Win the war!

Okay so I have (expletive) breast cancer! It's on my right breast and it's about the size of a nickel. I have always worried about cancer since our family history on both sides is less than desirable. This worry has lead me to eat well, kind of. It has also lead me to do one important thing breast self exams monthly. That being said I hope it was caught very early on.

I went into the doctor on the 20th and had a mammogram of a suspect lump. That same day they did and ultrasound and a biopsy of the lump. The terms they used where that the lump had cancer characteristic. The core biopsy was solid on removal (not a good sign) and was sent to a lab for confirmation.

Monday August 24th at 4pm they called and let me now that I have...Invasive Ductile Carcinoma that is triple negative (it doesn't respond to estrogen or progesterone, on the plus side it's also not HERS-2 positive.) The next day I floundered as did my family and friends. We had question and wanted the thing out NOW. At 11am we received a call from a very great lady that is now my patient coordinator at St. Charles Hospital in Bend. She set me up with the doctors I wanted and got a second biopsy done that same day. The second biopsy was of the lymph glad under my right arm, because it was slightly enlarged. As it turns out the cancer is in they lymph glad also. Now we are trying to stage the cancer. Cancer had 4 stage 1 goodish thru 4 is not good. Sam and I are going to an MRI appointment Monday to see where else the cancer could be, if any where. In addition we need to know if I carry the genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 (both BRest CAncer indicators). The reason for this testing is to tell us if this is a fluke and they only need to do a partial mastectomy or if I have either or both of the genes then it's a full mastectomy with a potential removal of my ovaries. Then the oncologist and the surgeon will set a date for surgery and decide on chemo treatments.

That is a ton of information, but it's what is going on.

The better side of things. My mom will come out some time in the next two weeks to be here with me for the surgery and through my entire treatment and even reconstruction is need be. Sam is with me the whole way and has been a great part of my courage. This will not be easy but I will make it because... I have so many wonderful people there as a support. Gary and Linda are making it to all the doctor appointment as well to be a set of ears and to take notes. (I get a little emotional at these things.) They have also been great in making sure the girls are tended to will out interruption to there lives. Mary makes me laugh about it all. Michelle has helped me find a little time for me. Melissa is helping keep everyone up-to-date and informed. She has also started a team for this year’s race for the cure. David and his girl friend have been enormously fantastic and volunteered to help watch over Allison and Brianna for the entire time I am going through this. He is also going to do the driving over the hill to make sure I get to see them when I'm feeling up to it. (This was a hard decision to make but the girls will have their father and Lauren to create a consistent and loving environment while "mom's boob gets fixed".) The Lambert family is there with a ton of advice and medical know how. Nancy is a nurse and has been instrumental in selecting physicians. Sarah has been a shoulder to cry on and just seeing her makes me want to be strong for my girls. Audrey has been a wealth of information more so on the emotions that I will face and how to make it through this mess. (So many medical terms and all I can do is cry.) The emotions are big right now. Thank you to everyone that emails and calls. I'm sorry if I do not get through them all.

Lastly, I will make it! It will be hard and there will be allot of morning to be done over boobs and maybe hair, but I have two wonderful girls, one loving man, a stinky dog and all of you to push me through. Thank you.