Just an update - Mom's partial mastectomy for the DCIS (ductal carcinoma in-situ) was a success, they got it all and the margins were clear. We were all so pleased and thinking this was definitely going to be fixable.

Mom went for her follow up appt. with the surgeon last Thursday - thinking it was just going to be about how she's healing from the partial mastectomy (a bit more than a lumpectomy) and if/when she'll get radiation. Meanwhile, apparently the surgeon took a sample of another suspicious area (looked like calcification) while she was doing the lumpectomy/partial mastecomy to be tested - and this has turned up invasive cancer.

Mom has a very aggressive and somewhat rare type of cancer (invasive micropapillary carcinoma) - and I still don't know yet what the treatment plans are or what her "stage" is exactly. She has a lymph node surgery/biopsy thing this coming Monday. The good news is that it hasn't spread to her organs or bones. Not sure about lymph nodes yet. The ki-67 rate is high, it's luminal B, it's micropapillary carcinoma. It all sounds really bad, but I'm still learning and trying to understand it.

In the meantime, the car's packed and I'm on my way. Will be there by Saturday night (two day drive).

Anyway, I won't be around to reply (leaving first thing tomorrow morning), but just wanted to post something here to update and explain my limited and sporadic participation. I will also be "away" for a little while.

That said, late at night or whenever I get a break, I'll be looking at YLF and enjoying a wonderful respite from the tough goings-on. So even though I'm not really 'here' - I'll still be reading and enjoying YLF fabness.

Seems silly, but I swear - in my most stressful moments, there is nothing like YLF to take my mind off things and cheer me up.

...

Now I just have to go and calm Gus (my doggie) down, and convince him that just because there are piles of luggage and stuff in the dining room does not mean we're going on vacation and leaving him with the dog sitter. He doesn't quite believe me, and has spent this afternoon hiding under the dining room table (all hundred pounds of him) pouting. He's not really going to get it until he jumps into the car and notices he has his own "luggage" (two bags of Gus things - food, treats, doggie bed and so on). I've taken him on trips before, just that it's been awhile, and I think when he sees luggage of any kind, he gets a bit worried that we're going somewhere without him.

Well, he practically has his own suitcase - a roll-up camping bed, bones, fancy food, a new bright green collar to wear in Vancouver, sweet potato "fries" (dog treat), chicken treats and so on. That said, he is not going to relax until he's in the car with us.

I hope I can get to sleep tonight. Have a good two days drive to get through before arriving at Mom's house. I am scared. Thank goodness I have my DH and doggie with me for the first little bit.

Anyway, nighty night and just wanted to share a bit of what was going on. Don't want people thinking I'm ignoring posts or anything - I'm just blindsided and a bit freaked (to put it mildly).

G'night and we'll catch up sometime next week when I get a break in the goings-on.