I had my 1 week follow up with Dr. Ortell today. He removed all my bandages and pulled my drain tube out (OUCH!). I don't go back to him until April 2nd. Actually I don't go back to a physician until March 4th which is to the oncologist, Dr. Alex Thomas, at the U of I. I did visit with them her this week about their latest thoughts on my chemo and/or treatment plan and they have a new thought (give them enough time and I think they will keep having new thoughts). After examining my pathology slides they have decided that I have about 5% hormone receptors on my "tumor." Even though that is low they believe it needs to be addressed. They still want to treat me with the more aggressive chemo regimine, but after that is completed they want me to take the drug Tamoxifen for 5 years. Tamoxifen blocks the effect of estrogen and therefore if the tumor is at all dependent on estrogen to grow or regrow, it couldn't because the Tamoxifen would prevent that. They will visit with me more on that when I see them on the 4th.
Right now my first chemo treatment looks like it will be on or around March 31st and it will be every other week until I have completed 8 treatments. That will be here before we know it...at least the majority of our bad weather will be a thing of the past and the weather will be getting warmer each day. I guess that is about it for now.....we continue to be thankful for your continued kindness, cards, prayers, thoughts, calls, hugs and words of encouragment and inspiration. We are very blessed.....
With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.
Eleanor Roosevelt
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