Biopsy

Well, Dr Averill was not able to find the spot on the left side today (he did find the cyst and confirmed, it is just a cyst). I might have to go in for an MRI guide biopsy instead. No problem finding the second tumor on the right. Wednesday when we see Dr Rose I'll find out more about the MRI thing and maybe a surgery date. Waiting is driving me CRAZY!

I'll post another blog on Wednesday after the appointment with Dr Rose.

Biopsy Day

Biopsy is set for 10:15 this morning, so we should be leaving shortly. Wednesday we are due to meet with the surgeon....I hope we will get a date for surgery. This is like being in a pressure cooker for too long, somethings got to blow! The sooner I start treatment the sooner I will be better.
Toodles,
Cheryl

Race Weekend

Great weekend at the races! Eddy's favorite race was the second of the day and very exciting. There was a restart due to a crash in turn one caused by the racer that took Eddy out in the last race of the 2007 season (crash sequence was caught on film by the race photographer). Eddy was in third for most of the race but lost a position in the last lap on turn two. Fourth is still a great finish!!!!!

Several racers at the event this weekend put the Cheryl pink ribbon on their bikes. A big thank you to Dave Stanton, Billy Scott and Matt Green. Zip is making more stickers for the next race since there are a few more people that want to add the stickers to bikes. It feels so good to know I have a large support network behind me!!!! The more positive energy the better.

Signing off for the day.....have a wonderful week.

Change in Plans

New biopsy date is 3/31, then a 4/2 consultation with the surgeon. Dr Averill at the Dominican Breast Center wants to handle my case and he is out the week of 3/24, hence the change in schedule.

Eddy's first race of the season is Sunday. The motorcycle is sporting a pink ribbon with my name on it! I understand that Zip, Ed and Steve all have ribbons on their bikes....thank you guys. Thanks Zip for creating the ribbons.

Ramsey (our mascot) is wearing bunny ears for the weekend along with a baby sheep basket filled with candy. You can check out Ramsey's corner at www.finishesunlimited.net/racing.

Vacation

Eddy and I returned Monday evening from seven days in Maui.....no, I did not get a tan but Eddy is darker. We had sooooooooooooooooo much fun! To make the most of our first day, Eddy shuttled over to get the rental car while I worked on getting our bags. Three hours until we could check in so we drove out to see the old lava flow from 1790. Did the grocery shopping, then headed out for sight seeing. Another day we drove up to the crater on Haleakala, did a small amount of hiking (you need to move slowly at 10023 feet), then headed back down for another drive on the back side. The drive to Hana was great, but the waterfalls weren't doing much. Swam in the Seven Sacred Pools. We also went on a snorkel trip to Lanai (an island you can see from west Maui), plus some snorkeling from the beach. There was also a day trip over to Lanai....rented a Jeep Wrangler and had some fun on the dirt roads. Great areas to visit on Lanai and not a lot of people. On Sunday evening we had a sunset dinner at the Sea House, which is located at Napili Kai Beach Resort. Since we had reservations and we were the first to arrive for dinner, we sat right along the front with a perfect view of the sunset. Wonderful end to one of our best vacations ever!

The radiologist was able to locate the two suspicious areas with the ultrasound, so I am due back for another biopsy (one on each side) on March 25, not looking forward to the procedure since I know what is coming. I am assuming the pathology tests will come back on the 27th.

Better sign off for the day....lots of stuff to do!

Friday Night

Hi everyone,
Had a nice dinner out with Eddy this evening. I am listening to meditation tapes on relaxing and fighting cancer, seems to be helping me. The woman's voice on the cd is wonderful, very rhythmic with not too many ups and downs.

Keep sending out the positive vibes into the universe. Visualize cancer cells being blasted!

Feeling Better!

Tuesday was a blow to my self confidence, but I am feeling better today. I listened to I AM WOMAN about ten times in a row, singing right along (not too loud since Eddy is home and I suck) and it helped me focus. A full eight hours of sleep is also a big benefit.

My biggest fear is losing my breasts. I know reconstruction has come a long, long way in the last few years and insurance is required to pay for it, but that is not what I want. I am being forced into a situation that I did not choose and it very, very frustrating. Right now, I believe the plan is still for a lumpectomy but I will not know until after the ultrasound and possible biopsy. Fear of the unknown is almost paralyzing.

Eddy told me he would not stop loving me no matter what happens and that is a huge relief. I just needed to hear him say it to me and he did. Cancer is going to make us closer and we will come out the other side stronger than ever. We are invincible.

I want to thank everyone, again, for the cards, emails and flowers. You are helping me get through the tunnel my life is right now so I can come out into the sunshine on the other side. It is so beneficial to know I have a team of friends and family thinking good thoughts for me, keep up the positive energy.....I need it.

Signing off for the day....need to get some work done!

Results from the appointment

MRI shows another lesion in the right breast behind the original and the original is actually 2.1 cm. MRI also shows a mass in the left breast, which is getting an ultra sound on 3/18. If needed there will be another biopsy (possibly even done while they are doing another MRI...oh, joy). Surgery will not happen until we know exactly what is up. I'll keep you all posted.

I am devastated. No words to describe how I feel right now. I did discover something weird today, when I get really, really upset my ears get really, really hot too.

Thank you for all of the emails today and positive thinking, much appreciated.

I need to go and try to relax....I feel like I have a vise around my chest right now.

I am going to be on Oprah!

Not really! I did dream last night that Dr Rose told me we had to do surgery immediately since I was scheduled to be on Oprah. For those of you that don't know, I hate speaking in public and hate crying in front of other people, so being put on Oprah's show put me into a bit of "tizzy" in my dream. I know my mind is trying to work out "issues" and I thought this one was kind of funny! I kept trying to figure out in my dream how Oprah heard about me since we've only told family and friends about the breast cancer.

Read a great book yesterday, Cancer Has Its Privileges: Stories of Hope and Laughter by Christine Clifford. Funny and well worth the quick read. I am also reading Dr Susan Love's Breast Book. Good information and detail.

I want to thank every one for the wonderful emails, notes and phone calls, you just don't know how much they help me stay focused and keep me from feeling alone. Knowing you have a "team" of family and friends cheering you on is so amazing. THANK YOU ALL. Special thanks to my sister, who manages to call me almost everyday but doesn't always make it sound like she is checking on my mental state. My mother needs a big thank you for understanding cancer (she is a survivor) and talking with me about the different kind of treatments along with my fears. Mom has also been a caregiver (to my father) and will be a great resource for Eddy. I want to thank my friend, Jen McHale-Hall, who listened to me when first diagnosed, listened to me some more, invited me for walks, brought me my favorite chai from Fins (non-fat milk, thank you) and brought little Miss Amara over for visits.

Signing off for today....need to clean house.