Daily Archives: January 20, 2011

Health Issues

Update: Jan 20th Surgeon's visit

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OK. I just got back from the surgeon’s office and the family Dr.  We were hoping for an all clear margins and lymph. Well, I got half of my wish.  The margins, the area around the original tumor, were clear, so that’s good news. I get to keep my breast. Also the the tumor is estrogen and progesterone positive which is also good news. That means the cancer will respond to treatment by something like tamoxifen.

Short version of the bad news though is that one of the 3 sentinel lymph nodes shows positive for metastatic cancer. There are two small tiny spots, like about the size of a pencil dot on a paper,  1.0mm and 0.5mm,  so very tiny. Which means I have to go back for more surgery and have to have all lymph nodes taken out of right axilla. (should cut down on amount of deodorant I have to use lol)

Anyways second surgery is already booked for Feb 1st. We’re not sure of the time yet, but probably another all day affair. I’ll type up the whole pathology report and send it when I finish letting people know the news.

I will see cancer clinic four weeks post op, and that is when radiation will also start apparently. Family Dr feels I will most likely have to have chemo but that’s up to the Cancer Clinic. Radiation, which I will have to have no matter what, should start around first of March or so. I am off until Feb 21st. Then, when I do go back, it will be for eight hour nights only if and until I’m feeling better. I see my Family Dr on Feb 10th and she and I will assess how I am doing and if I feel I can go back to work by Feb 21st .

It is OK to share this news if anyone asks. I am doing OK. I consider this just another hoop to jump through in this fight to get the cancer out of me. Maurice has been my rock and came with me to the Dr’s office. He had a few tears in the surgeon’s office and car. It’s hard to be brave when you don’t know what it is exactly we have to face yet, but for the most part we are doing OK. At this point, I remain positive and still hopeful.

So not the greatest news; not out of the woods yet. Thanks for thinking of me. 🙂 Thank you everyone for the posts, emails and calls.

If anyone is interested in what the pathology report says, send me an email and I’ll send you it to read.

…Pam…

Health Issues

Dr's Appt in about 40 minutes

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Well we will be leaving in about 15 minutes to go to the Dr’s appointment with the Surgeon. We expect that we will get staging results today. We hope so anyways, at least then we will know what we face.  Maurice is coming with me 🙂 It snowed throughout the night, and it’s still snowing as we got up this AM at 0800. The appointment is for 09:05  so either way, good or bad news, I’ll come on and post the results.

Thanks everyone for keeping me in their thoughts. You most certainly have been in mine. 🙂 I appreciate all of the support, emails, visits, candles lit, prayers and phone calls, flowers, and most recently the gift I was given by some co-workers/friends at the other site where I work. 🙂 All of this has made me feel very spoiled 🙂 but in a good way. Thanks again, and I’ll post any news, soon.

It’s 8:30 now… we will leave home in about 10 minutes. 🙂 How is that for an up to date, blow by blow description of what is happening!? lol

The incisions are starting to heal up to the point where they are now itching me 🙂 they are covered with steristrips so I imagine the surgeon will yank them off today. The drain site has a little drainage. when I took the bandage off this AM to clean it and redress it before seeing Dr, there was a small bit of congealed blood that pulled away on the dressing. so once I see Dr and get the all clear to stop wearing the binder I had put on me during the surgery (for support) I’ll start wearing a sports bra. I wasn’t before as I didn’t want it rubbing along bra line in axilla. I have my list of questions for the Dr. Hopefully I get the answers today! Waiting is a bitch..