Updated: Need thoughts, prayers, and swinging critters!

[southernlady]

Last week, my MIL had her annual **** squishing. They called her on Monday to tell her it looked suspicious. She went to see her doctor on Tuesday and got an appt with a surgical oncologist for yesterday (Fri). We went down on Thursday and went to the appt with her.

While he isn't positive it's cancer without a biopsy, she won't have the biopsy. Instead she is going ahead with a mastectomy.

Surgery is scheduled for Tues the 26th of Aug and yes we are both going back down.

Her reasoning for no biopsy...
She watched her husband die of lung cancer and she just isn't sure that the needle biopsy they did didn't spread the cancer cells once the tumor was breached. At 74, she can believe what she wants. The surgeon says that in 20 years he hasn't seen that happen but there is enough concern out there to create a document on the NIH on the subject. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3473763/ HE was doing his best to get us to convince her to do the needle biopsy but she had already explained to us how she felt and we honored HER request.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

The lady knows what she wants and has a reputable surgeon who will comply? Good on her.

 

[Elizabeth N.]

Yikes. Critters swinging, prayers going.

 

[Larra]

Different cancers behave differently. I haven't heard of breast cancer being spread via needle biopsy, and there are huge numbers of needle biopsies of the breast being done. And even with other cancers, people sometimes think that a biopsy spread the cancer of even that "opening it up to the air" made it spread, when in reality it was already spread before anyone touched it.
Having said all that, I agree 100% that it's her choice to make and if she is comfortable with a mastectomy and not comfortable with any other course of action, more power to her.

 

[Barb1]

So sorry to hear this Liz! You sure have had your fare of **** this year. I agree with Spiky though. I will be swinging critters and praying since I believe in covering all the bases.

 

[southernlady]

The lady knows what she wants and has a reputable surgeon who will comply? Good on her.

He wasn't happy but she was adamant! So yes, he was complying.

 

[hilary1617]

I wish her a speedy recovery, comfort and good health. So sorry to read this.

 

[SHales]

Swinging all my critters! I agree 100% that her decision should be honored.

 

[brooklyngirl]

I'm sorry to hear this, Liz. I'll be sending up good vibes for her!

 

[DianaCox]

Not sure this is something to consider, but does she need to consider whether insurance will cover a "prophylactic" mastectomy without proof of necessity?

 

[southernlady]

Not sure this is something to consider, but does she need to consider whether insurance will cover a "prophylactic" mastectomy without proof of necessity?

From what was said, I don't believe it will be an issue. But good point.

However, they are reasonably sure it is cancerous just based on its size.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Not sure this is something to consider, but does she need to consider whether insurance will cover a "prophylactic" mastectomy without proof of necessity?

You ask an important question, of course, but you also crack me up!

One day I was telling my late cousin Jim, also an atty, about another atty in his town (my daughter worked at that law office while in college) and that guy's wife. They had gone down to Newport Beach for the birth of their first grandchild and to help the new mom. But the wife fell coming out the front door and broke her leg and now the grandfather-to-be had a wife and a daughter and a new baby to care for.

I expected something like, "Poor *******," or "Oh! That's where he's been," or "Wow...what a mess!"

What I got was, "You know, tell him to check his daughter and son-in-law's homeowner's insurance...that is probably covered."

You attorneys crack me up. (But I'm glad you are here because you remind me of Jim.)

 

[Terri]

@southernlady swinging critters for your MIL.

 

[DianaCox]

Worrying about the "what-ifs" is what I do. What some people see as paranoid and cautionary overkill is looked at favorably in the field as a "belt and suspenders" approach.

 

[newanatomy]

Sorry this is happening Liz & Charles! You and your family are in my thoughts.