The Port Placement

7/08/2014 The Port Placement

My mom of course was down again (THANK YOU).  In the morning we had a meeting with the Genetics Counselor to talk about the different options we had for testing.  We still are deciding on what kind of test we will do for this.

Then we headed off to the hospital to get ready for the port placement.  We arrived there at 12:30, and Andy met us shortly after he was done with work.  It took 3 different nurses to get an IV started for me.  They each only get one chance, I told them 3 strikes and there out!  So luckily I was getting the port, because if that happened every time I went in for blood work or Chemo, that would have sucked.  Not that this journey alone doesn't SUCK!  Now we were ready and waiting for the surgery which was supposed to happen at 2:00.  Needless to say, my Dr. was in a surgery that was taking him a little longer than expected, so finally I got wheeled down for mine at around 3:30.  Of course, I didn't feel a thing because they put me under for it.  Andy and my mom said that the surgery went really fast, as they were waiting and watching the colors change on the screen for what stage I was in throughout the surgery.  However, they were getting a little nervous because I was in the recovery room for a really long time.  I don't do well with anesthesia so I felt pretty sick to my stomach.  We finally got back to my room around 5:30.  All I wanted to do was get home and sleep, but I was so dizzy.  I made one attempt to walk down the hallway, and that didn't go so well.  They made me lay back in the bed for about another hour.  It wasn't until after 8 before we left the hospital.  I did get sick in the car and once at home.

My dad was waiting to see me at home before they left for their trip.  It was comforting to have him there and embrace me with his arms.  I know that he hasn't been able to be down for a lot of the different appointments, but I know that he is constantly thinking about me and always wanting to protect me.

The port itself was sore for a few days, and definitely felt weired having this foreign object now inside me.  But for the most part people won't even know that I have it, and it will be a tremendous help with my treatments.  I attached a picture so you can see what it looks like.  The bump area on my chest is the actual port and where I get my treatment.  Then there is a catheter that runs up over my collar bone to my jugular.  It's a pretty slick devise, I just hope I get used to having the port in.  I feel when someone tries to give me a hug, I'm reluctant to get to close because I want to protect it from getting hit.  That should be no problem with 3 little kids that come jumping on me:)

Meeting the Doctor's and all of the Scans

So I was finally told, that I have Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. Andy and I immediately went to the internet to find out what that meant. IDC begins in a the milk duct in the breast and breaks through into the surrounding fatty tissue of the breast. From there, IDC can metastasize (spread) to other parts of the body through the bloodstream or lymphatic system.

Over the next couple of day's I had an MRI done, met with the surgeon and oncologist, and then had a CT scan, Muga test, and Bone scan. My mom came down and took me to the MRI. It really was an easy test. Lasted about 45 minutes, just was a little sore because of the biopsy that was down earlier.

Andy, my mom, and I sat down with the surgeon for 1.5 hours. We figured having another set of ears along would be helpful, and I guess when your sick it always helps to have your mom there comforting you too. He explained the different treatment plans that we could do. Explained a little more about the cancer and answered questions that we had. He truly was sincere and made you feel like he cared. He said that we will get through this! It will be long and hard, but you will make it. He then helped set up the appointment with the oncologist for the afternoon.

Our meeting with the Oncologist lasted for over two hours; Dr. Hake was incredibly knowledgeable about breast cancer, and really, really nice with a great sense of humor. At this time Dr. Hake did say that he got some of the pathology report and was able to tell us that I have grade 3 cancer meaning it is irregular cells that divide and spread at a more rapid rate than grade 1 or 2. It is also local advanced stage 3 cancer. This means it is larger than 5 cm and has spread to at least 2 lymph nodes. So since that cancer has started to spread and at this time we weren't sure how far, he advised us to start chemo treatments first, and then follow up with surgery and radiation. Unfortunately we still had to wait on the receptors to know what type of chemo treatment I was going to be on. He explained the two different options both consisting of 20 weeks of chemo treatments, but at this time I had so much information thrown at me it was hard to follow. Dr. Hake did go over all the NASTY side effects that I will likely experience. I had actually known about some of the side-effects, but hearing it straight from the horse's mouth made this all so much more real--real in the sense that it will all really be happening to me. We are treating my cancer very aggressively due to my age and type of breast cancer that I have.

We got the results from all of the scans and they came back clear. So at least some good news that they didn't find the cancer any where else. My Muga scan came back at 72%, which they said was good and that my heart should be able to handle the chemo treatments. We found out that I am ER+(estrogen) and PR+(progesterone). This means that the breast cancer is considered “hormone-receptor-positive.” So most likley one of the chemo drugs that I'll be receiving is tamoxifen (an anti-hormonal medication). Hormonal therapy may help to slow or stop the growth of hormone-receptor-positive breast cancers by lowering your body’s estrogen levels or blocking the effects of estrogen. We were still waiting on the HER-2 test. Her2 status is a marker test performed on certain breast cancer tissue. Her2 is a gene that helps control how cells grow, divide and repair themselves. Cancers that have too many copies of the Her2 gene tend to grow fast but respond well to a treatment that works against Her2 called Herceptin.

The Phone Call

June 30, 2014
A day I will never forget.  I was obviously extremely nervous, not knowing when the Dr. was going to call with my biopsy results.  Andy luckily did not have to work this week because of the 4th of July coming up, so I at least knew he was going to be home with me when the results came back.  Unfortunately he decided to go out for a run, and of course the Dr. would call at that time.  So I stepped outside with my phone and the Dr. told me the news, "I'm sorry Sheila, but just like I suspected the tests came back positive".  He assured me that they will have a plan and help me get through all of this.  He then told me a lady would be calling me later today and she would be my navigator.  She would help get appointments set up with the Doctor's and push things along.

I got off the phone and didn't know what to think.  I was in shock that this was happening to me.  I crumbled down and started bailing.  Both Gavin & Graysen were yelling, "Mom, What is wrong?  Mom, Mom".  They ran to me, and I just squeezed them.

Shortly after, I got a call from the navigator, Michelle.  She said the next steps will be to get in for an MRI and then also meet with the a surgeon.  She would call me back when she got a hold of my family Doctor, he needed to order the MRI and then also find out what surgeon he wanted me to see.

Andy finally got back from his run, some reason he decided to run for an hour or at least that's what it seemed.  He came in the door, and through my tears I said my results were positive.  He embraced me.  He tried telling me that things were going to be OK.  They were going to have a plan, and we would beat this.

I called my Mom and brothers, and Andy called his parent's and sisters with the news.  Everyone was very supportive and also said things were going to be OK, just try and stay positive.

Michelle called back and we were set for appointments on Tuesday, July 1 was going to be my MRI and Wednesday, July 2 we were meeting with the surgeon at 8 AM.  The pathologist would be reading my MRI and seeing how far the cancer has actually spread and the details of what we are dealing with.  My Mom  was on here way down so she could be there for another set of ears during all of the appointments.  We spent a lot of time on Google, just trying to understand what we could about cancer.  Looking up what kind of diagnosis I could have, and hoping for the best.

It's hard to describe all of the emotions.  I was shocked that something like this could be happening to me at such a young age.  How does someone just all of a sudden end up with cancer?  How was I going to be there for my kids?  My husband?  What if something happens and I don't make it?  God, please tell me how???  Please tell me why???  Please tell me I'm going to be OK, and live to see my kids grow up.

Now it was time to wait again.

June 27, 2014

My sons 3rd birthday.  We were planning on attending a birthday party at the beach this day and then heading up to Plymouth camping with friends.  However, I had seen my family Doctor earlier in the week to discuss a lump I had found and other issues I was having with my left breast.  He had told me he thought I had a huge hematoma going on and that we should explore things more.  So I had scheduled to have an ultra sound and mammogram done on Friday, June 27.  Thinking nothing of it I was still planning on fitting my appointment in at 9:15, hitting the beach at 10:00, then heading up for camping around 2.

So I headed to my appointment at the clinic right where we live and they put me in a comfy white robe and had soft music playing.  You'd think I was heading in for a massage, not for mammogram where they're going to smash my boob in a machine.  The mammogram wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be.  The nurse pointed out that I had some calcifications in my left breast and my right breast was clear.  She also said that lots of women have them, she did and hers are benign. After the mammogram the nurse brought me back into the room and said she would be right back.  Keep in mind I thought I was going to be in and out.  I had things to do and places to be.  The nurse comes back after about 15 minutes or so and said the Dr. wants her to take a couple more shots on my upper left breast area.  So back in the mammogram machine we go for more squeezing and x-rays.  Finally, nurse #1 is done and back into the waiting room I go listening to that soft, soothing music again.  Nurse #2 comes shortly and now were heading in for the ultra sound.  This was definitely much easier and reminded me of the ultra sounds from having my kiddos, except of course a completely different area showing up on the small TV screen.  I was trying to make out what was showing up, but of course all I could see was dark spots and cloudy grey areas, so it all looked terrible to me.  After a good half hour of being a bit uncomfortable back into the the original room I went.

Waiting to finally meet the Dr. so he could tell me some news about what was going on.  I could tell from his face that things didn't look good.  He told me that I needed to get a biopsy done to see about the calcifications that showed up, and a couple other areas on the mammogram and ultra sound they were concerned about.  He said there was an opening today at the hospital if I was able to go.  I said I needed to try and get a hold of my husband and also see if my in-laws could watch my kids longer.  I guess I wasn't making it to the beach.

Well, I could barely get words out of my mouth when I talked to Andy.  He told me that everything was going to be OK and he would meet me at the hospital.  When I got to the hospital the nurse was waiting for me already to get everything started and Andy still was going to be 30 minutes away.  They said when he got there they'd let me know and bring him back.  So of course I got to put on another comfy, white robe, listen to some more soft music, but NO massage!

The nurse took me back to the room and asked all of her questions she needed.  Andy got there and came down as the Dr. talked with the two of us about what he was going to do.  He did tell us to prepare ourselves because he was pretty certain that this was cancer.

The biopsy wasn't to bad.  It was all done with an ultra sound, so I could watch they whole thing as they were doing it.  They had taken 6 samples from my lump area and then took 4 samples from the lymph node that was enlarged.  I was pretty sore and started to have a lot of pain.  They told me to take some Tylenol, ice the area, not to lift anything more than a gallon of milk, and try not to think about this to much.  Of course this all had to happen on a Friday, so I had to wait all weekend to get the results.

Since there was not much else to do, but shed a few tears we decided to still head up camping.  We figured this would help keep things off our minds versus just sitting at home staring at each other and waiting.