After more MRIs and tests than I want to remember (cancer takes up a lot of time, and costs a lot of co-pays L ) turns out the cancer did NOT seem to get outside the breast, DID appear to move into the reconstruction I had 6 years ago, and IS a very aggressive cancer that they tell me they’ve just developed some good chemo treatment for in the last 2 years. So I guess timing helps a lot. They’ve also determined it’s a new cancer, that grew in the little bit of breast tissue left when they do a mastectomy – lucky me! But actually there is something about this cancer that only happens 25% of the time that makes this new drug work (herceptin, in case that means something to you), so that is a good bit of luck.
And so after 3 docs conferring and second opinions, etc, I start chemo as soon as they can get everything ready (more scans and tests, and a port to put the chemo in for the next year). Likely first dose next week. Plan is 4 treatments every 3 weeks, so I should be done with chemo by Christmas (and bald by Halloween – yay, I can dress as Uncle Festus for Halloween J ). Then they will re-evaluate what the “disease” (they don’t call it a tumor right now, not sure what that means) to see if I need more surgery or if they can just move ahead with radiation. Another type of chemo drug continues for a whole year, but that kind doesn’t make you sick and doesn’t make your hair fall out, or so they tell me.
The chemo doctor is a straight shooter – I asked her if I would be OK – she said yes, but it would take me a year to get there. And maybe it would have been too hard for Mom to watch me go through that, and loose my hair and worry about me, and that's why he took her now (that sounds really self-centered, as he took her away from lots of us, not just me, but gotta admit I'm glad to have an extra angel in my court right now.)
And on more positive notes:
· Jim’s prostate cancer continues to be held in check by the hormone therapy he has been receiving – he just went this week for a check and I was fearing the worse.
· Dad (and the rest of us) are doing OK after Mom’s passing. Dad is finding the business of clearing up stuff keeps him adequately busy, and it doesn’t seem to be bothering him too much. And I think he is sleeping better than he has in a while. I’ll probably tell him about all this cancer stuff this weekend, since I think he might notice my new hair.
Thanks to all of you for rides, meals, patience, etc. And of course, please keep us all in your prayers.
Teri
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