Day 16: Mixed bag.
The ick: Time to start harassing the insurance company about the MRI. Would like have that resolved today.
The yay: Look at the cool cashmere cap my mother in law knitted for me!
The funny: I wouldn’t be sick at all if I hadn’t seen any doctors!
Day 15: It’s a long one… about construction…
Met with the plastic surgeon yesterday about options and recommendations. He is now the 2nd doctor to recommend a delayed reconstruction and the mastectomy surgeon deferred to the plastics guy. Apparently I am considered high risk for a few reasons… I gotta tell ya, these doctors… I am young, healthy, high-risk and have breast cancer. Ok, I will roll with that.
If you are wondering why I would be high risk, it’s because of two things. 1) Until pathology has a good look at that sentinel lymph node we can’t be certain on a treatment plan and more than likely radiation will be part of my treatment regardless, which increases risk in reconstruction (more on that later). 2) I have this silly little blood condition called cryofibrinogenemia (A rare condition where a blood protein precipitates when it cools and then redissolves once it is warmed again.) Yeah yeah… feeling special… doctors seem to get all nervous and have a whack attack when you mention a “clotting condition…”WHATeves…
So… about construction… I have options – keeping in mind that I have one doctor recommending a bilateral, and two a unilateral pending MRI results. MRI could show cancer behind door number 2 or something in the lymph nodes. And I just want to remove chance of having to do this again… so I vote bilateral… we will see…. ok…
Option 1:
Use up that belly fat and get a tummy tuck in the process. Good news, I don’t have enough abdominal fat to rebuild two (YAY!) Bad news, apparently there is enough to possibly rebuild one. (BOO!) Funny, we have talked nipple tattoos and me disclosing my belly fat feels more personal… weird right? But think about this phrase “harvest your belly fat” – yeah… um… EW.
Anyway, I would have to go the UW for this as it is mostly done at Universities, they say it looks more natural and well… there is the tummy tuck benefit. For me, I am not really down with more surgery than I need – which is what this would be… and yeah, I could lose a few pounds, but seriously, I wouldn’t be getting a boob job if it weren’t for this cancer thing… heck I’ve never broken more than a finger nail and avoid the doctor like the plague…but I digress… so darn quickly too…
Option 2:
Implant(s). Now, if the MRI says I have to have both done or I decide I want them both done, this is my only option. So the thing with implants is that there is a 5-10% chance of hard painful scarring that makes the reconstructed breast(s) look unnatural and of course there is the chance the body will reject the foreign object. They wait until after treatment ends because I guess that painful scarring jumps to 30% if you do a simultaneous while receiving radiation. Plus with my complications above they don’t wanna. Pansies. With this we wait until I am healed from the cancer surgery and have completed treatment. Then I go in for surgery and have an expander put in. Every two weeks they add fluid until I we hit the size I am happy with (if both) or the size that matches the remaining (if one). Once we hit that point, apparently we wait a bit and then we remove the expander and insert the implant. 4 months after that we adjust the natural breast to match the implant side (more surgery) so things balance out. Now I am skipping nipple reconstruction as all’y’all who are keeping up know, but if I were to do that we would wait a few months. And by the way… if you wanna know how they do that… google it on your own. I am going straight to tattoos. So once I heal I am good to go find myself an fabulous tattoo artist.
Plastics guy is saying reconstruction could start 8-12 weeks after pathology OK’s me and the process will take about 8 months total.
I hate shopping.
#strongerthancancer #embracingtheadventure #killerleftboob #hawtrightboob #breastcancer
Day 14: Some good stuff and a little confusion….
First the good stuff:
Chest x-Ray is clear, cancer antigens were normal, liver function normal, red count, white count, other blood work all normal.
My vitamin D is low. What’s that? LOL So gotta add Vitamin D to the daily list.
Now the confusion:
Saw the Gyno/General yesterday, he recommends unilateral instead of bilateral. More to think about. He said the good plastics people can make things match well and if the natural one err… Shall we say “ages” then we could lift it, assuming it doesn’t get cancer and have to be rebuilt. His point being that it is easier on the body to do a unilateral, and there is no guarantee that I will get cancer in the remaining natural breast just as there is no guarantee that I won’t have cancer appear again in the side I have the mastectomy. He also said that due to the type of cancer a simultaneous reconstruct may not be an option.
I told him to call the surgeon so they could get on the same page. LOL
We are still waiting on MRI approval.
Off to see plastics guy today.
Soon I’ll be looking for a tattoo artist.
#strongerthancancer #embracingtheadventure #killerleftboob #hawtrightboob #breastcancer
Day 13: A mixed one. Yesterday I went from feeling totally fine to totally overwhelmed – sometimes at record speed!
The House Blessing at Habitat was yesterday, it was great that mom had a chance to meet the team. It was a terrific event. Brother and sister headed home, sad to see them go. And reading the alkaline diet books is a little overwhelming. Gonna miss my coffee rituals. 😕. I like green tea but it’s not the same. Had so many people send up prayers yesterday – people are truly amazing.
Hoping to hear about the MRI today and meet the plastics guy tomorrow. Every time I say that I hear the song “Barbie Girl” – oi!
Work keeps me sane I think. (Can’t say it does the same for my staff… LOLZ) Looking forward to today.
#strongerthancancer #embracingtheadventure #killerleftboob #breastcancer
Day 12: New jewelry! I have to say to say, I’m sure I’ll a nice collection of these expensive bracelets over the next few months….
Ok… Woke up thinking about wigs… And dreamt I met the oncologist.
Another funny…. After I got the chest x-Ray and blood drawn last week I went to schedule with the plastics guy for the consult and his scheduler said he could see me mid March… “I said yeah… I need to consult with him about delayed vs. simultaneous reconstruction and well… Cancer makes its own schedule.”
She looks at me and says, “Well…. He doesn’t need lunch next Tuesday, will that work?” Yep!
Now Dr. came out and that is when I met him for a moment and the energy he gave off was a little like Lurch… But we will see what I think when I actually meet him.
#strongerthancancer #embracingtheadventure #killerleftboob #hawtrightboob #breastcancer
Day 11: a funny.
So yesterday I’m talking with the surgeon about simultaneous vs delayed reconstruction after he does his job (insert bionic woman sound) and how my understanding is that the general anesthetic is one of the most dangerous parts of surgery. He says to me…. Wait for it….
“I wouldn’t worry so much with someone as young and healthy as you. It’s probably less dangerous driving I-5 at rush hour.”
Blink…
Me: in a smarty ass jokester tone: “Um you know I’m here cuz I caught a case of the booby cancers right?”
He laughs, and says “Well yeah, but other than that your young and healthy!”
Laughter is good medicine. I like this doctor.
#strongerthancancer #embracingtheadventure #killerleftboob #hawtrightboob #breastcancer
Day 10b: Diagnosis Part II – Today was a long day filled with more information and more testing. Where to start? Met with the surgeon, we talked about many things.
Grade: I have an “estimated” Histologic Grade of 1 and an “estimated” Nottingham Grade of 5-9. Right now we are considering this to be a low to moderately aggressive cancer. This is estimated because we do not know yet whether or not the lymph nodes are involved and they are the keepers to much data it would seem.
Hormone Recepters: One of the tumors is 100% ER and PR the other was 100% ER and 98% PR, don’t get much more strong hormone receptors than these… this means that a hormone receptor blocker will be in my future and it also means no estrogen or progesterone for me… like ever. Was also told to expect the oncologist (yet to meet) to prescribe something like Tamoxifen for a minimum of 5 years.
Ok, Stage. This is the tough one – we just don’t know and won’t know until we get more information on the lymph nodes.
So next steps:
If anything in the blood, chest x-ray or MRI look abnormal I may be sent for a PET Scan to get a head to toe.
Surgery: Lymph Nodes
They will do a sentinel node biopsy during surgery
Surgery: Breast
I lose the left nipple regardless of which option I choose. Options are: mastectomy or a lumpectomy (partial mastectomy). Because the nature of ILC is such that it is difficult to detect, slow moving and branches out not necessarily creating palpable tumors or lumps, I am opting for bilateral mastectomy. It is also possible that oncology treatments will be easier with a bilateral mastectomy, again, depending on lymph nodes.
For the left nipple replacement I am looking for some great artwork of the Yai-tzu dragon, the protector and guardian against any physical harm. So feel free to post any cool Yai-tzu art you find to my wall or send me a message.
Timeline: Waiting on insurance for MRI.
Treatment is simple…
1) Hormone blockers
2) Surgery
3) Potential radiation Therapy
4) Chemo
Seems like a simple 4 part plan to me.
#strongerthancancer #embracingtheadventure #killerleftboob #hawtrightboob #breastcancer
Day 10a: My sister…
A day at the hospital
My sister – what a trooper! She gets the day off from work at a hospital – to spend all day… at a hospital! I got a cool bracelet… they took some blood, x-Rayed my chest (perverts) .. but we never did find the spa….
#strongerthancancer #embracingtheadventure #killerleftboob #hawtrightboob #breastcancer
Day 10: Surgery consult day! This means today will be a two parter with an update this afternoon. Carpet cleaner also comes today. Who knew that getting ready to be sick would be so much work! Thank God for friends and family.
I am guessing that we also get the referral to the oncologist today and find out what additional testing they would like done.
Actually woke up dreaming about one of my doctors trying to give me injections. In my dream, he only got through one and I chased him off. LOL. I’ve also had the theme to bionic man going through my head – I’m still adamant about lasers being a feature in the new set. “We can rebuild her. We have the technology. We can make her better than she was. Better, stronger, faster.” (Yes I know I am modifying the six million dollar man quote…. No bionic woman quotes are going through my head…)
Family is here and I am thankful for them. Mom brought everything from farm fresh eggs, to deer burger, farm fresh beef and farm fresh chicken. Then I handed her a pile of books on alkaline diets (I.e. Vegan cooking). She is great though, she is gonna help figure it out. A dear friend has told me that along this journey I will occasionally have to force myself to do things – like eat. They also said, don’t worry this minute, if you’re hungry now, just eat. This is certainly a lot to take in – appetite has definite been up and down!
10 days people. Just 10 days. Mind blowing really.
#strongerthancancer #embracingtheadventure #killerleftboob #hawtrightboob #breastcancer
Day 9: I was worried I wouldn’t have anything funny to talk about today… But not true! Apparently my announcement on running for office from LAST year popped up in the comments section of the 1030 KMAS website this morning. Who says the universe doesn’t have comedic timing!? And seriously – I still love the support!
So lots of good questions from friends on the diagnosis. I do not know stage yet and likely will not until more testing is done. This could be a good diagnosis, all things considered, but an MRI will tell us stage and whether or not this is invasive or in situ. Just a fancy way to say “is it anywhere else?” So stay tuned – talk with the surgeon tomorrow at 1.
Tonight my brother, sister and mom will all be here. Bittersweet really. This was planned before #killerleftboob decided to attack. We will still have fun but it is also a time of preparing for battle and change. Mom doesn’t know yet that she will probably end up helping me with work and helping me find alkalizing vegan recipes…. That will be a challenge – we are a meat and tater family… Best redneckonize!
Make it an awesome day guys!
#strongerthancancer #embracingtheadventure #killerleftboob #hawtrightboob #breastcancer
#killerleftboob 