Cheryl is home from surgery

Today's surgery went well from a technical stand point, but we are not thrilled with what had to happen. The lymph node system tested positive for cancer and a full lymphepctimy was neccesary. What does that mean? That means a longer recovery time from the surgery and a combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. There will also be a drainage tube and bottle to collect fluid from the lymphepctimy site for a few days.

Cheryl was a trooper today, all day, and it was a long day. She repeatedly said "I just wanna go home" and I just wanted to get her home. Thank you Linda and Suzanne for being there for us at the hospital, we love you and couldn't have done it without you.

Lots of people have been calling and leaving messages and we love you for it, we'll get back with you when the pain meds wear off a little.

Eddy

Nervous Energy

My mom took me to lunch today and then we did a little shopping at the mall. I needed a couple of tops that button up the front and sweat pants. Eddy and I worked on getting our business stuff buttoned up so I won't have to do anything until Sunday. We also met with the DA regarding the break in from October. Probably won't testify on Monday but it could be Tuesday or Thursday or not at all (we will know more on Friday).

I am signing off for the evening so I can get a lot of sleep (with help from my little friend Ambien!). Eddy will post on the blog when we get home in the late evening.

Thank you all for your warm wishes and support!

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!!!!!!