Yep I get to go home

February 15, 2013 - my reconstructive surgeon (Dr. Crosby) came in around 6:30 am to check on me. She said I did well in surgery & physically I was doing well. She told me that she had already put in 250 cc's into the tissue expanders. Yay!!! After she left I obviously went back to sleep until my surgical oncologist (Dr. Caudle) came in to check on me. She said they took out the first 3 lymph nodes because being HER2+ there is always cancer in them. I only had cancer in 1 and it was 1mm in size. Normally when lymph nodes are removed due to cancer being in them (as well as other stipulations) the patient has to have radiation. Dr. Caudle said that since it was only in one (& if the pathology report came back with nothing new) I wouldn't have to do radiation. 

They sent off the 3 lymph nodes & tested 20 other lymph nodes and the pathology report would be back in about a week. I have been praying for no radiation because if I have to have radiation then I would never be able to have an implant on the right side (where the cancer was) for reconstruction. Instead I would have to have what is called back flap surgery to recreate that breast. Long story short, many more surgeries & I more than likely would never be very symmetrical. 

Surgery Day part II

February 14, 2013 - recovery room.

I got into recovery around 1:40 pm which was great because the surgery didn't last the full 8 hours. I immediately asked to see my family. Around 3:00 my daddy and Zac came in to visit & both told me I looked great. I wasn't in a lot of pain, just groggy. Aunt Jana, Zac's mom, my mom, my Godchild, my Bubba, my sissy, and my cousin Vanessa all came in also. I was in recovery until 8:00 pm because they couldn't get me in a room. Once in a room they told me I could order whatever food I wanted. I ordered but wasn't too hungry because of the meds.

Dinner Time

My bear that Zac's nephews gave me.  It has my head cover on from surgery.  Her name is CC.  Named after Dr. Caudle and Dr. Crosby :)

I was in a lot of pain and required morphine every two hours. I didn't sleep very well until about 4:00 am. And its obvious from the pics I'm pretty doped up.

Surgery Day!!!

February 14, 2013 - I have to be at MD Anderson at 5:15 a.m. for surgery at 7:30 a.m. It's an 8 hour surgery so I'm extremely nervous and scared.  Mom, my sissy, and me left the house at 4:00 a.m. I drove there because I won't be able to drive for at least a month. I got checked in and my mom came in the pre-op room where I had to get changed into a gown and start having my vitals taken. Around 6:15 my reconstructive surgeon Dr. Crosby came in to draw on me so my surgeon Dr. Caudle would know what tissue not to take and to go over her procedure with my mom.  I don't think I ever blogged that I decided to have a double mastectomy because my chances of the cancer coming back in 20 years was 25% - 50%. Too much of a risk for me and going through this emotional roller coaster once is enough for me. 

Me and Mom before surgery

My sexy circulation socks and my chucks.  I'm so working this gown. LOL!

After that my mom switched places with my sissy so she could sit with me before being wheeled to the operating room. The anesthesiologist came in and had me sign some consent forms before they got started on their process.  So feel free to laugh at the next pics because I did.  I remember the first one but not the second lol

I'm Sexy and I know it!

Yep I go night night. I remember my sissy saying she was going to take the pic but that was all I remember.

New Do for my Dome

January 26, 2013 - Zac & I went shopping for a wig today. I decided that I will only wear it to work and at the weddings we were invited to this year. Other than that, I intend to embrace my baldness. :) I tried on several different styles but felt most comfortable in a "cranial prosthesis" that was very similar to my current cut, color, & style. Maybe once I get used to it I will purchase some different styles & colors. 

I had a lot of fun throughout the entire process & Zac took pics, but I haven't decided if I wanted to post them or not. The owner of the store assisted us & after measurements & trying to keep a wig cap on I finally chose my style. The entire time she told me I had the smallest adult head she had ever seen. Lol I have always known I had a little head (because I have to wear little boy hats) but to have someone that measures heads all day tell you that, you KNOW you have a little head. Now I know some of you are thinking that means I have a little brain, but not so much. Ha! Ha!  

I promise to get the blog up to date before surgery. I'm sorry I haven't posted in a while but I've been really exhausted. Love you all & have a great night!

Quick Update on Surgery Date

January 21, 2013 - Just got a call from MD Anderson.  They have been in communication with my fertility doctor.  They have decided to move my surgery to February 14, 2013 so that I could complete the process of freezing my eggs.  If I didn't already hate Valentines Day, I guess I would have a reason to now.  LOL! 

Sorry there haven't been any updates, but I have been exhausted with this whole fertility thing.  Kinda think I may be anemic because I have had so much blood taken.  I will try to update tonight or tomorrow.

FINALLY some good FREAKIN' news!!!!!

January 18, 2013 - Got a phone call around 10:30 AM only to have Jessica from MD Anderson quickly say "Amber, I have great news.  You tested negative for the BRCA 1 & 2 gene"  I almost cried!!!!!  That means I get to keep my ovaries and DO NOT have to have a double mastectomy.  That also means my sister's risk is lower for developing breast cancer.  Now I just need to decide on having only a lumpectomy or a mastectomy on the right side.  I want to be safe and positive this will be gone and I will never have to worry about this coming back and have the mastectomy, but I will talk to my surgeon on her opinion now that we have all the pieces of the puzzle.

Also today I met with the fertility doctor.  After lots of blood work and an ultrasound we (really meaning the doctor) decided on a regiment on how to prep my eggs.  Kinda sucks; I have to (or should I say Zac has to) give me two shots a day in the belly for the next 3 days.  I go back on Monday and we repeat blood work and ultrasound and will decide on my dosage for the next 3 days, and so forth.  We (the doctor) are hoping to remove the eggs on the 30th give or take a couple of days.  My fertility doctor and all my doctors at MDA are on the same page and in communication with my treatment.  Sooooo - my surgery maybe bumped up a week.  I was told to keep an eye on my MDA website to see the updates.  I will keep everyone posted (for those who are traveling and/or taking off work) as soon as I hear something.

Zac and I had a very eventful day so we decided to stay home and have a movie/wine/video game/iPad game night.  We have friends coming in from out of town this weekend and will be celebrating two birthday tomorrow.  

Remember, check your breast and have a great weekend!

"Do you understand..."

"....the words comin' outa my mouth" (Chris Tucker voice)

January 17, 2013 - went to see the Medical Oncologist today. Pretty much the meeting was to make sure I understood everything that was going on. 

Update - I tested positive for estrogen, progesterone, and Her2+ and my tumor is a Grade 3 (meaning it's medium aggressive). 65% of my estrogen is feeding the cancer.  So with that being said, I will be on tamoxifen for 5 years. In which during that time I will not be able to become pregnant. I will be on herceptin for 1 year due to the Her2+ and some sort of chemotherapy for 5 - 6 months. (We are still waiting on the genetics test)

What is herceptin???? According to herceptin.com, "Herceptin is approved for the treatment of early-stage breast cancer that is Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor 2-positive (HER2+) and has spread into the lymph nodes, or is HER2+ and has not spread into the lymph nodes. If it has not spread into the lymph nodes, the cancer needs to be estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor (ER/PR)-negative or have one high risk feature.* 

Herceptin can be used in several different ways:

• As part of a treatment course including the chemotherapy drugs Adriamycin^® (doxorubicin), Cytoxan^® (cyclophosphamide), and either Taxol^® (paclitaxel) or Taxotere^® (docetaxel). This treatment course is known as "AC→TH"
• With the chemotherapy drugs Taxotere and Paraplatin^® (carboplatin). This treatment course is known as "TCH"
• Alone after treatment with multiple other therapies, including an anthracycline (Adriamycin)-based therapy (a type of chemotherapy) *High risk is defined as ER/PR-positive with one of the following features: tumor size >2 cm, age <35 years, or tumor grade 2 or 3. 

I was told I needed to contact a fertility doctor as soon as possible in order to preserve my eggs and the Medical Oncologist would be willing to put off treatment for a couple of weeks for me to do that.  

Now the tough part...With the drug combination I will be on, I WILL lose my hair.  I've decided to cut it short and when I start treatments me, Zac, and his brother are going to buzz our heads.  LOL!  I think it will be less horrifying for me to shave then to brush and it fall out on its own.  I hope I don't have a misshaped head!!!!  I'm going to buy funky wigs and scarfs, but I'm sure I will start to feel confident with my new look and embrace it.  On the bright side, I will save money on hair products and razors.  :)