Discussions

Hi Everyone,

I am glad there is a place like this to meet other people dealing with Breast Cancer.  My wife was diagnosed recently.  Her first Mammogram led to a biopsy which determined that she had a mass that was stage 0 DCIS cancer.  We tentatively scheduled surgery (lumpectomy) but the doctor wanted her to get a bilateral MRI.  The MRI revealed another mass leading to an ultrasound and MRI guided biopsy.  This deteremined a second stage 0 DCIS mass.  So, now we are planning on a full mastectomy with reconstrcution. 

The surgeon could operate this week at the earliest or next week.  However, we are planning to go to Hawaii for the entire month of July.  If we proceed with the surgery now, my wife would certainly not be able to go on the trip.  The trip to Hawaii is very important to her.  I am willing to forego the trip and take care of matters now.  The timing of the trip cannot really be changed as we are scheduled to house sit for someone there so the dates are based on the dates they will be away.  I spoke briefly with the surgeon who said it would be ok to go and schedule the surgery for the first week in August when we return.  I don't want to do anything to jeopardize my wife's health.  She is very determined to go on the trip and schedule the surgery for our return.  I believe that ultimately it is her decision.  We are seeing two surgeons on monday to discuss matters further.  Just figured I would throw this out to the forum for any suggestions / support.

Thank you for being here,

Steve

 Go to Hawaii!!!!! Enjoy your selves, stage 0, but wht size and grade is she??? grade is what you worry more about, it shows how aggressive the cancer is. But at this point I wouldn't cancel anything...go have fun.

Thank you so much for your reply!  I know it is stage 0.  I spoke with a doctor's office the other day while I was trying to schedule the appointment and since the woman on the phone had access to the records I asked if she could tell me what the pathology report said.,  She said she didn't understand it, but did say that it said stage 0 and something like high grade.  That part had me concerned.  I am not sure about the size.  I know the first spot found was very small.  I will ask all of these questions when we see the two different surgeons on Monday. 

I will keep you posted.

Thanks!

Steve

 Steve, one thing that is very important through all this is for you to get copies of all your pathology reports. Keep a binder with your reports, your research, and any notes from visiting the doctors. Its hard to absorb everything the doctors tell you when you meet with them. If you have the capability, it would also be good to take a voice recorder so you can record your meeting. I found that I was able to understand much more when I was able to take the pathology reports home and look at them at my leisure. I was also able to look up anything on line that I didn't understand.

This is a tough road, you and your wife will get through it. It will be awhile before your wife feels up to making a trip again. So if the doctors say she can go, I'd say absolutely go! A month in Hawaii?! You betcha!

Steve, Three words....GO TO HAWAII...please. I was also initially diagnosed with DCIS Stage O, Grade III.  This journey is one step at a time and we really don't know where we are going until all the surgeries, pathology, etc. etc. are done.  I was diagnosed in June, one test after another after another...I finally ended up having a bilateral mastectomy in November.  Click on my name to see my profile with details. It takes years for the cancer to develop.  We also went on a special trip soon after I was told that I needed a follow-up mammogram. I told them it will have to wait, I have plans.  I will always be thankful that I waited to get that mammogram because that was the beginning of a long journey.  We had a wonderful romantic vacation.  I cherish those memories. Go and enjoy every minute of this trip, especially if your wife feels that it is important to her.  When you get home, you will deal with whatever you need to.  Give her a big hug for me :-)

Geri

Aloha Steve,

Definitley come to Hawaii.  Especially since it's something she really wants to do.  You both are going to have a long road ahead of you.  Where in Hawaii are you going?  I'm from the big Island, Hilo side.

 Go to Hawaii and have a blast!!  My husband and I just found out on Friday that I have breast cancer, i am meeting with the surgoen on monday to see where we go from here, i joined this site and am on line to find out information on this.  So go and have fun.

Hi Steve, your wife is so very lucky to have such a great hubby!  I can tell you that your wife is really really gonna need that trip!! She is going to hve a long road ahead, i wont lie to you.  But with your love and support, and memories of a wonderful month in paradise, she will be able to get thru this.  I took my daughter and her bff to disneyland for a weekend before i started chemo.  Then when i finished chemo, my daughter and i went on a week long cruise to the carribbean.  It really helped having those down times.  I am getting ready for a bilateral mastectomy, and it will be 3 surgeries, so i will have those trips to remember when the going gets tough.  Its great that she was able to catch this early.  I also want to suggest genetic testing.  I found out i have a mutation of the brca2 gene, which raises my risk of reoccurance up to 60%.  We are here for you and your wife.  we cant do this alone, but together we can all get thru this. 

 Hawaii is on!  We will be spending the month of July in Kailua.  We will likely spend the last few days of our trip in Waikiki.  We can't wait to go.  We saw our doctor yesterday and he was comfortable with us scheduling surgery for August 4 (when we return).  Now my wife needs to decide between a full mastectomy and reconstruction on one breast or both.  Any thoughts there?  She will be having a DIEP flap (I think that is the type) where they will take tissue from her abdomen for the reconstruction.  I am feeling a lot better now that we have everything scheduled.  I am grateful for everyone's feedback here.  It certainly helped!!!

Steve

 Hi Steve~

How wonderful a whole month in Hawaii!!!!  I agree with the ladies that your wife as well as yourself should go and enjoy this time!!!  The vacation feeling and memories will be so therapeutic for your wife during her recovery!!!!

The reconstruction of course is a personal choice however weighing in different opinions does allow your wife as well as yourself to hear the choices others have made and decide if it’s also a choice for your situation.

I had a lumpectomy; however in my personal opinion if I was to have had a mastectomy I would choose to have both breasts reconstructed (which is due to my own lumpectomy experience).  Due to radiation my treated breast is still bigger, hard and different looking than the non cancerous breast.  I am told that eventually all will abate and my breast will return to its natural state.  However in the meantime I have one perkier boob than the other.  Being swollen and firm makes the breast look more like it did when I was younger.   

So in my personal opinion I would take into consideration the affects that aging has on breasts and having one reconstructed perky boob and one aged drooping boob….when you can have 2 reconstructed perky boobs with no sign of aging!

Best wishes to you both!!!

Have a great time in Hawaii!!!!

Today is Aug 5th so I assume your wife had her surgery yesterday? If so hope she is doing ok. Let us know when you can.