Self exams and the next steps

During both the Phoenix and Durango surgeon appointments, the doctors did another exam.  Both of them felt the lumps.  I've said before that I have not been good about doing the self-exams, but I got to thinking.... if I had done them regularly, would I have caught this way earlier.  I mean, we've caught it early, but could it have been earlier.  I just want to bring that to the women's attention again!

On Monday, Lisa, Murray, and I met for the Durango surgeon appointment.  Well first, we met at Upper Eastside deli for the most delicious sandwiches.  Anyway, we met with the doctor, who is a general surgeon and discussed options, radiology, radiation/chemo, and how long I'll be down and out.  Her words on the last was "I don't want you done and out".  

Between the two surgeons, they both thought that the lumpectomy would be the best option.  Durango surgeon said she had spent time before the appointment going over the imaging with the radiologist.  The second mass is a concern and during the lumpectomy she thought she would be able to take it out as well.  That would be one incision.  A second incision would be under my armpit for taking some lymph nodes.  First, I would go to a radiologist and have two wires inserted in my boob to mark the location of the masses.  She would also place some dye during the incision and that would help show if the cancer had travelled to the nodes.  Cross your fingers, pray, throw sand over your left shoulder, etc. that it has not.  

Once the masses are removed, radiology will do something to make sure all of it was removed.  Then I will be released from the hospital and sent home.  Yep, this will be an outpatient surgery.  

The masses will be sent to pathology (there is now a lot of OLOGY in my vocabulary) and will take about a week and a half to get the results back.  From the pathology, I'll get a score and that score determines the next phase --- radiation, chemo, radiation only, a combination, radiation for 5 days, radiation for 30 days.  

Right now, the hope is to perform the surgery on November 5th (early voting was important).  I'll probably be out of work for the month of November.  That includes recovery and a vacation I have planned, which I cleared with the doctor.  

From there I will be on restricted duty while I go through Oncology portion of the treatment.  My supervisor is already making a long list of things I can do from home.  

I also want to thank everyone who has reached out asking what they could do, asking questions even if I didn't have answers, and just giving words of encouragement.  I also find it amazing how many people have gone through cancer who I never knew had it.  And maybe I didn't know because they weren't comfortable sharing it with the entire nation.  But now that I've told my entire work group and facebook, they feel more comfortable sharing it.   Also, for those that know me, you know that I am not a hugger.  But I have resigned to the fact that everyone wants to give me a big hug and better just get used to hugging these days.  

Until next time....