Hi MickeyM,

A very warm welcome to our forum. 

Stereotactic biopsy will give your team the chance to look at your breast in more detail. This doesn't always signify bad news, but is a good sign that your care team is being thorough. It is impossible to find out much until the results of your biopsy come back and you know exactly what you are dealing with. You should find some information about DCIS and calcifications on the Cancer Research Website. Try to avoid consulting Dr Google, as much of his information is out of date, poorly researched and aimed at the more spectacular cases. This will only serve to worry you further.

There is a lady called Karen1971 on the forum. She has been posting under the title ‘Waiting on breast biopsy results.’ If you do a search for her, you may be able to help one another through this.

Please keep in touch and let us know how you get on. We are always here for you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Thank you Jolamine, your reply was really helpful and appreciated. Thank you so much for taking the time xx 

Hi Mickey,

I hope that you had a lovely Christmas and managed to put any thought of cancer out of your mind for the day.

We had a lovely Christmas dinner with my daughter and son-in-law, then we came back and slumped in front of the television until bed time, which was just what we needed to do.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Morning Jolamine, 

Happy Boxing Day. 

Yes, I managed to kick cancer out of my mind for the day. We had a lovely Christmas Day, thank you.  Yours sounds perfect and today we can all allow ourselves to relax. 

Have a great Boxing Day - love Mickey xx ️
 

Hi Mickey,

Happy Boxing Day to you too. I hope that you've managed to have a lovely relaxing day today. We certainly have, although I feel guilty for doing very little today.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Morning Jolamine, 

I managed to get out for a walk amidst the rain yesterday, which was great.  My pace is getting a little faster now, my legs seem able to stretch a bit further as my tummy isn't soo tight now. My back is also easing and so I think being able to sleep a bit on both sides now, rather than wholly on my back is helping.  I also think that my exercises are starting to pay off (although I've only managed twice a day since Christmas Eve).

I've also managed to take the dressing off my last left tummy drain at the top of that leg and so that is now starting to scab.  Bruising is noticeably reducing around my breast, it's only really around where the drain was that is still quite bruised.  I can't remember, if I mentioned that I didn't actually have to go up a bra size at all? I've managed really well with my usual 36C wearing the M&S flexifit front opening bras. Very comfortable, but now I've typed that I seem to recall that I did say....

I really can't see any hole, stitching where they removed my sentinel lymph node(s)....... If he stitched internally, I really can't tell at all. 

I've reduced my paracetamol last few days to just two doses, I'll see how that goes. To be honest the most pain I have now is in my left under forearm leading to my wrist. That is where I've had the biggest darkest bruise (wrist almost to elbow), which I can only assume came from cannulas in that arm - the bruise is starting to get darker, but for the last few days I've been getting internal pain on that area and find it hard to get a comfortable position without pain. I've not experienced that before, but I assume it's the extent of the bruising there and healing process causing the pain. 
 

Foggy and raining here this morning, but hoping for a little reprieve so that I can get out first a little walk again. 
 

Im glad you had a restful Boxing Day Jolamine and please don't feel guilty for resting, that's what Boxing Day is for. 

Is Hubby finding his exercises any easier now? 

Love and hugs Mickey 

Hi Mickey,

You must feel a great sense of achievement to have managed a walk yesterday. I hope that you've got a break in the weather  to allow you out again today. It sounds as if everything is gradually easing off, which is good. I think that you're allowed a little leaway with your xercises over the holiday period. I am glad to hear that your last drain dressing has been removed and that it is now dry and healing well. The bruising is nothing to worry about. It will slowly disappear.

I was delighted to hear that you are still able to wear the same size of bra and that the M & S ones you have are comfortable. The surgeon was possibly able to access your lymph nodes when he removed your breast, without making another incison. This could be why you can't see any stitches. It sounds as if the bruising and discomfort in your forearm may be due to the canula - certainly the bruising will be. I have been left with a legacy of bilateral lymphoedema since I had my surgeries. I have also had an occasional ache in my forearm and a continuous one under my arm, where 6 lymph nodes were removed..

You are doing well with your pain killers. You should find that you need them less the more your movement returns. It's dull and damp here, but no fog. We've had enough of that for the past few weeks to last for a while. Hubby is still struggling with his exercises, but he'll keep on persevering.

Love and hugs, Jolamine xx

Morning Jolamine, 

Thank you for your kind words and reassurances. Managed a smaller walk yesterday, but still got wet. I'm hoping for a longer one today. 

I hadn't even thought about the surgeon removing the lymph node(s) via my breast.  That would certainly explain it and thank you very much for pointing that out to me as a likely explanation. 

My arm was very painful again last night, I hope it eases. I am sorry to hear about your bilateral lymphoedema and occasional arm aches. How do you manage the lymphoedema? 

I hope that hubby makes a breakthrough with the exercises soon so that they feel a bit easier for him. I'm glad to hear he's persevering. 

Back to see the BCN for me tomorrow and so I guess we'll see if my tummy strip is totally removed or needs replacing. No news about my histology yet, they did say four weeks though and it's two weeks today post op for me. 

Have a great day Jolamine. 

Love Mickey xx ️

Hi Mickey,

It's a lovely bright sunny day here today, so hopefully you'll manage your walk.

I am sorry to hear that your arm was so painful last night. Mention this to the BCN tomorrow, although I expect that you'll be told that it's still early days. It's a pity that you're having to wait so long for your histology, but I suppose that this is the price you pay for getting your op fitted in before Christmas. 

I attend the Lymphoedema clinic for 2 weeks out of every 12. The staff there are great. They give me a manual massage to try and drain the lymph into the right channels and apply layers of compression bandage. They do this twice a week for the two weeks. Unfortunately, I look like the Michelin Man for those two weeks with both arms covered in bandages from shoulder to fingertip and it does encourage some very curious looks and plenty of questions. It also limits what I can do for those 2 weeks. In between I wear an elasticated sleeve on both arms and hands. I also wear a compression bra. Neither are particularly comfortable or pretty, but they serve a purpose. Other than that, I have to be careful what clothes I wear, as sleves can be too tight on a lot of clothing. 

Enjoy your walk Mickey.

Love, Jolamine xx

Morning Jolamine, 

That sounds like a big chunk of your time at the Lymphoedema Clinic and so I'm really pleased for you that the staff are so good and that you benefit from their treatment. Must be very weird looking like the Michelin Man, I expect it feels it too. You amaze me how positively you handle everything, I'm sure there must be days when it is harder than others. Sending my positivity and big hugs to you.

I did manage a walk yesterday, which was great.  Raining heavily today, so we'll have to see if there is a break in the weather later. 

I will update you later after I've seen the BCN.  

Love and hugs Mickey xx ️

Hi Jolamine, 

All went well today, dressing removed over tummy. They're very pleased and so I don't need to go back until I see the Plastic Surgeon on 18th March. 

Not such good news with my results appointment, which has now been arranged by phone for 24th January (six weeks). Secretary says this could change if MDT feel a face to face is needed once results back, but currently they are only now offering phone results appointments due to delays. I expect staffing issues due to covid are playing a huge role in that.

Hope you've had a good day - Mickey xx ️

Hi Mickey,

I'm glad to hear that all went well with the BCN today  and that the dressing is now off your tummy. It's not so good to hear that you now have to wait until 24th January for a telephone consultaton re your results. This frequently changes, so don't give up hope of an earlier appointment.

Today was a miserably wet day here too, so it's good that you managed to get a walk yesterday. I can't say that the Lymphoedema treatment is much fun. I have my down days like everyone else, but it is what it is and I just have to cope with it. 

I hope that you have a better day today.

Love, Jolamine xx

Hi Mickey,

I'm glad to hear that all went well with the BCN today  and that the dressing is now off your tummy. It's not so good to hear that you now have to wait until 24th January for a telephone consultaton re your results. This frequently changes, so don't give up hope of an earlier appointment.

Today was a miserably wet day here too, so it's good that you managed to get a walk yesterday. I can't say that the Lymphoedema treatment is much fun. I have my down days like everyone else, but it is what it is and I just have to cope with it. 

I hope that you have a better day today.

Love, Jolamine xx

Morning Jolamine, 

Thank you for your kind words. Fingers crossed I get my results earlier. 

Bless you, certainly a rollercoaster and sending a load of virtual hugs to store when you need them. 

Wet again here today, but hopefully will get a little walk later. 

Love Mickey xx ️
 

Hi Mickey,

I hope that you managed to get out for a walk again today, despite the rain. I have spent all day today removing personal files from my business computer for the new buyer and am going goggle eyed as a result. I've still got more to do, but at least I've broken the back of the job.

Yes, a cancer diagnosis is often a rollercoaster, but fortunately, most of us do get through the worst of it pretty soon.

Love,

Jolamine xx

Happy New Year Jolamine, here's hoping it's kinder to everyone. Love Mickey xx ️

Hi Mickey,

A Very Happy and Healthy New Year to you too and I sincerely hope that this will be the year when we all get back to a more 'normal' life.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Virtual hugs Mickey 

Never far from my thoughts, I'm so glad to finally read you've got that hurdle out of the way I kept wondering how you were doing.

Sending love to you

Lisa xxx

Happy New Year Jolamine 

I didn't want to pass the page without saying a quick hello.

I hope things are good with you too

Virtual love and hugs back to you Lisa. How lovely of you to have come back on the site to check on me. 

Yes, I'm so grateful the surgery is finally behind me and on the whole it's gone really well. I have had a little bother with my tummy - Seroma and a part of wound that hasn’t healed and is weeping a bit of gunk, so was back at hosp last week and back again this morning. I doubt they’ll do anything re then gunk or wound and they said the Seroma will just have to go itself as no localised area to aspirate.  I’m a lot more tired than I thought I would be and it’s put me off doing my exercises as I’m worried I’ll open the wound more, but otherwise, I’m fine and getting on with things that I can and walking.  Once again just waiting for results and praying no lymph node involvement. Six weeks for these results now, telephone apt scheduled for 24th Jan. 

How are you doing Lisa? 

Love n hugs Mickey xx ️

It's so lovely to hear from you,

What you've had done sounds painful,  I really hope recovery is as speedy as possible - you sound like a trooper getting yourself walking that's really good to hear.

You're doing amazing.

I'll be praying that your lymph nodes are good  too and the wound heals soon, keep a close eye on it though.

With everything that has happened how is that shoulder behaving? Mine finally eased off just before Xmas and I'm doing okay now thanks, went for my first walk in months - honestly I felt like getting a taxi back

I'll keep you in my thoughts Mickey, be counting down the days for you, in the meantime sending you a huge, huge hug and tons of love xxxx

Hi Lisa, 

Thanks for your support and lovely message. 

Just quick update re the frozen shoulder as I can't remember where I was when we last spoke about it.  I had an ultrasound early December. I nearly didn't go because having religiously done my exercises so that they could move my arm during the long BC op, I had good movement back by then.  Anyway, I went and that showed calcifications  also, which I was told had been there long term.  I then had an x-ray last Wed and my consultant apt last Thur.  They were very thorough and he's suggested that to reduce the risk of reoccurrence when I get back to work/gym that I do upper back and shoulder exercises and he's given me some and told me what to do when I get back to the gym. I'm not allowed to do them until I'm fully recovered post op, but I felt more confident.  He also offered to refer me to physio, but the waiting list was longer than the one I'm already on post op and so I dismissed that for now. 

I'm glad yours has finally eased off and as for walking, it gets easier the more often I do it and so I do try to go every day. Always makes me feel better and one of the benefits of being in recovery at this time of year is that I can still get a walk in daylight. 

Take care of you and keep walking - love and hugs Mickey xx ️

Hi Lisa,

Thank you. A very Happy and Healthy New Year to you too.

How are you keeping now?

Kind regards,
Jolamine xx