Daisypath Anniversary tickers

Daisypath Anniversary tickers

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Deep Breaths

Tomorrow is my lumpectomy, along with the biopsy of the sentinel and possibly other nodes.

The surgery doesn't worry me much.  I've been through harder.  Been through much harder recoveries, too.

Just hoping for good news on the biopsy results.  Fingers crossed!

See y'all on the flip side!

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Do a Little Dance!

We cannot cure the world of sorrows,
but we can choose to live in joy.
Joseph Campbell

Of course, it's always easier to live in joy when there's some joy to share.  An update and the good news.




Recovery from chemo: I'm still trying to get through side effects of chemo but am making steady, if slow, progress -- and not complaining! It's only been a few weeks. I still have fatigue but not as bad, although most days I need a nap, if possible, and an early bedtime. Taste is coming back slowly but a lot still tastes funky. Neuropathy will be the slowest to go away and so far I still have pain and numbness, but at least it's not getting worse anymore! and I know the nerves are doing their work, slowly regenerating themselves. I need to do my work and be patient. Hair is still white, about 1/2" long, growing evenly over my head, and still stick straight.

Results from tests: My first hint of good news was when the oncologist couldn't find the tumor through a physical exam of my breast, but of course I wasn't about to leap to conclusions. I had to wait until I got all my test results back before I started breathing again.

And when I started breathing again, it was with some shock and surprise.

They could find no trace of cancer in my diagnostic mammogram and the MRI. 

Hurrah!

That was unexpected and wonderful news. My biggest hope when all this started was simply that the tumor would shrink. I never expected it to go away.

There can still be cancer cells present but that will be determined after surgery biopsy results. And the fact that the tumor vanished is incredibly good news.  All that nasty chemo did its job!  Good work, chemo!




Surgery: The confusing part in all this for me was suddenly having the option of a lumpectomy. All along I assumed (with pretty good reason) that my only option was mastectomy, and I did all my research and discussion with other women with that in mind. After surgical consults and long talks with my oncologist, a lumpectomy makes sense. Biopsy results of the breast tissue/lymph nodes may show the need for a mastectomy anyway but for now a lumpectomy is in order. Have to wait to hear back from the surgeon's office to determine scheduling of that.

Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness 
has never danced in the rain.
~Author Unknown

Let us dance in the sun, 
wearing wild flowers in our hair.
~Susan Polis Shute

To watch us dance is to hear our hearts speak.
~Hopi Indian Saying

And from here... We'll see what the biopsies show (so keep the good thoughts coming!).  Radiation is a strong possibility although that's not certain yet. I'll have a mastectomy if called for by the biopsy results but I'm well prepared for that at this point. I'll continue the one year of Herceptin and begin five years of estrogen-blocking pills soon.

So, all in all, good news, more joy, and definitely more hugs!  And more thank you's, so many of them to so many people -- thank you, all, for your thoughts, blessings, energy, prayers, hugs, phone calls, notes, and on and on -- you are all part of my happy dance, and I'm grateful for each and every thought and prayer, and for each and every one of you. It's definitely happy dance time -- at least on days I have the energy to do so!




The aim of life is to live,
and to live means to be aware:
joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware.

Henry Miller

Nothing like a little disco music to get your dance mojo going! :) Dig those funky outfits, and dance, dance, dance!