11 treatments down, 5 to go

That feels really great to say ... only 5 chemo treatments left to do! While my first 4 treatments were not a cake walk, overall I have been so lucky that chemo has not put my body through the worst of its side effects. Most importantly to my overall health and condition, my weekly blood counts have all remained in normal range ... equal to blood counts of people not enduring chemo ... throughout the entire 15 weeks I have been receiving the drugs. The medical oncologist is more than pleased with my progress and status as we continue on through these last 5 weeks and 5 treatments.

This afternoon I also had an appointment with the surgical oncologist. Tougher subject matter to discuss with her, but oh-so-important. I'm a researcher. I want details. I need to know. Some people can fly through an issue like this and just find things out on the fly, but that isn't me. I'm a planner by trade, and that part of my personality carries over into a situation like this as well. So I asked the hard questions. The ones you really don't always WANT to think about ... but in my case, I need to know.

One question ... I don't want to go through this again if I don't have to, and I rely on her expertise 110% .... so why am I not considering the option of having a double mastectomy instead of a single mastectomy. Without going into too much detail or crossing personal information lines ... we're going to pursue genetic testing and see if there is any reason to believe that there are any DNA markers that suggest we need to pursue a double (bilateral) mastectomy. It will  give us some answers from a very murky family history ... my dad was adopted so we know nothing about that side, and he died young (49) before any major issues like cancer might have popped up ... and my mom is still living (she's 79) but is the only surviving sibling, and there are some questions that remain unanswered about family members who are older and "may" have dealt with cancer at some point. Genetic testing will remove the family history doubt and give me a positive direction to move forward, either way.

One other aspect of questioning involves the likelihood of the cancer returning, anywhere in my body. It's a tough question, and boiling it down into medical research statistics can be even tougher answers to hear. But I got them, I know the odds and percentages over the recurrence in the next 10 year period, and I move forward in a positive way. It is what it is. Of course, it's a higher chance for me than for someone who never has had cancer of any type. It might not recur, or it might at some point. But my best course of action is the treatment, surgery and radiation plan outlined for me by the medical, surgical and radiation oncologists whom I trust completely. I'm more than good with that.

Next we reviewed the surgery date ... and while her office originally set a tentative September 24 date, it is just not going to work with her schedule and being out of town for an extended time. She also wants to have a full month between my last chemo treatment on September 4 and my surgery. So most likely I'll have that last pre-op office consult with her the week of September 24, and surgery will be on October 8. Her office will be confirming the genetic testing date, one more mammogram date, the pre-op appointment date and the surgery date with me very soon.

I hope I've been able to properly put into words the positive sense I feel over all of this ... even though the subject matter is tough and my words may convey otherwise. I am good with all of this, I am good with my prognosis for the future ... and we continue to move forward with a positive outlook.