Three Dates for Valentine’s

It all converged in one day – my consult with the surgeon, Tim’s appointment with his surgeon, and my chemo.  So, we jumped into our car dark and early in the morning after Elizabeth was off to school and made a date of it.  Well, three actually.

When I am going to have a busy day, it is especially important to meet with Christ first. Acts 3:16 reminded me once again that the “Big C” (Christ) will conquer the “little c” (cancer).  I look forward to the day I can finally say, “It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed…”

First Date.  The morning started with my first consult with my breast surgeon, Dr. Loren Rourke.  She is starting early to prepare me for the event that will not take place until summer, hopefully early July providing there are no delays in chemo.  I like her.  She said I was “thin!”  I wanted to give her a hug!  Plus she is very personable and knows her stuff.  She took all the time we needed, and answered all our questions.  There is a downside to being thin, as this means possibly pulling tissue from my back to fill in the gap left between the incisions.  I’ll share more on that another day if you really want to know the gory details.

Removing and restructuring a breast is akin to building a house, or remodeling one more likely.  You hire an architect, a builder, a contractor, subcontractors, etc.  First you tear down the old house, graft some topsoil from other places to fill the hole on the lot, choose your fixtures,  select your elevation, and then finish it off with a few coats of paint.  Simple?  For those of you who have built a house, the answer is a resounding “no.”

Some women end up with a brick house, but me…O.K.  I’ll stop there.  Don’t worry, we won’t be exhibiting pictures of my new “house.”  All joking aside, it is quite a process and we did learn some things today…

After six months of chemo, I will get a one month reprieve.  If the timing works out, surgery will take place on or around July 8th, a modified radical mastectomy (one is enough).  This includes removal of breast, skin, nipple, areola, and all lymph nodes under the arm.  I’ll be in the hospital overnight, out the next day, and in three weeks or less I should “feel like new.”  Another one month break after surgery is followed by radiation.  This lasts for six weeks.  At this time we are looking at daily radiation, 5x per week, for six weeks.  That’s right.  You read it correctly.

The concern of inflammatory breast cancer did come up again in today’s conversation.  Although all the doctors concur this is not my type, we will meet with the radiation specialist soon to get her input as well.  If for some reason they decide to treat for inflammatory breast cancer, it only changes the radiation schedule and everything else remains the same.  Inflammatory breast cancer is treated with radiation twice per day, for the same length of time.  I know…too much information!

Final reconstruction won’t be considered for an average of 9 months after radiation is complete.  Do you even want to know how they do this?  Let’s just say that I will get a free tummy tuck and come away with six-pack abs.  That might not be a bad trade!

We did have time for a quick bite at Sonic.  I’m thin, so I enjoyed a malted milkshake.

Second Date.  Just in case it wasn’t enough that I have breast cancer with an impending surgery on my plate, Tim decided to go and get a cancer diagnosis for himself!  Maybe he didn’t like me getting all the attention!  We always seem to do things the hard way, but honestly we didn’t plan the schedule.  His surgical consult was our second date of the day.  The biopsy last week found a cancerous growth on his nose.  He had a pre-cancerous cell on the top of his nose as well.  They found what the pathology report is calling a squamous cell.  The squamous cell is on his nose by the corner of his left eye.  It hasn’t spread beyond the skin, but it has to come out or in time he could lose an eye.  This surgeon is the best.  He was one of the founders of the MOHS clinic at MD Anderson and worked there for many years.  He thinks this is basel cell, not squamous, so he’s going to do another biopsy before removing it. His surgery will be out-patient, fortunately.  I will have to drive him home, and he will come away with a shiner, causing people to wonder whether I am an abusive spouse.  Don’t worry, I didn’t hit him … this time (ha).  This will all take place over the next few weeks.

And the Third Date of the day was my weekly chemo treatment.  I enjoyed the smile on my nurses’ faces when I gave them a heart-shaped box of chocolates for Valentine’s Day.  Someone rang the bell today, meaning they got word they are cancer free!  We are now half-way through the first course of treatment (Taxol and Herception).   I almost asked for the Benadryl so I could sleep; after all I did take the day off.  Instead, my hubby and I sat together in the infusion room, looking deeply into each other’s eyes on this Valentine’s Day, discussing where and when to build a real house, and realizing once again that together, with the help of God, we can fight anything satan throws our way.  Through thickness and in health…

What did you do for Valentine’s Day?

Next steps – 6 weeks left of weekly Taxol and Hercepton, followed by 12 weeks of more intense chemo (FEC and Hercepton once every three weeks).