Todd and I meet with Dr. Patricia Kennedy a surgeon who specializes in breast oncology. We loved her and her staff. Dr. Kennedy sat down with us for an hour and explained so much about my type of cancer. Then her staff sat down with us for another half an hour. The following is what we learned:
1. I do not carry the BRCA genetic mutation. Which means that I get to keep my ovaries!!! I also now have some big decisions to make about my left breast. I can choose to keep my left breast or get it removed. I now have .5% chance of getting cancer in my left breast for every year I survive. Basically, I survive 10 years I have a 5% chance.
2. I will have surgery sometime at the end of January. Last chemo being January 4th with three weeks for healing before surgery (removal of right breast and lymph nodes for sure).
3. There is so much information out there for breast cancer survivors. The one they stressed for me to contact is the Young Survival Coalition: www.youngsurvival.org .
4. My lymph nodes are shrinking!!!! Praise GOD!!!!! This is huge deal. My surgeon could not feel my lymph nodes on Wednesday. When I had my original biopsy my lymph nodes were huge. Dr. Kennedy feels that this is a sign that the chemo drugs are working. Keep praying it stays that way.
5. There is a doll out there called Kimmie Cares ( http://www.kimmiecares.com/store/pc/home1.html )She is doll that you can take her long hair off, put a bandanna on, then put on short hair. Just like Mommy during her chemo treatments. It is so cute.
6. I have Brooke Warford's twin. The social worker at Dr. Kennedy's place is a spitting image of Brooke. It was unbelievable how much they look like.
3 comments:
Awesome news!! Praise God indeed!! We'll continue to pray for more and more awesome news!
I've always felt the more information you have, the better you can deal with everything. My sister used to take a tape recorder to her doctor in case she forgot anything (Easy to do!) Also, good to have a notepad and pen to take notes. I'm so glad Todd was with you; two sets of ears are better than one.
I am continuing to pray for you and your family.
Hey Mel,
I forgot to tell you that I sent my twin there to be your guardian angel :) Love u!
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