Race Weekend & Surgery Info

Eddy did well at Infineon Raceway this weekend. The race report should be up on www.finishesunlimited.net/racing sometime in the next few days for you to read, if interested. I believe this time there will be a video from the camera Eddy had on the bike (he is trying to figure out how to get it on to his computer).

We met with the surgery coordinator on Friday and I am set to have a VERY BUSY day on Thursday! I am able to have a little breakfast in the morning, but nothing after 6:00 am including water. At 10:00 am I head to the Dominican Breast Center to get wires inserted in the tumors. From the DBC, we head over to the Nuclear Medicine department at Santa Cruz Medical for the poison dye....I mean radioactive dye injections at 11:00 am. I need to be at the Sutter Surgery by 1:30 for the the pre-op stuff. Surgery is scheduled for 3:00 pm and is around two hours. Not really sure what time Eddy and I get to head home on Thursday, but my guess would be around 6:30 or 7:00 pm.

That is all I have for now!

Surgery Date Set

Finally, surgery is scheduled! Going in on May 1st and it will be a long day. First order of business is getting the wires placed in both tumors on the right breast at Dominican Breast Center. Then I am off to Santa Cruz Medical to get injected with radioactive dye in my breast. Doesn't that sound pleasant? Once I am radioactive, we head off to the Sutter Surgery Center for the big "show". The doctor starts with the sentinel nodes (which are near your underarm). A Geiger counter is used to locate the sentinel nodes, they are removed and sent off to the lab for analysis. While we are waiting for the pathology test on the sentinel nodes, the doctor will perform the lumpectomy (they actually call it a partial mastectomy, lumpectomy sounds much better to me). Dr Rose will remove the rest of the nodes IF the sentinel nodes come back positive for cancer (we are not voting for that procedure). Everyone think in your mind "NO NODES, NO NODES, NO NODES" and click your heels together. According to the doctor, I'll spend one hour in recovery and then get to go home for recuperation. Dr Rose said I should start to feel more normal on Monday, but I am supposed to take it easy for a couple of weeks (not sure how long the recovery time is if all of the nodes come out).

My mom, Linda, is coming from Oregon to help us for a few days with meals and whatnot while I am recovering from the surgery. Suzanne will also be here for support, doctor rides, etc. "Steady Eddy" will do his usual and keep me sane!

Well, off I go....dinner plans with Eddy's family.

Doctor's Appt

Good Morning Cancer Support Team!

Our doctor's appointment is now on Wednesday at 1:45 p.m. so Eddy can be there with me! Yeah!!! The doctor's assistant, Lesli, says there is a great deal of information to go over.

Wow, scary.....surgery is coming up soon! Kind of like waiting for "Bad Christmas" because you aren't getting what you wanted.

I have the most colorful bruise from the MRI guided biopsy! We have deep purple, red, blue and a very sickening shade of yellow. Looks like I was hit with a baseball bat, no wonder the biopsy hurt! Radiologist said it might take a few weeks for it to disappear.

Well, I need to get myself back to work on balancing the checking accounts....joy!

Genetic Test is Negative!!!!

The doctor just called, BRCA1 and BRCA2 test came back negative. No gene mutation for me, thank you very much!!!! Also good news for my family.

I have an appointment on Tuesday at 1:45pm to discuss surgery with Dr Rose....appointment might get changed so Eddy can be there with me, but I won't know until Monday about a new date.

I am thrilled....weekend should be great! Thank you everyone for the good energy....it worked wonders.

No Cancer on the Left!!!!!!!

I am sooo haaaaappppy right now! No cancer in the left breast, yipppppyy!!!!!!!! The genetic test is completed and on its way via Fed X to the doctor's office. Lesli is trying to get a faxed copy of the results so Dr Rose can go over it. I am assuming the test will be negative since no family members have had breast cancer.

Just one more little hurdle to cross with the genetic test results, then I can schedule surgery, do my radiation treatments and move on with my life!

Thank you for all the good vibes, positive thoughts and prayers....they must have worked!!!!!!

Human Pin Cushion

Well, pretty sure I am a human pin cushion! Wow! The MRI guided biopsy took a little longer than expected because the suspicious spot on the left side is high up and not easy to reach. Started out flat on my stomach but that wasn't working, repositioned, then the fun began. I am very glad that procedure is out of the way! The pathology test is due back in two days, cross your fingers and toes that the spot is nothing.....pleeeeaaase be nothing!!!!

Time for a little cat nap.

An Idea

A lot of you've asked how you can help me and I think I might have a way!

Over the last several years I've donated blood every 56 days at the local Red Cross blood drive. With my cancer diagnosis I am no longer eligible to donate blood. Giving blood is a good way to help the community and it is FREE (just takes 1-2 hours of your day).

What do you think about donating to help your local communities since I can't do it anymore? I know not everyone is eligible, but if you can donate that would be fantastic! I've included the link for the Red Cross, www.givelife.org, which has a zip code search for locations near you.

No pressure to donate, just an idea!