSUE! So I only had chemo and no rads.

I know many here have a million types of tests before the surgical biopsy and I can't see myself going thru all of that misery and still not have the whole complete picture. I'm a whimp and want things done as easy as possible and while I'm under IV sedation or gen'l anesthesia.

I, personally, would not be content with a dx from just an MRI. Go in there and physically biopsy what ever it is is my motto. But that is me, my opinion only for me. When starting all of this, you don't think you could possibly face a mastectomy, but after reading lots from the websites (I like www.mayoclinic.com) and I knew I didn't want to think about more cancer cells in there and I chose mastectomy. Me, my decision. I didn't ask any surgeon or onc their opinion. But they didn't disagree with me. Surprisingly, the mastectomy was not as bad as I thought it would be. The drain was the worst part. I really didn't need pain meds. I also did not have resconstruction, enough surgery already, again for me. I have a fake boob, and I am just fine with it. No one can tell.

I would have pm'd all of this to you Jean, but I'm not sure how to do it so just wrote it all down hear. I can and do answer your pm's but figured this was ok.

The surgeon will already be doing a lumpectomy and Sentinel Node Biopsy, why not have him check out the additional lump so you'll know for sure? You'll already be under anesthetic, and then you'll have peace of mind one way or the other. If you leave it in you'll be worried to death what if? And because you can't have an MRI that's probably the only way. Why waste time on additional tests when they are already doing a lumpectomy?

Keep us posted on your appts and progress and pm me anytime you like.

Hugs, Judy :-)