3 down, 25 to go!!

Today was day #3 of radiation. I cannot believe I have not blogged since April. I've been back at work for 4 weeks now. At the end of my medical leavve, I met with a radiation and medical oncologist since my pathology came back unclear. My breast surgeon said she was unsure that she got good margins in my axillary (armpit) area and there were 2 questionable things on my pathology report. One turned out to be a mislabeling but it's been a mess to correct. The other was that there was a lymph node that had isolate tumor cells present. This had us scared to death one weekend because my plastic surgeon said he thought I would need chemo. However, my report was discussed at the Northside tumor board and they felt the cells were leftover from my biopsies I had before the surgery and did not have any potential to invade and cause malignancy. However, after the tumor board met, the medical and radiation oncologist told me different things. So, I was upset and unsettled about the whole thing and was able to get in with an Emory oncologist for a second opinion, by the grace of God! I got her email from a GAC mom who just found me at field day and turns out another friend had seen her at Emory as well. It was truly a miracle that she answered my email within an hour and got me in to see her the following week. She then presented my case to the Emory tumor board 2 weeks later and they said the pathology was exactly as the Northside pathologists had concluded which made us all feel so much better. They said radiaiton was questionable but some studies could support it. I decided to go through with radiation though because the Northside folks were more adamant and especially my breast surgeon. I feel if she was uneasy, she knows best since she was in there looking at it! So I have been through the preliminary marking and measuring and this week started my daily treatments. I will have 28, so I am only working until about 2 pm daily. It is not the easiest thing emotionally to lay there while they radiate you but I am praying it will do its job and I will have no lasting side effects.
I wish I had time to write every day about the ways God has shown Himself to me and through his word during this time. It is absolutely amazing how He reminds me that He provides courage and that the troubles we face on earth are only temporary and how I need to focus on HIm and eternity. I continue to just feel so blessed and God has given us so much mercy that this thing was caught early and was contained and I did not need chemo. There have been several bumps along the way but nothing compared to what it could be and I remind myself of that daily.