The Reality of Things

I had my monthly appointment with my oncologist today. I feel so blessed to have her as my doctor.  My husband and I feel "taken care of."

Everything went well with my surgery. The tumor in my thyroid was not as large as first thought. This was a real blessing. It was originally thought that my thyroid cancer was the oldest and largest of my cancers. That is what had come out in the ultrasound images from Korea. It turned out to be .6 cm. This was a relief because we had waited for the thyroid surgery (9 months from my initial diagnosis) so that all the surgeries could be done at once.

My mastectomy/reconstructive surgery went well also. There were two different tumors. One was dumbbell shaped and around 3 cm. The other was .9 cm. The breast surgeon (another doctor that we are extremely thankful for) made a very small incision (3 inches). She was able to do what she had to do without making such a dramatic cut.

The smaller incision allows more movement in my arm. I still can't lift my arms in the air, but I can lift them up. You never know how many muscles you use to do something, until you have surgery. My right arm has very little strength. I have to be careful because if I use it too much, fluid will build up inside of me.

The primary cancer has been removed. The cancer throughout my body and particularly in my bones is still there. I will continue with my hormone therapy to try to keep the cancer from growing. I will also continue to get my monthly Lupron shot to keep me menopausal. Why, you ask? Because my breast cancer was estrogen driven. Menopause shuts down the estrogen production in my ovaries. I will have to think about removing my ovaries in the very near future...

My cancer is really baffling because:
                    1. my age
                    2. I nursed all my children
                    3. my tumors turned out to be slow growing cancer cells
                        (a 1 out of 3)

I don't understand everything but I do have to look at what is true: God is God. He is in control. He understands. He loves me.

He is my only salvation and I wait for HIM...