Past Updates - May 18

Hi.  Am sitting in the room at Roswell. Just met with my doctor, Tracey O'Connor.  She shared with me the following:

 

1.  It is breast cancer and is estrogen receptor positive. 

2.  It is contained in my left pelvis/hip and femur, and possibly in my lungs as well (too small to tell right now).

3.  It is not curable, but is usually medically controllable for an average of about 3 years.

 

The treatment plan:

1.  Starting today, a monthly injection of a bone strengthening agent.

2  Starting today, a monthly injection of a pellet drug (injected into my belly) - very strange feeling -  that will put me into menopause within the next month or two.

3. Starting today, a daily pill of Tamoxifen that will block the estrogen receptors from receiving any estrogen.

4.  Daily radiation (2-3 weeks) that will probably begin within the next week or so.  I have an appointment with radiation tomorrow at 10 AM.  (Wow!)

 

So...

Although this is clearly in the realm of "bad news", it definitely at the better end of things. I will not, for now, need chemotherapy.  Huge win for the impact on my and my family's lives.  The radiation can be done while my children are at school and should be complete before summer vacation has begun.  I may be grumpy from going into "instant" menopause, so I may need to ask, in advance, for forgiveness and grace.  Judging by how much you all have showered me with love and understanding thus far, I would imagine you'll be easily forgiving me...

 

I'm hooked up to an IV as I type this and it keeps beeping because I keep crimping the line, so I'll wrote more later.

 

Thanks for your prayers... much, much, much appreciated!

k.