She took the bandages off and removed a couple stitches from the lumpectomies. The scars are very minimal. I still have drains to remove fluid from the node surgeries.
We reviewed the pathology report. I was quite confused about which biopsy clip was which in the left breast. There are 3 separate lesions. Unfortunately Duke did not take a mammogram of the biopsy clips after the MRI biopsy in July. (They have changed their protocol to remedy this problem.) Looking at mammograms, x-rays, MRIs of soft tissue is not like looking at a engineering drawing. Breasts get distorted during mammograms, surgery samples are somewhat fluid-- it is quite confusing. I understand things a little better now. What I don't understand myself I am confident that my surgeon knows what she is doing.
We decided to try re-excisions on the left side to remove the remnants of the tumor. It will be a slice of tissue roughly a centimeter thick from the top and outside of the lumpectomy site. About 1/4 of this breast was removed during the lumpectomy last week. Some of the tissue that will be removed during the re-excision, had been used to 'fill in' the lumpectomy divot. There is not enough tissue left to rearrange. The left breast will be smaller than the right. And there will be a noticeable divot. I think I will be comfortable with how I look in clothes, which all that reconstruction promises. If this surgery does not successfully remove the cancer, the next step is a mastectomy. We discussed reconstruction options, if I decide later that I am not happy with the cosmetics.
Every breast cancer is unique. There are lots of decisions during treatment. Different women given the same choices may take a different path . This is my decision and I am comfortable with it.
The re-excision is scheduled for next Thursday morning. There are no clips left to locate, so I will skip the dreaded wire placement step. Mine will most likely be the first surgery. I will come home the same day.
No comments:
Post a Comment