Friday, August 5, 2011

Invasive Ductal Carsanoma (Voted Most Popular)

July 1st I was diagnosed with IDC. It is the most common form of Breast Cancer. My prognosis is excellent. The tumor was very small. They were able to remove the whole thing during the biopsi. My estrogen and progesterone indicators were good, so I should get away with the minimual treatment; which is a lumpectomy and Brachi radiation (no chemo, yeah!)
It is interesting because John has been working for Core Oncology for the past 18 months. Core makes the radioactive seeds that they implant in Breast and Prostrate cancer patients in one form of Brachi therapy. Core's customers are doctors mostly in Canada and Africa.
I have recieved such an outpouring of love from family and friends. I am so lucky to have a wonderful support group in my husband, children, mother and sisters.
My sister Robin is here in Texas to be with me during surgery, all my doctor visits and radiation treatments.
Kaitlin bought me the waterbottle cover the day after I got my diagnosis. The bracelet with all the guardian angel charms came from the Cedar City Shakespeare Festival from Barbara and Robin. Robin got the 'I <3 boobies' bracelets for all of us Capener girls and my daughters.
Today I had all the lab work prepatory for surgery; blood (kidney and liver function), urine (bladder), chest xray (lung) and EKG (heart).
Surgery is on Monday 1:30pm should last about two hours. They will do the lumpectomy and inject dye in the area and see which of my lymph nodes light up. They will remove the ones that have dye in them. There will be a pathologist there to check for cancer in the tissue removed during the lumpectomy and the lymph nodes. Then the doctor will put a balloon spacer in. They will culture all the specimens if they come out clear I will do five days of radiation. They will replace the balloon spacer with an epandable set of  catheters that will hold the radioactive seeds during treatment.

We all went to get pedicures to get ready for Monday even though they told me they (the nursing staff) will be covering my cute pink toe nails with souvenir socks. (The socks have smiley faces on the bottoms).
Daniel had his first and probably his last pedicure.