When I came out of surgery on December 2, the nurses greeted me with congratulations that my lymph node showed no signs of cancer—and the doctor conveyed the same information to my husband.
Yet, we understood they were sending more tests in from the surgery, and it would be a week before we knew the results. It turned out to be a good news, bad news sort of thing.
They actually removed three sentinel nodes, and of the three, one showed signs of cancer and two did not. The good news—no more surgery—assuming all goes as expected. Which means, I keep my breasts. Bad news, this means chemo.
I am waiting for a call from the chemo doctor—and also from the radiation doctor—or whatever their official titles may be.
Until I meet with the doctors I have no idea what is in store for me. Will I take the chemo orally as some patients do, or will I have to go in for lengthy treatments where the medication is administered through a port? Am I going to lose my hair? Well, my hair has never been my crowing glory and they say it grows in thicker. Will I get sick from the treatments? If so, how sick? I would prefer to avoid the entire process, but that ain’t gunna happen—and I will do what I have to do.
Any prayers coming my way would be most appreciated.
In spite of the recent struggles, I’ve many blessings to be grateful for this Christmas season. I’ve amazing family and friends, and a supportive spouse. While we can’t visit our daughter and her family as we hoped to this Christmas—simply not up to the long car trip with all that has been going on recently—our house is all decorated for the holidays and we have a new electric fireplace which Don and I have been enjoying. I remember Christmases past when our kids would visit us in Havasu and we’d ask them if they’d like us to put a fire in the fireplace, and then we would turn on the TV where cable had a fireplace channel. Our son, Scott, would roll his eyes and say, “You guys are weird.” I wonder what he’d think of our electric fireplace. Maybe it is not a fireplace like when we lived in the mountains—but it is perfect for Havasu.
As time moves on, I learn more and more to cherish the blessings that come my way.