Lymph Nodes 2, cancer 0

The ultra sound I had after the mammogram and during the biopsy indicated no cancer in the lymph nodes, but MIRs show more details.  I had the MRI on Friday, and thought it'd be Tuesday or Wednesday before I heard about results.

I have a smart phone that I love most things about, but the vibrate feature is VERY weak.  I took it out at 4 this afternoon, and saw that I had a voicemail.  It was from the surgeon at 3:45, saying he'd try again after his 4:00 meeting.  Crap.  I immediately took it off vibrate, and turned the volume to "high."

While I was on the way home, he DID call back.  He had the results of the MRI.  It agrees with the ultrasound that the cancer is NOT in my lymph nodes.  I have some BADASS lymph nodes, ok?  There is no way to know, with 100% accuracy, that they are clear, until after surgery when they remove at least one.  I'm still taking this as WONDERFUL news.  NOTHING has suggested that it's there, and TWO things have suggested that it's not.

The other thing is that the right breast is fine.  Nothing at all and no need for concern.  After several comments that "insurance has to cover reconstruction," I started doing online research.  It's TRUE!  There was a law passed about it.  SWEET.  That made my decision to do the mastectomy instead of begging the surgeon to try to save it.  Oh  yeah.  There's another reason for THAT, too.

Instead of two tumors, like they thought, the MRI indicates that it's likely one tumor, shaped like a dumbell.  (shut it!)  If that's true, it's a bit over 6 cm.  Wow.  The surgeon said that may rule out lumpectomy, but we've pretty much ruled that out for ourselves.

His nurses will schedule an appointment with an oncologist this week, and I'll likely be in surgery within 2-3 weeks.  Oh.  Another thing, for anyone who hasn't been close to this sort of thing:  I need a surgeon and and an oncologist.  That is a cutter, and a medicine guy.  I've seen the cutter, and will see the medicine guy this week.  Medicine guy decides if I'm a candidate for chemo or whatever else, and surgery will likely be within 2-3 weeks.

OK.  That's it.  I'm doing better after each appointment or conversation with those who know what they're doing.  I'm crying when I have time to do so, but it's not all sadness.  It's just overwhelmed.  I'm overwhelmed with information, overwhelmed with love and caring from friends and family, overwhelmed with the parts of life that must go on, and overwhelmed with worry.  Still, I'm feeling better.

Sorry this turned into a cancer blog.  LOL  Not as sorry as I am that I got cancer, though.  :)