The End of an Episode

This long, yet short, episode in our lives is now coming to a close. Christina has been cancer-free since her mastectomy. With that, along with the chemotherapy and removal of her ovaries has meant we have done everything medically possible to eliminate cancer from her life. According to the doctors, there is now no credible threat of the cancer returning. Christina is now going through the process of breast reconstruction, but we are ready to say that our fight with cancer is over. We've won. She's won.

Before Danville 5k run/walk, April 2011

This past Saturday (May 21, 2011) marked our 17-year wedding anniversary. We spent the evening at a concert (Prince!), having a great time and feeling normal for the first time in 8 months. After all of the surgeries, chemotherapy, doctor's visits, and recovery, It's hard to fully grasp that we're done, and life now goes on. We both auxiliary pioneered in April, we're planning a weekend away soon just the two of us, and the Kingdom Hall project has started back up, taking up more of my time. We're well into getting our lives back, finally.

After 5k, getting coffee!

I can't express enough how grateful we are for the love and generosity shown by all of our friends. There have been too many cards, phone calls, emails, etc to relate, meals and visits just when we needed it, and many prayers both public and private. I hesitate to point out specific names, for fear of neglecting the assistance others have offered, but I would be remiss if I didn't thank my Mom, who flew out from Michigan twice to stay with us, and Tiffeny and Ellen who each also spent weeks taking care of our home and well-being. Celia, our beautiful daughter, has done more than can be expected for a 13 year old. Our dear friends April and Sharla for their multitude of visits both in support and comfort to Christina, and our new friend Jan, our fellow fighter. The Dougherty Hills congregation has lived up to it's reputation as a family that loves and takes care of each other. Our medical team, from the Oncologist, Surgeons, Doctors, Nurses, and all the support staff have bent over backwards to meet our needs medically and emotionally. There are so many more whose actions have been a support and kindness, and we thank all of you.

At Prince Concert, May 2011

So, this is it for jeremy-cancerspouse. I'm no longer the spouse of a cancer patient/sufferer; my wife is now a survivor. I'm going to end this blog here, with this last message of hope: "...In the world YOU are having tribulation, but take courage! I have conquered the world." - John 16:33

Surgery Successful

Christina's surgery was successful. She went into surgery at noon, and the Surgeon met me to tell me her status a little after 1pm. He said that things went well; there was some adhesions, specifically the ovary was stuck to her uterus, but they were able to take care of it without opening her up. So, she has 3 small scars (each less than an inch long) instead of a 10-inch incision.

She had some trouble getting her pain under control; they gave her an injection of Percocet at 2:45pm, but she didn't start to get comfortable until nearly 5pm, after getting some ibuprofen. We left the hospital soon after that.

We're glad that things went well, and Christina should be fully recovered after only a few days. We're looking forward to having a few weeks of relative normalcy, until her reconstruction begins in 6 weeks. In the meantime we'll be working off (my) winter weight by resuming our walking regimen, and spending time in the ministry; Christina is Auxiliary Pioneering in April.

Take care all.

Surgery

Monday will be 6 weeks since Christina's last chemo infusion. Last week we got the approval from the Oncologist for us to proceed with her Oophorectomy (Ovary removal).


So, Monday will be surgery day. The plan is for the surgeon to do the procedure laparoscopically, which is a relatively minimally invasive technique. The only concern is if she has a great deal of scarring from her earlier endometriosis, in which case he will have to use a more invasive procedure. The easier procedure will be out-patient with a couple days of recovery. The other will entail an over-night stay in the hospital, and weeks of recovery. So, we're hoping things go easy on Monday.


Christina is planning on pioneering or at least increasing her time in the ministry in April. She's also planning to start her breast reconstruction, working it around the Convention this summer. However, we have a new complication. Celia and I have come down with the flu, so we're being very careful not to infect Christina. If she does come down with the flu, we'll have to re-schedule the surgery, which will put our whole plan in jeopardy.


Things should fall into place, though. We're hoping things continue to proceed in a healthy direction. We've had success so far, and with the mastectomy and chemo behind us, we've gone through the worst of it.


Thanks for all of your love and concern. I'll update the blog on Monday when we know more.

Quick Update... Done with Chemo!

After 3 and a half months, we're finally through with chemo. Christina had her last infusion yesterday, February 7. As she has done with all previous treatments, she sailed right through it.


She's had some trouble with her fingers and toes going numb and tingly, also known as neuropathy. It's a known, common side effect of the chemo drug that she's on (Taxol), but as we don't want the nerves to become permanently damaged, the doctor reduced the dosage level for the last two infusions. Hopefully this side effect will dissipate as she recovers from the chemo.


We will be meeting with the Oncologist again next week, this time to plot the post-chemo treatment, which will include a CT scan, surgery to remove her ovary (oophorectomy), and breast reconstruction. Still, we've walked thru the hardest, longest segments of this process, so in a sense it's all downhill from here.


Thanks again to all who have reached out to us, and have offered their prayers to us. We appreciate it so much, even if we haven't been able to reach back out to each of you as we'd like. Please keep us in our prayers, thanking Jehovah for Christina's excellent prognosis, and by all means continue to call, write, and visit. Christina is much more able to receive visitors now, and is itching to be more involved with her friends and ministry.

The Last Time in the Chair!

6 Down, 2 to Go

We've had some milestones and have had to make a few decisions on our treatment to come.


First, Christina has had the first two infusions of her second round of chemo. This round is Taxol, which has a different set of side effects. Thankfully, Taxol causes less fatigue than the previous regimen, but causes bone pain and tingling fingers and toes. Christina has been able to bounce back from these treatments far quicker than the first round; she was in bed practically the entire week of her treatments, and now is up and around within a day or two. Still, it is taking a lot out of her, she's still quite weak.


The good news is that she has only 2 more to go; Febuary 7th will be her last treatment, if all goes according to plan. The only thing that could get in the way of that is if she were to get sick, or if her blood count drops significantly. Her blood counts have been consistently healthy, so hopefully that will continue, and we've managed to keep her from catching the flu or anything else.


In discussion with the genetics counsellor, we've decided that there is no pressing need to have her uterus removed. Christina's genetic mutation that caused her breast cancer also indicates a strong likelihood of ovarian cancer. There isn't any connection to uteran cancer, though, so she is at the same level of risk for that as anyone else. She'll have her one remaining ovary removed, and leave her uterus intact.


We met with our gynecologist, Dr. Eyvazzadeh, who will be performing the procedure to remove Christina's ovary (an oophorectomy). He has recommended that we have this done apart from her other surgeries. This means that she will have an additional surgery to remove the port from her chest, and (possibly) to start breast reconstruction. We had hoped to combine these procedures into one, but because of Christina's history of endomitriosis, Dr. Eyvazzadeh is concerned that his procedure may be more involved than we expect, and in that case we may be concerned about the amount of blood lost.


We're a little discouraged, frustrated by the news that there is one more sugery in our future than we had hoped. It's just one more step to take, though, so we're not going to let it get us down.


Thanks to all of you for your support, and words of encouragement.

Update... Nearly Half-Way

It's been too long since I've posted here. I'm sorry for those of you that have been waiting for an update.


Christina has been struggling through this round of chemo. She had her third infusion on November 29, and is still trying to bounce back from it. Fatigue has been the biggest thing she's had to overcome, but she's also struggled with anxiety and has started feeling nauseous.


She will have her 4th chemo treatment tomorrow, Monday December 13. This is the last of the Adramycin/Cytoxan regimen. In two weeks we'll be starting the second regimen, Taxol. We're expecting that the second regimen will be much easier on her, and that the side affects will lessen. Of course, we won't know how she responds to the treatment until we get there. In any case, on Monday she will be half-way done with chemo.


Her blood count continues to be in the safe range, both the white and red cells. She's been having Neulasta injections every other week to bolster her white blood count, and taking iron supplements to help her red blood count. So far, it seems to be working.


We've had another house guest, Ellen Goodman, staying with us the last couple of weeks. She'll be leaving in a few days to go back home. We'll miss her and her help. Also visiting now is Dennis and Phyllis Kierczak. They were instrumental in helping Christina growing up, and are akin to spiritual parents to her. They flew out to LA a few days ago, then drove up to visit us for a few days. It is so nice to have friends and family who have put out so much to support us, especially in this rough time in our lives.

Me, Dennis, Phyllis, Christina, Ellen, Celia

We were able to sneak away for the weekend before the last infusion to see Christina's grandma and aunt. They only live 3 hours away, but it always ends up being a long day, so we stayed the night to save some wear and tear on Christina.

So, we're hunkering down now waiting for the next treatment, knowing that it will be rough, but that we've been able to get through it this far. Christina has been so strong, not letting this get her down. I'm proud of her.

I'll try to write again soon. Take care everybody, and please keep calling, leaving voice mails, emails, texts, blog comments, or however you want to just let us know you're out there thinking of us. We cherish your support, and look forward to spending time with each of you as this episode in our lives passes.

Second Infusion Down... Half-way Through the First Round

Today marks a turning point, of sorts. It's been a couple days short of 2 months that we've been dealing with cancer, and yet Christina is now half-way through the first of two rounds of chemo. We've a long way to go, yet we've come so far already.

A friend suggested a salon and hairdresser that specializes in wigs for cancer patients. She came out with a style that is definitely new for her.

Christina in her new wig

It's been pretty quiet lately. Christina has been very tired most of the time, slowly recovering her strength through today's infusion. She was able to attend our Special Assembly Day, sitting through the whole session. It was good to see her up and around, and enjoying spiritual refreshment.

Christina and Tiffeny after the Special Assembly Day

On Friday, Christina, Tiffeny, and Celia took the dogs to the beach in Carmel. That's Christina's favorite spot, and they had fun walking on the beach and shopping in the stores.

Celia and Christina (and Roxy and Lucy)

Tiffeny and Christina

Her red blood count was low today, so they are talking about giving her injections of EPO (Erythropoietin) to boost her red blood cell production. She's also on an iron supplement o help that. Her white blood count was good, so the Neulasta injection appears to have worked.

We expect that her hair will begin to fall out within the next few days. She had it clipped short so that it would be less traumatic once it does happen, and also to retain control of the process (stay one step ahead, so to speak). So far she's not had any vomiting and nausea, and just a touch of heartburn. We're hopeful that this is the extent of her side affects. In the meantime, we're taking it day by day, trying not to get too high or too low.

Take care, and thanks for all of your support.

Gettin Wiggy With It

Christina is sleeping now, so I thought I'd update everyone on her progress. She had her first infusion on Monday (November 1). She then had a Neulasta shot on Tuesday (November 2). We had heard that it was a painful injection, but she made it look easy.

The doctors told us to expect a lot of fatigue in the days after the infusion. They weren't kidding! She's been pretty 'out of it', although today she went the whole day without taking a nap. She hasn't complained of much nausea, just a little queasiness, so the anti-nausea medications seem to be working. While I'm relieved at how relatively mild the side-effects are so far, we've been told to expect there to be a cumulative effect, so it will get tougher as we go.

We've had a new house guest this past week: Tiffeny, who Christina grew up with, has come from Michigan to stay with us and lend a hand while Christina is going through all of this. She's been a huge help, keeping the house up and running, and stepping in to assist Christina with her schedule now that I'm back to work. She'll be here for another two weeks. Between her and my Mom before her, we've been in good hands.

I'd like to also acknowledge the help that our friends from the congregation have given. We've had meals delivered, errands ran, and had Celia taken care of by the friends. Without their help we would have been swamped, for sure.

One last bit, Christina got 2 wigs this week; tell us what you think!

My Long-haired Lady!

Longer, and Red-er

First Treatment is In the Books

Christina had her first chemo treatment today, November 1. It went well, with no surprises. The port that the surgeon placed in her made the whole process easier to take, as the nurse needed only to pierce the skin to get to the port, instead of having to administer an IV.


They gave her a cocktail of anti-nausea medications before the infusion, and then administered 2 separate chemo drugs. We were there for almost exactly 4 hours, but as there was several parts to the visit, it didn't feel like it dragged on.

She had no allergic reaction to the medication, which was a relief. Now we're back home, and have 3 prescriptions for her to take to mitigate the side affects (primarily the nausea). They told us they don't expect her to vomit, and should only experience light queasiness.


She will be very tired, as fatigue is an expected result of the chemo treatments. She will also be going back tomorrow (Nov 2) to get a shot of Neulasta, which leads to bone aches. So, she'll be down and out a lot, especially in the days following her infusions.


I'm planning to return to work on Wednesday, November 3, if things proceed well. I'll be happy to get back into a routine of work (and working out at the gym, which I've missed!), but will miss the time I've gotten to spend with my beautiful wife. I'm grateful that my employer has allowed me this time to take care of my family.

Therapists, Genes, and a Wig

Things have been plugging along pretty quickly lately. Monday (10/25) we met with our Oncologist, Dr. Sawhney, and reviewed the plan for chemo. We talked about her getting an injection of Neulasta to recover from the low blood count that is caused by the chemo. Later that day we also met with our surgeon, Dr. Wynn, for some more post-op consultation. Both doctors gave the green light to chemo starting this coming Monday (November 1).

Tuesday (10/26) we were back at San Ramon hospital, this time for an echocardiogram. There was a little miscommunication; what we *thought* was going to happen was an EKG, which is limited to attaching leads to the skin and letting the computer record whatever it does. An echocardiogram, however, is basically an ultrasound of the heart. Since they have to place the wand on and around the breast area, this would obviously be uncomfortable for someone in Christina's condition. Instead of getting frustrated when we found out what the test actually was, she started laughing, explaining later that she had just "had it" with things getting the better of her, and that she wouldn't let it get her down.

That evening we met our first organized support group. I don’t think either of us knew what to expect. Dr. Sawhney had suggested that we go, so without a lot of expectations, we drove to Livermore and walked into a conference room set aside for us by a fitness center. There were 8-9 women there, most post-menopausal (guessing), a few I’d consider elderly, and a few roughly our age (late 30’s to mid 40’s). I was the only man present. We went around the room giving our ‘story’, with the ladies that had more experience at the support group going first to get things rolling. The first several women had cases that were far different than ours, and I caught Christina’s glance telling me she didn’t want to sit through the whole thing. Then there was one that had a lot of similarities to Christina’s case, and she could relate to a lot of her fears and thought processes. Then a few newer ladies gave their stories, which helped to show that other young women are fighting this alongside Christina. One in particular had discovered her lump just about the same time as Christina had, and had her surgery the same week. So they related to each other in many ways.

Wednesday (10/27) turned out to be a rather enlightening day. We started with a visit to a Psychologist, Dr. Severson, who specializes in cancer patients. It was a good meeting, and we've decided to continue seeing her. She validated some of our medical choices and offered to coordinate with the oncology clinic to ensure that Christina has the medication she needs to get through her first infusion. We then travelled into the city to UCSF (University of California, San Francisco) to their cancer center to meet with a Geneticist for a session of genetic counseling.

The two doctors we met at UCSF (I cannot recall their names, many apologies if either of them stumbles onto this blog!) were specifically interested in the genetic component of Christina’s diagnosis. As she has been tested positive for the cancer gene BRCA1, they explained that others in her family tree (specifically, those related to her mother) would need to be tested as well, to determine who also is at high risk for cancer. The goal is to encourage more comprehensive screening for those that are at higher risk.  They also made the point that this gene basically kick-starts the cancer process several steps. Because this is a genetic condition, the root of it was at conception. That means that no diet, environment, stress, or anything else caused this cancer. Christina’s only hope was in early detection – which she did, just over a month ago.

They also pointed out that while Christina is at a very high risk for Ovarian cancer, she doesn’t have an elevated risk for Uterine or Cervical cancer. Since these last two have good screening methods, it isn’t necessary for Christina to have her uterus and cervix out.

We’ve collected a number of hats, scarves, and beanies in expectation of Christina losing her hair during chemo. A couple of times over the last few weeks, we’ve visited a shop that specialize in cancer prosthesis. Initially, Christina was reluctant to try on a wig. But after the nice lady at the store coaxed her a bit, Christina agreed to at least try one. We wanted to wait until I could clear it with insurance, so in the meantime we discovered that the local American Cancer Society provides a complimentary wig to cancer patients. So, we traveled up to Pleasant Hill today (10/28) and she picked out a long auburn wig. It’s a little splashy, but very pretty and totally in character.

She also cut off the rest of her hair; I’ll here’s my (almost) bald beauty:

Chemo

Wednesday (October 20) we went to the oncology center for a training session to learn about the wonderful world of chemotherapy. Nauseating, excruciating, unnerving, numbing, and then there's the chemo. In all fairness, Stacy, the PA who talked us through it, did a great job helping us understand what was going to happen. It's just that it's like a fine painting about bread mold: no matter how you dress it up, it's just icky.


So, here is the story: Christina will be taking 2 series of drugs. The first is a combination of Adramycin and Cytoxan (A & C), administered 4 times, once every 2 weeks. The second is Taxol (T), also administered 4 times, once every 2 weeks. That means Christina will be taking chemo for 16 weeks. The first treatment is schedule for Monday, November 1.


The scary part, of course, are the side affects. The scariest is a small chance of damage to the heart, which will be monitored with EKG. The chances of this being an issue is pretty remote, but we're glad to have them monitoring it closely.


The others include nausea, vomiting, numbing in the fingers, and fatigue. She will also lose her hair. Other than the hair, these will be mitigated by additional therapy, and we've been given assurance that these should be mild at worst.


There will be a huge affect on her immune system, as her blood count will drop significantly. To attenuate this, she'll get a shot the day after each treatment. We'll also be careful to avoid infection, so visits will be monitored especially carefully immediately after each treatment.


This is a little overwhelming. We're moving forward through this very quickly, so it's all a lot to take in. We continue to need your support and encouragement, and above all, your prayers. We will get through this.

Things Are Moving Forward

Christina came home earlier this week (Wednesday, October 13). She's pretty sore from the surgery, and is limited in the number of visitors she can see. Please call me if you have time to come by; if she's up and able she'd like to see you.


Friday evening we got a call from our Oncologist, Dr. Sawhney. He reported that he recieved the results of the genetic testing for Christina. She is positive for BRCA1. He also had the results for the hormone receptor tests; they came back negative for all three hormone receptors. This is ambivilent news. If the tests had come back positive for estrogen receptors, that would have allowed us to use hormone therapy (a little misleading, this therapy involves *blocking* estrogen, not adding to it), which is highly effective and lessens the amount of chemotherapy needed. However, that isn't the case, so a more rigorous regimen of chemo is required.


It is a testament of the care Dr. Sawhney is giving us. He had been calling the lab every morning, until Friday morning they committed to having the results ready after 5pm. So, he waited until after 5pm to call them again, and then immediately informed us. As disheartening as the news was, it reinforced in us the professionalism and compassion of our medical team.


We meet with Dr. Sawhney on Monday (October 18), where we likely will be discussing the chemo recipe he is recommending, and what the routine and schedule for that will be. We also will likely be given recommendations on genetic councelling, which will clarify what the positive BRCA test means for us. We are also hoping to get a better sense of what the risk factor is for other types of cancer (notably, Ovarian).


Later Monday we will also meet with the surgeon to get Christina's bandages re-dressed and the drain tubes removed. Dr. Wynn (our surgeon) is a nice guy, rather jovial and light-hearted who has a very confident, calming approach. It will be good to get some of his time.


I finally got a chance today to peel away and put some time into the RBC. I'm assigned to a total of 4 Kingdom Hall projects, so it's nice to make a little headway, plus it gives me a chance to focus on something other than the Big C. I am grateful for the chance to work at something I love (Construction Engineering) for Jehovah's work.


It's been a very busy week, and the few notes I've been able to write here cover just a fraction of the stuff we've had to get through. In between all of the medical procedures and recovery efforts, we've been besieged with assistence and visits from our friends and family. Celia has been able to get some of her schoolwork done thanks to the help from some sisters that were willing to pick her up from school and host her for a few hours each day. My Mom has been invaluable, doing all the little (and big) things around the house. I've had several friends call me personally to convey their love and concern not only for Christina, but also myself. All of this is incredibly kind and greatly appreciated. Please keep calling, sending cards, texting, emailing, commenting, and all the other means you've used to share your love. Visits are continuing to be welcome, but please call first so I can monitor Christina's level of strength and to reduce over-stressing her.


Take care, all, and I'll update you as I have news.

Good News

Good news, the pathologist reports that the lymph nodes were clear of cancer. That means that the cancer has not spread.


That means she's at Stage 1, with the best prognosis possible. Our aggressive action did it's job, and our continued response can now be made in the most directed fashion.


Very good news, a welcome change!

Surgery Successful

The surgeon reported that today's procedure went well, and that there was no visible cancer in the lymph nodes, which is great news. She was in surgery for about 2.5 hours, and had very little blood loss. She's on pain and anti-nausea medication and is now sleeping.


Hopefully she'll be up to visitors tomorrow, but in any case call me first (925)200-9814, so I can make sure she's up for it. Phone calls, texts, and comments on the blog and facebook are all welcome and I share them all with Christina.


Celia and I are doing well. Celia was with us all day (along with her Grandma) and is home now. I'm staying in the hospital for the night, hopefully they can find a recliner or something for me to sleep on ;-) Thankfully the have free WiFi at the hospital so I can keep myself occupied. 


The surgeon said they'll be looking at the lymph node tissue for microscopic evidence of cancer. We should have those results in a few days (Wednesday or Thursday). We're still waiting on the tests for the cancer cells' hormone receptors and whether Christina has the cancer gene (BRCA). I'm getting impatient with all the waiting, but I can't really complain as things have moved very quickly, overall.


Take care all, I'm off to find something to eat here...

Another Busy Day

First, a some news: Christina will be having surgery on Monday, October 11. She will be having a mastectomy, removing both breasts.She will be in surgery for about 2 hours, and will be in the hospital for at least 3 days.

Also, my Mom is flying out from Michigan to help us! She is coming in on Saturday, October 9 and will stay for 2 whole weeks. She's going to be a big help, and we're looking forward to seeing her.

We had a busy day today. We first met with Dr. Szumowski, the Oncologist that we asked to give a second opinion on our diagnosis and treatment options. He confirmed what Drs. Sawhney and Wynn had already stated, and helped clarify a few points. He explained that the (potential)existence of hormone receptors in the cancer cells will help determine the specific chemotherapy treatment that will be recommended. We are hoping to get those results in the next few days. We also need to know if there is any cancer in the lymph nodes, which the doctors will find out during surgery on Monday.

We also met our Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Watowic. Given that Christina won't be having re-constructive surgery until after chemo, I wasn't sure how immediately helpful this visit would be. However, this very compassionate doctor spent a lot of time with us, helping set our minds at ease about the whole treatment process, and giving us some specific guidance on managing our mental and emotional state through the duration.

So, the plan is like this: mastectomy, then chemotherapy, then hysterectomy, then breast reconstruction. We decided to break up the surgical procedures to reduce the chances of complications that would delay chemo, and to make her recovery a little easier. Chemo will start 3 weeks after surgery and will last 4-6 months, depending on the specific treatment choice.

Please keep Christina in your prayers as she goes through this surgery and recovery, and on into chemo. We love hearing from all of you, even if we don't get to return your calls right away. Thanks for everything!

Surgery Scheduled - Tentatively Monday (Oct 11)

We met our surgeon, Dr. Michael Wynn today. He comes very highly recommended, and has a lot of respect for our beliefs. He doesn’t see any need for concern with regard to blood loss, and expects Christina to recover quickly enough to go home after just a few days in the hospital. He is confirming the schedule, but as it stands now, Christina will have her surgery on this coming Monday, October 11.

We also met with the Oncologist, Dr. Sawhney again today. It was a tough visit; Christina had a melt-down when they tried (and failed) to get a blood sample from her. She hates those things, and she’s had enough of them that she’s developed scar tissue that makes it even harder.

Frustratingly, we’re still waiting on both the BRCA and the hormone receptor tests to be completed. I half-way expected the BRCA test to be delayed, as they have to ship it off to Utah (?) and the process is pretty sophisticated. The other test I thought would have been ready.

In any case, we’re moving forward, as the important data is already in place. Due to Christina’s youth (pre-menopausal), family history, and the aggressive, fast-growing nature of the tumor, it’s been decided that she’ll have a double-mastectomy, followed by chemotherapy. This might seem a bit drastic, but the chances that she’ll have a reoccurrence is very high, and this will give us the best shot at knocking the cancer clean out of her body and making sure it never comes back.

The chemo will start a few weeks after surgery. Christina is really anxious about it; there are so many horror stories about how rough it is to go through. However, a good friend of ours who’s wife had cancer just a couple of years ago reassured us that it isn’t as bad as some make it out to be; the anti-nausea medications helped his wife a lot, and there are a lot of treatment options that can help. Christina is going to have a port put in that will allow the doctors to inject medication and draw blood without having to stick her each time, which should make the process a little more bearable.

Tomorrow we will meet with another Oncologist, Dr. Joseph Szumowski, to get a second opinion on Christina's case. I don't expect any issues to arise from that, but if so we'll handle them as best as we can. Also tomorrow we're going to meet with our family doctor, to go over the medication that Christina is on and what (if anything) we should modify in her usual regimen. Then, we will start stockpiling supplies for the apartment for the next week or two (oh what fun).

Thanks to all who have left comments here and on Facebook, and for all of the phone calls. Please call! Please comment! We need the encouragement of our friends! Thanks also to those that have helped out with dinners, cleaning up around our apartment, and giving Celia some extra attention; without you this would be so much harder.

Sometimes a Little Preemption Goes a Long Way

Christina (and I) were getting a little tired of feeling that cancer was taking over our lives. We've been reading, researching, talking, thinking about the dozens of aspects of this disease, and feeling as if our lives were only consequences, not choices. So, she made a choice today... isn't she pretty with her short hair?

So, we had some drama the last few days

So, we had some drama the last few days. Without getting into details, we've parted company with our surgeon because of some misunderstandings that blew up into hurt feelings and pride issues.


In the meantime, we discovered a great resource in the Breast Center at the San Ramon Regional Medical Center. A lovely lady, Vanessa, was able to help Christina find an Oncologist and soothe her fears a bit.


We met our new Oncologist, Dr. Rishi Sawhney this morning, along with his Physician's Assistant, Stacey. We were quite impressed. They showed remarkable consideration for our emotional state, and displayed a sense of competency that reassured us that we were in good hands. It was fantastic to find out that Dr. Sawhney works closely with the Blood Conservation program and is comfortable in working with Jehovah's Witnesses.


Dr. Sawhney explained that though the tumor removed was fairly small, the cancer is considered aggressive, and that additional surgery would very likely be needed. He is particularly concerned to learn if Christina have the "cancer genes" and what hormone receptors are present in the cancer cells. This will help us determine how aggressive to treat the cancer.


The "cancer genes", BRCA1 and BRCA2, is detected through a blood test. It is not often prescribed, as it's somewhat rare and is quite expensive. We asked the phlebotomist how much the test costs, and she told us $4,000! Fortunately, our insurance has authorized this test and will pay the total cost. The hormone receptors will be determined by the complete pathology report on the tumor that was removed; we should have that information within the next few days (early next week).


Dr. Sawhney recommended a Oncological Surgeon (replacing Dr. Gardiner), who we will meet this coming Thursday (10/7). He has also suggested that we find another Oncologist who can provide a second opinion, so I'm hoping to contact another doctor early next week.


It's been a long few days; the reality of the diagnosis is starting to sink in. We're feeling some heavy emotional swings, fighting to remain calm and hopeful even as we deal with life-altering choices. On top of all of that, we have to consider moving our planned vacation to a later time; Christina and I had planned to go to Vegas the first week in November, but it sounds like she will  have her surgery by then. I guess we'll get to see how easy it is to refund United airlines tickets... 


On the positive side, our friends have rallied around us wonderfully; many have expressed concern and offered help. It is truly amazing to see what God's people can do, and we thank Jehovah for his help in these trying times.

So it starts...

Confused, angry, sad, unsure, resigned, discouraged, afraid. All these "bad" emotions are running through me today. Yet, the dominant feeling I have is one of determination; we now have an enemy to fight, and believe we will beat it. Strangely empowering.


Background:


My wife has a significant family history with breast cancer. Her Mom was diagnosed 30 years ago and died two years later, and her aunt (her Mom's sister) had the same experience just a few years later. Both were 35 when they were diagnosed. My wife turned 35 in March.


Saturday afternoon, 9/18/2010 my wife noticed a lump in her left breast. We both agreed that it seemed suspect, and that we should get her to the doctor as soon as reasonably possible. We called her Gynecologist, Dr. Eyvazzadeh, Monday morning (9/20), and went in to see him that afternoon. Due in part to her family history, he recommended that the lump be excised (not simply biopsied) as soon as possible, and referred us to a surgeon, Dr. Gardiner.


We saw Dr. Gardiner for a consultation on Tuesday,  9/21. He concurred with Dr. Eyvazzadeh, and scheduled surgery for that Thursday, 9/23. He noted that the lump could simply be a cyst or some other benign growth, and that we shouldn't speculate too much. The surgery took place at the surgery center in the San Ramon Regional Medical Center. Christina was in surgery for less than an hour.


Dr. Gardiner met me in the waiting room as Christina was in recovery. He was unwilling to speculate on what the lump was, and what the diagnosis would be, but would have pathology reports in a few days. He had me schedule a follow-up consultation for the following Tuesday (9/28) in his office to perform any post-op care (bandage removal, etc) and to review the pathology report.


We spent the weekend dealing with the pain medication and healing process from the surgery, and trying not to focus on what the diagnosis would be. I knew that cancer was possible, however it just didn't seem likely. Friends and family were acting very strangely, carefully gauging our mental state and probing gently for details. I knew they were scared, or at least cautious, but didn't really share their level of concern.


Christina seemed completely focused on her recovery from surgery. We didn't talk about what-if's and what-might-be's too much. The "C" word came up only once or twice between us, but with a sense of detachment and disbelief. Still, the anxiety level was pretty high, as we waited for Tuesday's consult.


"It's cancer". With those 2.5 words, I immediately shifted into another mode. I feel almost coldly detached from reality, as if I'm a boxer walking to the ring, oblivious of the screaming crowd around him. I'm scared, but I know that fear is something to re-direct and move through, not run from, or fight.


Infultrating Ductal Carcinoma. From the quick googling I've done, it sounds like it is the most common form of breast cancer. That gives us some reassurance, in that it's not some exotic, hard-to-treat variation.


The next steps are an MR scan and a genetic test for BRCA1 and BRCA2. These, followed by a lymph node biopsy, will give us the information to lay out a plan of action for dealing with this.


It's been a total of 11 days since this started. I can't believe the response we've received from our medical team. Our friends and family have been solid, bringing food and short visits, and many many supportive calls.