It's been a couple of weeks now since what was thought to be scar tissue along Michelle's mastectomy scar was determined to actually be a small, localized malignant tumor in a lymph node. It's about the size of a vitamin at this point. Michelle has had an ultrasound, a needle biopsy, a PET scan, and a brain MRI. To the best of our knowledge, it has not metastasized anywhere else into the body. This is a very good thing. It is a recurrent tumor in the near vicinity of the original cancers.
About two weeks ago the treatment seemed pretty small in scope. Since then we've seen radiologists, surgeons, and another oncologist who specializes in triple negative breast cancer tumors. So now treatment has been discussed at length by all of them and it seems a plan is forming.
Next week the tumor will likely be 'tagged'. In a procedure much like the needle biopsy, they will go in and mark its location with small metal clips. Then after the 4th of July, Michelle will start on a new intravenous chemotherapy drug. It's new to her, not new on the market. The expert oncologist from Massachusetts General recommends its use when the usual “Gold Standard” A/C + Taxol regimen didn't kill everything. If after a couple of treatments, they don't see a shrinking of the tumor, we'll stop. If it is shrinking, she'll have a couple more for a total of four treatments, each scheduled three weeks apart.
Whether it stops early or goes to completion, then the surgeon will go in and remove the malignant lymph node and its surrounding ones. They'll be taking reasonable precautions to prevent Lymphedema in her right arm. It'll take about 4 weeks for that to heal. That will likely occur when the kids are back in school, depending on whether all four chemo treatments were received.
Once the surgery has had sufficient time to heal, the last leg of the treatment will be five weeks of daily targeted radiation, Monday through Friday. This will be much like the radiation she had along her pectoral wall during spring last year. Since this is focused on the under arm, they will again be watching closely to avoid Lymphedema.
There's still a few days left to make sure all four experts agree on the schedule, but it seems that is the direction things will go. As always, prayers are appreciated that things go smoothly and that this is the last set of treatments she will endure. Michelle has said she's willing to have any recommended treatment, as long as it would just Go Away for Good! But like many cancer survivors, we will always have that little voice nagging us in the back of our minds.
In my prayers about this, I've been inspired to think of the effects of sin on our lives. Sin is a spiritual cancer on our souls. We have to be vigilant to root out even the smallest, lest it begin to grow and metastasize until it kills off our interior life and cuts us off from our relationship with God. If only we were as vigilant in rooting out our vices, it would have far greater long term repercussions. Thankfully we have so many means available to root it out, if we would just take advantage of them. As St. Josemaría Escrivá was fond of saying, “Use the means!”