This blogging stuff really works! Late yesterday afternoon, a few hours after my rant about needing a plan, not only did I feel better, but the surgeon called with my pathology results. Generally it was good news:

* lymph nodes were clean! (that’s good news)

* removed two masses in lefty – the first (the one that showed up on Aug. mammo) was 1.3 cm; the second (the one that showed up on MRI after the first biopsy) was 0.6 cm – they were identical, both cancer (invasive ductal carcinoma).

* removed a “cube” of tissue (6 sides) and able to get clear margins (enough good tissue along edges to be sure they got it all) on 5 out of 6 sides, but need to go back and take out a little more to clean up the last side (good thing they are BIG!)

So, what’s it all mean? I have Stage 1 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma Breast Cancer, it’s early stage and treatable. The pathology report should also confirm the biopsy results that my cancer is what is called Triple Positive – positive for estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors and the HER2 protein. Sounds like a bad thing, but actually a good thing because if you know what something is receptive to you can treat it. More about that next week as that’s the oncologist’s job…

Now to the short term plan (I’ll take it for now, at least it’s something) – back to surgery next Tuesday. She’ll take another sliver of tissue to clear the margins, shouldn’t be a big deal only in OR for half hour, a couple hours in recovery room and back home to the couch and my ducky blanket. Won’t need to mess with lymph nodes again.

Appointment with oncologist was rescheduled to Friday, October 19th.