Monday March 28 2011- Day 84

Today I have a follow-up appointment with the breast care doctor again. This one isnt til 1 pm but it's ok. I ask Miguel if he can take me but he cant so I catch the metro. Dr McSwain tells me that the surgery is next Thurs. That they plan to go in and remove the remaining tumor along with 2-5 of the lymph nodes from my right armpit. They will send these off for a pathology report which will take 10 days. After 10 days they will receive the results. At this time either the test will confirm that I am now cancer free and I am finished with treatment or if they did not get all of the tumor they will have to go back in to remove more tissue til they get a defined border of the tumor area. Also if the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes they will have to go back in and remove all of the remaining lymph nodes in my right arm pit to keep it from spreading further. After which I will then have to receive daily 20 min radiation treatments for 6 straight weeks. The radiation will cause continued fatigue, continued inability to grow hair and will cause a severe burn on my right breast. I dread having to go through more pain and misery. I pray to God that surgery next week will end this 3 month suffering I have endured.