A Plan Before Us

One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar. Helen Keller

We now have a plan before us. We did have consults with onology doctors, Tuesday, Thursday, and a plastic surgeon on Friday. Their offices are all over the city of Omaha, which I mentioned to husband sounded like a future nightmare of run here and there and lots of co-ordination of time and missed work.

Yesterday gave us an instant solution, I’m now scheduled for surgery August 14th.

After my surgical procedure July 28th, I beat myself up. I’m the woman that wrote the book and I did not ask nearly enough questions. When I arrived at the procedure center I planned for a lumpectomy, that’s not what happened. The surgeon did an excise biopsy—no sentinel biopsy, no core biopsy. All she did was remove the lumps.

Before the surgery, husband attended the consult where the surgeon formed her hands in large circle saying baseball sized lumps. She also said fast growing, needed surgery quickly. That is why I didn’t opt for needle biopsy—let’s get this stuff out, now.

Last Friday the surgeon walked into the room, sat herself on a stool and said, “It’s cancer,” and nodded her head emphatically. She suggested lumpectomy won’t take care of the problem. When I said, “With my history, do I need to consider bilateral?” the doctor agreed. She then said, “Meet with medical oncologist and plastic surgeon and then we’ll schedule the surgery.”

When we left the doctor’s office husband drove me to see Kevin (PMP patient) and Roni at Creighton. Kevin faces a much tougher battle than I do, they are here from The Bronx, and I wanted to give caregiver Roni a hug. What a blessing to spend time with them, pray with them, receive several hugs from Roni and hear Roni pray for our decision making.

Downstairs in Creighton, Holly, Dr. Loggie’s PA took a few minutes to consult with me. I’d remembered Dr. Silva being in the office with Dr. Loggie and his specialty, breast cancer. Holly highly recommended him and gave me his new phone number. (Loggie is husband’s PMP doctor and he wrote the forward to Capsules of Hope.)

Dr. Silva is a teaching doctor and from the moment he stepped into the room, we were his latest students. He explained everything, drew out the exact size of the lumps from the path report, showed me the pathology report; explained the type of cancer and why he suspects it is hormone related. I had taken twenty questions to the office, when the doctor prepared to leave, husband said, “My wife had a list of questions, will you look this over.” Dr. Silva took time to check each one, and answered those we hadn’t talked about.

There is more, but in only a few minutes we made a decision to follow Dr. Silva’s plan of action. On August 14th I will have a lumpectomy and any other necessary testing to determine further cancer involvement. I will post more about the treatment plan after that surgery.

When I talked about the possibility of flying to Oregon on August 20th for my 50th HS reunion, the doctor said, “Good idea. Yes, by all means go.”

All weekend I’d wondered about the results of chemo, how much time off work, how will husband manage if I’m down for weeks, maybe months. (I’ve watched others through the process.) Yesterday, we walked from Dr. Silva’s office with a whole different scene in front of us.

Roni sent me a scripture last night, 58:6-11. I’m not sure she realized, but in August 2002 I’d sent the 58:11 verse in Gary’s lunch: “The Lord will guide you always….” He has and is, please continue to pray for me and Dr. Silva and team. This is still cancer, I still face more surgery, but with God all things are possible.

I do have the impulse to soar—now to buy the ticket, please pray for the upcoming surgery, my medical team, and my flight companions.