Working on patience, pacis and panties (Gaining, loosing and keeping)

First day of school.  First meeting with Dr. S.  Third night without a paci for MC, and it was her choice!  It’s been a long day…

The girls had a wonderful day!  A wonderfully long day.  I received a text from a friend at school.  It read:  “MC is fine….meds given with no problem…no accidents…put on every costume in her class room.  Tomorrow, Ms. Chure has to teach her not to take her clothes off first.”

Although she didn’t learn the virtue of modesty today, she did learn about the skeleton.  As I was pulling MC out of the tub tonight, she asked me why God gave us all skeletons.  After a few moments, I realized that with MC, less is more.  So, I simply said, “To hang our skin on.” She laughed and said, “You’re right mom!  We would be like carpet without our skeletons.”  Today, skeletons.  Tomorrow, panties-keeping them ON. I’d love to be a fly on the wall of the 4K room!

McCanless was thrilled not to have homework, but not so thrilled with me for forgetting that today was PE day.  (Apparently, I was supposed to know this already.)  She couldn’t do butterfly flops during warm-up because she had on a dress.  She was also reminded that she must always have on tennis shoes for PE days.  Next time, she will walk laps.  I did remember to pack her lunch with a note, her snack, her book bag with supplies, and a gift for after school and her summer reading project, so I think I did rather well.  Despite her little no tennis shoe/dress hiccup, she’s super excited about this year and told me she already received a star sticker for her math work today.  Ms. Jenner is an amazing teacher and I know she will have a super second grade year!

I’m thrilled that two friends of mine and two of the most amazing teachers I know will be with the girls this year.  It may be yet another tough year for us, but knowing that they have Ms. Jenner and Ms. Chure, both whom I completely trust and love, will make this year so much easier for me.  I will never be able to thank them enough.

I also had a first today.  I met Dr. Sweatman!  After a thorough family/personal history and exam and yet another ultrasound, we sat and chatted.  He is obviously a brilliant man with so much knowledge to share.  He was speaking so quickly, I found myself having a hard time keeping up.  I made a mental note to call Dottye and thank her for explaining all of this beforehand.  I just may send her an Edible Arrangement. Better yet, I’d love to go find her and kiss her.  Amazingly, I actually understood everything he was saying.  She said it all first.

After explaining that he would take my case to his team for the “Breast Conference” which is held every Wednesday, and telling us that ultimately they would confer and decide, he sat down to tell us a few best/worst case scenarios.

He ordered a rush on an Oncotype DX molecular test of my biopsies  (It’s the 21 gene study that Dottye explained to me).  This is the test that will ultimately tell us if chemotherapy would be beneficial in my case.  If my numbers are such that reoccurance will likely happen, then we do chemo.   Dr. S explained that if I have to do chemo, I should do it prior to surgery, as it will shrink the tumor.  IF Oncotype DX numbers are more favorable, meaning low chance of reoccurance, then we may (fingers crossed) just remove tumor and begin 6-8 weeks of radiation in early September.  Team may decide to do chemo anyway, so at this point it’s all a waiting game.  Because of my age, they may want to take a more aggressive approach as the cancers that hit “us youngin’s” are the big dogs.  The Oncotype test results may take up to 10 days, but at least I know the team meets on Wednesday and a few decisions will be made at that point.

So, again, we hurry up and wait. Dr. S also told us that it’s human nature to want to do something ASAP and he assured me that if he thought I needed to have the tumor removed tomorrow, he would do it.  Tomorrow.  He assured me that a couple weeks time wouldn’t make or break the deal.  He said it’s better to gather all information possible and take the time to create the best, most thought out plan.  Good man.  He also has a pair of Stadium Pants.

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