Yesterday afternoon was our follow-up visit with Anne’s breast surgeon.

When he walked in the door, I could tell something was up, I told Anne afterwards.

The mastectomy was successful.  Tumor and infected breast tissue, gone.  Also, Anne’s decision to remove her right breast prophylactically was smart, said Dr. Canale. Essentially, her right-breast tissue was just the kind of soil in which breast cancer loves to grow.

Now for the not-so-great news.

The pathology analysis of her left-breast tissue (location of the tumor) and surrounding lymph-nodes revealed that while the chemotherapy was effective, it did not completely wipe out the cancer. Some of it didn’t respond to the ninja medicine.

Yeah. Sucker punch. A few friends and family we’ve told may have blurted curse words. Permission universally granted.

Before you go there: this ain’t a death sentence. She hasn’t been told that she has some rare breed of incurable cancer that resists all forms of treatment. The ninja medicine did work: shrinking her tumor dramatically, diminishing its presence in her lymph nodes, and largely wiping out those nasty cells. There are certain cells that resisted the chemotherapy treatment she was given. So we go after ’em with other weapons.

As far as what’s next, here’s what we know today:

All of her lymph nodes surrounding her left breast need to come out.  So, surgery next week.  Bummer.

Radiation is still on the docket after Anne’s lymphadenectomy (say that ten times).  We have to napalm her left side to make sure we incinerate every last one of those S.O.B.s.

In light of the pathology findings, Anne’s oncologist is advising we move more aggressively with hormone-therapy, especially estrogen-blocking drugs. Because Anne’s cancer thrives on estrogen (aka “estrogen-positive”), the basic science goes like this: block the estrogen, and the cancer cells won’t/can’t grow and spread.  She’ll start on Tamoxifen right away, as well as start receiving a monthly shot that essentially shuts down those estrogen factories: her ovaries. We’re hopeful. Hormone therapy is quite effective, we are learning.

After that, we know the doctors will continue to provide guidance as to what’s best.

Lord, you are the Fletchers’ portion. Help us to know, to experience Your all-sufficient, never-failing love.

With hope,
Van