PET is done!

PET scan is done and the results are in! There was one slight abnormality in a lymph node under Holly's right arm. The doctor is pretty sure this is just inflammation brought about by the test Holly has been undergoing but you can never be to sure so now we need another ultrasound on Monday. Should not be a big deal and we are still on track for making some decisions on Tuesday.

Thats all for now, have a good weekend everybody.

John

Last big test

We think we are down to the PET test http://www.petscaninfo.com/zportal/portals/pat/ which is in process as I am writing this. I just got a call from the surgeons office and they said to expect a call this afternoon to go over the last two days test results.

The Oncologist office called yesterday and we now have an additional appointment with them on Tuesday morning to go over all the data and come up with a game plan. Hopefully we will come away form Tuesday's meeting with a plan of action and appointments scheduled after that will be for treatment.

I just want to thank everybody for your thoughts and prayers, it has been very appreciated and heart warming.

John

Tests Suck

Sitting at Virgina Mason waiting for Holly to work up a good glow. Bone scan today, PET scan tomorrow. Holly had a bit of a rough morning, kind of lost it a little, getting tired of being poked and prodded. Got injected with a radioactive tracer and have to wait for it to circulate before the scan. Will pst again when done.

John

Meeting with the surgeon

Well, we met with the surgeon and now have two more test scheduled, a PET scan on Thursday and a Bone Scan on Friday. We got a lot of information which was all documented in a nice white binder with a pink breast cancer ribbon on the front and are in the process of digesting everything. What we do know right now is that we don't have enough information to make an informed decision on the exact course of action surgically. The surgeon will be consulting with the oncologist and come up with a recommendation soon. The three scenarios are:

1) Surgery now followed by chemotherapy and radiation.
2) Wait for genetic testing then decide on surgery option based on testing followed by chemotherapy.
3) Chemotherapy to shrink the tumor, genetic testing, decide on surgery option then do surgery.

I may not have these quite right, the doctor recorded our conversation be we forgot the CD at the office. I will correct the above options when I listen to the tape again.

Bottom line, not sure when surgery is going to happen, don't want to wait any longer than necessary but there is not reason to proceed until we have all the data we can get. We will make an informed decistion when we have all the facts.

MRI Is Done!

Had the MRI this afternoon results should be at the surgeon in time for the morning appointment. Nothing else to really, Holly did not enjoy the awkward position :) and they didn't really tell us anything yet.

John

Thanks for the thoughts and calls

We just want to say thanks for all the phone calls, thoughts and prayers. This has all been a bit overwhelming and we appreciate all the support from family and friends.

There is nothing new to report, we are just sort of hanging around waiting for the MRI appointment on Monday and then the big appointment with the surgeon on Monday. Holly is sleeping like a baby while I am looking for that allusive good night of sleep but it will come.

John

First appointment out of the way. Good news bad news kind of a deal. The good news is right now this is beatable; bad news is it is an aggressive form of cancer. The Oncologist said they rate the type of tumor between 1 and 3 with one being least aggressive and 3 being the most aggressive. Unfortunately he rates this one a three. On the positive side the tumor has not taken hold of anything, has not metastasized and there is no evidence of it spreading to any lymph nodes. Due to the aggressive nature of the cancer Holly will most likely need chemotherapy as a preventative treatment.

The next action is on Monday and includes MRI studies which will help the surgeon decide on a course of action. Tuesday is the big day, we meet the surgeon and decide what to do and when. According to the Oncologist it is possible that some chemotherapy may occur prior to surgery if the surgeon wants to attempt to shrink the tumor or see how it responds to the treatment.

We should defiantly have more definitive information after our meeting on Tuesday.

Thanks to everybody for your thoughts and prayers, it means a lot to Holly and me.

John