Cancer: The Game Plan

"First thing: get that thing out of there" - per Dax, my oncologist. So ASAP, I go in for a lumpectomy and while I'm under they will biopsy the nodes and put in a port. For those who don't know, a port is a thing that goes under the skin, it is in your vein and acts as a hook up for injecting stuff into your blood stream and as a spot for pulling blood. I will have this in there for the rest of the year, but it will come out eventually. From surgery, pathology will send part of the tumor to a company for an Oncotype DX test. This is a $3000 test to find out how much chemotherapy will help me. If I have a low score, then there is a chance I will either not have chemo at all OR more likely, will have only a small dozage of chemo - this means maybe, just maybe I'll not have to do a wig. So I'm holding out hope! This also assumes the cancer hasn't gone to my lymph nodes. As long as I'm node negative (no spreading), and whether I have the chemo or not, I will have radiation therapy. As for hormone therapy, we are skipping that because I've already agreed to have them removed if the gene test (second test) come back saying I have the breast cancer gene. My only stipulation is that they are not removed for 6 - 8 months, to allow for more weight loss. Dax said that was fine with him, since there's nominal chance of a reoccurance in 6 months. If the cancer has gone to the lymph nodes (which Dax and Bimston, the surgeon, serious doubt) then the game plan with change slightly... for one I will have all the lymph nodes removed and have 6 months of chemo, which will be heavy enough to insure hair loss and other nasty side effects. So everyone out there.... cross your fingers or pray to whomever you pray to that I'm node negative and I get a low score on my Oncotype test! I need all the help I can get! In this case to think positive, we have to thing negative. Christina (tina)

Thinking of you during this difficult time. Keep your chin up. In my prayers.

Christina, My mother is a breast cancer SURVIVOR. So I have some idea of what your going through. She caught it early by self breast exam. No chemo, only radiation ( well, not ONLY, but you no what I mean). You will for sure be in my thoughts and prayers for the best possible out come with this. Keep us posted and know you are being thought about. Amanda

Tina, }}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}clean node vibes coming your way}}}}}}}}}}}}}} Prayers too! ~Sue

hi tina, hoping everything turns out negative for you! that's a funny sentence to write but with cancer - it's great to be negative! you sound like you are having a great perspective on everything - good luck! susan

Oh hon I promise to think positivly negative thoughts for you. I am sure I haven't used up all my wishes and all my favors from my powers that be so I will cash them in for you and that should be enough for a wonderful out come. Thank you for updating us. I think you are truely a brave woman. Please don't forget we are always here for you in good times and bad. Best wishes Shannon