I ended up spending only one night in the hospital, which was crazy! The morning of the surgery was pouring rain, of course! Wes and I left very early and I was able to see Ashton and Collin before we left. My parents and brother had spent the night to take care of the boys in the morning and then Kate came to take care of them in the afternoon. I don't think Wes would mind me writing that as we pulled into the parking space at the women's center, he finally had a breakdown. I was ok and ready to just get the day over with but emotionally, he had held it together for way too long. I think he was probably feeling similar to the way I had felt the previous week when driving into the parking deck. We had been here several times the past 5 years for our boys and the feelings were so very different. There are no words to ever describe how blessed I am to have this man and how undeserving. God has been so merciful to us.
Once we got inside, they took me away and briefed Wes on where he would be and how he would get info during the day. Once I was ready, he was able to be with me a lot of the morning. I cannot say enough good things about the Northside Breast Center. Every person was wonderful and calming and perfect. A good friend of my mom's made sure that I had the "best of the best care" and I don't know how many different important looking people came to check on me and about three different support groups brought little gifts!
During the morning, they took me to inject me with radioactive material for the sentinel node biopsy they would perform during surgery. After that, I was taken to a gamma camera so they could locate and mark the node. Then my plastic surgeon came in to mark on me. He marked on my back as well in case he needed to use my latissimus muscle for reconstruction. As I was getting on to the OR table, the nurses were asking why my back was marked up? I told them and they were frustrated saying he had not told them to prepare for that. I was frustrated because as I was drifting off to sleep it seemed they didn't know exactly what he was going to do. When i woke up, I had no idea what type of reconstruction I had had. I knew it was going to be a decision in the OR but it was unsettling knowing the nurses were not prepared. It wasn't until the next day I learned that he had decided to use donor tissue and expanders instead of the back muscle. At first I was upset but now grateful for the easier recovery. Recovery went well and once back with my family, they told me that the initial sentinel node biopsy was negative. praise the Lord. I had amazing nurses that night, one even went to Sprayberry, our high school rival, and graduated the same year as me. We ended up knowing some of the same people. SHe was really sweet and I did great. They kept tellig me how awesome I was doing...I thought maybe because they aren't used to having young women there. haha
So the next day we went home and I ended up not even missing a day of seeing my children! They were off that whole week for spring break and my mom was with us. I slept a lot and got waiting on hand and foot. We had many sweet people bring us meals and our cleaning service from the band began. On Friday, wes and I went to the plastic surgeon, Dr Mackay's office for follow up. He then gave me my path report which said I had tumor cells in my lymph node and he felt I would need chemo but wanted me to talk with my breast surgeon for sure. That sent us on another shockwave of emotion. We were really unprepared for chemo and had known it was a possibility but unlikely. But, I researched the phrasing used on the pathology report over the weekend and found out this likely meant some tumor cells were spread during my biopsies and unlikely any concern. I verified this with some oncology PAs and heard the same news from my breast surgeon the following week. Praise God! She said those cells would eventually die and be absorbed and no cause for any concern! SO the lymph nodes are negative. However, she wants me to have radiation due to the extent of disease, 9 cm and the fact that the disease was all around the lymph nodes. She says it is harder to get clear margins in the lymph area so to prevent recurrence she thinks radiation is appropriate. i am meeting with a radiation and medical oncologist this week to get the final word.
So that's it! 2 crazy weeks in a nutshell. Wes and I were able to eat at Ippolito's one night and then shop for a new fridge one night since ours went out during all this mayhem and even had a Starbucks date after an appt last week. We are so grateful to our parents' help and especially my mom who moved in with us for 2 weeks helping and took off work. SHe and wes have literally been my hands, as we are all called to be the hands and feet of Christ! From helping me eat at first to cleaning my drains to putting my hair in ponytails, they have done it all and kept our family going. I am able to do a lot more now but still cannot reach out or overhead and cannot lift. I had an emotional wave today because the plastic surgeon's office told me I cannot go back to work next week as planned. I was told by my breast surgeon to take off 3 weeks which I did but the PS says 6 weeks. i am hoping another week will allow me sufficient time, but I really cannot see myself examining someone right now anyway. So I'll have another week to myself which isn't bad. I haven't had this in 6 years! We cannot thank everyone enough for the texts and emails and calls. God has blessed us beyond belief. On Easter, we celebrated at home because the boys were a little sick over the weekend. It felt strange not going to church but I am so thankful for my Risen Savior and the new spiritual life he gave me long ago when I accepted him and now for the new physical life he has given me in defeating cancer. I guess I want to feel totally different but the truth is that I didn't feel bad before so it's hard. My reconstruction is going so well, I don't even look that different besides the two large scars! But I trust Him knowing He has allowed me to catch this early and treat it successfully. I may have a bumpier road with radiation than I had anticipated but we continue to trust in Him as we prepare for the next road.
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| These were taken at a park before church the day before my surgery. |
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| We all dressed in pink! I wanted to dress up since I didn't think I would feel like going to church on Easter. I am so glad we did now! |
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| It was emotional but a great way to spend the morning!! |
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| At my grandmother's house getting her lift recliner to borrow for postop |
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| fun with cousins and denny at GG's house |
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The week before surgery Ashton had a class musical and he was Old McDonald! He had a ball and knew everyone's lines and would tell me who didn't know their lines the week before. He loved every song and even got to play the woodblock. wes was so proud that he kept time so well!!     
This was my TATA to the TATA's Girl's night the week before surgery!! It was so much fun! We painted pottery, a plate that has a verse and the girls all signed the back which says bye bye cancer, hello the rest of my life.
Kate had wanted to get some awesome boobie cupcakes but the bakeries wouldn't do it so she settled for these princess ones from GiGi's that were amazing. I thought the crown looks like a bra though!
My sweet sweet girls who have been with me through band, boys, weddings, babies and now breast cancer. Kate and Marge are pregnant in this photo!
These photos are all from one week postop when Melanie, Sandy and Edwin came to visit. We went to Sim's park and walked. The boys rode bikes while wes had a nice jog to keep up with them!
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