The pathology report is in, the drains are out!

Today was a very exciting day!  It has been one week since "Thing 1" was removed.  The greatest part of the day was having the two drains attached to me removed.  Though not a very pleasant experience to have them expelled from my body the end result was well worth the misery.  I am sitting on the couch typing away without my lovely little "hand grenades", as we liked to call them, filling with fluid and other very interesting bits and fibers from within.

On Tuesday we also learned eight lymph nodes were removed from my left auxilla (armpit) two of which were cancerous.  The mammogram (and other tests) had only confirmed one.  The largest lesion was 2.0 x 1.7 x 1.5 cm.  There were other smaller lesions and the report stated "innumerable satellite tumor nodules" were identified.  If I understand correctly this is what Dr. Sanford meant when she said, "This boobs a goner."  There continue to be suspicious lymph nodes in the sub pectoral (chest) muscle. These nodes were not taken because they are in muscle tissue and chemotherapy and radiation will zap em!  In the big scheme of things this is all good news and nothing was worse than what was expected (other than two auxilla nodes had cancer not just one.)  It also appears the cancer was still all within the "margins."  Again, if I understand everything correctly, this means it wasn't in skin or muscle and was all within "margins."  You may need to call the doctor to get the correct info though :)

The quote of the day comes from the nurse with oncology rehab who stated, "Your going to lose all your pretty hair."  You see, for me this is a good thing, dealing with reality.  While at the Girdwood Forest Fair and Downtown Market I decided against buying a cute hat thinking, "why buy a hat...I might not even lose my hair."  I officially give myself permission to buy a cute hat because I'm going to lose all my pretty hair!

Again, I cannot brag about Joel enough.  He has been an incredible partner in our journey.  Empting  my lovely drains, watching me wince in pain when they removed them, checking the incisions, washing my hair, and all the wonderful jobs that home nursing entails.  What a hero!