Darn, I'm not a mutant.

I also received the results of the genetic BRAC test. I do not carry the marker that makes me susceptible, if you will, to breast or ovarian cancer. Being that there isn't a family history it's not surprising...but I thought perhaps, I was a mutant and may have super powers :)

This is really good news for Cory and Erika, and for myself...I don't have to worry about ovarian cancer down the road.

I guess this whole thing is a fluke. Lucky me!

Lights. Camera. ACTION!

I finally made a decision last Friday on which oncologist to go with. I opted for Dr. Kovach at Overlake in Bellevue. The reason was simple. Every other week (even at a higher dose) means I'm done sooner. And the "high" dose is really just standard treatment...it's nothing they don't do every day. The other reason is that I have also decided to pursue acupuncture as a way help manage the side effects in addition to the support meds.

Which leads me to the "action" portion of this post. I start this Friday!

I have three prescriptions that I need to get filled by Friday...and have to get a flu shot. And have to get the wig in order. Although it will take between 2 and 3 weeks before my hair starts to go. And...and...oh man so much I still wanted to get taken care of! Originally I suggested I start next Friday...but Dr. Kovach said he'd start tomorrow if I let him. So we compromised :)

Friday at 10 I check in at Overlake Hospital for a quick surgery to put a port in place. That should only take a couple hours total including the time they need to watch me, then I get wheeled over to Dr. Kovach's office and get hooked up for my first treatment. Monday mornings after chemo I will have to swing by his office on the way to work for a shot to boost my white blood cells. Going to get to know Bellevue really well again.

My new work schedule officially begins today! I will be working four tens for the next 6 months.

I'm really ready to get this show on the road, but now a bit nervous that it's actually going to happen. The whole thing hasn't seemed quite real, been mostly academic...til now.

Hair! Long luxurious hair...

I'm a tad delinquent in my post...but I ordered new hair last Friday. Whoo. It's going to be nicer than my own. Kind of excited...and scared about it. I have two "full cranial prosthesis'" on order to try out.

YESSSSSSSSS......

Dr. Kovach, the oncologist from Overlake called this afternoon with results from the PET and CT. All is clear!! The only areas that lit up were the three known tumors. But he did reiterate they are really aggressive based on appearances...so the fact that the rest of my body, and more importantly my lymph nodes, are all clear is a great thing—but that also means I need to figure out which direction I'm going with chemo and get a move on. No pressure, eh? :)

I didn't realize just how nervous I had been regarding the outcome, however, after hearing the news there was a palpable weight lifted from my shoulders. I believe I may have even done a happy dance at my desk.

If I never see another scan...

PET and CT (that's right, I hit the jackpot and got two in one) scans this morning. As far as scans go, they were not horrible. The MRI was a lot harder to sit through...I'll have to post backward and describe the fun of breast MRIs. But I diverge. The thing that got to me today was the CT prep.

Try drinking two good sized bottles of a disgusting, translucent white, viscous, fake blueberry-flavored swill. I think I have a good idea of what Fear Factor contestants go through now. It took me a half hour to get through it all, one tiny sip at a time. I know...common sense says to just guzzle...I tried that after some good-natured ribbing from the technician about how slow I was going...but noooo...that would've had me starting over from scratch. It was all I could do to keep it down. Be thankful I'm not going into the after-effects of this so-called beverage.....

Just when I thought my brain could absorb no more!

Today's appointment with Seattle Cancer Care Alliance was a tour de force. Checked in at 11:30, finally left around 5:30, with an hour and a half for lunch. Dad, Sue, Erika and my friend Lisa (a recent graduate of the UW School of Medicine Physician's Assistant program) were in attendance. There were so many of us that they ended up moving me from my exam room to the conference room :)

For the most part the surgeon and oncologist agreed with the doctors I saw at Overlake in Bellevue, but the main difference is the frequency and overall duration of chemo. As I said earlier, Dr. Kovach at Overlake recommended eight doses, every other week for a total of sixteen weeks. The doctor with SCCA is leaning toward once a week for twenty-four weeks. Whoa! And I thought four months was long.

While the final results of their study on the differences between weekly chemo vs. every other week are still not available, what she could tell us is that patients typically have been experiencing less severe side effects. The reason is that it's a smaller dose of chemo given in each sitting, whereas the bi-weekly dose is much greater.

I like things about each treatment recommendation. I'd prefer to get it done sooner (eight doses vs. twenty-four is big). Then again the lower dose/less intense side effects is also appealing. When I compare the doctors, I definitely preferred Dr. Kovach. He was really easy to talk to and we hit it off right away. The doctor with SCCA (her name escapes me at the moment) was nice and seems very intelligent...but she was all business and wasn't all the interest in levity. Lisa felt, as she took notes for me, that the doctor wasn't listening to me and answering my questions, that she was very roundabout. With SCCA there are world-class plastic surgeons, nutritionists and other resources at my disposal, which is also a plus.

Regarding surgeons, I really dug Dr. Byrd at SCCA, as well as Dr. Clarfeld with Overlake. I really could toss a coin and be happy with either. They were in agreement with how they felt I could proceed from a surgical standpoint, with one small discrepancy that's not even worth mentioning....more of a personal preference than anything significant to my treatment.

Next step is to do a bit more research on the pros and cons of each chemo option. I'm a bit confused right now. Really hoped that today's appointment would provide a clear path on the direction...but it didn't. There is no wrong answer.

The other interesting bit of info: I asked the oncologist today the same question about how long I've had this, and her opinion was drastically different in that she feels based on the aggressive nature of my cancer (yes it keeps getting more and more aggressive every time I talk to someone new) I haven't had it long. She said a few months and definitely not as long as five years. So who knows and I guess it doesn't really matter...it's still cancer no matter how you slice it :)

Okay...time to finish sucking down a bunch of water then hit the hay in preparation of tomorrow's PET scan. Going to be an early morning.

CAT v. PET...who can keep them straight

I was mistaken yesterday, I'm having a PET scan not a CAT. Unfortunately the machine broke down this morning, so it has been rescheduled for Wednesday at 7:05. That was great news because it meant I could keep the crabbiness at bay with a cup of morning coffee...but the downside is that I have to do the crazy very strict diet AGAIN tomorrow. Oh well...just anxious to get this show on the road!

The story thus far...

As most of you know, I was diagnosed with breast cancer almost two weeks ago.

After seeing two surgeons and an oncologist this is what I know: I have an invasive form of ductal carcinoma. It is HER2/Neu negative, which is great and estrogen receptor positive. Based on the size and number of tumors (there are 3 all within a few millimeters of one another) I am a clinical Stage 2. Tomorrow afternoon I am having a CAT scan to determine once and for all what Stage the cancer is at. So far my MRI, ultrasound and biopsy show my lymph nodes to be clear and that it hasn't spread beyond my right breast. Fingers crossed that it the CAT verifies that.

The oncologist I met with last week (recommended to me by a friend) is suggesting sixteen weeks of chemo. That's eight doses every other week, in addition to surgery and hormone therapy for five years following treatment. Right now I'm leaning toward starting chemo first then deal with surgery. Both doctors agree that it doesn't matter what order I start my treatment, and that there is no hurry...according to the second surgeon I've probably had this eight to ten years...can you believe that!?

This Tuesday I have an appointment with Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. It'll be interesting to see what they recommend for treatment.