Saddened Over Mastectomy
By Graceekwenx
@Graceekwenx (3160)
Philippines
January 24, 2012 7:26am CST
As some of you may know, my sister has cancer. She underwent mastectomy 3 weeks ago. This monday, we have learned that out of 21 lymph nodes taken from her, 3 were infected with tumor cells. Even with this minimal count, she was required to undergo chemotherapy for 6 sessions. Anyway, what saddened my sister was that she felt she had been too much in a hurry to have undergone mastectomy only to find out that initial specimen (when she had excision biopsy) were the only portions that are positive of cancer and nowhere else in her mammary glands even in the aureolar ducts. I told her not to be dismayed with the mastectomy because as the surgeon do not want to risk leaving a single tumor cell behind. The tricky part of tumor cells is that you do not know where they are located or where else they have spread. Even so, she wished that the surgical procedure has been a little more conservative. She still wished that her right br"ast is still intact... Just the same, it is no use crying over spilled milk because the surgery has been done and that we are now looking forward to chemotherapy.
I dont know what else to say to her. I only know that doctors decide which is better for the patient. One cannot be hasty enough to treat cancer. I told her not to fuss over the lost boobie because we can look for a prosthetic boobie in Manila. I may kid around on her on that but she still wished she has hers. I dont know what else to say to her... With cancer, we dont want to take any chances.
1 person likes this
3 responses
@tatzkie23 (770)
• Philippines
25 Jan 12
hi grace,
I'm sorry to hear about your sister. Cancer cells, is a crazy cell, as you said, you will not know if that cancer cell was already spread in your sisters lymph nodes to brea'st. 21 lymph nodes was removed plus one brea'st to make sure that no other cancer cells spread to this area, specially if this is really active. I think that it is necessary.
I know how your sister's feeling right now, I may not have lose my boobie, but i know how depressing is that. As you said, she can buy a new prosthetic boobie. i hope that she'll be able to survive this. I know she will. ![](/Content/images/emotes/happy.gif)
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@Wizzywig (7847)
•
24 Jan 12
I can understand your friends deep sadness. She has been through a traumatic experience and, though she will be very grateful to be free of the cancer, she will go through many emotions of loss, anger, feeling of injustice etc from such surgery & its results. If she had gone for more conservative surgery, she would probably have needed radiotherapy, which, though not really painful or difficult would quite likely have caused a degree of shrinkage - which, added to the tissue lost by surgery could still have resulted in a significant inequality of size. We, all of us, have to make decisions and weigh up pros & cons and we will often question the wisdom of our choice - especially when the deed is done. I wish her strength & courage to deal with this difficult experience ![](/Content/images/emotes/hugs.gif)
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@marguicha (219877)
• Chile
24 Jan 12
If the doctor decided on surgery and chemo, it is because he was sure that was the procedure inhtat case. I have two counsin that have had cancer. They went to the same doctor. They both had radiation and minor surgery years ago. One of them had a relapse and had to have chemo AND mastectomy. Besides that, as it is the second time, remission could be for a lesser time. It is better to fight with all weapons if the doctor decides that is the way.
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