My Surgery Schedule

Below is the email I sent to everyone with a few edits. I think it's a good place to start.  I will continue to provide updates as I learn more.

Hello all -

I am so lucky to have so many people praying for me and providing support. I am truly blessed. With all your help I will get through this. Below are the highlights of what is coming. You can openly share this information with others if you feel it is appropriate. Please don't post it on Facebook or any similar forum.

 

My sister and I are in the process of setting up a blog. We'll partner on that. I have so many people emailing me right now (not that many people know yet) it is not manageable. I cannot keep up with all of them. Once I get that going that will be the place to go for questions and information.

 

All the times below are Mountain Time (my time).

 

Below are the highlights of what's coming in the next couple of months. As I learn more, I will tell more.

 

Stage 1 Cancer -- that's a relief

 

There is a spot they saw from my MRI on the left side they want to needle biopsy and make sure it is not cancer. If it is cancer, they will remove that lump at the same time they do my right side.

 

Thursday February 3rd

• St Lukes imaging
• Ultrasound/image the left side
• Needle biopsy on left breast
• I will be a little sore, but not like surgery
• They will give me xanex
• Cindy C. will be my driver
• Be at imaging at 1:45
• Be done about 4ish
• They will call me with results when they have them

Wednesday February 9th

• St Lukes admitting to inject die in the lymph nodes on the right side
• If the left side is cancer as well, they will do right and left
• I will work from home in the morning
• Be at St Lukes at 9:45
• Procedure takes about 2 hours
• There are no side effects, no pain
• Go to work - I have a big kick-off meeting in the afternoon

Thursday February 10th - the big day :)

• Admitting at 7:30am
• 8:00 am to imaging to tag a cyst close to the one they already removed. They want to remove it since it is so close
• Then to pre-op
• Surgery scheduled for 10am
• General anesthesia this time
• Remove the cancerous tissue around the lump they already removed and the cyst
• Remove 3 or 4 lymph nodes on right (left if find cancer in left breast)
• Check the lymph nodes for cancer while I am in surgery
• If no cancer in lymph nodes - done
• If there is cancer, depending on the extent they may remove more lymph nodes
• Then to post-op
• I do not have expected time to be out of surgery yet. It was about 12:30pm before, probably longer. I'll let you know when I know.
• Go home to Tom's Thursday through sometime Friday evening Feb 11th. Depending on how I come off the anesthetic I may stay Friday night

Sunday February 13th

• I plan on playing bass. I did after the last surgery and there were no issues :)
• If you'd like to watch go to this link. I play at the 10am service. There is a link (picture) you click on to stream on your computer
• http://dev.cathedraloftherockies.org/cotr/

Monday Feb 14th-Feb 18th

• Will work at home a good part of the week. I will need to be close to ice. The removal of lymph nodes will make it more of a challenge. I'd rather have ice than Norco

Friday Feb 25th

• I will play bass at the Women's Winter Gathering
• I will miss the rehearsal on 11th but will be at the one on the 18th
• I am hoping Jenny or one of the main instrumentalists (Nancy?) can run me through the music before the 18th so I am ready.

I will plan to travel to MN the week of March 7th for SUPERVALU Leadership meetings

I will still be going on vacation March 22 - April 2nd.

  

Radiation will start after I return from vacation. Radiation will be for 6 weeks 5 days a week. She said it's like a 30 second x-ray. They will work around my work schedule.

  

I will not go to Oncology until after I am recovered from surgery. It is possible I may need chemo as well but we will figure that out after the surgery. I do not have an Oncologist yet. I do plan on going to MSTI in Boise. The doctor told me not to focus on this until I through my surgery.

  

I know all of this is overwhelming, but under the circumstances it is very good news. So keep thinking happy thoughts and prayers and with your help I will get through this.

  

I love you all - Suzan