April 14 2010 ~ Call from Dr. Turner (My ObGyn), I am Diagnosed with "Invasive Ductal Carcinoma".
April 15 2010 ~ First appointment with Dr. Rado (My Oncologist). No pathology reports back but based on the size (now measuring at 4.5cm X 4.5cm), and the blood work, this is a very aggressive form of breast cancer. It is a "High Grade Tumor" with a "great risk of metastasizing". Hoping That the Cancer is HR / PR+ and Her2-. This would mean, in a nutshell, that is is effected by Estrogen and Progesterone for growth and that it is easily treatable with chemo.
It is explained that "Termination of pregnancy"has to be thought about and discussed immediately, and I am assured that both Dr. Turner and Dr. Rado will be looking into every possibility and option. (I trust them with all of my heart). Ideally, I would have termination of pregnancy, "mediport" inserted immediately, and follow with immediate chemotherapy.
The most common way a cancerous mass and whatnot is dealt with is to have surgery, then chemo, then either radiation or more chemo etc to follow. But because of the size, and rigidity (stuck to my breast wall), they cannot even do surgery until it has shrunk some. We were given many 'possibilities', but I am choosing to stay in the realm of Reality right now and deal with each thing is it comes. I will cross each bridge as I get there.
April 16 2010 ~ Appointment with Dr. Turner and ultrasound on baby. Based on the ultrasound, I am 20 weeks 3 days along. A couple days past 5 months. To keep this strictly medical:
Baby is a boy and everything looks good. However, based on what is known of my Cancer even thus far, and the information on Fetal survival at this point, termination seems to be inevitable. In the first Trimester the fetus has about a 100% chance of demise and, if survival, birth defects.
In the Third trimester, fetus has very good chance of survival and low birth defect rate, however very high rate of low birth weight, premature delivery and complications along those lines. As well as the dangers of infections and then hemorrhaging because of my low blood counts.
Then there is the second trimester...the one we are in...One main thing to take into account is whether or not I am Hr / Pr + and Her2-. If I am receptive to estrogen and progesterone (HR/PR+) than the baby is dumping it into my system at rates that I cannot take care of in time before it would kill me. And to remove the hormones from the baby, of course, would be devastating to the baby. The other is that it has been shown that while a baby in the second trimester can "survive" the surgery and even some of the chemo, the survival rate goes down by 40-50% and the odds of birth defects goes up even higher. There are no options to try and 'keep the baby in for as long as possible' in hopes things could go well. So the bottom line of the appointment was to think of which option we wanted to take for "terminating" the pregnancy. However...until my pathology in, there is still 'hope'...
April 19th 2010 ~ Received call from Dr. Turner. Found out that I AM HR/PR +. Fantastic news for the hopes of treating my Cancer, but absolute concrete news for the fate of our child. We now know that the constant dumping of these hormones into my body is feeding this cancer at an astronomical rate and must be stopped. Arrangements must be made for the baby, a mediport must be put in and chemo must be started ASAP.
(WARNING: GRAPHIC PARTS INCLUDED HERE)
April 24, 2010 ~ 9:30pm Jon and I arrived at the Kadlec Birthing Center to begin our induction. Dr. Turner arranged it so that i would start with a fairly gentle beginning to labor, and so that we could rest some through the night, that way when he came on for his shift in the morning, we could hit it hard and deliver while he was there. Began induction with Highest possible dose of Cytotec orally. Had mild cramps, but slept. (Because of the dangerous side effects with oral admin, will be moving to vaginal dosing. Still have bad side effects but not as dangerous).April 25, 2010 ~ Aprox. 1:30 am Dr. Smith came in and gave a high dose of Cytotec. Decided to leave it at that because that should get the labor going enough and we wanted Dr.Turner there for the birth.
9:am Dr. Turner came in first thing in the morning. Gave me high dose of Cytotec. Began having much steadier labor, but I was able to still write and function.
1:PM Cramps were much more serious but still doing okay. Gave another dose of Cytotec, this time rectally. Within moments I was beside myself with pain. Given "Staydol " for pain via IV...began to hallucinate and felt horrible. Felt freezing and my teeth would not stop chattering. Was afraid I was going into shock (Jon was worried about this, too tho didn't tell me until we were safe at home). This happens to your body when you dilate so fast. I was also feeling the terrible side effects of the Cytotec (fever, chills, all together sick feeling).
During this hour I dilated from about a 1- "all the way".
By 2PM (Still trying to keep this purely "medical")...Time to push.
2:22pm Aiden Jon Petersen is born. 12oz 9.5 inches. Absolutely perfect miniature version of a perfect baby. We were warned to expect only a few moments with him alive. His cord was cut, and my gown undone at the top so that he could spend his first and last moments next to the heartbeat and voice he had grown to know.
~(Aiden Jon lived on for over 2 hours.).~
5:06PM Aiden Jon passes away. An Ultrasound tech was called in to check my uterus for any placenta remains. Anything at all left in there could be fatal for me. After 3 hours of hard labor my placenta had been delivered. Everything looked good.
By 7PM (earlier but not sure when) we're dismissed and on our way home. My blood levels were low (anemic) and I was discharged with an Rx for Iron pills, pain pills and sleeping medicine.Yes, they wanted us to stay. No, we were not going to.
(SAFE TO CONTINUE IF YOU SKIPPED THE "GRAPHIC" PARTS)
April 26 2010 ~ 11:30AM Checked in for mediport surgery. Suppose to be a 15-20 min procedure where I will be sedated enough to have no idea what is going on or why I was even there. Taken back for surgery at 12:20pm
April 27, 2010 ~ Spent the last 24 hours in some of the worst pain I had ever felt...and quite the hell. Was not able to move my right arm up or down or anywhere. Had to sleep sitting up, and may have had 3 hours sleep so went to Dr. Rado's where they removed all of the tubing so that it was no longer "accessed."
April 28th, 2010 ~ Appt with Dr. Rado and chemo Nurse. (You can find very informative links to the info on the chemo on the first page at the very bottom) According to all of my labs and tests I have a great prognosis. I am ER /PR+ and Her2- which is the best possible outcome as far as the lab results and how my body will react to chemo goes. It means it will be easily treated with chemo and will be less likely to spread. I will be starting my first cycle of chemotherapy day after tomorrow. I will be doing 12 week cycles. Each cycle consists of me going in to the Outpatient Chemotherapy wing at Kadlec once every 3 weeks for my intravenous chemotherapy called Taxotere, as well as other things via IV..(my mediport)...to help with the chemo such as nausea medication, anti-allergy medications and steroids. I will also take an oral chemotherapy called Cyclophosphamide . For the day before chemo and the 2 days after chemo I will be given an oral steroid called Dexamethasone (the same steroid given by IV. We will also come into the hospital for the 2 days following my chemo to the in patient oncology area to be checked on and to take my oral medication called Emend which Is a nausea pill that works on the brain and is long lasting. Everyday I will be taking my oral chemo, and several other medications, as well. Dr. Rado feels that with a fairly aggressive chemotherapy regime we can shrink my mass down and be ready for surgery to remove my mass very soon. He also feels that the chemo will kill off any Cancer that has tried to spread. He is very happy with my prognosis as it looks great...so are we. (A lot of information to take in at once, Will luckily have a 2 hour meeting with chemo nurse on my first day of chemo.
April 29th, 2010 ~ MRI on both breasts. Not bad at all. A little uncomfortable because of mediport and laying face down with arms up but wasn't too intolerable. Do not know results, but will be told soon.
April 30th, 2010 ~ First chemotherapy today. Had a very informative 2 hour meeting with chemo nurse before hand who gave us a ton of information (both through talking as well as info to take home...I even got a fancy Kadlec 'chemo bag' to store all my goodies in, hehe) Was given Taxotere intravenously and Cyclophosphamide orally. Also through IV was given Benadryl, and Zyrtec for possibly allergy to Taxotere, nausea medication, and a steroid. Was very drowsy from the Benadryl. Session went very well. Was informative, not at all painful and was able to doze off for a short time while chemo went in. We will have to watch for many things and I will need to be careful. There are 3 stages with chemo (although I will not experience the 3 stages the same with the oral chemo since its an ongoing lesser chemotherapy). The 3 stages are Onset, Nadir and Recovery. The Nadir stage is the most dangerous. It is approximately the 2nd week and when all of your blood counts are at their lowest...so no grocery stores, sick people around me...just in general watching for any dangers. (Please see link above under Taxotere for more information.) All in all a good experience considering. We will be returning the next two days to pick up and take my Emend. But I will not be adding those as separate entries.
May 11th, 2010 ~ Ultra Sound following MRI. Found another lump toward front of left breast. Also fluid or some mass in axillary nodes, which I already was aware of. Not concerned, really. Dr. Rado will figure it out. I am in good hands.
May 12 2010 ~ Saw Diane for bad swelling and severe headaches. I was a “stage 2 pitting”...(a stage 4 pitting being the worst possible 'grade' for swelling). Upped my water pill to 2 day for 3 days, continuing potassium, plus have to drink 2-3 LITERS of water per day. Avoid sugars and salts or any drinks like Gatorade, Crystal Light etc. Just pure water. Headaches are being worsened by Zophran (nausea pill) just as I suspected. Luckily I had decided to stop taking it on my own 2 days ago and was already feeling a mild improvement. So no longer going to take it, since I am not having issues with nausea (plus I still have Compazine if I do get nauseated). We will check in in a few days and see how this plan works.
May 16th, 2010 ~ Started losing hair. Getting it cut into “pixie” cut tomorrow
May 18th, 2010 ~ Appt with Mitra Rado. Labs and everything looks great. We are doing everything just perfect and were advised to keep up what we are doing now. Red blood levels up a bit (which Is very good. It means I am recovering well). Main mass that brought me in has shrunk almost in half! Still figuring out whats going on with axillary fluid or mass and mass found in front of left breast, but seems to have shrunk since my MRI. Going to be taking Vitamin B50 to keep neuropathy issues in hands at bay as well as “One A Day Women's for Breast Health” daily vitamin. ;) I was told I will likely be bald by next week. And that things like issues with my hands will start getting worse. All in all very everything looking good.
May 20th, 2010 ~ Appt with Dr. Turner. (RESERVED)
May 21st Chemotherapy (RESERVED)
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