Next Step
It's been a while since I've done a new post. A lot has happened though, since my last post, so I figured I should give an update!
So, after talking with my oncologist and the surgeon again, we decided that due to me not losing all the weight I needed to yet, that they next best step would be to have a lumpectomy at the same time I get the sentinel lymph nodes removed and tested. I would also hold off on starting Tamoxifen for now. I will still end up getting a mastectomy/reconstruction, but it would not be for at least another 2-3 months to allow time for me to lose weight, as well as give time for the OR to open up for elective surgeries (the reconstruction side of things). Having the lumpectomy and node testing done means I will still be actively doing something to fight the cancer and it will also help determine the next step in treatment, i.e. chemo and/or radiation.
I had the surgeries done two weeks ago today, on May 6th. It was really hard. There's no other way around it. A few days before surgery, on Sunday, we drove my daughter down to my in law's house, where she stayed for about a week and a half. That Monday and Tuesday were a really nice break from tantrums, misbehavior, and other normal three year old antics. In fact, Tuesday, my husband and I even went out with our realtor and checked out some houses! AND, we went under contract with one, which was not even expected!
Day of surgery, I couldn't have anyone go back with me, so I waited for about 2 hours by myself before surgery and got prepped and poked and drugged and all the things while trying my absolute best to be brave. I did pretty well with being brave until about 45 minutes before I went back for surgery, when I met with the anesthesiologist... then I broke down a bit. I still wasn't regretting my decision, I was just a little scared... Surgery is scary! All went really well though, and there were no complications. I was pretty drugged up after surgery, so really, the rest of the day pretty much consisted of me sleeping. Recovery was actually a lot harder than I expected. I know that the bigger surgery was going to have a tough recovery, but did not at all expect this one to be so rough. I totally thought I would be able to go and pick up my daughter by like Saturday at the latest. Yeeeaaaa..... That didn't happen. I was in a LOT of pain for the first seven days after. Day seven was the peak though and every day since then, I've been doing better and better! Praise God!!
The pathology report came back a few days later. The invasive cancer was REALLY REALLY small! The MRI-guided biopsy actually took the biggest piece of it out! There was more of the non-invasive cancer than the invasive. We really did catch this thing early! TOTAL God thing! Also, the lymph nodes showed no signs of cancer, which meant it didn't spread to them, which means....no radiation needed! Now, chemo on the other hand has been a little more tricky. Because my oncotype score was on the higher side, but the invasive cancer was so small, the Tumor Board has been split 50/50 on whether or not I would benefit from chemo. My oncologist and I decided to go ahead and move forward with it though. The way we feel about it is that if there's at all a chance that it could reduce my risk of re-occurrence, then we'd like to lower that risk and get it as close to zero as possible. My husband and I will be going in next Wednesday morning to meet with the oncologist and the pharmacist to go over everything chemo. As of now, I will be starting chemo on either June 4th or 5th. There will be four infusions, each with three weeks in between each infusion. Also, if at any point the side effects get to be too severe or I decide I want to stop, we will. The regimen she has set for me is considered to be "light," so at least it won't be AS aggressive and scary as my mom and dad had it. I am grateful for that. I still could get the side effects though, including hair loss, jaundice, fatigue, etc. We have discussed a couple of things so far like my daughter going to her summer program at preschool and me continuing working, knowing that the parents I work for are both physicians working with and around COVID patients. She said she feels ok with both of those things as long as we take all necessary precautions, like extra hand-washing, wearing masks, sanitizing, etc. I am soooo grateful that she gave the ok to continue working. I was truly REALLY stressed out about that. It would cause so many issues if I had to stop working, even temporarily. I will HAPPILY wear a mask all day at work if it means I can still work. I have to say, I am also very very very blessed to be working for the family I am working for. They have been incredible during this whole thing and not once have they even considered letting me lose my job even if I had to take a lot of time off due to all of this. I hate the idea of being a burden to anyone, let alone them. I was convinced that if I couldn't work during treatment, I would have to quit. It would mean I wouldn't be able to work for the 12 weeks of treatment, and then again for the 6 weeks of recovery after surgery a month later. I couldn't do that to them. I already feel guilty about having to take 6 weeks of recovery time after surgery, even though they are totally ok with it. I mean...really?? Can these people be any more amazing??? 😭
Anyway, that's kind of everything in a nutshell. I am still on an emotional roller coaster with it all, but overall, since surgery, I've been feeling really good about everything. We still have a plan, and as long as all actually goes as planned (and COVID doesn't once again screw things up), I should have most if not all of the treatment/surgeries done by the end of 2020! If anything, I may need to have the "touch ups" for the reconstruction and the oopherectomy (removal of ovaries) done early 2021, but at least the most expensive stuff that is now covered for the rest of the year, will be done. Woohoo!! Thank you, Lord!
So, after talking with my oncologist and the surgeon again, we decided that due to me not losing all the weight I needed to yet, that they next best step would be to have a lumpectomy at the same time I get the sentinel lymph nodes removed and tested. I would also hold off on starting Tamoxifen for now. I will still end up getting a mastectomy/reconstruction, but it would not be for at least another 2-3 months to allow time for me to lose weight, as well as give time for the OR to open up for elective surgeries (the reconstruction side of things). Having the lumpectomy and node testing done means I will still be actively doing something to fight the cancer and it will also help determine the next step in treatment, i.e. chemo and/or radiation.
I had the surgeries done two weeks ago today, on May 6th. It was really hard. There's no other way around it. A few days before surgery, on Sunday, we drove my daughter down to my in law's house, where she stayed for about a week and a half. That Monday and Tuesday were a really nice break from tantrums, misbehavior, and other normal three year old antics. In fact, Tuesday, my husband and I even went out with our realtor and checked out some houses! AND, we went under contract with one, which was not even expected!
Day of surgery, I couldn't have anyone go back with me, so I waited for about 2 hours by myself before surgery and got prepped and poked and drugged and all the things while trying my absolute best to be brave. I did pretty well with being brave until about 45 minutes before I went back for surgery, when I met with the anesthesiologist... then I broke down a bit. I still wasn't regretting my decision, I was just a little scared... Surgery is scary! All went really well though, and there were no complications. I was pretty drugged up after surgery, so really, the rest of the day pretty much consisted of me sleeping. Recovery was actually a lot harder than I expected. I know that the bigger surgery was going to have a tough recovery, but did not at all expect this one to be so rough. I totally thought I would be able to go and pick up my daughter by like Saturday at the latest. Yeeeaaaa..... That didn't happen. I was in a LOT of pain for the first seven days after. Day seven was the peak though and every day since then, I've been doing better and better! Praise God!!
The pathology report came back a few days later. The invasive cancer was REALLY REALLY small! The MRI-guided biopsy actually took the biggest piece of it out! There was more of the non-invasive cancer than the invasive. We really did catch this thing early! TOTAL God thing! Also, the lymph nodes showed no signs of cancer, which meant it didn't spread to them, which means....no radiation needed! Now, chemo on the other hand has been a little more tricky. Because my oncotype score was on the higher side, but the invasive cancer was so small, the Tumor Board has been split 50/50 on whether or not I would benefit from chemo. My oncologist and I decided to go ahead and move forward with it though. The way we feel about it is that if there's at all a chance that it could reduce my risk of re-occurrence, then we'd like to lower that risk and get it as close to zero as possible. My husband and I will be going in next Wednesday morning to meet with the oncologist and the pharmacist to go over everything chemo. As of now, I will be starting chemo on either June 4th or 5th. There will be four infusions, each with three weeks in between each infusion. Also, if at any point the side effects get to be too severe or I decide I want to stop, we will. The regimen she has set for me is considered to be "light," so at least it won't be AS aggressive and scary as my mom and dad had it. I am grateful for that. I still could get the side effects though, including hair loss, jaundice, fatigue, etc. We have discussed a couple of things so far like my daughter going to her summer program at preschool and me continuing working, knowing that the parents I work for are both physicians working with and around COVID patients. She said she feels ok with both of those things as long as we take all necessary precautions, like extra hand-washing, wearing masks, sanitizing, etc. I am soooo grateful that she gave the ok to continue working. I was truly REALLY stressed out about that. It would cause so many issues if I had to stop working, even temporarily. I will HAPPILY wear a mask all day at work if it means I can still work. I have to say, I am also very very very blessed to be working for the family I am working for. They have been incredible during this whole thing and not once have they even considered letting me lose my job even if I had to take a lot of time off due to all of this. I hate the idea of being a burden to anyone, let alone them. I was convinced that if I couldn't work during treatment, I would have to quit. It would mean I wouldn't be able to work for the 12 weeks of treatment, and then again for the 6 weeks of recovery after surgery a month later. I couldn't do that to them. I already feel guilty about having to take 6 weeks of recovery time after surgery, even though they are totally ok with it. I mean...really?? Can these people be any more amazing??? 😭
Anyway, that's kind of everything in a nutshell. I am still on an emotional roller coaster with it all, but overall, since surgery, I've been feeling really good about everything. We still have a plan, and as long as all actually goes as planned (and COVID doesn't once again screw things up), I should have most if not all of the treatment/surgeries done by the end of 2020! If anything, I may need to have the "touch ups" for the reconstruction and the oopherectomy (removal of ovaries) done early 2021, but at least the most expensive stuff that is now covered for the rest of the year, will be done. Woohoo!! Thank you, Lord!
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