Next Stop: Mastectomy

Hello all- It has been a rollercoaster of a week. I didn't post right away because I hate to drag everyone through all the emotions until things were set. I met with the surgeon on Monday with my Mother and Sister. The great news is that the Surgeon was exstatic with the resutls of the Chemo. I finally let myself be truely happy because I didn't realize there was a chance the Chemo might not work. I assumed it would, but some people go into Chemo, go through all that and then find out later that there was no effect. The cancer was still there and now what!! Luckily in my case the opposite happened. Not only has the cancer in my lymph nodes shrunk, it is not even present on the PET Scan or MRI. What that means for my surgeon is that she does not even feel she needs to operate on any of the lymph nodes but reccommends Radiation to get any of the final cells. I had cancer in hard to reach places like under my arm, behind my ribcage, under my clavical, and behind my chestwall. If the surgeon was forced to try and surgically remove lymph nodes in these hard to reach areas I was facing complications such as nerve damage and or even loss of the use of my arm, things like that. But with the Chemo that risk is eliminated.

She also was so pleased with the results, she gave me the option to try for a lumpectomy, remove a portion of the breast, and not the mastectomy, which would take my whole breast. I had been fighting to try and save my breast all this time so it was a tempting offer but when it got down to it, I can't take the chance of a recurrance, so with a heavy heart, I have opted for the mastectomy anyway. It came down to something called DCIS, Ductal Carsinoma in situ. It is "cancer that has not developed yet". I had that as well as "developed" cancer therefore, if not removed there is a chance that it could come back some day. Since I am young and have another 40+ years to live, I need to be aware that "undeveloped" cancer could very likely develop at some point and I would be back in this situation again. I don't want to take that chance so hence the decision.

Now I do still need to watch the other cancerous lymph nodes for the rest of my life. Even with radiation, there still is a chance that it could pop up again but hopefully not.

So I am set for more appts on Jan 26th and Surgery on Jan 27th. I feel dejavou wriitng this because I had another surgery date set which was canceled. If some thing happens between now and then, I apoligize ahead of time. I can't count on anything anymore. Frankly, if I get sick in the mean time, then the surgery has to be postponed. I have been feeling good so keep your fingers crossed. I will stay in the hospital for two days and maybe be released on the 29th.

In other news, Brian and I are an aunt and uncle again. We welcomed the birth of our new nephew, son of Dave and Marlo, Brian's brother who lives in Philadelphia. I am not sure the next time I would get to Philly to meet him but I can't wait to see pictures.

Thnka you for the enthusiastic comments and well wishes. It is a victory!!!

Britt