One Down - Five to Go

I had my first chemotherapy session yesterday. They put it in my arm through IV. During the time they gave it to me, I had no ill effects. I felt fine afterwards and so we went to lunch. I still felt fine so we went shopping for material to make hats and headbands. About 3:30 I started feeling a little odd -- hard to explain. We got home about 4:15 and I was sleepy and my stomach felt queasy. Wayne made me a baked potato for dinner and that tasted sooo good. The only effects I seem to have right now are being a little tired and I'm thirsty all the time. I also have a red face and chest and I'm a little shaky. If this is all that is to come I'm great, but they say some of the effects of the chemo start at about 1-2 days and last 3-5. So I'll update later.

I'm hanging in there. Keep the good thoughts coming my way.

FINALLY!!! GOOD NEWS!!!

All of those prayers said in my behalf have paid off. The radiologist called me today and there is NO CANCER in the lymph nodes. Finally, good news in a barrage of bad. I think I can beat this disease now. This news doesn't change the treatment, but it is very good news. Hopefully after the chemotherapy they will be able to remove whatever cancer is left and that will be the end of it. I will still have to go through radiation therapy, but I've done that once already when I had breast cancer twelve years ago. After chemo, radiation will be a breeze.

So let's all give thanks to our Heavenly Father for this small but significant miracle as we all know that "faith precedes the miracle" and that is what has happened here. I thank all of you who have offered prayers, put my name in the temple, and thought about me this past week. I am truly loved.

Keep smiling, as that is what I will be doing with this great news.

Julie

Plan of Attack

I saw the oncologist today. I really like him. He wrote everything down on paper so I can refer to it when I explain it to friends and family. My cancer is high risk for spreading so the plan is to have chemotherapy every three weeks for 18 weeks (total of 6 times), then surgery, then radiation. I will start chemotherapy next Thursday, October 25th. He said I will definitely lose my hair within 17 days of the first treatment, so Wayne and I ordered a wig. It's human hair and is better for your bare head than the regular wigs you can buy anywhere. The place where we bought it will style it for me and do any upkeep if I want.

So things are looking ok. Having the chemo every three weeks (as opposed to more often) gives me hope that I can have a more normal life than I first anticipated. I will probably be able to work most of the time. The doctor warned me though that that after I come home from work I will be done for the day. Hopefully I will feel well enough to go to my singing group (Schubert Singers) on Tuesdays as that brings happiness to my life.

I will update again next week after chemotherapy and let everyone know how I'm feeling. Until then, life goes on as usual....

No surgery yet

The doctor called me last night and told me the results of the MRI I had on Tuesday. He said that the lump is bigger than they thought -- about 4.2 cm. -- and it appears that it has gone into my lymph nodes. I will need to go in for another biopsy to make sure it has entered my lymph nodes. He suggested another course of action which I agreed would be the best. Since the lump is so large, it would take quite a bit of breast tissue to get it out so he suggested we do chemotherapy first to try to reduce the lump and possibly make it go away completely. So, I won't be having surgery on Monday, but will be meeting with the oncologist when they can get me an appointment.

Until next update.....I'm doing fine.

Diagnosis

On Tuesday October 9, 2007, I was diagnosed with Ductal Carcinoma Invasive Grade III (the most common kind of breast cancer). I will be having surgery on Monday, October 15th at Cottonwood Short Stay. I will up date after the surgery because we will know more then.