Rory Medical Update

Just a quick note to update everyone on what we have found out from the MRI.

Preston & I talked to my surgeon via phone this afternoon for quite some time. MRI results look really great and he is really encouraged that we are on track for surgery options being minimal.

We talked in length about all of the options of surgery and the whole node dissection thing. We have decided that once in surgery that if the sentinel node is negative, they wont come out. It will mean extra radiation to that area after surgery, but Dr F didnt seem to think that was going to be a really big deal.

Both Preston and I feel our decision is the right one, and in this case we are going for the "less is more" approach. I am officially pre-registered for surgery as of today and with only a couple of Dr appts left on our plate, everything looks like a go for next week.

Sooooo..here is the hoped game plan: April 5 AM I will check into the mammography office. There they will place a locator wire into the tumor. Next I will go over to the hospital. Part A of surgery is the sentinel node biopsy. IF negative, plan will be to leave all the other nodes in place. IF positive for any reason, surgery will include taking them all out (Dr F seems to feel this will probably not be the case). Part B of surgery will be the actual tumor removal. At this point, Dr F is planning on just the lumpectomy. This should be just an out patient thing, provided I eventually come around from the anesthesia and dont have to be admitted for the night. Recovery should just take as long as I need for the most part. I am sure we will find out more about that next week.

We have an appt to meet with the radiology team on April 16. This will be a monster long appt that will set up exactly what I will need and set up my treatment schedule. Will plan to start sometime in May and radiation therapy will last 6 weeks. Dont have any info or details about what will come after radiation. I will have several follow up appts, more tests, will eventually have my port removed, and will be given a post chemo/cancer med that will most likely be on the rest of my life.

I guess that is all for now. Talking with my surgeon today really answered alot of questions and both Preston & I feel better about things, and much more prepared for next week.

We will try to post more as we gather more info or receive more instructions for next week. Stay tuned....