After that visit, her doctor referred her to an Oncologist to inspect the mass (this thing is already getting a title) to rule out cancer. I came home from work and saw her looking through the list of Oncologists in our network and asked what she was looking for. Once I was up to speed, I urged her to call Patricia Moore, Shell's patient representative for M.D. Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC). Patricia was very helpful and assured us that the Women's Center at M.D. Anderson was one of the finest in the world and we'd be in good hands - at this point we're still thinking it's nothing more than another benign lump and this is much to do about nothing.
Our initial consulation was with an Advance Nurse Practitioner - a Nurse, at M.D. Anderson? We thought, "How serious could this be?" We'd later find out that everything she thought she saw was exactly correct. In fact, everyone we've met at MDACC appears to be the best at what they do. After spending the entire day at MDACC; performing multiple fine needle aspiration biopsies and blood tests, Amy was confirmed to have Breast Cancer. This was the day after her 37th birthday.
My sister, a cancer survivor, once said, "you never want to get cancer; but if you do get it, you want to be there," referring to M.D. Anderson. We feel lucky and blessed to live so close to this center and to have the resources to come here, but we still don't want to be here.
Several days and tests later, Amy was staged at IIA, with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. Treatment plan for her type of cancer consists of 24 weeks of chemo, surgery to remove the tumor, radiation, and then 5 years of hormone therapy to prevent the cancer from returning. The tumor measured just under 3 cm and is localized. So far, lymph nodes under arms and chest are clear, but are suspect due to irregularity of size/shape.
All of this and more came in the next few weeks and mostly all we heard was, it's cancer...
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| Pink used to be her favorite color...not so much now. |
Psalm 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
