Post Treatment #4

I figure an update is due… I received my last dose of AC chemo a week ago today (Tuesday). I also was able to have a consult with both my oncology surgeon and the reconstruction surgeon while I was down there. Wow. A ton of information in a short amount of time… topped by the last of the nasty stuff.

The good news first… they stop short of saying I’ve had a complete response to the chemo, because what they ‘feel’ only tells them 30% of the story of what is actually going on inside the body. However, all of the doctors were beyond pleased—there was no mass to measure (where there used to be 9x8 cm one mass!) and they did not feel any swollen lymph nodes (there were at least 3 before) There was nothing to measure!!! Such great news and makes all this yuck at least worth it.

The harder stuff… My veins are getting hardened from the chemo, so the nurse had a hard time getting my IV in this time. Also, I got a kind of anxiety attack (realized what it was after the fact) when she started pushing the chemo… thankfully the med that was already prescribed to me to help with the nausea and to sleep has an anti-anxiety effect as well… so she just had me put it under my tongue to dissolve it quicker into my body and I was a-okay.

Just looks nasty, doesn't it? It's pretty tough to watch this stuff get pushed into your veins... yuck!

Surgery is coming… probably in three weeks from now (which, honestly makes my stomach turn almost as much as the chemo), but the schedulers apparently are having a time with getting the doctors coordinated. We’ve decided to do a double mastectomy--the BRCA 2 gene I tested positive for raises my chances of another breast cancer (not just a re-occurrence of this one) up to 60-80% if any breast tissue remains. That was enough for us to call it done. On surgeon’s advice, I’ll also start phase 1 reconstruction with this surgery, then follow whatever treatment is determined by what is discovered in surgery (maybe more chemo and/or radiation), then more reconstructive surgery after all treatment is done. All the appointments and all the information was a bit overwhelming, but overall, the doctors are very positive about the outcomes and that is good news to me. They also set up a consult for me next week to talk with the gynology oncologist about getting my ovaries and tubes removed due to the increased risk of ovarian cancer with the BRCA 2 gene—which could be coordinated with this first surgery or the next one.

My Bible study group is starting a new book on Philippians, Be Joyful by Warren Wiersbe… reading the introduction this morning was encouraging to me and a good way to think about all that is and is coming. A couple quotes that I’d like to hold on to… 

“The secret of Christian joy is found in the way the believer thinks – his attitudes. After all, outlook determines outcome.” (pg 18)

 “He (Paul) did not look at Christ through his circumstances; rather, he looked at his circumstances through Christ—and this changed everything.” (pg 22) 

And… this is why I can have JOY (even through the tears here and there--been emotional this week!)! This is why I can find thankfulness. This is why there is HOPE!!!

Love to you my friends…