Hi, here I am sitting in a hammock at Graciela´s house in Loma Muleto, Bocas del Toro province in Panamà. I have not written in my blog since early January - but I have been busy. Towards the end of November I had a slightly late but routine mammogram. In the right breast image was a suspicious spot so that the next week I had an ultra sound. The results a few days later suggested a biopsy. That day I went to a specialist in breast cancer ( Dr. Godoy and his son Dr. Godoy) and had a needle biopsy. The doctors explained in detail what the options would be depending on various results. We did know that the mass was small. Those results didn't come out with a clear answer - so, after Christmas, on December 28 I had an outpatient needle directed surgical biopsy. The next day the diagnosis was a cancer. The followup of that was removal of lymph nodes from the right armpit. All 13 of them were negative for cancer. Since then all of the other tests and results have come out in the very best way; a small cancer (size of a pea), no spresd to the lymph nodes, progesteron and estrogen positive (this is good), some other parameter negative (also good), bone scan good, lungs clear, liver showed no cancer (but is fatty!)I have received womderful support from people in my church, other missionaries, the Bishop and the staff and girls at the girls home. Clearly I am recovered from the surgery - as I made this trip. I am doing excercises. My prayer life has deepened. I now have an oncologist, a wonderful Panamian / brasilian woman, Dr. Picardí and a radiation therapist, Dr. Araruz. The next step is 6 weeks of radiation which will start next week or after. That will be followed by Tamoxaphen or one of the newer drugs.
I am moving back to live at the home this coming weekend.
I feel very blessed by the positive diagnosis (98% chance on no recurance) and by the many people who have taken me to the hospital, provided a bed directly after surgery, given me a place to live where I couold take it easy, talked to me.
I have also been doing a lot - some think too much - as you will see as you continue to read this blog.
Please keep me in your prayers and thoughts.
Tia Sue
4 comments:
Susan! How are you? I'm so glad to hear that you probably don't have cancer! How was your Christmas? When is the next time you will be in the states?
I'm living in Ferrisburgh, VT with my boyfriend, Steve Marshall. Ferrisburgh is near Burlington, where UVM is, so I'm lucky to be nearby. I'm a junior now, an anthropology major with minors in English and political science. Steve and I are living rent free in exchange for (Steve's) work.
How was your Christmas?
I'm too busy at this moment to read more of your blog or write a more detailed message, but I would love to hear from you. Please write to me at remoore (at) uvm (dot) edu
love, Robin
oops, sorry for asking the same question twice... I'm a bit tired :)
Glad to see you're blogging again. Love the pictures. So this is where Graciela is from. I love the tropical forest. It's so beautiful.
Glad to hear you're going to return to the Hogar. I'm sure the girls miss you. I'll be at the Home Monday, and hope to see you then. If not, take care and I'll talk to you later.
Here from Padre Mickey... Sending prayers of healing and restoration, so glad that it was not the worst case. None the less it must have been a challenge.
Peace and grace and many prayers to you, Tia Sue!
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