Help, what is this?

[Elysee]

Dear all,

my mother had her second chemo this monday. The mastectomy was in the beginning of october. She had a 2,5 cm in der left breast, G3, Ki67:60% and one involved node (the sentinel). She is er-pr-her2++++. So today she found a lump in the crook of her arm. It is sunday in germany and I cant reach anybody. Could this be a metastasis? I know the crook of the arm is an unusual place for metastasis but I found out that there are lymphnodes there too. I am so scared. She said the lump does not hurt.
Any advice could be helpful

Thanks
Elise

[Lucy]

Elise,

I understand your concern and I would definitely recommend discussing it with a doctor but my guess would be it's something like a stitch that can be felt now. Maybe the swelling has gone down from the surgery so things feel differently. I know that over time things felt differently for me after my surgery. Hopefully it's nothing more than that but I believe in being your own advocate and if something concerns you, it's always good to talk to the doctor about it.

Best of luck and let us know how things go.

[Elysee]

Dear Lucy,

thanks for you calming words. You were right. She had a little infection of her vein after her doctor taking some blood last friday. So that was the lump in her arm. It is already got smaller. Oh Goodness, I was so scared again... It feels like permanent fear is the only feeling I am able to have since weeks. I know it will get better and I am really not showing her my fear and tell her every day that she will be ok. I can't even think about loosing her. My father, sister and me would loose our sunshine

[Lucy]

I'm glad it wasn't anything more serious than that. I think it's normal to experience fear after hearing a diagnosis of cancer. You start wondering if the headache you (or your loved one) have is a tumor. You think the upset stomach that you attributed to stress (or something else) is cancer. It's hard but you just have to be vigilant. If you're concerned about something, speak up to your doctors. It's always better to have it checked out and find out it's nothing than to assume you're making too much of it and stay silent.

Thanks for letting us know it turned out okay.

Sending cyber hugs

[Elysee]

Thanks Lucy,

yes, it will take some time till we dont see cancer everywhere like we do now. And you never know; I saw a documentation about a new treatment against cancer that might be available in 10 years. Scientists found out how bacteria or viral infections cure cancer. The infection seems to make the cancer cells visible to the immune system so the body destroyes them. So a lot of hope for the future! Thank you for calming me down

Cyber hugs back
Elise

[bevaschia]

HI. I don't know which side your mother's mastectomy was and if the lump on the arm was on the same side. Here in the states (at least my experience) the doctors say never to have blood draws, shots, blood pressure checks on the side where the sentinel node was removed because it is no longer there to fight infection. Also, try very hard not to get infections on that side due to cuts, slivers, etc. It can cause great lymphedema problems.