It is wonderful to have one surgery behind us.  I have my second surgery (the full reconstruction) next Thursday, June 28^th.  But this week has largely been what I hoped post-surgery would be: pain under control.  I’ve actually been much more mobile than I thought I would be, which is nice.  I’ve focused my full attention on sleeping, eating well, and moving about so I can be as ready as possible for next week’s surgery.  And then I’ll be done with surgery!

During the mastectomy, the surgeon first took out my three sentinel lymph nodes (the first lymph nodes the breast drains into), and sent them to the pathologist  She then performed the double mastectomy while awaiting results from the pathologist.  My oncologist explained that during this “initial pathology”, the lymph nodes is cut in half like a sandwich roll.  They look at both halves to see if they see cancer.  During mine, they did not see any cancer,  so the surgeon left the rest of my lymph nodes intact.  Praise God.

My oncologist then explained that during final pathology, which takes a few days, very thin slices of the lymph nodes would be examined for cancer cells so they could determine if there was any cancer present.  None of my three lymph nodes showed any disease from examining these “slices”.  The hospital where I was goes one step further than most hospitals, and stains each slice with an antibody stain that shows clumps of cancer cells.  One of the three lymph nodes did show very small amounts of cancer cells under this antibody stain.  Interestingly enough, I am still considered “lymph node negative” which is excellent news.  Obviously, that lymph node (which showed a trace amount of cancer) is now gone, and if any others have the same small amount of cells, that is for radiation to “clean up”.  My oncologist believes all other lymph nodes are likely clear of cancer.

We also learned from the final pathology that the “tumor bed” / scar tissue area measured about 4.5 cm.  In that area, they found a very small amount of disease measuring about 2.5 mm (about the thickness of an American quarter).  The surgeon commented that if we’d had another week for the chemo to work, it likely could have melted away as well.  We are thrilled with this!  I am considered an “almost total responder” to the chemo.

Abby, Will, and Nate are enjoying a vacation to Charlotte with my parents, who are most certainly NOT on vacation caring for three little ones!  Abby and Will both did a week of camp at my alma mater (Charlotte Christian).  Abby’s was an American Girl doll camp, where they generously gifted her with her first American girl doll. Will did a soccer camp.  They will be gone for the next few weeks while I do more surgery, and then begin to heal.

As for my care team, I am completely spoiled.  Gabe is ever the excellent doctor, and is such an attentive husband during this time.  My sister Autumn (a nurse) has come and gone this week, as she decided I needed my own personal nurse.  Gabe’s sister, Anita, and her husband Allen arrived this evening and will be here the next few days.  Anita is a rehab doctor!  We have the sweetest little baby (Kai) who is here to bring healing through joy and giggles.  And my mother-in-law (an occupational therapist) has been so faithful to serve us for so many months.  She has done extensive research on healing up from surgery, and is my director of healing this month!  We continue to be so grateful for your faithful prayers for us, and most especially, for our good Father who answers each one.