In A Nut Shell

So here it is in a nut shell (well it’s more like a coconut shell):
Way back at the end of May I had a routine CT Scan for my Crohns (I blogged about this previously). Somewhere in late June I got the results which showed several things about my Crohns and a few non-crohns things. One was something near my uterus and the other appeared to be the cyst in my breast that has been drained many times. Since the something near the uterus was new I followed up with my GYN about that first. After some testing it proved to be just some fluid in my fallopian tube, no big deal, common when there is a lot of scar tissue in the abdomen. So then I scheduled a mammogram to check on the cyst and I was due for my yearly anyway. I was right, what they saw on the CT Scan was the same cyst but the doctor who looked at my mammogram noticed something else. So after more mammograms and ultrasounds and a biopsy the diagnosis was breast cancer. Let me just say that I thought there were a lot of doctors and test with Crohns hahaha but we have a new winner!!!. Here are the particulars in medical mumbo jumbo:

Diagnosis from core biopsy:
1. Invasive Lobular Carcinoma, Intermediate (this is good) Nuclear Grade
2. Lobular Carcinoma In Situ, Intermediate Nuclear Grade

Strongly positive for estrogen, strongly positive for progesterone (this is good, lots of success treating this type)
Negative HER-2/neu, score 1+ (1+ (negative = good))

MRI Findings:
No chest wall involvement (very good)
The mass is about 2.2 cm (small = early = good)

CT Scan:
Lungs clear. No nodules. No enlarged lymph nodes (good but won’t know for sure if there are any lymph nodes involved until surgery pathology is done)

Whole Body Bone Scan:
No evidence of bone metastases

No date for surgery (possible early to mid October). My surgeon is wonderful and very good of course. He is very positive and so am I.

Because of my strong family history of breast cancer (mom, sister, first cousin) I am having a double mastectomy, reconstruction (Yay for perky boobs), followed by chemo, and 5 years of tamoxifen

I saw the plastic surgeon yesterday and he is wonderful as well. We went over all the options and now he just needs to coordinate a date with the surgeon. So I am waiting by the phone and hoping I can get this over with as soon as possible.

I’ve stopped the Cimzia. I can’t be on any drugs that suppress the immune system. Today my tummy has been a bit out of wack so I am trying to stay relaxed and praying that the crohns beast will stay calm through all of this. I have the most wonderful family who has always given me so much love and support and (no surprise) they have been by my side every step of the way. I am usually what one might call a “worrier” and I have to admit that I cried almost nonstop through the testing and for about a week after the diagnosis but I am amazed (once I stopped crying) at how calm I’ve been. A calm that can only come from God. I am so blessed to have so many people praying for me.

“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7

“My faith is strong because I know my God is faithful, and His faithfulness is my shield”

Take Steps, Doctors, Baseball, & What not to wear take 2

Wow I feel like its been a long time since I’ve blogged…I’ve been so busy with baseball and doctors and baseball and doctors and just plain worn out from all of it but I’m still here and I’m still kicking so here is whats been happening:

Back on June 13th we did our Take Steps For Crohns and Colitis Walk. Our team was “Steppin' out for Catherine Sarah” and we had a great time. J and B were able to come with us and my other son (J’s brother from another mother) came with us too. We all met at K’s house and got some hugs and kisses from Pen



and then J drove us down to the CMU parking lot





We hopped on the shuttle bus and headed to the Park for the walk









And walk we did….3 miles….here are some highlights:







Some did a little climbing too!




It was a very nice walk but my suggestion to them would be to pick a level 3 miles for me next time!!! I do not like hills…I cannot walk up hills, no I can’t, I cannot do it they make me pant. Hahaha I thought they were going to have to drag me that last mile but I made it YES I DID.





According to CCFA the Burgh walk was very successful. Over 800 walkers gathered at the Park. So far $175,000 has been raised with more funds still coming in! Thanks again to everyone who walked and donated and supported us and others. I hope we can do it again next year.





So why all the doctor visits??? Well I got my CT Scan results and they saw a few things that needed a closer look so off to more doctors I went and will go. They saw a little something on my uterus so I went to my GYN and he looked over the report and didn’t think it was anything to be concerned about especially since I am not having any pain and he could not feel anything. Still he wanted me to go for an ultra sound just to be sure so I went and had it and while I was at it I had the bone scan that my GI has been wanting me to have (because of taking steroids). The bone scan was fine and the ultra sound showed that I have some fluid in my fallopian tube which at this time doesn’t need anything done about it since I am not planning on having any more children. They also saw what appears to be a cyst in my booby that has filled back up with fluid so I have an appointment with the surgeon to see if it should be drained again or what??? I of course have to follow up with my GI about all of this plus I have some narrowing in what is left of my ileum and a polyp on my gallbladder. I also went back to my PCP because the med that he put me on for my migraines was causing some very strange side effects. The migraines were gone YAY but I felt like I was going crazy. I was having trouble concentrating, remembering things, and getting easily confused and feeling just plain stupid most of the time. So he switched me to a different med. I have to follow up with him in a month to see how that pill is working.

The rest of my time (awake) has been spent at baseball. The past two weeks Brian has had a game every night. He had a wooden bat tournament last weekend, 6 games 3 of which were on Sunday. It was exhausting but worth it because they did very well. They took 2nd place and B had the only homerun of the entire tournament. I was one proud mama. This week B also started a 6 week baseball and condition program. Monday thru Thursday from 8:30 – 11:30 and he had a game every night this week too. He had another tournament this weekend with another 3 games on Sunday and another 2nd place. J has been working at the high school and coaching a local colt baseball team and playing baseball when he can. I got to one of his games so far and watched him coach. That was a lot of fun but strange watching him coach instead of play. I haven’t had a chance to get to one of his games to watch him play yet…hopefully soon. I am feeling rather old these days because J was in his friends wedding this weekend. His friend from high school. Yes one of my sons friends got married. Yes he is only 20 and very young to be getting married but it still makes me feel very very very old. I was at baseball with B so I can’t wait to see the pictures of J in his Tux.

What Not To Wear Update!!!
What not to wear to baseball:



Now I personally think I have a much better figure but I still would not be caught dead out in public wearing this and I think if I did my kids would kill me. No one is safe when I have a camera on me :)

Love, Laugh and Always know where the nearest bathroom is…

Friday was Fabulous! Monday was Horrible!

Guess what I got on my Fabulous Friday

My free sample of rice cakes…Three…3…yes three different kinds of Quaker Gluten Free Rice Cakes. Lightly salted, caramel corn and apple cinnamon. I’ve tried the apple cinnamon already and I love them. At first I was thinking I’m sure these are ok but I bet I’m going to need to spread something on them to give them a little boast but what??? Nope they are very very good all by themselves.

Saturday was very rainy but relaxing. Sunday was sunny and warm and we spent the day doing more yard work and vacuuming the pool. That may sound like work but it really feels good to stand by the pool in the warm sun and guide the vacuum around. Yes I know the vacuum should go around on its own but it always goes in the same pattern and misses spots or gets stuck somewhere or clogged.

Well thank goodness for fabulous Friday and relaxing Saturday and Sunday because Monday….yeah Monday was just plain horrible! CT Scan horrible, contrast drinking injecting gagging horrible.

Wake up…No food for you.

Arrive at hospital…wait…fill out forms…wait…register…wait…get forms back…wait…get IV started

Drink 3 bottles of contrast similar to this (my bottles were bigger about 32oz each I think blah)



Gag, gag, gag, gag, almost throw up, squeeze hubs fingers off, gag, gag, tantrum, gag, gag, almost throw up, beg hubs to drink some for me but even my most pathetic face can’t convince him (can’t say I blame him), gag, gag, must find bathroom (over about 45 min.) (vow [like I always do during this test] that I will NEVER have this test again)

Wait…(about 25 min)

Climb onto machine similar to this



Scaned

Injected with contrast similar to this



Scaned again

IV removed

All done

Must find bathroom

Home sweet home…eat…bed…nauseous the rest of the day…I hate Crohns

Love, Laugh and Always know where the nearest bathroom is…