Okay. I have been waiting for this day and then this morning I realized not all my questions would be answered. I have to meet with the oncologist to find out my chemo schedule. (This is the most frightening to me.)
So - I had the appt. with Dr Oxley today. MRI came back good: nothing showing in the left breast! Great news. The right is showing the cancer within a certain area...not all over the breast. This is great news too!
I will call her office tomorrow morning to find out when my surgery date is for another excisional lumpectomy. She feels there is a good chance of getting most of the cancer out without having to do a mastectomy. Great news again! The surgery date should be either Aug 2nd or 3rd. FYI- my birthday is Aug. 2nd. :O
So I am back to waiting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bad news: I will have to have radiation. So - now I am looking at getting Chemo, Herceptin, radiation and hormonal therapy. OMG! Lucky me - I get it all!
Even if I had a mastectomy, I was informed today, I would still need radiation because of the size of my tumor (5cm.)
Oh yeah - when I go in for the lumpectomy she will be removing both implants so I won't feel lopsided through the duration of my treatments. I cannot have reconstructive surgery on my breasts until AFTER chemo and radiation. Ugh.
This is looking like a looonnnnnnnng road ahead.
So now I wait for the surgery then I must wait 1 week for the results from pathology: if she gets clean margins or not. If she does then I finish recouping from surgery then start Chemo and Herceptin. If she doesn't then she decides if she should go back in again or do a mastectomy.
Still some "ifs" out there. :( And waiting. :(
I will also get an appt for the oncologist tomorrow. When I meet with her I will have all my questions answered regarding the treatments, what types of chemo, how long, whatever else I'll need, blah, blah, blah.
Am I strong enough for this? I am so afraid. Can I handle it all? I have no choice!
Could be worse?
Yeah - it could.
So here are the facts:
Invasive Ductal Carcinoma
Ductal Carcinoma In-Situ
Tumor Size: 5 cm
Tumor Stage: 2
Tumor Grade: 3
Focal lymphovascular invasion - positive
Lymphnode invasion: negative
Clean margins: not yet
Genetic test for BRAC1 & BRAC2: negative
MRI: left breast clear. Right breast cancer within one area.
Her2/neu: positive
Estrogen receptor: positive
Not early or late stage cancer. Somewhere in the middle because of the tumor size.
Hardly slept last night....I hope I sleep better tonight.
Yeah - I know - I am strong, I am young, I can handle this. That's what I am told by everybody!
But
That does not take away the FEAR.
I am working on the courage.
L
So - I had the appt. with Dr Oxley today. MRI came back good: nothing showing in the left breast! Great news. The right is showing the cancer within a certain area...not all over the breast. This is great news too!
I will call her office tomorrow morning to find out when my surgery date is for another excisional lumpectomy. She feels there is a good chance of getting most of the cancer out without having to do a mastectomy. Great news again! The surgery date should be either Aug 2nd or 3rd. FYI- my birthday is Aug. 2nd. :O
So I am back to waiting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bad news: I will have to have radiation. So - now I am looking at getting Chemo, Herceptin, radiation and hormonal therapy. OMG! Lucky me - I get it all!
Even if I had a mastectomy, I was informed today, I would still need radiation because of the size of my tumor (5cm.)
Oh yeah - when I go in for the lumpectomy she will be removing both implants so I won't feel lopsided through the duration of my treatments. I cannot have reconstructive surgery on my breasts until AFTER chemo and radiation. Ugh.
This is looking like a looonnnnnnnng road ahead.
So now I wait for the surgery then I must wait 1 week for the results from pathology: if she gets clean margins or not. If she does then I finish recouping from surgery then start Chemo and Herceptin. If she doesn't then she decides if she should go back in again or do a mastectomy.
Still some "ifs" out there. :( And waiting. :(
I will also get an appt for the oncologist tomorrow. When I meet with her I will have all my questions answered regarding the treatments, what types of chemo, how long, whatever else I'll need, blah, blah, blah.
Am I strong enough for this? I am so afraid. Can I handle it all? I have no choice!
Could be worse?
Yeah - it could.
So here are the facts:
Invasive Ductal Carcinoma
Ductal Carcinoma In-Situ
Tumor Size: 5 cm
Tumor Stage: 2
Tumor Grade: 3
Focal lymphovascular invasion - positive
Lymphnode invasion: negative
Clean margins: not yet
Genetic test for BRAC1 & BRAC2: negative
MRI: left breast clear. Right breast cancer within one area.
Her2/neu: positive
Estrogen receptor: positive
Not early or late stage cancer. Somewhere in the middle because of the tumor size.
Hardly slept last night....I hope I sleep better tonight.
Yeah - I know - I am strong, I am young, I can handle this. That's what I am told by everybody!
But
That does not take away the FEAR.
I am working on the courage.
L