The Anchor 💗⚓️💗 – Edition 7

April 15, 2017

Dear Family and Friends,

Today TW and I had an appointment in the radiology department.  In the very beginning of my appointments at MDA and before they had biopsied the “suspicious” lymph node, my team of doctors thought that I was Stage 0.  They were basing it off of information from my previous mammogram from another hospital.  At that time, my team of doctors thought that I was Stage O – DCIS with large amounts of calcifications, meaning noninvasive cancer.  I briefly met the radiologist at my first appointment, but I did not think I would be meeting with him again due to information from my first mammogram. 

So my appointment was called radiologist “consultation”.  In my mind, I was thinking are we going to talk with the doctor about radiation being a possibility or has the decision already been made?  According from what I was told in the beginning, radiation is not needed unless 4 lymph nodes or more are involved.  I had 2 lymph nodes that were involved.  

TW and I are sitting in the waiting area and are called back to meet with the nurse.  She asks me the standard questions to see how I am doing and proceeds to say that she is going to show us the radiation video.  After she leaves the room, I ask TW for a tissue.  In my mind, I was thinking that this “consultation” was where a decision would be made, not that the decision had already been made.  Guess I was HOPEFUL, that radiation was not necessary.  

After the video was over, the radiologist came into the office to talk to TW and I.  He said that he is recommending radiation due to my age (being young) and that it will decrease the chances of breast cancer returning.  He continued to explain that radiation will be everyday, Monday – Friday for 4 to 6 weeks.  I will start radiation after chemotherapy.  I just sat and listened….I know that all of his points are valid, so radiation it is!  I will call radiation, Stage 3 of my journey.  

As you can see, there is a video at the top of this letter instead of a picture.  My sweet niece AW produced a video along with the Wilson and Wilcox family.  CW and CW put the video into motion involving their children and dogs.  To be honest, I have only watched the video once, which was the original viewing.  I know that when I do watch it again, the waterworks will fall.  The video honestly could have not come at a better time. CW and my in-laws showed me the video the day after I found out that I would be receiving radiation.  Please watch the video and be sure to have some tissues nearby!

Anchored in HOPE,

JW