The pathology report was available on Friday, so I went to see Dr. Rob. It showed there were clear margins, and that I was ER- and PR- (harder to treat) but the HER2 rating was not back yet. All along it had been thought I would only need radiation therapy for 4 weeks, however, since my cancer would not respond to hormone therapy after radiation, it was thought I would possibly need chemotherapy (yuck).
On Wednesday, March 7, I met with my oncologist, Dr. Aimee Kohn at St. Luke's East in Lee's Summit. The meeting (with Ron) lasted 2 hours and was very informative. She said I would definitely have to have chemotherapy and radiation but still did not know if I was triple negative or if the HER2 was positive. She told me the lymph nodes were not negative - there was not enough of them to evaluate. However, she did not feel it would be helpful to do more surgery to try to retrieve lymph nodes as the treatment would be the same if the cancer had spread to the lymph nodes or if it had not. She said the cancer I have is aggressive and would require aggressive treatment - just don't know how aggressive until the HER2 was received. I told her I wanted a second opinion. Dr. Robb arranged a second opinion for me with a KU doctor, Dr. Manana Elia for Friday, 3/9 at 11 a.m.
Wednesday evening, Amanda and Chad had late meetings, so I drove to Overland Park to pick up the kids at Bobbert's house (Steve Large or Skippy) - they had gone there with Isabella and Olivia and had supper with them after Y care after school. They were excited to see me, and we went to there house, talked for a while, took their showers and to bed they went.
On Thursday morning, I took them to school. Kelly came to Overland Park to spend the day with me since I had received bad news on Wednesday so I wouldn't have to be alone - so sweet. I spent most of the morning on the phone with friends and medical personnel setting up appointments, etc., but we left Amanda's house around 11 and went to lunch at The Red Door Restaurant for french dip sandwiches, sweet potato fries. We then ran errands to Kohl's, Scheel's and Price Chopper. She went home around 2 p.m. I picked Garrison up after school as a walker. Then he and I picked Peyton up after Girls on the Run at 5:30 and we all headed to Freddy's for dinner.
Friday morning - no school - so we headed to McDonald's for breakfast. They enjoyed ordering off the kiosk and sitting on the high stools at the bar to eat. Since I had my doctor's appointment at 11 a.m. and Amanda and Chad were not going to be home until noon, I walked them down to Lauren Scholtz's house (neighbor) to stay for a couple of hours before they all left for Disneyland Spring Break trip.
Second opinion appointment with Dr. Elia went well. She basically gave the same diagnosis and treatment plan as the other doctor, so I am going to stay with Dr. Kohn. I drove home after that.
Later Friday afternoon, Dr. Kohn's nurse, Leigh, called to tell me the HER2 was negative, so I was triple negative (aggressive) and that I would have to have chemo every 2 weeks for 4 months and then radiation for 6 weeks, 5 days a week - would have to have aggressive treatment. I will have a MRI, ECHO and CT of the abdomen and CT of the chest on Thursday, 3/15. Dr. Rob will put a port in to be used for the chemo at GVMH in Clinton on Friday, 3/16. That has to heal for a week - chemo will start Tuesday, 3/27. I will have to go back to Lee's Summit the "other" week too to see doctor, have blood work and toxicity check. I will lose my hair about week 2-3. Nausea and vomiting is anticipated. I will have chemo education class to deal with some of these issues on 3/15 while in Lee's Summit.
Both doctors indicated the cancer is aggressive but treatable and curable. It has not yet been staged but expected to be Stage 1 or Stage 2. The tumor was small and it was found early. Good things. I'm hopeful. Many people have offered to help out in any way - driving me to appointments - food, whatever they can do. Lots of prayers going up for me - so blessed.
God is good and we are blessed - just a bump in the road.
Amanda, Chad, Peyton and Garrison are having a great time at Disneyland for Spring Break and will get home on Tuesday. Ron and I will go to Overland Park on Wednesday to stay with Peyton and Garrison. We will go to Lee's Summit from there on Thursday for the tests. I will have the port put in on Friday. Can't finish these treatments until I get started - on with the charge to rid cancer from my body! I appreciate the encouragement from everyone.
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