Not what I would expect to write about

When I started this blog, I was planning to write about traveling, my travels, stories of other people's trips and all the wonders of knowing the world personally. I never expected to be posting the news about my latest health crisis. Nonetheless, during my last encounter with the dreaded BC (breast cancer) I found the blog to be the easiest way to keep everyone updated and informed about my circumstances. It also eliminated the need for me to update everyone individually. So here I am again, blogging about my health.

For those of you who don't know, I have been diagnosed with recurrent breast cancer. It is early and isolated. It is not a new cancer, but a recurrence of the old cancer. This is good because it means that the cancer didn't travel through my system to pop up again. It is a small lump located on the left side of my breast near my sternum.

I have seen my oncologist, Dr. Raymond Taetle, and he says that I should have it removed as soon as possible but that I wouldn't need any chemotherapy. I will have a rigorous series of radiation treatments though. This is also good news because it means that it will be a much less traumatic experience for the boys in that I will not lose my hair and I will not spend three months barely able to get out of bed.

Under the circumstances, I have opted for the most aggressive approach to this cancer that I can think of and that includes a double mastectomy and a complete hysterectomy. This seems to be called for since the new lump appeared even though I am on hormone suppression therapy. So apparently my body is producing enough hormones to feed a new tumor regardless of what drugs I am taking.

I am currently unemployed so I will have time to go through the surgeries and treatment and take the time I need to recover fully. I am not worried about the cancer so much now as I am how I will handle all the changes my body will go through. I am also concerned about how the boys will handle the "new" me. But we will cross that bridge when we come to it.

Well, I appreciate all your support. I am very fortunate because I am surrounded by good people and I now have a really good local support system that I didn't have before. I feel that I will be well taken care of. So don't worry, just hold positive thoughts.