Happy Birthday to me!

Today is my birthday! I love my birthday. 41 years old. Today it truly is "all about me."

OK - enough of that - back to the cancer crap

Phil and I met with Dr. Sacher the oncology radiologist at Metrowest Medical. We learned alot about radiation treatment and breast cancer in general. Long story short -> lumpectomy+radiation is really all about cosmetic appearance. "how much breast preservation are you going for?"

There are the whole radiation side effects to consider. The only one I consider noteworthy is the increased risk of sarcoma. The normal population has a 0.1% chance of sarcoma and a radiated person has 0.2% chance. But one telling comment, was "since you're only 41" - meaning that if I were older than the increased sarcoma risk wouldn't even be noteworthy.

Really all of the next treatment steps hinge on meeting with the surgeons. The post surgery treatment won't be determined until after the pathology report comes in. The semifinal rounds for surgeons vying for my insurance dollars are scheduled for Monday March 6th and Thursday March 9th. My goal is to have the surgery date by Friday March 10th. [not have the surgery on Friday but just to have it scheduled]

The one downer for the day was that Dr Sacher thought simple mastectomy recovery was on the order of at least 4 weeks. There go any April school vacation plans. ugh

But on a high note - did I tell you today is my birthday?!

Pineapple

So I've heard this from two different people who don't know each other....

supposedly, if you eat pineapple before surgery then you will have reduced swelling and bleeding.

so of course, I had to look this up on the web.

There were plenty of hits that confirmed the information. And plenty of products that you can buy to increase your Bromelain intake. Bromelain is the enzyme in pineapple that we're exploiting here. The info on how long prior to surgery you should increase your intake was not consistent.

I'll stick with my fresh cut pineapple from now until the knife. Oh and for a little afterward too.

Cape Cod August 2005

February 22, 2006

I had my first oncology appt yesterday in Framingham. Phil and I met with Dr. Krikorian. If you remember, he was just listed in Boston Magazine's 2006 Best Doctors. He was very personable and did a good job of explaining things. I did think he didn't precisely answer a couple of my questions, more because he got caught up in discussing something else related to the question. But you can rest assured that I got my answers before I left.

The upshot of the appt is that my post excision treatment will depend upon what type of surgery I choose - lumpectomy or masectomy. Of course, it also depends on what they find when they get in there. It could turn out to be invasive when currently they think that it's in situ.

Since I dislike any risk at all, I'm leaning towards masectomy. With a lumpectomy, they have to have certain margins around the tumor and let's face it, I don't have a lot of breast tissue. If they determine after surgery that the margins weren't good enough, then they'd have to re-excise. That would suck. Plus lumpectomy would most likely involve radiation which in itself has risks. [Remember - I don't like risks.] A masectomy has very little followup treatment given that there would be no breast tissue to become cancerous.

Either treatment would involve Tamoxifen since I luckily am hormone receptor positive.

Oh, and the current thinking for me is no reconstructive surgery.

Then of course there is the whole lymph node question. If it is in situ then really a sentinel node biopsy is the way to go, instead of just taking lymph nodes right and left.

So those are the things I have to discuss when I meet with the surgeon on March 9th. And I have to actually book the surgery.

Wish me luck!

And on a "we like this nurse" point - As I was having my vitals taken, I had to be weighed. Phil said "Oh, she's 105." And the nurse said sotto voce, "oh I don't think so." Phil and I both liked her immediately.

[one more thing - if you're on this list and would prefer not to be, just let me know. no harm, no foul]

February 15, 2006

Cancer Crap

Here is the first email that I sent out on 02.15.2006:

I don't remember if I told you that I went for a biopsy on Monday. Well, Igot the results back and they weren't good. I have "ductal carcinoma in situ".

Here is an excellent website withdetails-> http://www.breastcancer.org/dcis_ductal_carcinoma_in_situ.html

If you have any doctor recommendations, please forward the info. I meet with a surgeon tomorrow and an oncologist next Tuesday.

Wish me luck!

Jennifer

Yes - the timing couldn't be better with starting my new job and all. ugh.

Jennifer

Jennifer

February 23, 2006

Again, Angela convinced me to start up the blog again. This way I can just post here and not have to email a gazillion people.