Sharia, usually chemo doesn't start until the incision has had time to heal, tests have checked for metastasis, and the pathology report has given information about the tumor type so that the best chemo can be chosen.  Usually all of that can be taken care of in about three weeks.  Docs hesitate to start chemo with an unhealed incision because the chemo is going to reduce your immune system's ability to deal with infection.  Since your original lumpectomy didn't get clean margins and more surgery needed to be done, your chemo had to be postponed.  Still from mid-May to September seems like an awfully long delay.  A second opinion could set your mind at ease about the cause of these delays or give you the information you need to get the rest of the treatment started.

Sharla, all that testing must have taken forever! I'm kind of surprised they did the genetic testing, bone scan and CT scan AND an MRI without really getting anything started other than doing the lumpectomy. One thing I can say - summer is always slower, due to vacations. I think you just kind of had a bunch of regrettable (but understandable) delays, due to the great number of tests you've had, and they've all added up to a long wait. I will say, I was diagnosed May 10, and didn't start chemo till Aug. 30, so I don't think you're that far off if you finally do get started pretty soon... Also, understand that the majority of breast cancers are very slow growing; it takes about 8 years for a typical tumor to become large enough to show up on a mammogram. So there's every chance you've had this cancer quite a long time without knowing it. Looked at from that point of view, another couple of months isn't too much to stress about. But still... see if you can rattle some cages and get this show on the road! Ask the docs what the projected timeframe is, then ge tthem to stick to it. Good luck - PJH