Overall, it's good news!

Another chemo treatment today, which means I saw the oncologist as well, and she walked in the room and said "the scan was good news" - that was good to hear right off the bat! She said the scan that showed 2 cancerous areas before I started chemo showed nothing when they repeated them last week. Now that doesn't mean there is no cancer left, as this scan only tells them about big areas, its not super-sensitive to small areas, but it means the cancer worked/is working on the larger areas. So we finish the chemo - 2 more after the new year - and then we talk about surgery.

Surgery options will be a little interesting, because they think the cancer got into the tissue they used for reconstruction, and that presents some problems. That is one of the areas that doesn't show cancer now, but it wouldn't show small or micropscopic areas. If I hadn't already had a mastectomy, they would likely be recommending one just to be on the safe side.  For one, they can't get to the suspected area to biopsy it, and if its really just small little areas of cancer left, the biopsy might not pick it up.

So after the holidays I will go talk to the plastic surgeon to see what's involved in removing the reconstruction, and what my options are for other forms of reconstruction once we get past these shorter term treatments. I wouldn't have been ready for such a step 7 years ago, so I guess God really does give you only what you can handle, as I think I could be pretty Ok with such a step now. If the choice comes down to keep what I have but not be sure that we got it all, or get rid of the "fake one" and be as sure as possible that the cancer is gone (which isn't 100% but its a whole lot better odds than the other choice) , I think I'll be able to get used to that idea pretty quick. I did get a "tummy tuck" with the first reconstruction, maybe I"ll take the "boob job" option this time around and get all new ones :)

In the meantime, feeling pretty good now, looking forward to a good weekend and the girls starting to come home for the holidays, got some good tips on how to handle the overall yucky feeling I had last time the "week after",  and looking forward to a little longer break before the next treatment (it will be 4 weeks this time, as we are going to Disney after Christmas - Amy is playing soccer and we are going to enjoy a little "Disney magic" as well - all but Steve who will be enjoying his own little version of heaven - a wrestling tournament in Wisconsin "with the guys").

Thanks for the ride home today Laura, and the great conversation. And thanks for all those who were praying for me for good test results today. I was a bit superstitious, because Jim left later today to take Amy to a soccer tournament in Memphis. He took Julie to this same tounament twice when she was in high school - the first time someone hit my car and totalled it, and the second time was when I found out I had cancer the first time, and there I was in each case looking at a lonely weekend dealing with stuff. So I was convinced the trend would continue and I'd hear bad news again just as he was off for Memphis - I'm SOOOOO glad it turned out so much better. This lousy chemo that I hate so bad is at least working, making it a lot easier to "stomach" things (oh, that was a bad pun!) I made a point of asking Mom to look out for me this week, and she came through for me!

Love to you all,
Teri