On Tuesday morning we arrived at the at the Breast Center at 6:30 a.m. to begin the registration process. Registration was followed by my mammogram and ultrasound. MD Anderson had sent me a checklist of things to do prior to arriving at the facility. One of the things was to obtain all of your scans (bone, ct, breast mri, mammogram, and ultrasound) digitally on a CD. With so much going on I overlooked this, and arrived at MD Anderson without my scans. Luckily, they were able to go ahead and see me without the scans. I completed 3 release forms each stating to have all of my scans overnighted from my Lubbock Hospital to MD Anderson. The mammogram and ultrasound both showed a tumor in my right breast that was measuring nearly 2 cm in circumference. It was originally measuring around 3 cm in circumference prior to chemo. However, to the technicians surprise, the tumor marker that had been placed in my breast when I received my core biopsy was now not marked on the tumor. The tumor marker was now adjacent to the tumor. This can be from a few things: 1) the tumor marker was not initially placed in the correct position being the middle of the tumor; 2) the tumor has shrunk so much that the maker is now not associated with the tumor; 3) the tumor maker has moved.
While being treated in Lubbock I have been very persistent on receiving follow-up testing to see how the tumor is reacting to the chemo, along with follow-up scans on the suspicious chest wall invasion, suspicious lymph node area, 5 mm spot in my left breast, and the spot on my 10th rib. MD Anderson was shocked that none of this had been conducted! MD Anderson conducts follow-up exams on their breast cancer patients every couple of weeks. This was my second round of exams since the initial round. On the tests performed at MD Anderson, my lymph nodes, chest wall, and left breast all showed to be clear. They were not surprised from these findings though since I have been on chemo so long. However, MD Anderson and I are frustrated because more testing should have been done on these specific spots to determine if these areas are positive before being on chemo for this length of time.
On Wednesday I had an appointment with one of the nationally recognized breast surgeons. I was hopeful that they had received my scans so that they could get a complete picture when the doctor met with us. To my surprise, they had not. We were able to meet with the surgeon and her PA. I was highly impressed with their professionalism, the information they provided, and the complete thoroughness they were conducting. We discussed greatly the different surgery options, being either a mastectomy or lumpectomy. Lumpectomy is an option that would require them to cut the entire tumor area and a good size, clear border around my tumor. This would also require 6 full weeks (everyday Monday - Friday) of radiation. The doctors have some concern with this option because there is no marker on the spot that was appearing in my left breast. I am nearly 95% sure that I want to receive a bilateral mastectomy. Choosing this option I will not have to receive radiation on my breast, my breast will be even in size, and I will not have to worry the rest of my life about the unknown spot in my left breast.
The surgeon had some concerns since my lymph nodes showed up suspicious in a scan, but there were no actual pathology biopsies performed. The surgeon will take a sample and observe my lymph node area while undergoing the mastectomy. Generally they would be able to perform reconstructive surgery immediately following the mastectomy. However, given my scenario they will take samples of my lymph nodes during the mastectomy and then send them to the lab. We will have to wait on the results of my lymph nodes before I can have the reconstructive surgery. If the lymph nodes show to be positive, then they will be removed, and I will also have to undergo 6 weeks of radiation. During our appointment, we also asked questions about the spot on my 10th rib. The surgeon assured me that all suspicious areas would be looked into and examined before surgery was done. The doctor ordered a chest x-ray for me immediately after my appointment.
When going to MD Anderson on Monday I was unsure if I wanted to actually be treated at this facility because it was so far away from Lubbock. After meeting with the surgeon and PA though I was sold that this is the best place to be! I am sold that they will make sure to cover 100% of their basis in order to ensure that I never have to live through this nightmare again. MD Anderson will be conducting my surgery, which as of now will be mid-June. The only thing that could prolong my surgery date is if I have to push back chemo dates because my white blood cell count drops. Hopefully, this doesn't happen. My next trip to MD Anderson will be in a couple weeks to have my initial appointment with the plastic surgeon.
On Thursday morning I emailed MD Anderson to check and see if my scans had been received. To my surprise, they still had not! I personally went up to the Lubbock hospital, and to my surprise found out that the scans had never even left the administrators office. She informed me that FedEx had not made it to their office to pick-up my package. It had been 48 hours since I had submitted my request to receive these scans overnight. I was very unhappy with the lack of proficiency that had been displayed by the Lubbock hospital, but there really wasn't much I could do. I obtained the scanned disc myself and went to FedEx and mailed them. I was shocked when I received flowers that afternoon, the hospital department decided to send me flowers to apologize for this mistake. Flowers always brighten a girls day!
All of this paperwork, documentation, phone calls, emails, follow-ups, lab work, travel, not to mention the actual doctors appointments requires more out of you than a full-time employed position. Having cancer is beyond overwhelming!!
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