MK Update 1/13/2008

Okay, I have set up “MK’s Support Group” distribution list. I will update you guys as I progress through this process. I will be brutally honest—I want you to all know the truth throughout this process. Please feel free to pass all e-mails on to others who might be worried about me. I don’t mind! I understand that people are worried about me and I would prefer them to hear about me from me rather than hear incorrect information. I appreciate all of the support I have received this past week. It has truly been overwhelming and very humbling. I sincerely feel the prayers and that has really helped! I know there are people that I have never met praying for me and that is so amazing! And, I have the best family in the world! I have yet to go to any appointment without at least three people with me. A nurse asked me Friday if I had my “entourage” with me! Like I said before, cancer was sure stupid to pick on me and my family! We have beat this once with my Dad—I guess they wanted to try again! Stupid disease!!!

Now for the update—I went back to Little Rock Friday (with Chris, Mom, & Jay in tow) and met with Dr. Hagans. He is so awesome! He was very detailed in his explanations and even provided me with visual aids—which is great for me since I am a visual learner! He called the tumor an Infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma (IFDC). He said the tumor they removed was 1.8 cm in diameter which was good because anything under 2 cm is consider to be a Level 1 or Grade 1 tumor which is the lowest level. He said that this week they will be testing the tumor to see what the DNA make-up is, how fast it grows, etc. to determine one part of my treatment. He said that clearly there was something wrong because it was not typical for a 33 year old female to have breast cancer—no kidding! J There is a 10-12% chance that someone my age would develop breast cancer—I always knew I was special! He divided my treatment options into two areas—treating the breast and treating the body. I have two choices for treating the breast. I can have a mastectomy and no radiation and then I would have a less than 1% chance of this recurring or I can do what he called conservation where he would remove some more tissues and lymph nodes but not the whole breast. With this option, I would have to have radiation to the area everyday for five minutes for six weeks. My chance for recurrence with this option is less than 5%. Chris and I are going to meet with a plastic surgeon tomorrow in Little Rock. If I choose the mastectomy, I would have the mastectomy and reconstructive surgery at the same time. Dr. Hagans said the surgeon had many options with reconstruction including taking fat from my thighs to reconstruct the breast—which I find to be very appealing!!!! J The major difference in the two is that the conservation approach is an outpatient procedure and would then require six weeks of radiation. But, the mastectomy would require me to stay at least two days in the hospital but would have no radiation and about a 10-day recovery process. So, that is what I have to decide at this point. Whatever I decide, the surgery will be sometime the week of January 21st.

He then talked about treating my whole body. Several factors will decide this treatment including the results of the bone scan, CT scans, and blood work I completed Friday. He will literally put all of these results into some kind of “formula” and it will tell him what treatment is best for me. It may just be some oral medications with little side effects or it could be some serious chemotherapy. I won’t know this plan for a couple of weeks.

I am doing great! I am going to go back to work tomorrow and plan to work all week. I went to the Kell Classic last night. The ballgames were good and I saw so many people who are in this fight with me. I have received more hugs this past week than ever before and it is just the best medicine. I still need your prayer support and humbly ask you to please pray specifically for the following.
1. Please pray that together with my family, I will make the best choice regarding my treatment.
2. Please pray for my Chris—he has just been the best—and I know this is hard on him!
3. Please pray for all of my family—they have been so great and I know this is going to get exhausting for all of them—they need prayer support too!
4. Please pray for my nephews, Zac & Alex, that they can understand what they need to in this process and not be worried about their “Sissy”!
5. Please pray for the doctors and nurses treating me—they have all been fantastic!
5. And finally, please continue to pray for my mental health—physically I am not concerned about me—but this is certainly a mental battle. I am not worried about the cancer, but I seem to be overwhelmed with worry over my family and friends that are taking care of me! I know I need to be mentally prepared for this battle, and your prayer support is helping to keep me in a good place!

My more than awesome sister-in-law, Erin, sent me the following group of verses last week to help me through this fight. I took them with me to my first surgery. Dr. Hagans read them with me before the surgery and then we prayed together. I was so nervous before the surgery, but once he read that to me—I was ready to go!
The Armor of God
10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

Not only do I have on the “full armor of God”, but I know I have God’s army fighting with me. You are more than my prayer warriors—you are my teammates in this fight and you will never know how much I appreciate and love you all! Thanks for being there for me and I will keep you posted! God bless! MK