If there was a grade to be earned for surgical outcomes, I would have gotten an A+. As suspected, the meticulousness of the radiologist setting the guidewires made it super simple for my surgeon to go in and get all the cancer and leave the area removed with clear margins (cancer-free). In addition, the node biopsy they did came out negative for cancer as well. Both excellent – best case scenarios! 🙂 I am sincerely happy and blessed by the outcome.
Dr. Forster did have to remove more tissue than she expected. The incision isn’t small by any stretch. And because of this, well, once the swelling is gone, I will be left a little lopsided. Follow that up with some radiation, which also causes shrinkage and my left boob may be as much as a cup size smaller than my right. Whatever — if it bothers me in six months or is a problem when it comes to fitting bras, I can opt for reconstruction at that time. I am thankful that for now that is the worst of my problems.
We are still awaiting final lab results on the pathology of my cancer. We already know I’m estrogen negative, which means estogen didn’t fuel my cancer. If I am also Progesterone and HER2 negative, they have a name for that category — Triple Negative. It’s the one time when a negative is not a positive. With this diagnosis, it would require a few doses of chemo before I can start radiation. Mainly because without a straight determination of what caused or fed the cancer, they would want to make sure no cells got free and are roaming my body waiting to implant someone else where they will grow quicly without the aid of hormones. Chemo would course through my body killing most things, including any free-roaming cancer. Not that I wish for chemo, but put like that I’m thinking why wouldn’t we do chemo…just in case…
My doc is putting my case before the larger tumor board at CMC. It’s a board of about 40 docs who specialize in one way or another with cancer. Because I’m borderline and may be triple negative, she wants their opinions as well on how to proceed. That gives me peace of mind. My surgeon is thorough if anything and I as the patient appreciates that more than I can express.
So, overall – good news — great news even. A sigh of relief for sure. Just one more hurdle and we can get on to phase II – follow up treatment and the sooner we can do that, the sooner I can put this behind me. Amen!
Shrinking Shay 