Janet Kicks Cancer

One-Year Anniversary/Survivorship

2009-05-27T15:57:00.003-05:00

Today is a VERY happy day. It's the one-year anniversary of my last day of radiation! That means I am now a one-year survivor! I commemorated the day by registering for the Race for the Cure, which will be June 6th in Plano.

I've had two clean mammograms in the past year, and I feel great! I am so blessed! Thank you all for your love and support!

Love,
Janet

I can't believe I wasn't arrested!

2008-07-16T22:01:00.002-05:00

Earlier this month I flew to San Jose for Alexander's national fencing tournament. My lymphedema specialist said I needed to wear a long-sleeve Under Armor shirt to compress my chest and keep the swelling from moving into my arm. And she said it needed to be TIGHT!

In the summer in Texas, it's hard to find long-sleeve shirts. However, I was able to find a white one. I was a good patient and bought the shirt 2 sizes too small so that it would compress my chest and arms. It is SO see-through and TIGHT. I was certain that someone would alert airport security to the fact that a passenger was exposing herself.

Fortunately I made it through security without any incidents. I did wear a light-weight jacket over it, so I was only exposed as I went through the metal detector.

The trip to California was delightful. I was able to stay with one of my dear friends who I've known since I was 12. We had a wonderful time and ate fresh, delicious food. And Alexander did well at the tournament.

Overall my health is great. I've been exercising 3-4 times a week and sticking to my vegetarian diet. I am still having swelling, but it is much better than it was a month ago. I can tell when I do too much because I swell again. The swelling is a good gauge to make sure I am not doing too much.

My skin is still peeling from the radiation. It looks like I may have one more layer of skin peel before I'm done. The new skin looks healthy, which is so exciting.

That's all the news that's fit to print. I hope you are all doing well!

80 Percent

2008-06-18T11:49:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I visited my lymphedema therapist for the first time in about a month. Now that my skin has recovered from radiation, I can have my lymphatic massages again.

Tiffany said my breast looks 80 percent better. There is still some swelling and dimpling of the skin, so I'm not completely back to normal. However, she thinks that I should be in great shape in a few more weeks.

She taught me how to do manual lymphatic massage. She also gave me an exercise program to help stimulate the lymphatic system. The exercises are simple stretches that feel SO good!

Speaking of exercise, I am enjoying my exercising. It feels so good to have the strength to do things again. I am ever thankful to be healing well.

My First Yoga Class

2008-06-08T20:32:00.002-05:00

Today I took my first yoga class at the gym we joined last weekend. I am REALLY out of shape. I could blame it on recovering from cancer, but the truth is I was REALLY out of shape before my cancer journey began.

While I was not able to do everything and those things I could do I did not do well, at least I was there for the full hour. Did you know that they turn on the heater during yoga classes? As I was doing poses with my hands raised in the air, I could feel the warm air flowing out of the vents. WARM air. I was a sweating maniac!

Tonight I am sore. It's a good kind of sore from walking yesterday and doing yoga today. I know I will sleep well. And I hope that I don't have any dreams that include the dreaded phrase downward-facing dog!!!!!

A Sea of Pink

2008-06-07T10:54:00.002-05:00

Today I participated in the Susan G. Komen North Texas Race for the Cure. Mark, Jack and I met Laurie there and did the 1-mile walk. There were more than 11,000 registered participants and 800 survivors. Those of us who are survivors wore special pink shirts. We had a group photo before the race and a parade at the end of the race.

I met so many amazing women during the morning. Some were long-time survivors. Others were babies like me. One woman we walked with had just lost her best friend of 35 years to breast cancer just two weeks ago. We walked, talked and cried together.

Thank you to those of you who donated money to support this cause. The race today raised more than $1 million dollars to help fund research to find a cure.

Today also kicked off my new exercise-filled life. I've been doing very well with my vegetarian plans so far. I have had a little fish but that's it. Those of you who know me well know that I will not be perfect on the vegetarian plan. However, reducing red meat from my diet is a major goal.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Much love,
Janet

Decisions, Decisions

2008-06-01T10:00:00.002-05:00

Wednesday Mark and I met with my medical oncologist to discuss my next phase of treatment. The standard course of treatment after radiation for someone with DCIS is 5 years on Tamoxifen. Dr. G explained the benefits and side effects of Tamoxifen and wrote me a prescription.

Benefits:

Reduces chance of recurrence of breast cancer (14% chance instead of 20% chance)
Increases bone density

Side effects:

Hot flashes
Mood swings
Weight gain
Depression/anxiety
Cataracts
Damage to the retina
Increased stroke risk
Blood clots
Medically onset menopause

I do not want to take Tamoxifen. I have not completely closed the door to it, but I am close to that point. If the benefit is only a 6% reduction in my risk of recurrence, I would prefer to avoid all the side effects.

I have been researching natural alternatives. Tamoxifen is a low-dose estrogen that blocks the estrogen receptors in breast cancer cells. The goal of Tamoxifen is to reduce the amount of estrogen in your body so that the breast cancer cells cannot grow. Well, there are other ways to reduce estrogen in your body:

moderate to strenuous exercise
weight management
diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains
little to no red meat

I prefer to take the natural route. Mark and I joined a health club yesterday, and I will be working with a personal trainer to develop an exercise and diet regimen that works for me.

I am also eliminating meat from my diet as much as possible. I will not eliminate it completely because I am not that disciplined. However, I will try to have it no more than once a week.

My dad has a friend whose son is an oncologist. He is going to give me a second opinion after he reviews the latest Tamoxifen studies this weekend. I will make my final decision after I hear from him.

In the meantime, I will do the lifestyle modifications and will focus on being the healthiest person I can be.

I'll keep you posted on my decision.

Radiation Graduation Day

2008-05-27T12:39:00.003-05:00

I feel like a kid who just started summer vacation. I am finished with radiation! I am so excited!!!

My radiation oncologist said my current reddened state is expected. He said he will continue to monitor me closely since I am such a "special" breast cancer patient with such an extreme reaction to radiation. My next appointment with him is on July 10th.

Tomorrow I meet with the medical oncologist to discuss the next phase of my treatment--blocking estrogen in my body.

Today I am officially a "survivor." In cancer terms, you don't become a survivor until you finish all your treatment. I must say that I have felt like a survivor from day one of diagnosis. Now I can officially call myself a survivor.

Joy!

Only one more treatment to go

2008-05-24T16:56:00.002-05:00

Tuesday I will have my last radiation treatment. That's the good news. The bad news is that last night I started hurting again and today I am back on pain meds. Hopefully I will be better tomorrow. My skin is so tender from the radiation. It is almost black under my breast and really dark near the lumpectomy scar. Ouch!

I am so thankful for a 3-day weekend for so many reasons:
1. Time at home with my family.
2. No radiation for 3 days.
3. No work calls for 3 days.

Life is good. I hope you are all enjoying your weekend!

Relatively Pain Free Today

2008-05-23T08:35:00.002-05:00

I am feeling much better today. I have a little bit of pain in two areas, but for the most part I am pain free. I am not taking pain meds any longer, for which I am grateful. I'm sure I was a source of entertainment for anyone who saw or spoke with me while I was under the influence of Oxycodone. You'll have to find your entertainment elsewhere now.

Today I have another compression bra fitting. Hopefully the new bra they ordered will work for me. I am also having my second-to-last radiation treatment today.

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel! Hooray!

Only 3 more treatments to go!

2008-05-21T17:23:00.002-05:00

I'm so excited that I am almost finished with radiation. Three more treatments: Thursday, Friday and Tuesday. Hooray!

The pain medicine makes me spacey but helps so much with the pain. I'm not taking one every 6 hours as prescribed because I need some moments of clarity to work. However, I am taking one every 8 hours or so to keep the pain at bay.

On a completely unrelated note, today is our wedding anniversary. I am married to a wonderful man and am so thankful for him.

I hope you are all doing well.

Burn, Baby, Burn

2008-05-19T21:10:00.002-05:00

My skin is definitely burning from the radiation. A few of my friends have asked me whether I'm taking pictures of my skin during treatment. I'm leaving that to the doctors. But for you visual types, I thought I'd let you know that my normal skin color is this color and my charred skin is now this color. And I still have 5 treatments to go. Ouch!

My radiation oncologist put me on pain meds today to help with the constant pain. I'm hoping to be able to stay lucid enough this week to work a bit. However, based on how the first pill made me feel, I may be coasting through most of the week. Don't worry--I have decided not to drive since I am so loopy on the meds--so you are safe on the roads in Plano.

Race for the Cure

2008-05-18T18:42:00.003-05:00

I did it. I signed up for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Plano. It is on Saturday, June 7th. I am planning to do the 1-mile walk rather than the 5K walk/run since I don't have much energy these days.

Many of my friends have asked what they can do to help me. I've received wonderful food, gifts, cards, and prayers from so many of you. Yet you still ask me what more you can do to help. This may be the answer. If you are interested in supporting me in raising money for the fight against breast cancer, visit my personal page: race.komennorthtexas.org/goto/Janet.Butler. Eighty-five cents of each dollar raised goes directly into breast cancer research.

My dream is that they find a cure for this scary disease in my lifetime. This walk is my personal first step toward that dream.

Wrong bra size and other events

2008-05-15T17:05:00.002-05:00

I picked up my Bellisse bra yesterday. It is a compression bra, so it is supposed to squish me. However, it seems that they ordered the wrong size. I wore it into my lymphedema therapy appointment this morning, and Tiffany thinks I need a different size. I go back tomorrow for more measuring and discussions. Hopefully I will have something that works soon.

In the meantime, I am really feeling the effects of the radiation on my skin. My entire breast is so red and sore. The last two nights I noticed blood on my nipple. I talked with my radiation oncologist this morning, and he said he has never seen anyone with tissue that is as sensitive to radiation as mine. He might give me another "radiation holiday" based on how my skin looks tomorrow. I am so ready to be finished with radiation--I only have 6 more treatments. He thinks a 3-day weekend break might be good for my skin. I'll keep you posted.

I'm also feeling a little tired from the radiation. It's not horrible. I just can't go at my normal speed these days. I've had to take a nap the past three days because I am so tired. Hopefully that need will go away soon.

My dear friend Laura and her housekeeper cleaned our house again yesterday. Her generosity overwhelms me! I am actually looking forward to having energy and strength to push a vacuum cleaner in the near future! I want a sense of normalcy soon.

OK, speaking of normalcy, time to cook dinner. Thanks for reading and keeping up with my breast issues!

I thought I was visualizing Belize!

2008-05-13T17:53:00.003-05:00

In the radiation room, there is a back-lit panel on the ceiling with a beach scene. When I look at it during radiation treatments, I imagine being on that beach with no cares at all. I thought I was visualizing Belize. I guess I need to spell my visualizations out because I am getting Bellisse instead. Let me explain.

Last week I went to the lymphedema specialist, Tiffany. After a quick examination, she gave me an hour-long breast massage. She worked on the scar tissue from all the incisions and also worked on the lymphatic fluids that are causing swelling. During the course of the treatment, she explained that she wanted me to start wearing a compression bra to help with the swelling. The bra is a Bellisse bra (http://www.bellisse.com/comfort_bra/index.shtml). BTW, this site has great information about truncal lymphedema, which is what my symptoms seem to indicate.

The Bellisse bra will provide compression that will keep me from swelling further. It has about 14 hooks and eyes down the back and a separating zipper in the front to make it easy to put on.

The day after the massage I was very sore. But by Saturday the pain was going away. I am still swollen and sore, but the pain is tolerable.

Tomorrow I will pick up my bra and will start wearing it during the day. Hopefully it will help keep the swelling down as I continue radiation.

Speaking of radiation, I have 8 more sessions. My skin is very red all over my breast, and I am developing a few blisters near the lumpectomy scar. These are common side effects of radiation, so I am not concerned. The doctor gave me some Aquaphor ointment samples, and that seems to help my skin feel better.

I'm still on the Clindamycin antibiotics for the infection. I have 6 more days of pills to take. My stomach and I are looking forward to being off antibiotics! Thank heaven for probiotics! They really do help.

I continue to limit my physical activities so my body can have extra energy to recover from the radiation and infection. Dear friends have been bringing delicious food for us and have been cleaning our house. I feel quite pampered and unworthy of so much generosity.

Oh, let me share a bit more about the lymphedema therapist. I saw Tiffany again this morning and will see her on Thursday as well. During our appointments, she massages the scars and does a manual lymphatic drain massage to move the extra lymphatic fluids out of my swollen breast and into other areas that can process and dispose of the fluids. Unlike a typical Swedish massage (my favorite), this massage is gentle and focuses on the area just below the skin. It's quite relaxing. (OK, except for when she's digging into the scar tissue to break it up--ouch!)

That's about it for now. Thanks for all your prayers and supports, my friends. I'm living for May 23rd at 11:30. I will officially be finished with radiation at that time. So close!!!!

I'm Getting a Massage After All

2008-05-07T08:01:00.002-05:00

I visited my surgeon yesterday. The cultures were negative, which means that the antibiotics are working. I just wish they would work faster!!!

My surgeon aspirated the lumpectomy site again (ouch) and wrote me a prescription for another 11 days of antibiotics. She also referred me to a physical therapist who specializes in treating swelling from surgery. The therapist will do some massage and will teach me how to self-massage to help with the swelling. She will also fit me for a compression bra that should help control the swelling somewhat.

So I'm going to get that massage after all. Let's hope it does the trick!

No News Yet

2008-05-05T21:40:00.002-05:00

I have not heard back from the surgeon on the results of the tests. My radiation oncologist examined me after radiation this morning, and he thinks the infection is looking better. My main complaint is the pain. Hopefully the pain and the infection both will be gone soon.

I see my surgeon tomorrow at 12:30. She should have results by then.

The good news--I have 14 more radiation treatments to go. That's less than 3 weeks. Hooray!

Still Swollen

2008-05-04T22:06:00.002-05:00

Thursday my surgeon aspirated two different areas. She was able to get a significant amount of fluid out of the lumpectomy cavity but just a little fluid out of the previous area she aspirated. She sent both off for culture.

Friday my radiation oncologist examined me. He thinks I have improved, so we are starting radiation again on Monday.

Friday afternoon, I started hurting again. I am still hurting. Today I am running fever as well. So tomorrow I will discuss this with the doctors to see what they want to do.

We should have the results from the cultures late Monday or sometime Tuesday. Hopefully one or both will show an infection that can help the doctors find the miracle medication to stop the swelling!

More soon....

The Waiting Game, Part 2

2008-04-30T08:24:00.002-05:00

Last week's aspiration and subsequent culture didn't uncover anything. The culture was normal, but my breast is still swollen and acting as if it is infected.

My breast specialist surgeon put me on a second antibiotic that is used for staph infections. I am also still on Levaquin, which is for skin and respiratory infections. At 1700 mg of antibiotics a day for 10 days, the hope is that whatever infection is there won't be able to survive much longer.

I go back to my breast specialist on Thursday for another ultrasound of the breast to check the status of things. In the meantime, no radiation.

I'm looking forward to having the infection and radiation behind me.

Once again, the waiting is the hardest part....

Orange Peel and Needle Art

2008-04-24T19:05:00.002-05:00

Wait, I thought this was a blog about cancer. What do orange peel and needle art have to do with breast cancer?

I'm so glad you asked. The skin on my bad breast now looks like orange peel. Not the color--just the texture. The skin has dimples like an orange. The color is a lovely shade of red. So red orange peel it is.

But where does needle art come in? Simple. When I visited my surgeon this afternoon, who is a specialist in diseases of the breast, she did a sonogram of my breast and found a 1" cyst. So she used a small needle to deaden the skin and a bigger needle to aspirate the cyst. For those of you unfamiliar with the term aspirate, that means digging around with a needle, using the sonogram wand as a guide, until she was able to enter the cyst with the needle and draw out the fluid. That's where the art came in. Being able to find the cyst without feeling it was amazing art.

Anyway, she was able to aspirate some of the fluid, which she is sending off to culture. Once they have the culture back, the doctors will know what is happening. Most likely it is mastitis, which can be cured by antibiotics. We may have some preliminary results tomorrow, but the final results won't be in until Monday or Tuesday.

Please keep your fingers crossed for me that it's just mastitis! The alternatives are even uglier than red orange peel!

Abnormal Swelling

2008-04-21T20:48:00.003-05:00

After radiation treatments on Mondays, I visit one-on-one with my doctor to discuss treatment. Today he was very concerned that my treated breast continues to be very swollen. He said that he treats a lot of patients with breast cancer, and he doesn't ever see swelling like I have.

So I had a CAT scan of my breast. They are going to compare today's size to the size at the start of treatment. Dr. E is also going to talk with my breast surgeon to discuss my case.

Dr. E wants to take this very seriously because, if left untreated, the swelling could cause skin dimpling, discoloring, and scarring. "Wait, I already have that," I thought to myself. As he continued explaining, I realized that it might be permanent if we continue down this path. As if the multiple scars on my breast weren't enough--now I might have elephantitis of the breast as a souvenir. Joy!

My dear friend Laurie found an article online about lymphedema, which is swelling caused by removal of lymph nodes. Almost all lymphedema happens with extremities (arm swelling for armpit lymph nodes and leg swelling for groin lymph nodes). However, there are cases of breast swelling attributable to lymph node removal. I'm hanging my hat on that one!

The treatment for lymphedema includes daily manual lymphatic drainage. If caught early enough, all the symptoms can be reversed. So tomorrow I will visit with Dr. E and let him know that I would like to pursue this possibility.

On a lighter note, I now know what I would look like with a DDD breast implant (at least on one side of my chest). And, ladies and gentlemen, I'll stick with my smaller, less attention-grabbing equipment, thank you very much! Dolly Parton, what in the world were you thinking?

7 Down, 18 to Go

2008-04-20T08:58:00.003-05:00

I have completed 7 of my 25 radiation treatments. So far, the side effects are fine. My breast looks sunburned, and it is very swollen. The tenderness is bearable. I am so thankful to finally be free of the significant pain that I had for the first few weeks following surgery.

On Mondays I meet with the radiation oncologist to discuss progress and any concerns. Tomorrow I will talk with him again about the swelling to make sure it isn't too significant this early in the treatment.

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. My father-in-law's condition worsened significantly last week, so we've been busy focusing on him. He passed away last night in his sleep. I am very thankful that he is no longer suffering.

That's all the news that's fit to print!

No shirt, no shoes, no service...but radiation?

2008-04-12T23:03:00.005-05:00

Yes, I learned today that there are some things you can't do when you're undergoing radiation. Mark gave me a gift card for a massage for Valentine's Day. Since I found out about my abnormal mammogram the day after Valentine's Day, I haven't been in any mindset (or physical shape) to redeem my gift card.

Today was supposed to be the day. I had an appointment for 9 am. My radiated breast has been very swollen and tender, so I was already feeling weird about telling the massage therapist that I couldn't lie on my stomach. When I got to the massage, I had to fill out a form with medical issues. I listed my BC and lumpectomy. When we talked before the massage, I explained to the massage therapis that I needed to stay on my back because of the radiation discomfort. He said they don't give massages to people undergoing radiation. What?

He left the room to verify and came back to confirm: no massage to the BC chic undergoing radiation. Apparently massage can move things through the lymphatic system and cause problems. I left in tears. I really wanted a massage to relax my shoulders and pamper myself.

Oh, well. In 4 1/2 weeks I will try again. Anticipation....

Inked and Radiated

2008-04-10T14:36:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I got my radiation tatoos. Yes, they really are tatoos and are the size of a freckle. I have 4 of them--one on each side of my torso near the waist and two on my breastbone. I cannot imagine having an entire tatoo done--these four needle pricks really stung!

The radiologist uses the tatoos to line up the machines for my radiation treatments. Today I had my first whole-breast radiation. I must say I was nervous because I wasn't sure what to expect. After they took another 6-8 X-rays to verify placement, they zapped me. The radiation treatment lasted a total of 2-3 minutes and did not hurt at all. Fast and easy.

Now, a few hours later, I can feel some warmth radiating from the area they zapped. Overall, I feel great.

One radiation treatment down, 24 to go!

A few days off

2008-04-07T13:30:00.003-05:00

During my appointment with the radiologist on Friday, the CAT scan showed that the tissue in my breast is filling in nicely now that the Mammosite balloon is gone.

The radiologist put large plus signs on my chest, stomach, and sides with a thick black Sharpee. These mark the planes that the machines will need to follow. On Wednesday the radiologist will remove the stickers covering these plus signs and will permanently tattoo those locations with a small dot.

- Yes, the tattoos will be permanent.
- No, they will not be large like the plus signs--they will be the size of a freckle.

I'm very glad that they are going to tattoo me. Without tattoos, I would have to take sponge baths for weeks. And we all know how I feel about that!

Also on Wednesday, they will set up the machine to make sure the two beams of radiation target my breast while avoiding (as much as possible) my lungs, chest wall, and ribs.

In the meantime, I have a few days off with no breast cancer worries. Hope you are all doing well.

Happy Shower Day!

2008-04-02T12:21:00.002-05:00

Yes, today I was able to take a nice, long shower. Hooray! I also got to take off my bandages and actually see my wounds. I have three incisions, all of which are healing nicely.

Your clean and healing friend,
Janet

Get the Balloon Out Day!

2008-04-01T11:12:00.002-05:00

Look ma, no tubes! Yes, I have no more foreign appliances in my body. At 10:32 this morning, Nurse Christie took out my Mammosite balloon. I've been smiling ever since!

Oh, yeah, I did have another radiation treatment today. 3 down, 25 to go.

The best part: at exactly 10:32 tomorrow morning, I can take a shower! Hooray!

Radiation Day 1: Piece of Cake

2008-03-31T12:09:00.002-05:00

Today and tomorrow I have the internal radiation treatments. The first one was this morning and was very easy. I just stretched out on a hard metal table for 12 minutes while the machines did their thing.

I learned a few things about what to do for future appointments.

1. Leave flip flops on floor before lying on radiation table. It's too uncomfortable to leave them on while lying down.

2. Don't wear pants with flaps or pockets on the back. The radiation table is very hard, and things on the back of your pants will dig into your back during radiation.

The interesting thing about radiation is that I started praying as soon as the treatment began. It was as if my spirit finally found the quiet place it needed to have a conversation with God. Pretty cool.

1 treatment down, 27 to go.

Balloon Swap

2008-03-28T21:13:00.002-05:00

Today my surgeon swapped out the spacer balloon for the real deal. I am now the proud wearer of the official Mammosite balloon. And my radiation oncologist is the proud owner of the most recent portrait of my breast--a CAT scan. The CAT scan verified that the balloon is in the right place for internal radiation next week.

While I was really dreading the pain of the balloon swap, it didn't really hurt much at all. Thank heavens for lidocaine!

Oh, yes, I almost forgot. My surgeon also took out the stitches from my lymph node biopsies and the lumpectomy itself. Everything is healing nicely.

Monday I have radiation at 10 am and 4:30 pm. Tuesday I have radiation at 10 am. Then I get the balloon out forever! Hooray! My doctors ordered me to take it easy until the balloon is out. No lifting or reaching. So this weekend I will rest, or at least try.

Thank heavens also for my mom, who is my official chauffeur and gentle shoulder. She's helping us out since Mark's dad is very ill and Mark can't be with me for all the appointments. Thanks, Mom, for all you do for me!

OK, this is beginning to sound like a drawn-out Oscar acceptance speech. I'd like to thank the academy.... Oh, no, I hear the orchestra playing...I'm getting off the stage.

Good night!

Oncology Day--I Guess I Do Have Cancer

2008-03-26T19:51:00.004-05:00

Today I met two more doctors on my cancer team: my radiation oncologist and my medical oncologist. Both are amazing men and talented doctors who instilled confidence in me with their approach to my treatment.

I am not a candidate just for Mammosite radiation because I am so young. Yes, 43 is young in the breast cancer world. So I will have a combination treatment plan consisting of Mammosite and whole-breast radiation.

The radiation plan starts on Friday. My surgeon will swap out the balloon currently in my breast for the actual Mammosite balloon. Then I will go to my radiation oncologist's office for a CAT scan to check balloon placement. Monday I start with targeted radiation. I will have two Mammosite treatments on Monday (March 31st) and one on Tuesday (April 1st). After the treatment on Tuesday, the doctors will remove the balloon and I get the rest of the week off.

I start 5 weeks of whole-breast radiation on Monday, April 7th. I will have 25 total treatments, one each week day, for 5 weeks.

After radiation therapy ends, I will start with medical oncology. The medical oncologist will discuss treatment options with me towards the end of my radiation therapy. The current plan is to start me on Tamoxifen, which I will take for 5 years.

The hardest part of today was walking into the Texas Oncology office knowing I was the patient. Knowing that I have 5+ years of treatment ahead of me really drove home how serious this disease is. But leaving the office and seeing a fellow cancer survivor who had lost her hair from chemo made me so thankful that I only have CANCER LITE.

I know they said they took tissue away....

2008-03-25T12:36:00.002-05:00

But I'm twice as big as I was before surgery. The doctor recommended a loose, button-front top to wear home from the hospital. Since I don't wear that type of clothing often, I had to purchase a top. I should have purchased several since I still need to wear that type of top for ease of putting on and for the swollen factor.

I'll be so happy when I'm back to my (nearly) normal size and normal t-shirts!

Pathology Report Back

2008-03-24T19:35:00.002-05:00

The cancer is gone!!! They got all the cancer out!!!! The lymph nodes were completely clear, and the tissue they removed around the cancerous area was also clear of cancer!!!

Tomorrow my surgeon will call the radiation oncologist to discuss my case and set up an appointment for me to meet him and make plans for my radiation treatment.

The other news is that my cancer is 100% estrogen-receptor positive. This means that it grows with estrogen and does not thrive without estrogen. This is important with regard to recurrence. My chance of recurrence is at least double that of a person who has never had breast cancer. Since we know what kind of cancer I have, they can give me medicine to suppress estrogen in my body and greatly reduce the chance of recurrence.

Hello medically-induced menopause, goodbye cancer!

Slow Going

2008-03-24T17:10:00.006-05:00

I am following orders and doing NOTHING. It's driving me CRAZY!!!! There are only so many decorating and daytime talk shows I can handle. Hopefully I can do a bit of work tomorrow.

The surgeon removed two lymph nodes during surgery. Both were clear based on pathology's initial testing while I was still in the operating room. The surgeon also removed the lump and tissue around the cancerous area. The goal is to have "clean margins" that have no cancer cells. We have to wait for pathology to freeze cells and triple-check things before they can declare that the surgery was completely successful.

I am feeling better today than I did over the weekend. I think the heavy-duty pain meds are finally out of my system now, so I am in my right mind. (OK, that might not be an improvement to all of you, but it's great for me.)

Once we receive the pathology report, we can schedule my radiation. I do have the Mammosite balloon in the lumpectomy cavity. I discovered the catheter tube/port hanging from my side when I changed bandages on Friday. That was quite a surprise!

At least they won't have to insert any additional devices before starting radiation. If you're curious about how the Mammosite radiation works, there is a great animation here: http://www.mammosite.com/breast-lumpectomy/patient.cfm. It's amazing that modern medicine can deliver targeted doses of radiation over 5 days instead of 6 weeks. That is so exciting to me!!!

That's about it from the front lines of the cancer battle. Thanks for all your prayers, notes, food, and support.

Love,
Janet

Very Successful Surgery

2008-03-21T04:44:00.002-05:00

Everything went great yesterday. I will fill you in on details later. As it is, I am risking my life writing because my family wants me to do NOTHING for a few days. And I will obey (or at least try).

Thanks for your prayers and support.

It's Finally Here!

2008-03-20T05:55:00.002-05:00

Finally. Today is the day. I am excited about getting this over with. Although I am a bit nervous today, I know that my surgeon is excellent and that the day is just a small blip on the radar of my life. Soon, so soon, this will all be behind me.

I'll update again as I am able in a few days.

Love and peace to all of you.

Janet

In and Out Breast Cancer Surgery Tomorrow

2008-03-19T08:03:00.005-05:00

Tomorrow is the big day to GET THE LUMP OUT. Many of you have asked what the process will be tomorrow. So here are the details.

In the morning, I have to shower with a special germicidal soap. Then, 30 minutes before I leave the house, I will apply EMLA cream to my breast and will cover the area with plastic wrap. This will numb the skin in preparation for several needle pokes I will have with the radiologist.

I have to be at the hospital at 7:30 in the morning. The radiologist will place a guide wire into my breast to direct the surgeon to the exact spot where the cancer is. Then the radiologist will inject dye into the "sentinel lymph nodes" directly connected to the duct where the cancer is.

At 11 am, the surgeon will biopsy these "sentinel lymph nodes" to make sure there is no cancer in the lymph nodes. She will also remove a lump of breast tissue that includes both the cancerous area and some healthy tissue around the cancerous area. The goal is to have "clean margins" around the cancerous area (no cancer cells left behind).

When she finishes removing things, the surgeon will insert drainage tubes and a spacer for a radiation balloon. Everything should be done by around noon. I will spend about an hour in recovery and then will get to go home. In and out breast cancer surgery. Amazing.

All my tissue will go to pathology, where they will test to make sure the cancer is indeed just in the milk duct. We should receive that report on Monday.

Assuming the report is what we expect, I will meet with a radiation oncologist later in the week next week to discuss the radiation plan.

There you have it--the details of my lumpectomy surgery. It is so much easier than a mastectomy, so I continue to be grateful for my journey.

Thanks for your ongoing prayers and support!

Love,
Janet

Genetic Testing NEGATIVE!!!

2008-03-18T14:17:00.002-05:00

Part of the process for determining breast cancer treatment is doing genetic testing. I am happy to report that I am the proud owner of genes that are NOT breast cancer genes!!!

Hooray!!!!! This is great news because:
1. I don't run the risk of passing the genes to my children or grandchildren.
2. I don't have to have a double mastectomy because of the probability of developing invasive breast cancer.

As I told my surgeon, I am finally breathing again after weeks of waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Thank you, God, for such great news!!!

48 hours to go

2008-03-18T07:33:00.002-05:00

I woke up at 5 am thinking about surgery. I am not really nervous about the surgery itself. I just want to make sure I have everything in order before surgery.

I have been nesting like a pregnant woman! The greatest benefit is that my house is being decluttered. The only draw-back is that I am still bruised and swollen from my last biopsy, so I have to watch how much I do.

Speaking of the last biopsy, the bruise from the biopsy makes me look like I have a very decorative Easter egg on my chest! At least I can say that I've done some Easter decorating this year. Oh, wait--the radiologists get credit for that decorating.

Maybe next year I'll decorate my house for Easter. For now I will settle for a very colorful body!

Angels' Wings

2008-03-13T20:55:00.000-05:00

All along this journey, I have encountered angels among us. The doctors, nurses, techs, and registration staff at all the hospitals and doctors' offices have been amazing. They continue to comfort me with their compassion and gentle spirits.

Today I was given a wonderful reminder of these angels by my dear friend, Heather. One of her friends (who doesn't even know me) made me a necklace with angels' wings imprinted on it. It is just glorious. On the card, the artist wrote:

"Angel Wings -- To give you strength when you feel alone, knowing someone loves you."

I'm telling you, I am walking among angels. And now I have the wings to prove it.

Surgery Scheduled

2008-03-11T15:53:00.000-05:00

My surgery will be Thursday, March 20th.

Finally on the road to recovery....

Woo-hoo!!!!!

2008-03-10T16:31:00.000-05:00

God does answer prayers. The second spot is benign! I get to have a lumpectomy!!!!

Hooray!!!!!

I'll update once I have a surgery date.

Thank you for your prayers and support!!!!

The Waiting Game

2008-03-10T08:04:00.001-05:00

Want to know the hardest part about having cancer? It's not the fact that I have cancer. It's The Waiting Game.

First it was hearing that I had an abnormal mammogram and waiting for the magnification mammogram results. Then it was waiting for the biopsy results.

Now it's waiting for the results of the second biopsy and the genetic testing. I know that I will be able to deal with whatever the results are.

I just want to know so I can plan my surgery and recovery.

I guess I get an "F" in patience for the day.

The waiting is the hardest part....

Doctors Bring Their "A Game"

2008-03-08T13:10:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I had my second biopsy. When I was showering that morning, I prayed that the doctors would bring their "A game." I think I needed to be more specific with my prayer.

While they were injecting lidocaine in me to deaden the area, the doctors had one of the technicians pinch my arm HARD. Dr. K said she learned that from her dentist--she said it helps keep the patient's mind off the needle going in. She's right, but I certainly wasn't expecting to have my arms abused as well as my breast! In my prayer, "A game" meant Amazing medical service, not Abuse!

Despite the abuse, the doctors were amazing. I had 3 different procedures done in record time, and they got the samples they needed to find out what this questionable area is.

I should have results by Tuesday, March 11th. Next week I might also have results from the breast cancer gene test and the estrogen-receptor test. All these answers will help the doctors determine my treatment plan.

For now I am very thankful for a successful biopsy, moderate pain today, and your prayers and support.

Janet

P.S. I apologize for anything strange I might have said while under the influence of pain meds yesterday!

The Journey Begins

2008-03-06T09:05:00.000-06:00

On February 25th, I learned that I have breast cancer. I decided to create this blog to keep my family and friends abreast of my journey to Kick Cancer!

The good news: I have DCIS, which is a non-invasive cancer.

The bad news: The MRI I had on February 29th found another suspicious area. If that area is also cancer, I will have a mastectomy rather than a lumpectomy. I don't know about you, but I'd like to take my cancer with one lump, not two!

Next steps: I have another biopsy scheduled on Friday, March 7th. The results from that will determine lots.

Thanks to all of you for your love and support!