I know you’ve been consumed with wanting to know if I had a glass of wine on Thanksgiving. I’m sorry for taking so long to follow up. I hope you haven’t been neglecting important duties in the meantime.
Without further ado, dear Reader, the answer is no. No, I did not.
Cancer gave me all the side effects on Thanksgiving day, including a temperature. As I sat in my chair, wrapped in warm, snuggly blankets trying to calm down my chills, I knew the Pinot Grigio in the fridge would have to wait another day.
Two days later, in fact. Upon which I promptly spit it out. That’s the problem with white wine; it goes bad faster. It just wasn’t in the stars this time.
The worst side effect this week has been the worst stomach ache I’ve experienced. I’ve had it since the start of chemo, but the last two times have been markedly longer. The best way to describe it is Intense, sharp waves of pain. I did get some over the counter suggestions from the doctor’s office today, so I’ll start implementing more pills to my already large daily stash.
Today was a long awaited appointment with my surgeon, Dr. McAuliffe. Like last time, she did an excellent job of explaining things verbally, visually, and by writing them out. She also can no longer feel my tumor! The report from my last scans said that the overall size of the mass was initially 3.5 x 1.5 cm. It has shrunk to 1.3 x 0.8 cm.
She confirmed that breast conservation (vs. mastectomy) is the way to go. There is no change in risk between the two. This method always requires radiation, and with mastectomy, only sometimes.
But why not go with a same day surgery that preserves the breast as opposed to a mastectomy, which has a much more involved recovery, etc?
Dr. McAuliffe said breast conservation (BC) is a great option for me, especially given the genetic results. She said it’s possible the tumor will disappear completely with further chemo. Even if it does, she still needs to go in surgically to sample where it was.
Prior to surgery, I’ll go to radiology and get a marker called a seed. I already have a clip from the biopsy. The seed is also a piece of metal with radioactive iodine that will signal to her so she can find where the tumor was. She will remove any cancer cells and a rim of healthy cells (margin). If no tumor at that point, then it’s all margin. When she removes the tissue, it is x-rayed, and if clean margins, the surgery is done. The removed tissue will be examined more closely after surgery to confirm clean margins. Sometimes, cells extend to the edge of the removed tissue. This requires going back in at another date, called a re-excision. There is a 10% chance that will be needed.
Usually there’s one cut on the breast and one cut under the arm, where she may have to remove lymph nodes. I have always had normal imaging of my underarm lymph nodes, but there’s still a chance there’s cancer there as it’s usually the first place cancer spreads.
During surgery, Dr. McAuliffe will inject a dye, which will go to the sentinel lymph node, and maybe others. She said most people have two nodes that light up (but can have as many as 10). Lighting up with dye means they are upstream from the cancer area and they need to be checked (removed for biopsy). They don’t want to remove more than they need to because of long term side effects
(Like lymphedema, a 5% risk).
Even though it’s outpatient surgery, I’ll need general anesthesia (which I don’t react well to). She explained there’s lots of stuff in the area of the underarm (nerves, vessels, etc) and it can be dangerous if I move, hence the need to knock me out.
So the anesthesia and the restrictions after surgery will be the hardest part, not the surgery itself. Get this – I can’t do any lifting or reaching with my right hand for two weeks after surgery. This includes no repetition, even small movements. Think the mouse and typing – on my keyboard, and phone… Speech recognition may not be an alternative option for me because it always has trouble with my deaf accent.
When will all this be taking place? First I have to finish chemo, and if it gets delayed in any way, I’m to call her office. A week after my last chemo, I have another mammogram and breast ultrasound. A week after, I meet with Dr. McAuliffe again. Four to five weeks after the last chemo will be my surgery, tentatively scheduled for March 28th.
Radiation will begin a month after surgery. Typically it’s daily for 3-6 weeks, but they won’t know my timeline until they get more information from the surgery. So, sadly it looks like I may still be in treatment on my 50th birthday. But the end will be in sight!
8 responses to “Surgery Plan”
So glad that you’ve gotten good news about the tumor’s shrinkage. It sounds as if the treatment has been pretty effective. So happy about that! Sending love and prayers your way3>
Thank you for this update, Lisa. You always explain things so clearly. I’m so sorry you didn’t get to enjoy that glass of wine but glad to hear the good news that your tumor is shrinking!
so happy to hear the signicant reduction in the size of your tumor!!!!! but frankly, i am surprised the doctor is waiting so long to do the surgery.
from my own experiences, i know how incredibly stressful for you this is…and surely, it is on your husband in particular. hope he has his own support network.
i hope when this is over and you are recovered, you & your husband will take a nice, relaxing holiday together…maybe a river boat cruise…and with wine.
of course, times are different. when i had my first breast surgery, age just past my 13th birthday, it was no more than 2weeks after the initial finding. after surgery, i was not allowed to use my left arm for many 6 weeks. the tumor was a benign cyst the size of man’s closed fist.
then when i had my second breast surgery, age 39, it was for both breasts, probably only a month after determination. 65% of left breast removed, 35% of right breast. [both grew back to original size later]. i couldnt use either arms for several weeks.
when i needed to shower or had to dress to go out, someone had to help me.
this time, it turned out i had dozens of benign cysts in both breasts. in those days, they still were not doing minimally invasive surgery. if any cancer, it was only mastectomy. so i told them if they found cancer, to just sew me up cause i didnt want to live without my boobs.
but in both cases, i didnt require chemo or radiation before or after either surgery.
after a couple weeks after the second surgery, i felt well enuf to go out with my boyfriend for dinner. he had come to the hospital every day for 5 days to check in on me. my best girl friend came over & helped me dress. i still had bandages on my breasts. i put clean ones on & decorated them with hearts, etc.
dave came & took me to a steak house. still unable to use my arms, i couldnt even cut my steak..so he did for me. time to go to bed, i convinced dave to stay & he helped me undress. unfortunately, he did not decorating my bandages was funny.. first major breach in our relationship. my “condition” had been very stressful for him.
You went through a lot! I think one reason they’re waiting to have the surgery is to see how effective the chemo is — something that’s important with triple negative.
I am so happy to read that the tumor is shrinking, an indication that the nasty chemo is working, so at least knowing that the ugly side effects will have been worth it. Hoping that moving forward the side effects are lessened and more tolerable. So sorry you have to wait so long to have the surgery, which has to be so stressful. One day at a time, slow and steady wins the race. Sending you healing vibes and lots of hugs❣️❤️❤️
Thank you for this update, Lisa. So glad to hear about the tumor’s shrinkage, which means while this process is slow and unfortunately painful, it is proving to work and the cancer can go f*ck itself! Thinking of you and sending lots of positive and healing vibes your way.
Well Lisa, once more you have done an amazing job of explaining everything that’s happening or could happen. Your generosity in sharing with us has made each of us more aware of all that is involved and the impact that this has and is having on you and the entire family. Your ability to stay so focused yet be the major player in this horrible saga is incredible.
The most brilliant feedback and test results continue to come your way. The tumour has shrunk so much and everything going forward is falling into place. Surgery is scheduled, you have choices that are available to you and you are on course. There is only one time line and that is what you and your doctors will decide. Each case is so individual and your case is what this is all about right here and now.
Stay the course, stay strong and keep moving toward that finish line. We are all thinking about you.
Heather
Hi Lisa ,looks like the tumour is responding really well to the treatment.That is wonderful and you are a brave warrior.Stay strong ,the end truly is in sight .Love ,Joyce