Sending good thoughts your way!
I think you all are doing the right thing by going to the cancer center. A biopsy couldn’t hurt (and it’s really not that bad) and will save you months of uncertainty. Of course you want to know now. I had two lumpectomies many years ago and I’m still kicking; cancer isn’t the boogey man it used to be. (If that’s what it is.) The worst thing to do is to do nothing and you all are taking action, which is great! All good thoughts coming your way.
My wife was able to get an appointment for next Wednesday at the cancer center. I’ll update after that.
I feel a little better about things.
Sending hopeful thoughts your way, you two.
Breastcancer.org site has a wealth of the latest information and a forum of helpful women who have been there and are willing to share if she’s interested.
She went up to the Cancer Center today and had a third opinion. The doctor there said that he thinks its between a 5 to 10% chance of being malignant and wants her to go back on Monday for a followup ultrasound. He thinks the ultrasound may not be conclusive so it will probably be best to do a biopsy. We agree.
We’ll know more next week on Thursday. My wife is taking it pretty well, although she had a friend who rather unhelpfully shared a story of someone the friend knows who had an early stage breast cancer and who died within six months.
Grrr. Why the hell would you tell someone in her situation that there are people who are dying?
Anyway, back to waiting. We’re getting good at it.
There’s something about women. It’s the same reason we share our pregnancy horror stories with pregnant chicks, and why every woman within earshot will chime in with her own inevitably worse story.
We’re assholes.
Good thoughts to you and your wife.
Continued good wishes to you and your wife, TokyoBayer! The waiting can’t be fun, but it is surely better than having a doctor look at the scan, turn pasty white, and insist on an immediate procedure, right?
And yeah, I don’t know what on earth is up with the impulse to chime in with medical horror stories, especially when you’re in the early days of just figuring out exactly what’s up and don’t need help picturing the worst possible scenario. Way to be reassuring, so-called friend!
Maybe 30 years ago, my wife had a suspicious mammogram and eventually something called ductal carcinoma in situ (the last two words mean “in place”, that is no metastasis). They took it out and she’s been fine ever since.
My wife went up today to get the results. I couldn’t take time off from our new house project as we had two different contractors there today. She had a good friend go with her.
It looks like the Cancer Center agrees with the 4B rating, which places the chances at 30 to 50%. So, next step is a biopsy. She’s scheduled for the 30th. Then we’ll hear the results on January 7th.
If the results are good, then they’ll do followups at six-month intervals.
If it’s not good, then they will recommend a regime based on the findings. With a partial mastectomy they estimate a re-occurrence of 25 to 30%+. Many women have a full mastectomy and/or radiation to reduce the odds, each of which cuts the odds by half. However, my wife doesn’t like either one.
Even if it is malignant, it would be in the very early stages, so no need for alarm or to stop planning for retirement.
She seems to be pretty good about it. My mom is a retired nurse, and I grew up hearing about lots of medical stuff so I easily click into a clinical mode.
Anyway, the next update will be in early January.
Good luck! Focus on enjoying the holidays.
Good luck, and fingers crossed that the results are favorable. I know it will be hard to put it out of your minds for the holiday, but I hope you can, and then you can get the whole thing over with right after Christmas.
God luck and god thoughts your way.
(My sis in law just celebrated her 5th hear cancer free anniversary. It’s been a long haul.)
My wife kept postponing the biopsy, but finally had it. They decided that a regular biopsy was better than a needle one so she had a lumpectomy.
The results came back and it looks like everything is fine. She’ll have to go back in six months, but no further treatment is required for now.
Good show! Glad to hear it.
So glad the results look good! But I’m a little puzzled about the use of a lumpectomy for a diagnosis—maybe because mine was extensive, for a malignancy? But hope she’s doing well and I know you all are relieved. 
Glad to hear this. Good thoughts for your wife and yourself, and hugs too!
Cancer treatments in Taiwan lag those in the States. For this particular type of micr.ocalcification, it’s probable that they would do a core needle biopsy in the US. There is one cancer center in Taipei where they have have performed it, but this is what they could do locally. There is also the concern because of her family history.
They didn’t need to remove much, and the incision was only an inch long, so we elected to go ahead.
Good news, glad to hear this. My friend who started chemo in October completed it successfully, had a much smaller than anticipated lumpectomy a few weeks ago and is now getting radiation. It couldn’t have gone better at this point. Yay all around!
Mammograms give you a dose of radiation and cause cancer. If you got a tiny cancer growth in many cases change your lifestyle. Eat good food. Get exercise. Drink oxygenated water. Many times they are caused by cell phones. They are caused from cell damage and irritation. But cancer is in your body all the time. A growth starts does not mean take off your breasts. Also, quit wearing tight bras, but if you do wear one take it off at home and let those titties hang so they can flow.
Whut?
Do you have cites for any of this?
I believe you are misinformed on all counts.