Battle On

We started this blog in March 2013 to communicate about my health and our life with the boys as I survived cancer. Well, unfortunately it’s time to start it up again. I will be having a mastectomy on October 12^th.

Please keep reading if you want to know more details. If not, well, might as well stop now.

Four weeks ago I found a small lump in my right breast. Two days later my surgeon Joe Montana (really Lou Montana) confirmed what I felt and in the next couple of weeks I had a multitude of tests which confirmed that I do have cancer. Again. Seriously. My other cancer is still in complete remission. I now have DCIS or ductal carcinoma in situ. It’s very early and it has not spread. Because of the location and microcalcifications in and around the mass it’s the recommendation of all of my doctors to do a mastectomy. Gulp.

The process will be two part with the mastectomy on October 12^th and tissue expanders placed at that time. The recovery will be 4-8 weeks with the first four being the most difficult. The second surgery will be reconstruction and it will probably take place in January or February. During the first surgery I will have two lymph nodes tested just to make sure that there is no cancer hiding anywhere else. I have had CT scans, bone scans and ultrasounds that indicate I am in the clear but we don’t want any MORE surprises. All of this has thrown my doctors for a loop as well. Before determining the plan of action my doctors met with the tumor board, approximately 30 medical professionals consisting of oncologists, surgeons, radiologists, nurses and breast care patient advocates. As they discussed my case one thing was clear: they were stumped.  My HER2+ cancer is in complete remission so the treatments I have every 3 weeks are working, but while this is happening another kind of cancer is growing. And it is not affected by my current treatment.

My oncologist said he could not find a case that was similar to mine anywhere. This is not how I wanted to stand out in life. An anomaly. Is this a good thing? The jury is still out on that one. So the tumor board reviewed all the tests and determined a mastectomy was the best bet for total remission round 2.

To say I am overwhelmed would be an understatement. The physical pain of cancer is bad but having been to cancer hell and back, I know it won’t be as bad this time around. The emotional, mental and spiritual pain is much harder. I feel fragile. Uncertain. I know the outcome will be fine, but I am not sure the scars both physical and emotional will be fine. I know it will all work out in the end, but how unscathed will I be? I am not sure.

The main reason for this blog was always to keep others that mean so much to us in the loop about our crazy life. That reason remains as well as another crucial reason: we do this for our boys. We always want them to know that we have done everything we can to fight this awful disease as many times as it shows its ugly face.

We plan on telling our crew the news as it gets closer to the surgery date. Please do not mention anything to them. We plan to go on a little vacation (very spontaneous but oh so needed!) the weekend before surgery and we will tell the boys at that time.

We appreciate any and all prayers as we get ready to fight again.

Battle on!

Liz