Symbiotic Relationships

Commensalism: a class of symbiotic relationships where one benefits but the other is neutral (there is no harm or benefit).

Does science need medicine? No. Well, OK, technically, when the scientists get sick they would certainly receive benefits from the knowledge gained by the study of medicine. But science as a discipline does not.

Does medicine need science? You bet. And that has been what I have taken great delight in with this whole process of cancer so far.

I find myself "interviewing" most of the health care professionals that have worked with me - finding out how long they have done their type of work (OK, that question is more for selfish reasons. I want someone with at least a hundred years of experience working with me - but I digress), what training/education they needed for their job, and what, exactly, do those machines do that they are putting me in.

This week I learned about these way-cool gamma probes the size of a pencil that work like miniature geiger counters. After injecting me with a radionuclide and letting it course through my lymph system, the surgeon then used this mini-geiger counter to map out the lymph nodes that absorbed the radionuclide. Then they do some math with the numbers the probe shows. (OK, medicine also needs math.) Then, that helped her determine where to cut and what tissue to sample.

My fascination with all things science was only further fueled when I saw the nuclear medicine physicist MD/PhD guy walk in with a long white doctor jacket AND a tool box to work on the machine that takes the pictures of the radioactive stuff moving through. I know! A tool box! My dream job!

The jury is still out for me with MRIs, though. They make absolutely no sense to me yet. Different sized magnets banging around in a tube. Really? Who comes up with these ideas? Oh yeah, Scientists.

"Remember to give glory to the One who authored nature." Robert Boyle, 17th century founder of modern chemistry

All is well.

Deja vu

Just 16 short days ago I was in the same pre-op room as they put me in yesterday. It was comforting and familiar - hearing the same thing said by all of the medical personnel that worked with me yesterday during lumpectomy #2 as from last week's lumpectomy #1, "Gee, this sure is the tiniest room in pre-op." Yes, but it's my room.

Pretty much, that's how my day went. It was just full of sweet reminders that God cares for me - down to the tiniest details of comfort. My recovery room nurse was Marisa G's sister-in-law who was so kind and helped by distracting me with pleasant conversation while waiting for the morphine to kick in.

My capable surgeon was pleased to inform us that she was able to biopsy the sentinel node plus 2 or three others which means we will have a good indication as to if the cancer has spread or if it stayed put in the removed tumor which is now history! I should know something early next week after pathology gets another chance to be excited by seeing these rare cancer cells from lumpectomy #2. Overall, everyone was pleased with how the operation went and I am feeling hopeful and well.

Today's quote from the Living Bible: "He does not fear bad news, nor live in dread of what may happen. For he is settled in his mind that Jehovah will take care of him. That is why he is not afraid but can calmly face his foes."

Thanks for your continued prayers and kind words. Today's prayer request: Cancer is my foe; may I please be calm.
All is well.

Praying and Fasting

Praying: What I would like you to join me in if you are so inclined - for the surgeon that she gets all the cancer out, that there is no lymph node involvement, and that I will joyfully trust God no matter the outcome.

Fasting: What my surgeon and anesthesiologist require of me on Wednesday before surgery :)

All is well.

Take Me to the Race Track

Apparently, I am lucky. Several times today I heard "excellent prognosis". The ONE EXISTING PARAGRAPH about ACC in the 2,000 page Breast Cancer Bible book my surgeon had says it "is associated with an excellent prognosis".  My surgeon told me if I had to pick a cancer, this would be the one to pick. Yea for me! But we still need to get rid of it.

Due to a positive margin on one side of the sample from the first surgery (positive = bad = not clear of cancer cells) she needs to do another lumpectomy and wants to catch a few lymph nodes on the way to check them out. This will occur on Thursday, April 26th at 10:30 a.m.

Prayers: clear margins and clear lymph nodes. That would mean it hasn't spread. Then I could start radiation and have the orphan cancer be a fading, radioactive memory.

God has brought so many people into my midst with their stories of battling cancer and so many kind words of encouragement. Cancer wasn't a random happening. I quote from Jesus Calling, "Trust me in every detail of your life. Nothing is random in My kingdom. Everything that happens fits into a pattern for good, to those who love Me. Instead of trying to analyze the intricacies of the pattern, focus your energy on trusting Me and thanking Me at all times. Nothing is wasted when you walk close to Me." (Jeremiah 17:7; Romans 8:28; Psalm 40:2)

Trying hard to not be an analytical scientist in this, but to be a sinner saved by grace, thanking God for all things.

All is well.

CliffsNotes

CliffsNotes: A series of guides that present and explain works in pamphlet form or online.

History of The Orphan

• Pain on right side for 2 years. 
• Regular mammograms showing nothing. 
• Found lump mid-Feb, 2012. 
• Ultrasound “suspicious” so biopsy mid-March. 
• Pathology says ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). 
• Surgeon says lumpectomy followed by radiation. 
• Lumpectomy mid-April. 
• Pathology says adenoid cystic carcinoma of the breast (ACC) and a margin wasn’t clear. 
• Meet with surgeon today for new marching orders.

OK everybody. You are now all caught up. Stick with me - things change quickly.

All is well.