Surgery Set

We finally have a date set for my surgery...Tuesday, December 9th is the day. I will stay overnight in the hospital but will be home Wednesday. I will have a double mastectomy followed by the first stage of the reconstruction. I feel like we have been in a holding pattern but now we have a plan and I feel like I can begin to move forward. I can at least plan out December and part of January. Chemotherapy will not begin for 4-5 weeks after surgery. My mother plans on coming for the surgery and will stay for at least a week. Have a Happy Thanksgiving. We plan on heading out to Stockton tomorrow if we can get organized!

Update

Hi everyone! On Thursday I met with my original surgeon to discuss the results of my MRI. While we did receive some good news it wasn't what we had hoped for. While my right breast shows no signs of cancer there is a "fairly large amount of residual cancer remaining in the left breast". My surgeon originally thought she had removed most of the cancer when she performed the biopsy. The other piece of good news is that the cancer has not attached to the chest wall. After discussion with the surgeon I took the report to the new surgeon, Dr. Amie Jew, I am working with. Her nurse called me that same day and said Dr. Jew wants to see the actual scan immediately. She plans to review the scan over the weekend. Dr. Jew seemed very concerned about the size of the residual cancer, 2.3 x 3 x 4.7 cm. She may want me to begin chemotherapy immediately. The other alternatives include immediate mastectomy followed by reconstruction at a later date or continue with the original plan and shoot for the mastectomy in mid-december followed by immediate reconstruction. I have another Dr.'s appointment on Monday with a plastic surgeon and hopefully Dr. Jew can make her recommendation by then and we can get moving. It's a little scary to think the cancer is still there and potentially growing.

On a happier note....I have posted a picture of Alex and her date from the Cheer Ball last night. She looked beautiful. She always finds a way to stand out in a group. Her dress fit her like a glove and she has the figure to pull it off!

We hope everyone is well and look forward to seeing everyone for Thanksgiving!

More Tests

This week has been nothing but Dr.'s appointments. Monday I met with a Radiation Oncologist and a Plastic Surgeon. We don't know yet if radiation will be necessary. It depends on the size of the tumor and the number of lymph nodes involved. Usually if the tumor is small and I opt for a mastectomy radiation is not necessary, so we can hope. I also met with a plastic surgeon. I am sure he is a good surgeon but....he kept me waiting for over an hour and then talked about reconstruction in theory only. He did not show me any pictures or spend more than 10 minutes with me. I did not feel comfortable with him at all.

Tuesday I met with the Oncologist and had an MRI. The oncologist was wonderful and provided me with a lot of information. So far here is what we know. The tumor was a grade 3 tumor that is not estrogen or progesterone receptive. Most women who are post menopausal have estrogen or progesterone receptive tumors. There are drugs such as tamoxifen specifically designed to attack these types of tumors. My cancer is not estrogen or progesterone receptive. It is also HER2/neu positive. HER2/neu is a protein that is present in normal breast cells. My cells have too much of this protein so the tumor is more aggressive. The benefit of this is that there is a specific drug to target this protein. The drug is called herceptin and will be administered every 3 weeks for the next year after I heal from the surgery. The oncologist did say I would need chemotherapy for a minimum of 6 treatments every 3 weeks and yes I will lose my hair.

The MRI was not much fun. They had trouble again getting the IV in my vein so they had to poke me a couple of times. I had to lay face down with my arms over my head for 45 minutes. 15 years ago that would not have been a big deal but it hurts to lay on your stomach!

Today I went to my original surgeon and she discussed the results of the MRI with me. There is a "fairly large amount" of residual cancer and one suspicious lymph node. The oncologist told me if the size of the cancer added with the number of lymph nodes is 4 or less I would probably not need radiation. The original tumor was 3cm and the residual amount according to the MRI is between 2-4 cm with one potential lymph node involved so it may mean radiation after the chemotherapy.

I don't have my next surgery scheduled yet. I have one more consultation with a plastic surgeon on Monday and then we can schedule surgery. We are shooting for mid-December. Chemotherapy will start 4-5 weeks after surgery.

A long week

Well most of you have heard that I have been diagnosed with Breast cancer. To say it has been a long week is an understatement. I went in the week of Halloween when I discovered a lump. My biopsy was performed on Thursday, November 6th and Monday we found out it was indeed cancer. Today we met with the surgeon who performed the biopsy. I have invasive ductal carcinoma. We do not have the stage of the cancer yet as they did not biopsy any lymph nodes. That will happen at my next surgery. Next week I will meet with a Medical Oncologist, Radiation Oncologist and a plastic surgeon. I also am scheduled for an MRI that will help the doctors determine the stage of the cancer.

At this point it looks like I will have additional surgery right after Thanksgiving. I decided that a blog might be the best way to keep everyone updated on what is happening.

The kids are doing fine. Noah of course doesn't really get it. When I told him that mom had cancer his response was "really, how did that happen? Did I tell you I hurt my finger today?" It made us all laugh. I think I like his attitude about it all. Alex and Regan of course were a little more upset by it but thankfully they have wonderful support from friends, teachers, administrators and counselors.

James is struggling with this. He told me today he wanted to run away. I think that is a great idea but unfortunately not very realistic. I have encouraged him to go hunting and take time away from work to get his head around this. Soon enough he will have to be the strong one around here.

We have all had our sad days but I told the kids it is time to stop boo-hooing and get on with things. This is a fight and I have never backed down from one.

Thank you so much for all you prayers and support. Keep them coming! The next 12-18 months are going to be a challenge.