On Thursday morning, the KGH Imaging Department phoned to book a breast MRI, which gives the most detailed assessment of what it going on in the tissue. There had just been a cancellation for 8 AM on Friday morning so I grabbed it!!
Today, I was able to access the radiologist's report (via Pocket Health). The larger tumour has shrunk from 3.4 centimetres to 2 cms, and the smaller tumour, which was 1 cm in the fall is now 0.2 cms. There is no swelling in any of the lymph nodes. It is what they call a "partial" response to chemo, meaning it had a good effect, but did not obliterate the tumour. But I'll take it! It means the surgeon will have to remove much less tissue to get clean margins around the tumour.
On the basis of having had the MRI, yesterday I was able to move my appointment with the surgeon to 18 March, a week earlier than originally planned. Though his nurse told me that there that the OR is fully booked for March, I'll be all queued up if there a cancellation, or more OR time becomes available. Otherwise, I expect the surgery will be in early April, within the recommended 4-6 week window after chemo ends.
Last month, I was thinking that March would be "bust out" month, after isolating for so long. But I realize I will have to go more slowly. For one thing, if my booster in late November gave me any immunity to Omicron, it is probably gone now, and I won't have my next booster until 11 March. And after all I've been through with chemo, I don't want any scheduled surgery to be delayed. So, I will continue to stay cautious and rebuild my health as best I can before surgery - with good food, and more walking and yoga. The walking treadmill I bought for zoom meetings during the pandemic turned out to be so great this winter when it was icy or I didn't have the energy to walk outside. I will use it to increase my endurance and stamina.
I'm going to plant some seeds this weekend—some leek seeds, and the seeds from masterwort and summer berries yarrow that my sister saved and gave me two years ago. (I remembered to put them in the fridge this year!) Planting seeds always seems like a hopeful exercise, but even more so now. There is also a blog post about grief that is starting to take shape on the back burner in my mind. This week I started to see my grief for Liz as another gift she's given me, a gift of seeing the world with new eyes, where pain and sorrow are sharper and more intense, but also joy and beauty. With the new eyes that grief provides, it seems that compassion can expand and deepen. An exquisite and priceless gift. And yet another classic Liz gift.
Grief dares us to love once more.
Terry Tempest Williams
So many people have reached out and been so kind. I continue to float in a deep river of love! Thank you!
