Monday, October 10, 2005

Radiation

I met with a radiation oncologist this morning. It is official; I will have seven weeks of radiation starting on Jan. 2. Though I'm officially in a "gray zone" for deciding if I will have radiation, the fact that I had 10 cm of DCIS with only a 2mm margin at the chest wall, combined with 2-3 primary IDC tumors, makes my risk of recurrance higher at the chest wall. The radiation oncologist and I agree that radiation is the way to fight this.

The road seems never ending, but I'm confident that I'm making the right decision. If a tumor occurs in the chest wall, there is an 80% chance of metastasis. I owe it to myself to fight that possibility to the best of my ability.

I will be eligible for reconstruction 6 months after the end of radiation, so I hope to plan a DIEP reconstruction, along with a prophylactic mastectomy and reconstruction on the other side, next summer (August) or early fall. I am not eligible for implants after this radiation, so that decides that. (I was leaning toward DIEP anyway, and this decides it.)

Kristina
Posted by at

3 comments:

Rhonda said...

Oh dear. Many prayers for you as you go through the remaining Chemo adn then radiation. May your postponements be few (or not at all).

HUGS
Rhonda (twinangel)

5:30 PM, October 10, 2005
Anonymous said...

A hard decision and one that takes courage and fortitude. For what it's worth, I think it's the right one. Radiation isn't fun, though I don't think as hard as chemo, but it really does cut down the odds. Here's to seeing 100 and getting a letter from the prez!
Love,
gr

8:26 PM, October 11, 2005
Anonymous said...

You realize you talk a whole new language now?! It sounds like you are doing everything possible to remain cancer free, Kristina. May all the energies of the universe be with you to see you through these treatments. They suck, but the outcome WILL be worth it!

Corina

11:04 PM, October 13, 2005

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)