CHEMO AND SURGERY UPDATE

I went to see the Gyn-Oncology yesterday for a full exam. We talked about my ovaries, and the spot that showed on the PET Scan. He feel I need to have Laparoscopic Surgery to remove both ovaries , the mass will be tested while I am under. If the mass turns out to be cancer he will then make a small incision and remove the uterus and look around and remove anything looking funny. Dr Nycum was worried if we did the surgery first I will half to delay chemo for 3 to 4 more weeks. He was going to get with my other Oncology Doctor and they were going to talk and find the best steps for me and they had me return today to see Dr. Shearer.

Today we meet with Dr Shearer and she thinks I need to start Chemo, which I will start on Monday. I will have two sets, and then have surgery to remove my ovaries in late February.

Chemo Information:
They are going to give me three types of chemo (Taxotere, Cyclophospamide, Adriamycin) all at once. Taxotere will be in a shot form, that will take 10 minutes to give to me. The other two chemo will be an IV bag that will drip into me slowly. I will have my chemo treatment every three weeks. I will go in the following day to get a Neulasta shot that will help boost my white blood counts. I will go in every week to have blood work that will check on my white Blood Cells (WBC), Hemoglobin (HGB), hematocrit (HCT), and platelets (PLT). My doctor will see me every three weeks.

There are a lot of side effects that I will have include Nausea, so the doctor is putting me on 4 types of Nausea medicines, one of them will have steroids.

I will have the total of 6 treatments.

After all my treatments and surgery, I will have 5 weeks of radiation treatments for 10 minutes a day. Then start reconstruction surgery.

I want to thank everyone for all the prayers, all the cards, gifts and most of all, the support and love.

Love Always,
Renee

PS: The Breast Cancer was Stage 3, this is way they didn't want to keep putting off my chemo treatments, the cancer was the fast growing kind and already was spreading to the lymph nodes.

They did tell me it is easier to treat the fast growing type cancer..

PS: Please feel free to pass this email along to any family member or friends I have missed.

Love all of you......