Oncologist Appt Update

AWESOME news-greatest news we could have possibly gotten other than "oh its not cancer" LOL

It is stage 1B1!!!! This means the cancer can be seen without a microscope and is not larger than 4 centimeters, and is found in the cervix ONLY!!!! This is only preliminary as we have not yet done the CT Scan, chest Xray or any other diagnostic testing (waiting to be scheduled by the nurse). But upon looking at the area on my cervix and feeling around just about EVERYWHERE between my belly button and my knees, the oncologist feels pretty confident that its stage 1B1-just have to make sure it hasn't spread anywhere internally that he wasn't able to observe today. The 5-year survival rate for 1B1 is 90%!!!!!

SOOOO his plan of action is a radical hysterectomy which has been scheduled for April 28. We won't know until after the surgery if I will need radiation-depends on whether it has affected any of the lymph nodes, but we are hoping and praying that the surgery will get it all. We won't know that until about a week after the surgery when they get the path reports from surgery back.

I liked the doctor-he seemed very knowledgeable. Ben and I both agreed he seemed a bit lackadazical (sp?) about it all which is both good and bad-good in the sense that he DOES do this everyday so its "normal" to him, kinda bad in the sense that this is NOT normal to us and we need that sensitivity. But he seems very well qualified. I am going to get 2nd and 3rd opinions-from MD Anderson and CARTI, so we can be absolutely sure that this is the best route. I'm not messing around-I want it 100% gone!!!

He did not want to remove my ovaries or tubes and we all (me, Ben and my mom) disagreed with him and opted to have them removed as well. I have a history of severe ovarian cysts (his response was, "everyone has cysts"-mine put me in the ER and require surgery, sorry but if I can avoid that I'm gonna!!!), as well as my mom having fibroid tumors and dysplasia on her ovaries. Our family is complete-they are just wasting space and possibly just more stuff to grow cancer. Hormone replacement therapy is so advanced now that I'm not worried about that aspect of it. I plan to make an appt with my family physician to discuss the various options in that regard so we can already have that set up.

So at the end of the day, I'll be having the uterus, cervix, top part of the vagina, ovaries, fallopian tubes, lymph nodes, lymph channels, and tissue in the pelvic cavity that surrounds the cervix removed. I'm also going to consult with MD Anderson and CARTI regarding the type of incision he is wanting to make-I had 2 CSections which were both done with a horizontal incision (almost right on top of one another so that it looks like just one scar) but he is wanting to do a vertical incision through most of my abdomen. If this is the best option, then that is totally fine with me, just want to make sure:)

We are waiting for the nurse to schedule all the diagnostic testing-luckily I can do it at NW so we don't have to drive down to Fayetteville. The surgery is approx 3 hours, and the stay in the hospital is 3-5 days. I won't be able to drive for 2 weeks and can't lift or bend for 4 wks (gotta love that when ya have a newborn and a toddler LOL). Luckily we already have TONS of family that has volunteered to be here during that time so I might not be able to pick the kiddos up but at least someone will be able to bring them to me and we can still snuggle (seriously my biggest fear during this whole thing was not being able to snuggle with my babies). I'll have to have staples (YUK haven't had those with either of my CSections) which will be removed 1wk post-op and then go back to the oncologist one month out for a follow-up and hopefully receive 100% clear!!!

LOTS to digest-hopefully I didn't leave anything out. I'll steal my mom's notes from her tomorrow to make sure I didn't miss anything:) Just SOOOO thrilled to report stage 1!!!! Please pray for clean scans that show no metastasis and that it only requires surgery, that the surgery has no complications and they don't have to go back in my body ever again-I think 3 times is good enough for one lifetime!!!!

Thank you ALL for the awesome emails, phone calls, prayers, gifts, visits, hugs, and support!! Thank you, Ben, for making me go to the doctor-you literally saved my life and I'm so excited to spend the rest of mine with you!!! Thank you, God, for a BEAUTIFUL morning-yes it rained at first while we drove thru the safari but he gave us clear skies and a bright sunshine so Bella could see the kangaroos, scream at the goats and chase the baby birds (seriously all kinds of neat animals around and the child is awwed by the common baby bird LOL-love my chica!!!), and even got to play outside for a bit with Jessafern this afternoon. We had an awesome day!