I went to Barnes today for a bone scan and CT scan.  It took all day, and I’m exhausted.  This is the most active I have been since my surgery.  I saw my breast surgeon in the late afternoon to go over the results.  Both scans were clean.  The lymph nodes in the left arm are definitely cancerous, so they have to go, but the cancer doesn’t appear to have spread to any organs or bones.  This is amazing news.  So my breast cancer is Stage IIB, which has like a 74% survival rate.  I am so very relieved.  I cannot begin to describe what I felt when she told me the results.

I’m going to have another surgery, likely next Thursday, to remove the remaining lymph nodes. It sucks, because (1) it’s another surgery, and (2) it puts me at high risk of developing lymphedema later in life.  But I’ll make the best of it, do all the physical therapy, do the exercises every day and forever if that’s what it takes, and wear the compression sleeve when I run or get on an airplane.  I can handle that.  She said being thin is a big plus, because obesity/rapid weight gain is a huge factor, so that’s good too.

During surgery, they are going to insert my port for chemo, which I will likely start the first week of January.  This will allow them easy access to a vein every time I go in for chemo.   I am waiting for my referral to the oncologist.  It doesn’t sound like I will need radiation, which is awesome, because that means we can move forward as scheduled for my reconstruction.  By summer, I should be cancer free and sporting a new set of super awesome boobs.  Go me. Fuck yes.

Seriously…best news ever.  At least until they declare me cancer free. <3