Next week at this time I'll be attempting to snooze at the hospital. Boo. And I should be at least mostly free of cancer. So there's an up side to a bad night's sleep I guess. I've only ever been over night as a patient one other time before; when I was about 11 and had an appendectomy. I do remember being fearful at that time that I wouldn't fall asleep before they cut me open. I don't remember being scared to sleep there by myself --- I did enjoy the bed with a raised head, all my cards, and being able to watch tv as much as I wanted. Capricorn one was on...
I should probably tell my docs that anesthesia makes me cry and pain killers make me hallucinate ( at least they did back then).
Z's changed his plans and is coming in early to see me before I go. Such a good son.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Posted with Blogsy
Well here's the confirmation
Over 17,600 pairs analyzed?!..I feel thoroughly examined!
Again, I just have to say "yay me!"
Again, I just have to say "yay me!"
Monday, July 30, 2012
SERIOUSLY GOOD NEWS!
Genetics test came back! I am negative for the "breast cancer gene." Sometimes that "acting as if" can be powerful stuff, lol. Super relieved. Super dooper relieved. Guess I am an anomaly -- as per usual. YAY ME!
OH other big news, surgery date moved up to next Tuesday. Yah I know. They had a cancellation so might as well get this thing out out out of my body as soon as possible. For a girl that has a hard time changing gears mid stream -- well, I guess another lesson learned. Just keep swimming and keep your head up
HEY LET ME REITERATE... I am gene negative. Sometimes negative is so positive you want to kiss it -- right in it's face.
OH other big news, surgery date moved up to next Tuesday. Yah I know. They had a cancellation so might as well get this thing out out out of my body as soon as possible. For a girl that has a hard time changing gears mid stream -- well, I guess another lesson learned. Just keep swimming and keep your head up
HEY LET ME REITERATE... I am gene negative. Sometimes negative is so positive you want to kiss it -- right in it's face.
Twins
Great card and message written by my twin. Strangely enough she wrote this/sent this the day before she got the news of my diagnosis. The world is a magical place. 
A new day
Well after a down in the dumps day; and a moment of sadness late last night... I'm ready to start a new day today. Received a call from Dr. G. this morning ( the surgeon) he's back from vacation and was filling out my "orders" -- so we went over the details of the surgery.
No eating/ drinking after midnight the night before.
They'll inject me with "radiological medicine" to assist them in locating the sentinel lymph nodes, and insert a fine needle into my breast to help them locate my tumor during surgery.
Surgery will take place under general anesthesia and last 1-2 hours. I'll be in the recovery room about an hour after that.
They will seal me up with internal stitches, dermabond (glue) and a butterfly bandage.
It's about 2 days for the results of the lymph nodes and about 2 weeks for the oncotype test.
In the latest version of the NCCN Guidelines, the option of using a gene-based assay of tumor tissue (Oncotype DX®, Genomic Health) to help guide chemotherapy treatment decisions is now included within the systemic adjuvant treatment decision pathway for patients with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative tumors that are 0.6 to 1.0 cm and moderately/poorly differentiated or with unfavorable features, or > 1 cm. -from n.c.c.n. website
The Oncotype DX test determines how specific genes are expressed (that is, their level of activity) within a tumor sample. The measurement of these genes is calculated to yield an individualized result called a breast cancer Recurrence Score®. The Recurrence Score result correlates with the likelihood that a patient's breast cancer will return (distant recurrence) and also indicates whether he or she is likely to benefit from chemotherapy for breast cancer. - from "my breast cancer treatment . Org"
There are mild limitations to activity levels; based mainly on comfort and common sense (no water skiing for six weeks...lol). Fully healed in six weeks.
I'll see him again in 3-4 weeks; unless I have something crop up serious before then. He was happy to hear we were staying in st. Louis until Sunday as most concerns would crop up in the first 24 hours.
I did put a call into LMH; Dr. Soule's office to check on the genetic test. Waiting for a call back. While I'm pretty confident it won't sway me from my decision-- you never know.
I'm getting a bit more comfortable with the thought of chemo. Less concerned about "feeling badly" for an extended period of time. More concerned about poisoning my body and the lack of confidence in the science being the best thing overall for my health. It is very difficult to take on decisions that potentially will effect your life span; quality of life; future medical procedures etc.
For an indecisive libra -- it's a daunting task which exhausts me in a way I can't describe. Having confidence in my own desires and making sure while I know this effects others, that I truly will live with the consequences of these decisions -- makes me realize that this is indeed a huge life lesson for me to have to learn. That the universe felt I had to learn it in this way is a bit unfortunate but perhaps indicative of how important it is and how late I was to learn it.
No eating/ drinking after midnight the night before.
They'll inject me with "radiological medicine" to assist them in locating the sentinel lymph nodes, and insert a fine needle into my breast to help them locate my tumor during surgery.
Surgery will take place under general anesthesia and last 1-2 hours. I'll be in the recovery room about an hour after that.
They will seal me up with internal stitches, dermabond (glue) and a butterfly bandage.
It's about 2 days for the results of the lymph nodes and about 2 weeks for the oncotype test.
In the latest version of the NCCN Guidelines, the option of using a gene-based assay of tumor tissue (Oncotype DX®, Genomic Health) to help guide chemotherapy treatment decisions is now included within the systemic adjuvant treatment decision pathway for patients with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative tumors that are 0.6 to 1.0 cm and moderately/poorly differentiated or with unfavorable features, or > 1 cm. -from n.c.c.n. website
The Oncotype DX test determines how specific genes are expressed (that is, their level of activity) within a tumor sample. The measurement of these genes is calculated to yield an individualized result called a breast cancer Recurrence Score®. The Recurrence Score result correlates with the likelihood that a patient's breast cancer will return (distant recurrence) and also indicates whether he or she is likely to benefit from chemotherapy for breast cancer. - from "my breast cancer treatment . Org"
There are mild limitations to activity levels; based mainly on comfort and common sense (no water skiing for six weeks...lol). Fully healed in six weeks.
I'll see him again in 3-4 weeks; unless I have something crop up serious before then. He was happy to hear we were staying in st. Louis until Sunday as most concerns would crop up in the first 24 hours.
I did put a call into LMH; Dr. Soule's office to check on the genetic test. Waiting for a call back. While I'm pretty confident it won't sway me from my decision-- you never know.
I'm getting a bit more comfortable with the thought of chemo. Less concerned about "feeling badly" for an extended period of time. More concerned about poisoning my body and the lack of confidence in the science being the best thing overall for my health. It is very difficult to take on decisions that potentially will effect your life span; quality of life; future medical procedures etc.
For an indecisive libra -- it's a daunting task which exhausts me in a way I can't describe. Having confidence in my own desires and making sure while I know this effects others, that I truly will live with the consequences of these decisions -- makes me realize that this is indeed a huge life lesson for me to have to learn. That the universe felt I had to learn it in this way is a bit unfortunate but perhaps indicative of how important it is and how late I was to learn it.
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