Recipes for living, loving and laughing:Jo, Elliott, Cloey & Zoey's adventures

 The answer may be no. I will be having tests every whatever for a long time.  Dr. Kubicky said I had to have an ultrasound because they spotted something that needed following up on. Perhaps a biopsy as well. I just scheduled it and was told I should have a mammogram as well. I could have opted out of it, but I will take whatever they want to throw my way.  We'd like to go to the beach next week so if any of this comes back as needing follow up, I'm out of the luck of salt air but I am supposed to start radiation the Monday I come back so it doesn't give me any wiggle room. I have a feeling we won't be going to the beach because if I need a biopsy, we are 4 hours away and I want to get a biopsy asap (if needed).  UPDATE  I GOT IT DONE .  I was able to get an appointment today in Sacramento.  Ultrasound and mammogram looked 👍 to the radiologist.  No need for a biopsy.

 4/20/2022 You have to know that no matter what "stage" or grade with which you were diagnosed, it may very well change.  Today I saw my radiation oncologist who spent an hour with us; talked us through the protocols and told me I would now have six rather than three weeks of radiation.  I had a simulation, which was made up of my lying down on nothing comfortable with my arms over my head and practice holding my breath for 20 seconds. I'll do that about seven times during treatment.  The "rad onc" will check on me one time a week and I got a folder on what to expect some of which is not pleasant but at least it is stage 1 and no chemo. Although there is a spot that they are concerned about so I will have an ultrasound and maybe a biopsy. I will also meet with someone who will teach me everything I need to know about lymphedema!  From a Bing search " A condition that results in swelling of the leg or arm. It oc curs due to blockage in the lymphatic system...

April 12, 2022  I knew the jump to no chemo was not warranted because I still had a PET scan coming up. The PET scan starting with 50 minutes in a heated lounger with a warm blanket while some stuff that would seek out cancer went through me.  I was then taken to a machine that did an Xray, CT scan and PET Scan. One machine did all that. It took about 1/2 hour.  I got the report 12 hours later and don't understand it. Two of my doctors are on Easter vacation so I asked my breast surgeon (and my daughter). There are for sure a couple of scary words. Here is the important part of the test. The good news is that it hasn't spread to other organs, but I am sure they will want to do chemo (: Study Result Impression IMPRESSION: 1. Focus of FDG avidity adjacent to surgical clips centrally deep within the left breast intimately associated with the chest wall musculature with a max SUV of 4.41 is of uncertain etiology or significance. Given lack of correlate on comparison MRI ...

4/5/2022 It was a long day. It started by getting a bone density scan which came back two hours later! Everyone knows we want to head east and is putting a rush on things. The scan was good. No notable change since last year so I haven't shrunk. Another appointment bites the dust. Got a call from my medical oncologist's office. Actually several. One was to tell me they put a rush on the path report for my onco  score and to come in tomorrow to see Dr A.  The report was on its way. Another call from Trish...path report...score of 13!! NO CHEMO needed. (Well pending Monday's PET scan.) We'll see Dr K Friday and she'll decide on a radiation schedule though I am not totally healed. It will probably be another two weeks. Tomorrow is the dermatologist who will burn off the pre-cancerous area on my ear and Friday, I will get big news.   Please please don't tan. Wear sunscreen even if it's cloudy.

 3/28/2022 I was getting really concerned but around 9:00 pm the pathology report came in. With it was a  layperson's explanation of what it meant and an apology from Dr Baker because it took so long. Good news first: No more surgery Breast margins are clear Don't need chemo Bad news: The lymph node that was removed had cancer. Because of this I will need my entire breast and armpit area radiated. We were hoping for  partial radiation because if it comes back in a different place in that breast, I could have radiation but now if that happened, it's a mastectomy. Also about radiation. It can cause flare ups in autoimmune diseases so I expect to be in more pain and more tired than tired. We are talking to the medical oncologist tomorrow and the radiologist next week so we'll have a better idea of the radiation schedule. It's possible I could need four weeks instead of three of radiation. We have to get to the east coast as soon as we are told we can leave.  The though...

 Well, My appointment was later in the week but since we were going to go to the beach I made it for today. When the pathology comes back I'll have a phone visit with Dr. Baker.  Alyssa mentioned chemo twice and that freaked me out because that was not on the table and an appointment in July but hopefully we will be on the east coast by then.  I can do a little more but I shouldn't be crazy with lifting.  My test results (not pathology are: Joanne Levy is POD 7 s/p left BREAST LUMPECTOMY and SENTINEL LYMPG NODE BIOPSY . Her pathology was not available at time of her visit . She has no concerns today and is pleased with the results. She states that she only took 1 Percocet after surgery.   OBJECTIVE: BP 122/79 | Pulse 83 | Temp (Src) 97.3 °F (36.3 °C) (Oral) GENERAL: Well developed, well nourished, female in no acute distress. RESPIRATORY: Normal effort. Left Breast /axilla : Incision s are healing well, clean, dry and intact. Excellent cosmesis. ...

 3/15/2022 Although I am on pain meds and a little loopy, I wanted to get my surgery day down before I forget. I don't know if this is the protocol of all breast surgeries, but I saw a lot of people!  At 7:45 I was taken into the pre-op area where I was asked my name and birthdate a dozen times. So many times, that when a woman walked in, I just said my name and birthdate. She laughed and said that she knew my name but not my birthdate. "I'm Dr. Baker." Well of course I didn't recognize her. I only met her one time, and she had a net on her head and a mask and plastic covering her face. She had on scrubs so there was no white coat. In any case I was asked by lots of nurses health questions, got an IV put in with at some point saline and an antibiotic and off I went to Nuclear Medicine and saw a machine that looked like it was from outer space. I wondered if this is also the radiation machine but I didn't ask. Mitch, an RN, spent a long time explaining what wou...