Very confused and I desperately need to make a choice...

debragood1

Marlene_K said:

Thank you ALL!
I was surprised to see all the comments and I thank you very much! The doctor at Fox Chase feels that an immediate reconstruction would complicate my surgery and the healing would take longer. He does do them but does not feel it would be right for me. Unfortunately, I am a smoker and although I'm quitting, I guess it takes longer for a smoker's body to heal.
The local surgeon that has said I could reconstruct immediately is just a 'general' surgeon. We do have a cancer center local but the surgeon I would be dealing with is not an oncologist surgeon. With that said, my decision should be an easy one.

You have all helped me a lot... thanks so much!

With love,

Marlene

Hi Marlene
I went to a seminar before my surgery (at Memorial Sloane Kettering in NYC) and saw a slide show of what happens to smokers with regard to healing. Apparently, Nicotine is a vaso-constrictor so your tissue doesn't get enough blood and doesn't heal and sometime lots of tissue turns black and dies so it is a good Idea to take your surgeon's advice about all this. I also agree that going to the best doctors/hospitals/cancer centers may make a big difference in outcome. Even though my insurance is not "In-network" at my cancer center, I decided that I might as well go there anyway because i won't need money if I'm dead!

I had immediate reconstruction with tissue expanders done with my surgery and now i'm having chemo. I'll have the implant exchange surgery in November and I can't wait for that! Good luck with all of this. Let us know if you need anything. We're all here for you.

Hugs,
Deb

Marlene_K

debragood1 said:

Hi Marlene
I went to a seminar before my surgery (at Memorial Sloane Kettering in NYC) and saw a slide show of what happens to smokers with regard to healing. Apparently, Nicotine is a vaso-constrictor so your tissue doesn't get enough blood and doesn't heal and sometime lots of tissue turns black and dies so it is a good Idea to take your surgeon's advice about all this. I also agree that going to the best doctors/hospitals/cancer centers may make a big difference in outcome. Even though my insurance is not "In-network" at my cancer center, I decided that I might as well go there anyway because i won't need money if I'm dead!

I had immediate reconstruction with tissue expanders done with my surgery and now i'm having chemo. I'll have the implant exchange surgery in November and I can't wait for that! Good luck with all of this. Let us know if you need anything. We're all here for you.

Hugs,
Deb

This site... all of these
This site... all of these wonderful people here... has helped me tremendously. Thank you, Deb, and thank you to all that have been sooo kind as to care enough to write a response!! I took the day off yesterday to finally come to a decision and I've made it. I am scheduled for surgery at Fox Chase on August 27th. I am planning to quit smoking within the next week using Chantex and plan to stay smoke-free. Us smokers never realize the reality of hearing that we've got cancer until we hear it and then it hits you like a brick on the head!

I'm feeling a whole lot better about this journey knowing that all of you are here and are really great supporters and a great inspiration!

Thanks again, Marlene

Marlene_K

Akiss4me said:

Hi Marlene...
Welcome. I thought I would add a little reinforcement to your decision. I am originally from Willingboro, NJ (south central - Burlington County) but I live in Wheeling, WV now. My Uncle went to Chase for his treatment and loved it.
All my Oncology team is 1 1/2 hours away in Pittsburg, but I am having Radiation here in Wheeling. They work very well together as a team. Plus my PCP sees me in between my visits to Pittsburg. It works out to me seeing a specialist once a week. You would think just one of them would invite me on their yatcht....I think I own part of the anchors by now (Ha, ha)!!
Anyway, I wanted a team that I was 100% trusting in their recomendations. Their job was to "fix" me and my job was to do what they tell me. I was not comfortable with a general surgeon here. Maybe if it was my tonsils or appendix, but not my boobies!! The Surgeon I chose is a Surgical Oncologist plus head of Allegheny General Cancer Center. I didn't care if I had to go half way across the country, I was ready to do whatever it took.
Good luck with your decision. I think Chase will take good care of you. Keep us posted and let us know how it goes. -) Pammy

I'd like to hear more of
I'd like to hear more of your story, Pammy. Please PM me if you like. Reading about all of these wonderful ladies that have kicked this monster in the butt is a true inspiration to me. I took the day off yesterday to finally make a decision and I will be having my surgery at Fox Chase on Aug. 27th. I don't have big ones anyway so it won't be THAT dramatic and it's only a year out of my life... the only thing I pray for is that life goes on. So what's a boob, or no hair, in one year of our life if it can give us many more fulfilling years!

Thanks so much for caring enough to write and I would love to hear more of your story.

Marlene

Unknown

outdoorgirl said:

Marlene
you said you met with an oncology team. The thought that came to my mind-at least what I heard from my oncs-is that they wanted their patients to wait on reconstruction usually because they want you to be healthy before you start chemo(which they wanted me to have right after healing from surgery)and immediate reconstruction puts it off...if that makes sense.
It would be nice if you could find a place closer to home-my treatment center is 30 minutes at the most,and that's where I had my surgery done at also.

This comment has been removed by the Moderator

survivorbc09

Marlene_K said:

I'd like to hear more of
I'd like to hear more of your story, Pammy. Please PM me if you like. Reading about all of these wonderful ladies that have kicked this monster in the butt is a true inspiration to me. I took the day off yesterday to finally make a decision and I will be having my surgery at Fox Chase on Aug. 27th. I don't have big ones anyway so it won't be THAT dramatic and it's only a year out of my life... the only thing I pray for is that life goes on. So what's a boob, or no hair, in one year of our life if it can give us many more fulfilling years!

Thanks so much for caring enough to write and I would love to hear more of your story.

Marlene

Glad you are going to Fox
Glad you are going to Fox Chase! I think you made the best choice! Good luck!

Christmas Girl

Marlene_K said:

I'd like to hear more of
I'd like to hear more of your story, Pammy. Please PM me if you like. Reading about all of these wonderful ladies that have kicked this monster in the butt is a true inspiration to me. I took the day off yesterday to finally make a decision and I will be having my surgery at Fox Chase on Aug. 27th. I don't have big ones anyway so it won't be THAT dramatic and it's only a year out of my life... the only thing I pray for is that life goes on. So what's a boob, or no hair, in one year of our life if it can give us many more fulfilling years!

Thanks so much for caring enough to write and I would love to hear more of your story.

Marlene

Marlene...
Glad you've made a very important and difficult decision - good for you! And, great to now have a plan in place. You have to start, in order to finish. Thanks for sharing!

Yes, please be assured - life does go on, Life After Cancer. Last week, I marked my own 6 year anniversary since diagnosis. Always remember that when you're here with us, you are completely surrounded by survivors.

I'll be sincerely hoping for the best possible outcome for you on the 27th - a big day, and a very big step along the road. Know that we'll all be here for and with you.

susie09

survivorbc09 said:

Glad you are going to Fox
Glad you are going to Fox Chase! I think you made the best choice! Good luck!

Marlene
Wishing you good luck!

And, please quit smoking!

Keep us updated on how you do.

We are always here to support and help you.


Hugs to you,


Susie

Marlene_K

Christmas Girl said:

Marlene...
Glad you've made a very important and difficult decision - good for you! And, great to now have a plan in place. You have to start, in order to finish. Thanks for sharing!

Yes, please be assured - life does go on, Life After Cancer. Last week, I marked my own 6 year anniversary since diagnosis. Always remember that when you're here with us, you are completely surrounded by survivors.

I'll be sincerely hoping for the best possible outcome for you on the 27th - a big day, and a very big step along the road. Know that we'll all be here for and with you.

Thank you!
It was very encouraging you read your words, Christmas Girl! I am beginning to get very scared and need all the support and uplifting words I can get. There are some VERY special people on this site and I feel very fortunate that I found it and all of YOU! I can't believe how much you all care and how many posts I received.

Christmas Girl

Marlene_K said:

Thank you!
It was very encouraging you read your words, Christmas Girl! I am beginning to get very scared and need all the support and uplifting words I can get. There are some VERY special people on this site and I feel very fortunate that I found it and all of YOU! I can't believe how much you all care and how many posts I received.

I'm glad...
You're feeling encouraged. Feeling frightened is quite natural. Who the heck wouldn't be?

Visit us often - whenever you need or would like to. We'll be here for you, each step of the way.

survivorbc09

Marlene_K said:

Thank you!
It was very encouraging you read your words, Christmas Girl! I am beginning to get very scared and need all the support and uplifting words I can get. There are some VERY special people on this site and I feel very fortunate that I found it and all of YOU! I can't believe how much you all care and how many posts I received.

You will be fine Marlene.
You will be fine Marlene. Everyone here is a bc survivor and of all people, we understand the fears, concern, everything. Post as often as you want. Someone is always on.

cathlinberreth01

lynn1950 said:

Advice from a doctor you trust
Marlene, So sorry you are here and so glad you rediscovered us. When I was fretting over treatment decisions, I called a doctor I trusted (she had had breast cancer 20 years ago!) and her advice was good. I didn't have the option of nearby treatment; the closest facility is 1 1/2 hours away. She said if there was anything tricky about my cancer, she would recommend me going to a major cancer center (Boston, Seattle, Chicago... where I have family and friends), but since my cancer appeared to be (3a) "run-of-the-mill" - if there is such a thing! , staying in-state was fine.

That said, I'm guessing that the specialists know what they are talking about. I was not a candidate for immediate reconstruction because I had nodal involvement (that wasn't discovered until my sentinel cell biopsy that preceded my bilateral mastectomies) and my cancer required chemo and radiation. It's about 9 months since I completed radiation and I am still on the fence regarding reconstruction.

Is there a way that your surgery could be at Fox Chase, but your chemo be close by, should you choose that path? I had my surgery in Boise (2+ hours away), my chemo in a satellite clinic (1 1/2 hours away) and my rads back in Boise (a long story). While I had rads, the hospital gave me a "scholarship" that paid for my housing and I stayed in Boise doing the week. I never felt far from care as my primary physician was in the loop and the triage nurses were only a phone call away.

Hope this helps. : ) xoxoxoxo Lynn

interesting
I had sentinel node involvement and am having a bilateral mastectomy/immediate reconstruction after completing my chemotherapy. I noticed a few stated you can't have immediate reconstruction with node involvement.

No one said I can't do the immediate reconstruct. What have doctors said for the reason?

The reason I am having immediate reconstruction is because I had previous chestwall radiation and if I want any reconstruction done, it needs to be immediately, because my skin will not want to heal well.

I am having tissue expanders plus latissimus dorsi muscle pulled forward for support.

I am thin and have no extra tissue anywhere to make a breast.

And in regards to the main topic, I drive 4 hr roundtrip weekly for my treatment. A Cancer clinic is more efficient and you have top-quality professionals working on you. No other choice for me....

Kylez

survivorbc09 said:

You will be fine Marlene.
You will be fine Marlene. Everyone here is a bc survivor and of all people, we understand the fears, concern, everything. Post as often as you want. Someone is always on.

Hi Marlene
Keep us updated on you Marlene! Have a good weekend!