My MIL just found out she has it and my husband and I are on the verge of a breakdown,so far all that we know is that the tumor is the size of the head of a pencil and she is scheduled for a lumpectomy early next month which will be followed with some radiation but no chemo.Why can’t I keep it together I keep telling myself it is too soon panic like this but it is all I think about.HELP! I could really use some guidance here from anyone who has been in this situation.Thanks
Breast cancer!
I am so sorry! It sounds like they caught it early. It is amazing what they can do to treat cancer now. I’ll keep your MIL and your family in my prayers. Hang in there!
2 of my grandma’s had breast cancer. It’s gonna be ok. Just wait, and see what happens, and know I will be keeping you all in prayers. 
I’m sorry to hear about your MIL, don’t breakdown just yet. If the tumor is that small it has most likely been caught early enough. I just went through this very same thing with my mother. She has had her surgery and sees the oncologist today to talk about radiation/chemo. I am more than happy to PM you with all the details you would like.
It’s OK. The word “cancer” does have a way of scaring the socks off us.
My best friend had breast cancer twice. The first time was a very non-aggressive type. She had a mastectomy and reconstruction but no radiation or chem.
The second time was totally unrelated to the first, a completely different type of cancer. Highly aggressive, she found a lemon size lump only 2 months after a clean mammogram.
She had chemo and a lumpectomy and she has been fine for years.
My cousin had breast cancer in her 30’s that spread. She had her adrenal glands removed and she has been fine for 30 years!
She will be fine. Just be positive and upbeat for her. I had a breast cancer scare myself years ago (it was benign) and my friend who had had breast cancer was just awful to be around…so negative I had to distance myself for a while because she was scaring me to death.
I strongly recomend Susan Love’s books on breast cancer as they helped me a lot.
Thanks very much for your support everyone 
I needed that.
My mom went through the same thing ten years ago at the age of 66. Small tumor, 1.00cm, no lymph node involvement, lumpectomy and radiation for six weeks. She’s been fine so far.
The tumor is small, if she has no lymph node involvement (they’ll check when the do the lumpectomy either with sentinal node biopsy or just taking a few nodes) she is pretty sure to be ok. If they can get a clean margin around the tumor when they do the lumpectomy and no node involvement she’ll be even better off.
The radiation treatment is not that bad, it’s more of a pain because you go everyday. It’s quick though, like 10 minutes. It does wipe you out in the later weeks and you feel tired and does some funky stuff to your skin but it’s doable.
It’s scary, I’ve been through it for myself and for my mom. The initial weeks are the worst, once the lumpectomy happens and the radiation starts the stress seems to lessen. Ask questions, lots of them and go hit your library or book store for books. There are alot of good books out there and they seemed to help me when I couldn’t remember what the doctor just told me because I was so stressed out. I’d hear what they were saying but didn’t absorb it, reading it later helped alot. Susan Love’s books are the best!!
My aunt went though it a couple of years ago. She found a lump and the hospital kept telling her it was a cyst/benign lump. It wasn’t until 6 months later after she insisted they examine it again did they do a biopsy and found out it was cancer, by which stage it had grown bigger. She had to have the whole breast and the lymph nodes removed, and she was allergic to the chemo drugs and went into anaphylactic (sp?) shock a few times, but she has pulled though and so far so good. If they caught it early enough they should be able to treat it more successfully!
Apparently the oncologist looked at her last mamogram to compare with this one and he said that the tumor was there last year and they did not pick up on it but it only grew a small amount over the year I can’t help but be just a little annoyed though that maybe this would have already been over had they noticed last year.
As others have indicated, relax and take things one step at a time. Don’t panic. Be strong.
My mom went through exactly what your mom’s doing now. Small lump, caught early, surgery removed it, radiation, all done. Your mom may have to have another surgery to remove lymph nodes before the radiation diagnoses, but they may do it at the same time as the lumpectomy too.
Don’t think 3 steps ahead. One thing at a time. It’ll be okay. There’s no need to freak out or breakdown and that doesn’t help the situation anyway. You’ll be fine and so will your mom. You’ll stay in my thoughts. Keep us posted.
Scary!
Hang in there and ((((((((((((((hugs))))))))))))))))))
Keep us posted!
My grandmother is a 2-time Breast Cancer survior…she had it when I was still living at home…and then she had her last round last summer. It’s hard not to be worried/scared but try to think of how far the treatments have come (just between her 2 battles it was surprising)…stay positive for her…one thing I’ve learned with her cancer and others around me is they need to stay positive and focused…just take it one day at a time
thoughts/prayers for your MIL and family
I’m sorry to hear about your MIL. I’ll be praying for all of you.
Actually, I’m going through this right now with my mom. She had the lump removed and is now into her second week of radiation. She’s having an uncharacteristiclly positive attitude as is the rest of my family. Her doctor has been very encouraging and I keep hearing survival rates are very high when caught early. My mom was is good physical health and exercised regularly before all this, which I think will help also. She’s actually happy the radiation place is within walking distance of her house so she can get her walks in. I believe the way we react can help or hinder the patient. I also believe in the power of prayer.
to you all…
hugs
My nan had the same thing. They found a really small lump in an accessible place, took it off quickly, then a few weeks of radiotherapy and at the follow up exam a few months later it hadn’t come back.
Try to relax. I know cancer is a horrible word to hear but with something that small there is plenty they can do about it.
I’m sorry that you’re going through this. I can only imagine how you must feel. Educate yourself all you can about the issue, to help aleviate your fears. There so much now that you can do to take the battle into your own hands. Check out Cancer Tutor.com for thousands of great ideas in the battle against cancer. Best wishes to all.
Take a deeeep breath in slooowly, hold it for a couple of heartbeats, let it out slooowly. Repeat several times. Slowing your breathing will slow your heart and make you far less stressed.
My daughter, who is about to turn 18, found a lump larger than that back in February. The doctor said we could remove it or leave it and watch it for a while—Rosie wanted it OUT. It (and a second smaller one that had been hidden just behind the first one) both turned out to be benign.
In a week, Rose was joking about having her ‘chesticles’ removed.
Hang in there. After the lumpectomy, the doctor will test the lump to find out exactly how serious this is…then is the time to get anxious and to cry with your MIL…or celebrate.