Wow!

It has been a long time since I posted!   The past 2 months have been a whirlwind of activity!!   I went to see Dr Pippas at JBACC in late August.  He did several more tests and scans before we decided on my treatment.  One of the tests he had done was as OncoType Dx test.  It basically looks at everything about your tumor and assigns a number to it, the lower the number the better.  The number lets the doctor know how receptive each individual person would be to chemotherapy and what the chance of recurrance would be.  My score was a 13, very low.  Usually anything higher that 18 or 19 and chemo is a given.  Because my number was so low we had a choice on whether or not to do chemo.  Dr Pippas recommended 4 rounds of chemo and I agreed.  I don't want to look back at any time and wish that I had done it.  I want to do everything I can to make sure this doesn't come back.

Everything from diagnosis until now has not been as bad as expected.  God is Wonderful!

I had my first round of chemo on 9/16/10.  Ronnie and mom went to treatment with me.  I mostly felt really tired and then days 4 -6 knocked me out!!  I just wanted to sleep.  Each day after that got a little better and I was able to work most of the week.  I missed my first Neulasta shot due to a mix up with my insurance.  Neulasta boosts White Blood Count.  My blood counts were a little low but were back up in time for chemo again on 10/07/10.  I have felt about the same as last time but more stomach issues.  Had to leave work early today because I was feeling so bad.  Now just feeling very weak and walking like a 90 year old woman!   

My hair started coming out about 10 days after my first treatment.  I had to start wearing a wig about 2 weeks after treatment and had my head shaved a few days later.  Having my head shaved was not bad at all.  Mom went with me and we were prepared to cry but we spent so much time trying to figure out how the camera on my new phone worked that Tommy was done with my hair without me even knowing.  He told me I had a cute peanut head!  I like my wig but also have a few hats that I really like!  I never thought I would wear just a hat but that is what I have been most comfortable with.  I have been outside at home several time with nothing on my head.  I actually forget there is nothing there until a neighbor waves at me and then I realize I am standing outside bald headed!!  Oh well!

Keep praying!

Dawn

Happy Birthday to me!!

The mastectomy, on my birthday, went well.  Surgery was quick and I didn't get sick from anesthesia.  Dr Scarborough removed my left breast and all related lymph nodes.  I spent the night in the hospital and went home the next morning.  This past week at home has been interesting. The drains that were left in my incisions have been my worst problem, they are constantly in my way and pull at the incisions.  I have also been having muscle spasms in my pectoral muscle.  Dr Scarborough left the top of my pectoral muscle intact to help with a more natural look after reconstruction and said that I needed to do arm exercises to help with the spasms.  My arm is numb and sore but I have been trying to do the exercises.  I can not wait to go to the doctor tomorrow and hopefully get these drains removed.  Also, we should get the pathology report tomorrow and decide what the next step will be for treatment.

I can not thank my friends and family enough for all the support they have shown during this time.  My church family has provided dinner for us every night and let me assure you, we have been well fed!!  The calls, visits and messages have also meant so much to me.  Thanks to my family, especially my sweet husband, for taking such wonderful care of me.  I have tried to not be too much of a whiney baby!  And most thanks to my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who is teaching me every day to lean more on Him and to remember 'all thing work together for good'.

Keep Praying!

Dawn

Getaway Weekend

Ronnie and I both got off work a little early on Friday and he said we should go out of town for the weekend.  He is much more spontaneous than I am, I am a planner and was worried about all the things I thought had to be done before surgery, but decided it might do me good. We love to take the Mustang GT out and just ride, and we always have good conversations when we travel.  Ronnie called our friend with a condo in PCB but he was using it for the weekend. How dare he! LOL. Since it has been so hot we decided to head north and ended up in Helen Ga.  Since we got there so late almost everything was booked.  We found a room at Americn Inn & Suites - not a great experience.  We ate breakfast in Helen then decided what to do next.  Neither of us have ever been to Charleston SC, so we went in that direction.  Several hours and lots of traffic later we made it to Charleston.  I loved it!  Everything downtown smelled so good and the houses were beautiful, however we couldn't find a place to park.  We finally found a Days Inn but they had no vacancies and said everything else was booked also.  We found a place to eat dinner outside of Charleston and headed to Savannah.  I definitely want to go back there when we have more time.  About halfway to Savannah it started raining and we were tired so we got a room at a Hampton Inn (Only $15 more dollars than American Inn & Suites but a lot nicer place to stay) in Yemessee SC.  On Sunday morning we drove to Savannah.  I wanted to eat at The Lady & Sons but when we got there around 11:00 the earliest seating time was 4:00.  We drove around Savanah for a bit and then drove home.  We went to church when we got home on Sunday night and then out to eat afterwards.  I didn't get in bed until midnight and had to be at the hospital at 6 the next morning.  I was tired but really enjoyed the weekend and all the things I thought I had to be done before surgery didn't have to be done after all.

My story to date

I found a lump in my left breast in June 2010.  I went for a mammogram on July 14, 2010.  They took several pictures and then sent me for an ultrasound the same day.  The ultrasound showed a mass in my left breast.  Because I had a breast reduction in 1992 my breasts have a lot of scar tissue but the ultrasound clearly showed something different.  I asked the ultrasound tech what she thought it was and she told me what it wasn't - it wasn't a cyst, a fibroidadenoma, or scar tissue.  Well in my mind that didn't leave much else.  I was already thinking CANCER!!  The Radiologist came in to check the ultrasound and suggested that I have a BSGI (Breast Specific Gamma Imaging) test.  This scan looks for abnormal cell activity.  The HOT SPOTS showed up immediately on the scan of my left breast.  I was trying not to panic!  I had already called Ronnie and my mom and they were with me during the BSGI.  The Radiologist said the next step would be a biopsy to confirm what the doctors and I already knew.  I had to wait two LONG days for a consult with Dr Scarborough, and then had to wait five more days until the biopsy.  Dr Scarborough had already mentioned cancer to me several times, the biopsy was just to confirm. 

During the biopsy Dr Scarborough said he would expedite the Pathology results and had the tissue sent straight to the Path Lab.  He promised me results before the weekend.  On Friday, July 23rd, he called me (while I was in Sam's) to tell me that the biopsy showed cancer.  I had an appointment with him on Monday July 26 to discuss options.  Basically I have two options.  1:  Because of the size of the tumor (5-6 cm) I am not a candidate for a lumpectomy without first trying to shrink the tumor with radiation.   It would take several months to see if the tumor would shrink and there is only a 50/50 chance that the radiation would work.  It if didn't work I would need a mastectomy.  2:  Have a mastectomy.  Both options would include chemotherapy.  He sent me home and told me to come back in two days and let him know my decision .  My head was spinning!!  Chemotherapy had never come up in any of our discussions and I was NOT prepared for it.  I already knew which option I wanted but took the two days to discuss it with family, think about it and pray about it.  I chose Option 2 because I don't want to take the time to try and shrink the tumor and it not work and I have to have a mastectomy anyway.  I asked the doctor why I need chemo and he said that it would greatly increase my chances of survival.  Well, that was enough of an explanation for me!!  I definitely want to survive.

My mastectomy is scheduled for Monday, August 2nd (my birthday).  I will have my left breast removed along with all lymph nodes.  They don't think it has spread to my lymph nodes but are taking them just to be safe. 

Right now it is either stage II or III but the doctors will know more after surgery.

Please pray for me!  Pray especially that the cancer has not spread to my lymph nodes. 
I promise my posts will not always be this long I just wanted to get everyone updated.

Much Love,
Dawn