Chapter 2: Chemo

Today I went to Greenville for my first meeting with the medical oncologist. I do have to have chemo...and it starts next Thursday. It will be every three weeks for a total of 6 treatments. It's not the hardest round of chemo but it won't be a walk in the park either. I was prepared to hear that so I'm not really freaking out. Reed thinks this is silly, but the hardest part is going to be the needles. I don't like needles! I'm not so concerned about the chemicals running through my veins...it's how they are going to get there that's freaking me out!
So new boobs are put on hold until probably the end of the summer. Should be finished with chemo by July so I'll probably wait until the season's over before dealing with that.
I'm having some more tests done on Wednesday just to make sure nothing else looks off...a CT scan, brain MRI and Bone scan. They don't expect to find anything, it's just routine.
In a couple of weeks I may be bald like Banks and who knows...maybe my hair will grow back blond and curly. Then maybe people will believe me when I tell them Willa's my kid!

End of chapter one!!!

OK ya'll...Drain is OUT!!! I called this morning and asked Mrs. Dot if she would take it out if I drove to Greenville today. She said no...I shed a tear. So..........then I called my girl Kim, and begged her and she said yes! So Reed and I jumped in the car, with both girls, and now I don't have to go back to the boobie doctor until July. One down!
Next is the chemo doctor on Thursday, genetic testing at UNC and eventually the plastic surgeon. Still a long way to go, but I feel like I've conquered the world! I really, REALLY feel like the hardest part is over. So thanks to all my unbelievable friends and family I've gotten through the first and scariest part. Now that I can use my right arm again I can get busy on all my thank yous!

Just wanted to say thanks to all of my amazing friends! Everyone has been so wonderful and supportive. Ya'll have made it so easy and I'm so thankful for all of you!
So I went to the doctor yesterday with big dreams of getting this drain out. No such luck:( So one more week with it and then no matter what it comes out on the 25th. I know I've made such a big deal about this drain and I'm going to look back and feel really silly because it's not that big of a deal. It's not painful. It doesn't really bother me. And most importantly, it's just one more week. I can do anything for a week! It just means one more week of couch time. I've decided that I'm going to welcome my time with the couch because it's really kind of a luxury! Not so long ago I would have done just about anything for a day of nothing. Now I get 21 days of nothing! So I'm just going to read, watch tv, watch the girls play and have some quality time with the dogs and then it will all be over and I'll wonder what the fuss was all about.
I've had a lot of people ask me about the girls. They are doing great! They're enjoying GranGran being here all the time and they're getting some good quality time with Reed. They think the whole thing is kind of funny. Madison and Willa want to go to KMart to get mommy some new boobies. Since KMart might not have them they're thinking they should check out WalMart and Target. Willa comes up to me all day long and says, "Mommy, you have no boobies?" She always wants to know if my booboos are better yet. And Madison thinks it's a good thing that Mommy has no boobies because now I can "really feel the love" since my heart is much closer now. So they are fine! They're so sweet and hilarious...they'll be just fine. I spent so much energy worrying about how this was going to affect them and even though it's impossible as a mom not to, if I had known how easily they were going to deal with it I wouldn't have worried quite so much. Well...probably not...but I would have tried harder not to worry so much about them.
Everything is going really well. It seemed like everything happened so fast and every time I went to the doctor it was the worst case scenario until surgery...and then everything just turned around. Now things are great and I know it's not over yet but I feel like the hard part is over. For me the hardest part was not knowing all the info. Now all the diagnostic stuff is done and I'm thrilled with the way things are working out! So keep up the prayers and positive thoughts...it's working! God's listening to ya'll!!!!

So I'm sure you all would like some good news about now. It seems like every time I went to the doctor I got bad news. Well the bad luck streak has been broken! Yesterday I went for my first follow up. Even though they were 95% sure my lymph nodes were fine...now they are 100% sure. Also, I've been very nervous for some reason about what stage it is. You know me, I'll all about the numbers. It's stage 1...that's right...stage ONE!!! Radiation is out, he said he didn't see any need for it since it wasn't in my lymph nodes and with the mastectomy he feels confident that the cancer is gone. Since I started seeing him he was always pretty definite about chemo. Now he's not so sure that I'll have to, he said probably but not definite. I'm meeting with the oncologist Feb 25th to see what she thinks. And I'm sure you all know about these drains I have. The less I do...the quicker they come out. Well, the left one is out, but the right one has to stay at least another week. So if you see me wearing a sling don't be alarmed...I'm just trying not to use my right arm. Honestly, I probably shouldn't be typing so I'll finish up real quick before Reed comes down and yells at me.
Lots of good news yesterday...your prayers are working! Don't stop now!

Hey everyone! I'm home, I'm settled and I'm doing absolutely nothing! Nothing really new since Elizabeth posted the good news about the lymph nodes being cancer free. Since the beginning of all of this that's the first bit of good news I've gotten!
So far I'm doing great at home! I was considering staying over night in the hospital but now I'm glad I didn't. I would have been anxious and restless. So instead I stayed on the couch last night and caught up on some TV time between percocet induced comas! Overall I feel pretty good. It's uncomfortable but not too painful. The hardest part is the doing nothing. That doesn't come easy to me!
My mom and Reed have been wonderful nurses...yes, even Reed! I've been demanding and they're keeping up. My friends are wonderful, from the cleaning crew to the cooking crew, but especially the caring crew! Kids are home and I couldn't be happier to see them! They had a blast at Banks and Lisa's house and are probably bored now that they're home.
So for those of you that are "scared to bother me"...don't be! I need some company and someone to talk to...so don't be afraid to stop by or call. I'm not going anywhere!

Wednesday, February 3. Surgery is over.

This is Elizabeth. I'm writing on behalf of Michelle. At 9:30 this morning Michelle's surgery was complete. There were no complications and more importantly, THERE WAS NO CANCER IN THE LYMPH NODES!!!! Unless, the doctors say otherwise, she will be coming home today. I know she appreciates everyone's support and prayers...keep it coming!