These people (some 200 of them) not only did a happy dance, but shared it with a surprised group of travelers... pure fun and joy, the true essence of happy dance! Get your smiles ready...
Friday, November 13, 2009
Thursday, November 5, 2009
And the Beat Goes On
Biopsy results today:
NO cancer anywhere, in any tissue, no where, no how, nada, zip, zero, none!
That includes in all the breast tissue from the lumpectomy, and the 14 (yes, 14, count 'em!) lymph nodes the surgeon took in "a little extra tissue" around the sentinel node.
That was more than he meant to take (and more than he thought he took) and I would've rather not lost so many but you can't put 'em back now...
That puts me in a small group of 10% who have had this result. The 10% the surgeon warned me about before my surgery ("only 10% of women come back with no cancer. Just want you to be prepared. But we'll do our best to get clean margins.")
I was fine until about 24 hours before I was supposed to get my biopsy results, and then anxiety got the better of me.
And then, miracle of miracles, I am in that 10%. I never expected that.
I'm really, deeply grateful. Especially for all of you who sent positive, healing energy out for me in any form. Because I was too worn out, too overwhelmed, to do a lot of that myself as I've gone through the last 7 months, and I know good and well that it wasn't my good energy that helped me beat this.
It was yours.
So thank you, everyone. Words aren't enough. My tears of joy aren't enough. But I'm grateful from the deepest part of me.
I have a follow-up with the oncologist next week. I will continue Herceptin (1 yr.) and sometime soon I'll start estrogen-blocking pills (5 yrs.). Radiation is more of an unknown now that there is no cancer to radiate! Dr. Harb and I will be discussing that, I'm sure, along with other things.
Meanwhile... git out yer dancin' shoes and do a little happy dance with me!
NO cancer anywhere, in any tissue, no where, no how, nada, zip, zero, none!
That includes in all the breast tissue from the lumpectomy, and the 14 (yes, 14, count 'em!) lymph nodes the surgeon took in "a little extra tissue" around the sentinel node.
That was more than he meant to take (and more than he thought he took) and I would've rather not lost so many but you can't put 'em back now...
That puts me in a small group of 10% who have had this result. The 10% the surgeon warned me about before my surgery ("only 10% of women come back with no cancer. Just want you to be prepared. But we'll do our best to get clean margins.")
I was fine until about 24 hours before I was supposed to get my biopsy results, and then anxiety got the better of me.
And then, miracle of miracles, I am in that 10%. I never expected that.
I'm really, deeply grateful. Especially for all of you who sent positive, healing energy out for me in any form. Because I was too worn out, too overwhelmed, to do a lot of that myself as I've gone through the last 7 months, and I know good and well that it wasn't my good energy that helped me beat this.
It was yours.
So thank you, everyone. Words aren't enough. My tears of joy aren't enough. But I'm grateful from the deepest part of me.
I have a follow-up with the oncologist next week. I will continue Herceptin (1 yr.) and sometime soon I'll start estrogen-blocking pills (5 yrs.). Radiation is more of an unknown now that there is no cancer to radiate! Dr. Harb and I will be discussing that, I'm sure, along with other things.
Meanwhile... git out yer dancin' shoes and do a little happy dance with me!
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
After the Dance
Surgery went fine. One lymph node and some extra tissue taken in addition to the breast tissue. Lymph node was clear. Will get other biopsy results this Thursday (Nov. 5); keep your fingers crossed for clear margins!
I'm doing much better than I expected although I had increasing pain until Monday, when the drain was removed. Having it removed felt a lot like having skin pulled off (at least as I imagine that would feel) -- burning pain for several minutes -- I guess the tissue was starting to heal around it and my body didn't want to let go. Ouch! But the incisions are only tender, not painful, and healing well.
Fatigue is hitting me again but I plan to go back for a day of work, a day off (appointments instead on Thursday), and then one more day of work before the weekend.
Neuropathy is noticably better (yay!), taste buds still refuse to like fat (no cheese -- sheez!) but are otherwise doing better as well.
Wish me luck for the biopsy results, and thank you for the email, phone calls, etc. Y'all hold me up!
I'm doing much better than I expected although I had increasing pain until Monday, when the drain was removed. Having it removed felt a lot like having skin pulled off (at least as I imagine that would feel) -- burning pain for several minutes -- I guess the tissue was starting to heal around it and my body didn't want to let go. Ouch! But the incisions are only tender, not painful, and healing well.
Fatigue is hitting me again but I plan to go back for a day of work, a day off (appointments instead on Thursday), and then one more day of work before the weekend.
Neuropathy is noticably better (yay!), taste buds still refuse to like fat (no cheese -- sheez!) but are otherwise doing better as well.
Wish me luck for the biopsy results, and thank you for the email, phone calls, etc. Y'all hold me up!
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