The Promised Update

<I started this post earlier tonight before the employment workshop. I thought I'd feel up to completing it tonight, but I'm really not up to it. I know some of you feel like I've left you hanging. So, here's part of the update. I'll finish it tomorrow.>

I'm sorry for not posting an update sooner. I'm not very happy with the news and needed a little time to process it. So, I have 3 things to tell you about: Lymphoma, Ryan's health, and house stuff.

The Lymphoma. Since the other lumps all came back as Lymphoma (bummer), we now need to be more aggressive in the treatment of the Lymphoma. Additionally, the lymph node that they found in my breast tissue needs to be biopsied. The Oncologist suspects that it will also come back as a Lymphoma, which means that the Cancer has become systemic. We had hoped that it was only in the one lump. We were wrong. We had also hoped that it was only cutaneous, meaning just in the skin. Hopefully, we're not wrong about that.

Assuming the biopsy comes back without Lymphoma, then we will use a whimpy version of chemotherapy. Most people tolerate it well and, for whatever it's worth, most people don't lose their hair. (Am I the only person who really doesn't care if I lose my hair? Why is that such a selling point?) Once we have the biopsy back, then I need to attend "Chemo training". I don't really even know what that means.

If the biopsy comes back with Lymphoma, then we will need to do the traditional, full scale chemotherapy ... you know the one, puke your guts out, feel super crummy, and lose your hair chemotherapy. (Seriously, I don't really mind losing my hair. Think about the great messages I could write on my bald head! I could get my artist daughter to draw a realistic face on the back of my head. Oh, really, we could make the best of a bald head.)

I'd personally like the chemotherapy that makes you super fit, perfectly proportioned, and really energetic. Whatever that is ... hand it over.

So, I have a lymph node biopsy and then I'll be meeting with a new Oncologist for a 2nd opinion. I like the current one. I just think a 2nd opinion is wise. Don't you agree?

Ryan's Health. We had the consultation with the Pediatric Surgeon today. He sure is a great guy. He explains things SOOO well. His surgery will be on Wednesday at the hospital close to our home. We'll be there till at least Friday, but it will probably be Saturday before he is released.