Not-so-good news from the surgeon

Well, I am very sad to say that the surgeon dropped another bomb on me at the follow-up appointment. He was unable to get "clear margins" with the large amount of tissue he cut out of me last week. He ended up cutting out 2 sections and all were full of cancer to the margins (he cut out up to 9 cm in some areas). If he cuts out any more, I won't have much of anything left...and he will not be able to guarantee he gets it all anyway. Oh, and it is all high-grade cancer cells (meaning they are more aggressive and are least like normal breast cells).

I think the only "good" news from the Pathology Report was that only 3 of the 20 Lymph Nodes removed showed signs of cancer cells...

Unfortunately, I am going to have to have a simple mastectomy. And because I have absolutely NO FAITH in any of my imaging studies done up until now (Ultrasound and MRI)--mostly because the MRI missed that most of my left breast tissue is full of early cancer; I have opted to have BOTH of my breasts removed. I suppose I just have a "gut feeling" that they are going to find cancer in my right breast too...something that is so early that it isn't showing up, and that by the time it does show up it will be so pervasive...well, I am sure you get the gist.

I have to say that this scares me for other people...the cells that are present throughout my left breast are aggressive, ugly little critters that somehow evaded detection by our current technology. I am certainly GLAD that I know they are there...but the only way we knew this was by cutting out chunks of me and looking under a microscope...what if there is other stuff elsewhere that will evade detection for some time? Scary shit!!!
I certainly am very unhappy about having to do the bilateral mastectomy. Actually, it breaks my heart to do it, but I know it is the right thing for me.

Surgeon's guess (Staging without PET/Bone Scan info): Stage IIIa Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, High Grade, HER2+

Next steps:

Having Moffitt Cancer Center do a 2nd opinion on the Pathology Slides (just to be double-sure...I don't doubt the pathology report, I just want a second set of "eyes.") My surgeon's office is already making sure this gets done prior to next Wednesday.

Double Mastectomy with Sentinel Lymph Node biopsy on the Right Breast is scheduled for Wednesday at 7:30 AM. Doing this at Tampa General Hospital. This will require an overnight hospital stay...my Mom is coming in for this one.

PET Scan and Bone Scan will be scheduled as soon as I am a bit healed from the Mastectomy. Although I am scared shitless it will miss something important, it is the best thing we have at this point to make sure I am being fully treated for anything I may have elsewhere. This will give us the "final" info (for now) on the Stage of cancer.

Chemo and Radiation: Chemo will begin after some healing from mastectomy. Possibly 3 months of high density traditional drugs with 1 year of the Herceptin (or similar) treatment for HER2+ status. Radiation: 6 weeks of daily after the Chemo.

My sis, Becky, just left to go back to Dallas. I will miss having her here! My mom is coming in Tuesday. I am heading in to work a bit today, Monday and Tuesday.