Day 10

The Princess and the Pea.....Sized Tumor.

Light reading anyone?   I can assure you, nothing in either of these binders begins with "once upon a time".  Kind of a bummer.

So today was a huge and tiring day at OHSU.  I am physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted and at the same time feel reinvigorated.  I feel one thousand times better after the appointments today than I did walking into the oncology clinic this morning.  There is something fantastically reassuring about your doctor telling you that even if everything goes wrong, you are still going to be OK.

Here's the scoop.  I have a baseline MRI and CT scan next week.  Then, the next week, I will have a port put in, which they do under general anesthesia.

Then...wait for it...

Four months of chemotherapy.  And I get one of the most aggressive cocktails (aka brutal) out there.  Thank you special tumor with the "nasty biology" (my least favorite thing said today).  Then depending on the genetic testing, no mutation means a lumpectomy because the mass is so small, or a bilateral mastectomy if the marker is there.  I'm not sure I have ever wanted a genetic mutation so badly.  It would provide a peace of mind that I wouldn't have if I didn't have the gene and just grew a spontaneous tumor.  Either way I will be good (my most favorite thing said today).

After the surgery, I'll have a biopsy of the breast tissue and the sentinel lymph node.  If the biopsies are clear, then I should be done and they will monitor me, I think pretty much forever.  If not, then more chemo, this time of the oral variety.

I cannot tell you how wonderful it is to have a plan.  It's exactly what I needed.  I have a long, bumpy road ahead of me which is likely going to be harder than I can imagine.  I am ready.  I can do this.  And I will.  

I am sure I will have days that I am convinced I can't do it and want to give up, and that's why I am so glad to have you all to kick me in the ass.  Thank you everyone for the positive vibes, keep them coming!!  

And finally, a big shout out to Team Boobie for coming with to the appointments today and taking notes and asking questions and handing me Kleenex. 

Have a great night everyone.  It's time for me to redeem my Mom Bucks for a 5-10 minute hug.

XO