Today was a long day. We met with our Medical Oncologist (chemo dr) and the Radiation Oncologist (radiation dr). And we have a plan!

Now that my pelvic lymph node tested positive for cancer, they are a bit more concerned about the lymph node in my armpit that showed up during the PET scan. They have ordered a 3D diagnostic mammogram for this Thursday. In addition, they have now ordered an ultrasound with biopsy as well. They want to rule out metastatic cancer before starting the chemo & radiation.

As long as these tests come back negative, we will proceed with the following plan:

Chemo and Radiation will be given concurrently. This is done so that the chemo helps to weaken the cancer cells so the radiation treatment is more effective. The radiation will be targeted specifically at my pelvic region to address any additional cancer in the pelvic lymph nodes. The chemo will then address any cancer cells that have found their way out of the pelvic region. It's a one-two punch to give me the best long term survival possibilities.

Both doctors reiterated the aggressive nature of my cancer and indicated that it was nearly unbelievable that it was caught in my annual exam. They were both amazed that I had no tell-tale symptoms, and I had not sought out a diagnosis from issues. Blind-sided is how I described this last month. But I am seeing the blessings over and over.

On October 10th, I will start chemo and possible radiation. Chemo will last about 4 hours and radiation should last 30 minutes to an hour. We will find out soon if I start radiation the 10th or 11th.

Radiation will then be 5 days a week for 25-28 days. The length of the radiation will be determined after my next CAT scan and exam on October 1st with the Radiation Oncologist. He indicated it will be the overall same amount of radiation, it will just be determining in what doses that it is administered.

Once a week, on Wednesdays, I will receive chemo and radiation. These will be intense, sucky days. The good news is that there will only be 5-6 of them. Then I ring the bell. And I cannot wait.

The chemo doc said that that the chemo will intensify the already bad side effects of the radiation and make them all worse. She said prepare to be tired like I have never been before. Nausea, vomiting, dehydration, diarrhea, lack of taste, hair thinning & some loss... many side effects and more.

Because the radiation is targeting my pelvic region, it will be wrecking havoc on my bowels, bladder and kidneys. The goal is to minimize the side effects and long term complications of these organs and the surrounding tissue.

We have chemo training on October 3rd to find out more of the nitty gritty of what to expect and how to help protect me during this time. Since the chemo kills not only the cancer, it kills the healthy cells too, I will be immuno-compromised during this time and for a bit after treatment while I recover. This will mean missing out on school, work & family events for a bit to try and keep me as safe as possible.

BUT the good news is the outcome is still promising, the doctors are still hopeful and while we are nowhere near "survivor" status yet- I am going to rock the hell out of cancer "warrior".

One doctor commented, "Sarah, at your age, with a husband, two young children, family and so much to live for, we are going to do everything we can to give you the best possible outcome."

And that is exactly what I am going to do too.

With this schedule, I will finish right at my 37th birthday, November 17th... and no matter how I feel, I am celebrating every day, every birthday and every breath.

More to come as we find out details.

Hugs,
Sarah

Progress is Progress!

​A little Sunday update. Big shout out to my parents for bringing over my standing desk from my office. Now I can type! I still cannot sit and nothing can lay on top of me, so computer work has not been an option... now I can stand, work, rest, repeat. It makes me feel much more connected to my work life, pto life and family life. 

The catheter came out on Thursday... and I peed! Woohoo! This surgery is a major deal based on the amount of organs, tissue and lymph nodes that were removed and sometimes the bladder does not take kindly to these changes. The surgical catheter was left in for a week post surgery to allow the bladder and surrounding nerves time to rest. Then they remove it and fill the bladder with solution to make sure it can work before you are allowed to leave. I mean pressure... thankfully it worked! It's definitely not working like it used to, but at least it is working. The Oncology nurses said that my young age is actually a big benefit for this component of post-surgery follow-up. 

I am managing to make it up/down the stairs 1-2 times a day, and I have even gone on 2 very short walks around our court... before the non-stop rain. They both resulted in long naps, but still... progress! 

Yesterday I even left the house for about an hour for the SON Foundation's 5th Anniversary celebration. The SON Foundation has always been important to me, but now it hits me on a very personal, critical level. I am blessed to be able to help this amazing foundation with their mission for providing accessible, affordable housing for cancer patients during treatment.

We surprised Marilyn with a very small, very quick surprise birthday party last night at our house with a few family friends. While I have been resting, it just kept becoming more and more urgent to me that we do something to celebrate our sweet girl. Her birthday is Wednesday this week, and she will be 11! So thanks to my amazing husband and some great friends and my parents, we pulled off the surprise! A quick ice cream bar with toppings galore, and I was back to resting. The kids had a great time, and my darling daughter felt surrounded by love. 

As she snuggled in next to me last night to cuddle, Marilyn said, "Mom, we have really good people around us for this fight, I can feel it." So can I! The outpouring of love and signs of support mean so very much to not only me, but our entire family. 

Our big, beautiful basset hound babies also returned home today after 11.5 days of boarding. Now our house feels like normal again. Their absence was a constant reminder to the kids that I am not well, and just as soon as I could bear it, we brought them home. They seem so happy to be here that they have wanted nothing but snuggles from the kids. It was just what our Sunday needed.

We return to the Gynecological Oncologist on Wednesday afternoon (Marilyn's Birthday) when we will complete a post-surgery exam and receive information about the pathology report, margin review of the re-sected area and discuss our treatment plan.

Waiting is not my strong suit, so the last 11 days since surgery have been LONG but I am filling them with research, time to reflect and time to prepare. Please keep us in your prayers and keep the positive vibes coming. I feel them.

Gentle Hugs,

Sarah