The Game Plan

Facebook Post from September 1, 2010 at 7:17am
"My surgeon gave me a book called "I flunked my mammogram!" I love that title!!!!! I asked if I could have a bumper sticker :) Bring it on - I am a fighter!!!! 9 days off from the poking and prodding, and then the circus begins. Thanks to all of you for your love and prayers - trust me, I feel it! Love you all!"

After the diagnosis was official, my life then consisted of phone calls, texts and updates to family and friends across the country, and multiple doctors visits and scans. I sent and received so many texts during this time that my limited texting plan was exceeded for the month in just a couple days – I normally only used about 150 a month, and in the first part of September I had used more than 800! Obviously, my plan needed to be changed! I soon discovered that texting was the perfect way to communicate with everyone without having to explain myself over and over again.

After meeting with the breast surgeon I was referred to by my OBGYN, we finally had a plan in place. I would have a PET scan to see if the cancer had spread to any other part of my body, and then I would meet with a medical oncologist to discuss chemotherapy. My course of treatment would be chemo first, followed by surgery, then radiation. In an instant, the next year of my life was all planned out.

The PET scan was simple, and honestly, very relaxing. After being injected with the radioactive sugar (contained in a vile straight out of Mission Impossible), I had to wait for 90 minutes while the sugars worked in my body. Who wouldn’t mind sitting with a blanket in a comfy chair in a quiet, dimly lit room with magazines and a TV for 90 minutes all alone? I told the tech that it was the most peace I had had all summer and asked when I could come back. The CT scan that followed was short and easy, and after it was all over I got a Snickers bar – a yummy treat after having to fast all morning.

Michael and I met with the medical oncologist for a consultation and a discussion of what to expect with my chemotherapy. From the biopsy and PET scan we learned the specifics of my cancer. I had invasive ductal carcinoma. It was in my right breast and axillary lymph nodes, but had thankfully not spread anywhere else. I was ER/PR positive and HER2 negative. Because of the inflammatory nature of the cancer and the involvement of my skin, I was staged as 3C, the highest you could be before stage 4, the worst of the worst.

I would have a port placed in my chest to administer the chemo and save my veins from the torture of the drugs. I would receive 3 drugs – Taxotere, Adriamycin, and Cytoxan. My chemo would be once every three weeks, for 6 cycles. If I started at the end of September, I would be done with chemo in January. JANUARY. It seemed so far away.

My questions for him were typical of any person facing cancer treatment. How sick will I get? Will I lose my hair? Is it going to work? His answers were honest: Everyone handles chemo differently. Yes, you will lose your hair. And you have an excellent chance of this working and living a long and healthy life.

That was all I needed to hear.