My first Marathon...

well, I wasn't actually running, but I was at UNC visiting a second team of doctors and with 5 appointments, I'll call it a medical marathon. 

Thanks to my welcoming committee of two Shoffner girls, that are now Smith's, and my posse (Kelly and Jason) I brought with me, I was ready to tackle the day!  A second mammogram was up first and another ultrasound!   Then it was off to the "multi-disciplinary clinic" for the rest of the day and by rest of the day, we did literally shut the place down.  I am lucky the lab tech took my blood because it was after 4:30 and let me just tell you, she was mad at somebody!  Just thankful it wasn't me AND that she didn't take it out on my arm!

We stayed in one spot, which I guess was good, and all the doctors came to us!  Meet the team, they gathered some info, examined me, and shared some info with us, but we were still missing my hormone receptors.  Those hormone receptors were keeping everyone from forming a complete plan.  Although there will be a few other tests done, NOTHING could be certain until we had them. 

We were literally standing up, packed up, ready to walk out the door and Dr. M, medical oncologist, comes back in and has the missing piece to the puzzle in his hand!  Even better, he has a copy for me too! 

Again, if you'd like to borrow my new handy dandy dictionary, I'll share...

Estrogen Receptor Positive
Progesterone Receptor Positive
HER 2 Negative

So basically, this tells them that both estrogen and progesterone are fueling my tumor. 

As soon as they knew this, they had a recommendation.

1. Chemotherapy:  8 infusions, 1 every other Monday
2. Surgery:  lymph node dissection is a definite, time will tell if chemo shrinks the tumor for a lumpectomy or if  a mastectomy is the way to go
3. Radiation:  6 weeks, 30 minutes a day (except Saturday and Sunday)

I left with a headache, Jason was starving, and Kelly had written page after page of notes!   Important things are that we made it, we had finally received the receptors, and we knew a little more about what may be coming in the next few weeks and months. 

Now we wait to hear from Randolph Hospital's tumor conference and then we will try to figure out the best way to kick this!