Update….
We went up to MD Anderson in mid February and spent three days up there meeting with the Oncology team and surgeon and before those sessions they did more diagnostic work to confirm what the preliminary work showed from the lab and diagnostics in Corpus . I can tell you MD Anderson earns its reputation. We were seen on time or earlier than the scheduled time and every visit during the process was not rushed. They took their time with us and answered all questions and put all the options on the table and timelines.
Initially it looked like they were going to do the surgery first to remove the lump, but the Oncologist was concerned about a particular marker her cancer showed that could cause the cancer to accelerate. So she decided to take the option to do the chemotherapy first and then sometime in August have the tumor removed. She had her first treatment at MD Anderson in early March and we were fortunate a Oncologist down here has a relationship with MD Anderson to coordinate treatments so we don’t have to drive to Houston every other week during this first phase. Next month the second phase of the chemo begins which requires a weekly visit, but instead of a three hour session, it’s supposed to be shorter. We still have to go up there for a check up every six weeks until surgery.
She began to lose her hair after her second treatment which was a blow to her, but she knew was coming and prepared for it. She did her third treatment today, so she is hoping it’s rinse and repeat from the prior two where the fatigue and other yuck does it’s worse over the weekend and Monday she begins a rebound She works from home and her boss pretty much told her to rest when ever she needs to rest and she has treatment days off which are on Thursday and the following Friday for the duration if she feels the need to take the entire day off.
If everything goes as the plan stands now, she will have surgery in August. Since no lymph nodes are involved, the surgery itself will not be as invasive. They will also be able to do the reconstructive surgery after the lump is removed and do the other side to make sure things match if you know what I mean and all covered by her health insurance. It’s about time that sort of thing was covered for women and I wish it was back in the 80s when my mom went through breast cancer. Never understood why losing any other body part would get covered, but not a women’s breast which is very much a vital part for women was never treated the same.
The upside with doing the chemo first as well is the cancer should all be gone and no follow up chemo or radiation will be necessary. She has the surgery and it’s done!
I can’t say again how super the folks are at MD Anderson. The University of Texas should be proud to have its name and legacy attached with such a wonderful facility. They will be on my charity contribution list from this point forward. Texans and others who don’t have the means should not have this option excluded from them because of circumstances.
Thanks again for all who have commented and reached out!