Really...There's More.

Really...I just need to finish this story already!!  I went to Falls Creek last week so there was no time for posting!

So, I saw Dr. Cooke while the little kids were at camp.  He suggested a bilateral mastectomy because of my history of LCIS.  That was all well and good and whatever.

Once the kids were home from camp, Roman had to finish the second weekend of performances for her musical so we decided to wait a little longer and told them all:  Brandon, Patrick and Krystal included on Father's Day evening.  It was as awful as you can imagine but we ended our evening playing in the pool, laughing and loving on one another.

Believe it or not, when I got the diagnosis one of my first thoughts was "We will have to say the word "breast" all the time and I hate that word.  Always have.  Always will.  And now my children have to say it.  And they will have to say it in reference to their mother's breast!!"  Ewwwwwww!!  We decided to give it another name.  It was a toss up between ear wax cancer and toe cancer and we went with toe.  Finally...that mystery is solved for you!

Then, the next week, we met Dr. Theobald, the oncologist, and she changed the course of everything.  She wanted me to have all the information possible so I would never regret any decisions I made.  She looked at me and said, "You have time."  Of course, I thought she was bat crazy because it really didn't/doesn't feel like I have time.  I want it OUT!!  She wanted me to see another surgeon...one that only does mastectomies and the very one that she sent her own mother, who is currently going through toe cancer, to.  Again...I'll take that recommendation!  There's so much I could say about this fabulous lady...I get a little misty just thinking about how she has taken care of so many details for us and guided us through the beginning of this whole process. 

Saw Dr. Boggs the next week right after an appointment with the plastic surgeon, Dr. Shadid.  (That's a story for another day, also.  Aye yi yi.)  With Dr. Theobald's help, those doctors have coordinated their schedule so both can be in the OR to do my surgery on the 12th which saves me an extra procedure.  Dr. Shadid will place tissue expanders that day to start the reconstruction process. 

The current plan is for me to heal for about 5 weeks then I will start chemo.  During the course of chemo, they will gradually fill the tissue expanders to make room for the implants that will make me the hit of the nursing home in 40 years. (Hey, there has to be some reward for all this, Jack!) 

I'm still feeling great so it's been easy to pretend that everything is normal because it has been!

My needs right now:
1...that the Lord is in every detail during my surgery...down to every suture and every person that cares for me that day.
2...that Dr. Boggs will be able to place my port for chemo during this surgery.
3...that there is not a single bit of cancer that has spread to my lymph nodes.

I think that's it for now!

Psalm 91:2
I will say of the Lord "He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him will I trust."