2nd Opinion

After a lengthy delay before seeing the surgeon yesterday, I had high hopes for my 7:20a appointment this morning when the doctor actually came out in to the reception area and was happy to see that I was on time, and commented about how it was important to not get behind early on. At 7:47a, I started to lose the love I had already committed to her, and by 8:25 when she showed up, I had to start all over again.

While waiting, I played spider solitaire for awhile, admired the art on the wall of my patient room, and finally helped myself to a blanket. Not to steal...just to keep me warm. Surprising that my blood boiling from the wait didn't do the trick there. Oh, and I seriously contemplated removing the painter's tape from the ceiling. I was really bored.

So when the doctor did show up, with student doctor in tow, I was relieved. The physical exam she gave seemed much more thorough than the previous oncologist and surgeon, and she didn't look at me like I was crazy when I explained my 'no chemo' mantra. I asked her about cryoablation, and she explained that it is not a curative procedure. In the cases where it was used, it did not get all the cancer.

So here's today's plan*: I am going to proceed down the mastectomy path. Once that surgery is completed, then we will know if any of the cancer has spread and what type of follow-on treatment is really required. From what all the doctors have said, I have a slow-growing cancer, it's called "Invasive Ductal" something and is the most common breast cancer.

I am also seeing my acupuncturist - hoping for great things from the body work, too.

The worst news of all: cancer loves sugar. Yes, you read that right. WHAT the WHAT?!



* I reserve the right to change my mind tomorrow, or the next day...