First, you are NOT alone..we can support/help you the whole journey
Second, I do not do Facebook and I check this site often so talk to me anytime
Get this, I had a negative mammogram and 7 mos later, had 2 malignant lumps in the left breast!...I actually found mine through a breast self-exam (pain behind my breast)...the shocker is I had NO risk factors (family genes, smoking, no estrogen replacement therapy)...so talk about surprised!!...one was in situ and the bigger one (2.5cm) was invasive...by the time I started treatment, it had grown to 5cm!...
But I am doing great 4 years from diagnosis and there is every chance/hope you will be too!....Breast cancer treatment has grown significantly in just the last few years so we are lucky in that way
I agree with everything Debbie said above...treatment plans vary depending on the doctors and the type of cancer you have...I was estrogen/progesterone/HER2 positive (called triple positive)...luckily, it is one of the easiest to treat
All I can say about surgery is, lumpectomies seem to be more the trend over masts..I had a lump, definitely alot easier and was done as an outpatient..my surgeon did chemo first to shrink the tumor so I could have just a lump...
I had chemo/surgery/radiation...for me it was all doable...every case/person is different and but millions of women have survived their cancer so stay positive
After you get more info, feel free to come back to this site anytime to ask us any specific questions...my last tidbit of advice is: don't be afraid to get 2nd and 3rd opinions..I also was treated through a breast wellness canter where the surgeon/oncologist/oncology radiologist all worked together...if you have access to such a group, you might like that...they did everything (appts, etc)
Find a local support group too...my family/friends didn't want to talk about it with me (that's OK, they were scared, understandable)...talking with other cancer survivors helped me the most
Lastly, I bought a dry erase board and placed it on the wall next to my front door...you will be busy with alot of dr appts/treatments/tests for awhile...was the only way I could keep up with them all!
Don't look ahead or the big picture...it's too overwhelming to absorb...just take it one day at a time, and before you know it, you'll be on the other side happy and healthy again! Return here anytime...we're here for you!
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