We met with Dr. Weller yesterday and got the full pathology report back. As he was going over it in detail, I couldn't help but chuckle a little. Each marker indicates how aggressive or non aggressive my cancer is. My family has a running joke about how indecisive we all are. My younger brother is typically the butt of the jokes, but the reality is that none of us California Marcazzos are really good at making decisions. And now, my tumor/cancer has taken on this same trait. It can't seem to decide if it wants to be aggressive or non aggressive.
The tumor is 1.6 cm which would be Stage 1 if it hadn't reached my lymph nodes..but we already know that it has. It is both estrogen and progesterone receptor positive making it a bit more aggressive. But it is a grade 2 out of 3 - meaning it isn't very aggressive, but it isn't non aggressive either. It is also Her-2 negative, which is less aggressive. However, here is the kicker: they test for lymph vascular invasion and extracapsular extension - both of which were present. This means nothing to me on paper, yet Dr. Weller explained it in simple terms so I would understand. The cancer was breaking through the lymph nodes and had little "feelers" out there in the fatty tissue of my armpit already. It was doing the same thing with the lump in the breast. This little bugger was trying to break free and wreak havoc on my whole body.
And it's because of that alone that negates every other tumor marker and makes radiation highly recommended. So I'll do it. For 5 weeks after chemo is over I will go 5 days a week and be radiated. It makes the "getting well" process 5 weeks longer. But I'll take it. 5 weeks is nothing over the course of the next 60 years I plan on living. 5 weeks to give me a higher likelihood of this never coming back - totally worth it in my book.
I'm getting the full Monty of cancer treatments - which is great. I won't miss out on any part of it, and then I'll never look back. I will do it all this year so that I never have to walk into the Dorothy Schneider Cancer Center ever.again.
I also started physical therapy yesterday. I still can't move my right arm very well due to the nerve damage from the surgery. It's the only lingering effect of surgery and once it heals, I'll be good as new until chemo starts. I learned some exercises to gently stretch the nerves out - and I already feel a difference. My therapist said I can't lift anything heavier than a quart of milk yet though. But she was also hopeful that within a few weeks I'll be back to normal! Yay!
The tumor is 1.6 cm which would be Stage 1 if it hadn't reached my lymph nodes..but we already know that it has. It is both estrogen and progesterone receptor positive making it a bit more aggressive. But it is a grade 2 out of 3 - meaning it isn't very aggressive, but it isn't non aggressive either. It is also Her-2 negative, which is less aggressive. However, here is the kicker: they test for lymph vascular invasion and extracapsular extension - both of which were present. This means nothing to me on paper, yet Dr. Weller explained it in simple terms so I would understand. The cancer was breaking through the lymph nodes and had little "feelers" out there in the fatty tissue of my armpit already. It was doing the same thing with the lump in the breast. This little bugger was trying to break free and wreak havoc on my whole body.
And it's because of that alone that negates every other tumor marker and makes radiation highly recommended. So I'll do it. For 5 weeks after chemo is over I will go 5 days a week and be radiated. It makes the "getting well" process 5 weeks longer. But I'll take it. 5 weeks is nothing over the course of the next 60 years I plan on living. 5 weeks to give me a higher likelihood of this never coming back - totally worth it in my book.
I'm getting the full Monty of cancer treatments - which is great. I won't miss out on any part of it, and then I'll never look back. I will do it all this year so that I never have to walk into the Dorothy Schneider Cancer Center ever.again.
I also started physical therapy yesterday. I still can't move my right arm very well due to the nerve damage from the surgery. It's the only lingering effect of surgery and once it heals, I'll be good as new until chemo starts. I learned some exercises to gently stretch the nerves out - and I already feel a difference. My therapist said I can't lift anything heavier than a quart of milk yet though. But she was also hopeful that within a few weeks I'll be back to normal! Yay!
I'm disappointed! Only 60 years??? What gives - try 160 years. Yeah, that's what I'm going for. BTW, had the same markers. Didn't want to say anything until now - so yeah - like mother - like daughter. 16 years and counting and won't stop - so you do the same!!! Love ya - Mama
ReplyDelete