My Dance Card is Full

3/15/2011 We got the results from Friday.  The left breast is pretty much hosed, but righty is okay! I rejoiced in righty for about five minutes before I got a facebook from someone, telling me that her friend with my same situation got a double mastectomy for good measure.  Still less cancer is better than more, and each person is different.  3/17/2011 We had the surgical consultation.  They had me fill out a ream of paperwork, including an emotional questionnaire.  It asked about my feelings/fears/fatigue.  It had a section where you color in a thermometer according to your level of distress.  I pretty much wanted to cross off the thermometer and draw pictures of both middle fingers extended.  I was grateful that the doctor said neither, "how are you" or "it's nice to meet you".  He did ask me what I knew about what was going on.  Okay, it's a fair question.  He didn't know what I had been told or what I had been able to hear/understand/recall under the circumstances.  Then he asked me what I thought we ought to do about it to which I replied, I think we should consult a professional.  He seemed satisfied with my reply.  I think we are going to get along just fine.  I am going to need a mastectomy of the left breast, chemotherapy, and probably radiation (depending on how many of  the lymph nodes are involved).  The surgery and treatment will take about a year, and year after that I can do the reconstruction.  Over the course of the next two weeks I am having a PET/CT scan, blood testing, genetic testing, plastic surgery consultation, MRI, radiology consult, oncology consult, and a pre-op visit.  Righty should be safe unless the medical tests reveal something new or the genetic tests reveal a likelihood of recurrence.  Surgery should happen in about a month. He gave me a stage 2a or maybe 2b (pending confirmation by the battery of tests and pathology of what they remove during surgery).  Stage 2 has a high survival rate.  Silver linings: six weeks off work for surgery, I have an excuse to buy a platinum wig and find out if blonde's really do have more fun, and they can make a boob out of my belly fat!  Who knew I would be getting a free tummy tuck!  This will come in handy, especially considering I've taken to comfort food and gained about five pounds in the last couple of weeks.  A side note is that Kevin is thinking of starting a new charity similar to Locks of Love only it will be more like Bellies for Boobs.  The doctor explained to me that it's important to fully plan out the reconstruction, because you can only use the belly fat once.  I asked him why you can't go back to the well multiple times.  He clearly wanted to laugh (though I was serious).  Did I mention we are going to get along well?  Other upsides:  maybe I'll be eligible for medical marijuana, and if not, I will have a chemo port so I can easily and efficiently push a variety of drugs into my blood stream.  I should probably mention that if you don't know me well you should know I have a dry sense of humor.  When in doubt, I'm likely not serious.  A few serious comments: I'm so grateful that it's not more advanced than stage two.  God is keeping me close.  God's people across many church communities are praying for healing and peace for our family.  I've even got a dear atheist friend who has agreed to pray to no one, and my best friend in Florida is praying to "anyone who will listen".  I know God will go with me, and I have faith in God's will being done.