Oct. 23, 2009

I went to my new surgeon today to schedule my surgery. He is a very nice doctor and speaks softly. With me is my Mother - Reba, her sister, Sally Kate, and my best friend - Lisa Gail. We find the place to go and park my car. We go into the building and find an elevator and go to the third floor. We find the right suite and register with the receptionist. Then I go back to talk about surgery. I tell Dr. Brown that I want to do the lumpectomy. He says that is the best way to go but he can't influence me. During the surgery my doctor explains to me that they will take out the affected area and all normal tissue around it. They will also take out the surrounding lymph nodes. The pathologist will study the lymph nodes and if cancer is found there they will take out the rest of my lymph nodes. My surgery is scheduled for Wednesday Oct. 28th around 2:00 pm. The day before, Tuesday, I am to go in for pre-testing, blood tests and the like. On Wednesday I am to go to the breast center at 9:15 am, and get a wire put into my breast so the surgeon will know where to take out my parts. Then I will go over to the hospital and get nuclear dye put into my breast to see where cancer would likely travel. Then they will put anesthetic into my breast after that. Then if I have time my family can come and see me before my scheduled 2:00pm surgery. The surgery will take 1 1/2 hours. Recovery will take 1 1/2 hours. They will watch me for about an hour and if I'm feeling fine they will let me go home. Sounds good to me. I just want it over as soon as possible. Recovery time 7 - 10 days Then after that I have six weeks of radiation everyday M-F.

Oct. 21, 2009

I went to see Dr. Brown, surgeon, at the ParkWest Breast Center today. He said I had two options for my breast cancer surgery. 1. Lumpectomy - which will remove the lump and the normal tissue around it and some lymph nodes under my arm - and then six weeks of radiation treatments...or 2. Mastectomy - total removal of my breast tissue and with no radiation treatment. I will choose the lumpectomy I like my parts and why take is all out if not needed? Also with the radiation I will not get sick and my hair will not fall out. He wanted me to have an MRI to really see if both my breasts had any other areas of concern. I went to try out the MRI because I am bigger. So I get to the facility and get all suited up. I get onto the table for the machine. I lie down on my belly with my breasts inserted into holes. Then with arms extended over my head the whole table backs into the MRI. Then my butt hangs up and I cannot slide into the thing. I say "My butt is too big" and start dying laughing. So then I put my clothes back on and tell my family what happened and laugh some more. I call my doctor's office and tell them it didn't work. They want me to come back on Friday the 23rd to schedule surgery and talk to my surgeon again. So we go home and rest and get prepared for another day of health care.

October 14, 2009

Today is the day I am to get the results of my biopsy. God has told me in my spirit that I will be all right. I feel it. I get the call and they tell me that I have a little bit of malignancy and I need to have surgery. Mama cries and I am calm. I know God will take care of me I feel it in my spirit. We call family and friends and they all support us with words and prayers. Mama and I go to talk to my sister and she is a rock in the time of trouble. The breast center gave me several options of hospitals to go to for my surgery. I almost make a decision right then, but I think I need to talk to other women I know who have been through this same thing. My Mother says she doesn't want me to have it in town to go to Knoxville. My sister says to go to Park West and I agree. They treated me very well there at the breast center. Then we go to talk to my pastor. His Mother went through breast cancer several years ago and I got her numbers from him. We talk for a while and sharpen each others swords on the word of God. Encouraging each other in our time of need. I am put on several different churches prayer lists and that further comforts me. God is able to move mountains! YES HE IS! My pastor reads me a verse of scripture that helps so much. "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose. "  Romans 8:28
     I get a call from my gynecologist and she wants to see me tomorrow. At the appointment she tells me that the nodule is 5cm in size so we caught it in the early stages.
     I make an appointment with a surgeon at ParkWest breast center for Oct. 21, 2009 at 10:45 a.m. I have to take all my medical records, mammograms, ultrasound cd, and a list of my medications. I feel like I'm carring a suitcase with all this stuff. As I'm writing this it's Oct. 20, 2009 the night before my appointment with Dr. Lytle Brown. Prayer does help and God always listens.

Another call

After my first ultrasound at Lakeway, I forget the dates now, I get a call that says they want to do a biopsy of my breast. So we set it up at Lakeway. When I get there the nurse does another ultrasound to check the area again and says the doctor will come in and check me. When the doctor comes in she does another ultrasound and tells me that she can do a biopsy on me but because my breast has some fat cells in it she is afraid that the needle will loose the  nodule because of movement. She suggests a Stereotactic biopsy. They put you on a table with a hole in the middle of it and put your breast in a clamp of sorts that holds it still. The doctor lets me use her phone and talk to Donna B. Stephens, RN, BSN, OCN, at ParkWest Comprehensive Breast Center,  to make an appointment. My appointment is for Oct. 12, 2009. All the while the health care providers, nurses and doctors, are telling me that there is a 60-85% chance that I will be fine.

Sept 22, 2009

     I got another letter in the mail today about my second mammogram. It says," Your left breast diagnostic mammogram performed on Sept. 18, 2009, shows the need for further evaluation of your left breast. We would like you to have a left breast ultrasound." My doctor's office, Dr. Penny Knight, calls later and asks if I would like to schedule an ultrasound, and I tell them yes. They call back later and tell me I have an ultrasound at Lakeway Hospital on Sept. 28, 2009. I ask if they can tell me anything they found and they say I have an elevated nodular denisity in my left breast.
     I decide to ask for prayer at church......it can't hurt.

Sept 14, 2009

I got a letter in the mail today about the screening mammogram I had on Sept. 9, 2009. It says it shows the need for further evaluation of my left breast. They want me to have a left breast follow-up diagnostic mammogram. I call and set up one for Sept. 18, 2009. I went to the Woman's Imaing Center at the back of Dr. Penny Knight's office. I think I will ask for prayer at church.....it can't hurt.