Good News, Right?

Yesterday was a BIG day. Aside from it being the first day of school, soccer practice, and seminary, it was my first in-office post-operation appointment. Otherwise known as....pathology reports are in!
As Adam, my mom and I waited in the examining room, my surgeon walked and after greeting us, proceeds to read us the BEST NEWS EVER as if he's reading the morning paper. Surgeons...this guy is awesome, but he really keeps all emotion out of his bedside manner. Here's the gist of it.

Essentially, the cancer hasn't spread. At ALL. Every node taken tested negative for cancer cells. Also, all margins from my tumor and margins from my satellite masses tested negative for cancer cells! (the margin is the extra tissue surrounding the tumor that is cut in order to make sure they got it all.)

Of the actual main tumor that is 3.6 cm, only 1.2 cm was discovered to be invasive cancer...otherwise known as:

• Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC): Cancerous cells grow in the duct lining, break through the wall of the duct and invade local breast tissue. From there, the cancer may spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body.

All other cancer in the main tumor and surrounding areas was known as:

• Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS): Cancerous cells are confined within the lining of the milk ducts, and haven't spread through the duct walls into surrounding breast tissue. If DCIS lesions are left untreated, over time cancer cells may break through the duct and spread to nearby tissue, becoming an invasive breast cancer.

This is exactly what we have been praying and hoping and relying on! This was everything!!! All of every good thing that you have been sending my way and up to Heavenly Father was granted to me and to us! I can't express my thanks enough. Nothing I can do will ever be enough to thank all of you who have helped me through this! I know it's not over, but this is huge to me. As the Dr. read the results all matter-of-factly, we looked at each other with that dropped jaw look...like "is he really saying this?" Yes. He said it and I know that inwardly he did somersaults for us. How could he not? I tell myself that Dr.'s have to emotionally remove themselves from these types of situations in order to cope. I don't know how they do this every day without just looking at everything from a technical standpoint. I don't even care...that man is getting some freshly baked cookies.

A few things you'll probably want to know...especially the ladies. He had to take all of everything from the right side right down to the chest wall. I literally have nothing but skin and as he changed the bandages, I finally saw what I have been avoiding. That was a reality check for sure and made me a little sad. But, I've looked at a lot of pictures and I have to say that his work is the best I've seen. Are you completely grossed out now? Also, I'm still swelling a little so the lovely little drain I am wearing gets to stay with me for a few more days. On Thursday the stitches come out and next week staples come out. But every day is a little less painful and I am pushing through the sore muscles and numbness to get mobility and feeling back. It's working.

On Monday I meet with my oncologist...it looks like I'll still be going through chemotherapy due to the nature of the cancer, but I'll know more after that appointment. I'll totally be on board with what she wants me to do. I just want the cancer annihilated!

Finally, can I just say that I have the BEST friends and family! All of you are the reason why this is going so well and God is hearing you and me. He knows you and loves you. And if you don't know that, just take my word for it until you do. His WILL will be done, and right now he wants me to live!