Friday, February 27, 2009

Update

Thanks for all the well wishes and prayers. They mean a lot to me and really help get through the darker times. I am feeling better and taking things one day at a time. In the midst of everything there is so much for me to be thankful for, so no dwelling in the negative. Positive thinking makes for a healthier body.

Todd and I met with my surgeon and surgery will be scheduled for the beginning of the week of March 16th. I'll find out the exact date on Tuesday. This morning I had my CT scan (chest, pelvis and abdomen) and on Tuesday evening I will have my MRI (brain). I should have all of the results by the end of next week.

Tuesday evening I began round 6 of treatment and today I am extremely tired, so I apologize for the straight to the point post. I just haven't had much energy today.

Thanks again for the support!

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Bad news with a little good

Let me just start out by saying "cancer sucks!"

Last Tuesday I had an appointment with my dermatologist and, at my request, had a mole removed from my left breast. The mole was looked at 3 months ago by my derm. and he didn't think it needed to be removed at that time. Last week; however, I insisted to have it removed and biopsied. Not that it was physically bothering me as it wasn't. It just didn't look right to me and my intuition told me to get ride of it. Anyway, the results came back yesterday and it was positive for melanoma.

The good news is that it is not a recurrence (it is a new primary) and it was contained only in the surface level of my skin (which is the best news). If this had been my first melanoma, no further treatment would be recommended. With being stage IV, I will have surgery to ensure there is no evidence of melanoma at the skin site as well as in my lymph node system. My surgeon (the awesome Dr. Sibley - she performed my first 2 surgeries in 2006) will ensure there are clean margins surrounding the removed tumor as well as perform a sentinel lymph node biopsy.

Medical Info - The sentinel lymph node is the first node in a group of nodes in the body where cancer cells may move to after they have left the original cancer site and started to spread. For more information, check out
http://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/sentinel-lymph-node-biopsy (sorry, I don't know how to make this a link)

I have an appointment with my surgeon on Thursday and I will let everyone know when the surgery is scheduled. Also, in the next week or so, I will have my routine CT scan and MRI of brain. Of course, lots to do.

I am optimistic, but in all honesty, I am really uneasy about this diagnosis. I'm barely holding it together today. I feel like my body is rebelling against me and it is an awful feeling. I'm not in dispair or depressed, just having a hard time dealing with the news. I know from experience that this feeling will pass and I'll continue to do my best to nurture my body and ease my spirit.

Thanks for the well wishes, positive vibes and prayers I have received recently and throughout my journey. They truly make a difference.

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Better Days

I felt much better this past week and will be finished with this round Monday night. I have an appointment with my doc in Tucson on the 23rd. It is a check in visit to ensure that everything looks good with the treatment so far and to confirm how long he wants me on it. Also, it is time for my next CT scan. I can't believe 3 months have gone by already. It will be scheduled for either the 16th or 17th so the results will be available when I see the doc.

Although I felt better this week, unfortunately Teya did not. She was out of school all week with Croup which is medically speaking "an inflammation of the upper airway that leads to a cough that sounds like a bark". She started off with a "head cold" over the weekend, but by Monday evening she was hoarse and not speaking as her throught hurt. She didn't speak for 2 days, only whispered. It was very quiet around the house and we were glad when she got her voice back. She was really happy and kept singing "I got my voice back!" It was cute. She had to have breathing treatments every 4 hours this week which we gave her at home and as of today she is doing great. She is outside with Todd right now playing in the yard in our 70 degree weather. It is a nice day.