Just Checking In…

The suspense is killing me

Ten days after what was supposed to be the home stretch of my breast reconstruction surgery, my donor site is fixed and here I am, already ignoring the “four weeks of rest” rule. Shocking, I know. As I head into my second weekend of recovery. I’m probably doing things I shouldn’t be doing 10 days post-op. (Don’t worry, my doctors don’t read this… I think.) But I feel great. I look the same, I’m moving a tad slower, but I’m still me, And then I remember. Last Friday night I was living the dream-refreshing The Gateway, looking for the results like it was my full time job. Deja vu, anyone?

Refresh, Refresh, Refresh

Last Thursday, I got an unexpected call from Dr. Carty. He was speaking faster than usual (a red flag) to let me know the preliminary report confirmed cancer. He assured me the final report might come out overnight and promised to call once it was ready.

Plastic surgeons don’t usually make these kinds of calls, but he did, and his panic amplified in me.

By Friday at 6:01 PM, the report finally appeared. At 6:05, Dr. Carty called again—this time sounding even more panicked but also steady with reassurance: “I’m on your team, and we’ll get you taken care of.”

Over the weekend, that amplified panic replayed in my head like a broken record. Refresh, refresh, refresh—it was my only distraction as I waited for answers.

Fast forward a week, and here I am again—refreshing. But this time, it’s with less panic and more of a let’s just get this over with attitude. Chemo or surgery—who’s going first?

For now… refresh, refresh, refresh.

Good News, Bad News (and Some Perspective):

It’s 6:01 PM—refresh—and there it is! This time, though, I had to wait until 6:25 for the breast oncologist to call. She wasn’t just casually checking in—she’s been as desperate for these results as I have and she even consulted with Dr, Carty. She’s ready to get this show on the road.

But hold on, because of course Dr. Carty is in Hawaii at the annual micro surgical conference, Monday is a holiday, and let’s not forget—I JUST had surgery 10 days ago. It’s like a bad sitcom but less funny.

In the end, the medical oncologist has the final say, but if the Breast Oncologist and Dr. Carty weigh in they would like to do the surgery and here is why .

The Breast That Never Stood A Chance

Since my sentinel lymph nodes were removed in 2014, the cancer doesn’t have a clear path through the lymphatic system. Instead, it’s made its way toward the underlying skin—a situation Dr. Carty and the breast oncologist want to address quickly to prevent further invasion.

Important to Note: This isn’t the same as a skin-reducing mastectomy, which is used for reconstruction purposes. In my case, they’ll be removing the skin involved with the cancer to stop it from spreading further, a procedure more commonly referred to as excision of skin involvement in breast cancer.

(Yes, they’re actually going to take the skin on top of my breast. Can anyone please tell me, in all their breast cancer research, have they ever heard a doctor say, “Oh, by the way, we’ll be taking your skin too”? Because, honestly, I missed that chapter. At this point, I’m over it. It’s fine. I’m sure Dr. Carty will work his magic.)

More importantly, HER2 doesn’t need the lymphatic system to spread—it can travel through the bloodstream to other parts of the body, which is why chemo is crucial to stop it in its tracks and kill off anything hiding elsewhere. Surgery is imminent, and chemo is right behind it.

Here’s What’s What

If you are looking for a little more straight forward view

The Good News: My sentinel lymph node is already gone, which blocks the usual lymphatic highway for cancer to travel. That means it’s less likely to spread through that route.

The Bad News: Instead, it’s making its way toward my skin, which means they’ll need to remove some of it to clear things out.

But Here’s the Thing: HER2-positive cancer plays by its own rules. It doesn’t need the lymphatic system to cause trouble—it can also spread through the bloodstream to organs. This doesn’t mean it will, but it’s why they’re so aggressive about treatment and monitoring.

So, while it’s frustrating that the cancer seems determined to find its own path, the good news is we’ve caught it, and there’s a plan. Removing the affected skin is a lot simpler than chasing it through the lymph nodes or dealing with distant metastases, so this is a fight we can take on.

It’s still a step-by-step process, but as invasive cancers go, this path is one we can navigate.