Post Surgery and Cancer Diagnosis

The days that followed my surgery I was never in any major pain.  I stayed on top of the pain medications and did what the doctor's told me to do, rest but try to get up and walk as much as I felt comfortable.  I can't lift my arms or pick up anything over ten pounds.

For five days after surgery I had brought some books to the hospital to read but I could not see or read anything up close.  I thought I would have to get bifocals because my friends and family would shoot me text messages and emails and I could not read or respond to any of them.  The doctors said anesthesia does have short term effects on eye sight. 

My only complaint is my right arm and hand.  Dr. Grange did say it was difficult putting in my chemo port because I am so small and don't have much meat on my bones.  Either the swelling or the port itself is sitting on a nerve which makes my index and middle finger completely numb.  It wouldn't be a major issue but it is on my right hand.  I can't physically write anything.  I have been wanting to write thank you notes for a week now but I physically can not do it.  Steve left me for an hour one day to go grab a sandwich.  I thought I could handle Olivia's lunch a simple peanut butter and jelly sandwich but the jelly jar was brand new and I could not open it.  I can't do my hair or make up, use a fork or cut up fruit.  It is so frustrating!  Dr. Grange wanted to see if it was the swelling that was pushing on the nerve but I know it is not the swelling because it is getting worse.  I couldn't sleep at all last night because any which way I put my arm a sharp pain shoots up to my fingers.  Other then that my all my drains were taken out a week after the surgery and my body is healing quickly so they moved my chemo date up to start May 5th.

Steve and I met with Dr. Grange this past Thursday to get the results from the pathology report.  This will finally give me my stage of cancer.  I learned through this process women have 30 lymph nodes each on the right and left side of their breasts.  Lymph nodes are small bean-shaped parts of the lymphatic system that drains fluid outside blood vessels which is called lymph.

Lymph nodes produce immune cells to help fight infection. They also filter the lymph fluid and remove foreign material, such as bacteria or cancer. Common areas where lymph nodes can be felt include the armpit, behind the ears, and sides of the neck.

When breast cancer spreads, lymph nodes in and around the armpit are some of the first places it travels, and surgeons often remove some of these nodes to determine whether the cancer has spread.

Dr. Grange removed 27 of the 30 lymph nodes and all 27 tested positive for cancer.  My tumor a month ago when I met with my OB GYN Dr. Dan Kirsch was 3-4 cm in my left breast. In one month it grew to 6 1/2 cm.  That is huge tumor!  Dr. Grange tested the tissue on my right breast and said she found the beginnings of cancerous tumors on my right breast.  If you are diagnosed with breast cancer at a young age cancer is much more aggressive.  If I had gone through with the second opinion I was seeking at the time it could have been an extra two weeks and I could have been at stage IV.  I am so glad I went with my instincts this time.  I stopped my second opinion early because I just knew I didn't have much time based on my first opinion.

To get the stage this is the chart they go by:  If you scroll all the way down to IIIC this is my stage and diagnosis.

Stage 0
Stage 0 is used to describe non-invasive breast cancers, such as DCIS and LCIS. In stage 0, there is no evidence of cancer cells or non-cancerous abnormal cells breaking out of the part of the breast in which they started, or of getting through to or invading neighboring normal tissue.

Stage I
-Stage I describes invasive breast cancer (cancer cells are breaking through to or invading neighboring normal tissue) in which:
-the tumor measures up to 2 centimeters, AND
-no lymph nodes are involved

Stage II
Stage II is divided into subcategories known as IIA and IIB.
Stage IIA describes invasive breast cancer in which:
-no tumor can be found in the breast, but cancer cells are found in the axillary lymph nodes (the lymph nodes under the arm), OR
-the tumor measures 2 centimeters or less and has spread to the axillary lymph nodes, OR
-the tumor is larger than 2 centimeters but not larger than 5 centimeters and has not spread to the axillary lymph nodes

Stage IIB describes invasive breast cancer in which:
-the tumor is larger than 2 but no larger than 5 centimeters and has spread to the axillary lymph nodes, OR
-the tumor is larger than 5 centimeters but has not spread to the axillary lymph nodes

Stage III
Stage III is divided into subcategories known as IIIA, IIIB, and IIIC.
Stage IIIA describes invasive breast cancer in which either:
-no tumor is found in the breast. Cancer is found in axillary lymph nodes that are clumped together or sticking to other structures, or cancer may have spread to lymph nodes near the breastbone, OR
-the tumor is 5 centimeters or smaller and has spread to axillary lymph nodes that are clumped together or sticking to other structures, OR
-the tumor is larger than 5 centimeters and has spread to axillary lymph nodes that are clumped together or sticking to other structures

Stage IIIB describes invasive breast cancer in which:
-the tumor may be any size and has spread to the chest wall and/or skin of the breast AND
-may have spread to axillary lymph nodes that are clumped together or sticking to other structures, or cancer -may have spread to lymph nodes near the breastbone
-Inflammatory breast cancer is considered at least stage IIIB.

Stage IIIC describes invasive breast cancer in which:  THIS IS MY STAGE
-there may be no sign of cancer in the breast or, if there is a tumor, it may be any size and may have spread to the chest wall and/or the skin of the breast, AND MY CANCER DID NOT SPREAD TO MY CHEST WALL
-the cancer has spread to lymph nodes above or below the collarbone, AND
 MY CANCER DID NOT SPREAD TO MY COLLARBONE
-the cancer may have spread to axillary lymph nodes or to lymph nodes near the breastbone

Stage IV
Stage IV describes invasive breast cancer in which:
the cancer has spread to other organs of the body -- usually the lungs, liver, bone, or brain

"Metastatic at presentation" means that the breast cancer has spread beyond the breast and nearby lymph nodes, even though this is the first diagnosis of breast cancer. The reason for this is that the primary breast cancer was not found when it was only inside the breast. Metastatic cancer is considered stage IV.

After Dr. Grange told me my stage I kept thinking thank God it wasn't stage IV and it did not spread.  It really didn't sink in how serious my condition was until after I got home and did a little research.  I know I am not a statistic but the statistics show 49% of people who are diagnosed with Stage IIIC breast cancer live up to 5 years after they are diagnosed.  I am praying now that the chemotherapy and radiation kills off all the cancer cells that could have been left behind after surgery.  I also pray that after 2012 I never have to hear the words "You have cancer" again! 

I hate cancer more then ever.  It took the life of Hannah a 5 year old girl who passed away Easter morning.  She is in my Auntie Em Prays section.  Two out of three have been killed by cancer since I did the Cancer walk down in Lincoln.  Hannah's story was introduced to me by my friend Kathi.  It makes me angry that her life was cut short.  The other two people Kathi was walking for was her boss Bob who passed away last year from cancer and me.  I don't plan on going any where with out a fight.  I am determined to come out of my situation cancer free and help other women who find themselves battling with breast cancer.

Ladies, Please do your self breast exams  two to three days after your period.  It saved my life and it will save yours!