Meeting the Doctors

On July 9th, I met with my surgeon Dr. Bunch.  Love this guy.  He removed some fibroids from my right breast 11 years ago.  Super nice guy.  So to see him again was not so scary. So, how do you start a conversation about breast cancer and breast removal?  You just jump right in.  He explained to me my diagnosis.  Invasive Ductal Carcinoma.  It is invasive because it has spread from the tumor in my left breast to my lymph nodes.  Ductal Carcinoma is the most common form of breast cancer.  So after a diagram and a few questions, I somewhat knew about what was going on.  I really had no idea what questions to ask.  He did explain that we were still waiting on a test that was called "hormone reactor test".  They look to see if your cancer is "driven" by estrogen, progesterone, or HER2.  We left things at this:  we were going to see my new oncologist, Dr. Ackerman.  (I have an oncologist. This is still hard to believe.)  Since we know the cancer has spread to my lymph nodes, we want to make sure it has not spread to any other parts of my body before I have surgery.  So I will go have a PET scan done.  On July 10th I met with Dr. A for the first time.  She truly knows how to calm a patients nerves and explains things very well.  She really wanted to have the results back from the hormone reactor test so she had her PA call for the results.  And we got them.  I have been diagnosed as "triple negative".  Not the results we wanted.  This means of the 3 things above, none of them are a factor.  This could mean it is a more aggressive cancer.  Really.  Really?  I needed good news.  Don't panic.  Give it to God.  Don't worry.  Give it to God.  Then look for Travis's arms.  Once again, in the doctors office, they were there to hold me.  Thank you God for Travis.
So we scheduled a brain CT (PET scans do not work on the brain) for Thursday and a PET scan for Friday.   CT scan took all of 10 minutes.  The PET scan on the other hand takes a little longer.  I get there at 7:30am. Paperwork, paperwork.  Go back.  Travis stays in the waiting room while I get started.  I first have a radioactive substance injected to me.  (Am I glowing, LOL)  They then close you up in a room with protective walls (so they contain the radiation exposure) and a TV to watch for about an hour to let the injection distribute through out the body.  They also would like for you to drink a barium drink. Eh...not so much.  It made me kinda sick. so I didn't drink to much of it.  Once Scott came and got me, i got up on the table and he began to explain the whole procedure.  I don't do well laying on my back for a period of time and closed spaces bother me some.  So I could stop him anytime during the test if I needed too.  The test himself took only about 25 minutes. So at about 9:30 we were out of there.   Now, we wait.....and pray.  Pray for God's healing hand.  Pray for his unfailing grace. Pray for His strength.  Pray for His forgiveness for once again thinking you know what is best.  We hope to hear back the results today but it could not be until Monday.  It's 3 o'clock.  The phone rings.  My heart stops.  Me eyes start to burn.  My stomach turns.  Hello.  Hey Ms. Jackson.  It's Gretchen, Dr. Ackerman's assistant.  (At this point, I breathe.  It's not Dr. Ackerman herself.)  The PET scan came back and there are NO signs of cancer anywhere else.  And I cry.  She tells me some other things.  I really don't hear her.  I know it has something to do with Dr. Bunch and my next appt.  We hang up and I couldn't cal Travis fast enough.  I was still crying so I really freaked him out, but once he understood the cancer had not spread, he was crying too.  What an answered prayer.  Thank you sweet Jesus.  Thank you.