Day 14 It's Like Putting Together a Puzzle

Today started out early at UC West Chester Physician's Office with the first second opinion. I met Dr. Jamie Lewis and really liked her. She is very knowledgeable and professional. She is closer to my house than Mercy Hospital and even Christ Hospital. After an hour meeting with her, I know I am comfortable with her at this point. I will still have the third opinion on Monday morning to see if that treatment recommendation is the same or different.

Basically, she explained her recommendation of performing a lumpectomy and complete lymph dissection as the standard of care based on my results, but walked through my concerns and gave me options if I'd be a candidate for other ways of managing my care as well. That being said, I will follow through with all her team and discuss options with a medical oncologist, radiologist, plastic surgeon, and have a second appointment with Dr. Lewis again to discuss all of what those docs think. I'll also have an MRI. Next week I now have those 5 appointments plus my third breast surgeon opinion. I pray all the puzzle pieces fall into place so I know what I am going to do for my treatment.

Next, I went to Children's Hospital and had a 1 hour meeting with a genetic counselor. Kim Lewis was quite learned in that area and we went through what looked like a family tree of who in my family had boys and girls starting with my biological grandparents, parents, and kids. Come to find out, my great aunt had breast cancer on my Dad's side. What I learned was that the BRCA1/2 gene can be linked not only to breast cancer, but ovarian and prostate cancer, too. So when I explained that my dad had prostate and his aunt had breast cancer, I'm actually slightly more at risk for being positive for it and therefore, qualified to have testing. IF I am positive, I will be recommended to not only have a double mastectomy, but have my ovaries removed as well since ovarian cancer typically is not discovered until stage 4.

I was also informed that if I am positive, my kids and sisters and possibly even my Dad could be tested for BRAC 1/2 and other genes that lead to breast, ovarian, and prostate cancer. The biggest problem with them getting tested before being diagnosed, is that once they get tested, if they, too, are positive, they now have big choices to make medically. Also the counselor told me that once that happens, they can never get long-term, short-term or life insurance. if they don't already have it. If they aren't already signed up, they are basically considered having a diagnosis of cancer even if it's just a positive BRCA 1/2 test result.

So lots to think about. Sounds like chemo is sounding more and more like much more of a reality than I wanted to believe, but there is still hope.

My dream of going on my vacations is looking less and less likely. I know it's crazy that going to Quetico is so important to me that I'd work my treatment around it, if possible, but it just does. Today I had an idea that perhaps we need to just go now, before I start anything. If I have to wait 2-4 weeks for genetic testing anyway, we should just and enjoy the moment before surgery, chemo, or radiation even begins!  My sweet boss told me that he would totally support that if it's what I wanted to do!  Love that guy! I actually cried when he didn't even hesitate because it's just that important to me and I think he realizes it. So now John and I are talking about it, but reality is, it costs big bucks and we may need to save those big bucks for all our treatment and loss of the inevitable loss of income we will experience once my treatment begins. Ugh. Lord, please direct us. You know my heart in this.