Lionel was awesome but the test results...

Dear family and friends,

In the last blog I told you that Mike and I were heading to the Lionel Richie concert.  It was awesome, and Lionel and I made a connection – he pointed and smiled at me and I gave it right back.  He keep coming back and all the band members looked down at me wondering who he kept pointing to!  It was a BIG DEAL!  …. At least to me it was and that's really "me" in the foreground of the photo! 

"Say you, say me".....

"Stuck on you..."

The last few days have been quit busy with doctor appointments trying to get things in order so that I can head out of AZ to Portland for a few days to visit with my sister, Megan and her family.  I will then fly from OR to Park City to meet up with Mike and friends to spend a very fun weekend doing lots of activities and one big outdoor dinner on Main Street  This may be the last really fun week for a bit.  Why? 

I found out that I will have to go thru chemotherapy and then radiation.  The Oncotype DX test, which was conducted on my tumor, came back on the higher side.  So, although it means I have to have chemo, it also means that the cancer will react positively to chemo reducing the chance of reoccurrence in combination with drugs for the next five years. 

The treatment that will be used is called TC Chemotherapy which is a very common for breast cancer patients.  Although I think I am prepared for the side effects – I bought two wigs this weekend and one is red HOT - I am sure that I will feel some bumps along the way.

The chemotherapy will begin on Tuesday, June 24^th and will be a total of four treatments, three-weeks apart.  I need to be cautious about being around people and traveling due to infection caused by a low immune system.  But, I do know that I am very fit and healthy which should help with the process. 

The last chemo treatment will be August 26^th, and then I will take a few weeks to recover before starting the radiation, called external beam radiation.  The radiation is every day M-F for six weeks.  So, by the holidays I will be done and feeling much better.

I appreciate all your prayers and kind words.  I am so disappointed to miss some very important occasions and celebrations this summer.     

Love to all.  Katie