Stacey's Cancer Timeline

Sitting in the waiting area as Stacey has surgery seemed like a good time to write out a time line of the cancer process as it has happened so far. It started a lot longer ago than the 41 days from her first visit to Dr. Kolb to the mastectomy that is in progress as I type this.

February 25, 1972 - Stacey is born.

1982
Stacey begins becoming a woman and thus developing breasts.

2004
Sometime during this year a cell in Stacey’s left breast likely divides in an abnormal way for the first time. The doctors, and the literature, tell us that from the time the first cell divides till the time a 1cm lump is able to be felt in the breast it takes 2 to 8 years, with most people believing it takes the longer amount of time.

2012
June 5 – 13 (sometime)
Stacey discovers a lump in her left breast during a self exam while on vacation in MI. She did not have a pattern of regular self-exams, but figured that she had the time on vacation. (don't wait for vacation, give yourself a regular exam!)

June 15
Stacey goes to see her regular doctor - Dr. Kolb, who feels some "tissue thickening" and recommends a mammogram be done.

June 22
Mammogram and Ultrasound are preformed. Concerns continue and a biopsy is ordered.

June 27
The biopsy is performed and initial indications are that the tumors are cancer.

July 2
Following the evidence of the biopsy it is clear that there are 4 areas in the left breast area that contain cancer - 3 tumors in the breast and one in a lymph-node under her arm. The Diagnosis of Cancer is made by Dr. Kolb and an appointment is made to see a surgeon the next day. It also becomes clear during this visit that concern is heightened for Stacey because she is young for breast cancer, it has moved outside of the breast and the type of cancer she has.

July 3
Met with Dr. Sandford, a Breast surgeon specialist, for the first time. She encourages a genetic test (which comes back negative a week later, meaning the girls are less likely to get breast cancer than if it was positive) and orders a breast MRI to explore the extent of the cancer.

July 10
We meet with our nurse navigator - Shirley - for the first time. The girls Jon us for this appointment. Lots of good info.

July 12
Breast MRI is performed. This visit is noted for the wonderful instructions "when you climb up on the bed you will lay on your stomach and place your breasts in the slots on the table."

Also this day we got the results of the MRI. While there was a panic in the house this evening because Stacey told he girls and I, while still on the phone, that "the cancer is everywhere" and later explained that it was "everywhere in the left breast and impure lymph-nodes" - a pretty big difference. The good news was that the right breast was clear. Dr. Sanford was concerns enough to cancel our backpacking trip and have Stacey see the medical oncologist the next day about chemo before surgery. This phone call is now famous for Dr. Sanford declaring that "that boobs a gonner."

July 13
Met with the Medical Oncologist – Dr. Smiley - for the first time. This visit is notable because it is the first discussion of the stage of the cancer. She determined that she was at a clinical stage of 2 or v early 3. Tis is not a final stage for the cancer, that is the pathological stage and is determined after surgery when the tissues have been examined. Dr. Smiley confirms that Stacey's Cancer is the opposite of the dreaded "triple-negative'" but should not be referred to as triple positive, and that because of this there are a full range of chemo and hormone therapies available. She explained that chemo would start a month after surgery and would last 24 weeks, working in a 3 week cycle. Following that hormone therapy will last one year. Finally, she explained that she saw no reason to believe that the cancer had spread beyond the Brest and lymph-nodes, but ordered blood tests and a CT scan to make sure.

It was determined that chemo was not necessary before surgery.

July 16
CT scan performed.

July 17
second meeting with the surgeon at which a left modified radical mastectomy is recommended and a surgery date of July 25 date set. We a.so learn that Stacey will have a hand grenade or two connected to her after surgery...ok, not real ones, but the drains will look like grenades. We learn that the CT and blood wok show no signs of the cancer spreading.

July 18
We meet with the Radiation Oncologist – Dr. Blom - for the first time. He explains the radiation treatments a d also shows Stacey her MRI & CT images. She is super happy to see he film. We also see Shirley again and Stacey gets a look at a prosthetic breast as well as getting a nice special recovery jacket. The girls all wear the jacket at different times over the next couple of days.

July 19
First meeting with the plastic surgeon – Dr. Cole. Options for reconstruction discussed. We looked at a good many reconstruction before and after photos.

July 23
Pre-register for surgery - mostly a paperwork and pregnancy test pop-in o the hospital. We are not expecting.

July 25 = Modified Radical Mastectomy of he Left Breast and Mediport installation performed by Dr. Stanford.

For those keeping track it is 40 days from Stacey's1st appointment with Dr. Klob till surgery.

This time line will be updated as we continue through the process of treatment.
Joel K