The tumor she removed was approx 2.4 x 1.8 x 1.3 cm and she got at least 1mm margins all the way around it. The best news is that only 20% of that tumor still had active cancer cells which means the chemo had killed 80% of it already. This was fabulous news because hormonal cancers like mine don’t typically respond that well to chemotherapy!
So, on to the lymph node dissection....Dr Wagner knew she was probably going to be taking 1-3 nodes based on my prior MRI and their proximity to the tumor. But once she started working on the main tumor and saw how embedded in the muscle it was she realized it was likely a lymph node that had been missed from my previous surgery in 2012. She knew then she had to remove as many lymph nodes as possible and ended up taking 13 of them, getting up into my level ll axillary nodes. (There are 3 levels of axillary lymph nodes-most of my level l were removed with my first surgery in 2012-but not enough) As I mentioned in an earlier post, of the 13 she removed 2 were cancerous. They showed zero response to the chemo and the largest one was 8mm (just under a centimeter) and considered a macrometastasis due to its size. My concern with these two nodes and them showing no chemo response was that they would be considered metastatic disease. However, preventing that was Dr Wagner’s goal and why she took so many lymph nodes and why the next step of radiation is a must. Hormonal cancers like mine -95% Estrogen positive-are slow growing, hence the likelihood this recurrence was a missed lymph node and took so long to be big enough to be palpable. So at this point it doesn’t appear I will need to do any additional chemo, and my original staging has not changed (woo-hoo!) my bigger concern will be dealing with lymphedema.
Radiation Therapy is next, and as long as my drain gets pulled before next Thursday, I’m scheduled for my education and simulation that day. Treatments will be every day for 5-6 weeks, though there is a chance I will qualify for a study of hyperfractionated radiation which would reduce it to 4 weeks.
In the meantime I’m resting and trying to keep from doing too much so I can keep my drainage output to a minimum and get this damn thing pulled soon. And I’ve binge watched so much Netflix and Prime and on Demand that I’m sick and tired of the TV-though if you want some recommendations I’d have to go with ‘YOU’ and ‘Abducted in Plain Sight’ on Netflix for sure...and I’m a true crime buff so I’ve watched a ton of Datelines and a great recent one is ‘Reckless’ dealing with a young mans suicide and his girlfriend being charged with involuntary manslaughter...controversial yes-but good.
And I did just get Brian to watch Tidying Up with Marie Kondo and we’re ready to spark some joy up in here!
More than anything I’m ready to be done with this cancer crap and almost cried when we left the office today and I didn’t get to have my drain pulled. It was definitely not a crying situation, and the tears are more out of frustration of just having to do any of this from a damn missed lymph node from 7 years ago. Any and everything I want to do this spring is on hold for radiation and appointments and it just pisses me off. Don’t get me wrong-I’m grateful and happy to be alive and here to fight, but there are many days the smile on my face is forced and the fight gets tougher and tougher. And it’s the help and support from my family and friends that gets me through. That may sound trite, but the texts, cards and dinners and care packages and love from all of you really do keep me going. That and if anything I share from my experience can help even one woman, then I know the fight has been worth it.
So thank you all for everything you have done for our family.
Fingers crossed this last drain comes out end of the week or early next week!
The following are some pics from my surgical site-before the dressing was removed and how nicely my scar looks today. It’s definitely bigger than I expected but man does it look pretty and smooth.
Sorry for the graphic nature-but cancer ain’t pretty...
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