Hope ....

Friday, October 7 was my appointment to meet with the Nurse Navigator at Baylor-All Saints.  I went in to the Jean Katz Breast Center once again not really knowing what to expect.  It was beautiful and off to the left of the seating area was their store.  I could see wigs, scarfs, camisoles, etc.  While I waited for my Nurse Navigator, Sheree, I could hear laughter from the back.  Sherree, my Nurse Navigator is a survivor and I figured she was one of those ladies back there laughing.  My appointment time was almost there and out walks my surgeorn, Dr. Chow.  She had been part of the laughter group.  Her eyes lit up when she saw me and I know my face must have been aglow.  We exchanged greetings and chatted a moment and out comes Sherree.  What a beautiful lady.  She shook my hand and gathered my paperwork and away we went for yet another meeting about breast cancer.  When you're where I'm at, these meetings can be kinda scarey but this meeting was not scarey.  We went in a meeting room that had a large window and when I looked out, there was the most beautifully landscaped courtyard.  Oh my what a calming effect plus you all know I love the outdoors.  I commented on the courtyard and she said they had a patient had paid to have that done toward the end of last year and it just flourished even in the heat from this summer.  Before the landscaping there was just a bunch of dirt. 

Immediately I felt very at ease with my Nurse Navigator, Sherree.  One of the first things I ask anyone who I meet with is .... Would you tell me  your story?  I ask Sherree to tell me her story and she did.  It helps when you are sitting in my shoes to hear about others.  We moved on to my story (the one you've read on this blog) and then she dug in.  Now I gotta tell I'm no medical guru and sometimes this estrogen/progesterone talk confuses me.  I grab as much as possible and certainly ask as many questions as possible.  Sherree was just a wealth of knowledge and she shared with me that my case had been the topic of the 'tumor meeting' that day. 

Tumor meeting ... wow, they have tumor meetings?  I'm sure if I had been there in person, it would have made about as much sense to me as some of the weather service meetings I've been in where they discuss outflow/inflow, AWIPS, dual pole, etc.  <smile>  Anyway, Sherree explained to me that in tumor meetings there are surgeons (mine was there), oncologist (my oncologist MA was there), radiologist, genetic counselors, and Sherree (nurse navigator).  The point of these meetings is to discuss treatment.  It seems my cancer is considered two cancers (well yea, I've got two breasts) and because my cancer is not the same in each breast (go figure, I couldn't be normal), my cancer is a good topic for tumor meetings.

I have estrogen/progesterone negative tumors in my right breast.  This means the cancer is happy and stays put, doesn't really go out looking for a party (lymph nodes).  And on the scale of growing, that scale is called the Ki67 scale, it's speed of growing is at a 10.  Think of a turtle race, the tumors in my right breast are turtles racing and they are very slow.  These tumors are happy just hanging out.  The tumor that was biopsied in my left breast, well he isn't playing so nice.  He is adventurous and looking for a party at a little faster pace.  He is considered a turtle on steriods.  His Ki67 speed of growing is 70.  This guy is looking for a party.  And yet another test that was done on the biopsied turmors was the HER2 test.  As it turns out, my tumors were HER2 negative which is a good thing because that is another determination of the rapid of growth. 

The tumor team looks at so many factors in these turmor meetings and primarily discuss further course of treatment once the surgery is finished.  They discussed the Oncotype testing for my tumors once they are all removed.  The Oncotype testing is to determine further course of  treatment.  Evidently this tumor team gets all my pathology reports, studies them and then they discuss them.  Sherree mentioned to me that in the beginning of the meeting there was one doctor who said he/she didn't feel like Oncotype testing was necessary, some were on the fence, others thought it should be done.  In then end, they all felt my tumors should be Oncotype tested. 

So once my surgery is done and they find out if the cancer is in my lymph nodes, all the determinations will be made as to whether to proceed with the Oncotype testing.  But let me share this.  At this point, both my surgeon and my oncologist have done extensive lymph node feel test as well as reviewed the pictures taken during an extensive sonogram and they cannot see or feel anything out of the ordinary in my lymph nodes.  PRAISE THE LORD! 

Sherree moved on from the medical end of this meeting to the part of telling me where my incisions will be, the process Dr. Chow will go through to remove all the breast tissue and fix me back up.  The surgery will last about 3 1/2 hours.  It helps to know where the incisions will be and kinda what to expect.  She explained and showed me the drains that will be placed during the surgery and that there will be two drains on each side.  I will be able to shower 48 hours after my surgery. <smile> They want breast cancer surgery patients to move their arms some to brush your teeth, brush your hair, put on makeup but not do anything like sweep the floor or do tasks like that that is a repetitive movement.  While the blood vessels will heal and seal off fairly fast, the cut lymph nodes where they biopsy take a little longer to seal and heal and must be given the opportunity to seal themselves off. 

God has put so many wonderful people in my path since my diagnosis.  Sherree is now added to that list.  At the end of the meeting after everything was discussed and my questions answered, Sherree stood up and gave me a big hug and handed me a stone.  On this stone was the word HOPE. 

I cried and she cried and she whispered in my ear ....  "Breast cancer is not for a sissy's.  You are strong and you are going to be ok".  Again, Sherree is another amazing woman God has put in my path. 

Another point of interest and I know this post is long but there's so much I want to share, last Thursday morning I met with a genetic counselor.  Pia, was her name.  This appointment was to determine if I was a candidate for BRAC testing, the test that determines if I carry the breast cancer gene.  These tests start with family history and if it is determined there is a family history of breast cancer, in my case there isn't.  Pia determined from my family history that I have less than 1% chance of carrying the breast cancer gene.  This is another PRAISE THE LORD because that would affect my daughters as well as granddaughters. 

Today I have my Pre-Assessment appointment with Baylor-All Saints.  Chest x-ray, blood and EKG, complete the paperwork.  Today I am also on a high protein, fresh vegetable diet because my PET Scan is scheduled for tomorrow. 

My prayer list .... first, please continue to pray for my daughters as they walk with me on this journey.  They are such a blessing to me and have been so supportive.  Pray for my sister as she continues to walk with me also and explain all the medical jargon that I don't understand.  Pray for my brother and his family, my nephews, cousins - all my family - as I know this is tough on all.  Pray that the PET scan doesn't show any cancer anywhere in my body.  Thank God for tests like this that we can find out and begin treatment if the test shows there is.  Pray that nothing gets in the way of my surgery next Tuesday, October 18.  Walking around with cancer in your body is just not fun.  Cancer patients want it out yesterday and I'm no different.

I leave you today in a much better place than I was a month ago.  I also want to leave you with words from our God.

Phillipians 4:6 - Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

With hope and many blessings ...
Gena