Just a quick update -
I had my double mastectomy on Jan 4th. It was successful and relatively uneventful, but a lot more painful than I expected. I am still recovering and sleeping in a recliner, but I'm slowly but surely healing. My final pathology report came back with no surprises - two spots of cancer on the left and none (but lots of cysts) on the right and most importantly, no spread to the lymph nodes, so I believe the stage/grade are still at 1/1a.
Now the focus is on healing. Even with plastic surgery involved, the wounds are brutal at the moment. Not going to lie, seeing those incisions was tougher than I expected, mainly because they look so much worse than I expected, but both my follow-up appointments yesterday said everything looked "normal" for this stage of recovery/reconstruction. I'm a work in progress for the next 3-6 months.
I still have one major hurdle to jump - an Oncotype genomic test that will determine whether I would receive any benefit from chemo to ward off recurrence. Initially, it looked like only endocrine therapy (Tamoxifen or something similar) would be needed, but now this test is looming and we wait to see. Hopefully, that will come back in about 2 weeks.
Thanks for all the kind words of encouragement and support as well as the prayers - they have been much appreciated!
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It's been a while since I've posted anything - life and two active teenagers have kept me very busy, but not busy enough to neglect my yearly mammogram. Last November, I had my mammogram and it came back with "microcalcifications" on the left side and I had to go back in for a second look. Everything was deemed to be ok, but there was a note at the bottom of the patient letter with my results that stated that I had dense breast tissue and that further screening with an MRI or ultrasound might be useful. I've seen that statement before, but because the microcalcifications were new, it stood out to me and so I mentioned that I was interested in having a screening MRI done to my PCP. He assumed I meant in place of the mammogram the following year, and I didn't really argue because I'd just had two mammograms three weeks apart with the all-clear. So I waited until this fall and asked about the MRI screening. The doctor ordered it and the breast center called to schedule me a month before I was due for my screening. A little tip - apparently if you qualify for additional screening, you do not have to wait the full year in between - I wish I had known this and I hope this helps someone!
Anyhow, long story a bit shorter, I had the MRI and it came back with suspicious findings which then had to be checked and biopsied with ultrasound guidance. That came back with two small spots of cancer (invasive ductal carcinoma) on the left and a still undetermined spot on the right. So off to the surgeon oncologist I went the very next day after my biopsy results (which happened to come in just a couple of hours before my daughter's senior picture session!) IDC stage 1, grade 1 ER+, PR+ Her2-
I had another MRI with biopsies on both sides (not a fun process at all) and it appears that we caught the cancer early and it is not super aggressive, but given the strong family history (mom and grandmom) of breast cancer and dense breasts, I had a much higher risk of breast cancer so I have opted for a double mastectomy with immediate reconstruction, which will be done on Jan 4. I don't think I will need chemo or radiation, but will likely have to be on Tamoxifen or some other type of anti-hormonal treatment for 5-10 years.
I say all this for a couple of reasons:
1. I know there are others here who have dealt with breast cancer/mastectomy before. I am open to any and all tips you might have.
2. I also hope that my story will encourage/remind others to get their annual mammogram and if you have higher risk factors (family history, genetic mutations, dense breasts) - don't hesitate to push for all your testing/screening options. Don't ignore any gut feeling that something isn't right. Push for answers. My cancer still does not show on a mammogram. The MRI most definitely caught this early enough that I have an excellent prognosis. The only reason we caught it early was my insistence that I have additional screening. My doctor said he had never ordered an MRI screening for breasts before. I was his test patient. I hope he learns from my experience as well.
Christina