A Second Surgery

So I finally got to visit with my surgeon last Friday and review my pathology report. It came back rather positive, in fact his words were, "it's a very good pathology report". The lymph nodes are clear of cancer which is a huge relief! The "surprise" was that there is a 2nd tumor. The surgeon called it, "a second cancer" which really scared me for a second until he said, "second tumor" which made me feel immediately calmer. The comment "second cancer" is a little scary because I immediately though there was another type of cancer that was discovered somehow, in the muscles of my chest wall or something like that! Phew! One good thing is that there is nothing in the lymph nodes. Praise God!

What happened was that he never saw it, the mammogram didn't pick it up and the only way it was spotted was in the lab under the microscope, that's how small it is! Amazing how medical experts can find these sorts of things with very little to go by - right down to the cellular level. The 2nd tumor is only 3 mm in diameter - that's so tiny!

So I'm just waiting for the surgeon's office to call me with a date. Then I'll go again - at least this time it'll be less involved and a quicker recovery. Then I'll wait for THAT pathology report. Then 6 weeks after surgery I should be able to start with treatments - what will it be? I have no idea until the 2nd surgery is over and pathology report in hand.

What a day! No more energy now.

Still Waiting

So it's been 2 weeks since my surgery and I'm still waiting to get the results of the pathology. I'm seeing the surgeon tomorrow at 2:00 so I'm hoping he has the report and can tell me what my summer will be like? Well, I suppose he's only going to tell me that I have to go to the cancer centre which, thankfully, is also now in Abbotsford in the new hospital.

I have to say that's a really nice hospital too. Brand new. Colours are friendly etc. The staff in day surgery etc. are just wonderful. Well, shall I go through the entire process step-by-step? Fine ... but more tomorrow. It's getting late and I'm tired. Suffice to say that I'm still sore under my arm and if I do too much it feels like sandpaper is rubbing against already-tender skin! Yikes! Every day a little better, though. I'll write more tomorrow. I returned to work yesterday for 3 hours, and today I worked for 6.5 hours. So next week I'll be back at full strength. At least that's my plan.

I have a headache now.

Signing off for today and more tomorrow.

Surgery Day

So tomorrow I go for my lumpectomy. Yay! Day surgery. Not looking forward to it and yet, I am because I know it'll be behind me then. I'll know for sure what's happening in there! I worry more about the treatment than I do about the surgery. I'm so happy that we found it early and that it will likely be very treatable. The pluses are that we have a brand new hospital, WITH a cancer center right there. Right here in town. It's nice. I don't have to drive to Surrey to get my treatments. So there are silver linings to every cloud, after all!

Mary is so sweet - she gave me a photocopy of the Bible text booklet that she uses all the time. I am taking it with me to read while there. I hope I remember to take it because it's only day surgery and they always come to check on stuff before you go in there anyway. They never leave you alone!!!

I've been through this 4 times before for other minor surgeries so I know what to expect but still I get apprehensive.

Hopefully tomorrow at this time I will be awake enough to type just a little. The surgeon is also removing a couple of lymph nodes and I'm not sure how sore my armpit/arm will be. I will have a drain for a few days. Sick!

No church again this week. Oh well! I am happy that I can stay home for a week to recuperate. Back to work on the 15th, if all goes well!