The Third Leg of the Journey Begins With the Story of a Weed

September 4, 2012

So the third leg of the journey is about to begin.

I had my first visit with Dr. Melnyk this morning. I think I really like him.

He started our visit with the story of a weed.

When a weed grows in your garden, you want it gone. So you pull it. Will the weed come back? It all depends. Did you get all the roots? Did the weed drop any seeds before it was pulled? We don't know. What do we do to make sure the weed doesn't come back? Well we certainly don't give it any fertilizer! We cover it with weed killer and include the surrounding soil to prevent it from spreading.

So...what does gardening and pulling weeds have to do with your cancer you ask. EVERYTHING!

Cancer is a weed that grows in our body and we want it gone. The first thing we do is pull the weed, mastectomy. Then we look for is the fertilizer and in my case, with breast cancer, that fertilizer would be estrogen and progesterone. It was neither one of these. He is not sure what is feeding my cancer. So now we have to kill any seeds or remaining roots with weed killer or chemotherapy.

Again, not exactly what I was wanting to hear, but this is the journey God has me on.

The cancer I have is a type 3, pretty aggressive and not very nice. So I will be getting chemo that is even stronger than the cancer. I think he said TAC. (I have my notebook started with questions to ask before we start treatment so I will be getting clarification on that.) He said that this chemo will have every side affect there is; sores in the mouth, nausea, hair loss! I will have to have six rounds of this chemo.

This Friday, I will be going in for day surgery to have my medi-port inserted. Not real thrilled about that either, but better that as being stuck for everything!!!

I will have my first round of chemo in about 1 1/2 to 2 weeks.


September 6, 2012

Last night, we talked with Mattie about me having to have chemo. It was pretty easy. We told her how the doctors want me to get better and get all of this cancer out of my body, but to do that, they will have to give me medicine that will make me sick. We talked about how it's funny that I will have to get sicker before I get better. I showed her where they will be putting the medi-port and why they have to do that. She really understood that part! She is about as big a fan of needles as her Lolo is!!!

Tonight and in the morning I get to take that wonderful antibacterial shower and then the day surgery at 8:45. Katie will again be keeping everyone posted with text and FB updates. You will hear from me again as soon as I can.

As you remember me in your prayers, also remember, this is God's journey for me and, yes...

It is all going to be OK!

Until next time, God bless!!!