June 20, 2008

I'm very lucky that a couple years ago I insisted on annual MRIs in addition to annual mammograms.  I'm also fortunate that I have a very persistent radiologist reading my films.  In a recent biopsy, it was discovered that I have the very beginnings of what will probably turn out to be the same sort of cancer cells I had a couple years ago on the other side.  The good news is that if, after surgery, it's discovered that the rest of the tissue is found to have similar characteristics as the biopsy sample, I won't need chemo or radiation.  It appears that these cells have been found very early, especially compared to last time.  My surgery is July 1st.  (Just in time for 4th of July holiday, which really stinks, but what's a girl to do??)

When I had my annual MRI a couple months back, Rudy Lin, the radiologist, couldn't read the results very well due to the nature of the tissue involved.  So he asked for a re-do a month later.  He still couldn't see what he wanted to see, so he called me in for a mammogram (which of course is everyone's idea of a good time...).  He saw some signs of calcifications in a remote region, so we talked about doing a biopsy  I thought about just doing a mastectomy right away, but opted for the biopsy.  This time we had to do it the old-fashioned way: surgically cut out a sample, instead of using a stereotactic approach. 

Here's why this is no fun....the radiologist needs to insert a small piece of wire into the area of the tissue where the calcifications were found so the surgeon can locate the place to remove the biopsy sample.  In order to do that, they have to do a bunch of mammograms.  In theory, they need to do maybe four or five views, but in my case, they had a really hard time finding the calcifications on the films, so this process went on for over an hour.  And it was about 3 p.m. by then and I hadn't eaten all day, so I was far from being a happy camper.  Believe me, one mammogram isn't fun, and when you multiply that by five or six, it's pretty much like medieval torture (not that I've directly experienced that, but I can imagine that they are the same).  In fact, at that point, I asked if instead of the biopsy whether we could just jump right to the major suregery then and there so I'd never have to go through that particular experience again!!!

I made it through that, and got the results yesterday.  I won't know for a little while if the cell type is HER2 positive as it was last time.  What's really freaky is that the odds were much higher for me to have a metastisis of my original cancer elsewhere in my body than were the odds of getting cancer on the other side.  I guess I am one of those people who defies the odds...

So...the good news is that I will probably not need further treatment, such as chemo or radiation, after this surgery.  And I'll probably be off work only a week or two.  Thanks for allowing me to tell you about this using this website rather than calling or telling everyone in person.  It watkes way too much time to tell the story over and over.  I'd definitely welcome your phone call or email after you read the news :-)

Val

P.S. A reminder that I'm not a flowers sort of girl.  I realize that lots of people like to send flowers to people who have surgery or health issues, however flowers don't tend to cheer me up (I suppose I'm more like a guy in this regard :-)  Honestly, no one really has to send me anything.  But if you absolutely feel the need to send something you could send a donation in my name to the St. E's Foundation (designate the donation to the Breast Center--for women who cannot afford mammograms), or maybe a funny movie, card, tshirt, book, etc.  But truly no one should feel the need to make a fuss!!