PET scan

Had PET scan done today.  You an click on PET scan to read the medical terms, etc about it.  I'll explain it in us plain people talk.  :)  So they take me back to my room and get me prepped for the injection of glucose and radioactive material.  Before they do the injection, the nurse asks me what I have planned for the rest of the afternoon.  I told her I was planning on going back to work if enough time was left after I finished the test.  She informed me that I would be there for at least 1 1/2 to 2 hours, and then proceeds to tell me it is ok to go back to work but not to be super up close to the parents, kids, or coworkers because of the stuff they are injecting in me.  She told me not to kiss on Jeremiah either...that I can just blow him a kiss until early evening after the half life has ended.

**Dude?!  Am I going to start glowing like the blue guy in Watchmen?!**

Then they bring a cart in with a thick metal box that the metal syringe of the radioactive material is in.  After she does the injection, she gives me a cup of what I thought was water at first and tells me to drink at least half of it quickly,  I thought, "Thank you so much for letting me have something to drink."  I drink A LOT of water every day and not having anything to drink for 4 hours was hard for me.  I took my first sip and almost gagged.  Whew!  I have tasted worse but this was hard to stomach when I haven't eaten lunch yet.  Then I processed the fact that she closed the door when she left and said she would be back in an hour.  Why did she close the door?  Was she afraid the second head I grew from this stuff would scare the other patients?

All of this for a quick 15 minute scan...but a quick 15 minute scan that will let us know if the cancer has spread anywhere else in my body.  I'll get the results when I see the oncologist this Friday.

Hope everyone in ATL survived the cold rainy day today!  :)

Thank you for thinking of me...

This has been a pretty mind numbing week.  I have had to REALLY let it sink in that I have a BIG fight on my hands.  I some wonderful reminders from some pretty special people to remind me that I am not doing this alone.

Left:  From David's Flowers, they are next door to my office

Right:  From Jay and Bryon

From Jeremiah (My Mr. Darcy)

 

Hand carved ribbon from the Williams family (Jimmy carved this)

 

Pink Santa hat from my mom and dad that my niece is being forced to model for the picture

 

 Flowers from the party Jessie through for me, just to remind me of the wonderful night I had.

 

From Kelly Bridges, the bottle on the left has a breast cancer ribbon etched on it

 Was given this at the party Jessie threw.  Each leaf has words of encouragement written by everyone at the party.

My mom has the PINK bug

My mom has the PINK bug!  There's nothing like a mom who will fight for their child.  How is my mom doing it?  Well, for now with a PINK Christmas tree!  Hee hee!  Thank you so much mom!

Life's little pleasures

I have been told that I shouldn't eat anything I really, really like while on chemo...because I will not want it afterwards.  So I am going to eat frosty (a.k.a. Cookie Cake) and take a hot bubble bath tonight!

Happy "Pink" Birthday

Thank you Jennifer, Denise, Tiffany, Emily, and Dr. Scott for my PINK birthday today.  It's been 2 1/2 days since meeting with my surgeon and oncologist and everything is starting to sink in.  I appreciate you planning such a special moment for me on my birthday.  Jenifer, I know you said you decorated with the pink and black because it matches the Victoria's Secret bags...I just want you to know that the color pink means so much more to me now.  Every little touch you girls put into today meant a lot...chocolate cupcakes, comfy VS pajamas, inspirational bracelets, the Bath & Body works and Victoria's Secret lotions/shower gel/and spray to pamper myself, and the book to offer me inspiration.  To top it all off, lunch from Mellow Mushroom!  I love you all!

 

Tonight TRUMPED today's earlier Earth moving events

Speechless!  That's the first word that pops up in my head.  Then touched, tears of joy, humbleness, and love.  Jessie picked me up for dinner at Sugo tonight.  My "date" did her research, and brought me flowers...my faves, Gerber Daisies.

I was expecting a quiet evening catching up on what Logan and Lilly (her two beautiful children) have been doing, and how the house hunt has been going.  What was I thinking?!  Jessie was in charge of our evening after all.  We walked in...I suspected nothing.  As I walked around the corner to our table I quickly learned it was TABLES.  Sitting there were a fabulous group of ladies that I love and adore.  She had put together a surprise birthday party so I wouldn't associate my 34th birthday with the time I found out I had cancer.  There were lots of balloons, gorgeous flowers, lots of pictures from moments in my life, and a beautiful birthday cake with LOTS OF ICING!  What really meant the most to me was that each lady took the time to come support me after the day I just had.  I received so many wonderful gifts to bring me comfort during my treatment:  comfy pajamas, comfy socks, a book to remind me cancer can't take away my hope/etc., a bracelet with words from the Bible, gift card to buy some of my favorite books while at my chemo treatments, a beautiful wine bottle etched with breast cancer ribbon/"Think Pink" painted on it/and white fairy lights inside, Macy's and Target gift card to buy more comfy pajamas (YES!), a beautiful scarf, an Irish cross that is sitting on my mantle now, and an iTunes gift card to download more of "The Little Couple" episodes.   

 

 

   

 

I need to get copy of Sharon and Monique's pictures.  :)  I'll post them as soon as I can.

An afternoon of "Too much info"...but it's necessary

My oncologist visit:  I LOVE Dr. Redd.  She is high spirited, full throttle, and a fighter.  We are going to get along well.  I will have 6 chemo treatments (one every two weeks).  I asked her the common chemo question.  Will my hair fall out.  Basically...I will have "laser hair removal", a "Brazilian wax", and I will cut my shower time down by 90% because I won't have any hair to wash or shave off my body.  I see some positives in a somewhat sad situation.  She confirmed I will have radiation after the surgery.  My appointment with the radiation oncologist is scheduled for December 17.  Did I mention all of this is moving so fast?!

On top of that I have to have a PET scan, echocardiogram, diagnostic mammogram on the right side, my lymph node biopsy, and port put in before I see Dr Redd again on Friday, December 3.  Having a hard time keeping up with all the dates???  I know I am.  I set up a time line you can follow.  Just click on the calendar tab at the top for every appointment (past, present, and future).  Or you can see this week's appointments in the upper right hand corner of the blog.  Have to go.  My friend Jessie is taking me to dinner for my birthday tonight.  She will be here in about 20 minutes.  I did mention she knows how my brain thinks.  I need this "moment of normalcy".

 My fun so far today?  After the oncologist, I went to get my hair color done.  I decided to keep this appointment because I wasn't going to have bad roots....with gray might I add...until I start losing my hair.  :)  I cleared it with Dr. Scott, my boss, and I got a couple slices of pink in my hair.  I'm going out with a bang!

Whew! We have a lot to digest.

While we were driving to Dr. Johnson's, a little bit of the reality of the situation started to sink in.  I started tearing up a little bit because this is when we were going to be told what treatment we are looking at.  I was stupid and didn't eat breakfast before we left.  When we were going up the brick steps I got dizzy and lot my balance.  My knees said "hello" to the corner of the steps.  Ouch!  Jeremiah was torn between laughter and concern.  I have become such a klutz over the past several months.  Once we were in the office I had to acquire some band-aids before I started bleeding everywhere.

We were sitting in the room waiting, and I had my copy of the pathology report on my lap waiting.  When she came in, she looked from me to the report in my lap and back up to me.  She said, "How long have you known?!"  I confessed...since Monday.  She asked why I hadn't called her.  I told her that I was fine and wanted her to have four uninterrupted days to get our war plan together.  She just laughed, sat down, opened her notes, and said, "well let's get started then."

Here is the condensed version:
1.  Because it is larger than 5 cm (mine is 7 cm), I will be doing chemo first.
2.  Dr. Johnson wants to immediately do a lymph node biopsy, and that is when they will probably put the port for the chemo in.  I will find out more about the chemo when I see the oncologist.
3.  I will have a skin sparing mastectomy on the left side.
4.  Then I will probably have radiation.

Before leaving the office, my lymph node biopsy was scheduled for December 2, and I have a 12:30 pm appointment with the oncologist (Dr. Volas Redd) today.  Talk about speeding up the process.  Going to call insurance to see what steps I need to take since this is moving faster than we could have thought.  Will fill you in after I see the oncologist.

A little over an hour to go

I have my follow-up appointment with Dr. Johnson (breast surgeon) at 9:00 am today.  So far I feel extremely calm.  We'll see how I feel when I get there. 

Almost doesn't seem real

Even though I read the diagnosis on the pathology report last night, and I knew in my gut what it was before the lab confirmed it...it seems like a dream right now.  Everyone has been so supportive.  Thank you for keeping my mind occupied until I see the surgeon on Friday.

Thank you Jessie for knowing exactly how my brain thinks and being able to know what I will be worrying about most in the future.  You have already come up with solutions.  Thank you soooooo much.  Jesus is a wonderful Man!  He has pushed you a little bit more to get a Bible Study started, and this couldn't have come at a better time.  God bless you!  My soul needs this so much.

Mom and dad, please try not to worry.  You raised one tough girl.  The road will be a bit bumpy, but we are going to come out this fine.

Time to "Fight Like a Girl"!!!

November 15, 2010    7:15 pm    This was the day and time Miah and I opened the envelope.  The one that had been sealed up since 1:23 pm when I left Kennestone Hospital with it.  This envelope contained the results of the MRI breast biopsy I had done the Thursday before.  Deep down in my heart, I already knew what the pathology report would say...and I was already at peace with it.

Jeremiah sat beside me as we read "Final Diagnosis, mammory carcinoma".  Breast cancer.  **insert sigh here**  We made the call to our parents and brothers, my dear friends Jessie and Kim, and my boss.  By this time my brain was going 150 mph and a headache was coming on.  I sent a text out to our friends trying to lighten the gravity of the actual situation that said, "Happy Birthday to me...breast cancer at 33".  I wanted everyone to know that I am going into this with as much joy as I can.  Staying positive and trying to keep calm is important to me.  I have a follow-up appointment with my breast surgeon (Dr Anita Johnson) this Friday to get the results of the breast MRI biopsy...the one that I already have a copy of.  I can't wait a whole week without knowing.  My boss, Dr Scott, was so kind to let me drive to Kennestone Hospital yesterday and hunt down my pathology report.   Dr. Johnson will have our war plan ready then.