Breast Cancer

simplesally

What would you do? Lumpectomy or Mastectomy???

Outnfree and I chose differently.

I know the doctors gave me the survival rates................the same.

I called American Cancer Society and did research................recurrance rate, very different.

I couldn't live with an eventual 15% recurrance rate (which means your rate increases to a maximum of 15%, one percent per yer) versus a maximum of 2%.

Now............... the rates they give are for women with all stages of cancer.............1-4. the percentages include women 20 - 100.........all women who have had cancer.

Outnfree are on the low end of the scale. I could never live with the imaginary breast cancer cells. I could never believe they were out of me. My friend, Julie, who is 66, believes that she is cancer free and had a lumpectomy and will live her full life. I would be a worry wart.

I saw the mastectomy pics and it almost made me throw up. It's so hard going thru this............so hard to go thru reconstruction. I wish I had the sane mind to have done the lumpectomy. But I couldn't. I have a 4 year old and had to do the worst for me to do the best for her.

What would be your decision?

FlyingHighNow

What would be your decision?

I don't know, but my step mom had a mastectomy in 1986 and has been cancer free ever since. She has an implant and no other reconstruction.

FlyingHighNow

Remember Ann Jillian? So beautiful and so classy. She had a double mastectomy and chose not to have any reconstruction. She gave me courage to have another kind of disfiguring surgery that I needed.

In 1985, at the age of 35, Ann was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a double mastectomy. She battled the disease courageously and successfully.

Ann gave birth to her first child, a son, Andrew Joseph Nauseda H. Murcia, on February 3, 1992.

Sparkplug

SS- I am so sorry you have to go thru this. My sister went thru a bout with cancer of the breast and from what I hear it was really hard on her. I have not seen nor talked to her due to her being a JW. But I have heard that it was most tiresome not just on her body, but her emotions as well.

My thoughts go out to you on this matter and I hope that you keep strong in your spirit as you work your way thru this, that so many women have to deal with right now. Please hang tough and know that there are many out here that are pulling for you.

onacruse

Brenda and Sally, my heart is with you both.

A few months ago, I heard (through the JW grapevine) that the wife of my virgin youth (long since divorced) had breast cancer, and a radical mastectomy. She was prognosed with 6 months life expectancy.

This last week, by total coincidence, I met a contractor, a fellow who's been a JW for 30 years, and he told me that her prognosis had turned for the better.

May it so be, for her, and for both of you.

With my sincerest feelings,

Craig

simplesally

Craig, did you know that Katie and you sent a card to me? It was very nice and I so appreciate it..............

I hope to be a survivor not a victim!!!!!!

onacruse

Sally, my dear lady, I do indeed remember that card...but as it was a private matter, I chose not to refer to it.

These are the times that bind us together.

anewme

Simple Sally, if I had a beautiful 4 year old daughter I would do exactly as you have. Choose to live!!!
Do everything you can to be there in the future!!! So much happiness awaits you!!!
Love and well wishes for a happy healing!!!
Anewme

jaffacake

Simplesally,

My wife faced the same dilemma 15 months ago. Every individual case is very different, as your research has no doubt shown you.

She was set against mastectomy, but the lumpectomy was not sufficient. They found more cancer elsewhere in the breast and in the lymph nodes, so just weeks after the first op she was strongly advised to have the mastectomy. This she did - to my relief. We have 2 kids (15 and 10 at the time) and I wanted her to take the 'safest' decision.

For her, it turned out to be mastectomy, but she would have opted for lumpectomy only if she had any real choice. I do feel every case is different, both clinically and for each individual. I believe different decisions appear right in different cases, but the problem is not knowing what the outcome of each choice will be - except in percentage terms.

Like my beloved wife, you certainly sound like a survivor. My best wishes

Aude_Sapere

I hope to be a survivor not a victim!!!!!!

You are a survivor as soon as you get your diagnosis.

I'm 7years and 4.5months past that date.

I understand what you are saying about living with untreated cells remaining. Your treatment decisions are much more difficult than mine were (I had no real options other than chosing my medical team) but I know for a certainty that I healed much better because I was confident that we were treating ALL cancer cells and that none remained in my body. (I even pushed for a colonoscopy to ensure that there was no hint of trouble there either!!)

My thoughts were - If I'm going to give up this much of my time, money, life to treat this damn disease, Y'all better do you job completely because I will *not* be this nice if we have to do this all over again!!

A breast is a terrible thing to lose. But it's not your entire life. There is so much more. As difficult as it may be, I think I may have chosen mastectomy.

Regardless... Everyone faced with this decision has to make it for their own reasons. NO ONE makes this decision easily.

I wish both you and Brenda healthful remission and 'sunshine' everyday.

-Denise.

Breast Cancer

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