A Change In Plans

Yesterday while logging on to Yahoo to open my email I noticed a news story about a woman who decided to delay breast cancer treatment in the name of science so that she could donate her tumor. Click here for the story. She has a more rare type of cancer called "triple negative". The typical and more common courses of treatment do not work on her. This is because her tumors are unaffected by the hormones progesterone and estrogen, as well as the HER2 protein. She is in a rare category...between 10-20% of breast cancer falls into this category and it is overall much harder to fight and treat.
As I read her story (of course I had to since it's a cancer story) I picked up my lab results to compare mine against hers. It turns out that I am her. My cancer is triple negative. I am an information getter...I worry more by not knowing than by knowing and understanding. If there is a course of action and a plan, I feel much better. Finding out on my own that I am a triple negative was jarring to say the least, so first thing this morning I called my surgeon to confirm it. He should know by now that if he hasn't told me, I'm going to find out soon.
Less than 5 minutes after I left a message for him, he called. But he called not knowing I had just left a message...his call was about something entirely different. First, he confirmed my suspicions and I am considered a triple negative. Radiation is now OUT. His call was about the MRI...results are in.
I have 4 satellite spots that have shown up independent of my main tumor. This is all contained within the right breast. Also, two lymph nodes look suspicious. Not enlarged or anything, but suspicious. Plans have changed...with all of the "removing" going on, I'll look like a mess. I have now be upgraded to a mastectomy! Which is fine. Like I said, I need a plan and I have one. This will be followed up with chemotherapy. Potent chemotherapy. Triple negative tumors respond very well to chemo, but it's probably going to be very strong. The other very good news I've learned is that all of the problems are front loaded. This means that I'll go at the cancer guns a-blazing, full-force and this type of cancer reacts well and fast. There is a much higher chance of it returning within the first 3-5 years. However, after that the chances drop of considerably! That is awesome news to me!!! I can handle this.
One last thing...surgery was moved up 5 days to the 13th. He'll perform a mastectomy, a biopsy of my sentinel lymph node, and remove any nodes that he feels are misbehaving. If the sentinel node comes back cancerous, he'll have to go back in and remove the rest. You may be wondering why I don't just have him take it all out now?
1. Lymphedema...when you take all of the nodes out, the arm and hand tends to swell. Not good.
2. If I have a double mastectomy, (there are no worries at this point in the left breast), that would be lame. This is why. Would you rather have a general surgeon remove a body part or a plastic surgeon remove a body part? I'm opting for the guy who works magic with scars.
3. Chemotherapy will kill anything trying to mutate inside of me. And I'm good with that.
Lastly, I am really looking forward to getting a new scarf and wrap collection going! And I'll finally be able to have short hair! I've been wanting that for awhile...I guess I should be a little more careful with what I wish for...I might get it!