Wednesday, June 3, 2009

A Bit of a Setback

My doctor called me today with the results of my final pathology results. It wasn't the best news but it is what it is and we have to take it one step at a time.

The right side where there was no cancer was perfectly fine. No cancer in the breast and no cancer in the lymph nodes. The cancer on the left side was a smaller then they thought. It was 1 1/2 cm and all the margins were clean and it did not appear attached to anything. The sentinel lymph node that they took out first was a little larger then normal. At first glance in the operating room, there appeared no cancer cells. As they did a little more investigating, there were 2 specks of cancer in the lymph node. The largest was 1 1/2 mm (not cm, but millimeters).

Dr. Lawson wants to go back in and take a few more lymph nodes out and test them. She wants to do this to plan my treatment better. She told me that I might benefit with having radiation done on my chest wall. This will probably guarantee that I will have to have chemotherapy. By doing this, I can lower my chance of the cancer coming back in the remaining tissue.

I will have to have surgery again but this time, I will do it as an outpatient surgery so I can get home quicker. I don't know what the date will be but I will let post it when I find out. I have found that this is annoying. It definitely is not what I wanted it to be but cancer is not simple and I knew that from the beginning.

Right now, I want to back to some type of normal. I miss spending time with my kids and doing for them. I miss sleeping comfortably on my bed and I miss Kevin sleeping beside me. I miss fixing dinner at night (but don't get me wrong, I LOVE having meals ready to fix.) I really miss taking a long hot shower. Right now I am just whining and after a good night's rest, I will feel better.

This is just another step that I have to take to get back to being myself. I am will do this and get it done and fight my way back to healthy. Thank you for all your prayers and keep praying.

4 comments:

  1. Mary Anne, I think you are allowed to "whine" a little! :) I'll keep on praying for your quick recovery and for this little setback. You're very brave and one day soon you will hopefully be able to look back on all this as just a memory.

    God bless you and your family.

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  2. Mary Anne, I am sorry to hear of your recent setback. I can not imagine all that you are going through. Please know that we are all praying for you. I hope that this time will pass quickly.

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  3. Sweetheart, you can whine all you want and need, you are an inspiration and have faced all of this with such grace and courage. I am so thankful your doctor is taking extra steps to make sure you will be well soon, and will keep praying for your and yours every day.

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  4. Whining (spelling?) is good therapy and if it makes you feel better...... whine away. Your blog is a good place to vent. Your great attitude throughout all of this has been an inspiration to everyone. Keeping you and your family in my prayers. May God continue to give you peace and healing.

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