Kickin' Cancer's Butt - The Update

Hello-Hello!

Much has passed since I last visited you here at the bon blog.

Many novels have been read, many, many,many wonderful meals have been prepared for us and much enjoyed by us, many gifts and cards have come to our doorstep and mailbox and many friends have come to visit.

On the medical side, many scalpels, needles, radio-active isotopes, grenade-sized drains and all manner of sci-fi have passed through my body in the last 6 weeks. Gone is my left breast (surgery 1 on 5/17), gone are a bunch of nodes from my left armpit (surgery 2, 3 weeks later) and gone is the cancer (no kidding - more on that in a minute).

Within the breast removed, the pathology revealed one bigger mass (visualize a marble, maybe the shooter) one smaller mass (think of a pea here) and a few suspicious shadows. Of the three nodes that were also removed at that surgery, 2 were perfectly clear but one contained a micro-static metastasis (insert heavy sigh here). Knowing cancer to be a fierce opponent, the doc recommended going back to the O.R. and removing a few more nodes and having a look at those.

Even though it's a very common procedure under these circumstances, go right ahead and insert another heavy sigh here. I know mr. bon and I did. Then we said "go ahead doc, do what ya' gotta do to make it all go away."

Second surgery occurred 3 weeks to the date after the first surgery. Really. Just as I was beginning to feel like myself again, I got to go in for another round. But, as I may have mentioned, I too am a fierce opponent with a far fiercer team, so off I went to the land of magical naps for an axillary lymph node dissection; mr bon and sister by my side, dutiful daughter/nurse at the ready to spoon feed me sliced bananas and keep my water pitcher filled to the brim upon my return home.

As the first, this surgery went very well - though the pain factor was much higher and required more management - still not really all that debilitating.

By the end of the week, the doc called with the good news - no cancer in those nodes!

Upon hearing this news, It was my mom who immediately drew the wise conclusion and proclaimed that I was cancer free. When I asked the surgeon about this at the follow-up few days later she confirmed "you have no measurable cancer in your body."

Yay!

But -

Cancer is ... you know ... fierce.
So we must keep fighting to insure the cure.

Enter round 2: Chemotherapy.

Before you go gettin' all "damn" and "poor bon" and really down on chemotherapy - remember it is our friend, even, our team member- it is what will make me a survivor.

So bring it on.

And bring it they will. For 12 months, I'll be receiving a weekly dose of Herceptor - a relatively easy drug to take with little or no side effects. Additionally, for the first 4 months, I'll be receiving 2 other meds whose names escape me at the moment. Their effects will be noticeable, as in start shopping for doo-rags now and plan for serious sofa-time a few days after each dose. Luckily, those tough guys are given at 3 week intervals, rather than weekly.

I've been told time and time again by docs, nurses, and patients that the most common and felt side affect will be fatigue. We can manage fatigue - we got this!

You're wondering when the gong will sound for round 2?

Well, that's the best news of all.
Not until July 12th. By my calculations, that's about 3 weeks from now - 3 glorious weeks living cancer-free. But even more importantly, and here is the news that some of you have really been waiting for --- that is 3 days after my nephew's wedding!

Double Yay!