Phew...What a week!

Sorry for being MIA since starting My Booble...but I had just about the most exhausting week ever. It started off with a full day of work on Monday and a few hours on Tuesday followed by an MRI. What a loud, annoying procedure THAT was...!!! It didn't hurt or anything, but boy oh boy was it loud! For those of you that have never had one before, I'll try to explain it. I had to take off anything / everything metal ~ all my jewelry and my shoes. Then I was taken into this room with a huge machine and I had to lay face down (which was actually good!) on the table. They put headphones on me and promptly ran out of the room...heaven forbid they get any of the radiation that I was able to receive! They then started some music, which sounds nice, but I couldn't hear it over the machine, so what good did it do?!? Anyways, the scan itself took about 40 minutes. I left there with the biggest headache ever.  

Wednesday was supposed to be a pretty easy day, but it wasn't (I have a feeling I am going to end up with more days like that ...!). I had an appointment with an Oncologist first thing Wednesday morning. My mom and aunt were going to the appointment with me. Thank goodness...I would not even think of half the questions that they have been asking, so I'm so glad to have them there with me.  Anywho...come to find out that we had been scheduled with a Radiation Oncologist...weird...I was under the impression that I wasn't going to need radiation. But...come to find out...I may. We won't know for sure until after surgery. But he was great in answering all of our questions...and we had plenty for him. Questions about what to expect, what's next, what's to come. He was then able to get me scheduled (same day) with a Medical Oncologist in the same practice so I could speak to him about the Chemo & what to expect with that. So, off and running we were. We had about an hour to get from Gilbert to Mesa ~ totally doable. We ended up at the Ironwood Cancer & Research Center in Mesa. Very nice facility and the doctor we met with was amazing. He will become my primary Oncologist. We really liked him and he too took the time we needed to ask ALL of our questions (that we could come up with at that time). AND it was over his lunch break...what a guy...

After that, it was on for blood work and we spent the next 45 minutes sitting in a waiting room with about 20 people, most of which were kids...screaming kids nonetheless. It took all of 2 minutes to poke me and get the blood they needed, but we waited...and waited...and WAITED...  I was pretty well exhausted after that. I had a pounding headache and couldn't think straight any more...and it was about 2:30 in the afternoon. We started out day out at the first appointment around 8:30 am...so it had been a full day of doctors and running around.

Thursday was filled with meeting the Plastic Surgeon I am going to see for the reconstruction surgery; then work for a few hours; then a PET scan. What a breeze that was compared to the MRI. The PET scan required me to check in around 3:10pm. I was called back and luckily my mom could come with me. We were put in a comfy, small room with a big over-sized (medical) chair. I was able to change into something comfy, then I was stuck with another needle and injected with radioactive glucose! After that, I was left to relax for an hour...yes, a full hour of nothing! The lights were dimmed, I had a warm blanket and pillow, and was able to fall asleep for a little while! Then they woke me up, put me on a table and started to scan away. This test only took about 20 minutes and we were out of there. 

So far, I haven't really received any of the results of any of my tests, but I'm not concerned. I think they were more to help me determine what type of surgery I should have, in case I was still undecided.  

What this upcoming week holds...Who knows! All I know is that by Wednesday, I hope to know when surgery is going to be scheduled. My dad and sister will be in Phoenix through Friday at least; and my mom will be here for a bit longer than that. I think I have most things figured out and ready to go. More information to come as I get it! Thank you so much, to everyone, for your support and love during this. It is still overwhelming, but I am going to get through it with a smile on my face!

Love always!

  ~ heather :o)