Part 32. Blogging For Breast Cancer: What I Thought I Knew
What I thought I knew was that the surgery for the benign condition, the removal of another papilloma, where a tiny, invasive, lobular carcinoma was found, was the end of it.
It wasn’t.
I had a mastectomy. There were complications. The issues were corrected while I was still out. I had a transfusion. I stayed in the hospital for five days. I came home on March 7th and have had a 24/7 aide with me since.
The TUG flap, back of thigh incision to harvest fat for a breast reconstruction, split open. The wound was the size of a baseball. I am on a wound vac to facilitate healing. I carry the machine with me day and night. Visiting nurses are here to attend to me.
And then the pathology report: What popped up on my phone on an app that I refused to read.
I had a TeleHealth meeting with the oncologist: what I didn’t know was that there was a 1.5 mm invasive carcinoma that had never been detected. This was not what I had the first time (DCIS) almost twenty years before. This was a different animal, again a fluke. No genetic link. Mutation, they call it. I was walking around with this for I don’t know how long, but, the pencil-point- sized issue found near the papilloma on December 8th, was the warning: I made the correct decision having the mastectomy for the second time.
I am lucky: based on the tumor score, 13/26, I do not need chemo.
I had a mastectomy, I do not need radiation.
It had not metastasized, nor had it gone into lymph nodes.
Stage 1A.
It will require an estrogen suppressant. It was invasive. It feeds off estrogen. Cells can spread.
I’ve been freaked out for weeks.
Shocked.
Baffled.
The wound vac that is attached to me by a long tube and pumps out the fluid from the leg wound, incidental to the purpose of the surgery, chugs along, noisily. It’s a real pain in the butt — literally, right under it at the very top, back of my leg. And with each mechanical, annoying sound it makes, day and night, if I listen carefully it is saying:
You are lucky.
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WOW!!! It never ends! Sending hugs & prayers.
actually shocked trying to see how you have been.I know you have been thru a private helly,is that ok to say?I could not find out any news about you.I will keep praying andhoping you wont have to have the walking robot!anyway prayers up and I will be so happy when you really feel better.Bless you Susan,really miss you .Love best wishes for you and your family
This is unbelievable. It’s a good thing you are such a strong woman.
When the day comes that you are ready to visit Bob, I will be happy to go with you.
Thanks for update
So glad you are on the better side now
Sending healing prayers
I’m so glad to hear you are on the right side of this now. Continue to heal. I will continue sending positive thoughts to you Susan.
Sis, you continue to be in my 🙏🏽 prayers. You are on the path to recovery. He is with you in this journey! ❤️ love you. Gin
Love you Sweet Sue. Sending best healing vibes. Wishing you a speedy recovery so we can make a play date. XOXOX❤️ your lainie
I’m so glad that you can hear “You are so lucky”. It’s such a positive message. You’ll be left with that at the end of your ordeal.
I send you love, hugs and healing light.
You have been so through so much….thankfully there is some good news in this. May this whole ordeal continue moving into your rear view mirror.
Continuing prayers and sending healing hugs,
245, 3-H
Sue, I must say that U really went through Hell! But now it seems that everything is coming together for you. Let it continue that way!
Love U
Alicia
You made it and that’s great. Maybe one of these days we can carve out some phone time.
Hope that keeping this blog makes you feel better. It certainly teaches me a lot. Sleep well, dear sister
Hi Sue,
So glad that you appear to be on the mend and cancer free. I can’t even begin to imagine what you’ve been through. Get well soon!!
Omg. I’m so glad for you that you had the mastectomy!! May Gaia continue to heal you!! 🙏🏻❤️🙏🏻
What a terrible ordeal. But clearly you are tougher than you know. I am so sorry you’ve had to deal with all these complications.
I am thinking about you and saying your name at synagogue services every week when we pray for the sick. It can’t hurt, who knows.
Wishing you strength.
Wow