Well this is unofficial good news, unofficial because my oncologist has not yet met with me about the bone scan. We had a doctor friend track done my scan while at work and my bone scan is completely normal! To those that do not know what that means... there is no sign of cancer in my bone marrow.
This is such a blessing! I did not feel like the news was going to be anything but positive, but at the same time it is nice to actually hear good news!
I start chemo on January 4th and I'm ready to get this going so I can get it over with!
I plan to donate my hair on the 3rd and get a cute pixie hair cut, that should last for one to two weeks before my hair falls out. I ordered my wig yesterday and I am excited to see how that turns out. I decided on blonde since that is my actual hair color. I also have been offered a wig from a lady that is about a year ahead of me with the same diagnosis. I do not know her and I am overwhelmed by her generosity, her wig is made of human hair and they are very expensive. She said I could style it and dye it however I want!
Sadly, a friend of mine was diagnosed with breast cancer this week, Angela. Please keep her and her family in your prayers as they start this journey. She is a wonderful women with a strong faith in God. I pray that God gives her the strength and peace that He has given me down this road.
I pray that you all have a Merry Christmas!!!!
Friday, December 24, 2010
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Apparently I am having more test
Well I was wrong about not doing more test. I met with Dr. Nanfro last Thursday and he likes to do a baseline bone scan and a muga (monitor cardiac function).
I had the bone scan yesterday and must say it was a fairly uneventful experience. Having had many MRIs I was expecting the scan to be loud and uncomfortable, but I was pleasantly surprised. I was even able to watch t.v. during the scan.
I have the muga scheduled for next Tuesday. I spoke with the tech to find out what is involved. He informed me that he would draw some blood, label it, wait 20 mins, and put it back in. When it is going back in is when they monitor the cardiac function.
O.K. so this is going to be a strange correlation but you know when you buy a car you start to see it every time you drive...Well, any time I turn on the t.v. there is a story about cancer. Elizabeth Edwards losing her battle the morning of my surgery, Dr. Oz (which I do not normally watch) had a segment on things to eat and do to avoid certain cancers (missed that boat) and during my scan the channel they pick was home design and the back story for the family getting the redesign was about how their oldest daughter getting cancer. Now the whole car thing happens because you basic start looking for your new car. Are there always this many stories about cancer on t.v. and I am just now noticing it? I find this very strange. I think I will stick to my kindle for a while any avoid "Cancer t.v."
God is starting to prepare me for the next part of this journey. I have been introduced to women in my community that have gone through the same things I am about to encounter. They all have positive outlooks on the situation which is refreshing and great words of wisdom. I have also been told some tricks to avoid losing my fingernails, taking prenatal vitamins. And for those of you out their who just said, "She should check with her oncologist to see if that is ok." I already did. He said it is fine and that there are also some other things you can do to preserve your nails.
I am also meeting with the "girls" at Dr. Nanfro's office on Monday for my "chemo teaching." Apparently there is a lot to know about treatment and do's and dont's that go along with it. I already know that there are certain foods you cannot eat throughout treatment, but there also foods you should avoid right before a dose of chemo and those that you avoid a few days after treatment. Being someone who has always eaten whatever I want whenever I want without thinking or caring about it, I am going to have to adjust a lot. I am really going to miss my sushi!
I pray that as we approach Christmas day that you are all blessed with the presence of God in your life and the joy and peace that goes along with his presence.
I had the bone scan yesterday and must say it was a fairly uneventful experience. Having had many MRIs I was expecting the scan to be loud and uncomfortable, but I was pleasantly surprised. I was even able to watch t.v. during the scan.
I have the muga scheduled for next Tuesday. I spoke with the tech to find out what is involved. He informed me that he would draw some blood, label it, wait 20 mins, and put it back in. When it is going back in is when they monitor the cardiac function.
O.K. so this is going to be a strange correlation but you know when you buy a car you start to see it every time you drive...Well, any time I turn on the t.v. there is a story about cancer. Elizabeth Edwards losing her battle the morning of my surgery, Dr. Oz (which I do not normally watch) had a segment on things to eat and do to avoid certain cancers (missed that boat) and during my scan the channel they pick was home design and the back story for the family getting the redesign was about how their oldest daughter getting cancer. Now the whole car thing happens because you basic start looking for your new car. Are there always this many stories about cancer on t.v. and I am just now noticing it? I find this very strange. I think I will stick to my kindle for a while any avoid "Cancer t.v."
God is starting to prepare me for the next part of this journey. I have been introduced to women in my community that have gone through the same things I am about to encounter. They all have positive outlooks on the situation which is refreshing and great words of wisdom. I have also been told some tricks to avoid losing my fingernails, taking prenatal vitamins. And for those of you out their who just said, "She should check with her oncologist to see if that is ok." I already did. He said it is fine and that there are also some other things you can do to preserve your nails.
I am also meeting with the "girls" at Dr. Nanfro's office on Monday for my "chemo teaching." Apparently there is a lot to know about treatment and do's and dont's that go along with it. I already know that there are certain foods you cannot eat throughout treatment, but there also foods you should avoid right before a dose of chemo and those that you avoid a few days after treatment. Being someone who has always eaten whatever I want whenever I want without thinking or caring about it, I am going to have to adjust a lot. I am really going to miss my sushi!
I pray that as we approach Christmas day that you are all blessed with the presence of God in your life and the joy and peace that goes along with his presence.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
I'm back...
I am sure that all of you have enjoyed Josh's post and his ability to bring humor in any situation. Laughter is the best medicine!
The results were not great but at the same time not a huge surprise. My diagnosis after the post surgery pathology is Stage III Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. I had 23 positive lymph nodes and 15 negative lymph nodes. I am grateful for those negative ones and will take the 23 for what the are, which is now bio hazard trash! The reason for the staging being a three is the tumor was 16cm. Yeah, that is big and gross!!!!
Treatment for me will consist of about six months of chemo with five weeks of radiation and a complete year of Herceptin. Being that my cancer is HER2+ and an aggressive cancer is a good thing when it comes to chemo. Since the cells divide and replicate rapidly they are killed off faster. There are only certain times in a cell cycle when a cancer cell can be damaged and killed, with slow growing cancers, they has time to spread before the reach the cell cycles that respond to the chemo. So, fast replication and aggressive chemo regimen means we can get those cells and kill them quickly.
There were questions wether I should go on for a PET scan or Bone scan. At this point the results for that would not change the treatment I am going to receive. So, I am not going to do any further test at this point. Once I do my treatments the doctors are going to want to do follow up studies anyway.
Since so many lymph nodes have been removed I am at a greater risk of Lymphedema. I really do not want Lymphedema and I plan on doing everything I can to keep myself from getting to this point. Please pray for me and ask God to spare me this! I know that it may seem silly but I am just being honest.
I have been amazed at the number of calls, texted, letters and prayers that are being sent our way. Thank you for everything. I thank God for you all and pray that He blesses you and your families!
I will probably not be blogging a lot over the next few weeks, but I will pick back up in January and we can go through the fun times that come with chemo, together!
The results were not great but at the same time not a huge surprise. My diagnosis after the post surgery pathology is Stage III Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. I had 23 positive lymph nodes and 15 negative lymph nodes. I am grateful for those negative ones and will take the 23 for what the are, which is now bio hazard trash! The reason for the staging being a three is the tumor was 16cm. Yeah, that is big and gross!!!!
Treatment for me will consist of about six months of chemo with five weeks of radiation and a complete year of Herceptin. Being that my cancer is HER2+ and an aggressive cancer is a good thing when it comes to chemo. Since the cells divide and replicate rapidly they are killed off faster. There are only certain times in a cell cycle when a cancer cell can be damaged and killed, with slow growing cancers, they has time to spread before the reach the cell cycles that respond to the chemo. So, fast replication and aggressive chemo regimen means we can get those cells and kill them quickly.
There were questions wether I should go on for a PET scan or Bone scan. At this point the results for that would not change the treatment I am going to receive. So, I am not going to do any further test at this point. Once I do my treatments the doctors are going to want to do follow up studies anyway.
Since so many lymph nodes have been removed I am at a greater risk of Lymphedema. I really do not want Lymphedema and I plan on doing everything I can to keep myself from getting to this point. Please pray for me and ask God to spare me this! I know that it may seem silly but I am just being honest.
I have been amazed at the number of calls, texted, letters and prayers that are being sent our way. Thank you for everything. I thank God for you all and pray that He blesses you and your families!
I will probably not be blogging a lot over the next few weeks, but I will pick back up in January and we can go through the fun times that come with chemo, together!
Monday, December 13, 2010
Wednesday on the Way
Written by Josh:
Dr. Zwingelberg (Cassy’s Dad) and I made it home late Sunday Night. I was sad to leave my recovering wife (she is with her mother), but I was excited to see my kids. After about an hour, I was ready to head back and hang out with my wife again…
My mother has been watching our children while Cassy and I have been gone, and for that we can’t explain how thankful we are. This hasn’t been the easiest process to go through, but to know that your children will be at home; being loved on by someone they love being around, has been an amazing comfort. Thanks Mom!!!
Ok, what is going on now? Dr. Z and I will meet Cassy and her Mother at Emory on Wednesday to find out and discuss the test results with the Oncologist (11:00am). We will then head back to Panama City, where Cassy will continue to recover. The next steps will depend on the test results (we will update you when we have them).
As far as Cassy’s recovery goes: She is one tuff cookie. Cassy has been walking around and has totally weaned herself off pain medication (not even taking Tylenol). She is eager to get back home and hug on the kids, which have not stopped asking about her since I arrived home.
Once she walks through that front door, the Scribner house will be complete and happy again.
Thank you for all your prayers. We have felt and appreciated them.
Josh
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Update and Revisions
Written by Josh:
Ok, lets just all agree, I am a banker with ADD and not involved in the medical field whatsoever (for that we are all happy). As a result, there were two things written yesterday that need to be revised.
First, while there apparently are ancillary lymph nodes in the body, the nodes that were extracted yesterday for testing were axillary lymph nodes.
Secondly, I know we were all impressed that the test results would be back within 24 hours. Well, you shouldn't be. It is next Wednesday when we get the test results. I contemplated telling everyone that the lab was backed up and it was going to take much longer than originally anticipated, but since this is Cassy's blog, she refused to let me lie on it.
Now for the dictated portion of the Blog by Mrs. Casandra Scribner:
"I currently feel like I have performed 2,000 push-ups and an elephant is sitting on my chest, but I am using my incentive spyrometer to make sure I do not get pneumonia. Ummm, babe I don't know, I am on pain medication..."
Maybe an exact dictation of her blog wasn't the best way to go, I will pick it up from here...
We are planning to leave the hospital tonight or tomorrow morning to provide Cassy a quiet place to recover. Hot Chocolate and a warm fire will do her some good.
Thank you all for the prayers and kind emails/texts/voicemails/etc. We love you and will update you when there is more.
Thanks,
Josh
Ok, lets just all agree, I am a banker with ADD and not involved in the medical field whatsoever (for that we are all happy). As a result, there were two things written yesterday that need to be revised.
First, while there apparently are ancillary lymph nodes in the body, the nodes that were extracted yesterday for testing were axillary lymph nodes.
Secondly, I know we were all impressed that the test results would be back within 24 hours. Well, you shouldn't be. It is next Wednesday when we get the test results. I contemplated telling everyone that the lab was backed up and it was going to take much longer than originally anticipated, but since this is Cassy's blog, she refused to let me lie on it.
Now for the dictated portion of the Blog by Mrs. Casandra Scribner:
"I currently feel like I have performed 2,000 push-ups and an elephant is sitting on my chest, but I am using my incentive spyrometer to make sure I do not get pneumonia. Ummm, babe I don't know, I am on pain medication..."
Maybe an exact dictation of her blog wasn't the best way to go, I will pick it up from here...
We are planning to leave the hospital tonight or tomorrow morning to provide Cassy a quiet place to recover. Hot Chocolate and a warm fire will do her some good.
Thank you all for the prayers and kind emails/texts/voicemails/etc. We love you and will update you when there is more.
Thanks,
Josh
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
After Surgery
Written by Josh:
Cassy had her surgery today. It was about a 4.5 hour procedure.
Her doctor stopped by the hospital room to update us (Me and Cassy's Parents) after the surgery to let us know she is in recovery and doing just fine. Ok, the big news we didn't want to hear; the cancer has spread to the Sentinel Lymph Nodes. He removed additional Sentinel Lymph Nodes and Ancillary Lymph Nodes for testing.
For those out there that don't know much about this (like me), the whole battle with cancer is containment. The rudimentary spreading process for breast cancer is: Breast Tissue to Sentinel Lymph Nodes to Ancillary Lymph Nodes to Unknown. As long as the cancer hasn't gotten to the Ancillary Lymph nodes, or if it hasn't spread from there, this can be contained and destroyed with a high success rate. We will find out the test results this Wednesday.
So, for those of you out there praying..GET BACK TO IT! You are permitted to read the rest of this email, and then it is back to work for you.
Until Wednesday, there will only be speculation with regard to what her treatment(s) will be. What we can be sure of is, she will have some difficult days/weeks/months ahead of her.
A lot of you know that Cassy is a remarkable person. She puts her faith and trust in God and anytime she is asked how she is able to manage all of this with so much strength, she will tell you, "it isn't me, it is God's hand on my life that enables me to be more than I could be on my own".
May we all continue to pray for Cassy. Pray that God heals her. Pray that God gives all of us the kind of faith she has.
Psalm 27:1
The Lord is my light and my salvation; what shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of what shall I be afraid?
Josh
Cassy had her surgery today. It was about a 4.5 hour procedure.
Her doctor stopped by the hospital room to update us (Me and Cassy's Parents) after the surgery to let us know she is in recovery and doing just fine. Ok, the big news we didn't want to hear; the cancer has spread to the Sentinel Lymph Nodes. He removed additional Sentinel Lymph Nodes and Ancillary Lymph Nodes for testing.
For those out there that don't know much about this (like me), the whole battle with cancer is containment. The rudimentary spreading process for breast cancer is: Breast Tissue to Sentinel Lymph Nodes to Ancillary Lymph Nodes to Unknown. As long as the cancer hasn't gotten to the Ancillary Lymph nodes, or if it hasn't spread from there, this can be contained and destroyed with a high success rate. We will find out the test results this Wednesday.
So, for those of you out there praying..GET BACK TO IT! You are permitted to read the rest of this email, and then it is back to work for you.
Until Wednesday, there will only be speculation with regard to what her treatment(s) will be. What we can be sure of is, she will have some difficult days/weeks/months ahead of her.
A lot of you know that Cassy is a remarkable person. She puts her faith and trust in God and anytime she is asked how she is able to manage all of this with so much strength, she will tell you, "it isn't me, it is God's hand on my life that enables me to be more than I could be on my own".
May we all continue to pray for Cassy. Pray that God heals her. Pray that God gives all of us the kind of faith she has.
Psalm 27:1
The Lord is my light and my salvation; what shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of what shall I be afraid?
Josh
Today is the day
Bye Bye cancer. I am getting ready to head to the hospital to get the ball rolling.
Thank you for all of your prayers, I am not anxious about anything.
Josh will be posting today as he gets updates.
Not much to talked about, just ready to go!
I love you all! God Bless!
Thank you for all of your prayers, I am not anxious about anything.
Josh will be posting today as he gets updates.
Not much to talked about, just ready to go!
I love you all! God Bless!
Monday, December 6, 2010
A little anxious
Surgery is tomorrow and I am starting to feel a little anxious. I am not really anxious about the surgery just everything that goes along with it, leaving the kids, recovery, how it will affect the rest of my family and loved ones.
Today when I dropped the kids off I starting really feeling it. I would really appreciate if everyone could pray for this anxiousness to go away.
I am sure most of you know that I am a complete and total control freak! It is something that I have worked on for a long long time. I have improved, but what can I say it is just part of me. Now over the next days, weeks and months most everything is going to be out of my control. I am going to have to sit in a car and not be the one driving! Oh my! I can not even think of the rest of the things I am not going to be able to control.
I DO put God in control of everything in my life and I know that He is going to take care of my family in ways that are better than anything I could do on my own. Sometimes having control of little things, like driving, gives me the false feeling that I am in control, if even just for a short time.
Right now I am being reminded of some scripture verses that WILL get me through this and I pray that they help you in difficult times too:
Matthew 6:34 "So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord . "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."
James 1:2-3 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
I will try to keep this blog updated over the next few days, with the help of Josh. Thank you again for all the prayers and support that you are all giving us. We are a very blessed family!
God Bless
Today when I dropped the kids off I starting really feeling it. I would really appreciate if everyone could pray for this anxiousness to go away.
I am sure most of you know that I am a complete and total control freak! It is something that I have worked on for a long long time. I have improved, but what can I say it is just part of me. Now over the next days, weeks and months most everything is going to be out of my control. I am going to have to sit in a car and not be the one driving! Oh my! I can not even think of the rest of the things I am not going to be able to control.
I DO put God in control of everything in my life and I know that He is going to take care of my family in ways that are better than anything I could do on my own. Sometimes having control of little things, like driving, gives me the false feeling that I am in control, if even just for a short time.
Right now I am being reminded of some scripture verses that WILL get me through this and I pray that they help you in difficult times too:
Matthew 6:34 "So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," says the L
James 1:2-3 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
I will try to keep this blog updated over the next few days, with the help of Josh. Thank you again for all the prayers and support that you are all giving us. We are a very blessed family!
God Bless
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