This Princess Has A Pea
Sarah
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Posts by Sarah
Good News from Thursday’s Biopsy
Feb 26th
Just the Facts: The radiologist called this afternoon to let me know that the area that was biopsied was cancer, but that it was NOT a lymph node! That it was not a cancerous lymph node is EXCELLENT news!
Details: Yesterday’s biopsy confirmed another cancerous tumor exists in the right breast. However, a cancerous tumor is preferable to a cancerous lymph node!! I am very happy with this result!! Given that the MRI did not show any other unhealthy looking lymph nodes, I have a great deal of hope that the cancer has not spread beyond the breasts. The radiologist was careful to caution me not to count on that. Sometimes lymph nodes can appear healthy and still harbor cancer. However, to the best of our knowledge now, the nodes all are healthy. I couldn’t really hope for better news at this point and I’m so happy to have this news on a Friday afternoon!!!
The fact remains, the tumor is cancer, but it definitely could be worse! It is Invasive Mammary Carcinoma involving Tubules and it also is low grade, meaning not growing aggressively. I didn’t ask the size but he mentioned yesterday that all tumors were small, and that the original one found was the largest, at just under 1cm. Once again, our decision for mastectomy is confirmed, since another area of cancer in the same breast has been verified.
What’s coming up? Genetics counseling on Tuesday and the biopsy of the tumor/spot in the left breast on Wednesday.
Other: It seems crazy to be excited to receive this call indicating a cancerous tumor, but it is actually really great news and I feel very positive!! Didn’t sleep that well last night but had a delicious nap just prior to receiving that phone call, so I feel great now. Planning to hold on to that feeling!! Thank you for all the good wishes, support and prayers. It worked. 
Meeting with Radiologist
Feb 25th
Just the facts: The radiologist, who evaluated my MRIs and mammograms, and who performed today’s biopsy, requested a meeting with Tracy and me to walk us through the sequence of fact-finding events up to now. It was a beneficial meeting and Tracy and I feel more secure in our decision now.
Details: We were shown a lot of images from prior mammograms. It is unreal how opaque my breast tissue is. The mammograms truly are useless in my case. We got to see the MRI images as well. Honestly, I had to fight getting sick. I thought it was gross to see several areas light up in all kinds of color on the screen, indicating the presence of (possible) cancer.
We did get some helpful information/clarification and good news in the meeting. Given my specific circumstances (especially the extremely difficult to monitor breast tissue) we feel confident in our decision for me to have bilateral mastectomy. We learned that the other spots/tumors all are smaller than the first one found, and none of them looks “worse” in any way. Some may be the more preferable “in situ” versus “invasive” type. The area that the doctor biopsied today may or may not have been a lymph node. Our prayer is that it WASN’T a lymph node. It looked unusual and could be cancerous or not. The best case scenario would be that it was neither cancer nor a lymph node.
The doctor also indicated that I would need at least one more biopsy. (!!!) Since the left breast has an unknown spot/tumor, we need to know if it is cancer prior to surgery. If we can confirm that it is NOT cancer, no lymph node surgery will have to be done on the left side. The lymph node surgery alone is very troublesome and can lead to future problems. It will definitely have to be done on the right, but if we can avoid it on the left, that would be great. That biopsy is scheduled for Wednesday at 10am. I really loved my radiology tech and radiologist who worked with me today and made sure that they would be helping me next week. It does make it more bearable to know and trust the people who are working on/with you.
Prayer Requests: Please continue to pray for a good result from today’s biopsy: NO cancer and that it was not a lymph node after all. Please pray for good sleep for me, as this has been kind of an issue lately, and it has a direct affect on my outlook.
Other: I am overwhelmed at the support here and elsewhere. Thank you for all the prayers and good wishes. Do not feel obligated to leave comments but please feel free to do so if you wish.
Home from Biopsy
Feb 25th
Just the Facts: They were able to easily find the area they wanted to biopsy, which was great. Three samples were taken (the standard). The path report is expected in 1-3 business days.
Details: Biopsies are no fun! It wasn’t as bad as the first one, though - much quicker this time. I am wearing an ice pack on the area (brrrr!) for the day, can shower in 24 hours, must restrict activity/lifting for 2 days but otherwise all good. The radiologist requested a consult with Tracy and me so we are returning later today for that. I believe he is just going to show us the MRI images and make sure we understand all the options. Will update after. Thank you to everyone for the good wishes, support and prayers. 
Wednesday, February 24
Feb 24th
Just the Facts: Scheduled an appointment with a genetics counselor – March 2. Preparing for and thinking about tomorrow’s lymph node biopsy.
Details: Made an appointment with a genetics counselor at Carolinas Medical Center today. This was requested by my surgeon, prior to knowing the results of the MRI. I am not sure if the genetics test, or at least the full genetics panel, is worth going through at this point. Will check with the surgeon’s nurse on that tomorrow.
Today it hit me that the results of tomorrow’s biopsy could clue us in about whether or not the cancer has metastasized. I guess it could ease our fears, but not relieve them OR it could confirm the presence of cancer in the nodes. The importance of this test seems much bigger in my mind.
Prayer Request: Same as yesterday, but more focused: please pray that the results of the biopsy come back with good news, that the node is clear and ultimately that we learn that the cancer has NOT spread at all!!! Please pray for my continued peace. Please pray for Mitchell and Olivia to have peace as well, and of course my sweet Tracy.
Tuesday February 23
Feb 23rd
Just the Facts: I feel great today! Woke up feeling super positive. I trust those early morning feelings.
Details: Yesterday was tiring but I slept very well and I feel great about the outlook now. I’m trying to make friends in my mind with thoughts of chemo, even though they won’t know if I’ll need it for a while. My approach is: it’s better to prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
Prayer requests: Please focus on the upcoming biopsy. It will be on Thursday morning at 8am. The process itself isn’t fun but my hope is that the radiologist 1)can find the node (if it was a node they saw in the MRI) 2)can successfully biopsy it (sometimes it’s hard to do) 3)that the results come back showing NO cancer at all. This could have a big impact on how extensive the lymph node portion of the surgery will be, and of course news of no cancer in that node would be VERY welcome!!
MRI Results
Feb 22nd
Just the facts: The MRI results were given to me by phone today. The MRI shows 3 more possible tumors in the right breast and one in the left. Also, a lymph node (they think it’s a lymph node) in the right breast looks suspicious. They wanted to biopsy all 5 new places and I said NO to that. Looks like a bilateral mastectomy is the way to go. Will have the suspicious node biopsied on Thursday. All other nodes look good and the tumors are all small. YAY to that!
Details: Well, POO! Not exactly what I wanted to hear. I must remember that all those spots are not necessarily cancer. Breast MRIs have a high rate of false positive readings. However, there is a very good chance that at least one or two of them is. The radiologist also explained how difficult it is to read my mammograms. Apparently my breast tissue is dense. No, SUPER dense. NO – like the densest stuff they have ever seen! It is virtually impossible to see anything on the mammograms. This plays a big role in the decision to have mastectomy. Recurrence of the cancer in breast tissue is highly likely, and if the tissue can’t easily be evaluated, we have a potential problem. So given that there is probably at least one or more malignant tumor and the breast tissue couldn’t be monitored well in the future, the decision really is a no-brainer. For that I am thankful. I am not worried about the surgery. Actually, I am quite ready to get going. We still have to have the biopsy of the node, though, and meet with a plastic surgeon,and possibly a geneticist. And an oncologist. OK, I guess I will get used to waiting!
Feeling: Relieved that the decision about what surgery to have is not really a decision. A bit fearful about that one node that looks suspicious but relieved that all the others appear healthy. WHEW! Also feel a little mentally tired, like I just need a :30 rest. My clients and other kettlebellers will get this: it’s like I just finished doing 25 swings with a heavy bell and I just need a few seconds before I pick the bell up again. I want to continue, just could use a breather. Please pray for mental rejuvenation for me, for the biopsy on Thursday to be easy and painless, and for the results to come back showing NO cancer in that node.
MRI on Friday, February 19
Feb 20th
Just the facts: I had a breast MRI Friday (both breasts). It took about 20 minutes on the table inside the machine, and it was LOUD! I had no problems, other than an upset stomach later, possibly from the contrast they gave me? I was told that the MRI wouldn’t be read until Monday, and I should have results Tuesday or Wednesday next week.
Details: It was really LOUD!!!! Unbelievable!! I was warned about this but I was still astonished at just how loud it was, even with earplugs. You have to have a sense of humor with these things also. The way I was positioned on the table? Oh my!! It really wasn’t that bad though. I am not claustrophic, thankfully. I tried to listen to the BOOM BOOM BOOM and make it seem like a musical rhythm. Ha. That kind of worked. I was really glad when it was over, though. I felt like I had been to a loud concert afterwards, and walked out somewhat dazed and confused. Definitely not a big deal in the scheme of things though. My friend, Kathleen, had brought me, and afterwards we had lunch and did a bit of shopping.
Other: Thinking about this verse, which is on my wall at the studio (one of those wall quote thingies): “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11. I believe that!
Prayer requests: That the MRI will reveal any areas that we need to know about, but will NOT show any false positives (which breast MRIs often do). For peace for our children, Olivia (12) and Mitchell (10) and for Tracy as they are forced to walk through a crisis of their own.
What’s coming up: Results from the MRI, more appointments (plastic surgeon, genetics testing) and scheduling surgery.
Feeling: Strong. Enjoying my workouts immensely as I feel very powerful when I hoist metal!!!!! Eager to get through decision making and move toward action.
Meeting with Surgeon, Wednesday February 17
Feb 19th
Tracy and I had a long meeting with a surgeon at Blumenthal Cancer Center. He covered every detail fully. We liked him a lot and feel confident that he will be a great doctor for me.
He gave us the additional news that my tumor is Estrogen and Progesterone receptor positive, which means it will respond well to hormonal drug therapy, if I choose to take it. Also, it is HER2 negative. All of these test results are excellent news, the best possible outcomes in the Doctor’s view.
He presented us with a variety of scenarios and options. We developed a game plan which includes: Breast MRI, genetics testing and possibly consulting with a plastic surgeon. We will proceed with scheduling surgery, but will allow for time to receive all the results before the surgery. We estimated that the surgery would be in 4-6 weeks. The doctor was confident that the tumor is very slow growing, and that waiting a month would be inconsequential.
This Princess Has a Pea
Feb 19th
Here is a post I wrote for another blog to share the news about my breast cancer:
Meaning of “SARAH”
“Lady” or “princess” in Hebrew. This was the name of the wife of Abraham in the Old Testament. She became the mother of Isaac at the age of 90. Her name was originally Sarai but God changed it (see Genesis 17:15). In England, Sarah came into use after the Protestant Reformation.
From www.behindthename.com
pea –noun.
- the round, edible seed of a widely cultivated plant, Pisum sativum, of the legume family
- the plant itself
- the green, somewhat inflated pod of this plant.
- any of various related or similar plants or their seed, as the chickpea.
- something resembling a pea, esp. in being small and round.
From www.dictionary.com
This princess has a pea.
It’s a play on words: I have a tumor.
I found out Friday, February 12, 2010 that I have breast cancer. It is small, pea-sized, and although it’s considered “invasive”, it most likely HAS NOT spread to any other areas. I am having an MRI tomorrow to confirm that. I do know that the cancer is the type that is slow growing and also very responsive to drug therapy. There is much good news within this story!
The reality is that for certain I will have to have surgery. The extent of it will be dependent on the MRI results as well as some other testing, and my preference. Less involved surgery would also require radiation. Chemotherapy is a maybe no matter which surgery I decide upon, and the chemo decision will have to be made after the lymph nodes are studied (after surgery).
This stinks, no doubt. I’ve worked hard to get in the shape I am in. (I’d call it near-readiness for RKC, using the 12kg bell for snatches.) I will be out of the kettlebell game for a little bit. But I am ready for this fight and I will be a cancer survivor! God did not bring me through this craziness, allow me to find my passion and build a business around it and begin to make a difference in others’ lives, for me to then prepare to die. This cancer is just another chapter in my far-from-over story. Watch and see. 
Training will continue until surgery (which is at least a month away) and then will resume as soon as possible afterwards. (You KNOW that’s true!) So www.strongsarah.com will still continue to be updated with training news. However, for updates on my health, tests, decisions, thoughts and probably WAY more than you ever wanted to know, I’m starting another blog: www.strongersarah.com. You’ll be able to get as little or as much detailed information as you want. (But don’t try clicking that link yet – it’s not ready!) I chose the name because that’s what I’m going to be: STRONGER, for having overcome another physical trial. Please join me at www.strongersarah.com when you can. And don’t worry about me! I am STRONGSARAH!