Coping

March 24 - I had the injection of Neulasta on Friday.  Side effects are sore muscles and bones.  I have had very little of this and am taking ibuprofen to counteract it.  I have nausea at times but if I eat every 2 hours, it doesn't seem as bad.  I find myself taking cat naps throughout the day.  I guess that is my body telling me to do so.

The port site is healing nicely - although there is still some soreness.  The bruising from all the biopsies and iv's are starting to fade.

It's been nice having Dane back home again.  He has done the shopping and vacuuming as well as cooking for me (although I did do some of that myself this weekend).  Food seems to be losing some of its taste.  So far, no mouth sores - using a salt and baking soda rinse that was suggested by the chemo nurses.

So I am coping with this all just fine for now.  Again, thanks for all the cards, calls and emails.

Busy Week & Start of Chemo

March 21 - First off I had my right breast biopsy done on Tuesday.  As expected, it was a papilloma and I got the results yesterday.  Victory - it was benign.  It's nice to have little doses of good news.  The plan right now will be to remove it when I have the mastectomy.  The gene mutation test will take approximately two more weeks.

After the biopsy, I met with the social worker and the chemo nurse.  They both gave me tons of good information.  What to expect, support services and a nice file to keep myself organized as far as meds, invoices, appointments, etc.  

My parents came and picked me up on Wednesday, March 20 to get my port placed.  I was happy to learn that it wasn't going to be a general anesthetic.  They used Propofol which I was in and out of during the 45 minute procedure.  Everything went fine.  I am still a little tender but controlling the pain with Tylenol.  My mom spent the night with me just to make sure all was well, and to the relief of my dear husband!

Today, Thursday, I woke up after a good nights sleep with a little nervousness setting in.  My biggest fear is the nausea.  I just hate that feeling.  Fortunately they start you out with a couple of anti-nausea medicines in the IV before starting the chemo drugs.  I am on Adriamycin, which they pushed through the port, and also Cytoxin which took about 45 minutes to go through the IV.    

An order was written for me to get an injection tomorrow which I will get at our local Mercy Cancer Center for a drug called Neulasta.  This will help to stimulate the healthy white blood cells in the bone marrow that the chemo drugs are killing along with the cancer cells.  I will receive this 24 hours after each of my first four sessions of chemo.

So far, so good.  I feel fine, just a little tired.   I was informed again that I would start losing my hair in 10 - 14 days.  Dr. Coplin already told me that I would be bald by the 14th day.  The Chemo Center had a few head coverings that I could look at and pick out a few.  Most of them were for winter weather, but hey, how long is this cold sticking around?  You have to start somewhere.  Plus my mom thought she could probably make one out of a lighter or cooler material.

So, I don't go back until April 4.  It will be every two weeks for 4 sessions, then we will schedule surgery for middle of May.  I think I covered it all!

Again, I want to thank you all for the good thoughts and prayers.  It really helps to know all the support I am getting.  A big thanks to my sister Mary for taking notes and being my extra set of ears when Dane couldn't be there for the meeting with Dr. Coplin; and to my parents for taking me for surgery and chemo.

  

A Long Day

March 18 - I went to get the ultrasound on my right breast today.  It showed a papilloma (a wart like growth) that the doctors tell me are usually benign, but can increase your chance of getting cancer.  The radiologist was going to recommend a biopsy on it.

I then went to see the Medical Oncologist, Dr. Coplin.  After some discussion about different options we decided on a treatment plan.  We will do 4 rounds of chemo every other week starting this Thursday, March 21.  Then about 2 – 3 weeks after that I will have surgery which will put us at the middle of May.  This is important because Adam & Ann are getting married at the end of June and I want to be healed from surgery and hopefully have the drains removed before the wedding.  I will then have 12 more chemo sessions.  Then 6 ½ weeks of radiation.  This is due to the size of the tumor (it grew) and lymph node involvement.

Dr. Oruwari, the surgeon came in to see me while we were getting some scheduling of labs done.  We decided to do a core needle biopsy on the above mentioned papilloma.  This is scheduled for Tuesday, March 19. 

I also had blood drawn for a gene test to determine if I have a BRCA gene mutation.  If it comes back postitve it would increae my chance of developing more cancer.  Also if it is positive, my siblings may want to get tested.  This and the biopsy will also determine how we will treat the right breast.

I will go in on Wednesday, March 20 and get my port-a-cath put in.  I also had a echocardiogram done today.

I’m excited to get this process going, so I can be done with it.   I will fill you in after the first chemo treatment to let you know how it went.  

Lab and Scan Results

March 14 - Yesterday I finally got the call that I was waiting for.  It was not the news I was hoping to hear.  Turns out that my Estrogen Receptor (ER), Progesterone Receptor (PR) and growth-promoting protein (HER2) all came back negative.   About 10-20% of breast cancers test negative for both hormone receptors and HER2 in the lab, which means they are triple-negative. Since hormones are not supporting its growth, the cancer is unlikely to respond to hormonal therapies.

In addition, triple-negative breast cancer is more likely to spread beyond the breast and more likely to recur (come back) after treatment. These risks appear to be greatest in the first few years after treatment.  This was taken from my research at breastcancer.org, a very trustworthy site that was recommended to me.

With that being said, triple-negative breast cancer can be treated with both chemotherapy and radiation.  There are new advances in treatment and research for triple-negative breast cancer.   I had to take a day to process this news, but am moving forward with a positive attitude and belief that my treatments will work.

I also got the results of the PET scan and Breast MRI.  The PET scan did not show any other signs of cancer.  This news was a huge relief.  The Breast MRI, on the other hand, showed a prominent 1 cm area of concern on the right side that needs further evaluation.  Therefore, I am scheduled for a mammogram & ultrasound on the right side Monday.  Also, I will meet with the medical oncologist, Dr. Margaret Coplin, to find out treatment options.  After that I will get my chest x-ray, blood work and EKG with hopes to move forward and get this process started.

Thanks to everyone who has been supportive, the phone calls, cards and especially the prayers.

Tests completed!

March 11- I made the trip to Mercy on Ballas Rd. we had some blood drawn, PET scan, CT scan and breast MRI...but no results, will call the Doctor's office tomorrow. Also, the labs still do not have my prognostic indicator results, either. Hmm, this waiting is for the birds!  Stay tuned, will let you know when I get some answers.

Still No Prognostic Indicators

March 6 - I followed up with the Breast Institute for my lab results. Hmmmm, looks like the diagnostic company (in Irving, TX) won't have my results ready until next Monday, guess I have to wait some more.

It sure would be nice to know these results!

Addtional Testing Schedule

March 5 - Let the scheduling begin...got the call today. It looks like I'm set up for my MRI and PET scan next week on Monday. Woo Hoo!  I was told I would get my X-rays and blood work when I meet with the Medical Oncologist...waiting to have that scheduled next, hope to find out when, next week.

The good news is, I'll meet my deductible before the 1st quarter is over!  I do love my insurance company and their billing statements...oh yea, baby!

My First Oncology Visit

March 4 - Dane and I met and visited with Dr. Oruwari, or Dr. "O" as they call her, at the Breast Institute. She's very nice and gave us the scoop in great detail. I've been doing my homework the past couple weeks and had a pretty good idea what I was in for. She gave me a lot of information and we outlined the next steps, we need more diagnostic exams, i.e. Breast MRI, PET Scan, X-rays, blood work, etc.  The plan is to have test results within a couple weeks and shoot for surgery during the week of March 25th.  Dr. O's assistant took very close notes and said she would get busy and start scheduling all of our testing.

The Findings

March 1 - Well, it's been a long week worth of waiting and I finally got information on the test results.  The microscopic diagnosis is: Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC) and prognostic makers studies results pending. That means I have to wait some more to learn additional details about the absence or presence of special proteins on the surface of cells called receptors. Receptors respond to specific cellular signals that cause a specific reaction or result.  Estrogen Receptor (ER), Progesterone Receptor (PR) and growth-promoting protein (HER2) information is important to predict disease outcomes and determine the best treatment approach.

My Nurse Practitioner schedules an appointment for me with an Oncology Surgeon at the Mercy Clinic St. Louis Cancer and Breast Institute in Ballwin.

The Next Test

February 25 - I went to Mercy in Washington for the biopsy of my left breast and lymph node. It was a rather short process...they numbed me up pretty good before, so not too bad.  Ice packs and some Ibuprofen are taking care of the discomfort and supporting the girls.

A Trip to the Labs

February 20 - The lab work begins and I can tell by the look on the technicians face and then the Doctor's face that something was concerning them.  They notice my lymph nodes are enlarged, too.  They suggested it would be best to perform a biopsy and have the tissue examined more closely to determine if it was anything to be concerned about.

Time For Some Expert Advice

February 13 - I went to see my Nurse Practitioner and get her opinion on the matter.  She was concerned, too, so she scheduled a diagnostic mammogram and an ultrasound test.

What Were The First Signs?

February - It was the first of the month that I was experiencing some discomfort while laying on my left side.  I guess my instincts kicked in and I started monitoring myself a bit closer, found a mass and decided to tell my husband, that's Dane. I could tell something was not right and so I decided to have a visit with my local medical team.

Here's the Scoop on what's been happening!

December, 2012 - Well, I had a regular exam, with mammograms, and everything was normal, no indications of any health issues.