Invasive Ductal Carcinoma

Take a deep breath and let it out slowly and take another. Then relax as much as possible. It sounds as if you will not know what route you will be going until the actual surgery. Perhaps you will be able to do a lumpectomy over a mastectomy. Either way, know that the surgery is for you to live. If you do go the mastectomy route, talk to the doctor about how he/she does the surgery to minimize the scar.

I am a breast cancer survivor of 15 soon to be 16 years.

You are about to embark on one of the most important journeys of your life and I hope that I can shed a bit of light on what will happen.

There may be changes in how they do surgery since then. I had drain tubes for about two weeks. The doctor removed them at my post op visit. I have no outward visible scar. The visit to radiology is different. Prior to the treatment as they marked up my body with markers so that they could have proper angles for radiation and I made a body cast so that I would always be in the same position for treatment. The treatment is 8 weeks and two types of radiations are used -- 6 weeks of one and 2 weeks of the other. Your skin will possibly burn but there are creams that you will be prescribed to help with it.

If you have a cancer center nearby, stop in and ask for a pamphlet for the radiation diet. Follow it and do not diet. The recipes call for real butter, cream, cheese, milk, ice cream and nuts. These items help with the radiation you receive. You may have an issue with electronic gadgets for a bit while being radiated and someone else may have to someone else set or change timers to the heating thermostat or a computer device. Your spouse might have some side affects on his body from how you may sleep but they go away.

Contact your local cancer society for a "buddy". They will usually pair you up with someone of similar age who has had the treatment you have to answer any of your questions.

Find a spot from within to pull inner strength and hang on. You will find out a lot about yourself during your treatment and your priorities in life will change. Get a notebook if you wish to write down your thoughts so that you don't carrying them around and burden yourself with your thoughts,. Keep a positive attitude. Rest when you can and don't feel guilty about anything. Let your family take care of you. Your taste buds might change a bit and have a metallic taste for the first week or so but that will change back.

Right now you are on the front end of the runaway freight train. You have no time to think only to react to what has happened to you and what the doctors are telling you must do in a said amount of time.

The surgery is like going to swim in a lake. Before anyone jumps into the lake the bottom is clear and you can see the fish. Once the surgery is underway it can move bits of the cancer into the mainstream. This is the same as the churned up lake bottom. When the surgery is over, it is like the lake settling back down and the trailing mud subsides and becomes clear again. Your radiation treatment is to catch or maintain any small pieces that might have moved to keep them from going anywhere else in the body.

If you need to talk, email me.

I trust that the doctor has found your cancer early and that you will live a long and prosperous life.

the other S.
Reach to Recovery Representative
American Cancer Society

Julie, I went through this last year. I had DCIS (so not invasive), but I also had a lumpectomy and radiation. I'm happy to tell you that it was a blip on my screen and I feel stronger and healthier than I have in years. Hang in there - it's totally normal to feel scared and freaked out. Don't feel bad if you lose it here and there. I'm not the praying kind, but I'm sending thoughts your way that your treatment is as easy as mine was.

There were some things I did to help myself through my treatment (acupuncture to help with possible nausea and fatigue from radiation, for example). Message me if you have any questions.

J., I had a cancer scare last year, but thankfully did not have cancer. I want you to know that I will be praying for you.

Praying for you and your family!

Take a deep breath. It is scary. I am a 6yr survivor. You have cancer was probably the scariest thing a doctor has ever said to me.

Are they starting out with a plan for a lumpectomy? If so they will remove the mass and about a one inch area all around it. they will test some lymph nodes and will do a margin area around the mass. If it is contained to that area they will not take the whole breast. But if it's in the margin area they will take out more. If it's in that they will remove the breast. At least that is what happened with mine. I wish I had had the other removed at the same time.

I am saying prayers for you and also wishing you some peace during this time. You don't mention a husband. Do you have a family member or good friend to be at the hospital with you?

I had the mastectomy and went home 2 days later. I slept in a recliner for almost a month as I was not able to get out of a laying position. I was able to get back to normal about a month after. Except for the chemo days and right after. Radiation is different for different people. It made me super tired.

I second the support system around you. People will offer to make meals, do stand etc. Let them help you. It will help you and will make them feel good. That's a win win.

Get the book crazy sexy cancer tips. It will make you laugh through the tears. And cry if you need to. I cried in the shower a lot.

There are great support groups at almost all the hospitals.

Will be praying for you!

Never let your Faith in our Heavenly Father waiver we are praying for you to come out strong and healthy and be able to watch your Grandchildren grow up.Just Trust The Lord and His Precious Son and know that by his stripes we are Healed.I will have you lifted up in PRAYER GROUPS AND BY YOUR FAITH CLAIM YOUR HEALING.GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY LOVE THROUGH CHRIST.ROSIE, BOTI AND INFANT DAUGHTER AMBER.

Sending you prayers! I know that there are many, many cancer survivors on here who can give you advice and encouragement. I'm not in that camp but just wanted to wish you the best as you go through this.

My only advice is that if you have a good support network around of people who will want to help, designate one person as the leader and have him or her use something like Lotsa Helping Hands (lostahelpinghands.com) to set up a calendar of things that people can help with. Let people bring you meals, help with your kids, do your grocery shopping, etc. so that you can focus on resting and healing. We have a Lotsa page for my town and have tasks all the time that people are eager to help with, from giving people rides to chemo, radiation and other appointments to bringing over meals to driving kids to soccer practice, etc. It's a really easy way to put those "if there's anything I can do to help" offers to good use.

Again, saying a prayer for you and hope everything goes well for you!

Hi J.,

My mom had it in 1990. She was 45 at the time. Her doctor was very conservative - God bless him! She had a modified radical mastectomy followed by chemotherapy and five years of tamoxifen. She did not do reconstruction because her doctor said that it is harder to catch any breast cancer that might reoccur if you have an implant.

Mom is 67 now. She was a teacher at the time and took a few weeks off to recover from the surgery and then went back to her 7th grade science classroom. I was in college but my brother and sister were in high school and middle school at the time. She continued to take care of them and my dad while going through chemo. She did not do radiation. Her advice is always the same: Get a second opinion and do the most conservative treatment you are comfortable doing. She is happy that she didn't do a lumpectomy (her friend did and now has a reocccurance of breast cancer) and that she followed all of the advice given by doctors. She is retired now and enjoying her two grandsons and able to keep up with them - no problem! I know that she missed being able to wear a bathing suit or certain formal dresses without a special pocket or modification when she was younger but today she says it was a small price to pay for the last 22 years and the future! Honestly she is totally healthy, still gets her checkups every 6 months and living a very active life!

Prayers for you and your family. C.