Kicking Cancer’s Ass: Surgery Part Deux

It’s been a while since I have posted about my cancer journey. Let’s catch up!

Nearly a month ago now, I had a second surgery. My first lumpectomy did not have ‘clear margins’ - meaning the cancer went all the way to the edge of the chunk they removed from my breast. When that happens, it means there is likely cancer left behind as well. So, I had a re-excision, where they essentially give it another go.

My surgeon went in through the same incision and removed more tissue all around where the lumpectomy was. I was REALLY lucky, surgery was a breeze and I recovered more quickly this time. Switched from the pain meds to Tylenol after just two days and not a lot of discomfort. The area around the incision was still numb from cutting through nerves in the first surgery, so maybe that helped? Who knows, I was just grateful it was not too hard.

After a week - BING! - there was that MyChart notification again with test results. I opened up the website and read the results of the pathology from the re-excision. And I had absolutely no idea what it said. The first time it gave measurements and margins. My biopsy said MALIGNANT at the top. This time, I got helpful information like “Breast tissue with atypical lobular hyperplasia and lobular carcinoma in situ (ALH/LCIS)” and “Focal surgical site change.”

Oh. Really? Super helpful. Thank you.

So I waited for the call to tell me what it meant. And the next day at noon, I called my doctor’s office and had to leave a message. After a couple hours, I had run out to the grocery store and as I packed up my car…the call came. A nurse from my surgeon’s office called me and told me “clear margins!” I did a happy dance in the parking lot of our grocery store. And everyone in my town now thinks I am a weirdo.

So next up, oncology! The cancer is out of my body, now the medical oncologist and radiation oncologist decide what exactly I will do over the next couple of months to try and prevent the cancer from returning. I meet with both on July 15, and hopefully will finally know what else I will be doing.

Most of the last 5 months have felt like I spent them waiting for results, or the next appointment, or a surgery. So here we go again…..waiting for a plan. But I will take waiting, any day as long as I continue to Kick Cancer’s Ass!