We're home!!

We got home last night/this morning around 12. We ended up waiting 5 hours at the airport for our plane. The car is being shipped as you read. It should be here tomorrow afternoon sometime.

Today I took the day off (from work) and did several errands. I'm trying to coordinate all the different doctors involved in my care. That's really important b/c they all need to know at least a little about everything going on with me so they don't contradict each other. I'd be the one to suffer if that happened. I took Simon with me as we visited Dr. Briones (my OB/Gyn) and Dr. Dunlany (my GP/internist). They are all being really great! I found out today that my tumor is 'triple negative' meaning that it doesn't respond to any of the hormones (or drugs like Tamoxifin) that most breast cancers do. It makes it a bit more wide-open for future cancers (since I can't take the preventative drugs), but it also means that what I'm doing is the absolute best thing possible.

Next week (the 29th) I have an appointment with Dr. M (can't spell or say the name) the oncologist. That's when we'll find out when I get to start the chemo. Its going to be a big coordinated effort b/c first I have to get a port (or pick-line?) so the chemo can get into my system. Then we have to make sure the chemotherapy agents (FAC) are available. Then we've got to make sure there's an available appointment for all of the above to happen as quickly as possible. We're on a time limit b/c we need to get as many chemo treatments in before I'm 35 weeks along.

The chemo isn't going to affect Rachel much if at all according to the High Risk OB and Dr. Litton from Houston. However, it will make me more suceptible to bleeding (like during delivery) and illnesses (just in general). One good thing is that I'm going hopefully suffer fewer of the horrible side-effects of chemo (nausea, fatigue, etc) b/c of the pregnancy. For some reason, in the Houston doctors' experience, pregnant women fare much better than non-pregnant women with chemo. The goal is to get at least 4 chemo treatments in before I'm 35 weeks. If necessary, I'll have more after the delivery. Once Rachel's here I'm going to try to get the doctors to do the bilateral mastectomy & reconstruction (before the insurance year runs out - gotta love paid-off deductibles). Then I'll probably be on another type of chemo (not quite as agressive as the first though). Hopefully, I'll make it the 2 years that are highest risk for me and be cancer-free for the remainder of my life! I'm going to do everything in my power to do so.

I really appreciate all the thoughts & prayers I'm getting from you guys. I'm doing pretty well emotionally right now I think. I don't break down often, but I'm sure I will. However, I have a great support system in place, so I should be fine. Keep the prayers & thoughts up for me please! I really need them to continue as I am.