We were informed this morning that the plan for treatment will be this: Chemotherapy first, Surgery next, then radiation. Because it is still unclear the nature of the involvement of the affected lymph nodes (are they lymph nodes associated with the breast, or systemic lymph nodes?), I will have a sentinel lymph node biopsy next week. I learned that the lymph nodes that spread out to the body from the armpit are separate from the breast lymph nodes (LN from now on). If the LN affected are body ones, then it is possible that cancer cells have spread to elsewhere in my body. If the nodes affected are breast ones, then it is possible that the cancer is contained there. There is a defined LN where the body type LN start. The biopsy will be on that (the sentinel LN). If the cancer is there, then it will indicate that the cancer may be elsewhere in my body. At least that's my understanding.
Because the tumor is very close to my chest wall, they want to shrink the tumor first with Chemo. Treatment will be through a port installed in my shoulder, once every 3 weeks for 6 treatments. (By my calculations, I should be done around 1/14-Ray's 60th birthday!!) Each treatment lasts 5 hours or so. Then comes surgery 3 weeks later, then radiation. My goal is to be done this mess by July so we can go west for 3-4 weeks. I should be able to work through all this, except for times when I feel reallly bad from the chemo. Fortunately, my work situation is flexible.
The drugs I will be administered are Taxotere, Carboplatin, and Herceptin. They sound so innocuous for the poisons that they are, don't they?
I will probably start chemo in 2 weeks. In the mean time, I will have a bone scan and cardiac echo on Friday.
They gave me a new packet of info on treatment which I was reading in the waiting room for a blood test (the first of many to come). I had reconciled myself to losing my hair (just another hair style to try!!), but I was struck by the text that you lose ALL hair--eyebrows, eyelashes--everything. Holy cow--I'll be one scary sight! Apparently, when my hair comes back in it will be darker, and curlier--another hair style!
2 comments:
The plus side...... no more shaving! Thanks for the update. Let me know if there is anything I can do (besides keep your son in line :) )
Well..............Barbara and I will always be thinking of you, and by the way.............as for your hair............you'll look great in any style! Besides VOGUE uses them all!!!
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