Pathology Results

I saw Dr. Caldwell yesterday and my pathology results are back from the surgery. It's good news......

They had clean margins from the surgery - basically this means that there were no cancer cells found in the breast tissue within a certain percentage of the chest wall. When a person gets clean margins - it means that the docs are confident that they got all the stray cancer cells in the breast out with surgery. This is good news fro me. fundamentally, meaning that I am probably cancer free right now.

My left breast was completely cancer free. My right breast did have some cancer cells in it still (obviously removed during surgery) but what was left was tiny compared to what I had started with. The original 5cm tumor was reduced to a few groups of cells ranging rm 2mm - 7 mm in size. So- as we suspected, chemo killed most of the tumor and what it did not kill - we removed with surgery. This is why there are multiple steps in beating cancer - chemo, surgery, radiation, tamoxifen - all of these combined is what helps secure life longevity.

So - I am thrilled with these results! Hearing this - I thought I would not have to do radiation next. And, I don't have to. Dr. Caldwell does recommend, however, that I do radiation anyway - as an insurance policy. He said that there are "some studies" that show that doing radiation after a mastectomy does increase life longevity. He thinks that since I am still so young - this insurance policy is worth it!

I, have been hoping to hear that this surgery was the end of my journey - so, this is a little disappointing (yet not completely unexpected). I would prefer not to have to do radiation. But, it's hard to argue with giving myself extra insurance that this will NEVER come back! I've come this far, done this well, I might as well suck it up - do the rads and be done, knowing I did everything I could possibly do to fight this!

First next step - I will be seeing Dr. Yurinec today (my oncologist) and will get his opinion on the subject. I will learn more about radiation, how it works, the benefits and cons, etc. I will also research for the "studies" to identify how much it decreases my odds of recurrence. Like every other step - I will research until I feel comfortable enough to make a final decision. More to come on this.................


Also - yesterday was an outstanding day for me. I feel like I have my normal energy level back, need only Advil for pain, my movement is much better and Dr. Caldwell took 2 of 4 drains out yesterday (woo hoo!). So - I think - day 8 after surgery, I am finally pulling out of the surgery funk and feeling much more myself! That is also a huge relief for me! It was a long week after surgery.