Medical Merry-Go-Round Update

I got an email from Ellen, which reminded me I should tell you guys
how I'm progressing with my breast cancer.

After my first lumpectomy surgery the doctor advised that she missed
part of my big tumor, and the pathologist found no cancer where my
small tumor was. I gave my doctor the third degree, finally accepted
her explanations, and agreed to let her cut more on the bigger tumor.
The pathologist claimed that the biopsy cavity of the missing small
tumor and all surrounding tissue had been safely cut out.

It's a mystery what happened--it's hard to believe the biopsy sucked
it all out, but the only alternative is to get a mastectomy. I can't
bring myself to do that on the premise that my doctor's lying.
Reconstruction's tricky with large boobs, and the nearest location for
that is 80 miles away. Considering the many things that have gone
wrong already, radiation sounds like a smaller can of worms.

So I had my second surgery Tuesday. I'd feel pretty good if we
weren't stuck in the northern California smoke nightmare. Visibility
is about 100 feet. We can't smell it too bad in the house, but it
gags you outside. It's very hot, but we can't run the swamp cooler or
open windows. Five days now, no end in sight, and more dry lightning
expected this weekend.

I've been through hardship before and know it comes to an end
eventually. That's when you know how beautiful life can be.

Les

x-no-archive: yes

sage hen wrote:
> I got an email from Ellen, which reminded me I should tell you guys
> how I'm progressing with my breast cancer.
>
> After my first lumpectomy surgery the doctor advised that she missed
> part of my big tumor, and the pathologist found no cancer where my
> small tumor was. I gave my doctor the third degree, finally accepted
> her explanations, and agreed to let her cut more on the bigger tumor.
> The pathologist claimed that the biopsy cavity of the missing small
> tumor and all surrounding tissue had been safely cut out.
>
> It's a mystery what happened--it's hard to believe the biopsy sucked
> it all out, but the only alternative is to get a mastectomy. I can't
> bring myself to do that on the premise that my doctor's lying.
> Reconstruction's tricky with large boobs, and the nearest location for
> that is 80 miles away. Considering the many things that have gone
> wrong already, radiation sounds like a smaller can of worms.
>
> So I had my second surgery Tuesday. I'd feel pretty good if we
> weren't stuck in the northern California smoke nightmare. Visibility
> is about 100 feet. We can't smell it too bad in the house, but it
> gags you outside. It's very hot, but we can't run the swamp cooler or
> open windows. Five days now, no end in sight, and more dry lightning
> expected this weekend.
>
> I've been through hardship before and know it comes to an end
> eventually. That's when you know how beautiful life can be.
>

That Ellen, always popping up when you need a dose of her loveliness and
humor. :-)

Les, all you can do is all you can do. Make your best decisions, put
one foot in front of the other and never look up at the hill in front of
you.

Hope all goes well; how frustrating to have things go so oddly.

Susan

I wanted to know too. Thanks for posting. I had a colonoscopy this morning,
no anesthesia or meds or sedation, and everyone seemed astonished I
could/would do that; but all things are relative, aren't they? That
"discomfort" isn't even near the top fourth of my list of baddies, nossir.
neither is cancer, actually! ;-)

anyway.....as mangled and tired as you must feel (and as envious as you
would be of the perfect weather here where I live!), it sounds as though you
are comfortable with the choice. are they going to radiate the small
"benign" area too? shudder. what a pain in thexxxxxx......reconstruction is
imperfect, that's for sure, but there's always the option of no
reconstruction, I know people who are comparatively happy with their
prostheses. I'd be OK with my bionic boop if it had a somewhat symmetrical
nipple but oh well! thanks for checking in....it matters to some of us here!
hang in.

"Susan" <nevermind@nomail.com> wrote in message
news:6ciev6F3hfveoU2@mid.individual.net...
> x-no-archive: yes
>
> sage hen wrote:
>> I got an email from Ellen, which reminded me I should tell you guys
>> how I'm progressing with my breast cancer.
>>
>> After my first lumpectomy surgery the doctor advised that she missed
>> part of my big tumor, and the pathologist found no cancer where my
>> small tumor was. I gave my doctor the third degree, finally accepted
>> her explanations, and agreed to let her cut more on the bigger tumor.
>> The pathologist claimed that the biopsy cavity of the missing small
>> tumor and all surrounding tissue had been safely cut out.
>>
>> It's a mystery what happened--it's hard to believe the biopsy sucked
>> it all out, but the only alternative is to get a mastectomy. I can't
>> bring myself to do that on the premise that my doctor's lying.
>> Reconstruction's tricky with large boobs, and the nearest location for
>> that is 80 miles away. Considering the many things that have gone
>> wrong already, radiation sounds like a smaller can of worms.
>>
>> So I had my second surgery Tuesday. I'd feel pretty good if we
>> weren't stuck in the northern California smoke nightmare. Visibility
>> is about 100 feet. We can't smell it too bad in the house, but it
>> gags you outside. It's very hot, but we can't run the swamp cooler or
>> open windows. Five days now, no end in sight, and more dry lightning
>> expected this weekend.
>>
>> I've been through hardship before and know it comes to an end
>> eventually. That's when you know how beautiful life can be.
>>
>
> That Ellen, always popping up when you need a dose of her loveliness and
> humor. :-)
>
> Les, all you can do is all you can do. Make your best decisions, put one
> foot in front of the other and never look up at the hill in front of you.
>
> Hope all goes well; how frustrating to have things go so oddly.
>
> Susan