I had my appointment with Dr. Favret yesterday and to summarize, I will need to go through 6 treatments of chemo, possibly starting next week.
I am more reluctant lately to write this blog. I guess I feel that there is no need to have others go through the ups and downs of the process as well. What’s the benefit of stressing others out? I continue only remembering that perhaps this is helping someone, and that each person has a choice whether to read or not. If you’d rather not, I don’t take it as a reflection of your support of me through this. It’s a higher level of thinking that we all need to have - to stay positive and not dwell on the present – to carry us through, and allow us to grow through this, and if the details take away from that, it’s better to skip it.
My Recurrence Score from the Oncotype Test was high (46), meaning that without chemo (using only Tamoxifen, the anti-estrogen therapy), the chance of recurrence would be about 30 percent. With chemo, it drops to 20 percent, and this makes the use of chemo the recommended next step. I’ll need to take a combination of Taxotere, Adriamycin and Cytoxan (TAC) for about 18 weeks. I will go 6 times for the intravenous treatment, at 3-week intervals. There is one more round of testing before I start – a bone scan and a CAT scan that I will be doing this week. I am trusting God that those will be clear. (Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. Prov. 3:5) This is a difficult journey when you have to do it alone, or without faith… There’s no peace from any other source that is genuine – the way I feel today, compared to yesterday, is remarkable. I can laugh again, and joke about my condition, without crying… and I owe it to my time of worship this morning, and remembering all that He has brought me through before.
My appointment yesterday ended with us sitting with a nurse to get a list of things to do: (1) attend a nurse-led seminar to go over the treatment, (2) undergo a procedure with the surgeon to get a mediport put in under my skin to ease the IV access, (3) fill prescriptions for nausea prevention, immunity boosting, etc, (4) follow up appt with Dr. Favret. I’m waiting to find out when the next round of testing/procedures will be done but I expect it will all be within the next week.
I’ve been in touch with a Breast Care Navigator at the Cancer Center at Fairfax Hospital and will be meeting with her on Friday to discuss nutrition, support groups, etc.
By the way, the way the issue with the “probably benign” lump in my left breast ended was that I got enough information to assume that it is benign, and there is no point in chasing after removing it cos that would only delay the real treatment that I need to get started with.
Love to all! And I thank God for a New Day!
I havent been here for a week...This week has been hectic but Friday is always a good day no matter what.....
ReplyDeleteI think the details are important on 2 levels
1a) for you - because years from now - some of this may be hazy...and it will be something you want to refer back to...and for your generations to refer back to.....many many many years from now - think about how much you wish you knew about your great, great, great grandparents...our pioneers...
b) for us...who knows who will next have to go through a similar ordeal...who knows how this will help anyone of us - or our children someday - the internet is such a powerful tool...not to wish it but who knew a year from today that you would be going through this...
2)- "Leaning NOT ON OUR OWN UNDERSTANDING "can also mean not going through too much of the details...because there is no human way for reconcile the medical details to the spiritual breakthrough...and this is precisely why we are asked to NOT try to even understand...because us trying to understand this will just be a distraction to our faith building...and trust building...and this is what brings us down...
Impossible as it may be to not have to understand the process...documenting it may be a good thing... but if it is at all possible...meditating on knowing you are already healed in Jesus Name will confuse the enemy....so if you feel well in body & spirit...it is indeed a good day.
If you couldnt get the book - I bring it for you this weekend...
Kule, it's so unfortunate that the health care system in the U.S. loads so many problems on the patient's own head to solve. Don't feel like you're alone on this blog. There are many of us who are paying careful attention the footsteps you leave through this jungle because we may very likely need to step in them behind you.
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