My Covid-19 story started around Feb. 18 when I went to see my doctor for an annual examination.

[japple]

I'm 70 yrs. and she said I would need to have another baseline mammogram since I hadn't had one for many years. My physical exam was good. Weight, lungs, reflexes, lab screenings were all normal. Went for mammogram and my doctor called me at 7:30 the next morning to schedule a biopsy and said that I had been scheduled for appointment with surgeon/oncologist for March 18.

I had the biopsy on March 2nd. On March 18th, I met with the surgeon and after a long discussion with pictures and diagrams and physical breast exam, I agreed to have a partial mastectomy of my left breast with sentinel lymph node biopsies followed by either 3 or 6 weeks of radiation, depending on the lymph node biopsies. My surgery was scheduled for March 27th.

I went for my preoperative exam at the hospital on March 24th. On March 25th, the surgeon's office called and said that surgery had to be postponed because the surgeon had a fever and that he could not be cleared until his body temp was normal for 48 hours. On Friday, March 27th, I received a call from the surgeon's office saying that he had tested positive for Covid 19. At that point, I don't really remember what advice I was given about what to do, or how to proceed. Everything has just become a big blur these days and even though I have been trying to carry on with normal activities and keep my sanity, it seems like this is all just a big fucking joke. I have been in a self-imposed quarantine since March 18 to try to keep anyone other my sister (housemate) from possible contamination and it looks like I might be able to go back to the grocery store on April Fool's Day! Yeeeehaaaaa!

[In_The_Wind]

1. I wish you a very happy April Fool's Day.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

2. Hang in there. Stay strong.

[Fla Dem]

3. I am so sorry. What a terrible ordeal for you.

I’m sending good thoughts and wishes your way, that 1.) you remain healthy and the exposure you had to covid19 does not develop into the virus. 2.) that you are able to schedule your surgery with another dr very soon and 3.) that you recover fully from your surgery and live a long healthy life.

All the best.

[pnwmom]

4. Is there another surgeon who could do the surgery? I'm so sorry this has happened to you.

I can imagine how scary this must be.

[japple]

5. I live in a very small town that is fortunate enough to have a fully functional hospital,

part of a national network. I worked there for 10 years until I retired in 2015. I know this surgeon and he is the best in this area. I would trust one of his associates to do the surgery and will go that route if necessary. I hope it will not be necessary.

[Lars39]

6. Is an out of state surgery a possibility?

I know an excellent surgeon in Nashville if you want a name.

[morillon]

7. My thoughts are with you.

I had breast cancer 3 years ago, and since this whole Covid-19 thing began, I've often thought what it must be like for those who are going through all of that worry and uncertainty AND having to manage not getting sick with the virus, too.

I remember from my experience that I wanted that...thing out of me as soon as humanly possible. If they'd said I could start treatment that very afternoon, I would've been all for it. I had 6 sessions of chemo+immunotherapy, a full right-side mastectomy, 6 weeks of radiation, and another 8 months of immunotherapy.

Hopefully you can get some answers this week about how long it'll be before another surgeon can take over and do your surgery. If they say it can wait a while, I think that means that whatever they saw on images and in the biopsy says it's fairly slow growing. They can usually paint a pretty accurate picture from those datapoints.

I wish you all strength and health and good luck. If you have any questions, feel free to PM.

[qwlauren35]

8. If you catch it,

I hope it is mild and you recover quickly.

[BeckyDem]

9. I hope you get all the care you need asap. So sorry this is happening to you.

[2naSalit]

10. Yikes!

I hope things work out for you and that your treatment/surgery goes well when you can get it.

[Karadeniz]

11. Oh, jeez, when it rains, it pours. I hope things work out for you soon. Sending good thoughts

Your way!❤

[tosh]

13. Good grief!

I am wishing the very best for you as you in every way!

What a weight.

[malaise]

12. Fight on!

[pazzyanne]

14. Prayers and good vibes on their way to you.

Stay strong. Stay positive, and remember there are a lot of people who care!

[Ilsa]

15. I'm so sorry. I hope you can get top priority when your

Medical team can start seeing patients again.

You'll be in my prayers, Japple

[RobinA]

16. I Know

what you are going through. I’m a little ahead of you in this horrendous process. I’ve had my surgery, at least, and am due to start radiation tomorrow. I am terribly afraid I will get sick and have to stop the radiation midway. I’m still working, so I really can’t isolate much. Good luck to you. Don’t worry too much about the surgery, it’s a cakewalk compared to daily life these days.

[japple]

21. Hope your radiation treatments cause no side effects. Sending you a big

[RobinA]

23. Thank You! nt

*

[gademocrat7]

17. Take care, japple.

Sending healing hugs.🤗🤗🤗

[iluvtennis]

18. Stay positive. Hugs to you. nt

[MojoWrkn]

19. Best of luck to you on all your tests and (pending) surgery!

[appalachiablue]

20. All the best to you in this dilemma, stay strong & glad you posted

Keep in touch!!

[Vinca]

22. That must be terrifying. Hang in there. At some point this will pass.

[appleannie1]

24. I certainly hope your surgeon beats it or your GP makes an appt. with a different surgeon for you.

Stay strong.

[Beringia]

25. I wish you the best of luck with your operation

I had a close call myself last month. Had a routine mammogram. My last one was 30 years ago. They found a less than 1 cm mass and recommended biopsy. The biopsy was benign.

The doc who told me I had a mass, from the look on her face and her demeanor, I thought for sure it was going to be bad news.

[demigal]

26. Similar experience when I was 70.

I had to wait about 6 weeks after my biopsy for surgery. Of course I was concerned but my surgeon explained that because of my age the chances were that my cancer was not fast growing and that I probably had it for years. Turned out he was correct, only radiation and femara for 5 years were required. I am in my 10th year after a partial mastectomy. Try to anticipate good news and good luck.

[japple]

28. Thank you. I realize that it is pointless to worry about this as I have no control over

it. to your anniversary and I look forward to the same.

[hermetic]

27. My dear friend

I am so sad that you have to deal with this in these trying times. I send you thoughts of wellness and strength. Having been through a somewhat similar situation, I know the value of having a support group to talk to, even if it is only on the phone. I sincerely hope you have that and if not, feel free to reach out to me and others here who really have your best interests at heart.

[japple]

29. Thanks so much, hermetic. I do have a network of friends and family that are all in my corner.

I haven't told a lot of folks about it yet. I wanted to get the surgery part out of the way first. Thanks, too, to everyone here at DU who, whether they know it or not, helps to keep us connected and somewhat sane during this recent unpleasantness.

Thanks again for the good vibrations (and for the book group page.)

[japple]

30. Thanks to everyone who responded to this post. I appreciate the comments, kind thoughts,

prayers, good vibes, smilie hugs. DU has such a kind, caring group of people.

[Hortensis]

31. Stay cool. The only statistic that matters is of course

your own, but nevertheless death rates from COVID-19 for those 65-84 are reportedly somewhere in the 3-11% range depending.

Here's wishing you, if you must catch it, a good, immunizing cold.

[rama2020]

32. You are a TRUE soldier on the front line of this battle against the virus

You are another normal life affected by abnormal consequences. I salute you for fighting the fight which drafts those selected at random from millions and millions. You deserve the highest reward for your contribution to the world wide battle against a common enemy which attacks the common person.....I am waiting until my time to join others against this common enemy which can affect us all......

[dai13sy]

33. Thinking good thoughts for you

I know what you mean - all of life seems like a big fucking joke right now - we have an idiot for a President, we are all surrounded by this disease no one has ever heard of and don't know how to fix it and you need surgery and your doctor has this plague but I am sending you healing thoughts and magic and hope and whatever it takes to make you well. Keep us posted on your journey forward because I feel a happy beginning