On the road to surgery

John and I went to the surgeon yesterday. The site from the needle biopsy had healed satisfactorily. We talked about the diagnosis, Stage II invasive ductal carcinoma, the suggested treatment, and probable followup.

His recommendation is a nuclear scan to pinpoint the so-called sentinel nodes (nodes that would be the most likely sites of any movement of tumor), followed by lumpectomy. Assuming that the pathology reports showed the tumor margins to be clear and the nodes to be free of tumor, this would be followed approximately two weeks later by 4-7 weeks of radiation treatments (5 days a week).

The scan and surgery have been scheduled for Friday, 18 February. He does not envision any chemotherapy, but if this is necessary, it would be done prior to radiation therapy. After the surgery and after the pathology reports are in and after the surgical sites have healed, I'll be referred to a radiological oncologist and/or a medical oncologist for further treatment. We really can't get too far ahead with this. Each new step is based upon findings from the previous step, so everything except Friday's scan and surgery is speculation. Minimum treatment at this time is lumpectomy followed by radiation. We'll keep our fingers crossed.

Jean (our youngest daughter) has decided that she's going to be coming down from Nashville on Thursday through Sunday to help out. I know she will be a help, and I know it'll make her happy to see just what's happening to her mother. If nothing else, it's gotten her to make an appointment for her mammogram and pap smear.

I've done some painting - and that's a good thing. I really haven't done much in a long time. Oue neighbor send me some flowers, and I've been doing watercolors of those on cards. I need to do some of the big splashy acrylics, too. Margaret sent a photo of the two smaller ones that I did to go with her big one in the den. They look great!

John has a miserable cold. He's all stopped up and coughing. I hope he gets over that soon.

We'll be going to the Photographic Society tonight. The program is on digital photography, and I need all the help I can get with the new camera.