The Decision Has Been Made...

After talking with my surgeon and oncologist, I've decided to have a mastectomy. Just the left side, where the cancer is. Both recommended I delay any reconstruction until after chemo. Then I can decide what I want to do. That sounded good to me, because right now I just want to focus on getting rid of this cancer. Having to make reconstruction decisions would have been just too overwhelming right now.
The cancer at the margins of the tissue removed during the lumpectomy is DCIS. The surgeon feels we got all the invasive cancer. But apparently there is more DCIS (non-invasive cancer) than we knew about, and that can eventually become invasive.
I might still have to do radiation. I will have to meet with my radiation doc to discuss that. Studies have shown that if the cancer has spread to 1 lymph node there is no added benefit from radiation. If its in 4 lymph nodes, radiation is necessary. 2-3 lymph nodes is a gray area. But the cancer broke through one of my lymph nodes, which might make radiation more desirable.
The plan is: (I think I went through this all a few days ago, so skip this part if you want) Surgery on Monday, May 24th. 1 or 2 nights in the hospital. And yes I have to have another drain! My surgeon told me just because the first one hurt so bad, doesn't mean the next one will. His nurse said the armpit drains usually hurt the most. I'm just going to try not to think about it!
About 2 -3 weeks after surgery I will see my oncologist and start chemo. Andriamycin and cytoxan every 2 weeks for 4 cycles, so 2 months total. The day after chemo I will get a Neulasta shot. These are like the Neupogen shots I had to do last time, but Neulasta lasts longer. This chemo cocktail is even harder on the bone marrow than my last regimen (FOLFOX), so they don't wait until the white blood cell counts drop, they do the shots right away. One of these drugs is the one will make me lose my hair, and it happens pretty fast.
After 2 months of that I will start another chemo drug, Taxol, and Herceptin. I will first have another MUGA (heart) scan. I will get these 2 drugs weekly for 12 weeks (3months), then stop the Taxol and continue on the Herceptin every 3 weeks for 9 more months, so I will be on Herceptin for a year total. All the drugs I will get through infusion. The Taxol sometimes causes neuropathy, so we'll have to see if my neuropathy that I have from my last treatment starts to go away before that. There is a way the onc. can modify how I get the Taxol that lessens the side effects. This chemo cocktail is called AC+T (I think!).
When I'm finished with Taxol, and while still on Herceptin, I will start the radiation, if needed. That would be daily, Mon-Fri, for 5 to 7 weeks.
K, have I lost you yet? I just wanted to lay it all out there, the way the docs have explained it to me the last 2 days.
The reason I have to have the heart scans is because both the Andriamycin and Herceptin can cause heart problems. The problem usually goes away after stopping the medicine. A bit scary, especially given my family history of heart trouble, but I'll just have to trust God that He will be watching over me!
Oh! I almost forgot...I DO NOT have the breast cancer gene. That is good news. I can beat this and it may NEVER return!
I've been hearing "Do not be afraid" and "Trust Me" a lot lately. Also, I wrote in my notebook the other day "THERE IS A REASON", and I feel that was from God too.
I'm a little, um, freaked out maybe? that I have made the decision to have the mastectomy and put it on the calendar. Other than that, I'm really doing well. Really, I am! Just because I know God is with me, and His will is being done in my life, doesn't mean I'm going to enjoy surgery, or losing my hair. But He is giving me peace, and I know this is what I have to do. So its all good. :)
Blessings!
Tina

Biopsy Results!

Well, got the news today, and its not good. I do have breast cancer. Its DCIS, with an "area of micro-invasive ductal carcinoma". What that means is that its mostly non-invasive, but part of it is invasive. That means it can spread. My primary doc thinks we probably found it early enough. She gave me the name of a surgeon to call.
Before I called a surgeon, I wanted to check in with my oncologist to see what he had to say. He is out of the office this week, but his nurse gave me the # for Regions Breast Care Center--which is right across the hall from my onc. They have 3 surgeons there, so I made an appt. with one of them for next Thursday. I had an appt. to get my port flushed next Friday, but I changed that to right before my surgeon's appt., so I can do it all in one visit.
I'm guessing I will have to have a lumpectomy, and maybe radiation. Hopefully that's it. You'd think all the chemo I just had would have taken care of this too--but each cancer is very different.
So, isn't life fun? I am feeling very sarcastic, annoyed, and sometimes even a little humorous, but not afraid. I thought it was a little funny that I now can sport blue and pink ribbons--I love those 2 colors together! I guess the "C" word doesn't scare me so much anymore. God is still good (its impossible for Him to be anything else!), and He will help me through this too. Our sermon series at church has been about "Fearless Living", and I've decided to really put my trust in God and not be afraid! Life isn't about me, or my happiness and comfort, its about God, and showing Him to others and giving Him glory no matter what happens.
So, keep me in your prayers, but don't worry about me. :)
Love to all,
Tina

Stereotactic Core Biopsy

Had the biopsy done on my left breast today. Its an uncomfortable procedure, but not painful. The worst part is your neck and shoulder get sore from staying in one position so long. They have you lie on your stomach with your breast hanging down through a hole. You head is turned to the side. They squish your breast between 2 glass plates to keep it in position. The tech takes a bunch of pictures (x-rays?) to find the calcifications, then calls in the radiologist to do the procedure. She numbs up the area with Novocaine, then inserts a thin tube that the needle goes through. They take more pics to make sure everything is positioned right, then vacuum out some of the calcifications. The tech takes the tissue and x-rays it to make sure they got what they needed, then they are done. Oh, the radiologist also leaves a little titanium clip in the breast to mark where the biopsy was done. Its about the size of a deer tick--really tiny! After all that, I had to go to the room next door to get a quick mamogram to verify placement of the clip, and then I got wrapped up real tight with an ace bandage! I look flat-chested! I can take off the bandage at bedtime, and I can shower in the morning. I can't lift anything for 48 hours.
I will get the results on Wednesday.
The radiologist that recommended this procedure told me that if it was cancer it would be DCIS, which is non-invasive, and non-life threatening. I asked the radiologist today if it could be a more invasive type of cancer, or just DCIS, and she said its possible it could be a worse type. She also said that there was nothing on the mammogram that jumps out at her as definitely cancer. She said sometimes she can tell before the biopsy, but that's not the case with mine, so that's good news.
Well, I'm a bit tired now (ok, A LOT tired), so I'm going to rest for a bit.
Take care!
Tina

Nerves and Nausea

Today I had to go to the Cancer Care Center to get my port flushed. I remembered to put the Emla cream on my port (numbs the area so the needle doesn't hurt so much), and I remembered to bring the treats we had bought (if anyone still wants to donate treats, we'll be going back in a month). Before I went out the door I felt like I was forgetting something. Do I need my scarf to protect my throat from the cold? No. Do I need my bag with books and snacks? No. I better drink cold water now because I won't be able to later. Oh, wait, yes I will still be able to have cold stuff because I'm NOT getting chemo!!!
My stomach started tightening up with all these thoughts. I just kept taking deep breaths, and reminded myself that I'm done with the bad stuff. I started feeling nauseous as soon as I left the house. I brought my Ativan with, just in case, but didn't want to take anything because I figured since I wasn't getting chemo, the nausea wouldn't last long. (3 hours later my stomach still feels a little yucky!)
It felt so weird being back there. My nurse, Andrea, was there, but she wasn't the one flushing my port. But she did come over to see new pics of Brennan, and to see how I was doing. That's the good part about going in--the nurses are so nice! Rich went with me, even tho I assured him I would be fine going by myself. But I'm always glad to have him there with me!
While I was there I asked my oncologist's nurse to ask him what he thinks about the mammogram report. She talked to him then came back to the infusion room to tell me what he said. Basically, he agreed with the radiologist and I should go ahead and get a "stereotactic" biopsy. I'll have to look that word up--but from what the radiologist said, its a thin needle that will take some of the calcifications out so they can be biopsied (sp?). He said it doesn't hurt. The nurse gave me a copy of the report, and it says that one group of calcifications looks like it may be DCIS (a non-invasive type of breast cancer).
DCIS is a cancer that doesn't spread, and doesn't grow very fast. The radiologist said if I left it for a few years, it may become a lump. So its not life-threatening. The worst part about it is I will be at higher risk for other types of breast cancer. I'm still annoyed at the whole thing, but not worried. :)
I hope that anyone reading this who has cancer, or is going through any other deep valley, realizes they don't have to go through it alone. God is there to hold you and carry you, all you have to do is ask! On this earth we will have troubles, but if we believe in God and His son Jesus, we can spend eternity with them, where there is no sickness, no pain, and no tears. That is so amazing to think about! God is so good!
Love you all!
Tina

2nd Mammogram

I went in this afternoon for more pictures of my left breast. The radiologist saw some calcifications, and needed a different view and higher magnification to see them better. He doesn't know if they are pre-cancerous or not. I will have to have pieces of them removed and looked at. He said there is no hurry, they are contained in the duct and won't spread anywhere. He said something about DCIS, which is a type of cancer that is non-invasive. So if it were cancer, that's what it would be. Even though its non-invasive (doesn't spread), once you've had it you have a higher risk of getting DCIS again, or an invasive type of cancer.

I'm having the report sent to my oncologist, as well as my primary doc. I go in Friday to the cancer center to get my port flushed, and I'm thinking about calling tomorrow to see if my onc. will have time to see me on Friday. I'll feel better after talking to him. Not that I'm really worried right now, but I just trust his judgement and I want him to tell me what I should do.

So, not what I needed right now, but not too bad either. I'm not worried, just annoyed! I read in 2 Chronicles how the Lord was unhappy with Asa (King of Judah) for relying on other Kings to help fight Judah's battles and relying on physicians to heal him. God wanted Asa to rely on HIM, as Asa had been for many years prior to this. It was a good message for me. Doesn't mean I shouldn't see doctors and let them do their thing, but I need to rely on God, and trust that HE is in control. Whatever happens to me is His will, and He is ALWAYS good!
Thanks for checking in!
Love and Blessings!
Tina