TexasCHLforum.com

Thursday 5/12/2011

Last week Elaine developed some discomfort and went to see her doctor at Baylor. That exam resulted in a sonogram on Monday (5/9), followed by a mammogram and several biopsies on Tuesday (5/10). We received the results of those exams today (5/12), and Elaine has been diagnosed with breast cancer. It was only when the oncologist's nurse ushered us out of the exam room, handing me the over-sized, ribbon-covered bag that this new reality began to sink in for us.

The cancer has already invaded Elaine's lymphatic system, so a radical treatment program has already begun. Over the course of the next 8-12 months she will undergo numerous exams, the installation of a "port" to be used in 8-12 weeks of intensive chemotherapy, surgery (a double mastectomy) and radiation therapy. The doctors believe that we have caught the cancer early enough that the prognosis is good. Just the same, all prayers are coveted and will be greatly appreciated.

This new path is not one we have chosen, yet we recognize that God is already walking it ahead of us.

http://www.caringbridge.com/visit/elaineray/

Prayers and positive thoughts for you and your wife, Elaine! Please keep us posted on her progress.

T.

TLynnHughes wrote:Prayers and positive thoughts for you and your wife, Elaine! Please keep us posted on her progress. T.

Also in mine.

I will be praying for you and Elaine. Please keep us posted

Praying with you!

Prayers sent.

May God guide Elaine and you through the difficult days ahead. Trust in Him with every ounce of strength you have becasue He never puts anything in front of us that we can handle.

Philippians 4:13 "I can do everything through him who gives me strength"

I am so sorry to learn this. Cheryl, my wife, is 6 years clear after a lumpectomy and radiation. We will pray for a good outcome.

God bless.

Thanks for asking!!

Prayers for Elaine, you and everyone involved!

Know that God is with you and His plan will be carried out. He will never give you more than you can handle.

Prayers said for your wife Elaine, for you and for the hands that are tending to her.

This monster can be beaten. I know this because my wife is a 6 year survivor. The path is not easy, but it can be done.

This afternoon we returned to the oncologist for an update. The report was not quite what we had hoped for. Based upon the current pathology, mammograms, biopsies and MRI, she has what is called a stage 3 (aggressive) invasive ductal & lobular carcinoma. Those are a lot of big words to say that she has an inflammatory type of breast cancer that is spreading rapidly. The MRI revealed that both sides have been affected, which confirms the surgeon’s initial bent toward a bilateral mastectomy. Given these details, an all-the-more aggressive treatment is about to begin.

Tomorrow (Friday) morning she will have a PET scan in an attempt to discover how far the cancer has progressed (particularly in her lymphatic system). She will also have an EKG and a few additional lab tests done tomorrow as one of the meds being prescribed poses some risk of coronary damage. Then Monday morning we go in for her first round of chemo. Dr. Gupta did not want to wait for the installation of the chemo-port, so Monday’s treatment will be done intravenously. Later in the week we will schedule the day surgery for the installation of the port for future chemo treatments.

Given the biopsies that have already been performed, we know that the cancer has already entered the lymph nodes – we don’t yet know how far along it is. In addition, the PET scan taken together with the MRI will be used to judge the effectiveness of the chemotherapy that has been prescribed (what is called the TAC chemo protocol, comprised of Aredia, Cytoxan, and Taxotere taken all together). After the first two rounds (six weeks) of chemo she will have another MRI (and possible another PET scan) to determine how the cancer is responding to the chemo. The desired result would be that the chemo stops the progress and reduces the size of the mass(es) such that the expectation of a complete removal of the affected tissue increases.

Once again, everything that the doctors have told us thus far leads us to believe that Elaine’s condition is treatable and we will get her through this, but the road just got a little longer. Chemo will now be an 18 week regimen, as opposed to the 8-12 weeks we were previously told. After the surgery (which now looks like will take place sometime in August—but that, too, could change) she will go through radiation, and possibly additional chemo (yet to be determined). There is still a lot that we do not know, but we will share it with you as it is presented to us.

Again, your prayers and encouragement are both greatly appreciated and earnestly coveted.

I have a close relative who beat Stage 4 Inflammatory Breast Cancer with a less aggressive regimen. It sounds like your wife is in good hands!

My wife and I will pray fervently for you and your dear wife.