Pet Scan results and Port surgery details

The PET Scan results came back today.  (The PET Scan was the full body scan to identify any cancer anywhere else in her body.)  The scan indicated no cancer anywhere else.  GREAT NEWS!!

This morning's surgery to place the port (for the chemo treatments) went well.  She went back to the operating room just after 8 am and it took about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.  They wanted to put the port on her right side, and it went in with no complications.  Basically it was a very smooth surgery.

Currently she is really tired and in quite a bit of pain.  The meds and ice have helped her shoulder pain.  But she had to be intubated for the surgery, and now her throat is very raw and achy.  Talking is painful and she is very hoarse.

She is, however, very grateful to have it done and to be home and to have such good news about the PET Scan results.

MRI results

Happy Day! Got the results from the MRI…The cancer has NOT spread! That is great news! They did however find another cancerous lump in the same breast. From what I understood it must be pretty small because the mammogram and the ultra-sound didn’t pick it up. I’ll know more about this Wednesday after meeting with the Dr.’s. The lump in my right breast that I’ve had since my 20’s is not cancer, so that was good news too.

The diagnosis

My husband and I went and met with the radiologist today and it was confirmed that in all 3 area’s from my biopsy I have cancer. I have what’s called invasive ductal carcinoma. This is the most common type of breast cancer and is curable. What we know so far and what’s up next… The cancer is classified as grade 3, which means its fast growing. This type of cancer reacts well to chemotherapy. We know that cancer is in the breast and the lymph node in my armpit. Tomorrow I will have an MRI to see if it has spread to any of the other lymphatic system, by Monday we will know. We will be meet with the group of Dr’s that will be taking care of me during this process on Wednesday morning next week. Things will be moving fast, a lot will be going on, please be patient if I don’t respond to your texts/ calls or whatever, I need time to process this and reflect on my strength. I know I can beat this, I do however have fears about certain things that will happen. This is normal. At some point in the near future I will find someone to help disseminate information out so I can focus on my healing and my family.
I know you will want to know what you can do for me, the best answer I have right now is to pray and fast for me. I will need help down the road and I’ll do my best to ask for what I need.
Heavenly Father loves me. I know this. This is something that will help me grow spiritually but I will rely on your faith at times.
Once chemo starts I will have treatments every 3 weeks for 4 months. I was told I will have a few rough days but that I will also have really good days. I will loose my hair, but lets face it,I can really rock this short hair thing, and hopefully the no hair look too.

In case I don’t say it later, I just want to thank you in advance for your love, support and prayer on my and my families behalf.

Where my story begins…

There are times in our lives when things happen and we think they only happen to 'other' people...

Today I became one of those 'other' people.

Last year around November I found a lump in one of my breasts. I did not think much of it as I've had a lump before that ended up being nothing. It started out pretty small and I figured I would wait to go because I needed to find a new Dr. and that was a pretty big headache. Fast forward to February...I notice that lump is quite a bit larger. For the last several weeks it has become uncomfortable and painful. At this point I was thinking it might be a clogged milk duct, or maybe that's what I was hoping for. I found a new Dr. and saw him this morning. The lump has been qualified as a mass, and measures about 7cmx3cm, and has a nodule at one end. I was sent in for a diagnostic mammogram which also took place today. This proved that there was a mass and needed further imaging to see things more clearly. An ultra-sound was done and determined that it's not a boy or a girl. :) Through this it was determined that the lump was not liquid filled but is a solid mass. It may be one mass, or it could be two that are bridged together, they were a little unclear about that. The mass does not have a smooth outer edge, it is jagged. This was concerning to the radiologist. I also have a couple lymph nodes in my armpit that are enlarged and darkened. This could be because of the irritation from the lump or it could be that whatever is going on in my breast is also happening in my lymph node. Again, they weren't sure.
So what now? I will go back on Tuesday for a biopsy. There are going to do 3 incisions, one at each end of the large mass and one in my armpit. They will remove a piece of tissue from the lump(s) and my lymph node and send it to pathology for testing.
This process takes about 2 hours and will leave me a little sore. My husband and I go back next Thursday for the results. And I should say at this point that the results could still come back non-cancerous, but they will still have to determine what to do with the mass and how to remove it.


Please keep me in your prayers. I know prayer works! I'd really just like the strength to handle whatever the outcome may be.