Where to start?

I decided that creating this blog, apart from our family's blog, would enable friends and family to get updates on my health issues, as well as to leave comments (if so desired). Now that Ryan so willingly set it up for me, I am supposed to begin posting. But...as the title states........where do I start?

It hasn't even been 3 weeks since I first had an inkling of what was going on, yet it seems as though I have had this breast cancer diagnosis for a l-o-n-g time. Since January 5, when they did my first "routine" mammogram, I have had an ultrasound, chest x-ray, PET scan, CT scan, 2 biopsies, 1 pre-op appointment and 6 doctors' appointments. I am so very grateful that most of these were scheduled for me; Jennifer at Dr. Harkins' office has been absolutely wonderful. I have 2 more tests scheduled for this coming week - a bone scan on Tuesday and a heart scan on Friday. The bone scan will tell us whether or not the cancer has spread to the bones; the heart scan will tell us if my heart can withstand the chemo treatments. Meaghan asked last night, "And what if it can't?" Hmmmmm....good question.........

We picked my oncologist this week. Her name is Dr. Frankie Holmes; she was on staff at MD Anderson for many years but is now in private practice. Her specialty is breast cancer, and she has come highly recommended by both my gynecologist and a friend from church who saw her during her bout with breast cancer 10 years ago. Even though her office is a 40 minute drive from here, versus 5 minutes to Tomball Hospital, Michael and I both feel extremely at ease with her manner and (most importantly!) her expertise. I will still continue to see my local surgeon and will be able to do the radiation portion of my treatment right here in Tomball at the new Cancer Center.

So, we still have a little bit more time to wait. We are still waiting on the results from Tuesday biopsy which will give us the receptor status that we need so the doctors can accurately choose the correct chemo drugs. I am hoping those results will be in by mid-week, but since there is only one lab (in California) which does the work, we are on their time schedule. Once those results are in, along with the results from the bone and heart scans, the doctor wants to start treatment....maybe as early as the week of February 6. Oh yes, and before they can start, I need to have a "port" put in the right side of my chest so they can have a place to inject the drugs. I feel another call to Jennifer coming on!

I have been flooded with e-mails, calls, visits, cards and meals already; it is all quite overwhelming. Everyone has been so very kind and caring. This is all so new to us yet, but the support we have had from friends and family has helped so much. We brought 2 meals home from church just this afternoon; they knew it would be a busy week ahead and wanted to help. God has been holding our hands step by step through these past few weeks; please know that your prayers are appreciated more than mere words can express.

As we hear more during the week, I will try to post updates. Until then, I will leave you with the passage of Scripture that I have been clinging to lately:

"It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him." Lamentations 3:22-25

posted by Kim @ 5:29 PM