Thanks, I got a good night's sleep after all the testing, and feel so
much better. My cousin is a wonderful MSW, and she tried for an hour
to help me make a decision, and then told me to rest and let it come
to me.

I spoke to the breast surgeon last night, she was tired--surgery all
day and night clinic, and she still has her bias toward mastectomy
with reconstruction (I haven't told her I wouldn't do reconstruction--
partly because I hadn't gone on the reconstruction web site yet when
we spoke.) She's kind and thoughtful and we discussed lymphedema--5%
risk with sentinel node bx, 16% with axillary dissection.
 Some of these surgery decisions are making a decision with all facts
available--lymph node status will only be clear after surgery.
 I'm the one who called the radiation oncologist on my own, and she
came to the phone herself at 7 am, was really kind, and set up a
consult for tomorrow. The more facts we have, the more we can make a
decision.
 My daughter knows that I think a wedding is important, but I think a
marriage is infinitely more important. I love her fiance, and he's
been part of our lives for many years. Whether or not I dance at her
wedding is not crucial--I want to be there, but if I'm sitting down
the whole time, and have to leave early, they still know how much I
love them.
 I don't buy the concept that your wedding is the most important day
of your life: it's a celebration of love, but a wonderful marriage is
your life.
 I'm pushing along partly because of the wedding, and mainly for my
own need to do something. I teach at the medical school, and the
course directory,whose mother had breast cancer diagnosed 12 years
ago, wrote to tell me the she agreed with the push. Also, that my
students are covered for the last two weeks of the semester.
 My gyn--who has been a disappointment--refused to guide me, "that's
the surgeon's decision".
 I talked to the surgeon yesterday, and told her I was still on the
fence--but part of me is leaning toward lumpectomy, get the final path
and then make a final decision--and part of me says take it all out,
and my husband is less scared, and more able to try and help with the
decision. His mother had a radical mastectomy when he was a high
school senior.
 I told the surgeon that I went to medical school in Pittsburgh,
where Bernie Fischer pioneered the concept of breast conserving
surgery. Also, ironically, I worked with Thomas Starzl there, and my
mother had a liver transplant.
 I'm going to just try and process for the next day, wait for the
tumor board info--receptors, MRI result--and try and figure out what
my "gut" response is. Meeting the the radiation oncologist will be
helpful as well.
 Thanks for the hugs.
  Not sure what this means, but walking into the hospital, I met an
older gynecologist who I've worked with for years, I told him why I
was there. He told me his wife died of breast cancer, but it was
widely spread when discovered. I told him I felt it while reaching to
turn off the bedside lamp. He held both my hands and told me that a
higher power was watching over me, and he was going to be thinking of
me. A very tender and unexpected moment as I was entering for a day of
miserable testing.
 Any kindness is so wonderful right now.
Judy

On May 14, 3:52 am, x{yz}enophi...@hotmail.com wrote:

You might contact Decent Exposures. They are in the Seattle area, but
are mostly a phone and mail order place and they do have a good web
site.
After my "wide-excisional lumpectomy" (the original lumpectomy did not
get clear margins), I ended up with one breast much smaller than the
other. I worked with them and for years they have custom made me bras
with two different cup sizes. Initially I had to buy several sizes,
try them on, and talk with the folks there about options. But, they
were great with suggestions and took all the try-ons back, no problem.
Once we settled on a good fit, they made a custom pattern that they
keep on hand so that I can reorder easily. They are a little on the
expensive side, but the bras are very good quality and last me a very
long time.

Worth visiting Seattle then, Geraldine :-)

Lovely place, take advantage of cheap air fares.

!!!

Mary

Les, prior to surgery they looked for nodes to aspirate, and there
were none. During surgery, they removed 2 sentinel nodes and there was
a third one tucked between them that didn't light up on the geiger
counter, but was removed for proximity.
 Because my estrogen and progesterone receptor status are very
positive, I will go on tamoxifen, I'm pre-menopausal, and at some
point may switch to an aromatase inhibitor when I'm determined to be
definitely menopausal, Right now, it's presumed that I will have to
take tamoxifen for 5 years, at least.
 Currently, I'm waiting for the gross pathology report, the oncogene
dx report and the pathology of the nodes to know if I will need chemo.
 If I stick with just the lumpectomy, I will need radiation. My
breasts are too small for the brachotherapy one week partial breast
irradiation, but the radiation oncologist mentioned the possibility of
externally delivered partial breast irradiation.
 So, I'm feeling better from the surgery, waiting to hear about
pathology, because it will determine the next set of decisions/
treatment.
 I hope that helps.
 I just talked to a friend ( a nurse practitioner)  whose mother has
had two primary breast cancers, one in each breast, the first treated
with chemo and radiation and the second with just radiation. Both were
lumpectomies, and as she pointed out, even if her mother had had a
mastectomy as her initial treatment, it wouldn't have prevented the
second cancer in her other breast. Her mother is doing quite well.
 My friend has had lots of breast lump excisions due to her mother's
history, and has had some issues with her breast surgeon.
 I hope you get all your questions answered--and don't hesitate to
call back if more occur to you--you have that right, and that the
referral nonsense gets worked out.
Judy