My Decision

It's been a very long two weeks in the decision making process of figuring which surgery to have and what post surgical treatment I want. After all my appointments with all the professionals - I have decided to have the Mastectomy. I weighed the pros and cons of each surgical procedure and the subsequent treatments that follow -- the Mastectomy was the way to go for me.

Let me share with you the path of a Lumpectomy for me. First, have surgery and heal (4-5 weeks). Second, start chemotherapy (4 rounds of chemo in 12 weeks - that's 1 session every 3 weeks). Third, when the baby gets to full term - a planned c-section would be scheduled to get the baby out so that I could start radiation therapy as soon as possible. Fourth, radiation would consist of 5 days a week for 6 weeks. All doing this with a newborn baby. If---at the end of my treatment test results showed unclear margins in my breast, then a Mastectomy would be scheduled to remove the rest of the breast tissue.

Now,

Let me share with you the path of a Mastectomy for me. First, have surgery and heal (4-6 weeks). Second, start chemotherapy (4 rounds of chemo in 12 weeks - that's 1 session every 3 weeks). Hopefully finish chemotherapy before the birth of the baby. If for some reason my cancer is not responding well to the chemotherapy treatments then chemo will continue after the birth of the baby in a more intense schedule (once a week or every two weeks).

These treatment plans that I have discussed are based on what the doctors already now about my tumor. There is still so much more that needs to be known and this won't happen until after the tumor is removed.

I feel really confident in my decision for a Mastectomy. My surgery is scheduled for July 5, 2007 at 11 am in Northside Hospital.