My Cancer Team

I have always enjoyed working in teams and I think it is one of the best ways to tackle any challenge and goal. I am glad that my doctor decided to request a team of doctors get together to review my case yesterday so we ensure that we are following the right path. They sit in a room together and talk about all the different aspects of my case and one by one they come in and review their thoughts with me. I basically have a team of 4 doctors that I will be in constant contact with two breast care specialists/surgeons (one who gave me the diagnosis and one that gave me my second opinion), the medical oncologist (my chemo doc) and a radiology oncologist (he will give me my radiation after surgery.) Each doctor came in one by one asked me what I knew about the plan moving forward and then told me what their plan was. After I met briefly with the surgeon again, my medical oncologist came in and Ben and I liked him right away. He was to the point, but I liked that he said he wanted to take care of all of me. He wasn't just concerned about the now, he was also concerned about my future. He asked me if any of the doctors had told me yet that I would be cured and I said no and he said "We are going to Cure you 100%. I have no doubts." I believe him. We decided to go aggressive on the chemo and to start it before surgery-likely next Wednesday. He said if I can deal with two side effects, he will take care of the rest. Fatigue and losing my hair--absolutely I said (no more shaving my legs as my sister-in-law reminded me! ) He said the anti-nausea medicine he will give me should eliminate any of the sickness that chemo caused in the past. I am glad we have decided to do chemo first because as the doctor mentioned, I can tell right away if it is working or not and if it isn't, I have many diferent combinations and we will just mix it up. If I received chemo after, it would be hard to tell how effective the chemo is since the mass has already been removed. Given my young age, he was also concerned about my fertility and asked me my thoughts on it. I had already decided through discussions with my Ob/Gyn, a fertility nurse, and Ben that we would not delay treatments for fertility puposes. I have been blessed with two of the most beautiful and healthy little girls (my angels as Ava tells me) and I need to be here for them first and foremost. The doctor said that he can give me a shot to suppress the effects the chemo would have on my future fertility so Ben and I decided I would get the shot and we would leave the rest up to God. I know that God knows what is best and if I am to be blessed with future children, then I will. If not, He has already given me the two biggest joys in my life (I really have everything I have ever wanted.)

God also played a part in giving me confidence that this was the right doctor. Last Thursday at work (the day before my diagnosis,) I had actually talked to this doctor about setting him up with our discount ticket program (MyCompanyOffer.) On Monday, I was referred to his office by a family member and when I told the receptionist my situation and that I needed the best, she mentioned his name so I scheduled the first appointment I could with him-next Wednesday was the earliest I could get in. I tried emailing him to see if I could get him to see me earlier (I have learned that you need to be your biggest advocate), but unfortunately his email was full. On Wednesday, when I had my second opinion, the doctor said this is the doctor you have to see and she went out of the room called him right away and said he will be part of your team and you will meet him on Friday. When I met with him yesterday, I told him the story and he laughed and said "You can come to my office for your treatment, get the whole staff set up in your program and get everything done in one day." He has me pegged-I love multi-tasking.

After all my meetings, I sent Ben home to be with the girls as I was scheduled for another ultrasound and biopsy. I headed to lunch for about an hour and and when I got back I found out that they were going to biopsy a different area then we originally had discussed. The MRI results had just come back and showed another smaller mass (so small that no one can feel it) that appeared suspicious. It is very close to the site of the dominant mass and I am pretty sure it will also come back cancer positive. It doesn't really change my initial game plan, it just may change some future procedures. We also biopsied the one enlarged lymph node again and I am still praying it comes back negative.

I left the hospital at about 3:30. It was a long day, but I was glad to get a lot done in one day. I felt pretty good. After all the appointments and shots, I decided that if I am going to start chemo in the next week (I have about a month until my hair will likely start falling out), I will need to get a wig so I went to a place in Ferndale called Susan's Special Needs that was recommended by the doctors and a family member. As soon as I walked in, all my emotions hit me and I thought "Why am I here." I really don't know what it was because I felt fine right before I walked in. A lovely lady named Susan walked right up to me and held my hand as I sobbed and said "I just don't know why I am here, I am only 31." and she hugged me and said "I want you to know that I am a survivor" and she put my hand on her chest and said "I have been cancer free for 17 years and I was young too when I was diagnosed. I had a three year old at the time." She immediately put me at ease and I reassured her that I was ready. Let the fun begin! Trying on wigs is honestly one of the most fun things I have done in a long time. I have always wanted to try on new hair styles and it was fun to see myself in super long locks and short angled cuts some with red highlights...some with blond highlights. The stylist said they have people that come in all the time without cancer that buy wigs. I believe it--I am actually excited to not have to really do my hair (especially with two young ones) and no more gray. I narrowed it down to a few styles and then I will go back with Ben so he can decide which I should go with. So if I have a mohawk with pink streaks...you'll know why!