The beginnings of a plan.

Today Patrick and I spent 4 hours in a 10x10 exam room meeting our team of doctors, first all at once, then each individually. We learned that I have Stage 2a, Grade 3 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma and that my lymph nodes are benign. Those of you who know me well can probably guess that I figured most of this out with my lab reports and Google.  The information that I did not have however is very important in my treatment. I am estrogen and progesterone receptor negative.   This means that my cancer does not feed on these hormones so hormone therapy will not work for me. The third receptor that they check is called HER2. This test was inconclusive so a more in depth study had to be done. We do not have those results yet. If it is positive then they can use a medication in addition to chemo therapy to block those receptors. If it is negative then it is a bit more difficult but not impossible to treat my cancer.  Either way I must have chemotherapy before anything surgical can be done. The test should be completed in the next few days so we have gone ahead and scheduled my first day of chemo for next Friday.  Of course I asked the big question, "Will I loose my hair?". The answer is yes. Seven years ago was my last Locks of Love donation, since then I have been letting my hair grow. My goal was for it to be waist length before I donated again. Unfortunately I am not going to achieve that goal. The doctor says that hair loss occurs approximately three weeks after starting chemo, the Internet says two to four weeks. With this in mind I am going to have to make my donation a bit sooner.  It's only hair and it will grow back.  

National Breast Cancer Foundation has helped me to understand a lot about the things I have touched on briefly.

Waiting

I have been a patient for many years now and the one consistent thing is this.... You are called a patient because what you need the most is patience. There is always a lot of waiting, waiting for appointments, waiting for tests to be scheduled, waiting for results, waiting for answers.... You get the picture.


We are getting closer, only two more days until we meet the team.

I have cancer.

I have cancer. That is a terribly difficult sentence to say, but it is true. Breast cancer. Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. Three months ago I had some discomfort that I associated with my new handbag, not long after I noticed some changes then, I found the lump. My mammogram turned into an ultrasound, which became a biopsy and a week later a phone call telling me what I had already figured out. Friday, I will meet my team at MD Anderson, each individually and then all together. We will schedule more tests and formulate a plan. This blog will be my way of documenting my fight with breast cancer and keeping our friends and family who are far away updated.