Information Overload

WHAT A DAY!  What a GREAT day in so many ways!  I am FINALLY on my way to beginning treatment and it feels SO good!

We spent nearly three hours at Emory with Dr. O'Regan, my medical oncologist, and her nurse practitioner, Kate ... two amazing people!  Here is what we learned, in a nutshell ...

1.  As I expected, Dr. O'Regan recommended that I have neoadjuvant chemotherapy.  I will receive 8 rounds of chemotherapy, each about 2 weeks apart.  The day after the chemotherapy is administered, I will receive an injection to give my blood count a "boost" and decrease the risk of infection.

2.  At the conclusion of chemotherapy, I will have surgery.  At this point, I have not decided exactly what type of surgery I will have.  Without a doubt, I will have a unilateral mastectomy ... and perhaps a bilateral mastectomy.  This decision will come closer to the time of surgery.

3.  I am a candidate for a clinical trial offered at Emory.  This trial, for women with triple-negative breast cancer, utilizes oral medication prior to and during chemotherapy as well as a variation in the drugs used during the intravenous infusion.  There is so much information regarding this option ... I will explain in further detail should we decide to take this route.  

Whatever we decide, I will begin treatment next week.  There are a couple of preliminary tests that have to be completed to ensure that I am fully prepared physically, but I am more than ready to go emotionally ...

Although we are on information overload, I feel GREAT about what we have learned ... and prepared to make the very best decision regarding my treatment.  Thank you all so much for your prayers ... they are working!  I am beginning to find at least a little bit of peace and, for the first time since my diagnosis, I have made it through an entire day without tears ... I can't tell you how GREAT that feels!

Now, let's hope that with this relief will come a good night's sleep ... I REALLY need it!