It's all happening too fast

I am 53, had an ultrasound a few months ago which showed no noticable thickening of the uterine wall, but after having a couple of bouts of bleeding since, had an endometrial biopsy last week. My dr called yesterday and said I have "stage 1, highly differentiated" endometrial cancer (if I am remembering correctly, It all seems a blur) and I should have surgery - abdominal, (Oh I don't remember the abreviations), but including the ovaries & fallopian tubes.
I have been missing lots of periods for 2 years or more. The doc says I will not need HRT.
Everything is just happening too fast...
I have a huge long awaited extended family vacation (6 weeks out west going to many National Parks with a bunch of other family members) planned for Sept. She says that if I get the surgery done July 17th, I will be able to go on the vacation. Is that reasonable? She said I could be put on Progesteron and wait until afterwards if I really wanted to. Would that be stupid?
I just found this wonderful forum tonight and am hoping you who have gone before can tell me your thoughts. Thank you, Thank you!

Hi-
Sorry to hear that you got some bad news from the Dr. IMHO, I would go ahead and have the surgery. I don't know anything about the cancer issues, so I hope someone else will come along and help you there. You may want to also ask these ?'s on the post-op board.

Most recoveries are 6-8 weeks. You may still feel a bit tired in September, but you should be okay to travel. Are you staying in hotels? Will there be other people who can help you lift your suitcase around? Will you be able to rest during the day if you need to?

I guess I would rather go on the trip knowing that everything is gone (out of your body) but that you might be a bit tired. That would be better for me than going and worrying about bleeding and other unknown risks/complications.

Good luck in your decision. I hope you get some more replies. Keep coming back here to learn more, this is a great informative and supportive place!

Best Wishes

Hi
I only went to see my gynae on Monday of this week, to discuss having a hyst, and he said it would be unfair for me to be put on a waiting list (I am in the UK) because endo would just get worse, so he just said what was I doing on 16th July as thats the date I want to operate on you.
I am still in shock and so are my poor friends as I only told them at the weekend that I was going to ask for a hyst.
I am 37, and have no kids - the endo saw to that- but I do have some wonderful friends and a fantastic partner, who have all said that they are going to treat me like a princess.
I only found this site yesterday and it has really helped me and I feel like I am among friends, and

Skarlett

Lorit, I had endometrial cancer stage 1 grade 2 (they do the grading with the surgery). My biopsy showed precancerous and possible focal (cancer) cells. The gyn-onc didn't think he needed to be involved. It turned out to be the stage 1, which means it is still just in the endometrial lining andnot into the uterine wall, but the grade 2 meant it was faster than a grade 1 would grow. I had my appt in November (when I had the biopsy) and didn't have surgery until January 15. Now, I don't know if they had done a biopsy closer to surgery it would have shown definite cancer cells then but then will a biopsy always catch the exact area the cancer is in?, mine was just in one certain area of the uterus.

So you can take that two ways. Waiting 6 weeks didn't cause me to be at a point where the cancer had spread enough to have warranted any treatment even, the lymph nodes were negative, so that meant no treatment. But then again, had the cancer progressed that fast to have gone from precancerous and possibly cancer cells in just 6 weeks time to definite cancer. The gyn and the gyn oncologist had both thought it was ok not to do the lymph node checks at surgery when they discussed it preop and when the grade 2 portion came back they had me seeing the gyn oncologist within a few days to get set up for the lymph node biopsy, a second surgery 6 weeks later(ugh). I would still have done it to get the 100% certain diagnosis that I got with it.

I would ask you doctor if they know how fast growing it is yet, just what the progesterone does in slowing it down and the statistics for that and what would he/she do if it were his wife or self. The other question for the doctor is if they are going to have a gyn-oncologist there to do lymph node dissection/biopsy at the same time as your hyst. That should be a given with a preop diagnosis of endometrial cancer.

Also, You may want to post oyur question on the cancer concerns forum. There are others there with endometrial cancer and it can be in so many varying stages that you may get some answers from someone who had this a bit more like what you are going through.

(((HUGS)))

Linda >^..^<
StampinCat

My hysterectomy came a a huge surprise too - one day I thought everything was fine, the next I had surgery planned for two weeks later (and only because I had a planned trip to the UK) which I couldn't cancel. Now nearly four weeks post op I feel I have come to terms with what happened but the speed of everything had me reeling and in the way was the hardest thing to come to terms with. I feel I actually came to terms with everything last week. But you know when you look at the pre op site and realise how much fear is involved (pre op) which frankly is the worst part of all maybe to have it thrown as a surprise means less anguish beforehand and less time to be nervous. I feel after joining this site that I know so much now, didn't have time to find anything out pre-op and in a way ignorance was bliss. And when it comes to issues pre-cancerous and cancerous speed is the best thing of all.
This site is wonderful, has helped me more than I can say and I think the women on this site are truly phenomenal.

Gee, you're in a difficult situation. I guess you have to ask yourself how you'd feel if you have the surgery and don't feel so hot on the holiday versus how you'd feel if you postponed the surgery and ended up with a cancer that spread. Nobody can tell you exactly what to expect in either case. Your doctor cannot promise you for sure that you will be able to go on the holiday, although the chances are good. How you'll feel then is another question. Maybe OK, maybe not. And with the amount of traveling involved I can tell you that I, who had my surgery for suspected cancer which involves a little more organ handling, etc., than a straight hysterectomy, would not have been all that comfy on the road at that point. (Are we talking late September here or early?) On the other hand, I probably would have done it with strong enough motivation. I may have modified the travel though.

When I thought I had cancer (didn't) I know I wanted the surgery asap. I didn't want to wonder later if having it done earlier would have made a difference.

Hope you find a way to get everything you want.

Well IMO go for it. I mean what better way to celebrate your new found freedom than discovering our wonderful National Parks. Just think you won't have to worry about bleeding, pain, and whatever else is going on. If you can schedule surgery for middle of July I would think you'd be fine to travel. You may get tired easily but at least you'd be tired in a wonderful spot. (I just think of sitting under some trees someplace and resting.) I also wonder could you enjoy the vacation under the stress of having surgery and the health situation. I am imagining that you are in rather good shape if you are planning such a trip in the first place. That would help with recovery. And if you take the time during your recover and only WALK, rest, and drink plenty of water think of the rewards of that vacation. I envy you, I just think that is such a positive reward for going through this.
You may also want to check out 'cancer concern' forum. The ladies there have same situations and may have more info for you. HUGS
Tricia